Royal Caribbean tracking wristband

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

4 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

I  would not have considered one, until my cruise on MSC Seaside.  That one, you had to put your cruise card into the slot to operate the lights.  Now, we had this on Nieuw Amsterdam, and MSC Divina, but with those, any card would do.  Not on Seaside.  It had to be the current card.  Since I was usually the one to open the cabin door, my card went into the slot.  But I am the early riser, and taking my card when I left the cabin, would have left my sister in the dark...  So I would have to hunt up her card and put it in the slot.  So I got the bracelet, and it worked wonderfully.  Did everything but clock me on and off the ship.  EM

 

Nope, doesn't have to be the current card.  I took my cruise card from my previous cruise on Seaside and left it in the light slot.  Worked just fine.

[Essiesmom]

2 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Nope, doesn't have to be the current card.  I took my cruise card from my previous cruise on Seaside and left it in the light slot.  Worked just fine.

I had my cards from my two previous Divina cruises, and neither worked...  So it must be that it has to be from that ship only.  EM

[Sam.Seattle]

We have done 3-princess cruises with the medallion.  I loved it! I opted for the watch band and DW wore it as a necklace.  The staff would know who you are on an IPad which was interesting.  We could also enable a location function where we could find each other using our cell phone.  We played interactive games with other passengers poolside.  Casino games were also available.  Your room will unlock when you approach. For me the Medallion was a lot more convenient than a card.  The Medallion is mailed to your home prior to the cruise for you to personalize.  Checking in is easier and no-contact passing out cards.  

 

Here is something IPhone users should know... 

 

Go to: Settings > Privacy > Health > "Covid - 19 Exposure Logging. This function is there just waiting to be enabled.

 

Android Phones also have the Covid - 19 Exposure tracking. Just type "covid" in the search function.

 

It probably is not a matter of choice, but a matter of time before tracking will be required and enforced.

 

Edited October 23, 2020 by Sam.Seattle

[hcat]

15 hours ago, Ashland said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Celebrity follows RCI with the wristbands.

Yes their removable...just a rubber type band...you can also keep them in your pocket.

so you can  NOT wear them if you chose not to?

That gives folks an option...

[ipeeinthepool]

2 minutes ago, hcat said:

so you can  NOT wear them if you chose not to?

That gives folks an option...

 

I doubt you will have a choice if you want to cruise.  I suspect that these type of bands and masks will be required.  If you don't want to wear them, I suspect you'll be removed at the next port.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

5 hours ago, hcat said:

so you can  NOT wear them if you chose not to?

That gives folks an option...

 

Yes, you can not wear them if you so choose.  At least in the past.  I never wore mine to dinner.  Who knows what the policy will be in the future?

 

[hcat]

7 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I doubt you will have a choice if you want to cruise.  I suspect that these type of bands and masks will be required.  If you don't want to wear them, I suspect you'll be removed at the next port.

Mask, yes.

Tracking no!

Personal preference.

Hope by 2022 things will be better . We mostly want to use our FCC  for Reflection and maybe  take a short cruise on APEX..

[ipeeinthepool]

4 minutes ago, hcat said:

Mask, yes.

Tracking no!

Personal preference.

Hope by 2022 things will be better . We mostly want to use our FCC  for Reflection and maybe  take a short cruise on APEX..

 

Sorry to hear that you might not be cruising anytime soon.  Masks and tracking will likely be required on Apex, Reflection and probably Celebrity's entire fleet.

[hcat]

55 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Sorry to hear that you might not be cruising anytime soon.  Masks and tracking will likely be required on Apex, Reflection and probably Celebrity's entire fleet.

We'll see.  If we get  could get our FCC refunded, I would be okay with not cruising for awhile...  We have a long, happy cruising history..,.nothing as great nowadays as  it used to be, esp the changing X  experience & demographic!  There are some other nice, less rigorous ( and  less dangerous) options out there.

Time will tell..

Stay safe!

 

[Ashland]

10 hours ago, hcat said:

so you can  NOT wear them if you chose not to?

That gives folks an option...

In the past on RCI....you could wear them (WOW bands) or keep in your pocket or opt to use your SeaPass card...Going forward who knows what the policy will be.

[Covepointcruiser]

I’m all in favor of tracking.   If I came in contact with a person with COVID I would want to know.    Unfortunately, our county is doing a very poor job of contact tracing.   We have view cases but we heard of someone working in the museum where hubby volunteers has tested positive.    They are going on this individual’s memory instead of using more accurate methods.   At least in a nearby county they notify you, via local news, of where the person was and when.   That way if you were in the same store during the same timeframe you could be tested.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Your phone is already tracking your every move.  Don't see why people get so upset about this.

[hcat]

Our phones stay in the safe turned off during cruises. When  we are not cruising they are not with us all day long, unless we need them. We also try  not  to shop at stores where loyalty cards are used to track your spending/ product choices.

 

Majority seem to want tracking devices so no doubt they will be used on X eventually. But we will demur.

 

 

[C-Dragons]

4 hours ago, hcat said:

Our phones stay in the safe turned off during cruises. When  we are not cruising they are not with us all day long, unless we need them. We also try  not  to shop at stores where loyalty cards are used to track your spending/ product choices.

 

Majority seem to want tracking devices so no doubt they will be used on X eventually. But we will demur.

 

 

“Tracking” is not necessarily a bad thing.

I  love Amex. They track their customers cards and use a computer program to catch illegal use. They've caught 3 separate instances in the last 5 years. Two were due to “skimmers in separate stores. Amex called me within 24 hours each time and overnighted replacement cards to me each time.

So if you’re concerned about being tracked I guess you could pay cash for everything.

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, C-Dragons said:

“Tracking” is not necessarily a bad thing.

I  love Amex. They track their customers cards and use a computer program to catch illegal use. They've caught 3 separate instances in the last 5 years. Two were due to “skimmers in separate stores. Amex called me within 24 hours each time and overnighted replacement cards to me each time.

So if you’re concerned about being tracked I guess you could pay cash for everything.

Yes my AMEX provides the same as does my Capital One credit card...never leave home without it.

[cruisemom42]

To those who say tracking is not necessarily a bad thing -- okay. But that doesn't mean that all tracking is good or done well either.

 

For example, on another board someone posted that on their Royal Princess cruise (using their medallion, which is a similar device) the following happened:  "One rather perplexing situation, was once I returned to my cabin, and the steward said - you were in Sabatinis and then on deck 16. So your steward will always know where you are. Big Brother is watching etc."

 

As a solo woman traveler, I find this rather unnerving. It would be one thing if the information was only accessed and used retroactively, let's say if it was necessary to do contact tracing because of a COVID case onboard, or after the cruise to gain marketing insights.  But -- knowing that anyone down to my room steward can track my whereabouts and movements?  Not making me feel secure. 

 

How much liability is the ship willing to assume in a situation where a female passenger is stalked by a crew member?  Or a child?  There have certainly been recent -- and quite scary cases of both of these things happening on cruise ships.

 

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-holland-america-cruise-rape-overboard-20140218-story.html

 

https://www.lipcon.com/blog/cruise-ship-crew-member-jailed-sexually-molesting-two-children-tracked-facebook/

[hcat]

Cards are nice and we appreciate card monitoring but they cant have my body yet!

 

Anyhow.. enuff from me on this thread!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

3 hours ago, C-Dragons said:

“Tracking” is not necessarily a bad thing.

I  love Amex. They track their customers cards and use a computer program to catch illegal use. They've caught 3 separate instances in the last 5 years. Two were due to “skimmers in separate stores. Amex called me within 24 hours each time and overnighted replacement cards to me each time.

So if you’re concerned about being tracked I guess you could pay cash for everything.

 

Yup.  AmEx is absolutely on top of things.  I've only had one skimmer event, but they caught it in less than 12 hours and overnighted a replacement card to me.  At no cost to me.  Thumbs up to AmEx!