Princess needs to rethink how they handle food & drink orders on the medallion app

[Roberto256]

5 hours ago, Jadn13 said:

I’m at the point now that my “drink of choice” is being made when they see me walking to the bar. (i don’t drink that much but this ship is quiet in certain areas)  An App can’t give that service 😆

 

That was kind of the point of the medallion ... to monetize passenger behaviour.

 

You walk by the casino ... you get a reminder of a slot tournament starting in 5 minutes, or that you have

some money left on your account to play.

 

The medallion could certainly sniff you entering a bar, and offer your favorite drink ...

"Would you like your usual gin an tonic, sir?"

 

Sorry, this might be behind a pay-wall, but it discusses the monetization:

 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-carnival-te2-orlando-20170109-story.html

 

Could princess ever do this?

 

Sure. And a flying pig could deliver your drink.

 

I see humans on princess doing this for a long time into the future...

[coopco]

On 1/16/2022 at 1:18 PM, MissP22 said:

Some people just won't as much budge off their behinds to get things for themselves. They're on a cruise & want everything brought to them.

When we are in the Explorer’s Lounge, it used to be that a waiter would come by a row to tables and take drink orders, then walk back down the row and deliver the drinks. I saw so many waiters delivering one drink and then running back to get another drink to deliver that one drink. No one came by to take drink orders and it was impossible to get their attention to order a drink in person because they were staring at their device that told them where to deliver the drink. It would be much more efficient to go back to the old method for the Explorer’s Lounge during an event. It’s not that we want everything brought to us but if everyone walked to the bar and ordered, it would be chaos at the bar and in the aisles. We just wait for the traffic to die down and then my husband goes to the bar. He likes his drink a certain way so we can’t order from the app.

[MissP22]

10 hours ago, coopco said:

When we are in the Explorer’s Lounge, it used to be that a waiter would come by a row to tables and take drink orders, then walk back down the row and deliver the drinks. I saw so many waiters delivering one drink and then running back to get another drink to deliver that one drink. No one came by to take drink orders and it was impossible to get their attention to order a drink in person because they were staring at their device that told them where to deliver the drink. It would be much more efficient to go back to the old method for the Explorer’s Lounge during an event. It’s not that we want everything brought to us but if everyone walked to the bar and ordered, it would be chaos at the bar and in the aisles. We just wait for the traffic to die down and then my husband goes to the bar. He likes his drink a certain way so we can’t order from the app.

I hear you. 

I think people may be using the app more lately because most people are booking with the Princess plus package and are using it to the fullest. I can't begin to think how it'll be when the ships are running full. 

I'll just send my husband to fetch the drinks if it's to busy. He doesn't mind. 

[disneyochem]

21 hours ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

How did you know that they were delivering GF to you? I am dairy free and I’m trying to figure out how to order a sandwich using the medallion app without cheese. I do let them know ahead of time that I have a dairy allergy.  I ordered the breakfast sandwich one time and mine arrived with cheese.  I would love to get this figured out before my next cruise.

The first room service I place on a cruise is through the telephone.  I call and ask to speak to the chef or restaurant manager.  I ask what I need to do to ensure my food is safe through Medallion ordering.   I am also able to select gf bread and make comments on the order through the app.

I do believe they are paying attention because on one room service order for our balcony, hubby ordered fries with his burger.  I got a phone call from room service alerting me to the fact that the fries were not gf (use a fryer where they also cook chicken tenders).  My room service tag or receipt also indicates gf food.

[disneyochem]

18 hours ago, pedirn said:

I am so glad to see you mention this.   In the past when ordering room service sandwiches etc, I would just request on gluten free bread.  Do they just automatically bring GF bread since your allergy is in your profile?   Or is there a box to check for bread type when ordering?    Did you also have any issues ordering drinks?   I love vodka gimlets but need Titos (or some other GF vodka).   Is there a way to specify type of vodka when ordering a drink?   From what I have seen from menus posted Princess makes gin gimlets so ordering just a gimlet wouldn’t work.  Usually security just laughs when they see me coming…I am the one boarding with my own GF rolls, cookies etc.

In addition to calling and speaking to a restaurant manager on my first room service order, you are able to select gf bread on your sandwiches.

 

I don’t worry about vodka in drinks (just the mixes) so pure vodka is gf.  I know that there is some discussion about vodka being gf or not, but as a chemist, vodka is gf.  I don’t drink the flavored vodkas.  Grey Goose, Tito’s, Smirnoff’s, Absolut—all gf regardless of the grain from which they are distilled.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vodka-be-marketed-as-gluten-free/

 

I also bring gf food with me on a trip—oatmeal, cereal, crackers, nuts, cookies—but, outside of an occasional bottle of wine, no hard spirits.

 

Do you have a Nima?  I bring mine on the cruise to test my food as well.

[CruiseVA]

Pre-COVID & cruising without the drink package - when the 1st drink ordered thru the App was free, I sat at a bar on Lido, ordered a drink thru the App & watched them make it while sitting there.  When the server went over & picked it up to deliver it, he looked up & saw me sitting at the bar - laughs all around as he brought it over. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

1 hour ago, disneyochem said:

The first room service I place on a cruise is through the telephone.  I call and ask to speak to the chef or restaurant manager.  I ask what I need to do to ensure my food is safe through Medallion ordering.   I am also able to select gf bread and make comments on the order through the app.

I do believe they are paying attention because on one room service order for our balcony, hubby ordered fries with his burger.  I got a phone call from room service alerting me to the fact that the fries were not gf (use a fryer where they also cook chicken tenders).  My room service tag or receipt also indicates gf food.

@disneyochemThank you!  
 

I will call like you suggested.  Where do you make comments on the order on the app? I could not figure out how to order without cheese or how to make a comment on our December cruise.

[pedirn]

2 hours ago, disneyochem said:

In addition to calling and speaking to a restaurant manager on my first room service order, you are able to select gf bread on your sandwiches.

 

I don’t worry about vodka in drinks (just the mixes) so pure vodka is gf.  I know that there is some discussion about vodka being gf or not, but as a chemist, vodka is gf.  I don’t drink the flavored vodkas.  Grey Goose, Tito’s, Smirnoff’s, Absolut—all gf regardless of the grain from which they are distilled.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vodka-be-marketed-as-gluten-free/

 

I also bring gf food with me on a trip—oatmeal, cereal, crackers, nuts, cookies—but, outside of an occasional bottle of wine, no hard spirits.

 

Do you have a Nima?  I bring mine on the cruise to test my food as well.

Thanks for info.   I have read the studies regarding vodka but personal experience has proved differently.   DH drinks Belvedere and after reading about “vodka be gluten free” I used it for a couple of drinks.  Lets say it was not a good night for me.  I know nothing else caused the issue as I prepared everything myself.  

I do not have a Nima but have researched them.

We had the medallion on our last cruise in March 2019 but it did not have many of the features it has now.

[rj59]

I learned my lesson when I tried to order some unique beers from the app. The server I asked for help told me they didn't have most of them, and nobody knows what each bar has, so the bartender has to go check, maybe bring out a fresh 6-pack from storage, etc. Another time I thought of ordering a drink sitting outside on deck 7, but the delivery destination was to an inside cabin somewhere. It also doesn't allow the one feature that would be valuable to me--to be able to have MDR items or desserts send to my cabin, as I could always do by calling on HAL ships. I actually found Carnival's dining app to be the most convenient, because you just tell the app you want to dine now, and when they have a table ready they tell you the table number and you go to the dining room. I hate having to pre-select a dinner time, since I don't know when I'll be hungry, just as I hate the breakfast door cards, since I don't know what time I'll be awake and don't want the dreaded knock that wakes me and makes me have to grope for clothes and stumble to the door. 

[caribill]

On 1/16/2022 at 3:18 PM, MissP22 said:

Some people just won't as much budge off their behinds to get things for themselves. They're on a cruise & want everything brought to them.

 

Princess really pushes this "order from anywhere" as a major feature of the Medallion experience.

 

I would not blame anyone for trying to use what Princess is promoting as a major reason to book a Princess cruise..

[MissP22]

40 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Princess really pushes this "order from anywhere" as a major feature of the Medallion experience.

 

I would not blame anyone for trying to use what Princess is promoting as a major reason to book a Princess cruise..

I'm not saying we won't use it but it seems ridiculous to order a drink while sitting by the pool when the bar is just a short distance away & probably faster. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

9 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Princess really pushes this "order from anywhere" as a major feature of the Medallion experience.

 

I would not blame anyone for trying to use what Princess is promoting as a major reason to book a Princess cruise..

My thoughts exactly.  What Princess is promoting sounds wonderful so why wouldn’t you want to use it. I get my own food and drinks seven days a week so how cool it is that someone will deliver it to me anywhere on the ship.  

[Thrak]

On 1/17/2022 at 9:46 AM, Jadn13 said:

I’m at the point now that my “drink of choice” is being made when they see me walking to the bar. (i don’t drink that much but this ship is quiet in certain areas)  An App can’t give that service 😆

 

This would really peeve me. I don't always want the same drink. I may want a Tanqueray and Tonic, a Spicy Bloody Mary, Talisker (or another Scotch) neat, etc. I don't want to approach a bar and have the bartender fix me a "whatever" automagically. Nope, nope, nope...

[Thrak]

On 1/17/2022 at 4:32 PM, coopco said:

We just wait for the traffic to die down and then my husband goes to the bar. He likes his drink a certain way so we can’t order from the app.

 

One of the "promises" made about the app was that you could enter your preferences for drinks. I like my Gin and Tonic made with Tanqueray. I like my Bloody Mary extra spicy, I do not want ice in my Scotch. This was supposed to be a feature of the app. Having never yet sailed on a Medallion cruise (we've had a lot of cruises cancelled) I haven't had a chance to evaluate if this was actually implemented or not.

Edited January 20, 2022 by Thrak

[Daniel A]

5 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

One of the "promises" made about the app was that you could enter your preferences for drinks. I like my Gin and Tonic made with Tanqueray. I like my Bloody Mary extra spicy, I do not want ice in my Scotch. This was supposed to be a feature of the app. Having never yet sailed on a Medallion cruise (we've had a lot of cruises cancelled) I haven't had a chance to evaluate if this was actually implemented or not.

In the event they put your scotch on the rocks, you can pass it over to me...😁

[CineGraphic]

13 hours ago, caribill said:

I would not blame anyone for trying to use what Princess is promoting as a major reason to book a Princess cruise..

 

Would you feel the same way after walking the length of the ship to deliver a coke to a man sitting mere feet or yards away from a bar? Not just once, but all day, every day.

[jwattle]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

This would really peeve me. I don't always want the same drink. I may want a Tanqueray and Tonic, a Spicy Bloody Mary, Talisker (or another Scotch) neat, etc. I don't want to approach a bar and have the bartender fix me a "whatever" automagically. Nope, nope, nope...

I think that Jadn maybe has a certain drink, one drink, and they know that; whereas you have a variety, and the staff wouldn't presume to start yours.

On a previous cruise, we were sticking to certain drinks at Crooners, and Jenni and Bond KNEW this, and even if we were across the way, they'd be holding up the champagne for my Passionate Bellini and the Tanqueray for his Tanqueray Tonic, yelling "Mr. Tom, Ms. Jo, we're ready for you!" It was great!! Earlier in the day, at other bars, we had different things, like at the IC, I'd be having a Caramel Macchiato, and then popping next door to spike it, but it was great at the one bar where we had our "drink of choice" known, to have them ready to make it.

It's like having the dinner servers knowing your little preferences and peeves, and responding to the,; these things make us feel good and maybe even make the cruise a bit more special 🙂

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

In the event they put your scotch on the rocks, you can pass it over to me...😁

 

Sorry. That would be "sharing" the drink package. 🥴

 

We once had the worst server ever. We were in Wheelhouse and I ordered Talisker neat. My wife ordered Southern Comfort on the rocks. My Talisker was delivered with ice and her Southern Comfort was delivered neat. I sent them back and when the server returned he had obviously just dumped out the ice in my drink - it was very cold and slightly watered down. I took it up to the bar and gave it to the bartender and told him what had happened. He made a disgusted face and tossed the scotch in the sink and poured me a new drink. That server disappeared and was never seen again. He was probably sent back to serve in the crew bar for more training.

[jimbo1683]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

This would really peeve me. I don't always want the same drink. I may want a Tanqueray and Tonic, a Spicy Bloody Mary, Talisker (or another Scotch) neat, etc. I don't want to approach a bar and have the bartender fix me a "whatever" automagically. Nope, nope, nope...

Absolutely. Imagine paying for Princess Plus and drinking the same drink over and over. 

[jimbo1683]

36 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

 

Would you feel the same way after walking the length of the ship to deliver a coke to a man sitting mere feet or yards away from a bar? Not just once, but all day, every day.

Are you talking about the person whose job it is to serve drinks, who gets tipped via the drinks package and gets tipped extra by americans?

[Thrak]

25 minutes ago, jwattle said:

Earlier in the day, at other bars, we had different things, like at the IC, I'd be having a Caramel Macchiato, and then popping next door to spike it,

 

My favorite "breakfast" drink:  Vanilla Latte with a shot of Jameson. I get a regular sized latte. If I get a large the Jameson gets lost in the drink.

[san diego sue]

I noticed on the last couple of recent cruises, lots of dishes, glasses etc left out in the hall. Much more than usual. I  hate seeing the filthy dishes . With food being delivered more frequently via the appl., those same rude people are putting more dirty dishes  out than usual.

May not be people's fault(although not an excuse), with room serviced by room stewards being once a day now. My room steward would come in in the evening to drop off the next day's patter. If I had dirty dishes or glasses, he didn't remove them. We just used the shelf where the TV use to be in the balcony cabins above the bar area to stack anything. It got removed in the morning. No reason to ever put dishes out in the hallway.

Edited January 20, 2022 by san diego sue

[EDDY0827]

Room service will happily remove the dirty dishes if called.

[memoak]

1 hour ago, CineGraphic said:

 

Would you feel the same way after walking the length of the ship to deliver a coke to a man sitting mere feet or yards away from a bar? Not just once, but all day, every day.

Or watching someone at a table next to the burger outlet too lazy to get up and stand in line ordering over the app

[Daniel A]

22 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

My favorite "breakfast" drink:  Vanilla Latte with a shot of Jameson. I get a regular sized latte. If I get a large the Jameson gets lost in the drink.

I just picked up my small bottles of prosecco for our disembarkation day mimosas.  🥂  Thanks again for that tip!