I Was Able Opted Out of Medallion

[donaldsc]

This reply is from a point of total ignorance as I have not cruised recently on a medallion equipped ship.  Having said that, I will also say that I am happy to use new technology when and only when it makes my life easier or lets me do things that I can not currently do.  From reading all the many posts on medallions, it appears to me as if they are more trouble than they are worth as compared to the old cards.

 

DON

 

[voljeep]

they don't "have" to be "more trouble" ... you are NOT required to be Ocean Ready ... you just fill out the personalizer as usual, and instead of picking up a cruise card at the port, you pick up a medallion...

 

but, if you choose, the OM ...

[isosika]

If you are worried about being tracked by Princess you should watch the attached video to see how much Google tracks you without your consent.  Princess tracking is minor compared to Google.

[Colo Cruiser]

3 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Apparently so is the quickness to hurl pointless insults at those they disagree with. Please try to keep things civil and resist the temptation to denigrate others who hold differing opinions. Thanks very much

 

And lest you think that ALL of us are Luddites, I was writing computer code when the Apollo boys were flying to the moon, and am most assuredly NOT technophobic. I simply have no use for the functionalities and particularly the form factor of the Medallion. 

So you of all people know it's not rocket science then.

 

It is very simple. If you don't want a Medallion don't get one.

If you don't have a phone or want to carry a phone don't get a Medallion.

The card option has never gone away and has been available since the Medallion inception.

IMO the card won't go away for the simple fact that not everyone wants the Medallion or has a phone. You will still be tracked if you carry the card regardless.

[lx200gps]

5 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

So you of all people know it's not rocket science then.

 

It is very simple. If you don't want a Medallion don't get one.

If you don't have a phone or want to carry a phone don't get a Medallion.

The card option has never gone away and has been available since the Medallion inception.

IMO the card will won't go away for the simple fact that not everyone wants the Medallion or has a phone. You will still be tracked if you carry the card regardless.

Didn't get the message did you? 

 

 

[pablo222]

4 hours ago, Doug R. said:

Such a pack of technophobes! If you chose not to use the medallion features by using the app the medallion works exactly like the old card that has been canonized by some of you. Nothing to fear at all. I have had to remove erroneous charges on pre-medallion cruises so that dog don't hunt.

 

Why would one possibly care if another cruiser is using a card or a medallion?

 

Do you plan on confronting people you encounter using cards, and repeating the above to them?

 

[Colo Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

Didn't get the message did you? 

 

 

No please be more condescending so I can understand.  🤔

[lx200gps]

1 minute ago, Colo Cruiser said:

No please be more condescending so I can understand.  🤔

I had asked  you to please be more polite. I considered it rude when you called people paranoid.

 

.

 

 

[Colo Cruiser]

1 minute ago, lx200gps said:

I had asked  you to please be more polite. I considered it rude when you called people paranoid.

 

.

 

 

10-4....my bad.

[Doug R.]

17 minutes ago, pablo222 said:

 

Why would one possibly care if another cruiser is using a card or a medallion?

 

Do you plan on confronting people you encounter using cards, and repeating the above to them?

 

I was merely commenting on the needless paranoia about the medallion. I am not sure how you came up with your nonsense reply based on my post. For the record, I don't care which you use. Even if you are an elite who runs around waving your card above your head to impress the peasantry  (I realize that would be harder to do with the medallion).

[mek]

4 hours ago, Geoffa30 said:

So much for progress. No wonder Princess still has the same Crown Grill and Sabatinis restaurants from yesteryear while other lines continue to mix it up. Hopefully one day Princess will be able to innovate / change things without being scuppered by the old guard.

Not old guard at all.  I work on computers and am tech savvy, but there are some things I simply want to do myself - like I'm all for walking up to the bar and placing my drink order.  I'm on vacation to relax and not be hooked to  electronic devices.  My cell phone is not a part of my body - it can stay in my room.

Edited September 27, 2019 by mek

[mek]

45 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

So you of all people know it's not rocket science then.

 

It is very simple. If you don't want a Medallion don't get one.

If you don't have a phone or want to carry a phone don't get a Medallion.

The card option has never gone away and has been available since the Medallion inception.

IMO the card won't go away for the simple fact that not everyone wants the Medallion or has a phone. You will still be tracked if you carry the card regardless.

 I don't care if they track me - I spend very little money on the ship as I generally prebook shore excursions and buy one or two drinks a day.  I almost never spend money in shops. They will decide I'm boring and leave me alone - LOL.

[rocklinmom]

22 minutes ago, mek said:

Not old guard at all.  I work on computers and am tech savvy, but there are some things I simply want to do myself - like I'm all for walking up to the bar and placing my drink order.  I'm on vacation to relax and not be hooked to  electronic devices.  My cell phone is not a part of my body - it can stay in my room.

Can I triple like your post? 🙂

[greenie082756]

Ahh CC'rs. We are a diversified group indeed. 

However we all agree we enjoy cruising. To each his own on how they cruise. If you prefer using the card then do so! If you want to experience the Medallion then do so.

 

I really do not mind that others have different ways to cruise on Princess. To each his own. We really do not need to get rude to one another. 

 

Some of the statements of why they want to not use the new fangled Medallion IMHO is a bit far stretching. I still get the same amount of advertising with the card as I did with the Medallion. For myself, I am middle of the road about the Medallion. It has a few good qualities and I do not mind using them. 

 

When I would use the card, I still carried around my phone and used the Princess system so that I could communicate with the hubby, check our account, see the daily patter, order breakfast, etc. For me, I do not care either way. Our next 2 cruises will be Medallion free. 

Peace!

[pompeii]

On my recent cruise on the CB I didn't go near the spa, not even one time.  However, every day I received marketing for the spa.  Same with the art auctions.  I truly noticed no difference at all between the flyers I've always received in the past, and the ones I got on this medallion cruise.  Maybe they "reverse market" and send you marketing for the places you don't go to try and entice you?  That might actually make more sense...

 

I enjoyed having the medallion and both my husband and I found the locater to be very useful.  My only problem was that it wouldn't work on my older iPhone, so I had to find an ocean compass screen. 

[pjrockman]

4 hours ago, Pam in CA said:

I personally loved the Medallion. It was so much easier than the cruise card and I enjoyed all the features that were possible. 
 

On the other hand, my car opens with a key fob, my phone and computer are connected to a home network, and I have “Location Services” turned on for many apps on my phone so I know everyone everywhere is already watching/tracking me. Maybe I’m so used to using these at home that the thought of a bartender knowing whether I’m nearby doesn’t faze me. 
 

It’s nice we have options. 

Ditto and 100% agree.  We really loved finding each other without tracking through all of our individual favorite spots.

 

And, don’t forget your computer browsing history....search for a widget once and forever see widget ads!!  Doesn’t bother me.  Even your little grocery store key chain barcodes track you.  And of course, can’t forget Big Brother....

 

Whoever is following along DW’s and my lives, stopped watching a long time ago...pretty boring stuff!

 

Safe Journeys, Paul

[kruisey]

I don't know what the big fuss is about.I went with the flow and enjoyed my cabin door opening for me instead of putting card in.My latte was served because they saw on the scene I had paid.No extra charges,no marketing.Although an old lady I embrace new technology..........☺️.

[Ombud]

I loved how I could opt out of all paper except cruise navigation record on final day with the new OM system. No ads

[caribill]

13 hours ago, Hlitner said:

 

Or consider another Princess topic which is why on earth they have removed the barrel chairs from all the regular cabins....leaving most cabins with one chair for 2 persons!   Perhaps their research has shown that folks are spending too much time in their cabin (where they are not spending money at the bars and shops).  So lets remove the chairs, wait a few months, and then look at the data to determine if this has helped get folks out of their cabins and spending more money (maximizing onboard revenue). 

 

Then they had better have more places open at 11 PM and at 7 AM, because that is when we need the two chairs.

[caribill]

15 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

They are unable to honor an opt out at the dock. You need to go to guest services which is usually on deck 6. If the crew member says it can't be done just ask for a manager. I did not have to go that far, the crew member at the desk gave me a card instantly. They don't deactivate your medallion that you got at the check in on the dock so just put it in your safe for the duration of the cruise. If you want they can punch a hole in your card and you can use the lanyard from your medallion to wear your card. 

 

Not with that type of card. Punching a hole can destroy the circuit inside of it and you will no longer be able to unlock your cabin door.

[caribill]

15 hours ago, Hlitner said:

While I can understand putting the Medallion system on a new-build the benefits just do not seem to justify the huge cost involved in retrofitting existing vessels.
 

Here is a benefit as told to stockbrokers on a conference call this week:

 

"Also, we are beginning to see a lift in ticket price from our MedallionClass as we ramp up our marketing efforts in that trade and as we continue to expand Medallion throughout the Princess fleet. "

[caribill]

14 hours ago, Crzn-Life said:

 

For those concerned about being tracked, go into your privacy settings in the app and change them or go to customer service.

 

You will still be tracked by Princess. Changing the option just means that other passengers who you gave permission to locate you will no longer be able to do so.

[Times Prince]

For those who object because, after viewing some art you get ads for art, this is nothing new for Princess.   We were art customers before Park West took over, and every cruise since we get ads welcoming us back to the art shows and wine & cheese parties.

Personally I would be more concerned about ID & passport information being hacked when onshore than anything tracked onboard ship.  I guess we must assume they have very well encrypted RFID transmissions.   Hopefully.

[pablo222]

12 hours ago, Doug R. said:

For the record, I don't care which you use.

 

Wow!  That's a relief.

 

And, how gracious of you to refer to the gentle posters here as 'pack of technophobes'...

 

Again, why would one care? 

 

Are you a global innovator, and take any negative comment as a personal insult?

 

I will refrain from bickering with you about nonesense replies, as those posts usually disappear.

 

Edited September 28, 2019 by pablo222

[Hlitner]

Let me dispel a myth about errant charges.  On the CB, the Medallions were not even utilized by most of the bar waiters.  Although they do have the portable readers (like a large iPhone) the staff seldom bothered to use the things.  The way things worked, when you ordered a drink they would ask for your cabin number...which they would then jot down on a pad with an "ancient" pen.  If you accidently used the wrong cabin number (folks forget all the time) and gave them the wrong cabin they would likely charge the wrong cabin (which could be your cabin).  They do have the ability to bring up your picture, but this was not always done (we watched the process while sitting at a couple of bars.  I did ask a waiter while they did not use the electronic devices and was told that they do not hold a charge long enough for an entire shift...and its "easier" to ask for cabin numbers.   While sitting at the bars the bartenders did often use their large station system (which does not work on batteries) to pull up pictures.  But even this system did not always work and we were sometimes asked our cabin number while sitting at a bar.

 

You have also heard about the cool function that lets you order drinks or some food (like a burger or pizza) while sitting in a deck chair.  We tested that and it did work, but much of the time the system was turned-off.  And the app can be difficult to use if you want to order a drink that is not in the app.  For example, I could order a Bloody Mary but there was no way to order a "spicy Bloody Mary (what I like to drink on deck).  Or if I wanted to order a double Glenfiddich on the rocks you would have to work your way through the app and hope that a particular brand of booze was even in the app (many brands are excluded).  And when we did order that Diet Coke, the deck around us was relatively empty and yet the waiter could not find us (he was walking around in a row of loungers behind our position.  We finally had to raise our hand and call him over.

 

And finally we should mention the International Café, where we often hang out in the morning.  DW and I both had coffee cards added to our account (this is all electronic).  But even with the "sophisticated" Medallion there is no way you can tell how many coffee drinks you have left.  And when ordering coffee drinks at the counter you usually had to pull out your medallion and hold it against the reader (located on the counter).  I asked the counter man why he didn't just pull up pictures of the customers and he said it is a pain and its faster to have folks swipe their medallions.  The system is no more convenient then using a card not to mention having to ask the staff to tell you how many drinks you have remaining.  So with the phone in your pocket you can play some casino games (and lose your money) but you cannot even see how many coffee card drinks remain..

 

 

Hank