Questions.

[crdtrnr]

I have never sailed on Princess, but have on other lines.

I have some questions,  am thinking of booking the Ruby.

1.  Is the upgrade to plus a good deal?

2.  What is the premium deserts?

3. What is the medallion experience?

 

 

Thanks for your help.

 

[Outerdog]

1. Yes if you enjoy drinking.

2. https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Princess-adds-desserts-to-bundles

3. https://www.princess.com/cruise-tips-vacation-ideas/cruise-destinations/cruise-tips-advice-and-information/what-is-medallion-class.html

3. 

 

 

[memoak]

Plus will take care of alcohol and non alcohol drinks including water, your gratuities and unlimited WiFi.  If you drink even a moderate amount it will pay off for you

[Rick&Jeannie]

We generally book "Plus" because we want the internet (bad as it may be...) and gratuities are covered.  We not *really* big drinkers but just knowing that what we would like is "covered" then it just makes sense for us.  Everybody has to factor in their own situation(s).

[Shippy]

LOVED the medallion !

 I was a bit leery at first but soon got used to it.

You have NO room key. I wore mine around my neck & my husband got a clip for his shirt.

When you get about 2 feet from your cabin , you hear a click & your door is unlocked.

When you get on & off the ship, they just click your medallion.

   Most people do like like this part but I found it a bit amusing....there is a built in GPS.

Crew carry what looks like a large iphone. When you order a drink they click it on your medallion. They then see your face & what drink package you have. 

   I was at the table in the buffet when the waiter came over & I ordered a drink. Shortly after that, I got up & started the buffet line. I then felt a tap on my shoulder. It was the waiter with my drink....he knew exactly where I was !

 

 

[JimmyVWine]

2 hours ago, Shippy said:

there is a built in GPS.

I don’t think that is right. I think it is an RFID transponder that gets its location picked up by a series of radio frequency sensors. 

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, Shippy said:

Most people do like like this part but I found it a bit amusing....there is a built in GPS.

The Medallion used two types of technology:

 

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Near Field Communication (NFC)

 

There is no "GPS" component. The Medallion carries a unique identifier that is read by the ship system. There is no other information encoded in the Medallion itself. All the important stuff is located on the servers.

 

 

[Shippy]

14 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

I don’t think that is right. I think it is an RFID transponder that gets its location picked up by a series of radio frequency sensors. 

I think the majority of people knew what I meant.....

[Shippy]

Just now, Shippy said:

I think the majority of people knew what I meant.....

by saying GPS...people get the idea that they can find you anywhere,

by saying BLE/NFC/RFID    might be a bit confusing to most.

 

[hobbyfarmer2]

9 minutes ago, Shippy said:

by saying GPS...people get the idea that they can find you anywhere,

by saying BLE/NFC/RFID    might be a bit confusing to most.

 

I kind of agree with Thrak who knows the Medallion tech.  Best not to use a term like GPS unless you are positive it is correct as it may mislead people.  There is a huge difference between GPS which requires working communications with many satellites and RFID/Bluetooth/NFC.

Edited February 15, 2023 by hobbyfarmer2
spelling

[JimmyVWine]

24 minutes ago, Shippy said:

by saying GPS...people get the idea that they can find you anywhere,

by saying BLE/NFC/RFID    might be a bit confusing to most.

 

There are a lot of paranoid people who detest the idea that their every move is being tracked and that Big Brother is watching over them.  I tend to think that the idea of being GPS tracked by the medallion system might be a turnoff to some and I'd hate to think that some would eschew Princess in favor of another line over this issue.  So I don't think that precision is unwarranted here and I thank Thrak for that precision.  

[Outerdog]

53 minutes ago, Shippy said:

by saying GPS...people get the idea that they can find you anywhere,

by saying BLE/NFC/RFID    might be a bit confusing to most.

 

57 minutes ago, Shippy said:

I think the majority of people knew what I meant.....

 

I think generally we should strive to provide accurate information rather than dumb it down to the lowest common denominator. If someone is confused by a technical response then they should seek clarification or remain ignorant.

 

Well on cruise critic they said the medallion has GPS so the ship should have known I was only 10 minutes away from the port and waited instead of leaving without me!!