Buying drinks using medallion app

[Helenk1234]

We are currently on the Regal Princess and I immediately fell foul of this stupid app rule. I ordered one drink for me and one for my husband. I noticed on the order summary that it appeared that I had been charged for one of the drinks. Everyone around me told me I must be mistaken and that couldn't be how it works but I checked it out and yes - if you order more than one drink even though you have a drinks package for both of you then you will be charged for one of the apps. How stupid is that??? And as there is a daily limit of 15 alcoholic drinks then even if I order each drink separately I can only have 15 drinks in total for both of us!!! This medallion app is the poorest app software I have ever seen. I love cruises but I will never book with Princess ever again based on the pre embarkation experience and now this.

[skynight]

18 hours ago, Helenk1234 said:

We are currently on the Regal Princess and I immediately fell foul of this stupid app rule. I ordered one drink for me and one for my husband. I noticed on the order summary that it appeared that I had been charged for one of the drinks. Everyone around me told me I must be mistaken and that couldn't be how it works but I checked it out and yes - if you order more than one drink even though you have a drinks package for both of you then you will be charged for one of the apps. How stupid is that??? And as there is a daily limit of 15 alcoholic drinks then even if I order each drink separately I can only have 15 drinks in total for both of us!!! This medallion app is the poorest app software I have ever seen. I love cruises but I will never book with Princess ever again based on the pre embarkation experience and now this.

Visit passenger services to get this corrected. The package does allow each each of you 15 alcoholic drinks per day. The package basically does not allow sharing, nor does it allow more than one drink at a time. It is not 15 total for both of you. Probably best if you just order from a waiter or bar tender. waiters or bar tenders understand better than a program. Do agree the app is funky and probably should have not been introduced. 

Edited August 1, 2021 by skynight

[Helenk1234]

I did get customer services to correct immediately. I would love to order from a waiter but there are often very few of them about as clearly Princess are relying on people using the app. Last night couldn't get a post dinner drink. There were no real life waiters and the app said we were in a totally different location to the one we were actually in. This lunchtime I ordered 1 lunch drink on my phone and 1 on my husband's phone. His turned up after 25 minutes. Mine never appeared at all. It still shows as 'being prepared on my app one and a half hours after I ordered it. Before I retired I used to test software as part of my job. I resent being used as a guinea pig to test clearly sub standard software.

[Steelers36]

19 hours ago, Helenk1234 said:

We are currently on the Regal Princess and I immediately fell foul of this stupid app rule. I ordered one drink for me and one for my husband. I noticed on the order summary that it appeared that I had been charged for one of the drinks. Everyone around me told me I must be mistaken and that couldn't be how it works but I checked it out and yes - if you order more than one drink even though you have a drinks package for both of you then you will be charged for one of the apps. How stupid is that??? And as there is a daily limit of 15 alcoholic drinks then even if I order each drink separately I can only have 15 drinks in total for both of us!!! This medallion app is the poorest app software I have ever seen. I love cruises but I will never book with Princess ever again based on the pre embarkation experience and now this.

 

@skynight is right and good advice to visit the PSD and get account adjusted.  Not everyone who sails together in a cabin are spouses or in a relationship.  Each person in a cabin has their own folio account and own benefits.  You would have been fine using the App to order if each of you had ordered separately.  If you are working with a single smart device, then you would need to log out as you and login as spouse/friend to order the second drink.  Now that may be a hassle, so as @skynight suggested, it is likely more efficient to order from a waiter or directly at a bar.  

 

I am the first one to step up and say there are a lot of issues with the MC App, but I don't see a problem with it requiring each person to order their own drinks when there is a limit to track.  The only thing I wish is that they add a custom order for any drink not listed.

 

@skynight, I think having the app function to order drinks on board is good.  It can be convenient.  It is nice to see a lot of drinks and more than might be listed on a particular bar menu (I don't think all drinks are listed on sample menus at each bar).  As I mentioned, it would be nice to be able to order any drink since they are not all listed in the OceanNow section.  A custom order option would let us type in whatever we want (such as "Yellowbird").  It would also be a NTH if the App could remind those on the package how many drinks they have left.  (I wouldn't need that as I would never approach the double digits in a day, let alone 15!!).

[skynight]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

 

@skynight, I think having the app function to order drinks on board is good.  It can be convenient.  It is nice to see a lot of drinks and more than might be listed on a particular bar menu (I don't think all drinks are listed on sample menus at each bar).  As I mentioned, it would be nice to be able to order any drink since they are not all listed in the OceanNow section.  A custom order option would let us type in whatever we want (such as "Yellowbird").  It would also be a NTH if the App could remind those on the package how many drinks they have left.  (I wouldn't need that as I would never approach the double digits in a day, let alone 15!!).

My personal feeling is that human contact and service is a primary concern and selling point in the hospitality business, and that is the business Princess is selling. Automating this function should be considered a secondary option. Princess seems to be taking the opposite approach. Many times I have ordered alcoholic drinks with something a little different. Examples: A cosmo, heavy on the cranberry. Sambuca, no coffee beans served in an old fashion glass. I haven't seen what is listed in the app, but doubt these small variations would be shown. When we finally return on board our ordering will be via personal contact. 

[Steelers36]

1 minute ago, skynight said:

My personal feeling is that human contact and service is a primary concern and selling point in the hospitality business, and that is the business Princess is selling. Automating this function should be considered a secondary option. Princess seems to be taking the opposite approach. Many times I have ordered alcoholic drinks with something a little different. Examples: A cosmo, heavy on the cranberry. Sambuca, no coffee beans served in an old fashion glass. I haven't seen what is listed in the app, but doubt these small variations would be shown. When we finally return on board our ordering will be via personal contact. 

Yes, I do agree.  For the rare times we order a bar drink, a personal contact works well.  It is certainly necessary for a custom order or for something not listed in OceanNow.  A custom order option would help, but it's also much nicer to exchange a smile and a few words with the bartenders. 

 

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

I am not convinced that ordering through the app is the primary intention. I totally agree with the others... this is hospitality and that requires, by definition almost, human contact, but Princess is also in the business of making the cruise experience more individually tailored to people's wants and so I see this as a good move... most of the time I would expect people to order with a server (either waiting or bar staff) and I don't imagine that will change, but the app gives us the option to order when waiting staff are not so easily available or in places where it wouldn't be expected at all.

I like the concept. I just feel, like most people it seems, that their app development is rather inadequate for an app that is so core to their business. Such an app should be pretty much water-tight when first launched. It wasn't and from what I have seen is still a long way from being so 😞 

[Steelers36]

Ordering a beer is a no-brainer if sitting on a lounger somewhere and no staff about.  But a special drink order is best done in person.  It's nice to have both options.

[voljeep]

ordering room service drinks via the app is a huge plus with the PLUS package - esp wine or a beer - something without ice that may melt in the delivery time

 

Our concern is having to order separately via the app, and the drinks showing up at two different times if we have to log in separately to our accounts on one device

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, voljeep said:

ordering room service drinks via the app is a huge plus with the PLUS package - esp wine or a beer - something without ice that may melt in the delivery time

 

Our concern is having to order separately via the app, and the drinks showing up at two different times if we have to log in separately to our accounts on one device

Exactly. 

My wife and I both  have the PP drinks deal. In our cabin, I order a beer. I cannot order a glass  of wine for my wife - she has to  order separately via her own device, so you have two waiters delivering two drinks,  to the same cabin,  60 seconds apart!  

Sheer nincompoopery! 

[cr8tiv1]

This is built in as a default.  Probably because passengers were sharing the coffee cards (I know...sorry to bring up this sore subject).  I travel with someone who is not family and not related.  I would like the Beverage Package.  She does not.  So I am "penalized" because it is either all or none at all (sure sounds like masking/vaccinations).  But I digress. 

 

On the other hand, if Princess allowed me to order the plus and my cabin mate does not, what would prevent me (besides integrity) from sharing my drinks with my cabin mate?  I could order two drinks and hand one over...since I would "never" use up all of my 15 drinks a day.  Who would know behind closed cabin doors?

[Tedferg]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

This is built in as a default.  Probably because passengers were sharing the coffee cards (I know...sorry to bring up this sore subject).  I travel with someone who is not family and not related.  I would like the Beverage Package.  She does not.  So I am "penalized" because it is either all or none at all (sure sounds like masking/vaccinations).  But I digress. 

 

On the other hand, if Princess allowed me to order the plus and my cabin mate does not, what would prevent me (besides integrity) from sharing my drinks with my cabin mate?  I could order two drinks and hand one over...since I would "never" use up all of my 15 drinks a day.  Who would know behind closed cabin doors?

You hit the nail on the head. $40 per day is an OK number and forcing both passengers stops sharing. 

[caribill]

8 hours ago, voljeep said:

 

 

Our concern is having to order separately via the app, and the drinks showing up at two different times if we have to log in separately to our accounts on one device

 

A smart app (nothing this app has been accused of) would note there are 2 or more in your cabin and allow you to check off which person a beverage is for and the option to order another beverage for another person in your cabin that also has the plan.

[Helenk1234]

I think that it has been set up that way because they don't trust passengers to act with integrity which I find very offensive. Whenever we have booked any sort of drinks package on land or sea it has always been a requirement that either everyone or no one has the package. I have never felt that this was an unreasonable requirement so why not make this a condition and then allow the app to allow 1 drink for every member of the party on the booking at the same time. That would then leave the loophole that someone could order drinks for people in a different cabin. But how many passengers would actually do that especially with a limit of 15 drinks. I think Princess are treating everyone as potential thieves which I find very offensive. I have spoken to a number of people who have been charged inadvertently for drinks and couldn't understand why. Given that many people don't check their accounts I wonder how many people will get an unexpected credit card bill when we disembark tomorrow. Anyone who had a query for Princess customer services should ring them today as tomorrow there will be so many people ringing to check bills you will never get through.

[Tedferg]

9 hours ago, Helenk1234 said:

I think that it has been set up that way because they don't trust passengers to act with integrity which I find very offensive. Whenever we have booked any sort of drinks package on land or sea it has always been a requirement that either everyone or no one has the package. I have never felt that this was an unreasonable requirement so why not make this a condition and then allow the app to allow 1 drink for every member of the party on the booking at the same time. That would then leave the loophole that someone could order drinks for people in a different cabin. But how many passengers would actually do that especially with a limit of 15 drinks. I think Princess are treating everyone as potential thieves which I find very offensive. I have spoken to a number of people who have been charged inadvertently for drinks and couldn't understand why. Given that many people don't check their accounts I wonder how many people will get an unexpected credit card bill when we disembark tomorrow. Anyone who had a query for Princess customer services should ring them today as tomorrow there will be so many people ringing to check bills you will never get through.

Perhaps you should read the threads where many passengers explain how the cheat the system to bring extra bottles of wine onboard, change the label on bottles to bring on fortified wine, open a bottle in their cabin and carry a glass of wine to dining room to avoid corkage etc. etc.

 

Also Princess did NOT require both passengers to purchase the Premium Beverage Package and were applauded for that.

[memoak]

On 8/1/2021 at 6:36 AM, Helenk1234 said:

I did get customer services to correct immediately. I would love to order from a waiter but there are often very few of them about as clearly Princess are relying on people using the app. Last night couldn't get a post dinner drink. There were no real life waiters and the app said we were in a totally different location to the one we were actually in. This lunchtime I ordered 1 lunch drink on my phone and 1 on my husband's phone. His turned up after 25 minutes. Mine never appeared at all. It still shows as 'being prepared on my app one and a half hours after I ordered it. Before I retired I used to test software as part of my job. I resent being used as a guinea pig to test clearly sub standard software.

Another good reason to sit at bars and order plus I can see them make my drink and converse

[memoak]

9 hours ago, Helenk1234 said:

I think that it has been set up that way because they don't trust passengers to act with integrity which I find very offensive. Whenever we have booked any sort of drinks package on land or sea it has always been a requirement that either everyone or no one has the package. I have never felt that this was an unreasonable requirement so why not make this a condition and then allow the app to allow 1 drink for every member of the party on the booking at the same time. That would then leave the loophole that someone could order drinks for people in a different cabin. But how many passengers would actually do that especially with a limit of 15 drinks. I think Princess are treating everyone as potential thieves which I find very offensive. I have spoken to a number of people who have been charged inadvertently for drinks and couldn't understand why. Given that many people don't check their accounts I wonder how many people will get an unexpected credit card bill when we disembark tomorrow. Anyone who had a query for Princess customer services should ring them today as tomorrow there will be so many people ringing to check bills you will never get through.

Anyone who doesn't check their tab from time to time is not showing common sense.  Do you not check your bills at restaurants and hotels ?

[Thrak]

I understand why Princess has an issue with "sharing" the drink package. The practice was rampant. I do think it's an insane waste of personnel to have drinks delivered to the cabin by two different people. It should be possible to combine the orders such that a single person could deliver both drinks.

[Thrak]

1 minute ago, memoak said:

Anyone who doesn't check their tab from time to time is not showing common sense.  Do you not check your bills at restaurants and hotels ?

 

I check my account daily. I was pleased when they made it so I could do so on my phone. I caught several charges that shouldn't have been placed on my account. We had the beverage package as a perk but I was charged for drinks several times. (Pretty much every time I had a drink delivered from the Casino bar to the theater.)

[Tedferg]

1 minute ago, Thrak said:

I understand why Princess has an issue with "sharing" the drink package. The practice was rampant. I do think it's an insane waste of personnel to have drinks delivered to the cabin by two different people. It should be possible to combine the orders such that a single person could deliver both drinks.

I am sure this will be a refinement to the App - eventually. You can make a dinner reservation for both passengers, right ? Not sure the Drinks feature is quite the same, there will be passengers with separate accounts etc. I suppose the waiter would need to check both Medallions to be sure one person was not exceeding their limit by ordering against a partner's account. 

[caribill]

2 hours ago, Tedferg said:

 

 

Also Princess did NOT require both passengers to purchase the Premium Beverage Package and were applauded for that.

 

Unless one of you wanted the Princess Plus Pricing. In that case, everyone in the cabin must have that pricing which does include paying for the PBP, even if it is at a reduced rate.

[Tedferg]

17 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Unless one of you wanted the Princess Plus Pricing. In that case, everyone in the cabin must have that pricing which does include paying for the PBP, even if it is at a reduced rate.

Original Poster said "Whenever we have booked any sort of drinks package on land or sea it has always been a requirement that either everyone or no one has the package. I was simply pointing out that PBP did NOT require this. Furthermore Plus insists both passengers have it, but I think this allows them to charge a lower, more reasonable price.

[rabin1]

Is anyone seeing the drink package on the app? I am not

[Thrak]

13 minutes ago, rabin1 said:

Is anyone seeing the drink package on the app? I am not

 

There is a place that says "Manage Drink Packages".  If I select it I get a popup that says:

 

Purchase a drink package Pre-Cruise, please visit cruise personalizer.

[rabin1]

2 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

There is a place that says "Manage Drink Packages".  If I select it I get a popup that says:

 

Purchase a drink package Pre-Cruise, please visit cruise personalizer.

That is what I get and I bought their package with the wifi, internet, drink package etc. I do not like this DANG APP..........or maybe it is the people that created said app............lol