Is the medallion mandatory?

[Alakegirl]

No chance of getting an old fashioned key card?  It creeps me out to be “tracked”

[smwg]

I believe if you go to guest services, they will give you a card.  Some have requested this due to pace makers.  Don't quote me, since I have not experienced this.  I'm just going by what I have read online.

[memoak]

I have seen people actually board with a cruise card recently 

[mtnesterz]

If this "creeps you out," you are not the first to mention it on CC. Personally, I think this anxiety is unwarranted.

You can request a card. You could alternatively keep your Medallion in an RFID pouch, metal foil tea ball or wrap it in metal foil. Any one of which creates a Faraday cage and cannot be scanned. It also creates an additional step when you approach your cabin door to unlock it.

[voljeep]

18 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

If this "creeps you out," you are not the first to mention it on CC. Personally, I think this anxiety is unwarranted.

You can request a card. You could alternatively keep your Medallion in an RFID pouch, metal foil tea ball or wrap it in metal foil. Any one of which creates a Faraday cage and cannot be scanned. It also creates an additional step when you approach your cabin door to unlock it.

and save some of the tin foil for the hat ... just kidding, but tracking is everywhere on the ship, medallion or not

[cruisestitch]

8 minutes ago, voljeep said:

and save some of the tin foil for the hat ... just kidding, but tracking is everywhere on the ship, medallion or not

How so? I know there are cameras everywhere, but they aren’t tracking, just recording.

[cruisinsince75]

1 hour ago, Alakegirl said:

No chance of getting an old fashioned key card?  It creeps me out to be “tracked”

 

[TRLD]

20 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

How so? I know there are cameras everywhere, but they aren’t tracking, just recording.

Just like there are sensors everywhere that can read where a medallion is, if someone actually uses the app.to query the system to  locate someone. 

 

The cruise line has no interest in tracking someone.  The system provides the capability for people you authorize to locate you on the ship, crew members trying to deliver orders, or in the case of emergency. 

 

The cruise line has no interest in tracking someone and other passengers can not, if one does not allow it in the app. 

Edited June 6 by TRLD

[FLAlaska]

33 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

How so? I know there are cameras everywhere, but they aren’t tracking, just recording.

They know when you are in your cabin or not. They know if you are on or off the ship. They know if you are eating and where. They know if you are in the spa. They know what you bought and when you bought it, what drinks you buy and what bars you  frequent. All that without the medallion.  

[latebloomer56]

Always have been able to track your movements by your purchases even dining preferences. It helps their business when we get home ads for various things appear. Lots of businesses do this every time we shop at BJ's within a week we get coupons for several items we just purchased, etc.

[mhbtravel]

If a person has a pace maker can he use the medallion?

[reedprincess]

8 minutes ago, mhbtravel said:

If a person has a pace maker can he use the medallion?

Per Princess website FAQs

 

 

 

"Is a Medallion wearable safe to use if I have a pacemaker, or other medical device?

 

The Medallion wearable includes magnets and RF technology that have been designed and manufactured to meet the radio frequency (RF) requirements set by the Federal Communications Commission of the United States. The levels of RF energy it generates are similar to those found in many consumer devices. Manufacturers of Implantable Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICDs) typically recommend that you keep your medical device 9 inches (23 cm) away from RF transmitters comparable to the one found inside the Medallion wearable. However, as every device differs, so you should check directly with the manufacturer of your medical device and physician for guidance"

 

 

 

https://www.princess.com/en-us/ships-and-experience/princess-medallionclass/ocean-faq

[jean-lynd]

19 minutes ago, mhbtravel said:

If a person has a pace maker can he use the medallion?

We asked my husband's cardiologist and he said the magnets are too weak to cause a problem. My husband plans to carry his on his belt loop because he doesn't like lanyards

[Rick&Jeannie]

@FLAlaska... *Maybe* cruising with Princess is just not a good fit. I personally am *glad* that I can be found most anywhere on the ship. While I certainly don't expect anything like a medical emergency to happen, I'm glad that I can be found. 

[skynight]

To the poster. No one is tracking you. Princess has no need to do this. Princess is able to locate you, actually your medallion, within a small area if they really need to locate you.

 

[cruisestitch]

Hmmm I get that they know about activity and purchases whether with a card or with the medallion. But with the medallion, they also know your location, or at least the location of the medallion. And I do find that a little disturbing.

[insidecabin]

1 hour ago, mtnesterz said:

If this "creeps you out," you are not the first to mention it on CC. Personally, I think this anxiety is unwarranted.

You can request a card. You could alternatively keep your Medallion in an RFID pouch, metal foil tea ball or wrap it in metal foil. Any one of which creates a Faraday cage and cannot be scanned. It also creates an additional step when you approach your cabin door to unlock it.

Medallions are active devices they broadcast their ID.

 

They are only scanned when close up.

[reedprincess]

14 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

Hmmm I get that they know about activity and purchases whether with a card or with the medallion. But with the medallion, they also know your location, or at least the location of the medallion. And I do find that a little disturbing.

You can turn off location services in the app. (Or at least, you could in the old app).

Renders using Ocean Now delivery and find my shipmate useless, but it makes any finding of you moot. 

[Kay S]

3 hours ago, Alakegirl said:

No chance of getting an old fashioned key card?  It creeps me out to be “tracked”

You can get a card.  I know of at least one person who refused to carry the medallion because he had a special spot for a card in his pocket.  Old habits die hard.  😄

[skynight]

24 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

Hmmm I get that they know about activity and purchases whether with a card or with the medallion. But with the medallion, they also know your location, or at least the location of the medallion. And I do find that a little disturbing.

Yes, ship's staff are able to locate you, if really necessary, more easily than making a ship wide announcement. But, they have no reason to unless there is a critical or very important situation. You are being tracked all the time on websites and via your cell phone.  

[BamaVol]

OP, what are you up to that you don’t wish to be “tracked”? 
 

I suspect that anyone who asks for a key card is assigned a crew member who follows them around the ship all day and night.

Edited June 6 by BamaVol

[insidecabin]

9 minutes ago, skynight said:

Yes, ship's staff are able to locate you, if really necessary, more easily than making a ship wide announcement. But, they have no reason to unless there is a critical or very important situation. You are being tracked all the time on websites and via your cell phone.  

We had a restaurant staff member find us first day at good spirits to tell us there was an issue with a speciality booking and needed to change it....

 

The cell phone tracking on the ship can be no where near the resolution of the Medallions(feet)

[Rick&Jeannie]

Frau Blucher sitting in the security room...

"Mr. Jones is now on casino slot #4, John Smith is in line at the buffet, he has 2 plates.  Mrs. Roosevelt is smoking in the deck 7 restroom, Bart Simpson is swinging from the art sculpture in the Piazza. Wait, Mr. Jones is now at the craps table in the casino...Bart is now pressing all the buttons in the center mid-ship elevator...HEY! I cannot keep up with all of this! Mr.  & Mrs. Abernathy have just swapped medallions! Someone send security to their location!

[HotRoot]

We were in Honolulu.  Mandatory face to face immigrations on shore.  About 5 hours in, a ship wide and in your cabin announcement.  "Would the following please go immediately to the gangway and proceed ashore for immigrations - 5 passengers names and cabin numbers."  Fifteen minutes later the same announcement with 4 passengers names and cabin numbers.  Fifteen minutes later we were down to a couple.  If it is so easy to track people, why did they need to make these announcements?

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, FLAlaska said:

They know when you are in your cabin or not. They know if you are on or off the ship. They know if you are eating and where. They know if you are in the spa. They know what you bought and when you bought it, what drinks you buy and what bars you  frequent. All that without the medallion.  

Sounds like Santa Claus. LOL