nho9504

One more thing to add -

It is much easier to access web-version of Medallion app, thru that little blue box.  It loads in reasonable time.

However after I logged out and decided to log back in,  it gave me the Ocean Ready screen - that took forever and ever and still with the dreaded circle.  After 2+ min still only the circle churning I shut it down.

I dont know what is in Princess management's mind to insist on this crap.  RCL's app is a breeze to use and they do not have this crazy RFID device.  Their profits still surpass Carnival's.  Give the customers something that is efficient and easy to use, not something you need a hundreds and hundreds pages online discussion to figure how to jump thru hoops.

The ONLY thing it seems Princess still is keeping her customers, is the pricing.  That is not the right way to run a profitable business long term.

6 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Email the vax cards to your computer, then copy & paste into the web-based app. That's how I did it.

I finally found them already in my computer after I resent them from the phone.

Then I use the UPLOAD function to submit to the web-based app, did not use copy and paste.  It only has the Upload function and automatically goes to my computer's drive for me to find the photos.

Now our CDC cards used up the front for the 2 regular doses and 1 booster which was in Sept 2021.  We had the 2nd booster taken in Jun 2022 because at that time the EU required the last shot cannot be 270 days longer from the previous shot,  and could not be older than 270 days. 

The 2nd booster was recorded at the back of the CDC card,  without the patient name of course. 

On top of that the Princess website does NOT have the ability to upload 2 pictures,  because I tried to choose 2 pictures and it automatically dropped the first one.

It then has a function called Retake Photo.  I am afraid the system would automatically replace the previous upload with the latest upload!

They can manually examine the CDC cards at the pier I assume.

The GoGetDoc site for the VaxYes app that would transform the CDC card records into a QR code so it is much easier for traveling to countries like Qatar or Egypt (no longer required) that want to use QR code and would not accept CDC paper card but would accept QR code equivalent. 

The VaxYes app only takes 4 maxi shots...

CDC has the V-Safe phone based app that is self-reported, and seems not have limit on shots, can also generate a QR code. 

US vaccination record-keeping system probably is the most antiquated in the world even though we discovered the vaccines!

@Steelers36  What is MC App?

I found @PacnGoNow instruction on how to find the Try Our Web Version clickable box, and was able to finish almost all needed stuff, including booking all 17 nights Dine My Way with a 20 min window, except upload the Vax cards and our own photos. 

Also ordered the free Medallions.  Let's see if they would ever arrive us before we leave home in late October.  I doubt it would since it said order shipped 10 to 21 days before embarkation.  If not we can always pick up them at the port, or just go the old fashion way with the key cards!

Something on Travel Direction or whatever it is called, is a new thing I have not seen pre-Pandemic.  The options are not really clear as Starting the Journey / Onward Journey.  But it is at least has a check in the date used, telling me the date should be after the cruise finished, when I picked the Onward Journey.

I found all the Vax cards photos are stored in the phones.  I need to get a set to the computer files then I can upload it.  I am not sure we want to upload the security photos as we haven't had any photos taken yet.  I guess we can try to do that and see how the Website would take it.  Not a biggie.  

I am shocked to see the test result can be a photo of self-test to upload.

When is the check in open on the web?  Or one must check in thru the App?

On the web it does not allow me to go thru the first screen with the name dob telephone number.  When clicked Continue, it just pulled up the Travel history which is nothing more than a marketing survey like where you have cruised in the past and where you would like to cruise in the future.

Is it the check in not open yet since it is 67 days to cruise?

Or you can no longer add credit card etc to the Booking thru the Web?

OK, I just downloaded the app to an Android phone.

Try to log in using web credential.  It kept telling me credentials not correct.

Yet I can log in on the web with the same credential (email and password) without any issue.

What gives?

All I need to use this app is to purchase the elite discounted internet package.  Sigh.

Edit

Tried to log in by Booking Number.  After ID verification, it let me in and I saw the Medallion Net purchase options.  I guess I can still do things by logging under Booking Number, but that is NOT the way the App should work.  It should allow the same web log in credentials to let me in.

Do I need to set up a password with the App in order to be able to log in with email and password?

@Steelers36

 Thanks for the trick on the name handle.  
 

@Mary loves to travel

I want you to read my earlier post thanking you for the timely info.  🙂
 

I hope this thread would help the search function for this in need to do so in the near future.

As for getting onboard time,  if the cruises are Caribbeans or Alaska, we would try to get on board early.   For European cruises, especially for a Transatlantic,  there are truly no rush.  It is so so much easier to board after the mass has gone thru,  and you are boarding merely  a couple hours  later yet much much more leisurely.  
 

I don’t think it is a loss to miss the embarkation lunch due to boarding late.  The only thing that is truly valuable,  if it still exists, is the meeting with Maitre ‘d in the main ding room, to set up a “fixed” dining time with a fixed table for two at a desirable location.   They don’t advertise such meeting exists, but those who are in the know how this works.  The line is always long so you have to get there early so to have a chance, I.e. a table for two at a desirable table still exists.

Does this Maitre ‘d assisted, dining room table assignment still exists now?   We have only taken Royal Caribbeans cruises since last Dec.  Did not follow Princess board on all the dramas and glitches as our cruise is not until Nov.

Now I need to brush up, especially to read thru the Medallion thread.  For which I wholeheartedly than you for doing a lot of the work keeping readers up to date, as well as helping people on how to set it up and how to use it.  I guess it is time for me to download the app to our phones and to order the device.  I truly DONT look forward to the chores.  LOL.
 

@Mary

Thanks a lot for the info.  Glad to know the process was quick and easy, as well as cheap at only 20 euro.  I will look up the location vs the BnB.

The BnB also replied and gave a pharmacy name.  The pharmacy opens till 20:00.   On Google map there are 3 of them within walking distance from the BnB. I need to see the name BnB gave is among one of them.

Upon research, FCO also has test center at T3, for both departing and arriving passengers and airport workers with badges. Cost is also 20 euro. Unfortunately the hours are 0600 to 1700 and our flight from London arrives at 1625, so I guess if we choose to do the test in Rome we need to do it at a pharmacy in town.

In London you need to go to a provider with online appointment (plenty of slots at this stage), with 30 to 35 GBP cost.  That is quite a bit more than doing it in Rome.   Plus it is one or two tube stations from where we stay.  We stay in Vauxhall, the closest facility is in Waterloo.

The disadvantage of taking the tests in Rome is we are cutting the timeline very close, in the evening of Day 1, or the morning of Day 0.  This is a bit out of the comfort zone.

I will need to check again in late October on the latest situation then to decide whether we take the tests in Rome or in London.

@Steelers36

We have been in Rome many times in the past incl one year we “pass” Rome 4 times each time spending a few days …. We visited Vatican museum a few times, and countless churches in the city and just out of the city  primarily to hunt down the paintings and sculptures by the great names in history.  So much so,  this time we purposely choose to spend a few days in London versus fly from Cairo directly to Rome after we finish our Jordan and Egypt trip,  precisely because we prefer to spend the remaining precruise days in London than in Rome.   It would be great to revisit British Museum after we finally visit Egypt and see the treasures in Luxor.  We think this would give us new perspectives.

Staying in Trastevere for the night allows us to have a leisurely evening, and a nice half day the next day before taking the train to Civi after 12:00..  Even in Summer Civi is boring, let alone in the early Winter.  Staying in Civi never occurs in our mind even though we have taken a doz or more cruises that sailed from Civi.  Yeah, to each their own.

You may not know Rome local transit system well enough, nor the neighborhoods outside the usual tourist spots.

For Rome you may just have the "central" termini in mind. 

The Trastevere station is on both the local line FL1 from the airport and the local line FL5 to the port.

Rome Transit Map

https://romemap360.com/rome-train-map

If you take the train, you would need to transfer at Trastevere station even if you go straight from FCO to Civi.  FL1 from FCO to Trastevere, then change to FL5 to Civi.  By the way, it is much cheaper to use FL1 than Leonardo Express in case you are not aware.

Unless of course,  you spend big bucks to go from FCO directly to port but we dont want to do that especially we dont care for staying at Civi for the night.

The BnB is 7 min walk from the train station.  We only need to walk at most 10 min from the train station either for the arriving day to the BnB  for the night in Rome,  or on the departing day from the BnB to get on the  train from Rome to Civi.

Trastevere is a very nice neighborhood full of local flavor and very lively at night.  The neighborhood is not well known by Americans or Canadians who only know the usual "Rome" in a tourist's sense.

Weather permitted you can take a 5 min stroll to the Tiber River.  There are lots of eateries in the neighborhood.  Civi is no comparison in that regard. 

Thanks.

It is a Transatlantic so no Greece in it.

I just checked our 11/16  LHR-FCO flight - it arrives FCO at 4:25pm.  Our plan is taking the train from FCO to our BnB at Trastevere, near the train station.  The next day we can simply take another local train to Civitavecchia. 

In theory we could take the test at FCO on arrival,  or find a pharmacy in Trastevere either that evening or the next morning - but that would be cutting it very close.  We might have to do the test in London.

@pcjmom, 

I just read your posts about boarding the cruise in Rome and you have scheduled a test.  I assume the test will be done in Rome at an in person location?  If so, can you kindly share the info on HOW TO book a Covid Test at Rome?

We got an email from Princess that our Regal transatlantic Rome to Ft Lauderdale is the "Enhanced Guidelines" cruise therefore a negative test result is needed to board the cruise.  So now I have to find out where in Rome to take the test,  or take the test in London, as we would fly from London to Rome the day before the cruise.  (and we would be in Jordan and Egypt before going to London where to spend 4 nights before heading to Rome)

Cant believe now we still need a test to get on a cruise, when the reality has already proven this measure cannot prevent infection happened while onboard.

I am trying to find info on the net but because US no longer requires test to enter the country since June,  the information while already is scanty, is now all outdated.

Now with Princess implemented this new policy, all of a sudden, we those who are on the "Enhanced Guidelines" cruises now need to find out where to take the test within 3 days of embarkation - whether it is in Rome or in London etc. 

Hope some readers of the board have information to share.  Thanks in advance.

Redo my math.

Boarding day is day 0, 11/17 Thursday. 

We can do the antigen test on day 3, 11/14  Monday the earliest.  Right?

I think it is much saver to do the test in London than do it in Rome in the morning of day 0, 11/17.  Besides test report issued in London will be in English. No translation needed. 

We just got an email to inform us our Regal transatlantic from Rome is the Enhanced Guidelines cruise so will be subj to negative test taken 3 days before cruise.  

We fly from London to Rome the day before the cruise, arrive Rome in the evening.   I guess we can do our Antigen tests in London the day before our flight to Rome?   That would be day 3, the next day flying to Rome would be day 2, and the next day boarding the cruise would be day 1.  

Can someone kindly check my math / understanding of the timeline to meet the test requirement.

I submitted ours on July 11th, got the robot reply.  The cruise is in Nov.

I checked the account on the 20th and it was not there.  However when I checked again last night the 22nd,  the credit posted.  Never receive a notification of the benefit is posted though.

2 hours ago, kamelia said:

@nho9504 It may not involve uploading proof of negative COVID-19 test result, but I would think it will still be highly likely that embarking passengers will have to complete some version of a health questionnaire 48 - 72 hours prior to boarding, which currently can only be done on the app as well.

I checked Princess website, currently for embarkation from Europe it said Antigen or PCR test within 72 hours are needed, updated in June.  Who knows what might be the requirement in Nov.   We can do it in London or in Rome.  We will fly from London to Rome on the day before sailing, Nov 16th.  Regal sails on Nov 17th. 

The health questionnaire would not be opened to fill until 72 or 48 hours before boarding I presume.   This was what RCL had done last Dec.  The health questionnaire was not activated until 2 days before boarding.  I gather if it isn't filled thru the app,  you can still show the test result at the pier, ditto the vaccination proof. 

Thanks PacnGoNow for the prompt reply.

I notice the Ocean Ready screen on Princess site.  Can we use the same account credential to log in Ocean Ready website?  Or do we need to create yet another account?

On the Princess website, the User name is email address (each individual has own email address).  I assume this would be the same with the Medallion App?

I forgot about the 75 days threshold.  The final payment of this cruise is not due until August 19th.  I guess I would do the MedallionNet purchase after this date.

We dont need luggage tags since we only have carryons.   The nature of our trips trains us to travel very light.  A 20 to 21" carryon is more than enough.  The Travel Summary I usually download it to iPad Books as PDF. 

Thanks again.

Can the experts here give me a Cliff Note on Medallion App?

We have a Regal Transatlantic sails on Nov 17th. 

1) When would be the optimal time to download the Medallion App to our Smartphones?  

The only needed function for us at this stage, is to purchase the internet package so we can take advantage of the Elite benefit at 50% off per day's charge,  since this can only be bought thru the Medallion App since I read about the topic a few months ago.

We have a 3 weeks land trip BEFORE boarding the Regal,  out to Jordan / Egypt / London.   I dont worry much about the Covid test because who knows what would be the requirement by Nov!  But I guess we have to get our internet package purchase done,  and the registration of the CC used for shipboard accounts, BEFORE we leave home.

2) When should I order the actual Medallion devices?  If we dont get them before we leave home,  I assume we can still do the check in at the pier check in,  just use more time.  I dont believe they would refuse people boarding if not registered / checked in thru the Medallion.  If so,  then Princess truly takes a path that straightly downhill without brake...

3) Can you use only ONE Smartphone but log in the Medallion App with each passenger's credential,  assuming you initially set it up individually?

Reason being, my husband is very inept in using any kind of App on his phone other than the text and WhatsApp.  When we cruised Royal Caribbean last Dec,  I set it up on both phones but usually I just logged in from my own phone for whatever we needed to get done.

I truly appreciate the experts on the board would forgive my questions and are willing to give Cliff Note style answers to those. 

TIA to you all!

On 4/5/2022 at 3:58 AM, justafem said:

That's never been my experience.  We got off the ship in Feb.  All my onboard was nonrefundable.  I charged $150 to the room account and we owed $10.  My credit card was charged $10.  

 

By your scenario, I should have had a room balance of $160 and my card should have been charged $160, but it was only charged $10.  

 

Maybe it's because I cashed out early.  Like the 5th day.  I don't know, all I know is my own experience.

While we have not cruised with HAL since Pandemic, your experience matched with friend’s.  Nobody who used the casino method would wait till last 2 days of the cruise to cash out.  We usually take the one and done approach,  Charged enough amount (usually close to the daily allowance) on the first or second sea day.  Since we don’t intend to play the system would block subsequent attempt to charge.  We then let it sit in the casino account for one to two days then cash out and be done with it.  

On 4/3/2022 at 6:28 PM, victory2020 said:

Does NOT work on HAL. It appears that you can on your account, & then the last day it is adjusted - happened to me twice

why would you not to cash out from your Casino account it soon after you have done it?  I don’t see how they can reverse it if the cash already withdrawn from your casino account.  Make you pay back to the cage?  
 

8 minutes ago, downsmead said:

My understanding was that USA passengers got the money paid back to the card used against on board expenditures, presuming the OBC was refundable, though the above posts indicate that a cheque is often issued, albeit an ‘automatic’ payment though often not immediately. Whereas U.K. passengers always have to contact Princess U.K. to request a cheque for the outstanding OBC, it is not an automatic repayment here.

That is why you want to get the OBC via the casino method while onboard and let to leave it until after the cruise ended.  Even if your CC charges 3% on foreign transaction fee, it is still worthwhile to take your own money back much sooner than going thru the aggravating process.

17 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Looking at the diagram of Earth via the link, it appears as though they only have satellites above Equator and I am surprised none in Northern or Southern Hemisphere.

And Princess signed up with them, then touted it now has the best internet at sea?! 

We were on a Royal's TATL on Oasis a few years ago.  Even back then their internet was very fast, much faster than a Regal or Royal in Caribbean water.

The bottom line to me is Princess is being cheap and dishonest.  It is sad to see the line has fallen into this manner, after we have so many cruises with them over the years.

It does not matter whether you need to free up your OBC or you simply just want to get some cash.   We almost always use the casino method to put charges on our shipboard accounts by way of the casino account. 

In all ships the casino account is independent from the shipboard account,  that means the settlement is totally independent.  Casino account has a cut off time during the last day of cruise to cash out any balance sitting at the casino account.

Also in all ships, well all the modern ships, you are able to charge your shipboard account for a deposit into your casino account.  It will show in your shipboard account as Casino or something like that   Your casino account now has a $ deposit in it you can use to play.  This process is best done at the slot machine as not only this is fully automatic, but also without any extra fee.  The key is, you Must Remember to transfer the money now at that machine where you have done the charge to your shipboard account.   Cash out the $ in the machine to your Casino account BEFORE you get up and leave !!!  Also remember to take your cruise card out from the machine.   Now I do not know if without the ship card, and only the Medallion, just how this would work on a Princess ship...  But you can always get a ship card at the customer service I imagine.  Or, the stupid Medallion has enabled this Very Useful function?

Now you have a $ balance in your casino account.  You can use it to play, or you just cash it out at the window the next day or the day before the final day.  If you still have $ in the casino account, some ships casino staff would give you a reminder call to cash out, but not all ships casino staff would do that.  It is up to you to cash out your $ at the casino cage, i.e. window, before the cut off deadline (often is 5pm the last day).

We almost always get some $ using the casino method from each of our accounts if it is a cruise that ends at US port.   The charges just become like any other shipboard charges, which are first offset by any OBC in your account, and the rest settled by your guaranteed card.  (and you will earn some points from that if your guarantee card earns any travel bonus pts.)  This is also an excellent method to generate minimum spend to earn the new card sign up bonus if you happen have one that has a very good sign up bonus provided you spend X amount of $ within the first 90 days,  things of that nature.

The exception time we do not do this is if we have a lengthy land trip post cruise, like wandering in Europe for a month...  Then we try not to do it because carrying a lot of USD cash when traveling thru Europe, is not advisable for obvious reasons. 🙂

Again, this is not something new, nor unique to Princess, nor a secret at all.   It is been like that for years.  Actually long time ago Royal would charge 3% on that but in recent years, they no longer charge a fee.

Out of curiosity, how soon you know you have the OBC in your account that you could not reasonably use up before the end of cruise?

There is a way to get it back without buying the junks in the shop or overspending on dining venues etc.  It works for the nonrefundable OBC also.  The mechanism is use your casino account even if you do not gamble a penny.  This works for Princess, HAL, and Royal Caribbeans (latest exp on the 1st leg of a B2B on Royal last Dec) thru personal experiences.  Friends said worked the same on Carnival ships as well.  

On our 2nd leg of RCCL B2B a small refundable OBC popped up due to some refund of port tax.  The amount is small enough we do not bother to try to get it back with casino method.  RCCL final statement showed the refund amount and to the card used onboard to guarantee payment.  The credit showed up in our AMEX in 4 days after we disembarked.

Unfortunately if the OBC happens on the last day of the cruise, you are out of luck with the casino method.  (due to the limited operation hours and early cut off of cash out deadline.)

Because of the refare on the old booking and how Princess refunded the difference, my agent does not want to guess what Princess has done.  She wants to talk to Princess after weekend to find out how much is the total $ would be refunded on cancellation of the old booking.

Though through “forensic accounting” I have been able to reconcile the numbers and fairly certain that Princess has refunded the difference to FCC, which then is automatically applied to the new booking the agent created Friday evening.   The refund is sightly less than the FCC used in the old booking.   In the FCC account I can see that Goodwill FCC which has been applied to the old booking, now splits into 2 amounts,  with one number identical to the refare refund.  I assume the other number is still attached to the old booking.   Though the description under the APPLY column only shows it is used to the new booking.   
 

Therefore I think when the old booking is cancelled, the full amount paid by credit card goes back to the card in 3 days and the amount paid by the Goodwill FCC now is reduced by the refare refund,  will goes to FCC in less than 2 weeks.   But my agent wants to check with Princess first before processing the cancellation.   She does not seem to be concern on the double bookings, one is fully paid for, one is held with more than required deposit.

Now I saw a price drop on BW balcony category.  While the extra is reasonable on the surface, the remaining cabins are all very obstructed.  I am not sure we would care for it.   It is a Mid Nov Transatlantic.  Balcony may not much usage anyway.  

Though this brings up my question,  When you upgrade an existing booking, how is it done?  

Just found out the refund of Refare goes to FCC.  I thought it would go back to the payment card even though the booking used FCC but 85% of the payment was from CC.  The agent did not know that either.   I only found this out when rebooking the identical cruise, the FCCs Princess system grabbed from the accounts were more than it would have been - the extra was the exact amount of the refund from refare.