Isn't Ocean Medallion Really Princess's Version of "Freestyle Cruising"?

I mean the medallion let's you connect with activities, dining, entertainment onboard right?

So I envision no traditional dining (no Dress up evening) and activities and entertainment that revolve around your schedule as the program matures.

I'm onboard!

A theory more or less demolished by the fact that the two other lines that have installed similarly related technology (RCI with "WOW bands" and Disney with their "magic bands") still offer Traditional Dining and nominal Formal Nights. The 'Dynamic Dining' program on RCI with no set dining and the "choice" of table service ranging from formal to ultra-ultra-casual every night was a disaster that was aborted within months.

A true "turn up and go" for dining, entertainment and activities is simply not possible with 3500 people and a finite number of seats in every such venue. NCL shakily claims to have the closest version--and does so with no plans for Big Brother bracelets.

No...nothing like it. Mike

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Nah.

I mean the medallion let's you connect with activities, dining, entertainment onboard right?

 

So I envision no traditional dining (no Dress up evening) and activities and entertainment that revolve around your schedule as the program matures.

 

I'm onboard!

I don't know where you would get that idea. Traditional dining is still very popular on Princess. On most ships there are 2 dining rooms for early seating, and there is still a wait list for it. Second seating is usually fills one dining room.

I mean the medallion let's you connect with activities, dining, entertainment onboard right?

So I envision no traditional dining (no Dress up evening) and activities and entertainment that revolve around your schedule as the program matures.

I'm onboard!

No nothing like "Freestyle." ***** has nothing to do with dress up evenings, traditional dining, entertainment and other ship activities. It's a high tech method to order drinks, open your cabin door, book excursions, and shop. You can play casino games from anywhere on the ship, if you consider that freestyle.

As far as activities and entertainment around your schedule, if you want it this is the way it is now with or without *****. Just select Anytime Dining when you book and plan your evening meal around the activity or entertainment schedule rather than the reverse when you have traditional dining.

***** apears to be many years away from full fleet implementation if ever. Why speculate on something that is not anywhere near working. If I am lucky I will nevr see it.

I heard that once it is totally implemented you will stay in your cabin and eat, see the shows, lay at the pool, etc., through virtual reality. This will resolve the formal night/ dress code conflict.

Just joking!

***** has nothing to do with your freestyle. ***** is a way for the cruise line to keep track of passengers and to see how they move about the ship and spend money. From here they can devise ways to entice passengers to do activities and spend more money.

Can never happen.

No Princess ship has the selection of Dining Choices that NCL with its Freestyle Dining has .

I thought they wanted to mirror what Disney does at their theme parks. Seems easy enough; but what looks good on paper sometimes does not work in real world situations. We shall see

Why must those who dislike traditional dining continually look for ways to have it eliminated for those that prefer it?

No. Princess is no where close to NCL's "Freestyle" where one makes reservations before ever setting foot on a ship for the restaurants and shows.

On Princess, one can dine and see shows as one decides to do on a daily basis.

Yes, I know there is traditional seating, but all that does is allow one to know that is one less decision to make about eating and gives one a point to start with for any evening activities one may wish to do on a daily basis.

Why must those who dislike traditional dining continually look for ways to have it eliminated for those that prefer it?

Where do you see this happening?

No. Princess is no where close to NCL's "Freestyle" where one makes reservations before ever setting foot on a ship for the restaurants and shows.

"A"

 

On Princess, one can dine and see shows as one decides to do on a daily basis.

"B"

 

Which is more freestyle "A" or "B"?

No. Princess is no where close to NCL's "Freestyle" where one makes reservations before ever setting foot on a ship for the restaurants and shows.

Only on the newer NCL ships like the Epic, Breakaway, Getaway, Escape, Bliss and so on you need to make reservations before your cruise. If it is not required, but recommended. You can still make reservations to shows and dinner onboard the ship. They are a few ways to make reservations onboard the ship if needed.

Having sailed mostly on Carnival and NCL for about 10 years and going on my first princess cruise in October, freestyle to me is just having a wide variety of food and entertainment options. It is mostly a marketing buzzword to try to entice people to cruise on that brand.

No. Princess is no where close to NCL's "Freestyle" where one makes reservations before ever setting foot on a ship for the restaurants and shows.

 

On Princess, one can dine and see shows as one decides to do on a daily basis.

 

Yes, I know there is traditional seating, but all that does is allow one to know that is one less decision to make about eating and gives one a point to start with for any evening activities one may wish to do on a daily basis.

Thank you, I call it Feestyle on NCL.

If you are really interested in ***** it will require you to do a lot of work and read the entire thread “Status of Ocean Medallion”...currently has the pretty picture of one. If the original questionnaire is “Isn’t the *****....” and you want the simple no reading answer my original statement stands “No...nothing like it.” Mike

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Which is more freestyle "A" or "B"?

The point is that neither has anything to do with the *****.

I think Freestyle had been in place a years, and actually worked.

So, I would say nothing alike.

***** has nothing to do with your freestyle. ***** is a way for the cruise line to keep track of passengers and to see how they move about the ship and spend money. From here they can devise ways to entice passengers to do activities and spend more money.

(y)(y)(y)

I mean the medallion let's you connect with activities, dining, entertainment onboard right?

 

So I envision no traditional dining (no Dress up evening) and activities and entertainment that revolve around your schedule as the program matures.

 

I'm onboard!

We do not see what ***** has to do with "Freestyle" type cruising. It is simply a more sophisticated onboard charge system that will allow the cruise line to track your every movement (including time spent in your cabin bathroom where there is a sensor) and use algorithms to push direct marketing to your phone...if you bother to carry your phone onboard. I had one strange thought of them sending a sale deal on Pepto Bismol to passengers who seem to spend a lot of time in their bathroom :).

What we find very strange about the ***** is how some cruisers are giving it a high level of importance when it comes to their cruise vacations. I never realized what a "burden" it is to show your cruise card to a bar waiter or use your card to open the cabin door :). We will soon be back aboard the Regal where the ***** should have been working by last December. Perhaps we should ask for a $25,000 On Board Credit because not having that ***** will ruin every minute of our cruise :).

Hank

***** is a marketing tool, pure and simple.

***** has nothing to do with Freestyle. It's Princess's answer to Disney's Magic Bands.

I agree with Dread_Pirate. Does Disney Cruise Line have a magic band system onboard their ships?