Get ready for Ocean Medallion Class™

[TNTLAMB]

Great idea, maybe mine will fall in the pool. I really feel like this smacks of Big Brother watching me.

 

 

You have no idea............ I was doing some consulting several years ago for a QR chip inventory system for walmart (developed by MS) the system was supposed to allow the department manager to "wave a magic wand) in his department and immediately give his inventory and move it into an order system. The ultimate plan was to eliminate check out. One could walk into the store have their debit card qr chip scanned pick up what they needed and walk out the door and have their card debited automatically as they walked out the door. The system is actually partially being used now and is being expanded with the wider use of apple pay and google pay.

 

The trial was done with underwear with the tag being the location of the chip. One night on a lark the team went to the local Target store and were able to immediately determine how many walmart underwear customers were shopping that night.

 

The university I worked at who is also a Beta Tester for MS has already integrated the technology for food service and class attendance. You need only walk-in to a room and the qr chip on student ID is immediately scanned. And scanned again as you leave (in case you cut class early) They have the ID card synced with the students puter or smart phone as well. In the Business dept (IT classes_. you walk into class immediatly the days outline, PPT and class notes synch to your PUTER.

 

Imagine walking about a ship with that kind of technology.............

[caribill]

Just read another article on Princess that talks about the ocean compass...since I read on 1 article that the medallion has no interactive screen or menus (if I am understanding correctly) this means you would need to be on a tablet or smart phone to access this ocean compass....will that use the internet minutes or be considered free like the princess one they have to chat? But either way I go on a cruise to unplug... I sit in front of a computer for work and the last thing I want to do on vacay is have to stare at my phone or a screen ...I prefer to escape completely with the only screens I see are camera and e-reader!

 

"Wearing the medallion, you can access the Ocean Compass digital concierge via smart phones, tablets and laptops. Those who prefer to stay off their personal devices on vacation can access their concierge through in-cabin televisions, digital kiosks in designated port terminals and on interactive screens positioned throughout the ships."

 

"The medallion system does not use data or roaming packages. The system is local, so there are no extra fees involved with using personal devices, as long as they're part of the network. In addition to the ships themselves, private island ports like Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay will be wired, as will Port Everglades cruise terminal and dedicated spots at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport."

Edited January 4, 2017 by caribill

[grouchomarx]

I think it sounds cool. Thanks for posting about it, I was not aware. I'm certain I would use it.

[RDC1]

The article forgot to mention that with the sensors the cruise line will be able to collect very detailed information on each and all of its passengers automatically.

 

Now some of that information, such as tracking how many people are using a given area of the ship at a given time time could be very useful in deciding how to make better use of space.

 

On the other had they will be collecting lots of data on each person to provide their customized experiences. Think of it as Google pop up ads type interactions.

[cruzsnooze]

I'll lock mine in the cabin safe for safe keeping :D

[diane.in.ny]

Yup. That is what I do now, but the medallions will take the place of the card and I assume communicate with doors, lights, etc.

 

I got the impression that using the medallion was an option for the pax because of the part in the article of being able to skip the check-in line. No medallion. Then you go through the line.

 

But then I read in the Times article about watching the evening show live in your cabin and the performers being aware of who was watching.

 

If that's the case, I like the idea of (oops) dropping it in the pool.

 

Or maybe I'll just leave it home.

[Colorado Coasty]

Here we go again, another month of people complaining about something they know nothing about. I'm sure this will lead to a "class system".

[Potstech]

Wonder how many people will walk into the pool, run into others, run into doors and walls while looking at their device as they try to find somplace on the ship? Look at all the "accidents" that happen on land and project them onto the ship. Railings on the outside of decks may have to be made taller and stronger for this reason.

 

Also how many medallions will "accidently" fall over the side of the ship?

Edited January 4, 2017 by Potstech

[Hlitner]

This is a frightening development :(. While it sound good, it could be used for some very nasty surprises. For example, we see a trend to have ala carte surcharges in MDRs and even some alternative restaurants. With this type of system, you would order items and automatically have the cost added to your onboard account. This will encourage the cruise lines to tack on sur charges for many MDR items, drinks, etc. And they could even have surcharges for the best seats in the theater. Sit in a certain well-located seat and you are automatically charged an extra fee. ARGH!

 

Hank

Edited January 4, 2017 by Hlitner

[SadieN]

An odd concern

 

What is it made of? What exactly touches your skin?

 

Hate those rubber bracelets and DD is allergic to metal.

[Go-Bucks!]

I'll be on the Regal in November, but I think this medallion is creepy. I don't want big brother knowing everything I do or want. If they send it to me without my permission, I'll just leave it at home. If I get it at embarkation, I'll keep it in a drawer. I enjoy just relaxing and not having the Princess waiters or other staff following me around trying to sell me things. :rolleyes:

[Thrak]

This is a frightening development :(. While it sound good, it could be used for some very nasty surprises. For example, we see a trend to have ala carte surcharges in MDRs and even some alternative restaurants. With this type of system, you would order items and automatically have the cost added to your onboard account. This will encourage the cruise lines to tack on sur charges for many MDR items, drinks, etc. And they could even have surcharges for the best seats in the theater. Sit in a certain well-located seat and you are automatically charged an extra fee. ARGH!

 

Hank

 

Sounds to me as if it's a test - albeit a very expensive test. The article specifically says you don't have to use it if you don't want to..

 

Those who might be spooked don't have to use the medallion or can limit how much they want to participate, Carnival CEO Arnold Donald said.

[Thrak]

Technology services isn't it great???

Tony

 

Well... Princess doesn't exactly have the greatest track record as far as their IT department. :rolleyes:

 

Apparently this goes live on Caribbean Princess on the cruise I have booked in 2018. While they should have the bugs out of the system by then I'll likely have a crew who have never used the system. Ah, well. I will be on a 14 day cruise with the AIBP. I'm sure I will manage somehow. :)

[Doug R.]

Great idea, maybe mine will fall in the pool. I really feel like this smacks of Big Brother watching me.

 

I'll be on the Regal in November, but I think this medallion is creepy. I don't want big brother knowing everything I do or want. If they send it to me without my permission, I'll just leave it at home. If I get it at embarkation, I'll keep it in a drawer. I enjoy just relaxing and not having the Princess waiters or other staff following me around trying to sell me things. :rolleyes:

 

So many Luddites, so little time. :D I think this is just plain old fear of change. For those who are resisting this without even seeing the system in action, from the information available, it appears that some features are optional, why not wait to see what? For those who are going to discard their medallion or leave it in their cabin, How do you plan to access your cabin or are you going to lock yourself in there for the entire cruise? :eek: wiithout further information, I am pretty sure a password/PIN will be needed to access things like directions to your cabin.

 

I am pretty sure the same kind of folks who expressed instant rejection also were appalled when the cruise lines switched to the current card system.

 

I am a federal employee and when some of my relatives and friends express fears of "Big Brother" watching, I tell them don't compliment yourself, you ain't that important, but if you are feeling neglected try skipping paying taxes then "big Brother" will be interested. :rolleyes:

[1emerald1]

I wonder if the medallions will come in blue, gold, ruby, platinum or black. [emoji6]

I wonder how it will go with my jewelry, haha!

[PghCruiseGrrrl]

So many Luddites, so little time. :D I think this is just plain old fear of change. For those who are resisting this without even seeing the system in action, from the information available, it appears that some features are optional, why not wait to see what? For those who are going to discard their medallion or leave it in their cabin, How do you plan to access your cabin or are you going to lock yourself in there for the entire cruise? :eek: wiithout further information, I am pretty sure a password/PIN will be needed to access things like directions to your cabin.

 

I am pretty sure the same kind of folks who expressed instant rejection also were appalled when the cruise lines switched to the current card system.

 

I am a federal employee and when some of my relatives and friends express fears of "Big Brother" watching, I tell them don't compliment yourself, you ain't that important, but if you are feeling neglected try skipping paying taxes then "big Brother" will be interested. :rolleyes:

 

Thank you! I wanted to say the same thing! If you plan to leave it in your room, do you plan to never leave? This is going to be your new enhanced cruise card. I wouldn't be surprised if it had fingerprint identification like your iPhone to access sensitive information like directions to your room.

[Astro Flyer]

I received this info from my TA about Princess being the first CCL line to implement this new technology on the Regal Princess in November.

 

http://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/Carnival-Corp-Unveils-Ocean-Medallion

 

 

Carnival Corp. Unveils Ocean Medallion

by Daniel McCarthy / January 04, 2017

Carnival Corp. Unveils Ocean Medallion

Carnival Corp.'s Ocean Medallion's will appear on its Princess brand later this year.

 

With CEO Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald set to make the keynote address at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas tomorrow, Carnival has revealed what it calls a game-changing piece of technology that will revolutionize the industry.

 

Donald, the first CES keynote speaker ever to come from outside the tech industry, will introduce the Ocean Medallion, which can be clipped onto jewelry or bands or carried in a pocket or wallet. The Medallion allows guests to open their stateroom door and make onboard purchases without ever taking out their wallets. It will be introduced starting with Carnival’s Princess Cruises brand later this year.

 

Guests will also be able to link the Medallions to a smartphone and stateroom TV app that will let them set food and drink preferences for meals before arriving in the dining room, play interactive games with other guests, and locate friends and family members around the ship.

 

The Medallions will link to a smartphone app.

“Our focus is on exceeding guest expectations every single day and consistently delivering great experiences, and we do that extremely well,” Donald said in a statement. “Now we are in prime position to take the guest experience to a level never before considered possible and build on cruising's popularity and value as the fastest growing segment of the vacation sector."

 

Guests also will see a streamlined check-in, embarkation and disembarkation process thanks to the Ocean Medallion. At the cruise terminal it will allow them to simply board the ship without waiting on a check-in line, as they already have their stateroom key and cruise identification.

 

Innovations include a streamlines embarkation process.

The technology was spearheaded by chief experience and innovation officer John Padgett and vice president of design and technology Michael Jungen, two former Disney employees who were heavily involved in developing the MagicBand.

 

According to Padgett, the technology was designed to not actually feel like technology—it goes above and beyond what Disney’s MagicBand and other travel wearables do by not requiring a “tap” for guest interaction. There is also no on-off switch, no charging and no menu to navigate—guests reap the rewards by simply carrying the disc.

 

"The Ocean Medallion creates an elevated level of service that's made possible by technology but doesn't feel like technology,” he said. “Our mission is to help our guests make the most of every moment of their vacation."

 

Each Medallion gets laser-etched with a guest’s name, ship and date of sailing. The smartphone and TV app is also free, and will be available to download on personal devices. It will also be available on interactive devices located throughout the ship and on those carried by crewmembers.

 

The Ocean Medallion will debut on Carnival Corp.’s Regal Princess in November. It will then be introduced in 2018 to two other Princess ships—Royal Princess and Caribbean Princess. Eventually, the entire Princess fleet will be outfitted with the technology, along with ships from other Carnival Corp. brands.

 

Guests will be able to use their Medallions on interactive devices located throughout the ship.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Astro Flyer

[Colo Cruiser]

I received this info from my TA about Princess being the first CCL line to implement this new technology on the Regal Princess in November.

 

http://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/Carnival-Corp-Unveils-Ocean-Medallion

 

 

Carnival Corp. Unveils Ocean Medallion

by Daniel McCarthy / January 04, 2017

Carnival Corp. Unveils Ocean Medallion

Carnival Corp.'s Ocean Medallion's will appear on its Princess brand later this year.

 

With CEO Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald set to make the keynote address at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas tomorrow, Carnival has revealed what it calls a game-changing piece of technology that will revolutionize the industry.

 

Donald, the first CES keynote speaker ever to come from outside the tech industry, will introduce the Ocean Medallion, which can be clipped onto jewelry or bands or carried in a pocket or wallet. The Medallion allows guests to open their stateroom door and make onboard purchases without ever taking out their wallets. It will be introduced starting with Carnival’s Princess Cruises brand later this year.

 

Guests will also be able to link the Medallions to a smartphone and stateroom TV app that will let them set food and drink preferences for meals before arriving in the dining room, play interactive games with other guests, and locate friends and family members around the ship.

 

The Medallions will link to a smartphone app.

“Our focus is on exceeding guest expectations every single day and consistently delivering great experiences, and we do that extremely well,” Donald said in a statement. “Now we are in prime position to take the guest experience to a level never before considered possible and build on cruising's popularity and value as the fastest growing segment of the vacation sector."

 

Guests also will see a streamlined check-in, embarkation and disembarkation process thanks to the Ocean Medallion. At the cruise terminal it will allow them to simply board the ship without waiting on a check-in line, as they already have their stateroom key and cruise identification.

 

Innovations include a streamlines embarkation process.

The technology was spearheaded by chief experience and innovation officer John Padgett and vice president of design and technology Michael Jungen, two former Disney employees who were heavily involved in developing the MagicBand.

 

According to Padgett, the technology was designed to not actually feel like technology—it goes above and beyond what Disney’s MagicBand and other travel wearables do by not requiring a “tap” for guest interaction. There is also no on-off switch, no charging and no menu to navigate—guests reap the rewards by simply carrying the disc.

 

"The Ocean Medallion creates an elevated level of service that's made possible by technology but doesn't feel like technology,” he said. “Our mission is to help our guests make the most of every moment of their vacation."

Each Medallion gets laser-etched with a guest’s name, ship and date of sailing. The smartphone and TV app is also free, and will be available to download on personal devices. It will also be available on interactive devices located throughout the ship and on those carried by crewmembers.

 

The Ocean Medallion will debut on Carnival Corp.’s Regal Princess in November. It will then be introduced in 2018 to two other Princess ships—Royal Princess and Caribbean Princess. Eventually, the entire Princess fleet will be outfitted with the technology, along with ships from other Carnival Corp. brands.

 

Guests will be able to use their Medallions on interactive devices located throughout the ship.

 

Posted last night.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2438338

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2438318

Edited January 4, 2017 by Colo Cruiser

[Astro Flyer]

Oops...that'll teach me to post a new thread without checking while waiting to board the ship! :o

[Colo Cruiser]

Oops...that'll teach me to post a new thread without checking while waiting to board the ship! :o

 

 

Lucky Duck!!

[IECalCruiser]

We should have the moderators merge this discussion into one thread.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Thrak]

So many Luddites, so little time.

 

 

Common error. Luddites want to tear down and destroy the technology. The folks here may not want to use it and some may even fear it but that doesn't actually make the Luddites.

 

There seems to be so much angst about this it's amazing. The same people who are worried likely already have Facebook accounts and receive targeted advertisements in their browser. Big Brother is not coming. He has been here for quite a while.

 

I intend to wait and see how this technology works out. Of course Princess isn't know for their tech wizardry but it sounds as if they are going to implement this tech and I plan to continue sailing with Princess.

 

I may not have a flying car yet but the "future" is here. I already have a house full of "science fiction" items such as a microwave, color TV, WiFi, computers, etc. This is just one more item for people to get used to - kind of like indoor plumbing. That was a pretty big innovation. Many people were of the "who in heck needs that?" group when inside toilet facilities were new.

[Astro Flyer]

We should have the moderators merge this discussion into one thread.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I'll report it to the mods the either merge or delete if it's all redundant.

 

Couldn't report my post...could you or Colo please report my thread...thanks! :o

Edited January 4, 2017 by Astro Flyer

[AKman2495]

Well, I think it sounds a little creepy too. OTOH, my car is "keyless" and comes with a fob that is a proximity transmitter very much like these medallions. As long as the "key" is in the car, it will start.

 

As you approach the locked car, it senses the "key" and a light turns on in the door handle (handy at night). You can then unlock the car doors. The hatchback is designed to automatically unlock whenever the key is present (Makes it convenient when you are carrying something. So, I am familiar with that part of the technology.

 

As for everything else, we'll see. Sometimes having access to things is nice and convenient. Other times, not so much. It may be nice to have a waiter approach on the lido deck and say" another diet coke (or whatever you're drinking)? But, having waiters interrupt a meal or relaxation to push something you may have looked at once is too much. Kind of like on facebook when you get pop up ads for anything you may have just looked at or have just bought.....

[shredie]

Well... Princess doesn't exactly have the greatest track record as far as their IT department. :rolleyes:

 

 

Exactly my thought.