Medallion Net Plans

[MsSoCalCruiser]

9 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

From what I have read on other threads, the "discount" if a Platinum/Elite buys the unlimited package on board lowers the onboard price to the same price that anyone can pay pre-cruise.

 

On a MedallionNet ship, the increased speed may mean that keeping your minutes might work.

 

On a PrincessConnect ship, the speed is what it always has been. On my recent Emerald voyage which has the PrincessConnect packages, the Internet failed to work over 50% of the time. Anyone who purchased an unlimited package to replace free minutes was wasting their money.

  Two weeks ago on the Ruby Princess the Internet was really bad. I could get on Facebook (it took forever) but I couldn’t even get CC to load.  If the MedallionNet works I will be one happy cruiser. This is my first seven day solo trip ever (land or sea) and the Internet will be my crutch.

 

I do want to add that it does feel like a  platinum/elite benefit is being taken away. 

[Steelers36]

20 hours ago, caribill said:

 

From what I have read on other threads, the "discount" if a Platinum/Elite buys the unlimited package on board lowers the onboard price to the same price that anyone can pay pre-cruise.

 

On a MedallionNet ship, the increased speed may mean that keeping your minutes might work.

 

On a PrincessConnect ship, the speed is what it always has been. On my recent Emerald voyage which has the PrincessConnect packages, the Internet failed to work over 50% of the time. Anyone who purchased an unlimited package to replace free minutes was wasting their money.

Well that sucks.  IDK in our case because there were no Internet packages offered via Cruise Personalizer for this Majestic NZ cruise.  So, IDK if it was because of the market and we are from North America.  I should check what is offered for our REGAL Baltic Cruise in June.

 

Princess should be giving us some benefit in place of the 250  minutes.  That old plan is not much good unless you are an occasional user of internet.

[Daniel A]

On ‎2‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 12:57 PM, AF-1 said:

mjceditor, that price looks like a great deal.  I sail next weekend and am looking forward to the blazing fast medallion net.  I will report back at how good it is.

It looks to me that with the MedallionNet as opposed to the PrincessConnect plans you can't purchase for only one or two days, it needs to be the whole cruise.  Is this correct?  A lot of folks are confusing the MedallionNet plans with PrincessConnect plans where you could purchase by the day.

[AF-1]

Daniel A,   any ship that has the Ocean Medallion Program has the fast medallion net.  The pricing is $9.95 per day or $59.95 for your 7 day cruise for unlimited service;   so you save $10 if you buy the week package.  For me it was worth it.  The wifi is fast, you can stream netflix if you like.  My wife is a pastor so we were able to stream our hometown service on Sunday (which was our sea day).  I also run a family vacation blog; so all family can read and watch my travels.  The faster internet allowed me to upload pictures with no delay; and since I had unlimited wifi; having to wait for pics to upload was not a issue.  Yes I know people cruise to disconnect from electronics; I get that.  I did have a great vacation and I enjoyed not having to check email all the time;  but I did have some downtime; and this is when I uploaded pics and stories for my family blog

[paul929207]

I paid 100 for 49 days unlimited on the Royal around South America. One device 

[mjceditor]

12 hours ago, Daniel A said:

It looks to me that with the MedallionNet as opposed to the PrincessConnect plans you can't purchase for only one or two days, it needs to be the whole cruise.  Is this correct?  A lot of folks are confusing the MedallionNet plans with PrincessConnect plans where you could purchase by the day.

I believe it is. MedallionNet is purchased for the whole cruise.

 

Mike

[cruise2relax]

Is it for one device only or one device at a time.  I use my phone and laptop.

[mjceditor]

10 minutes ago, cruise2relax said:

Is it for one device only or one device at a time.  I use my phone and laptop.

One device at a time. You can alternate between as many devices as you want, but one at a time.

[kessel815]

My 14 year old daughter and I are traveling together - are we able to alternate using the MedallionNet between our phones?

[mjceditor]

2 hours ago, kessel815 said:

My 14 year old daughter and I are traveling together - are we able to alternate using the MedallionNet between our phones?

 

Yes.

[fdpevey]

13 minutes ago, mjceditor said:

 

Yes.

Such good news! My husband and I have always shared our minutes to download the newspapers to our tablets and such, very used to keeping it one device at a time. We didn’t know if we would have to buy one or two plans and I had not heard that you could connect as many devices as you use, just keeping it one at a time. Good to know we can still share the one plan.

[Daniel A]

On ‎2‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 11:15 PM, steelers36 said:

Well that sucks.  IDK in our case because there were no Internet packages offered via Cruise Personalizer for this Majestic NZ cruise.  So, IDK if it was because of the market and we are from North America.  I should check what is offered for our REGAL Baltic Cruise in June.

 

Princess should be giving us some benefit in place of the 250  minutes.  That old plan is not much good unless you are an occasional user of internet.

I am sailing on the Coral on April 5.  That seems to be the date Princess is calling the MedallionNet rollout on the Coral.  I called Captain's Circle to ask how did my Platinum benefit mesh with the new internet plans.  Here is what I was told: Do not purchase the internet plan before embarkation.  When I board the ship, log in to the MedallionNet and it will recognize me as Platinum and offer me the free 250 minutes or a discounted rate for one of the unlimited packages.  Other CC members have posted that the 'discount' is the same as if you just bought the pre-cruise promotion.  I won't be able to compare the discounts for two reasons.  I won't see what I'm being offered until I logon on embarkation day and the pre-cruise discounted plans Princess is offering in my personalizer is for PrincessConnect, not MedallionNet.  Whatever - it will be what it will be.

[Georgie562]

17 hours ago, kessel815 said:

My 14 year old daughter and I are traveling together - are we able to alternate using the MedallionNet between our phones?

Yes as only one device can be signed at any time under the same log in account.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Georgie562

[PescadoAmarillo]

Do I understand correctly that there is no discount in purchasing the unlimited high speed internet for Platinum or Elite passengers?  If so, isn’t Princess effectively reducing the value of perhaps the most valuable CC benefit...free internet?  They’ve already reduced the value of the free laundry (longer turnaround) and formal night canapés (no chocolate covered strawberries). It seems to me that they don’t have to take away benefits; they simply make them less desirable or less usable. 

 

Sorry for the (semi) rant this morning, but, as someone who has (admittedly willingly) used 90% of the free internet minutes I’ve gotten since I first became Platinum to advertise for Princess, first through LIVE FROMs on Cruise Critic and later through maintaining a travel blog, this one really burns. 

 

Please, someone point out the error in my thinking so I don’t feel quite so put upon. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

1 minute ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Do I understand correctly that there is no discount in purchasing the unlimited high speed internet for Platinum or Elite passengers?  If so, isn’t Princess effectively reducing the value of perhaps the most valuable CC benefit...free internet?  They’ve already reduced the value of the free laundry (longer turnaround) and formal night canapés (no chocolate covered strawberries). It seems to me that they don’t have to take away benefits; they simply make them less desirable or less usable. 

 

Sorry for the (semi) rant this morning, but, as someone who has (admittedly willingly) used 90% of the free internet minutes I’ve gotten since I first became Platinum to advertise for Princess, first through LIVE FROMs on Cruise Critic and later through maintaining a travel blog, this one really burns. 

 

Please, someone point out the error in my thinking so I don’t feel quite so put upon. 

Yes,  I just talkd to someone on the Ruby Princess. I was told that you do get a discount when you purchase it after arriving on the ship.  I asked him what about those of us that pre-pay for everything. I told him that I had received emails and such to pre-pay for the Internet before boarding and there was no discount. He said he would talk to someone about that.  Don’t get me wrong, I think  $59 is a great price for unlimited for the week  but again a new cruiser received the exact same price. 

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Do I understand correctly that there is no discount in purchasing the unlimited high speed internet for Platinum or Elite passengers?  If so, isn’t Princess effectively reducing the value of perhaps the most valuable CC benefit...free internet?  They’ve already reduced the value of the free laundry (longer turnaround) and formal night canapés (no chocolate covered strawberries). It seems to me that they don’t have to take away benefits; they simply make them less desirable or less usable. 

 

Sorry for the (semi) rant this morning, but, as someone who has (admittedly willingly) used 90% of the free internet minutes I’ve gotten since I first became Platinum to advertise for Princess, first through LIVE FROMs on Cruise Critic and later through maintaining a travel blog, this one really burns. 

 

Please, someone point out the error in my thinking so I don’t feel quite so put upon. 

Hi J.  I received a discount on Majestic for the new U/L package but no way to compare to pre-cruise price since nothing was offered for pre-cruise purchase.

 

For this June on Regal.. the full 11-day Medallion Net pkg is offered pre- cruise to us for $75. I called Princess to inquire and was told the "under Platinum" price was $100.  I think a 25% discount is a reasonable benefit substitute as the old plan and service was not that great for a heavy user.

 

I will be interested upon boarding to find out what the embarkation offer is.  If the same $75 for the general pop then I agree with you.  I am thinking it should be the same $99 and $75.  We shall see.

[Steelers36]

8 hours ago, Daniel A said:

I am sailing on the Coral on April 5.  That seems to be the date Princess is calling the MedallionNet rollout on the Coral.  I called Captain's Circle to ask how did my Platinum benefit mesh with the new internet plans.  Here is what I was told: Do not purchase the internet plan before embarkation.  When I board the ship, log in to the MedallionNet and it will recognize me as Platinum and offer me the free 250 minutes or a discounted rate for one of the unlimited packages.  Other CC members have posted that the 'discount' is the same as if you just bought the pre-cruise promotion.  I won't be able to compare the discounts for two reasons.  I won't see what I'm being offered until I logon on embarkation day and the pre-cruise discounted plans Princess is offering in my personalizer is for PrincessConnect, not MedallionNet.  Whatever - it will be what it will be.

I hear you but I think you will find a discount.  For our Regal Baltic this summer .. the new unlimited Medallion is $75 for Plat/Elite and $99 or $100 for the rest.  Prob will find same prices on embarkation.

[PescadoAmarillo]

3 hours ago, steelers36 said:

Hi J.  I received a discount on Majestic for the new U/L package but no way to compare to pre-cruise price since nothing was offered for pre-cruise purchase.

 

For this June on Regal.. the full 11-day Medallion Net pkg is offered pre- cruise to us for $75. I called Princess to inquire and was told the "under Platinum" price was $100.  I think a 25% discount is a reasonable benefit substitute as the old plan and service was not that great for a heavy user.

 

I will be interested upon boarding to find out what the embarkation offer is.  If the same $75 for the general pop then I agree with you.  I am thinking it should be the same $99 and $75.  We shall see.

Hello! Thank you for your information. I will be most interested to see what the “under Platinum” price is once on board. While I agree that $75 for unlimited high speed WiFi on an 11-night cruise is a reasonable price, it’s still more than I am willing to pay on a per day basis when cruising for an extended period of time.

[Steelers36]

14 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

Hello! Thank you for your information. I will be most interested to see what the “under Platinum” price is once on board. While I agree that $75 for unlimited high speed WiFi on an 11-night cruise is a reasonable price, it’s still more than I am willing to pay on a per day basis when cruising for an extended period of time.

Yes.. if cruising for a month or more and with your lengthy "service" one ought to be able to pay similar rates as from a cable supplier at home.  But satellite costs more anyway.  Even $5 per day is $150/mth.  Not sure what answer there is.  Maybe they should cap the charge after so many contiguous days?

[PescadoAmarillo]

23 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

Yes.. if cruising for a month or more and with your lengthy "service" one ought to be able to pay similar rates as from a cable supplier at home.  But satellite costs more anyway.  Even $5 per day is $150/mth.  Not sure what answer there is.  Maybe they should cap the charge after so many contiguous days?

 

I don’t think Princess sees this as an issue that requires a solution. It’s too big a revenue stream for them to be willing to do anything other than what they are doing. Think of all the people who never bought slow onboard internet who now will. Add to them the Platinums and Elites who will forego their internet perk and pay $7 per day for unlimited high speed WiFi. This is a huge profit maker for Princess. I’m sure they are not overly concerned about the optics for some Platinum and Elite passengers. 

 

But, I still maintain it is an erosion of the value of the Captains Circle benefit. A $25 discount (if that) to give up the 100 minutes of free internet?  Does Princess sell a 100 minute package for $25? I don’t think so. 

[Steelers36]

50 minutes ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

 

I don’t think Princess sees this as an issue that requires a solution. It’s too big a revenue stream for them to be willing to do anything other than what they are doing. Think of all the people who never bought slow onboard internet who now will. Add to them the Platinums and Elites who will forego their internet perk and pay $7 per day for unlimited high speed WiFi. This is a huge profit maker for Princess. I’m sure they are not overly concerned about the optics for some Platinum and Elite passengers. 

 

But, I still maintain it is an erosion of the value of the Captains Circle benefit. A $25 discount (if that) to give up the 100 minutes of free internet?  Does Princess sell a 100 minute package for $25? I don’t think so. 

I agree with your first paragraph.  It is a profit center for sure while providing an increasingly important and valuable service to customers.  For me the  optics are fine.  Better more modern internet.  IDK what the price should be but for me the U/L version is much better than minutes ticking by as screens slowly load.

 

I used to buy the (400+60) or the (600+80) packages and use them in addition to my free minutes depending on length of cruise.  Last year for 60 nights around S.A. we had 2250 minutes free and I used up mine and some of my wife's.  I like to keep up with news email and finances.. but I was also in communication with tour providers and such on arrangements.

 

Now to see unlimited for 11 days at $99 and I get it for $75. And it is finally real internet and fast..well I have no complaints.  But for a light user I see your point.  I know you to be an efficient consumer of minutes and still manage to blog.  I like the freedom to do whatever I want and even communicate back home.

 

I am looking forward to the full Medallion experience in June and see how it goes.  Your posts are always thoughtful and wise.

[xDisconnections]

On 3/10/2019 at 7:41 AM, paul929207 said:

I paid 100 for 49 days unlimited on the Royal around South America. One device 

How did you find MedallionNet’s reliability at the bottom of South America? We’ll be cruising around the Horn and to Antarctica on the Coral in January which is scheduled to be getting MedallionNet.

[TimbersfanOR]

My wife and I are on the Ruby right now.  If they offered medallionnet for free, it would still feel like a rip off.  The internet is painfully slow on this ship regardless of the time of day.  Their response so far has been “well it isn’t slow for me” which isnt super helpful.

[Mikeseanliam]

When we booked on Coral Princess the Princess Connect was offered.  I bought the Premium Princess Connect but.now see that Medallion Net is offered.  PRINCESS couldn't really explain the difference. DOES ANYONE KNOW OF.ONE.IS .BETTER THAN THE OTHER. THANKS IN ADVANCE 

[caribill]

5 hours ago, Mikeseanliam said:

When we booked on Coral Princess the Princess Connect was offered.  I bought the Premium Princess Connect but.now see that Medallion Net is offered.  PRINCESS couldn't really explain the difference. DOES ANYONE KNOW OF.ONE.IS .BETTER THAN THE OTHER. THANKS IN ADVANCE 

 

PrincessConmnect -- the old (slow) system that Princess has had for years. In the past sold packages of minutes. Now only offer three unlimited use packages based on usage demands (social, surf, stream). Platinum/elite passengers still get free minutes but are offered a paid upgrade to an unlimited package once onboard.

 

MedallionNet -- the new very fast system. Only a single unlimited package is sold as it is fast enough to handle all of the past options. Platinum/elite passengers still get free minutes but are offered a paid upgrade to the unlimited package once on board.

 

A ship will have either PrincessConnect or MedallionNet. It does not have both.