RFID technology in your COKE drinking glass now

http://www.*****.com/2011/04/14/royal-caribbean-wins-rfid-journal-award-soda-package

Royal Caribbean wins RFID Journal Award for soda package

In:

• Awards
  
• News
  
• Royal Caribbean
  

14Apr2011

Royal Caribbean won a 2011 RFID Journal Award for Best Use of RFID to Enhance a Product or Service. The award was for Royal Caribbean's use of RFID technology to enable guests to prepay for unlimited soft drinks, and to then serve themselves fountain beverages without having to wait on a service bar line.

Royal Caribbean's RFID readers are built into the soda fountains that have antennas installed in the drip trays.

Royal Caribbean's director of fleet beverage operations Bob Midyette claims each beverage container has a built-in near-field EPC Gen 2 RFID inlay from Alien Technology. Back-end software confirms the guest's ID number and allows the fountain to dispense a 16-ounce drink.

"The system allows us to improve service to our guests," Midyette explains, "and enhance sales with something that feels like magic."

They had it on the Majesty.

They also have it on the Freedom

Does that mean you now have to carry around those cups with you all the time?? How unpractical!!! or is there a chip in you card?

Does that mean you now have to carry around those cups with you all the time?? How unpractical!!! or is there a chip in you card?

No, you can still get a drink at any bar by showing your card. This is only set up by the pool so if you do have your cup, then you can just help yourself without waiting in line at a bar.

Erika

I loved it but the cupcake shop is moving faster onto more ships than the fountain idea so I think Majesty/Freedom were test ships and it's not moving forward for some reason.

Wow, what a cool idea! Great for kids who tend to get lost or unseen in the lines by the bar.

Wow, what a cool idea! Great for kids who tend to get lost or unseen in the lines by the bar.

Indeed, great idea for the small kids and of course also for the not so small kids :D

Cindy

They had it on the Majesty.

I saw it there too, its a great idea. When I use to buy the soda package, the worst part was trying to get a refill from bartenders pool side, they all but ignored you with one of those cups in your hand.

If only they could add this to the booze package. :) A special glass and an adult beverage station would be grand.

If only they could add this to the booze package. :) A special glass and an adult beverage station would be grand.

That would be like Celebrity's autovend wine on some of their newer ships.

I saw it there too, its a great idea. When I use to buy the soda package, the worst part was trying to get a refill from bartenders pool side, they all but ignored you with one of those cups in your hand.

I think pax loved it and I'm guessing bar staff too. I would think the increased sales (b/c people buy again after they'd stopped buying b/c of the hassles of bartenders ignoring you or the kids) would offset the cost of people drinking more soda than normal (cheap) because it's handy.

But it must have failed RCCL test b/c it hasn't moved forward. Not all things tested that pax like go forward or every ship would have a Compass Deli.

It would be nice if they put it on Radiance while she is in dry dock.

I think pax loved it and I'm guessing bar staff too. I would think the increased sales (b/c people buy again after they'd stopped buying b/c of the hassles of bartenders ignoring you or the kids) would offset the cost of people drinking more soda than normal (cheap) because it's handy.

 

But it must have failed RCCL test b/c it hasn't moved forward. Not all things tested that pax like go forward or every ship would have a Compass Deli.

I wonder if they might also be considering that faking RFID signals are getting more prevalent? Usually with credit card fraud, so I'm not sure if anyone could/would take the time to hack a soda fountain, but you never know. People have done far more to get much less.

So does this mean you have to protect your cup with your life so that someone doesnt steal it and rack up hundreds of dollars in soda charges?

So does this mean you have to protect your cup with your life so that someone doesnt steal it and rack up hundreds of dollars in soda charges?

You pay for your soda package before you get the cup. So there is no such thing as racked up charges. ;)