Loving these CDC Guidelines!

[gmjc2]

Unfortunately there will be non-vaccinated who will slip by into those " special areas for vaccinated" Also not wearing masks as required etc. Unless there are multiple officers to check everyone the rule is pretty useless. That is why ALL should have to be vaccinated or not allowed on the ship. Those few who cannot be vaccinated should have to carry a special ID card for the officers.

[gmjc2]

Great plan----have wrist bands like at small amusement parks for those vaccinated!!  Easy peazy!!!!

[memoak]

50 minutes ago, gmjc2 said:

Great plan----have wrist bands like at small amusement parks for those vaccinated!!  Easy peazy!!!!

Can’t you imagine wrist band swapping  That does not work for me.  No vaccination no cruise

[gmjc2]

4 minutes ago, memoak said:

Can’t you imagine wrist band swapping  That does not work for me.  No vaccination no cruise

The band would be broken if tampered with. Some people can get around anything of course. Just brain storming. We are also no vaccination no cruise but the medical exemption and under 16 yrs means that some will not be vaccinated no matter what.

[azbirdmom]

Wrist bands aren't needed.  The Ocean Medallion should be able to access information about who is vaccinated and who isn't.  If an unvaccinated member presents him / herself in an area restricted to vaccinated passengers, they can easily be identified and asked to leave.

[beg3yrs]

33 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

Wrist bands aren't needed.  The Ocean Medallion should be able to access information about who is vaccinated and who isn't.  If an unvaccinated member presents him / herself in an area restricted to vaccinated passengers, they can easily be identified and asked to leave.

Pretty much what I was thinking. Heck, the Medallion system could automatically detect unauthorized entry and send in the Storm Troopers. Oh wait, we're not traveling on Imperial Battle Cruisers or Death Stars - never mind...

[memoak]

26 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

Pretty much what I was thinking. Heck, the Medallion system could automatically detect unauthorized entry and send in the Storm Troopers. Oh wait, we're not traveling on Imperial Battle Cruisers or Death Stars - never mind...

My understanding is that there is no medallion mandate. Those who wish can use cruise cards like the old days

[azbirdmom]

1 hour ago, beg3yrs said:

Pretty much what I was thinking. Heck, the Medallion system could automatically detect unauthorized entry and send in the Storm Troopers. Oh wait, we're not traveling on Imperial Battle Cruisers or Death Stars - never mind...

 

It will be interesting to see how such a customer centric business will handle all of the guidelines.  And who they will have do it.  Seriously though I had read that they plan to use OM for contact tracing purposes and in fact that sort of thing is encouraged by the CDC.  So it's not out of the realm of possibility that if they choose to have vaccinated only areas, that they will use technology to ensure it stays vaccinated only.

[azbirdmom]

39 minutes ago, memoak said:

My understanding is that there is no medallion mandate. Those who wish can use cruise cards like the old days

 

Hmmm, hadn't seen that officially announced?  They were doing that in the early days but I would be surprised if they resort to the old cruise cards unless there's an outright failure of the Medallion system.  For example, they had a few cards available that I had to use when my Medallion wouldn't work in the casino (lasted about a day then Medallion fired up again).  But even then (October 2019) I was told by Passenger Services that they were sticking a strict use of Medallions only and that they had turned away requests from folks who simply didn't want to use it.

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

Hmmm, hadn't seen that officially announced?  They were doing that in the early days but I would be surprised if they resort to the old cruise cards unless there's an outright failure of the Medallion system.  For example, they had a few cards available that I had to use when my Medallion wouldn't work in the casino (lasted about a day then Medallion fired up again).  But even then (October 2019) I was told by Passenger Services that they were sticking a strict use of Medallions only and that they had turned away requests from folks who simply didn't want to use it.

I don’t know for sure. I have been on 38 Princess cruises but none were medallion cruises. January on the Ruby will be my first 

[LACruiser88]

18 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

Hmmm, hadn't seen that officially announced?  They were doing that in the early days but I would be surprised if they resort to the old cruise cards unless there's an outright failure of the Medallion system.  For example, they had a few cards available that I had to use when my Medallion wouldn't work in the casino (lasted about a day then Medallion fired up again).  But even then (October 2019) I was told by Passenger Services that they were sticking a strict use of Medallions only and that they had turned away requests from folks who simply didn't want to use it.

We were told the same thing on our last cruise.  I think the days of Cruise Cards is fading away!

[Jemnibabe]

1 hour ago, azbirdmom said:

 

Hmmm, hadn't seen that officially announced?  They were doing that in the early days but I would be surprised if they resort to the old cruise cards unless there's an outright failure of the Medallion system.  For example, they had a few cards available that I had to use when my Medallion wouldn't work in the casino (lasted about a day then Medallion fired up again).  But even then (October 2019) I was told by Passenger Services that they were sticking a strict use of Medallions only and that they had turned away requests from folks who simply didn't want to use it.

I don't think a person can even use the medallion if they have a pacemaker and the like.

[Astro Flyer]

31 minutes ago, Jemnibabe said:

I don't think a person can even use the medallion if they have a pacemaker and the like.

From the MedallionClass FAQs:

 

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

 

Is an OceanMedallion safe to use if I have a pacemaker, or other medical device?
The OceanMedallion includes magnets and RF technology that have been designed and manufactured to meet the radio frequency (RF) requirements set by the Federal Communications Commission of the United States. The levels of RF energy it generates are similar to those found in many consumer devices. Manufacturers of Implantable Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICDs) typically recommend that you keep your medical device 9 inches (23 cm) away from RF transmitters comparable to the one found inside the OceanMedallion. However, as every device differs, so you should check directly with the manufacturer of your medical device and physician for guidance.

[Ombud]

3 hours ago, memoak said:

My understanding is that there is no medallion mandate. Those who wish can use cruise cards like the old days

It is my understanding that you can request a cruise card to use instead of your medallion to open your door but you still need to carry your medallion.  But we shall know in a month (or tomorrow if a TA posts a link to tomorrow's HAL/PCL/Seaborn webinar)

[azbirdmom]

56 minutes ago, Ombud said:

It is my understanding that you can request a cruise card to use instead of your medallion to open your door but you still need to carry your medallion.  But we shall know in a month (or tomorrow if a TA posts a link to tomorrow's HAL/PCL/Seaborn webinar)

 

If you're going to carry your Medallion, why would you want to carry a cruise card too?  The door will automatically unlock as you get close to it.  So no need for a cruise card.

[memoak]

6 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

If you're going to carry your Medallion, why would you want to carry a cruise card too?  The door will automatically unlock as you get close to it.  So no need for a cruise card.

Seems like a lot of reliance on technology. So what happens if the medallion system crashes?  Is everyone locked out of their cabins ?

[Ombud]

14 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

If you're going to carry your Medallion, why would you want to carry a cruise card too?  The door will automatically unlock as you get close to it.  So no need for a cruise card.

I'm fine with the medallion but some want to avoid it like it has a life of its own. A robotic gremlin. If cruisers prefer using a cruise card, I heard that was possible. But the medallion enables to ship to track pax in case they come in contact with someone who tests positive.  So pax need to keep the medallion with them for tracking purposes even though they use the card to get on / off ship / pay for purchases / etc

 

We will all know more July 26th (cruise starts Jul 25, 2021)

[matadams4u]

I thought the medallion was a little clunky when I first used it.  I’m kind of looking forward to using it on the transatlantic nectar March to order drinks and play the game of whether the waiter can find me.

[azbirdmom]

8 minutes ago, Ombud said:

So pax need to keep the medallion with them for tracking purposes even though they use the card to get on / off ship / pay for purchases / etc

 

We will all know more July 26th (cruise starts Jul 25, 2021)

 

You actually pay with your Medallion and it also triggers on the iPads of security when you are on and off the ship.  Agree we will know more when we start sailing but I what I have described is how it was working prior to Covid and I can't see them going backwards.

 

[Ombud]

13 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

You actually pay with your Medallion and it also triggers on the iPads of security when you are on and off the ship.  Agree we will know more when we start sailing but I what I have described is how it was working prior to Covid and I can't see them going backwards.

 

Yes. I really appreciated the simplicity on my medallion cruises and eagerly look forward to how it has improved (IMHO what I've seen on MedallionClass Mondays YouTubes is an advantage)

 

 

[caribill]

7 hours ago, Ombud said:

 But the medallion enables to ship to track pax in case they come in contact with someone who tests positive.

 

I know that the technology could enable that if the appropriate software is successfully developed. But I have no knowledge that Princess is trying to accomplish that.

 

It is one simple thing to detect where you are currently. It is much more complicated to keep track of whom every has passenger has been near for an entire cruise.

[Ronnieslady]

16 hours ago, memoak said:

Can’t you imagine wrist band swapping  That does not work for me.  No vaccination no cruise

I agree with you 100%. 

[The Greater Fool]

8 hours ago, caribill said:

 

I know that the technology could enable that if the appropriate software is successfully developed. But I have no knowledge that Princess is trying to accomplish that.

 

It is one simple thing to detect where you are currently. It is much more complicated to keep track of whom every has passenger has been near for an entire cruise.

Tracking Medallion#, time, location would be amazingly simple and likely one of the first things they did. The data is useful for so many things.

[caribill]

31 minutes ago, The Greater Fool said:

Tracking Medallion#, time, location would be amazingly simple and likely one of the first things they did. The data is useful for so many things.

Amazingly simple in concept, but recording where every passenger is frequently enough to be meaningful and useful is a massive computing task, probably beyond what the on board computers are capable of.

 

Yes, they can easily query where a person is "now", but I doubt they have any data kept as to where a passenger was any time in the past on the cruise other than when a Medallion was purposely scanned such as when making a purchase or coming back on board at a port.

[broberts]

1 hour ago, The Greater Fool said:

Tracking Medallion#, time, location would be amazingly simple and likely one of the first things they did. The data is useful for so many things.

 

Likely would involve a fair bit of data. Five thousand moving people in a reasonably confined environment would likely generate millions of contacts a day. Just thinking about the problem leads me to conclude that the most likely outcome of any contact tracing would be a fairly large percentage of people aboard.

 

Without knowing how the medallions see and record location it's not really possible to judge how easy or difficult the task would be. Consider a common situation, two people approaching each other in a corridor with occupied staterooms on each side. How are those in cabins eliminated from the contact? How close do the corridor occupants have to be for a contact, and how is that determined?