Can someone explain the benefit of the medallion to me as the customer?

[JT1962]

But in most Hiltons you do not have to show a passport in order to check in. For cruises you need to show a passport (or for closed loop cruises, a certified birth certificate along with a gvt issued photo ID).

 

 

 

True, but in Vancouver, we scanned our Passports at a kiosk for immigration and just showed the receipt to the agent. I am sure they could do the same thing for boarding the ship.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[PrincessLuver]

You do not have to have a temperature to be sick. With, for example, the flu, you can be contagious before exhibiting any symptoms or even after symptoms have gone away.

 

 

The basic reason for the health form is to determine (if filled in honestly) if you are bringing noro aboard.

 

The temperature scanners you have seen in some Asian airports were trying to detect active flu cases.

 

Pleassssssse....who getting on a cruise at boarding time says "oh by the way.....I want you to know I am sick and should not board this vessel at this time!!!" I bet it never happens so I will take an infra red scanner any day to try and keep passengers honest....:rolleyes:

[thinfool]

IMO, Princess is the 'point man' for this technology. You can bet that, once the bugs are ironed out, Carnival will pony up the funds to outfit their other lines. (likely RCL and NCL will do the same)

 

Example: remember when you received an actual key to get into your cabin? Then along came the magnetic key....which also tracks your various habits...and which everyone has to use. I am not aware of any modern ship issuing metal keys anymore. Point is,..we were gradually conditioned to the mag strip room key....and the ***** will be no different.

 

Data mining is a huge industry and anyone who thinks they are not leaving electronic footprints in the modern age are walking around in heavy traffic with their eyes closed.

[land lover]

IMO, Princess is the 'point man' for this technology. You can bet that, once the bugs are ironed out, Carnival will pony up the funds to outfit their other lines. (likely RCL and NCL will do the same)

 

Example: remember when you received an actual key to get into your cabin? Then along came the magnetic key....which also tracks your various habits...and which everyone has to use. I am not aware of any modern ship issuing metal keys anymore. Point is,..we were gradually conditioned to the mag strip room key....and the ***** will be no different.

 

Data mining is a huge industry and anyone who thinks they are not leaving electronic footprints in the modern age are walking around in heavy traffic with their eyes closed.

 

RCI..has taken baby steps to implement tech ahead of Princess...have you been on a Quantum Class Ship? I cruised on Anthem of the Seas a year ago...I used an optional wrist band(I paid 4.99, can be used on future cruises, when they started the program gave to guests free) to open my room, to order drinks, purchase things in shops.

 

Over 5 years ago on any class of RCI ship all drink packages , perks were on your sea pass..

 

Princess just recently added the drink package to the cards.....Is the soda package still a sticker...?

Rather than take baby steps...like implementing this ***** program on a brand new ship or starting out with just opening cabins cabin doors.....they are attempting a grandiose implementation and on old ships WHY?????

 

 

And they will be mailing the medallion out???????......so we can walk right on the ship...??? They got away from mailing out paperwork and luggage tags...and they have just put themselves back in the business.....

Edited March 8, 2018 by land lover

[Grego]

You can allow your entire party or anyone you choose to know where you are or you can opt to turn that off.

 

There is no personal information in the medallion

 

You can record your preferences - Bloody Mary is always extra spicy, Gin and Tonic is always made with Tanqueray, etc.

 

They don't care at all about your bathroom habits

 

Nobody "had to" wear the medallion around their neck. I will keep mine in a pocket. Lots of people wear their key card around their neck and nobody is freaking out about that.

 

You don't need a smart phone or tablet as there will be screens all over the ship and also in your cabin (possibly the TV in your cabin) that interact with the system

 

If you have a Facebook account you are already more tracked than anything Princess will be doing

 

There are a lot of reasons that I look forward to them getting this working properly. Of course it's to the company's advantage to have it or they wouldn't spend the money on the system but it's not all one sided. The medallion fear reminds me of the people in Downton Abbey who were afraid of the telephone and the electric lights. It's something different so automatically bad. People had the same kind of reactions when businesses stopped using metal keys and went to key cards. Now key cards are accepted and nobody bats an eye.

 

Spot on as usual, Thrak!!

[dundeene]

two of my SILs work on projects similiar to this

The future direction of marketing is to give you what you need almost instantly. To do this companies need to track your habits. It's about $$ and not wasting time targeting the wrong person.

My theory . . . .

eventually they will track that you have been on a lounger without getting up for x hours. Computer assumes you fell asleep in the sun. When you log in on your phone, ipad or ship kiosk you will see an ad for sunscreen and or aloe vera. (or maybe find it in your room with a printed tag/cost to purchase)

After you leave the gym you may get an ad for bottled water. Eventually this message could even arrive on your gadget as you pass the store selling the water.

If you are onboard for x dinners and don't order wine, the next night the sommelier will not visit your table.

If you order wine nightly you wll receive an invite or coupon for a wine tasting.

Your steward will know what time you usually go to breakfast and dinner and the amount of time you are gone. He/she can slip in and out and sceduling will be easier.

The ship will know which venues are crowded and send more staff/resources to the area.

None of this is all good or all bad. I do get a "big brother" vibe about being tracked. We are constantly tracked with our cell phones and apps already.

If you want to opt out it appears you can just pass on the ***** and carry the card around as before.

just my 2 cents:)

[Pierlesscruisers]

Funny...hubby said he would leave his in the bathroom. Princess would assume he was there the entire trip!

 

He's going to have one heck of a boring cruise/vacation then, with lousy views!:(

 

Tom

[pablo222]

RCI..has taken baby steps to implement tech ahead of Princess...have you been on a Quantum Class Ship? I cruised on Anthem of the Seas a year ago...I used an optional wrist band(I paid 4.99, can be used on future cruises, when they started the program gave to guests free) to open my room, to order drinks, purchase things in shops.

 

You opened your room!*!*!*

 

Something princess can only dream of...

 

This is the one thing I don't understand why princess is having problems with...

 

Lots of hotels have RFID room 'keys'.

 

This isn't cutting edge technology.

 

But, there have been posts by medallion test pilots reporting problems opening their

stateroom. Having to fall back to a RFID card, etc.

[getting older slowly]

Ok I don't mind the idea of the *****, but after working spending most of my working life on computer, it is the last thing I take on cruise, I wish to unplug.... I have a phone which makes ""phone calls and can text "' that, is it no table oh was it tablet ( I take those for the doctor ).

 

So is seams a lot of the benefits of the ***** seamed to be its ability to connect to your mobile devices. ( which We don't have on the cruise )

 

Which means to me something to open door, charge drinks and getting back on the ship at port, is all that is needed..... and all by spending habits ( drink purchases ), restaurants attended, movement on and off ship, and going into cabin are already recorded...

 

So does the ***** benefit me are a customer ... basically NO

 

and bar staff already know we will have a G&T and Sav Blanc at cocktails before dinner ( all without the ***** )

 

Cheer Don and looking forward to our next relaxing cruise in November 2018 ( ***** or no ***** )

Edited March 8, 2018 by getting older slowly
Spelling mistakes

[kywildcatfanone]

I'm guessing it's wifi issues causing some of this. Looks like the wall mounted devices are tablets using wifi, and if that is flaky, it will cause issues.

 

The internet is working pretty well, but it does drop periodically, and I wonder if that is causing some of the ***** issues people are experiencing.

[land lover]

You opened your room!*!*!*

 

Something princess can only dream of...

 

This is the one thing I don't understand why princess is having problems with...

 

Lots of hotels have RFID room 'keys'.

 

This isn't cutting edge technology.

 

But, there have been posts by medallion test pilots reporting problems opening their

stateroom. Having to fall back to a RFID card, etc.

 

Another one of your posts that made me laugh.....:D

[land lover]

"You don't need a smart phone or tablet as there will be screens all over the ship and also in your cabin (possibly the TV in your cabin) that interact with the system" Thrak

 

I was just thinking when NORO hits....... will they cover all the screens...or have staff stand there with a spray or squeeze bottle. ;)

 

One thing I liked about the interactive TV screens on other cruise lines is we could see and make changes on all reservations and some excursions we had booked with/on the ship, by date. Also room service or morning coffee could be ordered by TV.. On board account can be viewed.....why didn't princess set up something like this first.......just sayin'

Edited March 9, 2018 by land lover

[Globehoppers]

Funny...hubby said he would leave his in the bathroom. Princess would assume he was there the entire trip!

 

The Medallion will know that and turn the bathroom lights out after 15 minutes...

[NoWhiners]

two of my SILs work on projects similiar to this

The future direction of marketing is to give you what you need almost instantly. To do this companies need to track your habits. It's about $$ and not wasting time targeting the wrong person.

My theory . . . .

eventually they will track that you have been on a lounger without getting up for x hours. Computer assumes you fell asleep in the sun. When you log in on your phone, ipad or ship kiosk you will see an ad for sunscreen and or aloe vera. (or maybe find it in your room with a printed tag/cost to purchase)

After you leave the gym you may get an ad for bottled water. Eventually this message could even arrive on your gadget as you pass the store selling the water.

If you are onboard for x dinners and don't order wine, the next night the sommelier will not visit your table.

If you order wine nightly you will receive an invite or coupon for a wine tasting.

Your steward will know what time you usually go to breakfast and dinner and the amount of time you are gone. He/she can slip in and out and sceduling will be easier.

The ship will know which venues are crowded and send more staff/resources to the area.

None of this is all good or all bad. I do get a "big brother" vibe about being tracked. We are constantly tracked with our cell phones and apps already.

If you want to opt out it appears you can just pass on the ***** and carry the card around as before.

just my 2 cents:)

 

While I feel no strong desire to have an *****, if it gets me a wine tasting or coupon, I'm all in :D:D

 

I do like your analysis and it tracks with what is happening on land. Subway/metro, travelling around a town passing stores, in a grocery store--they all want to be sure to provide customers with tailored deals/coupons/notes.

 

While it won't work for me (I keep my cell turned off almost all the time, I am not very important), I could see where it could help others. But it shouldn't count against my monthly use of data or calls.

 

There is no doubt some of this will appeal to some cruisers but not all. That's why I will elect to get a key card as long as I can. Yes, I realize I am a bit technology Amish, as my friends tell me, but I don't want my nose stuck in a phone all the time. For those of you who are fine with it, just keep the rest of us in the loop somehow ;)

[caribill]

The Medallion will know that and turn the bathroom lights out after 15 minutes...

 

Do you have to shower with your Medallion to keep the lights on for those 15 minutes?

 

 

And do your showers have to be less than 15 minutes so you will not be showering in the dark?

[golfb4cruzing]

ZERO. It's all about the cruiseline tracking you and your habits. So they can provide you with a better experience next time. Right after they sell you some dry swampland.

[Globehoppers]

True, but in Vancouver, we scanned our Passports at a kiosk for immigration and just showed the receipt to the agent. I am sure they could do the same thing for boarding the ship.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

That is called "Global Entry."

[Globehoppers]

Do you have to shower with your Medallion to keep the lights on for those 15 minutes?

 

 

And do your showers have to be less than 15 minutes so you will not be showering in the dark?

 

"Navy" showers. Wet, turn off water, soap, rinse. Less than 5 mi nuts using about one minute of water.

[martincath]

That is called "Global Entry."

Nope - any US/Canadian citizen can use APC kiosks with just a passport since 2013 (it's called BorderXpress, and was invented right here in Vancouver, so YVR was obviously the first place they launched). They've been at the pier as well for the last 2 or 3 seasons.

 

There are still the other kiosks for GE & NEXUS people with the iris scan, but regular Joe(sephine)s can now do the passport scan/print receipt thing in most Canadian airports - much faster once you are used to them, a real boon for the US preclearance areas. So much so that now many US airports use them too, and the newest Global version with more configuration options is being sold to other countries.

[RRFan]

On a related note, right now on Regal (while working on those silly bugs), all Elite passengers get unlimited internet! There are 3 smart screens at all elevator areas that are interactive and can be changed from at sea location to what’s on this floor to games and other options. BUT they make a terrible noise when they are in need of someone to come reset them. The TV’s in the rooms are also smart devices. And most analog clocks are gone—using the screens (eliminating constant need to change clocks as we sail into and out of various time zones).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[fishin' musician]

ZERO. It's all about the cruiseline tracking you and your habits. So they can provide you with a better experience next time. Right after they sell you some dry swampland.

 

That data is worth a lot of money and this is likely a huge revenue steam. Not only will Princess know your habits .....

[sprint180]

Sorry if this has been asked I didn't read all 7 pages. Do you buy the medallion if you want it other wise you get a card? I do not see any benefit in having this for me and I am not worried about them tracking me.

[RRFan]

Sorry if this has been asked I didn't read all 7 pages. Do you buy the medallion if you want it other wise you get a card? I do not see any benefit in having this for me and I am not worried about them tracking me.

 

 

 

If you book a cabin that is a medallion cabin, the ***** is mailed to you before embarkation with instructions. I believe it comes with a basic lanyard and upgraded wearable wrist and necklace holders can be bought on the ship (or it can be carried in a pocket).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Host CJSKIDS]

Sorry if this has been asked I didn't read all 7 pages. Do you buy the medallion if you want it other wise you get a card? I do not see any benefit in having this for me and I am not worried about them tracking me.

 

 

No, it’s a program being rolled out on the Regal Princess. For now if you are in one of the already activated cabins, you will get the medallion.

If it in successful on the entire ship, it will then be rolled out at some points on all of their ships.

[getting older slowly]

Sorry if this has been asked I didn't read all 7 pages. Do you buy the medallion if you want it other wise you get a card? I do not see any benefit in having this for me and I am not worried about them tracking me.

 

I have to agreed, as the post is about "'the benefit as the customer "".

I see that some people love gadgets and wiz-bang stuff.

But to me as a customer, I see no benefit to me.

 

Cheers Don