Deep Concerns About Princess on Phones

[mcrcruiser]

We have 2 cruises end of Dec 2022   . This medallion  app is concerning because we don't have a cell phone or tablet    & even if we did ,we read on these pages that there are many  people  bring frustrated trying to get information onto the app  .So phoned Princess & the rep was plainly rude .

 

We can book cruises with other cruise lines & don't need to be abused on the phone 

 

Does any one have a e-mail address   to a executive ,so I can explain how we feel ? 

 

 TIA

 

 

 

 

 

 

[XBGuy]

I do not have an e-mail address for you to send your comments.  So, if you do not care to read the rest of my post, that is fine.

 

It is unfortunate that you were treated rudely when you telephoned Princess.  That, of course, is unacceptable.  When somebody does provide an e-mail contact, I hope that you report that incident.

 

It has been reported many times on Cruise Critic that the medallion does not require the passenger have a smartphone--or a tablet or, for that matter, any kind of cellphone.  Go to the port on embarkation day, present your travel summary and your identification, and you will be given a medallion.  That procedure is the same as the old key card procedure.  The medallion that you are given will act exactly like the old key card:

• It will allow you to board the ship.
• It will unlock your cabin door
• It will allow you to buy a drink at a bar
• It will allow you to make a purchase at on the the ship's stores.
• It will allow you to buy wine or cocktails in any of the dining rooms or restaurants.
• It will allow you to get services at the spa.
• It will log you off or on the ship at port stops.
• It will allow you to buy special coffees.
• It will allow you to attend the wine tastings
• It will allow you to purchase excursions
• It will register that you visited your muster station on embarkation day
• There are, probably, other things that I am not considering.

In summary, it works exactly like the key cards.  

 

The medallion does not have to be "activated" by a cellphone or by any other passenger action.

 

The biggest difference between a medallion and a key card is that it is round, not rectangular.

 

Now, if you do have a smartphone, then the medallion system (not the medallion, itself) does allow the passenger to do other things.  However, even if you don't have a smartphone, the passenger will have access to many of those new medallion system capabilities from their cabin TV.

[azbirdmom]

Here's the most recent list courtesy of Elliott.org

 

[roxievegas]

I called Princess this morning because I wanted to order my Medallion.  I have an Iphone6 too old to download the app

You can pre register your dining times and order your Medallion - also give info regarding your passport.  She was also able to give me our show up time.  We are leaving Dec 11.

 

If you need to call Princess about the Ocean Ready - they had a separate number but now have discontinued it.  Call 1-800-774-6237 and pick one of the options that would allow you to put in the extension  #13017   - this info was given to me by the person that I spoke to this morning.

[bjkTX]

7 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

I do not have an e-mail address for you to send your comments.  So, if you do not care to read the rest of my post, that is fine.

 

It is unfortunate that you were treated rudely when you telephoned Princess.  That, of course, is unacceptable.  When somebody does provide an e-mail contact, I hope that you report that incident.

 

It has been reported many times on Cruise Critic that the medallion does not require the passenger have a smartphone--or a tablet or, for that matter, any kind of cellphone.  Go to the port on embarkation day, present your travel summary and your identification, and you will be given a medallion.  That procedure is the same as the old key card procedure.  The medallion that you are given will act exactly like the old key card:

• It will allow you to board the ship.
• It will unlock your cabin door
• It will allow you to buy a drink at a bar
• It will allow you to make a purchase at on the the ship's stores.
• It will allow you to buy wine or cocktails in any of the dining rooms or restaurants.
• It will allow you to get services at the spa.
• It will log you off or on the ship at port stops.
• It will allow you to buy special coffees.
• It will allow you to attend the wine tastings
• It will allow you to purchase excursions
• It will register that you visited your muster station on embarkation day
• There are, probably, other things that I am not considering.

In summary, it works exactly like the key cards.  

 

The medallion does not have to be "activated" by a cellphone or by any other passenger action.

 

The biggest difference between a medallion and a key card is that it is round, not rectangular.

 

Now, if you do have a smartphone, then the medallion system (not the medallion, itself) does allow the passenger to do other things.  However, even if you don't have a smartphone, the passenger will have access to many of those new medallion system capabilities from their cabin TV.

And IF someone is in that situation you would recommend they get on an airplane to a foreign country, get transportation to the port, and trust that with my paper showing I bought a ticket I'll be fine???  I would rather have a bit more reassurance.

[CineGraphic]

1 hour ago, mcrcruiser said:

Does any one have a e-mail address   to a executive ,so I can explain how we feel ?

 

Don't be surprised if you don't hear back from anyone.

I emailed an exec on 9/20, and have not heard a peep.

[mcrcruiser]

49 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

Here's the most recent list courtesy of Elliott.org

 

Thank you .We just sent Collin a e-mail .what we need to know is how we get into the cruise terminal for our B2B cruises in San Pedro Calif with out a  boarding pass  . We need help with the application of the important information onto  the medallion & how to use the medallion  .I will be 84  & my DW is 83  .We have a handicap balcony cabin  

[mcrcruiser]

28 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

 

Don't be surprised if you don't hear back from anyone.

I emailed an exec on 9/20, and have not heard a peep.

That is not a win win  .all that would  do is alienate  people not to give them business . In our case I could call Carnival Cruises ,sail on the Panorma  in a handicap cabin & we get casino rates  .  If we don't hear from Princess in a timely fashion ,we simply cancel & rebook Carnival B2B ,at Casino rates  .Same cruise with lower rates 

[CineGraphic]

5 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

That is not a win win  .all that would  do is alienate  people not to give them business . In our case I could call Carnival Cruises ,sail on the Panorma  in a handicap cabin & we get casino rates  .  If we don't hear from Princess in a timely fashion ,we simply cancel & rebook Carnival B2B ,at Casino rates  .Same cruise with lower rates 

 

Can't walk away from a fully paid booking, and sailing on Carnival is not the same as sailing on Princess. The only thing that is the same is the ports they call on.

[mcrcruiser]

29 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

 

Can't walk away from a fully paid booking, and sailing on Carnival is not the same as sailing on Princess. The only thing that is the same is the ports they call on.

True but we also found Carnival food pretty equal  & they do have good shows  . Here  it is in a nut shell ,drive customers crazy & you soon will be with out those customers 

[thinfool]

43 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

Thank you .We just sent Collin a e-mail .what we need to know is how we get into the cruise terminal for our B2B cruises in San Pedro Calif with out a  boarding pass  . We need help with the application of the important information onto  the medallion & how to use the medallion  .I will be 84  & my DW is 83  .We have a handicap balcony cabin  

Clearly you are computer literate because you have posted here.  So I would add that Princess has a rather active Facebook presence.  Questions asked on FB or Twitter often receive answers far more promptly than well-intended emails.

[CineGraphic]

7 minutes ago, thinfool said:

So I would add that Princess has a rather active Facebook presence.  Questions asked on FB or Twitter often receive answers far more promptly than well-intended emails

 

They've been pretty pathetic about replying on Facebook for a while now.

[XBGuy]

2 hours ago, bjkTX said:

And IF someone is in that situation you would recommend they get on an airplane to a foreign country, get transportation to the port, and trust that with my paper showing I bought a ticket I'll be fine???  I would rather have a bit more reassurance.

 

Isn't that the same procedure that was used with the key cards?  In my case, I can report that is exactly what I did.  At the cruise terminal I handed an agent "my paper showing I bought a ticket," and showed my passport.  Every time the agent excused herself (it was always a woman) and returned with card keys for my wife and me.  In fact, that is the same procedure that I used in the days when I was given a brass key to open my cabin door.

 

Princess has acknowledged that some people do not have smartphones.  However, they do want to sell cruises to those people.  So, they have procedures in place to accommodate them.  Again, multiple Cruise Critic posters have reported that this procedure has worked for them in the medallion era.

 

I will reiterate that I am disappointed that the OP could not get a satisfactory response when he called Princess.  

[Sail away MK]

Princess is also stating that the Medallion App will be web based accessible by computer by the end of November.  If your cruises are not until 2022, perhaps it will all work out  in a month or so.

[Essiesmom]

4 hours ago, roxievegas said:

I called Princess this morning because I wanted to order my Medallion.  I have an Iphone6 too old to download the app

You can pre register your dining times and order your Medallion - also give info regarding your passport.  She was also able to give me our show up time.  We are leaving Dec 11.

 

If you need to call Princess about the Ocean Ready - they had a separate number but now have discontinued it.  Call 1-800-774-6237 and pick one of the options that would allow you to put in the extension  #13017   - this info was given to me by the person that I spoke to this morning.

I had an iPhone 6SE when I cruised in December 2019 and had the app on it.  Didn’t use it because at the time the Island wasn’t medallion ready.  When I upgraded to the second generation SE the app transferred over.  EM

[Steelers36]

8 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

Thank you .We just sent Collin a e-mail .what we need to know is how we get into the cruise terminal for our B2B cruises in San Pedro Calif with out a  boarding pass  . We need help with the application of the important information onto  the medallion & how to use the medallion  .I will be 84  & my DW is 83  .We have a handicap balcony cabin  

That's fine I suppose, but for your rather simple issue, it ought to have been able to be answered with a phone call.  Are you using a TA?  I am guessing not.  If not, you seem the type of guest that could be best served by using a Princess Vacation Planner (PVP) - an internal TA.  By most reports of posters here using them, there is more direct access and better response.  They could easily put your mind at ease with answer to your question.

 

IMO, it is best to contact Customer Relations when there is a problem or issue that needs to be dealt with, or you are asking for some exception to a normal rule or process and you have a good reason or case to pitch.  So, sure a guest can write anyone they want at HQ, but I just think this particular inquiry didn't need to go to the Director, CR.  IMO - and perhaps only my opinion - it would be like asking to speak to the Executive Chef because your water glass had a spot on it.

 

Hope you will call up again and get someone else.  If you book directly with Princess, ask to be referred to a PVP and see how that goes.

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by Steelers36

[geoherb]

I also got a rude phone rep when trying to get the app to work on my phone. I hoped at the time that she was just having a bad day. 

[Roberto256]

6 hours ago, geoherb said:

I also got a rude phone rep when trying to get the app to work on my phone. I hoped at the time that she was just having a bad day. 

Working supporting the medallion app... How could she not be having a bad day??? 🙂

 

[Jadn13]

I have received a response with an apology  and compensated with free dining at the specialty restaurants the last 2 times I brought an issue to their attention.

The most recent time was just a few weeks ago, I wasn't looking for compensation or asked for anything, I  just wanted to be heard.

 

Email all the addresses, start with customer service and CC the rest. 

Edited November 2, 2021 by Jadn13

[GonzoWCS]

31 minutes ago, Jadn13 said:

I have received a response with an apology  and compensated with free dining at the specialty restaurants the last 2 times I brought an issue to their attention.

The most recent time was just a few weeks ago, I wasn't looking for compensation or asked for anything, I  just wanted to be heard.

 

Email all the addresses, start with customer service and CC the rest. 

Nicely done.  Glad to see Princess continues to take care of folks

 

Cheers

[mcrcruiser]

From what has been said  here v& elsewhere on Cruise Critic there is no question in our minds that  this medallion app  download has a lot of glitches  .  I go back to basics with servicing any customer & that is  a reasonable solution to a reasonable problem  'however ,this medallion app  seems to exceed all  the limits   . 

 

If we do not receive a reply  from any executive that tells me not to work with a company that obviously has many personnel problems  . Much easier to switch  to another cruise line that will provide decent service  .  Our lives are far too short now to battle through  a jungle 

[starboardcruiser]

On 11/1/2021 at 11:54 AM, bjkTX said:

And IF someone is in that situation you would recommend they get on an airplane to a foreign country, get transportation to the port, and trust that with my paper showing I bought a ticket I'll be fine???  I would rather have a bit more reassurance.

The information in the MedallionClass app is no more certain (and often less certain) than the information in your Travel Summary. My MedallionClass app showed the incorrect sailing date for the bulk of the time I was using it and did not import the passport data Princess already had on file (I struggled to get that entered, despite having already provided it to Princess). You have to produce all of the documentation at the port anyway, so there is no real advantage to the app. It would be more convenient for Princess to avoid the data entry, but the app is not reliable enough at this point for many people--not to mention the people who choose not to use apps at all and whom Princess has stated they will accommodate.

 

I was worried about whether certain documentation would be satisfactory at the port and my experience was that the staff want to do what they can to get you on board; I can't imagine that would be different in another country. If you have your cruise listed in your account online, that is just as much confirmation as having it in the app. Yes, you lose some features (choose dining and arrival times, for example), but nothing as far as the actual boarding process. Everyone gets in a line, has to produce documentation, and obtains a medallion if they don't have it already. If I cruise with Princess again, I will very likely not bother with the app unless there are remarkable improvements between now and then.