Medallion App Instructions For Android Devices

[barrykel]

8 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

 Something makes me think you still have a bad cluster somewhere in the app;  and maybe clearing out cache on phone and reboot will clean it all up.  One can only hope

No, it's pretty obvious the problem is still that first DW account in the DB with my eMail as the login ID. If I had the connection string I could fix it myself, I'll probably have to eMail their DBA to get it fixed.

[Daniel A]

Success!  I just opened the app on my new Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite!!  I called the number for support on Monday to get them to recognize my booking number and when I checked today, it took my booking number and DW's personal info.  I was able to get my new passport in and now DW & I are in the 'Green Lane' for the first three categories.  The last two aren't available to me yet as the cruise is in 2022.

 

@Thrak I did what I did the last time and made color photocopies of our passports and scanned them.  No reflection and it worked first attempt.

[dreaminofcruisin]

8 hours ago, Daniel A said:

Success!  I just opened the app on my new Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite!!  I called the number for support on Monday to get them to recognize my booking number and when I checked today, it took my booking number and DW's personal info.  I was able to get my new passport in and now DW & I are in the 'Green Lane' for the first three categories.  The last two aren't available to me yet as the cruise is in 2022.

 

@Thrak I did what I did the last time and made color photocopies of our passports and scanned them.  No reflection and it worked first attempt.

 

Since I can't get the current version loaded on my phone, I decided to try and load it on DHs Samsung Galaxy Tab A. It took 3 attempts and I had to clear the Google Play Cache and reboot in order to get it to finally install. I was so excited when it did! Then I opened it. NO DINE MY WAY at all...anywhere. No little picture in the circle at the top and missing farther down. Just crazy. The list of issues just goes on and on....(and this device never had the Medallion on it at all).

 

@Daniel A

Do you see Dine My Way in your Samsung Galaxy Tab?

[barrykel]

45 minutes ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

 

Since I can't get the current version loaded on my phone, I decided to try and load it on DHs Samsung Galaxy Tab A. It took 3 attempts and I had to clear the Google Play Cache and reboot in order to get it to finally install. I was so excited when it did! Then I opened it. NO DINE MY WAY at all...anywhere. No little picture in the circle at the top and missing farther down. Just crazy. The list of issues just goes on and on....(and this device never had the Medallion on it at all).

 

@Daniel A

Do you see Dine My Way in your Samsung Galaxy Tab?

That's exactly the same issue I and a couple other folks had seen a couple times. Luckily it actually seems like one they're able to fix - you do need to call the 844-525-0942 support line, and while the service rep you talk to won't be able to fix it, they'll be able to report it to someone who can; it may take a day or so for them to get to it.

[dreaminofcruisin]

hm....

So, I decided to go look at the version number that actually got loaded. It turned out to be an old version! Huh? How in the heck did that happen? So, once again, I uninstalled and re-installed. I am truly amazed, but it appears to now work on the Samsung Galaxy Tab!

 

I don't sail until February, but just mostly wanted to be sure that my Dining Reservations that I had managed to load a while ago (before the app broke on my phone) were still there, since we are a group of 7 with 2 little ones and wanted to be sure we have early dining. The reservations are still there, so that was most important!

 

Maybe tomorrow I will get brave and uninstall and reinstall on my phone.... 

🤷‍♀️

[Daniel A]

10 hours ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

 

Since I can't get the current version loaded on my phone, I decided to try and load it on DHs Samsung Galaxy Tab A. It took 3 attempts and I had to clear the Google Play Cache and reboot in order to get it to finally install. I was so excited when it did! Then I opened it. NO DINE MY WAY at all...anywhere. No little picture in the circle at the top and missing farther down. Just crazy. The list of issues just goes on and on....(and this device never had the Medallion on it at all).

 

@Daniel A

Do you see Dine My Way in your Samsung Galaxy Tab?

Yes, Dine My Way is there, I can open it but I'm too far out to make any selections.

[lilypod7]

My I-pad is too old to open new system and refused to download the old so...I decided to put medallion on Samsung I-phone which does meet requirements. The app downloaded after locating under Google Play but mid way through data load the loading circle went round and round and then the phone internet went down.

 

   A call to Samsung - very smart people - resulted in discovery that the app when  accessed through Google Play could and often does result in an internet phone block. After going through the steps to get internet back, helper suggested not using medallion app on this android phone because app too buggy. Next cruise Oct 2022 would be my 41st but perhaps need to choose a different cruise line because, as I customer, I find  this to be just too much to tolerate.

[hpeabody]

1 hour ago, lilypod7 said:

 I find  this to be just too much to tolerate.

 

I am right there with you.  It should not be like this.  Is this really the way to keep loyal guests happy?  Princess needs to fire their IT outsource company and go back to being GUEST FRIENDLY.  (Which IMO would include having a choice to use PC, Mac, android or apple, all of the above)  Princess should be embarrassed at the mess they have created!  I have a lot more to rant about, but I will stop at this.

[barrykel]

20 minutes ago, hpeabody said:

Princess needs to fire their IT outsource company

It's more than just the company that wrote the app - the decision to remove the pre-cruise functionality from the Personalizer website and rely exclusively on the app was made by Princess/Carnival management, not a 3d party vendor. For a senior IT executive to make that serious a mistake is just unforgivable. Even worse is the fact that they appear to be hiding the seriousness of the problem from top management - folks on the 7/25 sailing who spoke to Jan Swartz indicated that she claimed to be unaware of all the problems people were having (tho that may have just been her gaslighting).

[caribill]

On 8/4/2021 at 6:47 AM, AF-1 said:

 Plus, apple inspects all the apps used on their devices.  They want to make sure they work properly

 

And they made sure the Medallion app works properly?

[caribill]

On 8/4/2021 at 2:52 PM, AF-1 said:

my only suggestion and who knows if this will work.  Close out the app completely;  clear out all the cache on your phone;  reboot phone and try and log into the app.  Something makes me think you still have a bad cluster somewhere in the app;  and maybe clearing out cache on phone and reboot will clean it all up.  One can only hope

 

No customer of any company should have to go through that kind of effort in order to use the company's product.

[barrykel]

14 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

And they made sure the Medallion app works properly?

In fairness to Apple, there wasn't much they could have verified unless Princess had given them a test cruise to try and signup for, which they obviously didn't do. Without that, all they could have verified was that the app came up and was responsive (a pretty low bar).

[caribill]

On 8/3/2021 at 7:13 AM, AF-1 said:

hpeabody;  watch the medallion Monday Aug 2nd video.  You can watch it on Princess Facebook page, or you tube.  The gentleman explains the entire check in process using the app; and for those who don't have the app or are having issues with the app; they will be taken care of at the port.  Do not worry too much about not being able to get things working on the app. 

 

I watched the video.

 

a) The speed of the green lane is about as fast as the old check-in process was for people who had filled out needed information on the Personalizer, likely doing so with less than 15 minutes of effort at home.

 

b) Getting to the port and then having for the first time do such things as accept the passage contract, enter in passport numbers & expiration dates, provide emergency contact information, etc. seems to be risky that close to embarkation. The lack of having a critical of information or a problem with the credit card or finding out a passport expires 1 day short of six months from the cruise end could mean denied boarding with no refund.

 

Removing the entry of basic required information from the Personalizer means a higher risk of not being able to cruise.

 

OK, so the app can be used to reserve your spot at every activity you want to attend so that you can have every minute of your days on board planned can stay an app activity. No need to add that to the Personalizer.

 

But the Personalizer should allow the input of all required information and required acceptance of any Princess documents and health protocols.

[caribill]

On another thread which included the trials and tribulations of using the app to prepare for a Princess cruise one person posted:

 

"I think I would have lost the will to live if I had had to try and deal with that Medallion system."

 

A link to this other thread is below. It is well worth reading even though it is long. Be sure to following the links to day 2 and from day 2 to day 3.

 

 

[AF-1]

17 hours ago, caribill said:

 

No customer of any company should have to go through that kind of effort in order to use the company's product.

Have you been able to get the medallion class app to work?

[AF-1]

16 hours ago, caribill said:

 

I watched the video.

 

a) The speed of the green lane is about as fast as the old check-in process was for people who had filled out needed information on the Personalizer, likely doing so with less than 15 minutes of effort at home.

 

b) Getting to the port and then having for the first time do such things as accept the passage contract, enter in passport numbers & expiration dates, provide emergency contact information, etc. seems to be risky that close to embarkation. The lack of having a critical of information or a problem with the credit card or finding out a passport expires 1 day short of six months from the cruise end could mean denied boarding with no refund.

 

Removing the entry of basic required information from the Personalizer means a higher risk of not being able to cruise.

 

OK, so the app can be used to reserve your spot at every activity you want to attend so that you can have every minute of your days on board planned can stay an app activity. No need to add that to the Personalizer.

 

But the Personalizer should allow the input of all required information and required acceptance of any Princess documents and health protocols.

Please don't shoot the messenger; seems like you don't like any of my suggestions.  All I am doing is trying to give people options to get the app to work for them.  I did not design the app; nor do I work on the app.  The medallion Monday video was merely telling people if all else fails; you can complete your check in at the port.  in posts 60/61/and 63; you slam me for trying to help.  All this falls on the Princess tech departments or whoever they hire to do their software for them.  You are correct that it shouldn't be this hard to take a vacation; Princess admits they have work to do to get the app to work properly.  People have choices.  If someone no longer likes the way Princess has or has not responded to issues with the app; they can choose to cruise or not to cruise.  I am an optimist; I try to see the good in any unpleasant situation.  The medallion class app is a tough situation.  So what works for me; I try and pass that info along to others who are having issues with the app.  Remember to smile and "Every day on Earth is a Blessing."  Cheers

[caribill]

4 hours ago, AF-1 said:

Please don't shoot the messenger; seems like you don't like any of my suggestions. 

 

Please, there is no attempt to shoot or otherwise abuse the messenger.

 

All of your posts have been informative and helpful and the workarounds you provide should help many deal with the app's inadequacies.

 

My posts are directed at the Princess folk who decided the Personalizer should essentially be thrown away for accepting mandatory information and then oversaw the development of an app that is not aimed to work on a large number of smart phones and tablets even if it worked properly on the devices it was aimed at.

 

My comments are aimed at the pre-cruise need for the app. I am not afraid of digital devices, but the cell phone and tablets we own work great for everything but the app which does not even claim to be for our devices.

 

As far as the on board experience with the app, I gather that in general it works although the experience in the post I referenced in #64 does indicate additional development work is needed there also.

[SHIP TRAVELER]

Thanks for all the information here.  Samsung tablet did log in faster.  My DH had been yelling about "time wasting kiddie graphics" (photo images I think) and talking about how this was the slowest time he had ever seen for ANY app to load.  He was saying you would have to allow a half hour to use the app to order a drink on board just because it was so slow to load up.  Hopefully the app will work better on board.   Some of those on the current Alaska cruise said the app was better on board.  Mainly we hate the being forced to use the app.  We liked entering the information on line with an actual key board and big screen.

[Rockers2]

We are booked on the Diamond as 2 B2B for the 34-day LA to BA leaving on Dec. 1.  Even though we will become 'Elite' during the first segment (if the cruise goes at all), we have never been on a medallion cruise.  We're old farts and I've had a 'smart' phone for 2 years...DH is getting one for the 1st time this week.    If Princess cancels this cruise, we are NEVER going to take a Princess cruise again.  We do not like this electronic connection to everything--the old way worked for over 30 years.  We really don't want to change now.  I'm almost sorry that we signed up for this cruise, except that the itinerary is great--again...if it goes!

[AF-1]

8 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Please, there is no attempt to shoot or otherwise abuse the messenger.

 

All of your posts have been informative and helpful and the workarounds you provide should help many deal with the app's inadequacies.

 

My posts are directed at the Princess folk who decided the Personalizer should essentially be thrown away for accepting mandatory information and then oversaw the development of an app that is not aimed to work on a large number of smart phones and tablets even if it worked properly on the devices it was aimed at.

 

My comments are aimed at the pre-cruise need for the app. I am not afraid of digital devices, but the cell phone and tablets we own work great for everything but the app which does not even claim to be for our devices.

 

As far as the on board experience with the app, I gather that in general it works although the experience in the post I referenced in #64 does indicate additional development work is needed there also.

Thank you for your explanation.  I too agree Princess should have used a blended system with both app and personalizer being used until cruising gets up and running again.  Princess just dropped the ball with closing the personalizer website.  Have a wonderful Sunday and don't forget to smile. 

[barrykel]

On 8/7/2021 at 8:57 AM, caribill said:

My posts are directed at the Princess folk who decided the Personalizer should essentially be thrown away for accepting mandatory information...

 

My comments are aimed at the pre-cruise need for the app.

I think we're all in violent agreement on that point - personally, I consider this decision one of the worst blunders I've seen from an established company, in the same category as Ford's introduction of the Edsel, or Gary Kildall's decision to go golfing the day IBM came to town looking for an OS.

 

BTW, if anyone is looking for a cheap smartphone to run the app, I would recommend the Moto G-series - DW has a G7 Power that's running the app on Android 10, and I was able to install it on an old G5 Plus we had lying around running Android 8 (I didn't try and link it to our booking, but it came right up and was actually pretty responsive). Amazon has unlocked G6's (Android 9) for about $120 (the $30 to $60 phones that folks have mentioned tend to be from no-name manufacturers) - if it doesn't work you can always return it for a full refund.

[Roberto256]

On 8/7/2021 at 11:57 AM, caribill said:

My posts are directed at the Princess folk who decided the Personalizer should essentially be thrown away for accepting mandatory information and then oversaw the development of an app that is not aimed to work on a large number of smart phones and tablets even if it worked properly on the devices it was aimed at.

 

Princess could have semi-solved this by giving a list of supported hardware.

 

Right now it's ... try a phone or tablet ... fail ... repeat

 

And the insidious part is that something which works for

one person fails for another.

 

 

Edited August 8, 2021 by Roberto256

[barrykel]

2 hours ago, Roberto256 said:

 

Princess could have semi-solved this by giving a list of supported hardware.

.

.

.

And the insidious part is that something which works for

one person fails for another.

Not very practical for Android - there are over a dozen manufacturers, and probably hundreds of supported phones. And from what I've seen here, the cases where it worked for one cruiser but not another were due to data corruption problems in Princess' database, not any phone/mobile OS incompatiblities (a few tried and failed at some of the other installation methods when the Android PlayStore had indicated the app wasn't supported). As several have noted, the semi-solution/workaround would have been simply to make it clear that the app is not required for checkin - you can just show up at the pier with your documentation and you'll be fine. And the real solution would have been to honor the old adage that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it', and continue to support the Personalizer website for pre-cruise data entry.

[hpeabody]

19 minutes ago, barrykel said:

And the real solution would have been to honor the old adage that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it', and continue to support the Personalizer website for pre-cruise data entry.

 

Totally agree.  Then the Medallion Class App becomes a nice enhancement to the cruising experience instead of what it has become.

[Megabear2]

As a UK resident this app is going to cause major problems amongst UK cruisers. It has been designed to work for the US market where the passenger/holidaymakers expect entirely different experiences.  I use the example of Disney World where the "organisation" required to experience the full range of facilities meant an almost military precision was required and my 14 days there resulted in a spreadsheet with times, places and reservations diligently entered.  As a UK resident this was a long way from a holiday; to my US travelling companions it was quite normal and they were happy to be glued to their telephones monitoring the fast passes, restaurant bookings and general information. To me it was overload, to them it was great. I came home after 14 days exhausted, they went home after 5 days upbeat and enthralled by their break.

 

I have a 4 day UK seacation booked on Regal Princess, my first cruise with the company. I am travelling with my OH and two friends who have never cruised. I am a veteran of 40 plus cruises on Cunard, P&O, RCI and MSC. Never have I come across such a convoluted, difficult way to cruise. The app is loaded on my telephone (Samsung S7) and does work, albeit constantly asking me to add yet more sections, acknowledge this ir that legal agreement, but it will no load only my OH's iphone or my two friends telephones.  

 

The whole idea of cruising is to relax.  Having an app where the tech savvy book months in advance all dinner times, entertainment and goodness knows what else is far from relaxing and I cannot see many UK cruisers going with this idea more than once. My 81 year aunt is on a Princess cruise with a friend at the end of the month. She is a veteran of 11 world cruises on P&O and Princess. She is totally confused by all these new requirements on her first cruise since the death of her husband last year.  As a loyal Princess customer should she not be expecting to be able to cruise without watching telephones, televisions or visiting "pods" every few minutes to enjoy what she has paid for?  

 

The age demographic of UK guests means they will be put off by this app. Forcing them to plan every second of their break will totally ostracise them.