Wasn't Cruising Easier Pre-Medallion?

[SargassoPirate]

The Medallion and the wonky app seem to have only complicated booking and taking a cruise with Princess.  I've tried to work with the app, but I have little patience for having to enter information multiple times because it disappears the next time I open it.  And I do not like trying to decide what time and where I want to eat weeks, even months ahead.

 

For my next Princess cruise, I'm going old school.  I'll print my booking information and show up at the pier.  If I want a drink, I'll flag down a server. If I want something to eat, I'll check my watch and the Patter and see what's available.   Just weeks before that cruise, I have a cruise on Viking and there is no comparison to the pre-cruise rigmarole.  No wonky app and I just show up with my booking information.  They even mailed me sturdy tags for my luggage.  It'll be an interesting comparison.

 

My idea of a cruise is to relax and enjoy being at sea.  Don't complicate it.

[Reina del Mar]

Agree…wasn’t it simpler when you booked with a travel agent who gave you a small folder of plane ticket, cruise ticket etc ??

 

You chose your seating for meals, then had the excitement of seeing if you were sitting with an officer, on embarkation. Booked ‘trips’ in the first couple of days and paid for everything with cash .  

 

Yes I am showing my age…first cruise was 1969 !

[deliver42]

I, too, remember, even when booking direct, getting the cruise packet in the mail with all the docs and luggage tags. I got so excited when it arrived, Now that part is gone.

[Lady Meer]

51 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

I, too, remember, even when booking direct, getting the cruise packet in the mail with all the docs and luggage tags. I got so excited when it arrived, Now that part is gone.

Also, on our first Princess cruise we received a glossy brochure detailing the tours.

[DrSea]

I'm in my 30s and I miss the old days too. 

 

The medallion does complicate things needlessly and fixing issues caused by the app eats up vacation time. I'm still carrying around the princess platter, so there is no reduction in paper waste. Virtual menus aren't up to date either, which is supposed to be a selling point of virtual menus. 

[MrSchwump]

The app does seem a little non-intuitive to set up. And the demographics of the Princess passengers makes it a bit more challenging. 
Still, I’m glad not to need a sheaf of papers  when I arrive at the cruise terminal. I’m very happy that my check in now takes less than a minute. I like that my door will unlock automatically when I approach. 
Cars were a lot simpler in the 60s too but I’ve really gotten used to heated seats and the backup camera!

[Torfamm]

I may be in the minority, but I like the app. It’s not perfect but I really enjoy having it available both before and during a cruise

 

I definitely don’t miss the days of having to visit travel agents. I can remember how happy I was when online booking came along and I could do everything myself too. 
 

 

[SargassoPirate]

34 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

I definitely don’t miss the days of having to visit travel agents. I can remember how happy I was when online booking came along and I could do everything myself too. 

 

 

Somewhere between having to visit a travel agent and having to deal with uncooperative technology is the sweet spot.  Set the wayback machine to around 15 years ago.

 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by SargassoPirate

[thinfool]

Sorry, no one is facing a firing squad if they do not use the app.  Ignoring it and just using the medallion to open your cabin door seems like a thing.  Who cares if the ship ID is a medallion or a card?  And the desk at guest services is usually well stocked with Patters.

[Outerdog]

40 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

I may be in the minority, but I like the app.

 

You're not. There is a very vocal minority who complain loudly. I just don't understand it since the app is absolutely 100% not needed to cruise with Princess.

 

I think the ships have moved on from allowing folks to swap the medallion for a classic cruise card, but reading the website suggests that is no longer an option. The medallion is the same as any old-school prox card used for door entry since forever, so the medallion for entry is really not the problem.

 

The talk of glossy pamphlets, being greeted with champagne upon boarding and escorted to your room, set rigid dining times, formal nights... the world and the industry have moved on. 

 

Let me repeat this part for the folks in the back who are upset: you do not need the app to cruise.

[memoak]

I can’t believe all the Luddites out there. I set the app up in 2022 and have not had to add anything to it since. Just use it to order the medallion. Everyone uses smart phones these days or are all of the complainers using a 20 year old computer ?

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

The medallion for me has been a real cruise-enhancer. I find the ease of use of the medallion when on board great. Yes, the app is rubbish but I still find it a huge improvement over the old way.

[Torfamm]

1 hour ago, SargassoPirate said:

Somewhere between having to visit a travel agent and having to deal with uncooperative technology is the sweet spot.  Set the wayback machine to around 15 years ago.

 

 

I’m not doubting there there are people who are having problems with the app and it certainly has a few areas for improvement, but in 12 cruises since the restart and 5 booked in the next year, I haven’t had any trouble using it.
 

I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. The people who aren’t having any issues probably just don’t chime in to mention that though.

[Cruisemeister2002]

I am booked on a Princess cruise next year and this will be my first shot at Medallion Class. But don't you think that everything is going the way of passengers being more responsible for making their arrangements  such as with P&O you have to print boarding passes, luggage tickets and during the pandemic proof of Covid jabs etc. Esta's for the USA. According to Princess the Medallion allows you basically to order whatever wherever you are on the ship. Correct me if I am wrong.  

[Reina del Mar]

I have used the app successfully since 2019- that doesn’t mean I don’t prefer the old fashioned way !!!!

[Cruisemeister2002]

24 minutes ago, memoak said:

I can’t believe all the Luddites out there. I set the app up in 2022 and have not had to add anything to it since. Just use it to order the medallion. Everyone uses smart phones these days or are all of the complainers using a 20 year old computer ?

Would there be any machinery if they were Luddites ?

[PacnGoNow]

4 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Would there be any machinery if they were Luddites ?

No, they would destroy it, because it could replace their jobs.

😜

[Outerdog]

The mainstream cruise industry is moving on. They are using technology to enhance profits and efficiency. Capturing the younger generation is key to continued success. Let's not forget that there are billions in lost revenues to recover after the stoppage. Revenues effectively hit $0 but the costs to operate the ships remained. Not sure where people think that money is supposed to come from.

 

As a result, you see the things we're seeing today with Princess. You're kidding yourself if you think that Princess doesn't need to find new revenue streams, same as all the other lines.

 

Fortunately, there are options for those who which to embark a cruise ship in a full top hat and tuxedo after having arrived via stagecoach. It'll cost you though. Champagne taste on a beer budget ain't flying no more, folks.

 

[jennmaybe]

2 hours ago, Outerdog said:

 

I think the ships have moved on from allowing folks to swap the medallion for a classic cruise card, but reading the website suggests that is no longer an option. 

 

 

That is absolutely not true.  After unsuccessful calls to customer service to request cards, I emailed Mr. Padgett.  Within 2 hrs, I received a call from the Director of Port Operations and he advised me they absolutely will provide cards to us.  We will have cards waiting on us at the port.  No problem.  
 

He did advise me that customer service provides us the info that is provided to them, which is the medallions are required.  He advised that they will provide cards to anyone who reaches out to corporate.

[StarAFire]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

I can’t believe all the Luddites out there. I set the app up in 2022 and have not had to add anything to it since. Just use it to order the medallion. Everyone uses smart phones these days or are all of the complainers using a 20 year old computer ?

This is my first time on Princess.  We normally do NCL and RCL and they also have apps.  Compared to them, this has been the worse one.  When the app doesn't work, we try and go to the website.  The website basically says, sorry, that feature is in the app, you need to use that. 

 

At the moment, I have checked in myself, and my 70+ year old parents via the app... I think?  It looks like everything has a blue check, and we are in blue lane because I choose to pick up medallions at the port.  However, if we log onto the Princess website, it says our check in status, is incomplete?.  I tried calling Princess, and they told me they weren't sure what might be missing.  Any ideas?  Thanks!

 

 

[memoak]

9 minutes ago, StarAFire said:

This is my first time on Princess.  We normally do NCL and RCL and they also have apps.  Compared to them, this has been the worse one.  When the app doesn't work, we try and go to the website.  The website basically says, sorry, that feature is in the app, you need to use that. 

 

At the moment, I have checked in myself, and my 70+ year old parents via the app... I think?  It looks like everything has a blue check, and we are in blue lane because I choose to pick up medallions at the port.  However, if we log onto the Princess website, it says our check in status, is incomplete?.  I tried calling Princess, and they told me they weren't sure what might be missing.  Any ideas?  Thanks!

 

 

There is a web version to enter info to the app. My non smart phone friends have had no problem with it

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

Let's not kid ourselves here... Medallion Class is for the benefit of Princess. The fact that passengers may like it is a by-product.

 

Having everyone carry a medallion with them at all times when on board allows Princess to log passenger movements... to see the routes they take to get from A to B... to see how long they stay in any one location...  it is a mine of data that they can use to tune the passenger experience to maximise their profits.

 

That is it in a nutshell IMO.

 

But do I like it? Yes, I am happy for them to have my movement data for the benefits it gives me.

[StarAFire]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

There is a web version to enter info to the app. My non smart phone friends have had no problem with it

That one also not good. It shows me orange for medallion wearable choice instead of blue check. But when I click into it to see if I need to complete something, it says medallion order is completed and it shows in order history that I went through it. So 3 diff entry point to same data gives diff things?  This should be reading same data source and at least all 3 say complete or not?  🤷‍♀️. 

Edited September 10, 2023 by StarAFire

[Dar & Bob]

3 hours ago, Snaxmuppet said:

The medallion for me has been a real cruise-enhancer. I find the ease of use of the medallion when on board great. Yes, the app is rubbish but I still find it a huge improvement over the old way.

I totally agree.  I love the medallion - especially that it can be in my purse or a pocket.  I walk up and the door opens, the bartender knows me, etc.  We can see if our cruise companions are in the buffet, their room or whereever. We had issues setting it up orginally but the past 4 cruises have been much enhanced by it.  We have been on a few Celebrity cruises recently and we do miss the medallion.

[avonlady6390]

I also like the medallion for the reasons others have stated I've had a little trouble with the app but I just keep trying until I get the info in.  I do use the app to order drinks for delivery especially latte to my cabin in the morning before getting out of bed!  I went on a non princess cruise last year and missed the medallion and app.