Get ready for Ocean Medallion Class™

[floridalover5623]

No, actually, you don't. It's a lot easier to do it that way usually, but you don't have to. You can always get tags at the pier. Lots of people do for one reason or another. :p But, then, I'm sure you knew that. Hmm, maybe that will be the next step, they send you little medallions for you to put on your bags and then once they get the bags on the ship, they just load them on to robot carts which automatically take the bags to the correct stateroom where they're off-loaded and left at your door! See? Now if this medallion thing takes off, you can submit that as Step 2 of the program and get an award for your idea! Well, it sounds like a good plan anyway. :rolleyes:

 

Tom

 

You were just ahead of me with that idea. Maybe not actually delivered to the cabin but a tag to get the bags at least sorted correctly + they can be reused after delivery for the next cruise.

 

One good aspect of this from the perspective of the crew is that your room steward will know you aren't in your cabin so it's a good time to do the cabin service. You won't need to hang out a tag on the door handle to let the steward know the cabin is available for service.

 

Just because I (or rather, my medallion) is not in the cabin for the moment doesn't mean I want it serviced; hanging out the tag does.

 

Didn't I see a screen in the hallway outside each cabin? Perhaps they get rid of those flimsy door handle signs & utilize a call for service via the medallion somehow and have the request show on the screen.

Edited January 7, 2017 by floridalover5623

[linanles]

They'll need some sort of electronic signature to prove you knew you purchased a drink or an item that they charged you for. This in the customers best interest. No signature no pay. If they try and do away with this how will you dispute those drinks you you did not buy? If you have drink package then no signature required as you don't get charged. I love the rfid wallet idea. Where'd he go? He's back..... no gone again.....it won't be part of their man over board system for that reason. I can see 4 drunk young men tossing them overboard to test it.

 

They have stated that the medallion will have two communication protocols Bluetooth Low Energy ( Bluetooth 4 and just released 5) and NCF. I bet the sales terminals will only be equipped with an NCF reader and there will be no way of typing in your folio number if it doesn't read because you folio number wont be on the medallion like it is on your card at the moment. So making a purchase will be similar to paying elsewhere with a no contact credit or debit card or smartphone.

For more information on using NFC for payment see this article on Cnet.

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-nfc-works-and-mobile-payments/

 

As for hiding from the system by screening you medallion, I can't see an alarm being triggered if you disappear from the system. Bluetooth 4 LE has a range of up to 30m with line of sight, less when the signal has to pass through walls depending on the materials in the wall. Bluetooth extends this up to 50m. So I'm sure there will be many dead spots throughout the ship despite the thousands of transponders being installed and I don't think they would want to respond every time someone walked into a dead spot.

[tioalmsp]

Interestingly, we are already booked on the Caribbean Princess (for the 4th time) on the exact cruise when they introduce the medallions. I would imagine there will be LOTS of first time oopses.

 

Going to be interesting. We will find out more long before then, I imagine.

 

And we are booked into a basic balcony, not "Medallion Class", whatever that might mean. Lots of conflicting "information" on that term.

Once the ship has the new technology it's considered a "medallion class" ship. All passengers will have the option for the medallion.

 

Al from Minneapolis

[shredie]

Once the ship has the new technology it's considered a "medallion class" ship. All passengers will have the option for the medallion.

 

 

I think rolling this out with the word "class" in the name is confusing people with Club Class being rolled out at the same time. One is the "class" of the ship, and the other is the "class" of the passenger. Confusing.

[Lucky TGO]

To all of the past passengers and friends of the Rowboat we have some good news and bad news. (Bad News) :eek: We do not have the New Sea Medallion on the Rowboat. (Good News) :) We will be serving the Great Steak Medallions that you miss so much from the everyday Princess menu. :) :)

I hope this puts a SMILE on your face and good FEELING in your belly!!!

Captain of the Rowboat, 🚣🏼

Tony

[shredie]

To all of the past passengers and friends of the Rowboat we have some good news and bad news. (Bad News) :eek: We do not have the New Sea Medallion on the Rowboat. (Good News) :) We will be serving the Great Steak Medallions that you miss so much from the everyday Princess menu. :) :)

I hope this puts a SMILE on your face and good FEELING in your belly!!!

Captain of the Rowboat, 🚣🏼

Tony

 

When's muster? :D

[tioalmsp]

I think rolling this out with the word "class" in the name is confusing people with Club Class being rolled out at the same time. One is the "class" of the ship, and the other is the "class" of the passenger. Confusing.

Agreed. It can be confusing.

 

Al from Minneapolis

[Thrak]

Now the CD's and others can have facts and data to make those decisions (or they can't fib about how often something is or isn't attended!). Entertainment should improve as they will have actual data on how often people leave during a show/entertainer or stay until the very end. Their Customer Experience people will have some actual facts instead of assumptions and/or false stories to make the decisions of who to book on their ships--all based off our behaviors--which should mean higher quality acts being booked.

 

Now I likethat take on things! A definite count of how many people walk out on a rotten entertainer is a fantastic metric. Hard data really "should" help. Hopefully it will.

[Thrak]

You never know?? You may need one if someone starts hacking your personal information that's on the Medallion. :eek:

Tony

 

There isn't any personal info on the medallion. It's just a linking device. All info is on the servers with very powerful encryption.

[SteveH2508]

To all of the past passengers and friends of the Rowboat we have some good news and bad news. (Bad News) :eek: We do not have the New Sea Medallion on the Rowboat. (Good News) :) We will be serving the Great Steak Medallions that you miss so much from the everyday Princess menu. :) :)

I hope this puts a SMILE on your face and good FEELING in your belly!!!

Captain of the Rowboat, 🚣🏼

Tony

 

<movie reference on>

 

Going to need a bigger boat.

 

<movie reference off>

[GUT2407]

so, is this a new member level, or is it simply a service you will have to pay extra for?

 

Looks like a service you pay extra for. I don't really see the value in it for us, but it might be to some folks.

 

Neither, basically replaces your cruise card.

[GUT2407]

One good aspect of this from the perspective of the crew is that your room steward will know you aren't in your cabin so it's a good time to do the cabin service. You won't need to hang out a tag on the door handle to let the steward know the cabin is available for service.

 

I would imagine the bar staff will be happy to not have to get signatures for each drink. They also won't glance at your card and then accidentally transpose numbers when they input it to the terminal. Many people have experienced being charged for drinks that weren't theirs due to a busy bartender making this error.

 

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

[Thrak]

Interestingly, we are already booked on the Caribbean Princess (for the 4th time) on the exact cruise when they introduce the medallions. I would imagine there will be LOTS of first time oopses.

 

Going to be interesting. We will find out more long before then, I imagine.

 

And we are booked into a basic balcony, not "Medallion Class", whatever that might mean. Lots of conflicting "information" on that term.

 

I'm on that cruise as well. The entire ship is going to be a Medallion Class ship. Everybody will have a medallion.

 

The more official presentations I see online (not the promo videos - the actual presentations to press, etc.) the more convinced I become that there will not be an option for a card. You can set the "safety" option on your medallion so that only the basic functions operate - room opening, purchases, and location mostly - and turn off the "suggestions", etc. You don't have to use any of the advanced functions but you will almost certainly need to use the medallion to open your door, etc.

 

I was really pleased not only to hear that Princess was getting this first but especially pleased to hear that our cruise on Caribbean Princess next year would have the medallions. The only real downside I see to this whole thing is that it won't be in place on Emerald Princess for our 28 day cruise this fall.

 

One thing you can certainly look forward to on your cruise on Caribbean Princess is that the TV system will have to be totally upgraded in order to act as your in-room portal. I would guess that, as a by product of this upgrade, on-demand movies and such will be implemented as they are on Royal and Regal.

Edited January 8, 2017 by Thrak

[latserrof]

The cruise lines do have it figured out.

It's the people who insist on flushing items they haven't eaten first that cause all the problems.

 

How will the toilets digest the medallions?

[sssteele]

I guess those extra coffee cards will be useless when the medallions go into use.:rolleyes:

Joanie

[Cruise Junky]

I guess those extra coffee cards will be useless when the medallions go into use.:rolleyes:

Joanie

 

Why? You're coffee card is attached to your room card now? Such negativity, give the thing a chance :rolleyes:

[Thrak]

I guess those extra coffee cards will be useless when the medallions go into use.:rolleyes:

Joanie

 

Coffee cards will still be needed. I don't see how or why they would be replaced by the medallion.

[linanles]

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

 

NFC is the same technology used in stores now. You have to place your credit or debit card on the reader, in this case the medallion. Has anyone else paid for your groceries at the supermarket? Worse still have you paid for anyone else's groceries?

 

I guess you won't have to input a PIN for purchases over $30 like you do with Paywave so you can go to the shop on board and buy those couple of bottles of Duty Free Johnny Walker Blue by simply handing over your medallion. :D:D

[Thrak]

NFC is the same technology used in stores now. You have to place your credit or debit card on the reader, in this case the medallion. Has anyone else paid for your groceries at the supermarket? Worse still have you paid for anyone else's groceries?

 

I guess you won't have to input a PIN for purchases over $30 like you do with Paywave so you can go to the shop on board and buy those couple of bottles of Duty Free Johnny Walker Blue by simply handing over your medallion. :D:D

 

Feel free to have one of them delivered to my cabin! :D

 

It's tasty but overpriced in my opinion. I had a friend who used to get a bottle for his birthday each year and would always be generous with sharing it with me. If you are going to drink a blend that's a good one.:cool:

Edited January 8, 2017 by Thrak

[GUT2407]

Why? You're coffee card is attached to your room card now? Such negativity, give the thing a chance :rolleyes:

 

Coffee card, attached to room card?

 

Since when?

 

About three weeks ago Mrs Gut still got the cardboard card to carry seperate.

[linanles]

Feel free to have one of them delivered to my cabin! :D

 

It's tasty but overpriced in my opinion. I had a friend who used to get a bottle for his birthday each year and would always be generous with sharing it with me. If you are going to drink a blend that's a good one.:cool:

 

A good friend too, by the sound of it.

[Cruise Junky]

Coffee card, attached to room card?

 

Since when?

 

About three weeks ago Mrs Gut still got the cardboard card to carry seperate.

 

It was a question, of course it isn't. Read the post I responded to

[Thrak]

A good friend too, by the sound of it.

 

Yep. Sadly he's gone now but not only did he share his Blue he left me his Rolex. Definitely a one-of-a-kind guy. Back when we were both young and poor, poor, poor, he taught me to make a Bloody Mary. I asked, "How much Tobasco?" and he replied, "Shake it until your arm gets tired." Ohhhhhhhhh, yeah. :D

[diane.in.ny]

I guess those extra coffee cards will be useless when the medallions go into use.:rolleyes:

Joanie

 

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.

[rdsqrl]

. . . I would imagine the bar staff will be happy to not have to get signatures for each drink. They also won't glance at your card and then accidentally transpose numbers when they input it to the terminal. Many people have experienced being charged for drinks that weren't theirs due to a busy bartender making this error.

I was just on the Regal and both those things are already in place. I didn't sign for a single drink, and they didn't enter numbers; they swiped my cruise card like a credit card. So, at least on that one ship, things have been nicely streamlined without a medallion in sight.

 

I admit to not understanding the excitement over this new gadget; it doesn't really seem to like it's going to improve the quality of my cruise experience, but then I get totally bored by technology so have probably zoned out and missed something essential. That said, I think y'all are missing the elephant in the Piazza: this is probably going to result in staff cuts. If you have half the passenger complement ordering drinks through their phones and medallions, you don't need nearly as many waiters. 'Cause the money to pay for all this tech has to come from somewhere.