Get ready for Ocean Medallion Class™

[floridalover5623]

So, could I spoof someone else, and order a drink without

actually having their medallion?

 

Wow, that would take some doing to hack the Medallion.

Their talents are probably wasted on such a trivial amount. ;)

[julie3fan]

Personally, I prefer to be smarter than my gadgets so I do not use a smart phone.

 

I sometimes call mine my smarter-than-me phone. 😆

[Thrak]

Wow, that would take some doing to hack the Medallion.

Their talents are probably wasted on such a trivial amount. ;)

 

He was referring to the posts about the possibility of an app that did the same thing without having a medallion - not spoofing the ID of the medallion.

[Loonbeam]

Actually, if they don't encrypt the ID that's a real concern. It would not be that hard to rig a reader and pull ID numbers for retransmission.

 

 

So, could I spoof someone else, and order a drink without

actually having their medallion?

[caribill]

So, could I spoof someone else, and order a drink without

actually having their medallion?

 

Theoretically when the drink is ordered/delivered the picture of the Medallion owner will show up on the waiter's screen.

 

Also theoretically, the waiter will compare that picture to what you look like.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

On the one hand we have some posters 'complaining' that the medallion will be bulkier than a cruise card, and on the other hand we have posters advocating walking around with their slab of electronics. It goes to show that this is not a 'one size fits all' solution...

 

Yup. Some want the latest technology for its own sake, others want things to never change. I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to this one. My concern is that the medallions are an interim step, and that we will eventually be forced to use some sort of app that Princess will push onto passengers (like printing our own boarding passes, etc.), and we'll have to carry a smart phone or tablet around with us at all times.

[floridalover5623]

He was referring to the posts about the possibility of an app that did the same thing without having a medallion - not spoofing the ID of the medallion.

 

I was thinking only in terms of the Medallion encryption.

[greenie082756]

Yesterday I watched the hour long presentation of the medallion in Las Vegas @ the CES 2017 show.

 

Interesting, but too long. From what I gathered, even though it will roll out in November 2017 onto one ship, it will most likely take anywhere from 2 - 5 years to get it on all the Princess ships. Its gonna take a long time before it affects us if we don't cruise on the first 3 ships they will be changing.

 

I'm guessing I most likely will not get to experience the medallion until 2019 or later. I am excited to use it and look forward to the experience.

 

By then, it should have all the kinks worked out because as we all know when a company upgrades or changes a system there will be challenges and Princess (CCL) will

not be any different.

[beg3yrs]

Interesting, but too long. From what I gathered, even though it will roll out in November 2017 onto one ship, it will most likely take anywhere from 2 - 5 years to get it on all the Princess ships. Its gonna take a long time before it affects us if we don't cruise on the first 3 ships they will be changing.

 

The Pacific Princess will likely never be part of the Medallion Class, IMHO. Ditto for the Sun Class ships - Sun and Sea Princess (Dawn going to P&O Australia). By the time they get all the Royal and Grand class ships outfitted the others will probably be gone from the fleet...

[Pierlesscruisers]

From what I gathered, even though it will roll out in November 2017 onto one ship, it will most likely take anywhere from 2 - 5 years to get it on all the Princess ships. Its gonna take a long time before it affects us if we don't cruise on the first 3 ships they will be changing.

 

The planned time for getting all the Princess ships outfitted with the medallion system is 3 years. That's what has been announced.

 

Tom

[greenie082756]

The planned time for getting all the Princess ships outfitted with the medallion system is 3 years. That's what has been announced.

 

Tom

 

That would be nice if it is in that time period.

 

What I do not get is why it takes so long to change out the mattresses?? :D

I'm not sure what the schedule is for that change but it might be a race

with the medallion system being started. :confused::D

[chamima]

The Pacific Princess will likely never be part of the Medallion Class, IMHO. Ditto for the Sun Class ships - Sun and Sea Princess (Dawn going to P&O Australia). By the time they get all the Royal and Grand class ships outfitted the others will probably be gone from the fleet...

 

 

 

We're just off the Pacific Princess and a very reliable source told us that Princess has just committed to at least 7 more years and that she will have a major retrofit in the next year or so.

So I wouldn't be so sure she'll never have Medallions.

[Thrak]

The planned time for getting all the Princess ships outfitted with the medallion system is 3 years. That's what has been announced.

 

Tom

 

3 years would be nice but it may well be overly optimistic.

[XBGuy]

Yup. Some want the latest technology for its own sake, others want things to never change. I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to this one. My concern is that the medallions are an interim step, and that we will eventually be forced to use some sort of app that Princess will push onto passengers (like printing our own boarding passes, etc.), and we'll have to carry a smart phone or tablet around with us at all times.

 

?????

 

I print my Princess boarding passes (and luggage tags), now.

 

I have not seen any announcement saying so, but it seems to me that by mailing the medallions to passengers prior to their cruise, it would not be necessary to print boarding passes. The medallion can be scanned during the check-in process. So, it should effectively be an "electronic boarding pass."

 

Now, before somebody who hasn't dredged through the thirty-something pages of this thread be concerned, Princess will have a procedure for allowing passengers who forgot to bring their medallion to the check-in (or they packed their medallion in their checked baggage) so that they will be permitted to board. This will happen. Just like in today's world if somebody forgets to bring their boarding pass, there is a procedure to allow them to board.

 

Passengers use of Smart Phones/Tablets for various functions (e.g., dinner or theater reservations) is already in place on other cruise lines.

 

Like you say, we'll see how it shakes out.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

????? I print my Princess boarding passes (and luggage tags), now...

 

Sorry for any confusion :). What I meant was I am concerned that Princess will eventually push phone/tablet apps onto all passengers once we get used to the medallion concept, and the technology allows, as they have previously pushed the printing of boarding passes, etc. onto us. The creating and mailing ahead of medallions seems too cost-intensive to me for it to be a permanent thing. But I've been wrong before :).

 

I have cruised long enough to remember the excitement of getting beautifully printed cruise documents (tickets, boarding passes, luggage tags, shipboard guides) in the mail ahead of the cruise. I still have mine somewhere from the long-gone S.S. Independence. They were a work of art in and of themselves.

 

In those days, you just gave your name and cabin # to the bartender or waiter/ess when you ordered a drink, and it was added to your bill. No card key. They still used old-school brass door keys as late as the early 2000s on some ships. Simpler times...

[Thrak]

Sorry for any confusion :). What I meant was I am concerned that Princess will eventually push phone/tablet apps onto all passengers once we get used to the medallion concept, and the technology allows, as they have previously pushed the printing of boarding passes, etc. onto us. The creating and mailing ahead of medallions seems too cost-intensive to me for it to be a permanent thing. But I've been wrong before :).

 

I have cruised long enough to remember the excitement of getting beautifully printed cruise documents (tickets, boarding passes, luggage tags, shipboard guides) in the mail ahead of the cruise. I still have mine somewhere from the long-gone S.S. Independence. They were a work of art in and of themselves.

 

In those days, you just gave your name and cabin # to the bartender or waiter/ess when you ordered a drink, and it was added to your bill. No card key. They still used old-school brass door keys as late as the early 2000s on some ships. Simpler times...

 

Nice. However, in those days the ships were smaller with fewer passengers. You must certainly be aware that, if they tried using that system now, you would be charged a fortune for items you didn't actually purchase.

 

I haven't been cruising all that long - first cruise was in 2011 - but I have nostalgia for many other things. I miss the simplicity of many things from my past (born in 1953) but recognize that many of them just aren't feasible any longer. Too darn many rotten people. Too darn many people in general as well.

 

Like many I don't mind printing my own boarding passes but, if I didn't have a computer or printer, I could still get them printed for me at the port. Granted they won't be beautiful but they will get the job done.

[floridalover5623]

3 years would be nice but it may well be overly optimistic.

 

I'm not to sure it optimistic. They've been installing the wiring & screens on the Royal recently so some of the initial work is probably in place already.

I'll bet all the ships are currently being rewired as we post.

[Thrak]

I'm not to sure it optimistic. They've been installing the wiring & screens on the Royal recently so some of the initial work is probably in place already.

I'll bet all the ships are currently being rewired as we post.

 

Perhaps but the next two ships to get it won't have it available until early next year. That means that two more ships will have it but not for another full year has gone by. For Caribbean it won't be until March of 2018 which is obviously more than a year.

 

I'm hopeful but most corporate estimates of this type don't generally pan out. I'm just happy it will be on our cruise on Caribbean Princess next year. We will be on the first cruise on that ship that has the new technology.

[beg3yrs]

We're just off the Pacific Princess and a very reliable source told us that Princess has just committed to at least 7 more years and that she will have a major retrofit in the next year or so.

So I wouldn't be so sure she'll never have Medallions.

 

Thank you! That's great news for us personally. As you can see from our signature, the PP is our next planned cruise albeit not until mid-2018. Not cruising this year as we're in a "family way" - our mare is due in five weeks.

 

Well! Maybe we'll see Medallions on the PP after all. Happy happy happy ... :D

 

Now, time to search the drydock schedules...

[Thrak]

Thank you! That's great news for us personally. As you can see from our signature, the PP is our next planned cruise albeit not until mid-2018. Not cruising this year as we're in a "family way" - our mare is due in five weeks.

 

Well! Maybe we'll see Medallions on the PP after all. Happy happy happy ... :D

 

Now, time to search the drydock schedules...

 

Just so you know... the abbreviation for Pacific Princess is PA. Not sure why. Perhaps there used to be another ship with the designation of PP. (It actually fits me as Portly Passenger.) More experienced folks likely know the reason. :)

 

We are also happy to hear that Princess will be keeping Pacific Princess for a while as we have yet to sail on her and have heard so many good things about the ship.

Edited January 19, 2017 by Thrak

[beg3yrs]

Just so you know... the abbreviation for Pacific Princess is PA. Not sure why. Perhaps there used to be another ship with the designation of PP. (It actually fits me as Portly Passenger.) More experienced folks likely know the reason. :)

 

We are also happy to hear that Princess will be keeping Pacific Princess for a while as we have yet to sail on her and have heard so many good things about the ship.

 

Thanks for that. No clue why PA was chosen for Pacific Princess. EDIT: I do have a clue. Say "PP". Sounds like a child's description of a bodily function.

 

Looked up a list Pam posted last year in July and can see there are other abbreviations that don't make sense either. Anyway, I'll be more careful.

 

Veering back on this thread's topic, the PA's drydock schedule is coming up in June of this year so its doubtful she will become a medallion class ship in the near future. Maybe in three years ...

Edited January 19, 2017 by beg3yrs

[IECalCruiser]

Just so you know... the abbreviation for Pacific Princess is PA. Not sure why. Perhaps there used to be another ship with the designation of PP. (It actually fits me as Portly Passenger.) More experienced folks likely know the reason. :)

Thanks for that. No clue why PA was chosen for Pacific Princess. EDIT: I do have a clue. Say "PP". Sounds like a child's description of a bodily function.

 

Looked up a list Pam posted last year in July and can see there are other abbreviations that don't make sense either. Anyway, I'll be more careful.

Those two letter codes are in the URL for the webpage specific to each ship such as the Pacific below:

 

http://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ships/pa-pacific-princess/

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited January 19, 2017 by IECalCruiser

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Nice. However, in those days the ships were smaller with fewer passengers. You must certainly be aware that, if they tried using that system now, you would be charged a fortune for items you didn't actually purchase.

 

I realize times change, and ships are larger. But, as I recall, it wasn't completely an honor system even back then. I believe there were printouts of names and cabin #s kept at points of sale so staff could verify you were who you said you were. Or you showed them your brass key with your cabin # etched on it. Of course on smaller ships, after a few days the staff knew the regulars at the bars and lounges by name anyway. Not that I would know this :).

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Just so you know... the abbreviation for Pacific Princess is PA. Not sure why. Perhaps there used to be another ship with the designation of PP...

 

Great trivia question! I don't know the answer for sure, and a quick Google search didn't come up with it, but I do know the very first Princess ship back in the '60s was the Princess Patricia. So that would be my guess for the PP designation.

[caribill]

 

What I do not get is why it takes so long to change out the mattresses?? :D

 

It takes time to sew a medallion sensor into each mattress.