Cruise Cards on Grand Princess

[denmarks]

I know that Medallion Class on the Grand Princess will not be available until next year. I am going on a cruise in December. Have they converted all the doors and cash registers to use a tap card rather than a magnetic stripe? I heard that it was an intermediate step until they start using medallions.

[memoak]

This was the case on the Ruby in March - plates were on the doors rather than a slot - had many people very confused

[travellingnana]

Just off the Grand.  You still stick your cruise card into the door.

[PaperSniper4]

Anyone have any idea when the WiFi will be improved/upgraded on the Grand? We're sailing in Feb 2020, and I am hoping it might be upgraded, in part or in full, by then. I rarely use Wifi (we have time as Platinum) but I will check emails and especially airline reservations a day or two before our cruise terminates. I read the Grand is scheduled for the Medallion upgrade in March 2020, so I hope some of the Medallion "things" might be active (and working!). It's probably too early to ask; but I have learned there are some very informed folks on this forum..........😎

 

Doug

[fishywood]

 

@PaperSniper4 Grand Princess is scheduled to go "Medallion Class (sic)" in March 2020:

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion/

 

Princess MedallionClass Ships: Caribbean Princess® | Regal Princess® | Royal Princess®
Coming soon to:  Crown Princess® (7/24/19), Sky Princess® (10/12/19), Ruby Princess® (1/27/20), Grand Princess® (3/29/20), Enchanted Princess®(6/15/20), Emerald Princess® (8/16/20), Coral Princess® (10/16/20), and Island Princess® (12/20/20).

 

But there is no date given for when Grand will get MedallionNet internet service:

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion/medallionnet/

 

MedallionNet is currently available on: Caribbean Princess®, Coral Princess®, Island Princess®, Regal Princess®, Ruby Princess® and Royal Princess®ships.

Coming soon throughout 2019: Crown Princess® by July 12, Emerald Princess® by August 3, Sky Princess® by October 27, Golden Princess® by December 20 and Enchanted Princess® by June 19, 2020..

 

...even though Grand is currently offering the per day plans rather than the per minute.

.

I haven't been on Grand lately but was on Island (prior to MedallionNet) and Golden last year and connectivity to the ship's WiFi intranet was much more reliable than in the past, even compared to Royal Princess the year before. No dropping from either my phone or netbook and much quicker sign-ons when I did access the world wide web. So I would not expect any issues with either WiFi connection (to access Princess @ Sea and all its included features) or internet access (at least for simple tasks as e-mail and airline check-in). 

Edited June 26, 2019 by fishywood

[PaperSniper4]

20 hours ago, fishywood said:

 

@PaperSniper4 Grand Princess is scheduled to go "Medallion Class (sic)" in March 2020:

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion/

 

Princess MedallionClass Ships: Caribbean Princess® | Regal Princess® | Royal Princess®
Coming soon to:  Crown Princess® (7/24/19), Sky Princess® (10/12/19), Ruby Princess® (1/27/20), Grand Princess® (3/29/20), Enchanted Princess®(6/15/20), Emerald Princess® (8/16/20), Coral Princess® (10/16/20), and Island Princess® (12/20/20).

 

But there is no date given for when Grand will get MedallionNet internet service:

https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion/medallionnet/

 

MedallionNet is currently available on: Caribbean Princess®, Coral Princess®, Island Princess®, Regal Princess®, Ruby Princess® and Royal Princess®ships.

Coming soon throughout 2019: Crown Princess® by July 12, Emerald Princess® by August 3, Sky Princess® by October 27, Golden Princess® by December 20 and Enchanted Princess® by June 19, 2020..

 

...even though Grand is currently offering the per day plans rather than the per minute.

.

I haven't been on Grand lately but was on Island (prior to MedallionNet) and Golden last year and connectivity to the ship's WiFi intranet was much more reliable than in the past, even compared to Royal Princess the year before. No dropping from either my phone or netbook and much quicker sign-ons when I did access the world wide web. So I would not expect any issues with either WiFi connection (to access Princess @ Sea and all its included features) or internet access (at least for simple tasks as e-mail and airline check-in). 

Thanks. We have quite a bit of time included with our Princess "loyalty" status, and I plan to use some of that on future Princess cruises.

 

About a year ago our post-cruise flight out of FLL was canceled; we received NO notification from the airline; we only found out the flight was canceled when we attempted to use Celebrity's "valet" service" *. We previously never used WiFi, no cell phones, internet, etc on cruises, but after that experience I will always log on and check our airline connections a day or two prior to the cruise returning to port. Paying for a day of internet near the end of the cruise is inexpensive, and getting even 12 hours notification of a canceled flight can say hours if not days getting a replacement.  So I am a believer now!<g>

 

*When I say no notification from the airline, I mean once we turned on our phones upon reaching Port Everglades, and checking again at home later. Zero notification of our flight cancellation: but approximately 2 email advertisements per day from that airline. I was not  happy camper and told the airline about my displeasure. They really could have cared less. That airline is no longer on my preferred list.

[8dimsum]

which airline dropped the notification ball?

[PaperSniper4]

One of the very popular and usually efficient ones that allows passengers to bring checked bag<s>. They fly mostly B737s - and that's what caused the problems when many of those were grounded a few months ago. What really irritated me was I checked with the airline two days before our departure from home to verify our RT legs would be okay and was told there was no problem, both were on a non-affected model aircraft.