38anchor Posted June 2 #1 Share Posted June 2 We have a few Wow bands from previous sailings - loved using them rather than the sea pass card so wondering if we were to take them on our upcoming Oasis cruise (later this month) would Guest relations be able to re-link them and would they be accepted onboard the ship at bars etc. And does anyone know whey they were discontinued - they were just so convenient... Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly333 Posted June 2 #2 Share Posted June 2 Some ships seem to be using them. I did oasis last spring and dont remember about it specifically but it seems hit or miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainannoyed! Posted June 2 #3 Share Posted June 2 14 minutes ago, 38anchor said: We have a few Wow bands from previous sailings - loved using them rather than the sea pass card so wondering if we were to take them on our upcoming Oasis cruise (later this month) would Guest relations be able to re-link them and would they be accepted onboard the ship at bars etc. And does anyone know whey they were discontinued - they were just so convenient... Thanks in advance It seems like these were introduced with a plan to expand across the fleet, and somewhere along the way it was forgotten. They never seem to have been implemented on older ships (at least as far as I’ve seen on Radiance class). They are small enough to toss in the luggage and check when you get aboard. Nothing to lose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BirdTravels Posted June 2 #4 Share Posted June 2 1 hour ago, 38anchor said: We have a few Wow bands from previous sailings - loved using them rather than the sea pass card so wondering if we were to take them on our upcoming Oasis cruise (later this month) would Guest relations be able to re-link them and would they be accepted onboard the ship at bars etc. And does anyone know whey they were discontinued - they were just so convenient... Thanks in advance So,,, in the past, you were able to go to Guest Service and have old Wow bands tied to your room. I have not tried recently, but looking at my desk here at home, there is one sitting here... waiting to go on a cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another_Critic Posted June 2 #5 Share Posted June 2 On my April Oasis TA, I had my WOW band from the Nov. 2014 Quantum TA (first sailing on the first ship to use WOW bands) reprogrammed. Actually, I swapped it for a new one, since mine had the muster station printed on the WOW band. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura85 Posted June 2 #6 Share Posted June 2 I think smart phones killed off Wow bands. I have some old ones I may let my kids reuse on our upcoming oasis cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare JJK2008 Posted June 2 #7 Share Posted June 2 Never heard of a WOW band. I had to look it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another_Critic Posted June 2 #8 Share Posted June 2 3 minutes ago, laura85 said: I think smart phones killed off Wow bands. How so? They killed the stateroom door unlock in the app. Plus, I don't think anyone is going to give a bar waiter their phone to order a drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not-enough-cruising Posted June 2 #9 Share Posted June 2 1 hour ago, Another_Critic said: How so? They killed the stateroom door unlock in the app. Plus, I don't think anyone is going to give a bar waiter their phone to order a drink. We used our phone to unlock the stateroom door on Odyssey in March (as well as control the lighting and curtains) I believe (just opinion) that the fact one had to turn over their WOW band to a roaming waiter, was one of the major downfalls of the system and why it never caught on as Royal hoped it would. The failure by the cruise-line to invest in RFID reader POS handhelds doomed the program. Although I have never sailed Princess; their Medallion program seems to have set the benchmark for cruise wearables. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hapster85 Posted June 2 #10 Share Posted June 2 Princess uses medalions in lieu of cards fleet wide, I believe. We bought bands to carry them in and loved it. Dunno why the bands never caught on with Royal Carribean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted June 2 #11 Share Posted June 2 I get mine reprogrammed on every cruise. This is definitely still a "thing". 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted June 2 #12 Share Posted June 2 9 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said: We used our phone to unlock the stateroom door on Odyssey in March (as well as control the lighting and curtains) I believe (just opinion) that the fact one had to turn over their WOW band to a roaming waiter, was one of the major downfalls of the system and why it never caught on as Royal hoped it would. The failure by the cruise-line to invest in RFID reader POS handhelds doomed the program. Although I have never sailed Princess; their Medallion program seems to have set the benchmark for cruise wearables. Princess' medallion program puts RC to shame. On my surveys, I tell RC to "call Princess and get the name of the company that does their medallions." 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly333 Posted June 2 #13 Share Posted June 2 18 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said: Princess' medallion program puts RC to shame. On my surveys, I tell RC to "call Princess and get the name of the company that does their medallions." I'd also like rcl IT to copy carnival brands anytime dining where I can eat anytime after 530 and just push a button when I want to eat. I dislike how royal handles anytime dining, either pick a set time every night or stand in line to truly get to eat any time. A lot more woukd do any time if it worked better. Carnival uses a whole dining room it's so popular. I'd like to combine the best of several lines, and it wouldnt be that costly except programming. Next time I cruise is harmony, maybe I'll inquire if they sell wow bands. Look better than a lanyard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-leg5 Posted June 2 #14 Share Posted June 2 (edited) 30 minutes ago, firefly333 said: I dislike how royal handles anytime dining, either pick a set time every night or stand in line to truly get to eat any time. A lot more woukd do any time if it worked better. Carnival uses a whole dining room it's so popular. Pre- Covid Royal MTD worked just fine. It was very popular and also had expanded from a small section over the years to a whole dining room. IMO having a dedicated section works much better for MTD and TD. MTD was able to accommodate guests arriving at various times and on various schedules. You do not have to pick the same time every night. You can pre-book various times but many like to have a set time with a set waiter just not at the official set dining times. Or you can turn up without a reservation and wait. How long depends on how popular that time slot is. I can’t think of anything worse for TD than to have random people interrupting the flow around them when they used to get an orderly dinner. Now a waiter is expected to serve 75%(?) of guests on one schedule plus random parties joining at different times. The original excuse was lack of experienced servers and certainly the more efficient waiters used to get promoted to MTD. Royal has had plenty of time to adjust and return to a model that worked just fine. Edited June 2 by c-leg5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another_Critic Posted June 2 #15 Share Posted June 2 What changed is early dining using the MTD deck and pushing MTD to after early dining finishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted June 2 #16 Share Posted June 2 Just off Icon and my two young grandsons got them ($10pp) for use onboard...worked well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare livingonthebeach Posted June 2 #17 Share Posted June 2 I loved the WOW bands - they worked great for me every time. It’s sad to think might be a thing of the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Baltic Posted June 2 #18 Share Posted June 2 Can you have a WOW band and a regular sea pass card? I can see a use for the band when at the pool or slides and the card the rest of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryarger Posted June 2 #19 Share Posted June 2 1 minute ago, Billy Baltic said: Can you have a WOW band and a regular sea pass card? I can see a use for the band when at the pool or slides and the card the rest of the time. Yes, your sea pass card still works normally when you get the WOW band. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another_Critic Posted June 2 #20 Share Posted June 2 22 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said: Can you have a WOW band and a regular sea pass card? I can see a use for the band when at the pool or slides and the card the rest of the time. 19 minutes ago, ryarger said: Yes, your sea pass card still works normally when you get the WOW band. In addition, you must use your SeaPass card to get on/off the ship. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfcathorse Posted June 2 #21 Share Posted June 2 Cruised on Anthem May 12 to May 26, 2024. Took our WOW bands that we got for free on Quantum's inaugural. Guest Services reprogrammed them. I got my original back but when DH went to get his reprogrammed the guy swapped it out for a new one as our Quantum bands had the muster station printed on them. In Schooner Bar you had to take it off and hand it to the bar server to scan. Used it in one of the shops and wore it to the pool once but never ordered a drink pool side with it. Only used it to open stateroom door when our hands were full. Can't get off the ship with it, still have to use Seapass card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare perfect match Posted June 2 #22 Share Posted June 2 I think I’ll try and find our WOW bands from our pre pandemic Symphony cruise and take them with us on Wonder. I saw them somewhere recently so I know we still have them. Now if I can just remember where……. 🤔😂🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare trafaelwyr Posted August 2 #23 Share Posted August 2 Can the WOW band be purchased before the sailing or when you get on board? I know when I sailed on Princess last year, we could order them beforehand before getting on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another_Critic Posted August 2 #24 Share Posted August 2 16 minutes ago, trafaelwyr said: Can the WOW band be purchased before the sailing or when you get on board? I know when I sailed on Princess last year, we could order them beforehand before getting on the ship. Purchase on board, if the ship is compatible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare trafaelwyr Posted August 2 #25 Share Posted August 2 2 minutes ago, Another_Critic said: Purchase on board, if the ship is compatible. I'll be on Allure of the Seas, so it will work there. I'm just surprised you can't buy it before getting on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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