So you can't check-in to get a boarding pass online from a computer on Princess these days?

[12cruise2]

What is going on?  I'm reading on one thread that one HAS to use the Medallion App to check-in, etc.  Or, apparently, check-in by telephone?  If so, this is completely ridiculous.  If we give all the info by phone, can we get a boarding pass online and print it out?  We have no interest in or use for a smartphone.  This is a big turn-off to cruising Princess, and we are elite cruisers with them.  Thanks for any info.

[pathi]

For now, no you cant Check in without using the medallion. However you don't really need to anymore either. Bring your Travel summary, Identification , Payment method and your covid documentation.

 

They will take care of everything at the port. They will give you medallions that will function as the old ship cards did. Key to the door, used for purchases etc. If you dont want the advanced features the medallion offers, you dont need a smart phone.

Edited January 19, 2022 by pathi

[waltd]

There are no more boarding passes.

[Shelly97060]

Just bring your passport, vaccine records and proof of negative Covid test to the port and they have numerous staff there to input the info and get you checked in.

 

no need to stress about this. 

Edited January 19, 2022 by Shelly97060

[skynight]

Agree Princess messed up thinking everyone has and wants to use a smart phone all the time. But, just bring your travel summary and all the required docs with you and you will be easily checked in at the pier.

[ontheweb]

47 minutes ago, 12cruise2 said:

What is going on?  I'm reading on one thread that one HAS to use the Medallion App to check-in, etc.  Or, apparently, check-in by telephone?  If so, this is completely ridiculous.  If we give all the info by phone, can we get a boarding pass online and print it out?  We have no interest in or use for a smartphone.  This is a big turn-off to cruising Princess, and we are elite cruisers with them.  Thanks for any info.

And they liked the idea of doing this so much that they made the developer of the medallion app their new President.😢🤦‍♂️ 

[12cruise2]

And, of course I telephoned Princess and got a nice sales rep who explained that yes, bring all the stuff to the pier and they will take care of check-in for us and give us a medallion medal or whatever the actual "thing" is. 

 

She explained they are working on getting everything on the computer so that we can input our info by computer.  That would be a good move.

 

She said that no one can give their info to a Princess rep (credit card, passport info, etc.) BY PHONE for the rep to input as far as she knew.  She said that yes, Princess is calling to get folks to "check-in" using the Medallion ap but repeated that no one should be giving their passport or credit card info by phone to a Princess rep.  She said that if folks do the ap. work ahead of time, then about two weeks in advance of the cruise, a Medallion is mailed (apparently mailed) to them.

 

Thank you all for your info.

Edited January 19, 2022 by 12cruise2

[Ferry_Watcher]

When you get to your port you will be guided to the Blue Line where check-in agents will scan your passport, swipe your credit card, enter your emergency contact's phone number (someone not traveling with you), then hand you your Medallion.

The Medallion will be what gets you on and off the ship, it unlocks your stateroom door, and it is tied to your credit card.  I think the Medallion technology is now fleet wide.

[dockman]

4 hours ago, 12cruise2 said:

And, of course I telephoned Princess and got a nice sales rep who explained that yes, bring all the stuff to the pier and they will take care of check-in for us and give us a medallion medal or whatever the actual "thing" is. 

 

She explained they are working on getting everything on the computer so that we can input our info by computer.  That would be a good move.

 

She said that no one can give their info to a Princess rep (credit card, passport info, etc.) BY PHONE for the rep to input as far as she knew.  She said that yes, Princess is calling to get folks to "check-in" using the Medallion ap but repeated that no one should be giving their passport or credit card info by phone to a Princess rep.  She said that if folks do the ap. work ahead of time, then about two weeks in advance of the cruise, a Medallion is mailed (apparently mailed) to them.

 

Thank you all for your info.

I was asked yesterday by princess to give my credit card over phone and did so....then got another call today asking many of same questions as yesterday as well as asked AGAIN for my credit card...the left hand seems to have NO CLUE what the right hand is doing...POOR LEADRSHIP POOR TRAINING POOR EXECUTION....staff is already overwhelmed with covid changes/questions but obviously whoever is in charge at princess has NO CLUE.  Some heads need to roll.

[dockman]

Decades ago when i was in a University Business Admin class one of my professors suggested that a President or CEO of any big company should actually CALL his customer service number anonymously at least once a week asking different questions that any normal customer might ask: like try to book/buy the product, ask basic questions, ask about refunds/payments etc....and LEARN from these calls HOW TO BE EASY TO DO BUSINESS WITH.

 

I would suggest this is still good advice for Princess Execs who obviously didn't attend the same classes that i did.

[Steelers36]

7 hours ago, 12cruise2 said:

She said that no one can give their info to a Princess rep (credit card, passport info, etc.) BY PHONE for the rep to input as far as she knew.  She said that yes, Princess is calling to get folks to "check-in" using the Medallion ap but repeated that no one should be giving their passport or credit card info by phone to a Princess rep.

That's pretty ridiculous when Princess reps can open up your booking and see all the relevant info.  And of course a customer who has booked with Princess HAS to give them credit card info in order to pay for the voyage.  When I get a silly rep, I roll my eyes and call back in.  But these days, that isn't so easy to do with the long waits.

[brisalta]

3 hours ago, dockman said:

Decades ago when i was in a University Business Admin class one of my professors suggested that a President or CEO of any big company should actually CALL his customer service number anonymously at least once a week asking different questions that any normal customer might ask: like try to book/buy the product, ask basic questions, ask about refunds/payments etc....and LEARN from these calls HOW TO BE EASY TO DO BUSINESS WITH.

 

I would suggest this is still good advice for Princess Execs who obviously didn't attend the same classes that i did.

 

This would do no good as the dolt that promoted the medallion concept and hired by princess has been promoted to president of princess.

[Reina del Mar]

Even pre medallion days, the check in clerks just needed our passports/ ID to get set up for embarkation..only twigged when throwing out excess paperwork on disembarkation that we still had our boarding passes !!

[12cruise2]

How does one carry the "medallion?"   Are we able to wear it around our neck on a lanyard like the typical room card key?  To wear it around my neck on a lanyard, do I have to put it into a colorless/clear plastic pocket, which pocket hangs onto a lanyard?  Hopefully on a lanyard; the last thing honestly I want to do is have a thing that has to be in a pocket (and potentially lost) or put in a wallet since I keep all valuables in the safe. . .

Again, thank you for all your info. 

Edited January 20, 2022 by 12cruise2

[negn]

Yes you can wear it around your neck and lanyard is provided.   There are other options people purchase such as wrist band butI found lanyard sufficient.   It was first time we used the medallion and we’re a bit leary but found it to be easier and more convenient than old key cards.   

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, dockman said:

I was asked yesterday by princess to give my credit card over phone and did so....then got another call today asking many of same questions as yesterday as well as asked AGAIN for my credit card...the left hand seems to have NO CLUE what the right hand is doing...POOR LEADRSHIP POOR TRAINING POOR EXECUTION....staff is already overwhelmed with covid changes/questions but obviously whoever is in charge at princess has NO CLUE.  Some heads need to roll.

What a strange way to operate customer service when their phone lines are already inundated with phone calls.

[booklady26]

14 hours ago, skynight said:

Agree Princess messed up thinking everyone has and wants to use a smart phone all the time. 

One of the things I think they missed was taking a look at the demographics of their passengers. On average, princess cruisers tend to be older than Celebrity (but not as old as HAL). Before you flame me, let me say that I am 70 years old myself, so I fit into the "older" category. While some of us may be somewhat lacking in e-skills, there are many like me who are quite computer literate but do not live their lives on their smart phone. 

 

When I cruise, my phone only comes out of the safe to take an occasional picture, maybe 2 or 3 times during the cruise. My Kindle Fire is my device of choice for reading, as well as for email and web browsing. If I want a drink and I don't see any servers around, my husband or I will get up and walk over to the bar and get one. What's the big deal? 

 

I also found checking in on my phone to be more time consuming than it was online. Although I did complete everything on the phone, I will still carry paper copies of all documentation needed or boarding. If I need to show anything at the pier, I find it easier to just show a piece of paper rather than scrolling through my phone to get it. Besides, my phone will probably be at the bottom on of my rather large tote bag, whereas my doc folder is very readily accessible. 

[PrincessLuver]

Wow.....change seems really tough for a number of  cruisers.....I guess if some had their way Princess would be using an abacus to add up our folios at checkout.....

[gardenbunny]

Technology is a tool like any other invention and/or  innovation that has evolved over my 7 decades.  Some I use, some I don’t.  Some you have to learn on a basic level, some you don’t.  Do I use every function it can do, nope.  Do I use Google a lot to show me the steps I need to do certain things I would like, yep.

My TA gave me a tutorial aide for using the Medallion App.  Step by step with pictures.  Not sure how she got it but it was great.  I had been stumbling my way through on my own.  Used that and sailed right through…other than the software glitches beyond our control. That is on Princess to resolve!

Princess should include that aide with every booking confirmation!

[awhcruiser]

50 minutes ago, PrincessLuver said:

Wow.....change seems really tough for a number of  cruisers.....I guess if some had their way Princess would be using an abacus to add up our folios at checkout.....

Exactly.  I see this as the way of the future.  

[BabySarge]

1 hour ago, PrincessLuver said:

Wow.....change seems really tough for a number of  cruisers.....I guess if some had their way Princess would be using an abacus to add up our folios at checkout.....

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!  The system wasn't broke it worked just fine.  This "change" is someone trying to glory build for themselves.  I have no problem with change.  What I have a problem with is stupid and stupid change and a non working, partially working, bug filled app is a stupid change.

[ontheweb]

1 minute ago, BabySarge said:

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!  The system wasn't broke it worked just fine.  This "change" is someone trying to glory build for themselves.  I have no problem with change.  What I have a problem with is stupid and stupid change and a non working, partially working, bug filled app is a stupid change.

But making the change got someone promoted to president of Princess; so it worked for him!

[JF - retired RRT]

6 hours ago, Reina del Mar said:

Even pre medallion days, the check in clerks just needed our passports/ ID to get set up for embarkation..only twigged when throwing out excess paperwork on disembarkation that we still had our boarding passes !!

The only thing the boarding passes were good for was to walk through the door when you first arrived at the port...& didn't even need it for that, 'cuz they had a printed list that they could check.

[adstz]

One hint I discovered that helped me a lot.

I had been struggling to enter my sailing information onto my phone. What a pain!

Then I read that you can download the app to a chrome book or iPad. 

It makes it so much easier to enter your information from the computer. Just sign in with your booking number and enter away!

The only problem I had was with my passport. Mine had expired so I needed to submit a new one. Couldn't get the scan to work so I just entered it manually.

And now I am green lane for my April cruise.

[mtnesterz]

6 hours ago, 12cruise2 said:

How does one carry the "medallion?"   Are we able to wear it around our neck on a lanyard like the typical room card key?  To wear it around my neck on a lanyard, do I have to put it into a colorless/clear plastic pocket, which pocket hangs onto a lanyard?  Hopefully on a lanyard; the last thing honestly I want to do is have a thing that has to be in a pocket (and potentially lost) or put in a wallet since I keep all valuables in the safe.

You can also ask for a cruise card for the ship and put your medallion in the safe.  When you get home, you can put it on your refrigerator for a souvenier.

If you do wish to use it on the ship, keeping it inside a mesh tea ball, metal enclosure or even foil wrap creates a Farady cage. So, it's readable only when you want to use it. So, the pocket then.

To @gardenbunny Techology is a solution in search of a problem. Sometimes technology is a worthless intrusion, like the Medallion. And technology costs money. If no one does Medallion preboarding, but shows up papers in hand and asks for a cruise card, the expense to Princess would make the Medallion useless. I too received the tutorial. Worthless due to Medallion glitches.

If no one uses it, preboarding or on the ship, the expense to Princess will end the debacle.