Step by step - opening our medallions!

[hllwdcruiser]

15 hours ago, flgojo said:

 

I enjoyed this a ridiculous amount  

I do believe they are spending the money not for replacing a key card but for the tracking ability in the case of "falling" from the ship or needing to locate someone on the ship in case of emergency.

 

I was a little over the top with this, yes, I admit it.  I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

I just was so tired of all the negative threads that have been circulating on this forum lately. Like a rubbernecker at an accident sight, I can't help myself but to stop and click on all the negative posts. Clearly, I am not the only one, since all of those threads seem to collect the most views and responses.

 

With my cruise only 1½ weeks away, I wanted to bring some light hearted fun back on here. If it ends up helping someone who may be confused by this entire medallion process, well, that's just an added bonus!

 

I have absolutely no doubt that they will use them to track our every move (note to self - remove before entering the bathroom) but I think the tracking, like cookies on my computer, could end up being mutually beneficial. 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2019 by hllwdcruiser

[hllwdcruiser]

14 hours ago, Flowergirl56 said:

If you don’t order one ahead of time do they give you one at the port?  We sail on March 17th.

 

Yes.

[hllwdcruiser]

14 hours ago, Potstech said:

What do you mean when you said you ordered them?  How did you do that?  How far ahead of the cruise can they be ordered?  Inquiring minds would like to know.

 

After you complete all the required info on the Ocean Ready App there is a link for you to order the medallions and have them sent to you. 

 

I'm not sure how far in advance they can be ordered but you will most likely receive an e-mail from Princess and will also see it when you log into Princess.com with directions in regards to Ocean Ready.

 

As I have mentioned previously, Ocean ready can be downloaded at any time on to a smart phone or tablet even without a upcoming cruise. You can register but won't be able to move forward without a booking number.

[PoohUnderstands]

Do you have to sign up on the Ocean Ready app?  I am one of those who is really not interested and hates lanyards and plastic /rubber type wristbands.  Can I just pick it up at the port and put the OM thingy directly in my pocket and not fool around with any type of carrier and then just use it to open my door if the card won't work?  

 

Pooh

[TheRabbit]

You can pick it up at the port and carry it in your pocket.

[floridalover5623]

1 hour ago, PoohUnderstands said:

Do you have to sign up on the Ocean Ready app?  I am one of those who is really not interested and hates lanyards and plastic /rubber type wristbands.  Can I just pick it up at the port and put the OM thingy directly in my pocket and not fool around with any type of carrier and then just use it to open my door if the card won't work?  

 

Pooh

The Ocean Ready app isn't a requirement at all. 

You can just carry the Medallion in you pocket if you wish but it's still best to keep it in some sort of a holder (like the original plastic one they give you) since it's easy to lose.

Note: If by chance you do lose it, unlike the cruise card, anyone who finds it has access to your cabin.

I also heard the other week that they wouldn't be issuing the cards any longer on the Regal.

[nrsmeme]

So is the medallion your key card and used for room charges ect? I will be cruising on princess for the first time in June. 

[TheRabbit]

2 minutes ago, nrsmeme said:

So is the medallion your key card and used for room charges ect? I will be cruising on princess for the first time in June. 

Yes, as a waiters nears you, your picture should show up on their pad and they can see a history of your orders I believe. No need to hand anything to them, just order.

[greenie082756]

2 hours ago, floridalover5623 said:

The Ocean Ready app isn't a requirement at all. 

You can just carry the Medallion in you pocket if you wish but it's still best to keep it in some sort of a holder (like the original plastic one they give you) since it's easy to lose.

Note: If by chance you do lose it, unlike the cruise card, anyone who finds it has access to your cabin.

I also heard the other week that they wouldn't be issuing the cards any longer on the Regal.

So if they found a lost Medallion, I do not think it would be that easy. It does not say what cabin you are in just like on the cruise cards it did not say.

So to put those at ease how else could they add protection to the door of your cabin? Eye scan, finger print or code? Yeah, I don't think that would happen. I have not been on a ship that has Medallion services as of yet, but I highly doubt it would be easy to find someone's room if you had their medallion. JMHO.

[fishin' musician]

2 minutes ago, greenie082756 said:

So if they found a lost Medallion, I do not think it would be that easy. It does not say what cabin you are in just like on the cruise cards it did not say.

So to put those at ease how else could they add protection to the door of your cabin? Eye scan, finger print or code? Yeah, I don't think that would happen. I have not been on a ship that has Medallion services as of yet, but I highly doubt it would be easy to find someone's room if you had their medallion. JMHO.

 

So I find someone's Medallion and start running up and down the halls until it is finally recognized by one of the tablet thingys outside the door... I go into the stateroom and start gathering up the goods... but wait!  The security cops have been tracking the lost Medallion (and me) as it traverses the halls and when it stops they move in.  I am hauled off to the brig where I spend the remaining days of my cruise before being turned over to the FBI upon arrival back in Fort Lauderdale...

 

Next time I'll just turn it in to guest services.

[floridalover5623]

1 hour ago, greenie082756 said:

So if they found a lost Medallion, I do not think it would be that easy. It does not say what cabin you are in just like on the cruise cards it did not say.

So to put those at ease how else could they add protection to the door of your cabin? Eye scan, finger print or code? Yeah, I don't think that would happen. I have not been on a ship that has Medallion services as of yet, but I highly doubt it would be easy to find someone's room if you had their medallion. JMHO.

It's extremely easy. Just take the Medallion to one of the electronic boards located on any floor & place the medallion against the sensor & the board tells you your cabin number as well as the route to take to get there.

1 hour ago, fishin' musician said:

 

So I find someone's Medallion and start running up and down the halls until it is finally recognized by one of the tablet thingys outside the door... I go into the stateroom and start gathering up the goods... but wait!  The security cops have been tracking the lost Medallion (and me) as it traverses the halls and when it stops they move in.  I am hauled off to the brig where I spend the remaining days of my cruise before being turned over to the FBI upon arrival back in Fort Lauderdale...

 

Next time I'll just turn it in to guest services.

No need to go up & down any hallway. Just go directly to the cabin.

If the person who lost it has already reported it it will have been deactivated & won't register on any of the boards nor on the stateroom sensor, so you'll know if it's been reported.

It also indicates if your cabin mate is in the room or where they are on the ship.

You might as well write your cabin number on the cruise card with a sharpie. 😁

[hllwdcruiser]

9 minutes ago, floridalover5623 said:

It's extremely easy. Just take the Medallion to one of the electronic boards located on any floor & place the medallion against the sensor & the board tells you your cabin number as well as the route to take to get there.

No need to go up & down any hallway. Just go directly to the cabin.

If the person who lost it has already reported it it will have been deactivated & won't register on any of the boards nor on the stateroom sensor, so you'll know if it's been reported.

It also indicates if your cabin mate is in the room or where they are on the ship.

You might as well write your cabin number on the cruise card with a sharpie. 😁

 

So If I am understanding you correctly, if I accidentally drop my medallion on the ship but don't realize it for a few hours and don't deactivate it, someone can find it and then locate my cabin by placing it up to the board? 

That's pretty unnerving. Why do they even have that feature and why the heck don't they deactivate it?

[floridalover5623]

12 hours ago, hllwdcruiser said:

 

So If I am understanding you correctly, if I accidentally drop my medallion on the ship but don't realize it for a few hours and don't deactivate it, someone can find it and then locate my cabin by placing it up to the board? 

That's pretty unnerving. Why do they even have that feature and why the heck don't they deactivate it?

Yes that's correct and I've told them about it a few times. Some crew members didn't think it a problem & others said their working on a fix, which I find hard to believe since I first reported it to them back in Oct 2018.

I suppose it has to do with the finding your cabin mate feature. (which sort of works at times)  While they would like to leave that feature in operation, there should be a pin number required in addition to only using the Medallion which would require changing their software program. Who knows how much longer it'll take?

[WAMarathoner]

On 2/12/2019 at 5:23 AM, voljeep said:

follow the money ... always follow the money ... how can we save money with the OM ? ... more importantly, how can we make MORE money ?  it's not about the money, bs ... it's ALWAYS about the money ... follow it

Exactly.  I'm sure that people spend more onboard with the Medallion.  Obviously they would have studied this beforehand.  It's like the wristbands at Great Wolf Lodge :-).  I'll save mine as a souvenir, but if there's a choice, won't actually be using it.

 

About that: Anyone know if it's the only way to open your cabin door?  It says you can turn it to "safety only" but doesn't address opting out of using it.  It does say it's not required, but doesn't address it further.

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/ocean_medallion.jsp

Edited February 14, 2019 by WAMarathoner

[Doug R.]

3 minutes ago, WAMarathoner said:

Exactly.  I'm sure that people spend more onboard with the Medallion.  Obviously they would have studied this beforehand.  It's like the wristbands at Great Wolf Lodge :-).  I'll save mine as a souvenir, but if there's a choice, won't actually be using it.

Not sure how you came to this conclusion. After experiencing Medallion (the purchasing part not enabled) I still cannot see how you can be forced into spending more than one usually spends on a cruise with the traditional card. Not logical at all,  and frankly, some of the rantings on similar threads (not your post) border on the paranoid.

[WAMarathoner]

Doug, I doubt they would have implemented this without a financial benefit to them.  As far as spending more money, it's the credit card principle.  People spend far more money with a cc than cash; likewise, when GWL added bracelets, their revenue per guest went up.  The simpler it is to spend more money, the more money people will spend.

 

We all have different comfort levels with privacy, RFID technology, and safety.  Some spill out their details across social media, others use VPNs and repeaters.  It's not paranoid when you look at some of the things that can happen.  For me, I probably won't be booking cruises where its use is mandatory.

[floridalover5623]

2 hours ago, WAMarathoner said:

For me, I probably won't be booking cruises where its use is mandatory.

I guess you won't be sailing Princess in a few more years after they totally eliminate the cruise card. 

[Doug R.]

55 minutes ago, floridalover5623 said:

I guess you won't be sailing Princess in a few more years after they totally eliminate the cruise card. 

I am pretty sure there were horrified folks when the cruise card was introduced years ago. New technology always causes fear. The way I see it, the principal cost savings will be the elimination of paperwork, accounting difficulties and problems with misapplied charges, not people going on a wild spending spree with the medallion that they can already do with the cruise card.

[WAMarathoner]

1 hour ago, floridalover5623 said:

I guess you won't be sailing Princess in a few more years after they totally eliminate the cruise card. 

I'm guessing they won't actually eliminate it fully, especially on the older ships.  But you're probably right -- if it becomes mandatory, as much as we like Princess, we likely will switch lines.  Did they actually say they will be switching over fully?  That would be nice to know now.

 

I read that part of their cost savings is being able to assign more rooms to each steward because the stewards will know when passengers are out of their rooms.  That part makes sense, but we're the kind that doesn't require much anyway.  More work, but assuming the tips actually go to the stewards, more pay for them.

[floridalover5623]

2 hours ago, Doug R. said:

I am pretty sure there were horrified folks when the cruise card was introduced years ago. New technology always causes fear. The way I see it, the principal cost savings will be the elimination of paperwork, accounting difficulties and problems with misapplied charges, not people going on a wild spending spree with the medallion that they can already do with the cruise card.

We haven't changed our spending habits except for a decrease in the last 10 years. I can't understand why some people would think the Medallions would increase the spending.

1 hour ago, WAMarathoner said:

I'm guessing they won't actually eliminate it fully, especially on the older ships.  But you're probably right -- if it becomes mandatory, as much as we like Princess, we likely will switch lines.  Did they actually say they will be switching over fully?  That would be nice to know now.

 

I read that part of their cost savings is being able to assign more rooms to each steward because the stewards will know when passengers are out of their rooms.  That part makes sense, but we're the kind that doesn't require much anyway.  More work, but assuming the tips actually go to the stewards, more pay for them.

On the Regal they only said they wouldn't be issuing them a few weeks ago but didn't say anything about the people who didn't want the Medallion at all. On the CB in Dec a Princess rep said there were only 2 or 3 people who only wanted the cruise card & not a Medallion. 

I don't think the people actually in their rooms makes the steward's job any more efficient. They still knock if the sigh isn't on the door. As it is they have 19 rooms to service now.

[mamashamiller]

On 2/11/2019 at 4:26 PM, sciteach11 said:

Great idea! Here’s the link. Looks like there are some good packs if you’re traveling in a group. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/WoCase-Accessory-Wristband-Bracelet-Lost-Proof/dp/B00TA8873U/ref=asc_df_B00TA8873U/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198090817675&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5137029888794276069&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031913&hvtargid=pla-349273745449&psc=1

Thanks sciteach11

read your message Tuesday and ordered and they are perfect

leaving sunday!!!!

Edited February 15, 2019 by mamashamiller

[mthomp5]

2 hours ago, mamashamiller said:

Thanks sciteach11

read your message Tuesday and ordered and they are perfect

leaving sunday!!!!

I think I would prefer that over wearing a lanyard.  Does it seem like the medallion is pretty secure in the band...it won't fall out?

[mamashamiller]

3 minutes ago, mthomp5 said:

I think I would prefer that over wearing a lanyard.  Does it seem like the medallion is pretty secure in the band...it won't fall out?

Yes have to kinda stretch it to fit it in so it’s definitely not going anywhere.  I wish princess let you select if you want a bracelet or lanyard.  The 4 they sent me are going in the trash.  I don’t like wearing the lanyard either.  I was just going to put in my pocket.  They bracelet even can be tightened enough for a 10 y.o

[mthomp5]

4 minutes ago, mamashamiller said:

Yes have to kinda stretch it to fit it in so it’s definitely not going anywhere.  I wish princess let you select if you want a bracelet or lanyard.  The 4 they sent me are going in the trash.  I don’t like wearing the lanyard either.  I was just going to put in my pocket.  They bracelet even can be tightened enough for a 10 y.o

Great!  Thanks for your feedback.  I'm going to order some of those now.  I'd rather wear the bracelet too.  

[mamashamiller]

17.99 for 4

maybe there are cheaper ones but these definitely work

enjoy planning you cruise!!!