Am I the Only One?

[tip]

Am I the only one who is questioning the value of the ocean medallion program?   I don’t find the need to have all the latest technology at hand 24/7.  Yes, it may save a minute or two here and there, but what other value does it really have?  It would seem that you would be more apt to lose it than you would a key card.  Of course Princess would be more than happy to sell you a special wrist band or lanyard at an additional charge.  As for using your cell phone, we turn it off and lock it in the safe as soon as we call our loved ones to let them know we are on board safely.

[riffatsea]

OF course you are not the only one thinking this way!!

There have been several previous threads talking about opting out of the program!

[bemis12]

Darn new fangled stuff.

[tailspintom]

11 minutes ago, bemis12 said:

Darn new fangled stuff.

Yep, I long for the days of a brass key and making a note to cover my costs with the purser.

[capriccio]

19 minutes ago, riffatsea said:

OF course you are not the only one thinking this way!!

There have been several previous threads talking about opting out of the program!

 

And do we really need yet another redundant thread where the same people post the same opinions both con and pro?

[CineGraphic]

It would be of great value to Princess if they used it correctly.

Imagine if they could use it to detect long lines at a bar or event, or to see that a certain public restroom has had a large amount of traffic and needs servicing. As for now, it's a fancy fridge magnet. Too bad most fridges these days are stainless steel and magnets don't stick to them.

[Negril60]

Its not redundant to me. I haven't cruised with Princess since 2013. We are booked on The Grand for next May. I know very little about this except it opens your door. Where do we buy these bracelets?

[PrincessLuver]

56 minutes ago, tip said:

Am I the only one who is questioning the value of the ocean medallion program?   I don’t find the need to have all the latest technology at hand 24/7.  Yes, it may save a minute or two here and there, but what other value does it really have?  It would seem that you would be more apt to lose it than you would a key card.  Of course Princess would be more than happy to sell you a special wrist band or lanyard at an additional charge.  As for using your cell phone, we turn it off and lock it in the safe as soon as we call our loved ones to let them know we are on board safely.

 

People are really simplifying the Medallion program down to just having a device that is used to open their door.  It is much more then that and we love Medallion ships because we think the technology really enhances our cruising experience on Princess ships.  We especially love the faster internet speeds.  

 

This issue kind of reminds me when my parents first received an ATM card from their bank.  They could not figure out why you would need a card to go to a machine and withdraw money when you could go into the bank and have their favorite bank teller do it.  According to them the ATM machine could and should not be trusted and too much could go wrong.  I never knew them to withdraw money from an ATM as long as they were alive!

Edited September 30, 2019 by PrincessLuver

[capriccio]

8 minutes ago, Negril60 said:

Its not redundant to me. I haven't cruised with Princess since 2013. We are booked on The Grand for next May. I know very little about this except it opens your door. Where do we buy these bracelets?

 

Do a search on Medallion on this board.  You will get threads with instructions in addition to opinions.  To narrow down the 147 pages of results, specify "Medallion in Content Titles Only."  That returns only 7 pages.

 

If you haven't already, check out the Princess website:  https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion/

Edited September 30, 2019 by capriccio

[AF-1]

capriccio,   thank you for you comments and stating the obvious. The first two threads under the Princess Forums are about the medallion program.  Seems like people skip right over those threads;  plus youtube had lots of medallion videos and so does the Princess website.  Have a great day.  

[JF - retired RRT]

20 minutes ago, Negril60 said:

Where do we buy these bracelets?

This is one place: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HCHE6DK/?coliid=I3LVYFLZFGTGQ3&colid=39Y6W5D0ZXJX9&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

[billco]

1 hour ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

People are really simplifying the Medallion program down to just having a device that is used to open their door.  It is much more then that and we love Medallion ships because we think the technology really enhances our cruising experience on Princess ships.  We especially love the faster internet speeds.  

 

This issue kind of reminds me when my parents first received an ATM card from their bank.  They could not figure out why you would need a card to go to a machine and withdraw money when you could go into the bank and have their favorite bank teller do it.  According to them the ATM machine could and should not be trusted and too much could go wrong.  I never knew them to withdraw money from an ATM as long as they were alive!

ATM? I hardly ever use that outdated technology. Apple Pay is the only way to go. If the store doesn't support it, I always have my Apple Card.

[Negril60]

Thank you JF. I will order these. 

[cruzsnooze]

I just posted that I opted out last week and got a regular cruise card. It works like the medallion when you want to use it. I kept it in an RFID sleeve because i felt more secure that way.

[Bwana Tom]

2 hours ago, tip said:

Am I the only one who is questioning the value of the ocean medallion program?   I don’t find the need to have all the latest technology at hand 24/7.  Yes, it may save a minute or two here and there, but what other value does it really have?  It would seem that you would be more apt to lose it than you would a key card.  Of course Princess would be more than happy to sell you a special wrist band or lanyard at an additional charge.  As for using your cell phone, we turn it off and lock it in the safe as soon as we call our loved ones to let them know we are on board safely.

The OM system was sold as a benefit to the passengers, but in reality it is met to benefit the cruise line. Tracking every movement and purchases of the passengers is a great benefit to Princess. I personally can open my cabin door and order my drink in the old way in order to protect me from the intrusion of tracking all my movements.

[Doug R.]

Oh Goodie ! Just what we need, another "I ate theH Medallion" thread.  

[MixerDave]

2 hours ago, CineGraphic said:

It would be of great value to Princess if they used it correctly.

Imagine if they could use it to detect long lines at a bar or event, or to see that a certain public restroom has had a large amount of traffic and needs servicing. As for now, it's a fancy fridge magnet. Too bad most fridges these days are stainless steel and magnets don't stick to them.

 

Tell that to my wife who has magnets all over our stainless steel refrigerator.  If nickel is added, then no magnetic properties.

[dog]

3 hours ago, tip said:

Am I the only one who is questioning the value of the ocean medallion program?   I don’t find the need to have all the latest technology at hand 24/7.  Yes, it may save a minute or two here and there, but what other value does it really have?  It would seem that you would be more apt to lose it than you would a key card.  Of course Princess would be more than happy to sell you a special wrist band or lanyard at an additional charge.  As for using your cell phone, we turn it off and lock it in the safe as soon as we call our loved ones to let them know we are on board safely.

 

I'm with you. I like my privacy and will ask for a card to get in my cabin. I appreciate hearing rom others after they have been on board an Ocean Medallion ship. Thanks for sharing. dog

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

I just posted that I opted out last week and got a regular cruise card. It works like the medallion when you want to use it. I kept it in an RFID sleeve because i felt more secure that way.

 

[capriccio]

2 hours ago, A-Robbie said:

And this coming from a person with over 8000 posts.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

I hope you noticed those over 8000 posts are over an 11 1/2 year period. 

 

As you become familiar with Cruise Critic you will see lots of posters with tens of thousands of posts and even some with over hundred thousand which is not all that odd if you look at the number of postings there are in each forum.  On the Ask a Cruise Question board alone there are 3093 pages of threads (25 threads for page = approximately 77,300 threads) with anywhere from 0 to 100s of postings since April 2004 (and that wasn't even the beginning of Cruise Critic).  The Princess board has more than twice that number of pages (6698) in the same time frame.

Edited September 30, 2019 by capriccio

[JimmyVWine]

5 hours ago, tip said:

Am I the only one who is questioning the value of the ocean medallion program?

 

There are many, many reasons for converting to this system that go beyond your own personal usage of it.  The cruise industry has to change with the times and market to the "currently under 30" crowd.  This is a great way to do that.  The 'Apple-Pay" crowd and share economy crowd will eat this stuff up even if you are "meh."  And as noted above, it will eventually have a profound impact of crew staffing.  People may think that their whereabouts are private matters, but when you are out and about in a public venue, not so much.  The cruise line very much wants to know where you have been, what services you have availed yourself of, how long you spent at the pool, how many bars you visited.  None of this is state secret information when you are a paying customer consuming their product.  You have no expectation of privacy when you walk into an MDR.  It's not as if you can whisper to the head waiter that you don't want anyone to know you are there.  Pre-Medallion-you gave the head waiter your cabin number when you arrived.  Current state-you have your Medallion on your person, but still give the head waiter your cabin number when you arrive.  Future state-no need to give them your cabin number because the system records which MDR you went to, what time you arrived, and how long you stayed for dinner.  PCL collects the exact same information that they collected before, only in real time, and more accurately.  And if you are waiting for a table in ATD, no more need for a light-up UFO to go off notifying you that they are ready to seat you.  You will get a text.  This saves the cruise line the cost of purchasing and maintaining those silly light-up discs.  Small savings, but just an example of how this system will pay for itself in the long run.  It's no different than handing the cashier your customer card at the grocery store.  Sure, you do it to take advantage of "cardholder savings."  But the real purpose of those cards is so that the company can track your purchasing patterns.  

[tailspintom]

3 hours ago, dog said:

 

I'm with you. I like my privacy and will ask for a card to get in my cabin. I appreciate hearing rom others after they have been on board an Ocean Medallion ship. Thanks for sharing. dog

 

We had our first Ocean Medallion cruise on the Regal last April. It worked quite well. The app download and data entry was quite easy. The medallions arrived with the lanyards a few weeks prior to the cruise.  Embarkation was streamlined with their use.  The coffee card feature worked quite well.  Excursions were streamlined and the transactions took probably half the normal time. Door opening allowed me to bring the morning teas to the cabin with ease.  The internet improvements were significant.  All and all, a pretty good experience.

 

Now, let me also say that we do not carry phones around with us on the ship.  A kindle and tablet (wifi) are all of the electronic devices we typically use on the ship. So the additional features that Ocean Medallion brings to the table would be lost on us.  I 

am an advocate of this technology.  It is of benefit to both Princess and the passenger. Our next Ocean Medallion cruise is this November on CB.  If the experience is the same as on the Regal, we will be quite happy about the system.

[dog]

58 minutes ago, tailspintom said:

We had our first Ocean Medallion cruise on the Regal last April. It worked quite well. The app download and data entry was quite easy. The medallions arrived with the lanyards a few weeks prior to the cruise.  Embarkation was streamlined with their use.  The coffee card feature worked quite well.  Excursions were streamlined and the transactions took probably half the normal time. Door opening allowed me to bring the morning teas to the cabin with ease.  The internet improvements were significant.  All and all, a pretty good experience.

 

Now, let me also say that we do not carry phones around with us on the ship.  A kindle and tablet (wifi) are all of the electronic devices we typically use on the ship. So the additional features that Ocean Medallion brings to the table would be lost on us.  I 

am an advocate of this technology.  It is of benefit to both Princess and the passenger. Our next Ocean Medallion cruise is this November on CB.  If the experience is the same as on the Regal, we will be quite happy about the system.

Thanks, tailspintom.

Appreciate hearing about your experience.

My concern is about my cabin door being unlocked before I am standing in front of it and I am not sure if this is accurate, but I do not want other passengers seeing where I am. (female, alone sometimes)

 

Edited September 30, 2019 by dog

[dog]

3 hours ago, capriccio said:

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

I hope you noticed those over 8000 posts are over an 11 1/2 year period. 

 

As you become familiar with Cruise Critic you will see lots of posters with tens of thousands of posts and even some with over hundred thousand which is not all that odd if you look at the number of postings there are in each forum.  On the Ask a Cruise Question board alone there are 3093 pages of threads (25 threads for page = approximately 77,300 threads) with anywhere from 0 to 100s of postings since April 2004 (and that wasn't even the beginning of Cruise Critic).  The Princess board has more than twice that number of pages (6698) in the same time frame.

 

Welcome  to a new member.

Edited September 30, 2019 by dog

[shanecindy21403]

Really at this point in the game do you think Princess gives two cents what any of us think? They have already implemented the Medallion system on ships. They have millions invested in this there's no going back to just a "plain " cruise card. We've sailed on both Medallion and non- medallion class ships. I could care less one or the other.

 

You can use the new technology as much or as little as you want. People saying that they opted out and got a cruise card. Think again those cards still have the RFID chip and they can still track your every movement. If I were you I'd be more worried about all the cameras EVERYWHERE. We were in security once and saw them all.  I honestly don't understand why people are so resistant to it in my opinion it's just a fancy cruise card. But I can do a few new things with it.

[Mike45LC]

3 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

  And if you are waiting for a table in ATD, no more need for a light-up UFO to go off notifying you that they are ready to seat you.  You will get a text.  This saves the cruise line the cost of purchasing and maintaining those silly light-up discs.  

I am under the impression that even with the Medallion, there is no "alert" for messages.  Unless this information is wrong, sending a message will be worthless for telling Anything Dining customers that their table is ready.

 

I am not a Medallion hater, but I still have not heard of a single benefit to me from it.  Not having to show my cruise card to the bartender or store clerk?  Big deal!!