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Disabling Ocean Medallion

toothmaker

By toothmaker,
in Princess Cruises

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floridalover5623

floridalover5623

Posted
Posted
Is this "medallion" something that one must wear around the neck? A watch-style apparatus? If it is flat and can just be put in a pocket like a seapass card which is not bulky, then I have no problem with it. But the other two ways I mentioned I don't like at all.

 

I think like most people including myself will just carry in in their pockets. I'm definitely not the type to wear it around mu neck. :D

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Cruiser411

Cruiser411

Posted
Posted
We will be sailing on the Sept. TA. I wonder if in the process of adding the technology to incorporate the new system there will be disruptions in the present systems: installing medallion sensors to each stateroom and removing the cruise card slots...I would think there will be some amount of installation disruptions in the passageways as installation is done. I'll not worry about it, but you know Murphy's Law will come into play.

 

From the videos, the a lot of the hardware was already installed on Royal Princess during her last drydock. Regal and Caribbean will be having drydocks later this year and obviously the hardware will be installed then. I don't think there's going to be any disruption to the passengers since none will be aboard when the installation is going on. :)

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floridalover5623

floridalover5623

Posted
Posted
From the videos, the a lot of the hardware was already installed on Royal Princess during her last drydock. Regal and Caribbean will be having drydocks later this year and obviously the hardware will be installed then. I don't think there's going to be any disruption to the passengers since none will be aboard when the installation is going on. :)

 

Like the large screens by the elevators. I also saw them running lots of cabling around the ship....possible for the installation of the sensors.

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pablo222

pablo222

Posted
Posted
From the videos, the a lot of the hardware was already installed on Royal Princess during her last drydock. Regal and Caribbean will be having drydocks later this year and obviously the hardware will be installed then. I don't think there's going to be any disruption to the passengers since none will be aboard when the installation is going on. :)

 

On Royal, I was woken up around 0400 by loud talking in the

hallway outside my cabin.

 

There was some guy there working in the network closet across

the hall, screaming into his phone.

 

As it woke me up, I found it disruptive.

 

During that cruise, the center stairs were closed, while they were

repaired after being installed during drydock a few weeks before.

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antsp

antsp

Posted
Posted
When you're on the ship, they know where you are because of security cameras and facial recognition software. Unless you hide in your stateroom or a restroom all day.

 

There are no cameras in passenger corridors so I'm not sure if they do

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Thrak

Thrak

Posted
Posted
If, as you say, they don't care where you are, why have they instigated a system that lets them track you.

 

We once sailed almost an hour late from a port in Alaska. They kept asking over the PA system if (such and such name) was onboard. They announced the cabin number as well. The names were a pair of Chinese ladies and they had somehow managed to get back aboard without having their cards scanned. The announcements went on (and on, and on) for most of an hour before they finally got a Chinese speaking passenger on the PA system. They got an immediate response from the passengers in question. Perhaps the crew member had been mispronouncing their names but certainly they should have been able to hear their cabin number repeated over and over.

 

If they had been using the Medallion system this would never have happened. The crew would have instantly been able to locate the passengers and verify they were onboard.

 

How many times have we heard about people who didn't follow the rules on a B2B where they were required by law to disembark (however briefly) and the delay incurred by all passengers on a B2B as well as those waiting to board because of some clod who didn't think the rules applied to their august person? With the medallion the crew could round up these people instead of having to make announcements that are ignored and search the ship for the idiot.

 

There are many valid reasons for passenger location. I really can't see any downside at all. I have nothing to hide. I don't sneak away anywhere to do hidden things. I don't try to penetrate areas that are off limits to passengers.

 

If you ever drive a car you can be tracked through the myriad of traffic cameras. If you ever visit London you will be on about a bazillion CCTV cameras - they are everywhere!

 

I have yet to see anything to make me understand the fear people are showing in regard to their "privacy" onboard.

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JF - retired RRT

JF - retired RRT

Posted
Posted
Is this "medallion" something that one must wear around the neck? A watch-style apparatus? If it is flat and can just be put in a pocket like a seapass card which is not bulky, then I have no problem with it. But the other two ways I mentioned I don't like at all.

 

All 3 and maybe more ways to wear/carry. You get to choose.

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JF - retired RRT

JF - retired RRT

Posted
Posted
Under the frequently asked questions portion of this publication, it states that passengers can opt for a cruise card instead of the medallion. Time will tell.

 

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7442

 

I can't see how you'd be able to use a cruise card to open your door. If you look at the video showing happy, happy people with their medallion, when they go to the cabin and show the door there's no slot for a card.

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beg3yrs

beg3yrs

Posted
Posted
I can't see how you'd be able to use a cruise card to open your door. If you look at the video showing happy, happy people with their medallion, when they go to the cabin and show the door there's no slot for a card.

 

That's a mockup of a future ship. They're saying the Regal already has the hardware installed. If that's true, how is it that today, passengers are using cruise cards and suddenly in November, cruise cards won't work and only medallions can be used? Seems to me both will be an option on existing ships. Maybe not so on the ships yet to be launched.

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Thrak

Thrak

Posted
Posted (edited)
That's a mockup of a future ship. They're saying the Regal already has the hardware installed. If that's true, how is it that today, passengers are using cruise cards and suddenly in November, cruise cards won't work and only medallions can be used? Seems to me both will be an option on existing ships. Maybe not so on the ships yet to be launched.

 

All I really have to go on is the video demonstration that actually shows the new door locks. There is no place for a card to be inserted. Regal is scheduled to be out of service the day before the inaugural Club Class voyage. They may well be changing out all of the door locks at that time. Regal may well have the miles of cabling and the sensors installed but they aren't being used yet.

 

I personally don't believe there will be a cruise card option. If I am wrong then some folks will be happy but the locks they showed an exploded view of didn't have any sort of a slot at all in which to insert a card. Neither did they show a "plate" of any kind such as I've used elsewhere to wave a card in front of.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if Princess would make a simple, straightforward, declarative announcement to address this question? An official statement to clear things up in regard to the issue would let everybody know exactly what is going on. I find it amazing that they haven't done so. People always say that Princess reads these boards so where are they?

Edited by Thrak
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Thrak

Thrak

Posted
Posted

There is further information on the Princess site. I suggest reading this Princess release. It is a .pdf file about the medallion.

 

http://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion-class/ocean-medallion-class-guide.pdf

 

I did a search of the document for the word "card". It is mentioned in 3 places. The 3 instances are listed below:

 

1. Allows you to access your stateroom as you approach the door

(no keycard required)

 

2. Enables you to purchase merchandise without any

transaction, cards or paper

 

3. The Ocean Medallion will speed up embarkation as travel documentation will be added to the guest profile in advance along with other preferences provided by guests ahead of time. The Ocean Medallion will also unlock the guests’ stateroom door — replacing the key card and its sign & sail function.

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Kamloops50

Kamloops50

Posted
Posted
Is this "medallion" something that one must wear around the neck? A watch-style apparatus? If it is flat and can just be put in a pocket like a seapass card which is not bulky, then I have no problem with it. But the other two ways I mentioned I don't like at all.

 

 

They show it as a watch style or can be used as a pendant.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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Thrak

Thrak

Posted
Posted
They show it as a watch style or can be used as a pendant.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I will carry mine in a pocket. I'm not really interested in displaying it and don't need to make sure everybody knows my "status".

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Thrak

Thrak

Posted
Posted
They could be wifi based which is already all over the ship. The other system to be used could be the UHF system they use for operations.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Princess has plainly stated that the are using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Near Field Communication (NFC). Those are the technologies being used for the medallion.

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Potstech

Potstech

Posted
Posted (edited)
Princess has plainly stated that the are using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Near Field Communication (NFC). Those are the technologies being used for the medallion.

 

Any many hotels now use the NFC with cards for entrance to hotel rooms. No slot needed for the card. So the system could use both a medalion or a card. The hotel we stayed in last weekend used cards with doors that did not have slots but just touch the cardto the reader for entry.

Edited by Potstech
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beg3yrs

beg3yrs

Posted
Posted

Wouldn't it be nice if Princess would make a simple, straightforward, declarative announcement to address this question? An official statement to clear things up in regard to the issue would let everybody know exactly what is going on. I find it amazing that they haven't done so. People always say that Princess reads these boards so where are they?

 

Agree wholeheartedly!

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