Get ready for Ocean Medallion Class™

[pablo222]

I haven't seen one logical complaint as to why people shouldn't be happy to accept this new technology.

 

Just wait for it.

 

This is cruise critic.

 

Princess could be giving away money, and people would

complain about the denominations of the bills.

[floridalover5623]

Just wait for it.

 

This is cruise critic.

 

Princess could be giving away money, and people would

complain about the denominations of the bills.

 

I hear you.

 

I wonder if they'll include a audible tone to contact other people with the new system. They told me that they were working on something last Nov & it just might be part of it. That'll give them all something to complain about. :rolleyes:

[jdeanski]

Cruise Critic just weighed in:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7442&et_cid=2875953&et_rid=186914426&et_referrer=Boards

[beg3yrs]

But will me standing close to the "till" cause me to be charged for your drink?

 

No. The staff must match to your face a photo that will be displayed on the "till".

[Pierlesscruisers]

Sorry if I missed it, but how do we know this? Would CCL go to all this effort to gather your data, then abandon it at the end of your cruise?

 

Well, since the laser etch the ship name, date of the cruise onto the medallion, it kind of stands to reason that they'll issue a new medallion for every cruise. Oh, yes, they also etch your name, but that's probably not going to change from one cruise to another. :p

 

Tom

[4x4bob]

Me I think that the new Medallion idea is great, However.......I have had some interesting times working with the Princess computer system.

 

I would not like to spend half of my cruise at the passenger service desk because the brand new gizmo malfunctioned or refuse to work at all.

 

At the present if your card refused to open your cabin door you just take it up to the Passenger service desk and they activate it. Only takes a minute or so.

 

Will they have on board ship the means to issue to you a new medallion with your info entered into it?

 

Time will tell how well this works.

 

Bob

[dtb55]

Cruise Critic just weighed in:

 

 

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7442&et_cid=2875953&et_rid=186914426&et_referrer=Boards

 

 

 

Wow, that's bigger than I thought it would be. It sure doesn't look tiny like the article says, but it does come with a plastic band for people sensitive to metal.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Edited January 8, 2017 by dtb55

[Loonbeam]

There would have to be some level of POS system upgrade to accommodate the new medallions and at that point they could start loading credits to the medallions as opposed to issuing different cards... They could do the same for spa passes, Sanctuary access, etc (and would make life much easier for the attendants).

 

Existing cards could be loaded at guest services onto the account or continue to be accepted for some period of time.

 

Now, how unused credits would be moved forward would be an issue, but I can think of several ways it could be handled, the easiest would be to apply unused credits to your circle account for future cruises. This would also eliminate card resale on ebay.

 

I do think they will move away from the cards eventually tho. Hard to track, easy to fake and they add waste and time.

 

I don't see how they can replace the coffee cards because any unused punches are good on your next cruise. Since the Medallion information is not carrying from one cruise to the next, you would still need the card if you didn't use it up.

Edited January 8, 2017 by Loonbeam

[Rockinrobin50]

" ? "

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Thrak]

I know I'm getting older, but this is all just a little too "Big Brother" for me. They wouldn't be implementing the technology if there weren't a profit motive for the company. Many of us cruise to get away from having to sync this and download that. I'm sure Millennials will be fine with it, though, and they are the future of cruising.

 

I'm 63 and my wife is 65 (1.5 year difference in reality) - definitely not millennials - and we are both looking forward to this - even if it's just for the ease of opening the cabin door when juggling two drinks and a plate of cookies, etc. that will be great. Other features we think will be beneficial are: Stewards knowing when it's a good time to service your cabin, not waiting in a crowded muster room while they try to figure out if everybody is there, not having to wait as long in line while the crew takes a picture of you on boarding, or being able to order a drink (If one takes their phone along - my wife won't but I might) while in the theater. Since Princess messenger doesn't alert one to a message it might be useful to be able to locate one another on the ship without sending a message that is likely to be missed - assuming one even has a phone with them at all.

 

When I was in Costco the other day I received a notice on my phone asking me if I wanted to post anything about Costco to social media or a review site or something or other. I don't even have a Facebook account! The point is that Big Brother obviously knew I was at Costco at the moment. If you even own a smartphone or have any sort of social media account you are already tracked relentlessly. If you use an Internet browser you will receive targeted advertisements based on sites you have visited or purchases you have made.

 

What Princess is doing is nothing new as far as "Big Brother" stuff.

Edited January 8, 2017 by Thrak

[Pierlesscruisers]

" ? "

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

"!" and perhaps even ",".

 

Tom

[Thrak]

Me I think that the new Medallion idea is great, However.......I have had some interesting times working with the Princess computer system.

 

I would not like to spend half of my cruise at the passenger service desk because the brand new gizmo malfunctioned or refuse to work at all.

 

At the present if your card refused to open your cabin door you just take it up to the Passenger service desk and they activate it. Only takes a minute or so.

 

Will they have on board ship the means to issue to you a new medallion with your info entered into it?

 

Time will tell how well this works.

 

Bob

 

Aside from watching the promo videos I've also watched the CES keynote speech and an informative press conference with questions and answers that was held in the UK. They definitely stated that passenger services could issue a replacement for lost medallions. There isn't really much in the way of personal info stored on the thing. Yes, it knows who you are but only to link to the servers where all of the actual information resides. It's pretty much along the lines of "medallion 47926" which links on the server to the info for Sally Smith or whomever.

[chamima]

I'm 63 and my wife is 65 (1.5 year difference in reality) - definitely not millennials - and we are both looking forward to this - even if it's just for the ease of opening the cabin door when juggling two drinks and a plate of cookies, etc. that will be great. .

 

 

Sounds great but I think it will only unlock the door - not open it.

You may still need to balance those drinks and cookies while you turn the door handle (and pray your spouse doesn't have the balcony door open so you're enveloped in a wind tunnel when you open it :eek: :p ) .

[Thrak]

I do think they will move away from the cards eventually tho. Hard to track, easy to fake and they add waste and time.

 

I guess one could replace the cards but you would need to use a personal device or one of the onboard portals to check how many "punches" you have left. I can see it leading to disputes with people who are "positive" they had 9 punches left when the system says they only have 7 "punches" left.

 

Also, as it is, I use my card only for fresh brewed coffee and my wife uses the same card for punched drinks. They would have to "officially" extend the fresh brewed to both of us or else exclude sharing punches. Seems like more of a headache than using the cards but then that's not up to me to figure out.

[Thrak]

Sounds great but I think it will only unlock the door - not open it.

You may still need to balance those drinks and cookies while you turn the door handle (and pray your spouse doesn't have the balcony door open so you're enveloped in a wind tunnel when you open it :eek: :p ) .

 

I can open the door with my elbow since it's a lever handle. :) The handle on my front door at home is not only a lever but will also work if you push on it or pull on it. When my disabled son visits it's great because he just pushes the handle and the door opens.

[4x4bob]

Aside from watching the promo videos I've also watched the CES keynote speech and an informative press conference with questions and answers that was held in the UK. They definitely stated that passenger services could issue a replacement for lost medallions. There isn't really much in the way of personal info stored on the thing. Yes, it knows who you are but only to link to the servers where all of the actual information resides. It's pretty much along the lines of "medallion 47926" which links on the server to the info for Sally Smith or whomever.

 

Thrak

 

Thanks

 

Bob

[latserrof]

I haven't seen one logical complaint as to why people shouldn't be happy to accept this new technology.

 

Maybe I don't want her husband (or my wife) to be able to locate me.

[Thrak]

Maybe I don't want her husband (or my wife) to be able to locate me.

 

I'm afraid you may be disappointed as the ability (at least for the crew) to be able to locate all passengers is one of the safety features that can't be disabled. Whether or not you can disable the ability for other members of your party to locate you is unclear to me. My feeling is that this may not be possible but that is something we will just have to wait to find out about.

 

Personally, I don't have a problem with my wife knowing where I am. I look forward to being able to see if she is still at the Knitters and Natters get together or if she has left to return to the cabin. It's a bit of a time waster to go to Crooner's looking for her only to find she left for the cabin a couple of minutes ago and we missed each other in transit. Then she gets back to the cabin and wonders where I am. It will be much easier if I know she is still in her group get together or if she is returning to the cabin or whatever. If she's still at her meeting I can order a Bloody Mary and have it ready when I get to Crooner's and meet up with her. Not only that but they will already know that my preference is "extra spicy and hot". :D

Edited January 8, 2017 by Thrak

[XBGuy]

Thrak, I must compliment you on your patience in explaining some of these concepts. Good job

 

Aside from watching the promo videos I've also watched the CES keynote speech and an informative press conference with questions and answers that was held in the UK. They definitely stated that passenger services could issue a replacement for lost medallions. There isn't really much in the way of personal info stored on the thing. Yes, it knows who you are but only to link to the servers where all of the actual information resides. It's pretty much along the lines of "medallion 47926" which links on the server to the info for Sally Smith or whomever.

 

I would like to add one thing to Thrak's comment regarding the identifying information that is actually "stored" on the medallion. For the sake of discussion let's assume that Sally Smith loses her medallion. We all know it's going to happen. I have never lost a key card while on a cruise, but I have lost more than one hotel card key.

 

So, once she realizes that she has lost her medallion, Sally makes her way to the guest services desk, reports her lost medallion and requests a new one. The desk clerk is going to ask Sally to identify herself--just like hotel clerks have asked me to identify myself when I lose my card key. After the clerk has satisified himself/herself that it actually is Sally standing there, he/she will probabably leave the desk for a few minutes and return with a new medallion for Sally. More than likely this replacement medallion will not be customized with Sally's name and favorite color, but it will be able to unlock the door to Sally's cabin in addition the other functions.

 

There will be one other very important difference between this replacement medallion and the one that Sally lost. It will not be have the 47926 identifier. Maybe it will be 83799. Maybe it will be 479261. It doesn't matter. Also, and here is the critical thing for people concerned about security, Sally's lost medallion, with identifier 479261, will now be "disabled." So, if somebody does find the lost medallion, he/she cannot

 

--Find their way to Sally's cabin

 

--Open Sally's cabin door and rob her

 

--Order drinks in the Explorer Lounge on Sally's account

 

--Buy a diamond necklace in Facets on Sally's account

 

The most reasonable thing for the finder to do is to drop off the found medallion at the guest services desk. I am, of course, assuming that the finder is reasonable.

 

Again, there's nothing really new, here. I can guarantee that these procedures are already, pretty much, in place, today. People do lose their key cards--or, in my case, we occasionally lock them inside our room.:eek:

[shredie]

DH (who won't even touch a cell phone) is going to hate this. I guess I better start preparing him now. (He refuses to drive my car because it has no "key.")

[floridalover5623]

Sounds great but I think it will only unlock the door - not open it.

You may still need to balance those drinks and cookies while you turn the door handle (and pray your spouse doesn't have the balcony door open so you're enveloped in a wind tunnel when you open it :eek: :p ) .

 

I can see by your comments that you're not the one to get coffee in the mornings. :D

 

Maybe I don't want her husband (or my wife) to be able to locate me.

Just abandon the Medallion for a card (No more advantages) or place it in an RFID wallet or wrap it in some foil. End of the signal.:D

[Steelers0854]

 

 

 

--Order drinks in the Explorer Lounge on Sally's account

 

 

 

--Buy a diamond necklace in Facets on Sally's account

 

 

 

 

 

 

In all likelihood you are going to need to enter a PIN to make purchases. Disney does this for the magic bands and I would be surprised if Princess doesn't as well.

[Loonbeam]

As far as I know, tho totally not enforced, you aren't actually SUPPOSED to share punches now but they don't care. But could easily be addressed by doing what Disney does with dining credits and apply them to the cabin, not the individual.

 

 

Also, as it is, I use my card only for fresh brewed coffee and my wife uses the same card for punched drinks. They would have to "officially" extend the fresh brewed to both of us or else exclude sharing punches. Seems like more of a headache than using the cards but then that's not up to me to figure out.

[XBGuy]

In all likelihood you are going to need to enter a PIN to make purchases. Disney does this for the magic bands and I would be surprised if Princess doesn't as well.

 

That is certainly a possibility. However, with the current key cards, they do not require a PIN for purchases. If I find a card key on the floor of the buffet, and it has not, yet, been reported lost. I can walk over to a bar and order a drink. It might be difficult if I am using Sally Smith's lost card, but it would be pretty easy if I'd found Sal d'Amico's.

 

Another thing that just came to mind, though, is that if my picture flashes on a screen in front of the server or clerk, they could visually identify me. Presumably, the POS systems used in the ship stores will be upgraded to do so. I think one of the articles I read said that restaurant servers were going to be working with tablet devices. If I order a bottle of wine with dinner, presumably, they are going to scan my medallion. Once that happens, I would think that my picture should pop up on their screen. If I am using Sal's medallion that I have found, and he has not, yet, reported it lost, his picture pops up. My suspicion is that the server is then going to give me a funny look.

 

Again, though, I agree that a PIN could be used, and, in fact, might be superior to relying on the server's/clerk's facial recoginition talent.

 

Suddenly, though, the medallions are seeming to have security features that are superior to the current key cards.

[Loonbeam]

The more I see about this, the more I wonder if they actually licensed this tech or part of it from Disney. It's just way too similar to magic bands to be coincidental.