We are a quarter into the 21st century. Messaging back home is focused on texting, email and other Smartphone based solutions. It’s been said younger people don’t use their phones to make calls. The post office must be wondering if surface mail is worth the bother anymore. Step onto a cruise ship and communication works differently.
The key instrument is not your phone, but that curious fixture on the wall outside your cabin. They are often called door clips or message holders. You know the one. It’s got a slot in it. Some cruise lines might be getting away from paper, yet others still do it this way. Other communication comes through a public address system or your stateroom TV.
Message holders and the daily program: Let’s talk about that fixture outside your cabin door. If your ship distributes a printed agenda outlining the day’s activities, the next day’s version turns up in that slot during the early evening. People carry it around, because it tells you where you need to be and when. Some ships have an app performing a similar function.
Disembarkation procedures: When the ship wants to share information about Customs and Immigration procedures, this is distributed in written form and put into that slot. When it’s time to disembark, your luggage tags and departure information are in that slot or placed on your bed.
Messaging between passengers: Correspondence works the same way too. If you meet someone interesting and exchange cabin numbers, you often write a note and leave in in the message holder outside their door. (There is usually notepaper and a pen in your stateroom.) If you want to ask your cabin steward to do something, you often leave a handwritten note on your bed.
You might assume other channels work better than handwritten notes. You might leave a phone message, but someone needs to notice the blinking light on their stateroom phone. You might think of using your Smartphone, yet not everyone has bought the onboard internet package. They are often pricy.
By invitation only: Here’s another communication that turns up outside your door: The discrete, invitation sized envelope inviting you to a cocktail reception not open to the general passenger population. It might be the “past customers” party or recognition of loyal passengers on higher recognition tiers. These invites are on physical paper because they act as an admittance pass that is collected at the door of the event.
Advertising: Almost everything on board is run as a profit center. If the art gallery is hosting an exhibition or the jewelry store has a sale, they deliver colored flyers to every passenger.
Future bookings: Do not assume your cruise line will miss this advertising opportunity. You might get a booklet listing future cruises and how discounting for advance bookings onboard works.
Tour tickets: You have other reasons to get messages from the ship. If you book a shore excursion, you will likely get tickets and meeting instructions the day before the tour.
cover photo: Phillipsburg Sint Maarten ©Dennis Cox/WorldViews
Dennis Cox is All Things Cruise Writer and Official Photographer
Editor’s Notes:
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