New MAGIC Bands are coming to RCCL

[time4u2go]

I could not agree with you more.............Also when we go to port, we will be easy to spot as tourists and ship people....easy targets for those with bad intentions...........

Also will my class will be worn as a badge on my wrist...Pinnacle, D+, suite guests, gold members, not a loyalist.....will this be identified with various colors??? I know at WDW the suite guests have yellow bands while others have blue bands.

If I am just a lowly gold member in an inside cabin will my wrist badge identify me as such??? Like a Scarlet Letter?

Not sure I want to brand myself with a wrist band like cattle in a herd...

As opposed to now? :rolleyes::D

[Ocean Boy]

Charging a couple thousand dollars for a cruise and then charging 2 bucks for a wristband feels kind of low class.

As opposed to charging a few thousand dollars for a cruise and having you make up your own luggage tags?

Edited August 26, 2014 by Ocean Boy

[LittleMissMagic]

I'm a Disney Annual Passholder, and I've visited Walt Disney World five times now using Magic Bands since they began testing in Fall 2013. I was originally against Magic Bands because who wants to wear a clunky wrist bracelet all the time, but after trying it out, I loved it. It was great to not have to dig through my wallet for my credit card to make purchases or my room key to open the door. It was all right on my wrist... so convenient!

 

That being said, I wouldn't want to wear a Magic Band with my evening dresses... not fashionable at all. However, I would appreciate it during the day going swimming or other activities without having to worry about storing or keeping up with a key. And I am one to lose my room key... I've lost mine on at least two cruises (and once on the first day when I left it at Muster).

 

For all of you fearing that Big Brother was watching, I'll tell you what I tell the people who worry about being tracked with the Magic Bands. Unless you're lost or have committed a crime (in which case, I hope you're intelligent enough to take off the tracking device), no one is watching you. You are merely a number... a small part of a statistic. Having guests wear RFID enabled devices creates more accurate data which in the long run helps you. They'll be able to quickly gather more accurate information which will allow them to do a number of things, from better staffing locations their ship at certain hours to adjusting their cleaning schedules.

[JohnSnowGOT]

No one is looking at the Big Picture, it's not a Big Brother issue, it is a ploy by RCI to reduce the number of D+ and Pinnacle members cruising. Introduce new smart technology and (going by the posts in this thread) they can cull the number of pax getting freebies and thus increase profits :)

 

Seriously? I am certain that I have paid at east 60K in reaching D+ and getting to Pinnacle will not be because of freebees...

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

I hope that there is still the option of having sea pass card instead of the RFID bracelet that was announced at the reveal today.

 

1. I do not like the idea of being tracked throughout the ship because I am wearing an RFID tag.

 

2. My wife mentioned now if we decide to purchase pictures we have to look and see if an awful bracelet is in the picture.

 

3. Most important to me is I cannot stand having something around my wrist and will not even wear a watch for an hour. How can I be comfortable for a week if I have to wear a bracelet.

 

I hope this is only an option and not required...

 

Thoughts?

 

The only thing my 10 year old daughter does not like about crusing is having to wear the kids wrist band. I guess now we all get to wear one. Maybe since we all are wearing one she wont complain as much.

[Cruisin'Kim]

Are you serious? We used them at Disney to access our resort room, get in the parks, and use meal credits. We didn't make purchases with ours, but they were protected with pin numbers so no one could charge something should they come to have one that didn't belong to them. I wonder if it would make the lines go more quickly to get on and off the ship as opposed to having to stick the card in. I hope they still will ding when you get on board. I will miss the ding.

 

I'm with you Cheryl, it wouldn't be the same without the ding!!

[Caribbeansunrise]

It's waterproof....fine to wear in the shower or swimming.

 

 

So are SeaPass cards. I just don't like the idea of RFID chips tracking me all over the ship - I read "1984!"

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I'm with you Cheryl' date=' it wouldn't be the same without the ding!![/quote']

 

While I love the ding when boarding, that disembarkment ding on the last day is the saddest sound in the world!:(

[dancinman66]

Would think it might still give a ding to show it's registered I don't mind them knowing where I am and what I do

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Gayle V]

As I stated in the thread about robot bartenders, maybe they should try designing a website and reservation system that works before moving into all these gimmicks:rolleyes:

 

I wish there was a way to "like" this post.

[The_Big_M]

I don't want to keep that ugly blue huge thing on my wrist I want to see my jewelry not that plastic junk.

 

Don't worry.

 

I'm sure you'll be able to upgrade to a classier version.

 

For a "nominal fee."

[lovelights]

Not that I'm going on Quantum, because they're not bringing it to Florida before it leaves for China. But, if they decided to put it on all their ships, I wouldn't have to hear my husband asking "Do you have your room card?", every time we leave our room. It's not like he'd ask, "Do you have your arm?" So, this will be one less question he'll have to ask me when we leave our stateroom.

[sept10dsm]

I hope that there is still the option of having sea pass card instead of the RFID bracelet that was announced at the reveal today.

 

1. I do not like the idea of being tracked throughout the ship because I am wearing an RFID tag.

 

2. My wife mentioned now if we decide to purchase pictures we have to look and see if an awful bracelet is in the picture.

 

3. Most important to me is I cannot stand having something around my wrist and will not even wear a watch for an hour. How can I be comfortable for a week if I have to wear a bracelet.

 

I hope this is only an option and not required...

 

Thoughts?

Sounds like what they have done at Walt Disney world. They at least give an option, but make you feel like you're not complying. I agree with your feelings on this.

[sept10dsm]

From what I gather you'll have the option of the band or the sea pass card. Sounds like they're following Disneys footsteps.

 

Sounds the same to me. Does Disney do this on their ships as well as Walt Disney World?

[sept10dsm]

The Seapass will still be available and if you want the wristband it will be available for a "nominal charge"

 

It is not included. Wonder what this nominal charge will be.

 

This info was direct from RCI's website.

 

Walt Disney World charges around 13.00 for a non Annual Pass ticket. My guess is somewhere around that. Yes, you pay them so they can track you. So odd.

[sept10dsm]

You don't HAVE to use MagicBands at Walt Disney World. You can actually ask for an RFID equipped card to use instead. The cards do not contain an active radio like the MagicBands do so they can't be tracked with long range scanners.

 

Yes you can and they give a hard time to use it especially if you don't want to scan your finger! If you want to show ID they keep saying you cannot, but you can and it was a horrible experience there a month ago. Not going back and I've been going since the park opened and an annual pass holder many many times. They made me sick of it all and their new fast pass even shows the holders name. when they shouted out a young child's name at Disney to carry a stupid lanyard to time their line - that was it. Too much tracking and privacy issues. All the computers tracking Disney has and they have to yell out a 5 yr olds name to carry a lanyard to time a line? I'm finished with them. I read the RCCL article yesterday of the RFID and new robot bartender. I won't be going there either.

[sept10dsm]

So are SeaPass cards. I just don't like the idea of RFID chips tracking me all over the ship - I read "1984!"

 

Yes and Brave New World and Animal Farm. They want to get us used to wearing this garbage willingly and then who knows what will be. All fun. Not for me.

[Joe12]

I read on the RCCL blog that they are optional but have a surcharge of $2.

But the day it is compulsory is the day I will try Celebrity.

[adjoankora]

I like the option as well. We will probably get them for the kids but we will stick with the cards. Unless the nominal fee is more than nominal.

 

The fee is $2/band.

[snoopy19]

i so hope there is not one size fits all.

 

that photo (page3?) shows it is huge.

 

my hand and wrist is small, small enough to have trouble getting rings to wear.

 

therefore if i am given one suited for a basketballer i will have issues!

[woodyren]

I will certainly be buying one. The function that most appeals to me is the electric shock it omits to stop me, after having a few too many drinks, trying to step outside for some fresh air...............on my virtual balcony.

 

If rumours are to be believed some smart IT entrepreneurs have developed some handy aftermarket additions that can be downloaded onto the bands.

 

*PAS (photographer avoidance system)

 

*Automatic credit refusal system that can detect and block your wife's band when in the proximity of so called on board sales.

 

*Virtual Tux. Creates an aura around the body giving the impression that the wearer of the band is attired in formal gear even when they are wearing shorts and bare feet. Only fools cannot see this aura.

 

*Tipping BS detection. Emits a loud beeping sound when in the presence of a person happily talking about how they always waste hours of their time standing in line to remove their auto grats just so that they can personally tip the same people more in cash.

 

*Port shopping BS warning. A predictive application that emits loudly the words " because I get commission" at the exact time that the port shopping hostess mentions the reason why passengers should purchase merchandise from the stores in port replacing words such as bargain, value, wont get cheaper anywhere else or the like during the port shopping talk.

[kwazi07]

I have a feeling that while Disney pulled this off almost flawlessly, RCI would mess it up somehow. Just like what will happen to every non physical 'innovation' aboard Quantum.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[lisiamc]

I'm quite looking forward to these RFID bands. But I want a selection. Preferably a pink one for days, and a sparkly black one for evenings. :)

Edited August 27, 2014 by lisiamc

[trev71]

Wow I do not want to wear a braclet at all. I dont mind keeping my sea pass card being tucked in a pocket. I hope you can opt out and just keep the regular card. This is probably a good way for the ship to track you and see were post people spend most of their time. then they can use numbers and ages. If they want to do that put the chip in my sea pass card

[A&L_Ont]

when they shouted out a young child's name at Disney to carry a stupid lanyard to time their line - that was it. Too much tracking and privacy issues. All the computers tracking Disney has and they have to yell out a 5 yr olds name to carry a lanyard to time a line?

 

They only give the lanyard to the people who go in the non-fast pass line. They don't yell at anyone, nor by name to take them. They ask you if you would take one at the entry point of the ride for the ride.

 

I know this as I have done this twice in two days, as I am at Disney now. It was more likely an unhappy parent who yelled at their child by name, because they didn't take it. If that worker did as you said, I don't think they would be a cast member for two long.

 

On a side note, there are still people using the old style cards for their fast pass plus and park entry. There are also a lot of people not wearing them at all, perhaps they are just there for the day. It is an option if you ever want to go back.