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Wow bands - can they be used?

38anchor
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38anchor

38anchor

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We have a few Wow bands from previous sailings - loved using them rather than the sea pass card so wondering if we were to take them on our upcoming Oasis cruise (later this month) would Guest relations be able to re-link them and would they be accepted onboard the ship at bars etc. 

 

And does anyone know whey they were discontinued - they were just so convenient...

 

Thanks in advance

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captainannoyed!

captainannoyed!

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14 minutes ago, 38anchor said:

We have a few Wow bands from previous sailings - loved using them rather than the sea pass card so wondering if we were to take them on our upcoming Oasis cruise (later this month) would Guest relations be able to re-link them and would they be accepted onboard the ship at bars etc. 

 

And does anyone know whey they were discontinued - they were just so convenient...

 

Thanks in advance

It seems like these were introduced with a plan to expand across the fleet, and somewhere along the way it was forgotten.  They never seem to have been implemented on older ships (at least as far as I’ve seen on Radiance class).  They are small enough to toss in the luggage and check when you get aboard.  Nothing to lose.

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BirdTravels "Live from...." Rare

BirdTravels

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1 hour ago, 38anchor said:

We have a few Wow bands from previous sailings - loved using them rather than the sea pass card so wondering if we were to take them on our upcoming Oasis cruise (later this month) would Guest relations be able to re-link them and would they be accepted onboard the ship at bars etc. 

 

And does anyone know whey they were discontinued - they were just so convenient...

 

Thanks in advance

So,,, in the past, you were able to go to Guest Service and have old Wow bands tied to your room. I have not tried recently, but looking at my desk here at home, there is one sitting here... waiting to go on a cruise. 

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Another_Critic

Another_Critic

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On my April Oasis TA, I had my WOW band from the Nov. 2014 Quantum TA (first sailing on the first ship to use WOW bands) reprogrammed.  Actually, I swapped it for a new one, since mine had the muster station printed on the WOW band.

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Another_Critic

Another_Critic

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3 minutes ago, laura85 said:

I think smart phones killed off Wow bands.

How so?  They killed the stateroom door unlock in the app.  Plus, I don't think anyone is going to give a bar waiter their phone to order a drink.

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not-enough-cruising

not-enough-cruising

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1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

How so?  They killed the stateroom door unlock in the app.  Plus, I don't think anyone is going to give a bar waiter their phone to order a drink.

We used our phone to unlock the stateroom door on Odyssey in March (as well as control the lighting and curtains) 

 

I believe (just opinion) that the fact one had to turn over their WOW band to a roaming waiter, was one of the major downfalls of the system and why it never caught on as Royal hoped it would. The failure by the cruise-line to invest in RFID reader POS handhelds doomed the program. 
 

Although I have never sailed Princess; their Medallion program seems to have set the benchmark for cruise wearables. 

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hapster85

hapster85

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Princess uses medalions in lieu of cards fleet wide, I believe. We bought bands to carry them in and loved it. Dunno why the bands never caught on with Royal Carribean.

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

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9 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

We used our phone to unlock the stateroom door on Odyssey in March (as well as control the lighting and curtains) 

 

I believe (just opinion) that the fact one had to turn over their WOW band to a roaming waiter, was one of the major downfalls of the system and why it never caught on as Royal hoped it would. The failure by the cruise-line to invest in RFID reader POS handhelds doomed the program. 
 

Although I have never sailed Princess; their Medallion program seems to have set the benchmark for cruise wearables. 

 

Princess' medallion program puts RC to shame.  On my surveys, I tell RC to "call Princess and get the name of the company that does their medallions."

 

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firefly333

firefly333

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18 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Princess' medallion program puts RC to shame.  On my surveys, I tell RC to "call Princess and get the name of the company that does their medallions."

 

I'd also like rcl IT to copy carnival brands anytime dining where I can eat anytime after 530 and just push a button when I want to eat. I dislike how royal handles anytime dining, either pick a set time every night or stand in line to truly get to eat any time. A lot more woukd do any time if it worked better. Carnival uses a whole dining room it's so popular. 

 

I'd like to combine the best of several lines, and it wouldnt be that costly except programming.

 

Next time I cruise is harmony, maybe I'll inquire if they sell wow bands. Look better than a lanyard. 

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c-leg5

c-leg5

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Posted (edited)
30 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I dislike how royal handles anytime dining, either pick a set time every night or stand in line to truly get to eat any time. A lot more woukd do any time if it worked better. Carnival uses a whole dining room it's so popular. 


 

Pre- Covid Royal MTD worked just fine. It was very popular and also had expanded from a small section over the years to a whole dining room. 

 

IMO having a dedicated section works much better for MTD and TD.  MTD was able to accommodate guests arriving at various times and on various schedules. You do not have to pick the same time every night. You can pre-book various times but many like to have a set time with a set waiter just not at the official set dining times. Or you can turn up without a reservation and wait. How long depends on how popular that time slot is.
 

I can’t think of anything worse for TD than  to have random people interrupting the flow around them when they used to get an orderly dinner. Now a waiter is expected to serve 75%(?) of guests on one schedule plus random parties joining at different times. 
 

The original excuse was lack of experienced servers and certainly the more efficient waiters used to get promoted to MTD. Royal has had plenty of time to adjust and return to a model that worked just fine.

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ryarger

ryarger

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1 minute ago, Billy Baltic said:

Can you have a WOW band and a regular sea pass card? I can see a use for the band when at the pool or slides and the card the rest of the time. 

Yes, your sea pass card still works normally when you get the WOW band.

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Another_Critic

Another_Critic

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22 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

Can you have a WOW band and a regular sea pass card? I can see a use for the band when at the pool or slides and the card the rest of the time. 

 

19 minutes ago, ryarger said:

Yes, your sea pass card still works normally when you get the WOW band.

In addition, you must use your SeaPass card to get on/off the ship.

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wolfcathorse

wolfcathorse

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Cruised on Anthem May 12 to May 26, 2024. Took our WOW bands that we got for free on Quantum's inaugural. Guest Services reprogrammed them. I got my original back but when DH went to get his reprogrammed the guy swapped it out for a new one as our Quantum bands had the muster station printed on them. In Schooner Bar you had to take it off and hand it to the bar server to scan. Used it in one of the shops and wore it to the pool once but never ordered a drink pool side with it. Only used it to open stateroom door when our hands were full. Can't get off the ship with it, still have to use Seapass card.

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perfect match Holiday Sharing Rare

perfect match

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I think I’ll try and find our WOW bands from our pre pandemic Symphony cruise and take them with us on Wonder. I saw them somewhere recently so I know we still have them. Now if I can just remember where……. 🤔😂🤣

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