Switch from cruise card to medallions

[rjack22]

Just curious, when did Princess switch from cruise cards to medallions?

[Torfamm]

3 minutes ago, rjack22 said:

Just curious, when did Princess switch from cruise cards to medallions?

I think the last ships were switched over during the pause in sailing 

[sailaway2joy]

We had Medallions in Jan 2020 on the Sky Princess just before covid.   It only opened the cabin door and recorded onboard purchases.   The Medallion app and all things associated with it was added during the pause I believe. 

[skynight]

We had a medallion in August 2019. But, were fortunate not to have the pre cruise medallion app. 

In February 2020 we also had medallions. But the cruise personalizer was still operating.

You should think of medallion in at least 3 parts, the medallion itself, the on board medallion app programs such as ocean now, and the pre cruise medallion app functions. It has been the pre cruise where Princess has basically failed in design and customer service.

[cruzsnooze]

You can still get the cruise card if you opt out of the medallion at guest services.

[rjack22]

That's good to know.   But I have no problem with the medallions, in fact I am looking forward to it as we purchased the Princess Plus!

[thinfool]

We had medallions in Oct 18....opened doors, ordered drinks, bought brewed coffee, all on the app that was working back then.  Haven't cruised since so cannot comment on subsequent issues with the app or medallion.

[voljeep]

1 minute ago, thinfool said:

We had medallions in Oct 18....opened doors, ordered drinks, bought brewed coffee, all on the app that was working back then.  Haven't cruised since so cannot comment on subsequent issues with the app or medallion.

Oct 2018 ? was that the first cruise(s) on REGAL - when there were very limited cabins that had the OM ? - We had a 2 day and a 4 day booked then, but our cabins were not "chosen" and we cancelled ...

[Ferry_Watcher]

The Alaska cruises from Seattle began using the Medallions this past season (2021).

[Rick&Jeannie]

2 hours ago, rjack22 said:

That's good to know.   But I have no problem with the medallions, in fact I am looking forward to it as we purchased the Princess Plus!

Just a note...you're talking about 2 different things.  There's the medallion, the physical device that you carry and it opens doors and allows staff to find you wherever you are on the ship...and then there's MedallionNet which is the Internet service that you actually pay for (unless it is included as a perk).

 

Everyone gets the physical medallion for "free" (i.e. no extra charge)

[rjack22]

I believe that the MedallionNet (WiFi) is included in the Princess Plus package.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

[5:00_Somewhere]

Just by way of answering the initial question, this article refreshed my memory. The Medallion was first introduced on the Regal Princess in November 2017, and the plan was to roll it out progressively throughout the fleet in the following years. That was done, but Princess took advantage of the "pause" in 2020 to finish the process, so that it is not on all Princess ships. 

 

 

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/princess-cruises-announces-fourth-ship-debut-medallion-class

[skynight]

17 hours ago, rjack22 said:

That's good to know.   But I have no problem with the medallions, in fact I am looking forward to it as we purchased the Princess Plus!

Plus fares still work if you exchange the medallion for a cruise card. They also work if you order from a waiter leaving your phone or device in the cabin.

[JF - retired RRT]

2 hours ago, 5:00_Somewhere said:

Just by way of answering the initial question, this article refreshed my memory. The Medallion was first introduced on the Regal Princess in November 2017, and the plan was to roll it out progressively throughout the fleet in the following years. That was done, but Princess took advantage of the "pause" in 2020 to finish the process, so that it is now on all Princess ships. 

 

 

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/princess-cruises-announces-fourth-ship-debut-medallion-class

Fixed it for you. 🥰

[5:00_Somewhere]

53 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Fixed it for you. 🥰

 

Gracias. I hate when my fat fingers hit the wrong key. 😉 

[thinfool]

17 hours ago, voljeep said:

Oct 2018 ? was that the first cruise(s) on REGAL - when there were very limited cabins that had the OM ? - We had a 2 day and a 4 day booked then, but our cabins were not "chosen" and we cancelled ...

No...it was Quebec City to Port Everglades on the Royal.  Frigid first few days until we sailed south of Norfolk.

[montgomeryfamily]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Plus fares still work if you exchange the medallion for a cruise card. They also work if you order from a waiter leaving your phone or device in the cabin.

If you have the cruise card instead of the medallion, how do you connect your device to use the internet?  

 

Before the medallion era, when connecting to internet, you first created an account registering with your cabin number.  We haven't cruised since the new medallion features.  So I'm sure this is a very basic baby steps question-- how does the princess plus program recognize you for the internet?

 

I thought it was the medallion device.  But if it works with the cruise card...how does the system recognize you?  Do you still register an account?

[skynight]

You log onto the internet with your phone, device or at the internet cafe. The  system recognizes you and you gain access. The actual quarter size medallion has nothing to do with the internet. It just contains a code that identifies you remotely to the on board computer. 

Princess has confused many by naming basically different functions with the medallion moniker. 

Edited March 15, 2022 by skynight

[WAvoyager]

3 hours ago, skynight said:

Plus fares still work if you exchange the medallion for a cruise card. They also work if you order from a waiter leaving your phone or device in the cabin.

Plus fares still work, but you’re more limited in services, correct?  If you don’t have the medallion, can staff still find you and deliver drinks/food to your location after you’ve ordered (and them move around(.  Can you still use all of the interactive kiosks?

[skynight]

19 minutes ago, WAvoyager said:

20 minutes ago, WAvoyager said:

Plus fares still work, but you’re more limited in services, correct?  If you don’t have the medallion, can staff still find you and deliver drinks/food to your location after you’ve ordered (and them move around(.  Can you still use all of the interactive kiosks?

Plus fares work. They cover drinks, grats, wifi. Plus fares and using the app functions are not connected. Passengers that book no frills fares can still use the app. If you don't carry a medallion with you then staff can not locate you. Therefore, you would be unable to use delivery functions of the app. You could still ask a waiter to bring you a beverage. You can still get room service. 

[montgomeryfamily]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

You log onto the internet with your phone, device or at the internet cafe. The  system recognizes you and you gain access. The actual quarter size medallion has nothing to do with the internet. It just contains a code that identifies you remotely to the on board computer. 

 

So do you create an internet account like you used to do before the new medallion program?  Is this what you mean by "log in"?  

Edited March 15, 2022 by montgomeryfamily

[Moondogy]

The first medallion cruise on the Regal was the first part of November, 2017 by the time we was on her the end of November they was still giving out cards and the medallion because it was still only installed in certain areas. Out of the whole 7 days the thing only opened our door 1 time and we was able to pay for something in a shop once. Hope it's a lot better now 🤣

[mjmalino]

On 3/15/2022 at 12:22 PM, montgomeryfamily said:

If you have the cruise card instead of the medallion, how do you connect your device to use the internet?  

 

Before the medallion era, when connecting to internet, you first created an account registering with your cabin number.  We haven't cruised since the new medallion features.  So I'm sure this is a very basic baby steps question-- how does the princess plus program recognize you for the internet?

 

I thought it was the medallion device.  But if it works with the cruise card...how does the system recognize you?  Do you still register an account?

The cruise card/medallion is separate and apart from the wifi. The medallion is pretty much just a smaller version of the cruise card, although it does a few other things, like track your location on the ship.

For the wifi, you would sign-in pretty much as you would prior to the medallions, I believe (I don't totally remember the procedure for the per-minute data that used to be on the ships) 

[montgomeryfamily]

Thanks for the information.  I really appreciate this basic information because it was not obvious to me in reading the medallion resource info.