Dumb question about arm bands

[Ashland]

No plastic jewelry for me either :eek:

[negc]

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

 

Suddenly I am in favor of making them mandatory.:D

[MrsPete]

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

I don't know anything about that, but I was going to say that the Great Wolf Lodge uses something similar, and it works well:

 

When you check into the Great Wolf, you get a wristband for everyone in your party. Kids' wristbands are just plain bands that show they've paid for the water park. Adults' wristbands contain that "radio-frequency thing" (my term -- probably not correct). When an adult waves his or her wristband in front of the room lock, the door opens. The adult bands can also be used to purchase food or merchandise in the resort. Since the Great Wolf's big draw is the indoor water park, it works well: The staff knows at a glance who's paid to get into the water park, and the patrons don't have to leave their room keys on their chairs or bring money to buy drinks and snacks.

 

I wouldn't like this on a cruise IF the wristband is something along the lines of a hospital wristband. I find those very uncomfortable, even if they're loose. On the other hand, if it looked okay and was comfortable, I'd see it as a good choice. I'd like it even better if it could be slipped off and carried in a purse (perhaps for dinner, if it clashes with an outfit).

 

It's a huge step up from a tacky lanyard, and it removes the problem of ladies' shorts without pockets.

Edited August 29, 2014 by MrsPete

[MrsPete]

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...

Hmmm . . . this post makes me suspect it would make the ship more able to crack down on drink-package sharers. If you were ALWAYS wearing your ship ID, especially if you couldn't remove it, you couldn't pass the card back and forth. If sharers were eliminated, it could help keep prices down.

[Clarea]

Hmmm . . . this post makes me suspect it would make the ship more able to crack down on drink-package sharers. If you were ALWAYS wearing your ship ID, especially if you couldn't remove it, you couldn't pass the card back and forth. If sharers were eliminated, it could help keep prices down.

The drink could still be passed.

[redwasp59]

Always Omniscient :)

[jletsgo]

I was recently at Walt Disney World and they have launched a similar band "Magic Band" which serves as your room key, charge card, fast past, dining reservation, etc. It is also waterproof and was GREAT!!!....Never had to worry about carrying money, my wallet, wear to put my room key or my park tickets. I for one would be thrilled to use a similar "band" on any Royal ship.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

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

 

 

A cruise is probably cheaper and more fun :)

[ssb]

With micro micro electronic technology advancing even more.

It's probably the same variation

of Watch Band that Apple will announce and release next month along with

I phone 6. It's the new wave according to Apple .

Someone out there knows more about that than me.

 

Actually the large band looking decoration on RCL ship pictured and commented on on another thread of CC

may have been an introduction of the new band concept on RCL.

Just a thought .

Edited August 29, 2014 by ssb

[A2Mich]

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

 

I think this is a great idea as opposed to color coded by food chain ranking. I could easily see the gloating and nose pointing starting. Not that ALL people would do this, but can see a fair number

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Forums mobile app

[A2Mich]

A cruise is probably cheaper and more fun :)

 

Heck a cruise is cheaper than ONE DAY in the hospital

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Forums mobile app

[pkexton]

I think this is a great idea as opposed to color coded by food chain ranking. I could easily see the gloating and nose pointing starting. Not that ALL people would do this, but can see a fair number

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Forums mobile app

 

Since this will be the 1st cruise that we are Diamond - I plan to buy stickers at A C Moore or Michael's & bling it up :D - just kidding:). But I do know what you mean above.

 

Pat

[mjldvlks]

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

Don't forget your debit card PIN and mother's maiden name..

[moposh]

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

 

Bill

 

I'm sure they will!

[nednrom]

I've used the ones at Disney and liked them and the convenience of not having to carry any stuff with me --- I'd be more willing to use the WOW bands if they wouldn't be charging $2.00 for them.

[poncho1973]

It's interesting that some people think that the actual bands themselves contain personal information. In reality it's like a two-step situation.

 

The band itself may have a packet of some info like your name, (probably only the name you ask to be called, not your full, legal name) or customer number and a long code unique to you. The computer system then has a second packet of info that contains the personal info.

 

So basically, when they handshake you get the full package. Your charges come through, your door opens, etc.

 

Independently, the info on the band wouldn't tell a criminal a whole lot unless they could then hack the secondary info and combine the two packets. A random thief with a RFID scanner wouldn't get anything that told them anything really personal about you, especially nothing they could use off the ship.

 

If they hack the ship... well they could do that now and get the same info. This doesn't change that.

[Fat Paul]

It's interesting that some people think that the actual bands themselves contain personal information. In reality it's like a two-step situation.

 

The band itself may have a packet of some info like your name, (probably only the name you ask to be called, not your full, legal name) or customer number and a long code unique to you. The computer system then has a second packet of info that contains the personal info.

 

So basically, when they handshake you get the full package. Your charges come through, your door opens, etc.

 

Independently, the info on the band wouldn't tell a criminal a whole lot unless they could then hack the secondary info and combine the two packets. A random thief with a RFID scanner wouldn't get anything that told them anything really personal about you, especially nothing they could use off the ship.

 

If they hack the ship... well they could do that now and get the same info. This doesn't change that.

 

Thanks for the explanation. I am a technotard with very little understanding of this type of thing.

[A2Mich]

Thanks for the explanation. I am a technotard with very little understanding of this type of thing.

 

 

Technotard - now that is a good laugh!:D

[BND]

Just like other issues that have been discussed before they are even implemented, I'll be very interested to see what people really think once they actually use them. People on the Dis boards weren't too keen on the bands either, but now that people are using them, the majority like them. We have people jumping to all kinds of conclusions and worrying about things that no one knows yet.

 

As for bling for the bands, just go over to the Dis boards and there is one thread that is all pictures of decorated bands.:rolleyes:

 

And as for data on the bands, it's no different than any other rfid chip which as pp said, it requires a handshake between the band and a database. Really no different than a sea pass except on the seapass, it's a magnetic strip that has it's own issues. I wear a badge to work everyday that I have to put next to a reader and then put in a pin. The real data for access isn't stored on the card, but on a database. So, the arm bands don't concern me in the least.

Edited August 29, 2014 by BND

[Yorkvillain]

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.

 

I think this is what I will do. I'll wear the wrist band during the day (ahhhh, drink delivered to me in the pool) and at the private islands.

 

At night I'll just stick the card key in my pocket.

[A2Mich]

It's interesting that some people think that the actual bands themselves contain personal information. In reality it's like a two-step situation.

 

The band itself may have a packet of some info like your name, (probably only the name you ask to be called, not your full, legal name) or customer number and a long code unique to you. The computer system then has a second packet of info that contains the personal info.

 

So basically, when they handshake you get the full package. Your charges come through, your door opens, etc.

 

Independently, the info on the band wouldn't tell a criminal a whole lot unless they could then hack the secondary info and combine the two packets. A random thief with a RFID scanner wouldn't get anything that told them anything really personal about you, especially nothing they could use off the ship.

 

If they hack the ship... well they could do that now and get the same info. This doesn't change that.

 

That would be my guess as well. Likely the bands would only have name, cabin number, guest number/folio number, etc., but no personal info of any other kind. I'm not too worried about it either. I wouldn't mind having one for day use around the pool, etc., but also had visions like someone else said, of Logan's Run. Not to the extent of personal information, but seeing hordes of people with their pretty blue (or whatever color) wrist bands on.

 

I can also image the chaos that would ensue when the portable RFID scanners don't work - then would have to hope that people have their cards for a backup.

[poncho1973]

I can also image the chaos that would ensue when the portable RFID scanners don't work - then would have to hope that people have their cards for a backup.

 

Do remember than the current scanners for the SeaPasses are basically the same thing in a different package. What happens when one of those goes out today?

[A2Mich]

Do remember than the current scanners for the SeaPasses are basically the same thing in a different package. What happens when one of those goes out today?

 

I haven't been on a cruise in 8 years, so I don't know what they are currently using and haven't sailed on RCI yet. Last cruise was on Carny in 2006 and had the podium by the gangplank for check in/out and bars and shops used a standard card swipe POS system.

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Forums mobile app

[ehfl]

The band itself may have a packet of some info like your name, (probably only the name you ask to be called, not your full, legal name) or customer number and a long code unique to you.

 

That's not how it works. The RFID would have no information, other than the code. Not your name. Not your cabin number. Not your account number. It's just basically a serial number which is then associated with your account and the rest of your information.

 

Scanning the chip would only yield a meaningless serial number. It's up to the back-end computers on board to associate that serial number with the rest of the account information.

[tip]

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

 

Good one, me lad!:D