What the heck is a medallion?

[Yosef42]

The Princess rep is obviously an idiot. They would have to install a camera in the door to use facial recognition. The only type of "facial recognition" that is involved is that they can pull up a picture of you based on your medallion but they could already do that with your cruise card. Yes, when you board they can see your picture on a tablet and verify it is you based on the return signal from their query of the medallion. It doesn't broadcast to them - they have sensors that query it for the unique identifier which is all it has. Their software retrieves your picture from the secure server. Not facial recognition which would have to scan your face and determine it is you. The medallion has no such technology.

Of course the answer is "we don't know yet," but according to Princess's FAQ:

Could other people find it and use it to get into your room or charge purchases to you?

The Ocean Medallion contains no personal information. Your Ocean Medallion is associated with your profile that contains your onboard security picture. If that picture does not match a guest when a purchase is being made or when someone other than the original guest is nearby, access will not be granted to a stateroom and purchases cannot be made. (

http://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion-class/ocean-faq/

)

Other than facial recognition, I'm not sure how they could restrict access to a stateroom when someone else has the medallion.

[cruzrbachoua]

Of course the answer is "we don't know yet," but according to Princess's FAQ:

Could other people find it and use it to get into your room or charge purchases to you?

The Ocean Medallion contains no personal information. Your Ocean Medallion is associated with your profile that contains your onboard security picture. If that picture does not match a guest when a purchase is being made or when someone other than the original guest is nearby, access will not be granted to a stateroom and purchases cannot be made. (

http://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion-class/ocean-faq/

)

Other than facial recognition, I'm not sure how they could restrict access to a stateroom when someone else has the medallion.

 

In the "images or videos" for it they do show what looks to be some form of a tablet next to the stateroom doors......so possibly that either has the camera in it or some other technology to identify you belong to the medallion trying to enter the room.

[floridalover5623]

The Princess rep is obviously an idiot. They would have to install a camera in the door to use facial recognition. The only type of "facial recognition" that is involved is that they can pull up a picture of you based on your medallion but they could already do that with your cruise card. Yes, when you board they can see your picture on a tablet and verify it is you based on the return signal from their query of the medallion. It doesn't broadcast to them - they have sensors that query it for the unique identifier which is all it has. Their software retrieves your picture from the secure server. Not facial recognition which would have to scan your face and determine it is you. The medallion has no such technology.

 

I think that Princess rep has been watching to many episodes of 24. :D

[Thrak]

In the "images or videos" for it they do show what looks to be some form of a tablet next to the stateroom doors......so possibly that either has the camera in it or some other technology to identify you belong to the medallion trying to enter the room.

 

The Medallion merely unlocks the door. The reader in the door inquires as to the ID of the medallion. If it is authorized to open the door then the door will unlock. There is no facial recognition. I can see it now... A kid unlocking the door has to jump up in the air for a "camera" to see the face. A tall person has to stoop down for the camera. GAH!!! Not happening.

 

 

Sheesh... Why are people worried about someone taking the medallion and needing to be secure to access the cabin? If someone steals your cruise card and knows what cabin you are in they can currently just open the door and walk right in. Same thing with the medallion. There is NO cabin identification on the thing nor is there a name on it. The only ID on it is the cruise and the ship. Why the paranoia about someone else accessing your cabin using the medallion when there is apparently no such paranoia with the cruise card?

 

Drugs are bad, M'kay? Stop drinking the cool aid. Everybody should just relax and wait until it debuts in November and then see how it works out. It seems to me that all the people freaking out are people who have never worked in tech.

[cruzrbachoua]

What i stated was based off what i saw...i was not saying i was paranoid. .merely pointing out that the doors looked to have the tablet and perhaps they are going to use it to aid in access to the room which was implied on one of the many things i saw or read. ..so please don't quote me and talk of being paranoid, doing drugs or drinking the kool-aid simply because I pointed out that the door would have the tablet ...oh and you are incorrect the medallions will have your name on it. ...look at the pics they showed ship name and passenger name.

 

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[floridalover5623]

There is NO cabin identification on the thing nor is there a name on it.

From what I saw you can have a name on your Medallion, just like a cruise card.

[Yosef42]

The Medallion merely unlocks the door. The reader in the door inquires as to the ID of the medallion. If it is authorized to open the door then the door will unlock. There is no facial recognition. I can see it now... A kid unlocking the door has to jump up in the air for a "camera" to see the face. A tall person has to stoop down for the camera. GAH!!! Not happening.

 

 

Sheesh... Why are people worried about someone taking the medallion and needing to be secure to access the cabin? If someone steals your cruise card and knows what cabin you are in they can currently just open the door and walk right in. Same thing with the medallion. There is NO cabin identification on the thing nor is there a name on it. The only ID on it is the cruise and the ship. Why the paranoia about someone else accessing your cabin using the medallion when there is apparently no such paranoia with the cruise card?

 

Drugs are bad, M'kay? Stop drinking the cool aid. Everybody should just relax and wait until it debuts in November and then see how it works out. It seems to me that all the people freaking out are people who have never worked in tech.

I agree, the medallion as door-opener isn't obviously less secure than a cruise card (or a key, for that matter). And yet, there it is in the FAQ, right with talk of linking it to my picture... it is a puzzlement.

[Thrak]

From what I saw you can have a name on your Medallion, just like a cruise card.

 

My bad. It still won't have your cabin number on it and won't be any more insecure than the cruise card. I do apologize for the misstatement.

[Thrak]

I agree, the medallion as door-opener isn't obviously less secure than a cruise card (or a key, for that matter). And yet, there it is in the FAQ, right with talk of linking it to my picture... it is a puzzlement.

 

I agree that it will link to your picture. That is how bartenders, etc. will know that it is actually you. They can see your picture on a tablet when you make a purchase. As I said earlier, that information is contained within a secure database. It is not contained on the medallion.

[Bill B]

I've been around so long I remember when a Princess medallion was a tournedo of beef tenderloin.

:cool:

[caribill]

When I booked my cruise I was told they are based on facial recognition by the Princess rep. She said they are installing a second door opener on the cabins, one for the traditional keycard and one for the facial recognition.

 

I believe you were given incorrect information.

 

The Majestic uses a traditional looking keycard, but there is no slot on the cabin door to insert it.

 

You bring the card near the "lock" and the cabin door will open. This is the way many hotels do it these days.

 

 

When the Medallion is used, it will interact with the same "lock".

 

The technology in this new type keycard is the reason Princess no longer will punch a hole in it so you can wear it on a lanyard.

[caribill]

 

 

Sheesh... Why are people worried about someone taking the medallion and needing to be secure to access the cabin? If someone steals your cruise card and knows what cabin you are in they can currently just open the door and walk right in. Same thing with the medallion. There is NO cabin identification on the thing nor is there a name on it. The only ID on it is the cruise and the ship. Why the paranoia about someone else accessing your cabin using the medallion when there is apparently no such paranoia with the cruise card?

 

 

Photos of the Medallion do show a passenger's name on it, just like a cruise card has.

 

And just like with a cruise card, a dishonest person can easily find out the cabin number associated with the name.

[floridalover5623]

My bad. It still won't have your cabin number on it and won't be any more insecure than the cruise card. I do apologize for the misstatement.

I did realize that you knew that when you posted that statement.

You've been keeping up with all the latest info on Medallions since the original release. ;)

[caribill]

This Carnival Corp press release calls it a Tagalong.

 

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2276258

[cruzrbachoua]

This Carnival Corp press release calls it a Tagalong.

 

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2276258

 

Yup and I have asked princess when the ocean.com site will open and they have no idea. I know it says fall, but in another release I saw summer. But I would think it would need to be earlier as people sailing on the November cruise would want to start inputting all the info and adjusting/creating their profile. One rep told me it would open on board......really....then how would the person set up the info and load the info...another rep just said no release date as of yet. I keep checking as I am interested in what the other options are for holding the medallion...ie different bracelets/bands or I also thought I saw a keychain type holder, with an easy claw/carabineer type end to clip on to belt loops, purse, bags. Oh and the different colors we can make them...you know it has to match my outfit...lol

[LaraTiara]

It's like the cruise card, except it's waterproof and can be worn as a bracelet. It's a keycard as stated.

 

Soon enough Carnival Corp will roll out digital technology related to our smart phones. That technology will then link your individualized onboard purchasing metrics with your identity.

 

Not yet, but it's coming. Even now, major Hotel chains have room keys that can be accessed by smart phones. Carnival Corp who owns 55% of the industry market share will roll this out.

 

The younger market will love it.

 

For now, it's an improved cruise card. We have to crawl into the 21st century before we can walk and run.

 

 

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[caribill]

Yup and I have asked princess when the ocean.com site will open and they have no idea. I know it says fall, but in another release I saw summer. But I would think it would need to be earlier as people sailing on the November cruise would want to start inputting all the info and adjusting/creating their profile. One rep told me it would open on board......really....then how would the person set up the info and load the info...another rep just said no release date as of yet. I keep checking as I am interested in what the other options are for holding the medallion...ie different bracelets/bands or I also thought I saw a keychain type holder, with an easy claw/carabineer type end to clip on to belt loops, purse, bags. Oh and the different colors we can make them...you know it has to match my outfit...lol

 

You do not even have to have a cruise booked to set up the information:

 

"Everyone who creates an Ocean profile can personalize a Tagalong; cruise bookings will not be required."

[cruzrbachoua]

You do not even have to have a cruise booked to set up the information:

 

"Everyone who creates an Ocean profile can personalize a Tagalong; cruise bookings will not be required."

 

Well the site is still not open and I have not found a spot for it in the traditional perzonalizer....but why would you go and set up a tagalong when you wouldn't be on a ship to use it....hey to each their own if they want to do that. My one friend is excited for the sea turtle as she loves turtles...there are 4 of us traveling so we are thinking of all being turtles...NINJA TURTLES....yes we are nerds/geeks!

[Thrak]

The whole Medallion and Tag Along, etc. are reminding me more and more of working for the state. My department would announce "great new things" and give us a lot of detail on how it was going to work. Then they would change things and sometimes "forget" what they had said before. Then they would roll out something different from the initial hype and find it was totally buggy. Once people started to get used to the new stuff and were finally figuring out how to use it without going crazy they would make changes that broke the system for many. The users then called me and wanted me to "make it work" for them. I spent a lot of time trying to make someone else's "great idea" work in the real world and the "great idea" often didn't originate with someone who had a technical job.

 

I've read (and watched) pretty much everything that has come out from Princess regarding the Medallions. I "think" I know how it will work based on the info and tech stuff they have published. I will still have to wait to see how it finally does work. The only part I can really rely on is the way the Medallion works as they have specifically stated how the tech functions - Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Near Field Communication (NFC) - and have stated that they already geared up for production. They can't possibly afford to dump that now so I consider that to be "set in stone". Everything else that sounds like "market speak" I will have to wait and see how it actually works in practice.

[pablo222]

The Princess rep is obviously an idiot.

 

You're not allowed to say that here.

 

I was chastised by the forum police for that.

I thought it was pretty funny.

[Thrak]

You're not allowed to say that here.

 

I was chastised by the forum police for that.

I thought it was pretty funny.

 

D'Oh! I had no idea. I guess it is a disparaging remark and shouldn't have been posted. I tend to have little patience for official reps who give out bad information. When I was asked something at work and didn't really know the answer or wasn't actually sure of my information I said so and then researched the answer and got back to the person.

[pablo222]

D'Oh! I had no idea..

 

I'm sorry if it was misleading, the forum police were self-appointed,

lacking in any official standing.

 

They could never imagine calling anyone at Princess an idiot.

 

When you call customer service 3 times, and get 5 different answers,

I'm just not sure what word to use...

[caribill]

 

When you call customer service 3 times, and get 5 different answers,

I'm just not sure what word to use...

 

Normal.

[mthomp5]

I've been around so long I remember when a Princess medallion was a tournedo of beef tenderloin.

:cool:

 

Good one! :')

[Yosef42]

I agree that it will link to your picture. That is how bartenders, etc. will know that it is actually you. They can see your picture on a tablet when you make a purchase. As I said earlier, that information is contained within a secure database. It is not contained on the medallion.

True, they've said the picture is not contained on the medallion. The FAQ language is somewhat confusing, but it seems clear to me that they're saying that, somehow, a person other than you who is holding your medallion won't be able to open the door to your cabin. That statement is in close proximity to a statement about the medallion being linked in their database to a picture, hence my suspicion that the two go together somehow.

 

It's a bit tenuous, I'll grant you, but I can't make the words make sense other than by assuming there'll be some sort of facial recognition connected with the door mechanisms. I suppose marketing-speak not making sense shouldn't be a deal-breaker.:D