Ocean Medallion Question Thread - Part 1

[Ep010835]

5 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have booked a B2B2B cruise next year.   It started with one cruise and as we found the same cabin available on the next cruise, we kept asking ourselves "why not"?

 

With all of the medallion and ocean ready issues cited in this thread, and with three separate cruises, we are leaning toward just showing up at the pier on embarkation day with our proper paperwork and get our medallions there, and let Princess figure out how to handle the two turnaround days.

 

We seldom get in a big toot with embarkations, so a few extra steps that day instead of sucking up time before the cruise with a wonky app will be worth it.

 

Any downsides to this approach?

 

If it works for you, go for it!

[Astro Flyer]

6 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have booked a B2B2B cruise next year.   It started with one cruise and as we found the same cabin available on the next cruise, we kept asking ourselves "why not"?

 

With all of the medallion and ocean ready issues cited in this thread, and with three separate cruises, we are leaning toward just showing up at the pier on embarkation day with our proper paperwork and get our medallions there, and let Princess figure out how to handle the two turnaround days.

 

We seldom get in a big toot with embarkations, so a few extra steps that day instead of sucking up time before the cruise with a wonky app will be worth it.

 

Any downsides to this approach?

Princess has already figured out how to handle turnaround days for in-transit passengers.  We recently had B2B cruises on the Royal which is Medallion class & these were our experiences in LA.

 

Each 7 day cruise had a different reservation number which when completing the required OceanReady app information both reservations were combined as a 14 day cruise for the Medallion.

 

Family on our cruise who ordered their OceanMedallions in advance for home delivery but they weren’t delivered had their OceanReady boarding pass & received their Medallions during check-in.  That was a slower process than those of us who had received the Medallions in advance but not much slower than when having cruise cards issued on previous cruises.  Although you apparently don’t want to complete the OceanReady process (app or on the Ocean.com website) so don’t know how that would affect your embarkation process.

 

Since one Medallion covered all B2B cruises the turnaround day was easy.  In-transit passengers remaining in the cruise terminal met in the Princess Theater (0945), were escorted off the ship, showed passports to immigration, went through security scanning & waited in the terminal’s in-transit seating area until the ship was cleared for boarding.  For passengers who wanted to leave the terminal the process was slightly different but they still used the same Medallion.  I’d think this process is standard for US ports but in my experience it has been different outside of the US where getting off the ship wasn’t always required while in-transit.

 

They’ll give you in-transit instructions, cards & FAQs for turnaround day which was very easy using the same Medallion for all B2B cruises.

Edited May 18, 2019 by Astro Flyer

[Pamster]

12 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have booked a B2B2B cruise next year.   It started with one cruise and as we found the same cabin available on the next cruise, we kept asking ourselves "why not"?

 

With all of the medallion and ocean ready issues cited in this thread, and with three separate cruises, we are leaning toward just showing up at the pier on embarkation day with our proper paperwork and get our medallions there, and let Princess figure out how to handle the two turnaround days.

 

We seldom get in a big toot with embarkations, so a few extra steps that day instead of sucking up time before the cruise with a wonky app will be worth it.

 

Any downsides to this approach?

 

Not everyone has had difficulty with the medallion app.  But you don't hear from all of those who just entered their info and were good.  I had no problems with putting our information into the app, we had our medallions mailed to us, and walked through check-in using our medallion.  When we got on the ship, they retook my husband's security pic, but other than that it was just tapping our medallion on various sensors and moving along.  You might consider giving it a shot, and if you run into difficulty, just put it aside and do it at the pier.  But you might be pleasantly surprised.  And they continue to improve it, by the time of your cruise, it might be much easier to use.  

 

Probably no real downsides, though.  They'll get your medallion loaded up, and get you on the ship.  No doubt about that.  I did see a lot of people standing in line on the other side of the terminal, those who didn't have their medallion, but probably no more than getting regular cruise cards.  But there was no line on the medallion side.

[SargassoPirate]

 Pamster,  I like your advice. Thanks.  I'll give it a shot and see what happens.  The worst that can happen is we just show up at the pier.

 

 

[AF-1]

The app worked well for me; had medallions mailed to me;  only hold up on embarkation day were people having to re take their security photos.  I like the new system

[cruiserdru]

In one of the Medallion threads (can't seem to find where I read it), someone was saying that each person needed a separate email address and login if they each wanted to use the functions on their own phone while onboard. I know I can load all the data from a single phone and email as I have gotten that far.

 

Can anyone comment on whether this is true? Anybody remember seeing this? (Don't even know if I will use the phone for anything but it is more likely this next cruise as I have unlimited internet.)

[AF-1]

10 minutes ago, cruiserdru said:

In one of the Medallion threads (can't seem to find where I read it), someone was saying that each person needed a separate email address and login if they each wanted to use the functions on their own phone while onboard. I know I can load all the data from a single phone and email as I have gotten that far.

 

Can anyone comment on whether this is true? Anybody remember seeing this? (Don't even know if I will use the phone for anything but it is more likely this next cruise as I have unlimited internet.)

actually you can use the touch screens at the elevators to find someone;  you don't need a phone.  You put your medallion up to the screen and wait for it to change colors then start your search. you would have to use your phone app to order a drink

Edited May 19, 2019 by AF-1

[cruiserdru]

So, I am 82 days out, I am ocean ready with lovely green circles, I live in the United States (and not a rural area) and get this message now:

 

Your OceanMedallions and accessories will be available at your port of embarkation. Home delivery is not available because either there is insufficient time to deliver the order before your voyage, the voyage has started, or because the carrier cannot deliver to the posted address.

 

82 days to go so not started and I live near Richmond, Virginia. Amazon finds me more than once a week for deliveries.

 

Say WHAT?????

[Crzn-Life]

2 hours ago, cruiserdru said:

In one of the Medallion threads (can't seem to find where I read it), someone was saying that each person needed a separate email address and login if they each wanted to use the functions on their own phone while onboard. I know I can load all the data from a single phone and email as I have gotten that far.

 

Can anyone comment on whether this is true? Anybody remember seeing this? (Don't even know if I will use the phone for anything but it is more likely this next cruise as I have unlimited internet.)

I didn’t read it but actually experienced it. I had no problems using OceanReady to set up an account and have our Medallions shipped to us. We checked in with no problems (5/14) but guess the security person didn’t like our pictures and both of us had new ones taken. 

 I couldn’t get the apps to work and OceanReady no longer worked and all of the apps have to have the same email and password.

 The Navigator that helped me had the password reset and then all of the apps that I had downloaded prior to boarding worked. 

 And that’s when I discovered that my husband had to set up separate accounts with his email and password. That meant starting with setting up an OceanReady account for him. Once I did that the other apps (OceanCompass and OceanNow) that I had previously downloaded to his phone would work. 

 BTW - We’re still onboard the Caribbean Princess for b2b cruises. At the end of the 1st cruise we were given a keycard along with the intransit instructions. They had said that the Medallion would work for all cruises but that isn’t completely correct. It worked perfectly well for the first cruise but it isn’t working in all venues now. I get a “Medallion invalid “ message at the slot machines but it works in the boutique and still opens the door! I have to use the keycard at the slots. 

 Guess they still have a way to go getting the OM system to work right. Obviously this must be a common occurrence since all intransit passengers were issued a keycard. 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2019 by Crzn-Life

[cruzluvr2]

1 hour ago, cruiserdru said:

So, I am 82 days out, I am ocean ready with lovely green circles, I live in the United States (and not a rural area) and get this message now:

 

Your OceanMedallions and accessories will be available at your port of embarkation. Home delivery is not available because either there is insufficient time to deliver the order before your voyage, the voyage has started, or because the carrier cannot deliver to the posted address.

 

82 days to go so not started and I live near Richmond, Virginia. Amazon finds me more than once a week for deliveries.

 

Say WHAT?????

I'm curious if you have made final payment yet. We are 104 days out and all shows green except cruise personalizer. We have completed everything there. I thought perhaps it isn't showing green because final payment hasn't been made yet. 

[cruiserdru]

Made final payment on 5/16 and it has been accepted/processed by my credit card company.

 

Does your online cruise  personalizer show as complete? Mine did even before I made the payment.

Edited May 19, 2019 by cruiserdru

[cruzluvr2]

10 minutes ago, cruiserdru said:

Made final payment on 5/16 and it has been accepted/processed by my credit card company.

 

Does your online cruise  personalizer show as complete? Mine did even before I made the payment.

My cruise personalizer shows as complete on Princess website, but doesn't reflect that on the Ocean Ready app.

[Alaska05]

We will be boarding the Royal in 2 weeks.  Just received our Medallions this past Friday. Does anyone know if we will get a cruise card when we board.

 

when we were on the Regal in January we got both the Medallion and a cruise card at embarkation.  We booked last minute so no time to mail Medallions to us.

 

Just curious if they have done away with cruise cards completely on Medallion ships.

[Pamster]

1 hour ago, Alaska05 said:

We will be boarding the Royal in 2 weeks.  Just received our Medallions this past Friday. Does anyone know if we will get a cruise card when we board.

 

when we were on the Regal in January we got both the Medallion and a cruise card at embarkation.  We booked last minute so no time to mail Medallions to us.

 

Just curious if they have done away with cruise cards completely on Medallion ships.

 

We were on the Royal a couple of weeks ago and did not get a cruise card.  I think that giving both only occurs when they are rolling out the medallion on a ship, until they get the entire system stable and working.

[Alaska05]

43 minutes ago, Pamster said:

 

We were on the Royal a couple of weeks ago and did not get a cruise card.  I think that giving both only occurs when they are rolling out the medallion on a ship, until they get the entire system stable and working.

 

Thanks.  That's what I thought.

[denims]

What happens to princess cruisers who have bee saving the cards for MANY years?

Edited May 20, 2019 by denims

[Doug R.]

18 minutes ago, denims said:

What happens to princess cruisers who have bee saving the cards for MANY years?

Your card collection is complete. You can now move on to saving medallions.

[Astro Flyer]

8 hours ago, cruiserdru said:

So, I am 82 days out, I am ocean ready with lovely green circles, I live in the United States (and not a rural area) and get this message now:

 

Your OceanMedallions and accessories will be available at your port of embarkation. Home delivery is not available because either there is insufficient time to deliver the order before your voyage, the voyage has started, or because the carrier cannot deliver to the posted address.

 

82 days to go so not started and I live near Richmond, Virginia. Amazon finds me more than once a week for deliveries.

 

Say WHAT?????

We experienced the same types of delivery problems & by calling their Navigator line several times we eventually had our Medallions delivered to our home before the cruise.

 

1-844-525-0942

 

There are still glitches in the OceanReady system including saying that everything is completed & the next time it’s incomplete.  Our passports were accepted through OceanReady but at the cruise terminal they had to input it again.  For our late April cruises the OceanReady process had several glitches but thankfully once onboard every MedallionClass function  we used worked properly.

[SargassoPirate]

16 hours ago, Crzn-Life said:

I didn’t read it but actually experienced it. I had no problems using OceanReady to set up an account and have our Medallions shipped to us. We checked in with no problems (5/14) but guess the security person didn’t like our pictures and both of us had new ones taken. 

 I couldn’t get the apps to work and OceanReady no longer worked and all of the apps have to have the same email and password.

 The Navigator that helped me had the password reset and then all of the apps that I had downloaded prior to boarding worked. 

 And that’s when I discovered that my husband had to set up separate accounts with his email and password. That meant starting with setting up an OceanReady account for him. Once I did that the other apps (OceanCompass and OceanNow) that I had previously downloaded to his phone would work. 

 BTW - We’re still onboard the Caribbean Princess for b2b cruises. At the end of the 1st cruise we were given a keycard along with the intransit instructions. They had said that the Medallion would work for all cruises but that isn’t completely correct. It worked perfectly well for the first cruise but it isn’t working in all venues now. I get a “Medallion invalid “ message at the slot machines but it works in the boutique and still opens the door! I have to use the keycard at the slots. 

 Guess they still have a way to go getting the OM system to work right. Obviously this must be a common occurrence since all intransit passengers were issued a keycard. 

 

 

I wonder if one can just request a cruise card anyway?  I just can't see how the medallion will do much for us once on board with our style of cruising AND, I'm not comfortable leaving my cabin without a positive check that the door is locked. From reading here, it seems the door won't lock until you are down the corridor a ways.  Is that true?

[Crzn-Life]

10 hours ago, denims said:

What happens to princess cruisers who have bee saving the cards for MANY years?

 

I'm on the CB right now on the 2nd cruise of B2Bs. The first cruise the Medallion worked just fine. At the end of that cruise we the envelope containing the instructions for intransits included a cruise card. Now on the 2nd cruise and my Medallion doesn't work in the casino slots. When I try a message appears saying "Medallion invalid". Cool. So much for great technology. I am now using a cruise card which does everything the Medallion was supposed to do. The only thing is you have to touch the card to the reader at your door to get in. So I carry the medallion too which does still open the door.

 

Obviously the staff is aware that the Medallion doesn't work in the casino on B2Bs which is one of the reasons they issued cards at the end of the 1st cruise without any explanation. Passenger Services isn't all that helpful. They did re-set the medallion but it still doesn't work on the slots.

 

So for those that want to continue collecting key cards; Don't worry. If you are doing a B2B you'll get them.  Also if you want one, just ask at the PSD and they'll print you one.

[Crzn-Life]

2 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

I wonder if one can just request a cruise card anyway?  I just can't see how the medallion will do much for us once on board with our style of cruising AND, I'm not comfortable leaving my cabin without a positive check that the door is locked. From reading here, it seems the door won't lock until you are down the corridor a ways.  Is that true?

Yes you can request a card from passenger services once on board. 

Our door is locked when we leave the cabin. However it will unlock if you go back by it. For example I left the room and heading to the aft elevator and the door was locked. I realized that I had planned to use the midship elevators and reversed course. When I approached and passed the cabin the door unlocked and I assume it stayed that way for a few seconds.  

Edited May 20, 2019 by Crzn-Life

[ecs66]

On 5/1/2019 at 8:56 AM, texpat89 said:

they suggest switching to Airplane Mode as soon as you get on the ship.

I hope this won't be a problem for us.  We never switch to Airplane Mode while cruising in order to keep in contact (phone / text) with our sitter back home via Cellular At Sea.  (Five-cent texts is a good deal for peace of mind.)  We also text among our group on board, which may not be necessary using Medallion.

[ecs66]

On 5/16/2019 at 9:39 AM, PMGS247 said:

 

That's good to know.  DH still has an old flip phone.

[ecs66]

On 5/18/2019 at 7:28 AM, SargassoPirate said:

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have booked a B2B2B cruise next year.   It started with one cruise and as we found the same cabin available on the next cruise, we kept asking ourselves "why not"?

 

With all of the medallion and ocean ready issues cited in this thread, and with three separate cruises, we are leaning toward just showing up at the pier on embarkation day with our proper paperwork and get our medallions there, and let Princess figure out how to handle the two turnaround days.

 

We seldom get in a big toot with embarkations, so a few extra steps that day instead of sucking up time before the cruise with a wonky app will be worth it.

 

Any downsides to this approach?

After being a slave to technology throughout my career, and now retired, I think your perspective on this is excellent.  I agree with you.  Who needs to deal with wasted time, and the headache(s) of a glitchy system if it isn't mandatory?

[Host CJSKIDS]

Let's try and keep the thread on topic to questions and answers about the ocean medallion!