Dumb question about arm bands

With all of the speculation about the arm bands replacing the seapass card I was wondering how RCI will handle different cabin categories and loyalty levels. Will suite passengers have different color bands (gold?) Will Diamond, D+ and pinnacle have different bands? Talk about wearing you "status" on your shirt sleeve:D

No different to those who shove their pass on a lanyard for all to see.

No different to those who shove their pass on a lanyard for all to see.

No different to those who shove their pass on a lanyard for all to see.

Be careful....everyone can see you are turning green.....

It is not an arm band, It is a WOWBand (Wrist Band) and it will not replace the Seapass Card..

One of the more interesting parts of Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas technology announcement yesterday was the RFID "WOWband" wristbands because of the really intriguing possibilites.

Understandably, there's a lot of intrigue regarding this new kind of SeaPass and people want to know what it is exactly and what to expect. We don't know everything quite yet, but here's a listing of all the information on WOWbands that we do know in one place.

What do WOWbands do?

WOWbands are RFID bracelets that allow you tap it and quickly navigate the ship, make on-board purchases, access staterooms and access the Royal iQ app. It is an optional replacement for the SeaPass card.

Unlike a SeaPass card, it can never demagnetize. It's also waterproof.

Do I have to get a WOWband?

No, they are optional and you may keep your SeaPass card instead to use. Even if you get the WOWband, you can use both.

Royal Caribbean is encouraging all guests to use WOWbands but they are not required.

Will the WOWband cost extra?

Yes, there will be a "nominal charge" to get a WOWband.

How much will each WOWband cost?

Each wristband will cost $2.

Dennis

Seriously though, there are places on the ship set aside for suite and upper loyalty passengers that don't easily lend themselves to a RFD scanner. Places like reserved seating at shows, breakfast at chops, barefoot beach in Labadee etc. It makes sense to have a way to tell at a glance.

No way would I want a tan line from an armband!

With all of the speculation about the arm bands replacing the seapass card I was wondering how RCI will handle different cabin categories and loyalty levels. Will suite passengers have different color bands (gold?) Will Diamond, D+ and pinnacle have different bands? Talk about wearing you "status" on your shirt sleeve:D

Does anyone know what information will be on the outside of the wristband?

The see pass has Sail date, Ship, Dining room, Seating time & table #, Folio#, room # w/o deck, and C & A status. I do see the Muster station in the photo.

I asked this question yesterday and no one knows the answer.

Sorry, I missed that thread. I guess that we will have to wait and see.

Does anyone know what information will be on the outside of the wristband?

The see pass has Sail date, Ship, Dining room, Seating time & table #, Folio#, room # w/o deck, and C & A status. I do see the Muster station in the photo.

I assume it will have your room number, credit card number, social security number, and high school GPA!:D

I wonder if they will sell any bling for the wrist bands in the gift shops.

Bill

This sounds very similar to the magic Band they have started using at Disney World.

With all of the speculation about the arm bands replacing the seapass card I was wondering how RCI will handle different cabin categories and loyalty levels. Will suite passengers have different color bands (gold?) Will Diamond, D+ and pinnacle have different bands? Talk about wearing you "status" on your shirt sleeve:D

The thread title is misleading because that is a good question. However, about the "Dumb Question" title...my Dad says, and always has, that there is no such thing as a dumb question, just dumb people asking questions :eek: :D :D

Just in case you don't know...that was a joke! :p

This sounds very similar to the magic Band they have started using at Disney World.

Yep

Bill

Sent from Iphone 4S using Cruise Critic App

Sticking with SeaPass Card. No wrist band or lanyards for us.

I think I could see the appeal of this on occasion. Perhaps if I'm on Labadee or Cococay, or strictly heading to the pool deck from my stateroom, I might prefer the bracelet. But I'm perfectly content with the card most of the time.

If it eventually becomes standard (which I doubt), and they do away with the card completely, I imagine it will be compact enough that if I so choose not to wear it, but rather stick it in my pocket.

The RFID part is very intriguing. First, anyone who has had to go to the desk to replace a demagnetized card knows how nice never dealing with THAT again will be! Second, the data potential is fascinating. Think about the dining reports on the information boards that tell you how busy a certain venue is. RFID takes that to a whole other level. At the push of a button, you could know "The Comedy Club still has twelve seats available for the show starting in ten minutes". "There is a ten minute wait for a table in The Windjammer". "There are twelve chairs available on the port side of the pool deck by the sports pool", etc...

I am hoping that you can choose what color wristband you can get - if you should have multiple traveles in 1 cabin it will be easier to distinguish who belongs to what wristband. Then if you should be using it to purchase items it will be broken down by passenger on the final bill.

Pat

If I want to spend a week wearing a plastic bracelet around my wrist, I'd check into the hospital.

I wonder if they can be used in a man overboard situation, either to quickly recognize that a passenger has unexpectedly left the vessle and/or (if they are powered RFID chips which have a much longer range) which could be used to locate a swimmer?

I wonder if they can be used in a man overboard situation, either to quickly recognize that a passenger has unexpectedly left the vessle and/or (if they are powered RFID chips which have a much longer range) which could be used to locate a swimmer?

Tough, because they would have to discriminate between someone jumping in the pool with their wristband, or just throwing the wristband overboard.

However, it could help in locating someone if they kept the wristband above the water.

Tough, because they would have to discriminate between someone jumping in the pool with their wristband, or just throwing the wristband overboard.

 

However, it could help in locating someone if they kept the wristband above the water.

Not likely unless the person was floating within a few feet of an RFID reader. The range of the typical unpowered high-frequency (cheap) variety is maybe 3 feet or less. This would be the type of RFID chip most likely used. Obviously they could use the powered variety, but those cost more, and there's really no reason to use them.

If I want to spend a week wearing a plastic bracelet around my wrist, I'd check into the hospital.

^^^I love this answer!!!! :D

I wonder if they can be used in a man overboard situation, either to quickly recognize that a passenger has unexpectedly left the vessle and/or (if they are powered RFID chips which have a much longer range) which could be used to locate a swimmer?

One problem with this idea would be if someone's bracelet stopped working for some reason (bad battery, accidently stepped on, etc.), then do they just assume the person has gone overboard? I could see a bracelet not working on occasion, and I'm not sure they would want to make that assumption each time.

I've seen comments about them being able to track your location around the ship, or if you chose to 'leave' the ship. From the post up a few from this, it sounds like this is not the case. Only when you put it near a reader would it gather information. So I guess they could track you from bar to bar if you bought drinks, or to your cabin door, but they won't have a big screen with thousands of dots on it moving about the ship. Like a big monopoly board. Do I want to be the race car, or the boot???

Sounds like the only way they'd be able to track jumpers with these is if they post crewmen along the rails to scan your wrist as you went over...

Think about the dining reports on the information boards that tell you how busy a certain venue is. RFID takes that to a whole other level. At the push of a button, you could know "The Comedy Club still has twelve seats available for the show starting in ten minutes". "There is a ten minute wait for a table in The Windjammer". "There are twelve chairs available on the port side of the pool deck by the sports pool", etc...

Wondering just how it can tell you that stuff? Does it talk to you? or what?