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No Medallion but OBC


psternklar
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We have sailed 17 times with Princess. Our Regal 1/28 cruise won’t have the Ocean Medillan service available.

 

I read the CC boards here and decided to call Princess yesterday to confirm if OBC credits were being given because Princess wasn’t offering something that was originally advertised.

 

After about 25 miniutes I was told nothing could be done but I was placed on a wait list and reminded that I would have unlimited WI-FI on two devises.

 

Today I’m reading more reviews and thought I’d try again. As mentioned here on the thread I asked for Customer Relations politely explained why I was calling and was put on hold for about 15 minutes.

 

Customer Relations gets on the call asks what she can do for me. I patiently tell her why I’m calling and what I’ve read on CC. She offers me $80 per person. I ask if that’s the best she can do, she says yes. I had already invested enough time in this and I didn’t feel like groveling for $40.

 

I’m happy that I received something, but forcing a customer to call twice and then offer something less than the going rate is not a great customer service experience.

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Does anybody know why there are only 110 rooms with the medallion reader installed at the door? The ship went into dry dock in April 2017 so it could be ready for the November rollout.

 

To me, this is exceptionally poor implementation and management by Princess.

 

People have eluded to the fact that we should expect glitches when something of this calibre is new and being rolled out. I agree with this in principle. For example, I wouldn't have a problem if my Little Tagalong was a turtle but I wanted an Octopus. That's a glitch.

 

Not having the readers installed at stateroom doors, or the readers not granting access, isn't a glitch. These are fundamental essentials of the technology that should have been tested and tested again and again in a lab before ever announcing a firm roll-out date.

 

If readers still aren't installed, and Princess has a valid reason for this, then Princess should have converted from ***** to ***** PREVIEW long before final payment due dates on all upcoming cruises.

 

It would be much better for people to think that all Regal cruises between now and 'july' (or whenever) are PREVIEW but then be pleasantly surprised IF Princess completes a full rollout earlier.

 

But this 'keeping clients hoping' and not notifying until after final payment that you aren't part of the *****, is flat out ludicrous and disrespectful to the PRINCESS customers.

 

I realize many don't care if they get it, and many hope they won't, but there are some people who booked this cruise months ago, for this reason alone (*****).

 

Add to this insult is people have to call in to ask (or beg) for OBC - some are told yes, some are told no, some are given different amounts. All staterooms not selected for ***** should get the same OBC automatically applied (or a standard amount based on cabin type booked). That would be an organization being accountable for not delivering on what they promise to the customer.

 

This is being handled as professionally as Celebrity is handling their website - threw that in for those of you who read both threads ;). Sarcasm intended.

 

After talking to a number of the Navigators who are on the ship working with the people in the test cabins I will only surmise that at least one of the reasons that they put out a limited number of medallions during this initial phase is for simplicity, for lack of a better term. Here is my rationale on this. Let's assume that you have 3500 people on the ship, all of which have the new technology. Let's assume also that you have 3 problems pop up the first day. That means if a third of the passengers are engaged in that specific activity. In the first case you are going to have about 1200 people reporting those 3 problem (total of 3500 reports while with the smaller group you only have 37 people reporting about a 110 problems. That's a lot fewer reports to handle and collate! Now, could the implementation of the Medallion program been handled better? Certainly! But at least they have wisely pulled back the over-enthusiastic launch from the way it was/is being done.

 

 

The basic fact of the matter is, while the 95% (approx) of the people are not going to be involved in the least with the medallion program it's not going to affect the enjoyment of the cruise in the least. Others, who did want to be involved are going to be disappointed. I know that. But, if and when you call and speak to a representative in reference to the medallion test on the ship, please do remember that those men and women you are speaking to on the phone have and had absolutely no hand in making any of the decisions in how that was all set up, so please don't take out your ire on them. They're at the bottom end of the feeding chain on this. Same thing with the Navigators whom you'll see in their locale on Deck 6 amidships.

 

Tom

 

 

Tom

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Another thing, is I think many passengers are not ready for the Medallion. We are on board the Regal now and some people seem to have a hard time understanding the basics of the program on their smart phone. They can't seem to find schedule of events, use messenger app or see their accounts. Of course others find it so simple.

 

We, by accident, discovered many of the display boards are touch screens. Every time we stop and play with them a crowd oocurs. It's kind of fun. When it's fully functional, it will be awesome.

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

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exactly what is so 'awesome' about the touch tone screens? - you get to see the tag-a-long you created?
The tag a longs are cute but that's about it. I meant the overall concept. I am sorry I wasn't more clear. The fact that the internet (network)speed is 26.51 Mbps and the upload speed is 89 Mbps (as I type this) is awesome. For a cruise how can you complain about that.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

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The tag a longs are cute but that's about it. I meant the overall concept. I am sorry I wasn't more clear. The fact that the internet (network)speed is 26.51 Mbps and the upload speed is 89 Mbps (as I type this) is awesome. For a cruise how can you complain about that.

 

Oh, someone will find someway to complain about it sooner or later. :(

 

Tom

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I received the email from Princess last Friday advising that we will not have ***** on our 1-7-18 cruise. I sent an email to the gal I have been dealing with at Princess asking her to look into an OBC. She called me a little while ago and said she was going to transfer me to someone in Customer Relations. I was honest with the woman in CR. I said that I had read that people were receiving $100 each in OBC as a goodwill gesture and asked if she could do that for us. She said she could. The OBC is now there.

 

I am happy.

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I just called to ask about the ***** email we received; we were told it's a great thing yada, yada, yada. But, you're not apart of it. LOL....I was put through to a very sweet young woman who was going to put us on the waiting list. We would lose our mini-suite with extended balcony, etc. I said no, perhaps we could get the OBC I read about on CC? I punted and decided to ask, why not?

 

She said sure, let me get Guest Relations on the line and work on that! I was on hold for approximately 12 minutes waiting to hear the verdict.

 

It is $100 per passenger! Plus, they are giving it to our friends who are sailing with us and basically know nothing about the *****!!

 

All I can say is that Princess came through like a C-H-A-M-P in Customer Service!!

 

Did it post to your Princess Personalizer yet? I called through TA on Monday and was given 100 pp but not posted as credit with Princess as yet.

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My DH and I are on the Jan7th sailing after reading this post we contacted our TA and she called Princess and we received $50pp of OBC. I know many people are getting $100 pp of OBC. We are in a DZ category (deluxe balcony obstructed view are the people who are getting $100 pp of OBC in higher cabin categories? I feel the OBC should be the same for all because it does not matter if you are in the cheapest inside or the most expensive suite the ***** experience you are losing is the same.

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I am sailing the Regal in 2/18 with my Dh and 2 friends (they are each cruising solo in a cabin). we are all insides. My friends received an email stating she was not *****, I received no email. I called my TA to inquire about an OBC and she got back to me saying that we would have to wait and see that it was too early out to know who was/wasnt getting the *****

 

Knowing so many people were getting $100 credits I called. First rep told me I was not in fact getting the ***** but I could still benefit from the internet, I told her this was not really ok as we had made the choice to book this particular cruise as it was advertiesed as an ***** (didn't really matter to me, but sweetened my cases). She transferred me to customer relations who offered me a $65 credit. I told her I knew of people on my exact cruise getting $100 and she said they were giving a percentage of what was paid (makes sense since I got my cabin for around 650 a person). She did say she could do $100 for each of my friends going solo. Seemed very fair to me... and was super easy to do. Showed up immediately in our personalizers

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This is why I love cruise critic....just off the phone

first I asked the girl if I could speak with guest relations, she asked why

I told her I was on cruise critic and saw that people were receiving goodwill gesture obc because of no medallion ....she spoke with someone from guest relations, told me I would be transferred, after a 20 min wait, explained again about what I read on cruise critic, the girl then had me on hold for about a min or two then, said yes I have got $200. obc. :D

Thank you to ever thought to call about this or started the ball rolling.

Oh and I booked through a travel agent but decided to phone princess myself.

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This is why I love cruise critic....just off the phone

first I asked the girl if I could speak with guest relations, she asked why

I told her I was on cruise critic and saw that people were receiving goodwill gesture obc because of no medallion ....she spoke with someone from guest relations, told me I would be transferred, after a 20 min wait, explained again about what I read on cruise critic, the girl then had me on hold for about a min or two then, said yes I have got $200. obc. :D

Thank you to ever thought to call about this or started the ball rolling.

Oh and I booked through a travel agent but decided to phone princess myself.

 

Debi my situation is much like yours, having booked through agent. I was gently chided for calling on my own, but it appears to have worked, so not complaining.

 

My question to you or anyone else who booked through agent, my OBC has yet to appear on personalizer, neither does my TA OBC, however, my TA did forward the booking info with all my details and it shows both OBC. I am going to print out and have with me, just in case there is a glitch. Does yours show up.

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Debi56- Can you tell me what cabin category your are in?

HappyMe- We went through our TA to get the $50pp OBC (still in communication with out TA to get the $100) but, the goodwill OBC credit appeared sometime that same day.

 

Hi Sandy, yes that is what I am looking into regarding why OBC not on personalizeris not showing this OBC.

 

From what I have read here, it was pretty fast to show in Personalizer, but not mine. Something about the entry was incorrectly entered. Waiting for TA to send me the booking copy that Princess sent them. Will be awkward once on cruise.

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Sandy & Happy I just checked nothing showing on my personalizer, will wait till Monday if nothing then will phone princess back.

We are in an inside room, yikes first time ever always have had a balcony, but figured with the price difference, it was a big savings, we would try it as honestly we are only in our room to sleep.

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Sandy & Happy I just checked nothing showing on my personalizer, will wait till Monday if nothing then will phone princess back.

We are in an inside room, yikes first time ever always have had a balcony, but figured with the price difference, it was a big savings, we would try it as honestly we are only in our room to sleep.

 

Debi, I have just learned that because my OBC was a Manual adjustment, it will not show in Personalizer, a glitch in their system. I have my info printed out showing. The amount from my TA. She assures me this will be fine. My cruise is in 3 weeks, so I will let you know here.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

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Debi, I have just learned that because my OBC was a Manual adjustment, it will not show in Personalizer, a glitch in their system. I have my info printed out showing. The amount from my TA. She assures me this will be fine. My cruise is in 3 weeks, so I will let you know here.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Thank you, & have a wonderful cruise!

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This is going to cost Princess a fortune, by rights then every pax booked on a cruise that was supposed to be an ***** cruise, but is not now, is entitled to compensation by way of OBC.

 

If Princess have now given it to a few, they should pay it to everyone, automatically:halo:

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