How much are you willing to let slide?

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

I have five medallion cruises under my belt.  The app is wonky and if something doesn't work seamlessly after a maximum of two tries I'm done.   Early on (pre covid) I quit the app and just showed at the port with my paperwork.  My post covid cruises haven't been much better with trying to upload my vaccination card etc, so I still just show up at the port with my paperwork.

 

Once I'm on board, I carry my medallion in my pocket and don't try to use the app.  Just because technology is whiz bang doesn't mean it enhances my cruise experience.

 

BTW, I still miss the barrel chairs.

I know the frustration but when it does work on the ship it's a nice feature.

I like having lunch at the buffet & ordering one of their desserts or a drink to be brought to my table. The location feature has also improved considerably since the start of the medallion system.

[caribill]

45 minutes ago, tetleytea said:

 

I'm pretty sure the contractor developed the technology first, and then sought out customers for it second.  That's okay--that's just the way it happens sometimes.  Initially this was probably called something like a supply chain management mobile app with integrated bluetooth location tracking.   Then somebody presented it to Carnival execs, they said, "Great.  Let's use it for this...", and they adapted it to the cruise line to become Medallion app.  Now, a lot of the bluetooth locating is not even bluetooth anymore.  

 

It was based on Disney technology. A Disney exec with no cruise company experience was brought in to Princess to oversee its development (using contractors) for Princess with the idea that its use would then be extended to all the CCL brands.

 

The new exec with no prior cruise company experience did so well on this project that he was promoted to and is currently the President of Princess Cruise Lines.

[milogurd]

3 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

I have five medallion cruises under my belt.  The app is wonky and if something doesn't work seamlessly after a maximum of two tries I'm done.   Early on (pre covid) I quit the app and just showed at the port with my paperwork.  My post covid cruises haven't been much better with trying to upload my vaccination card etc, so I still just show up at the port with my paperwork.

 

Once I'm on board, I carry my medallion in my pocket and don't try to use the app.  Just because technology is whiz bang doesn't mean it enhances my cruise experience.

 

BTW, I still miss the barrel chairs.

Here you go!

 

[majortom10]

Sorry after my last cruise on Emerald I have gone down the slide and jumped ship. No more Princess for me.

[mtnesterz]

27 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Sorry after my last cruise on Emerald I have gone down the slide and jumped ship. No more Princess for me.

I am in league with you on this after our recent cruise. Which cruise line would be your go-to from here? I see Stone is near Liverpool. Would you try Fred Olsen, Costa or Hurtigruten out of that port? We are near Los Angeles. Many lines port here, but having trouble selecting which line to try.

I see you've cruised Cunard, which ports here sometimes. Would you recommend trying them? (We don't mind dressing for dinner.) 

 

Edited June 24, 2022 by mtnesterz

[drowelf]

5 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Once I'm on board, I carry my medallion in my pocket and don't try to use the app.  Just because technology is whiz bang doesn't mean it enhances my cruise experience.

Bingo! I don't live with my phone in my hand. I'll often leave it upstairs in my office for hours at times in the evening or even overnight. When I'm on the ship I only want to carry the absolute minimum of stuff around with me. That generally comes down to some lip balm, my drink container, room key (card/medallion) and some $$ or Chips if I expect to be doing any activity in the casinos. 

[c-boy]

14 minutes ago, drowelf said:

Bingo! I don't live with my phone in my hand. I'll often leave it upstairs in my office for hours at times in the evening or even overnight. When I'm on the ship I only want to carry the absolute minimum of stuff around with me. That generally comes down to some lip balm, my drink container, room key (card/medallion) and some $$ or Chips if I expect to be doing any activity in the casinos. 

I think the new president of the princess line had an epiphany with the medallion app. Although useful,  it appeals to the younger crowd that lives and dies by the cell phone code. Padgett must have seen the future of the industry being zero and ones  . 0001100111.Seeing the customers carrying the translator to the grave with them and texting St. Peter " hold the gate I'm on the way" .

[suzyed]

29 minutes ago, drowelf said:

Bingo! I don't live with my phone in my hand. I'll often leave it upstairs in my office for hours at times in the evening or even overnight. When I'm on the ship I only want to carry the absolute minimum of stuff around with me. That generally comes down to some lip balm, my drink container, room key (card/medallion) and some $$ or Chips if I expect to be doing any activity in the casinos. 

I do live with with my phone in my hand especially on cruises!  It's my camera, my patter, etc.  It's not so big that I can't carry it with my lip balm, medallion and $$.  I never have chips so there's room for my phone!  LOL!

[suzyed]

6 minutes ago, c-boy said:

I think the new president of the princess line had an epiphany with the medallion app. Although useful,  it appeals to the younger crowd that lives and dies by the cell phone code. Padgett must have seen the future of the industry being zero and ones  . 0001100111.Seeing the customers carrying the translator to the grave with them and texting St. Peter " hold the gate I'm on the way" .

Sounds good to me and I'm no young'un so I will be getting to the grave sooner than most of them!

 

[insidecabin]

I carry the phone mainly as a camera and communication device

 

Used app a few times on my current cruise but still pull up ocean concierge first as it is so much quicker.

Edited June 24, 2022 by insidecabin

[c-boy]

Just now, suzyed said:

Sounds good to me and I'm no young'un so I will be getting to the grave sooner than most of them!

 

you and me both. If your smiling it's on vibrate 

[Thrak]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I know the frustration but when it does work on the ship it's a nice feature.

I like having lunch at the buffet & ordering one of their desserts or a drink to be brought to my table. The location feature has also improved considerably since the start of the medallion system.

 

I used the location feature multiple times not only to locate my wife but more often to locate our travel companions. It was one thing I really liked about the app.

[Yehootu]

6 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Once I'm on board, I carry my medallion in my pocket and don't try to use the app.  Just because technology is whiz bang doesn't mean it enhances my cruise experience.

 

We've had NO problems with the Medallion so far in programming and downloading. I've been able to schedule our dining all the way through 04/2024 cruises. Have found out Patience is a must when dealing with the app. If it's not responding as you'd like, wait awhile and come back to what you were trying. On the ship, if you don't see your picture in the top left, log out and re log back in. I had to have my medallion reprogrammed once early on and then on "turn around day" although we booked a 14day cruise. 

 my wife used the room service menu alot for pizza and loved it. Seemed only her room service orders would go through, mine wouldn't. I ordered and Crown Grill order was all messed up, but we didn't get charged!

 First sea day I approached a waiter at the Seaview bar and ordered 2 beers. I told him I'd be right up the stairs in the starboard deck 17 hot tub. I gave him a few $1 to make sure. He disappeared.I went back down to the bar and he said medallion said I was in the cabin. My wife did get 6 beers to our cabin.

 We aren't slaves to our phones but we did love the availability of menus, hours, activities. I did like the old map on the TV better as it included better weather reporting.

 My medallion stayed in my pocket and I always ordered directly from a waiter or the bar.

[Thrak]

44 minutes ago, c-boy said:

0001100111

 

Hmmm.... Either 103 in decimal, 67 in hexadecimal, or a lower case letter g in ASCII. Random example of Binary to make a point?

Edited June 24, 2022 by Thrak

[jwattle]

On 6/22/2022 at 9:09 AM, MissP22 said:

With all these people leaving Princess, it looks like the ships will be sailing near empty very shortly.

🙄

No, Princess will have people from other lines who thought that THOSE lines were slipping... Cycle of life, cruising style.

On 6/22/2022 at 10:02 PM, Thrak said:

 

 

[SargassoPirate]

Whenever somebody tries to sell you a self-driving car, just think of the medallion.

[Roberto256]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

 

It was based on Disney technology. A Disney exec with no cruise company experience was brought in to Princess to oversee its development (using contractors) for Princess with the idea that its use would then be extended to all the CCL brands.

 

The new exec with no prior cruise company experience did so well on this project that he was promoted to and is currently the President of Princess Cruise Lines.

 

Has the medallion spread to any other carnival brands?

 

WRT the disney gent ... you have to wonder if the promise of president was part of the inducement to leave disney...

 

 

[milogurd]

Just announced:

The New Princess Medallion Room Steward!

 

Edited June 24, 2022 by milogurd

[MISTER 67]

On 6/22/2022 at 1:12 PM, PacnGoNow said:

Yes, I do!  Lol

Do you really think Celebrity and other lines are not having problems?

I have friends and family who have sailed Celebrity and RCCL and they are struggling too.

They all are and so are the airlines, the hospitality sector, etc. 

From the beginning of the restart, experts have said it will take up to 5 years to get back to precovid experiences.  Let’s hope.

 

 

 

We have sailed 4 times since Thanksgiving, 2 on the Caribbean Princess, 1 on the Rotterdam and last Sunday we finished a one week cruise on Celebrity Equinox. All 4 have been very good cruises, in the 4 cruises I had a total of 2 meals in the MDRs that could have been better. Every meal we had for breakfast and lunch in the buffets have been excellent with a very good variety especially on the Equinox. If Celebrity is having problems, that's a surprise to me plus we received a free upgrade from an inside cabin to a verandah. Service has been great on all 4 cruises, with Princess the Caribbean Princess was a little over half full both times and we had fantastic service with our room being made up twice a day, only thing missing was mints on the pillows, no big deal, Princess has the best chocolate on the high seas and we had our full of chocolate at lunch and dinner and could care less about mints on the pillows. Our cabins were also serviced twice a day on the Rotterdam and the Equinox and the Rotterdam was a sold out cruise, the Equinox was at 67% of capacity. Back to Celebrity, we had such a great cruise last week, we booked the same cruise for August 7th. 

Edited June 24, 2022 by MISTER 67

[vjmatty]

4 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

I am in league with you on this after our recent cruise. Which cruise line would be your go-to from here? I see Stone is near Liverpool. Would you try Fred Olsen, Costa or Hurtigruten out of that port? We are near Los Angeles. Many lines port here, but having trouble selecting which line to try.

I see you've cruised Cunard, which ports here sometimes. Would you recommend trying them? (We don't mind dressing for dinner.) 

 

And this is why when people go on about “all cruise lines are in trouble” I realize it’s time to start looking at lines closer to home. As a New Yorker, I have to take into account that Princess serves my area very poorly. What was once worth flying to has become less so. Cunard, Celebrity, and RCI are a lot more convenient, so if all lines are diminished we may as well save some time, money and effort with those closer options. I haven’t sailed Cunard in almost 10 years but remember enjoying their ships…and I liked the one Celebrity cruise we took, although it is a little more money.

 

I understand that for some, expanding their horizons beyond Princess would be hard to fathom, but we are all well traveled people on this site…sometimes you have to go outside your comfort zone. 

[roxievegas]

We were Celebrity cruisers.  Then wanted "no flying" so we booked Princess out of LA - we live in the Orange County area.  We just finished our 10th cruise with Princess

 

Dec 2021         two cruises on Majestic

March 2022    one cruise on Majestic

April 2022       one cruise on Discovery

June 2022      one cruise on Ruby

 

we are now scheduled for a B2B out of NYC - yes we are flying to NYC and just spent 4 hours on the phone with EZAIR because our flight was changed and no one notified us.

 

This morning just booked a Casino Slot Tournament offer.

Total paid $823 for two in a balcony with princess plus and entry into the slot tournament

received $400 OBC and $600 casino free play money

This is why we book with Princess.  We get great offers and yes we gamble in the casino.  We could go to the Indian Casinos but we don't get feed all day long or free drinks.

 

The downside now is the customer service people when booking the cruises.  They are new and having trouble getting the info in the system correctly.

 

We have no problem on the ships (even though we do not wish to go back on the Ruby) - the staff are friendly, hardworking and efficient.  We have no problem with the food.  By the time we do our cruise in Jan 2023, we will have sailed 8 times in 13 months.  

 

I would consider trying some of the other cruise lines, but I don't want to pay for my cabin.  I end up paying for that when I go to the casino.

 

[dog]

On 6/22/2022 at 4:27 PM, mthomp5 said:

This is encouraging.  Could you clarify…do you mean that you canceled a cruise because you or a traveling partner caught COVID?  And did you have to have another cruise booked in order to get the FCC extension to sail by 9/30/2023?

Cancelled 30 days or more prior to cruise, booked by May 31/22, sail by Sept 30/22.  Covid concerns, 

got back FCC with sail by date of September 30/23

did not have another cruise booked as replacement at that time 

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, milogurd said:

Just announced:

The New Princess Medallion Room Steward!

 

 

Klaatu barada nikto

[mthomp5]

5 hours ago, dog said:

Cancelled 30 days or more prior to cruise, booked by May 31/22, sail by Sept 30/22.  Covid concerns, 

got back FCC with sail by date of September 30/23

did not have another cruise booked as replacement at that time 

Nice to hear Princess is being flexible with the FCC when you canceled under their Book with Confidence!  

[MissP22]

11 hours ago, jwattle said:

No, Princess will have people from other lines who thought that THOSE lines were slipping... Cycle of life, cruising style.

 

I suppose that might be an even trade off at that. 

 

10 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Whenever somebody tries to sell you a self-driving car, just think of the medallion.

Or an ev. 😉😉