Boarding without using the Medallion App - Is it OK?

[Smokeyham]

We are signed up for a cruise in November and decided to get a jump on things by downloading the Medallion app and entering some of the information.   We've sailed with Princess before and it recognized us and pre-filled some information such as passports, etc.

 

However, when we tried to accept the passage contract it just went into an endless loop and would not even let us exit the app.  Had to reboot the phone.

I've been reading some horror stories about people having difficulties with the app and am wondering how bad it is if we just choose to ignore it and turn up at the dock with our usual paperwork (including vaccine certificates) and just show those to shoreside staff and be issued a medallion at that point?  

 

If we do that will the boarding process really be extended and might there be any other negative consequences for the rest of our cruise?

 

To put this in perspective, we will be on the Discovery Princess and it will only be for four days.

 

Thanks for your thoughts/experience.

[Ron the Rev]

2 hours ago, Smokeyham said:

We are signed up for a cruise in November and decided to get a jump on things by downloading the Medallion app and entering some of the information.   We've sailed with Princess before and it recognized us and pre-filled some information such as passports, etc.

 

However, when we tried to accept the passage contract it just went into an endless loop and would not even let us exit the app.  Had to reboot the phone.

I've been reading some horror stories about people having difficulties with the app and am wondering how bad it is if we just choose to ignore it and turn up at the dock with our usual paperwork (including vaccine certificates) and just show those to shoreside staff and be issued a medallion at that point?  

 

If we do that will the boarding process really be extended and might there be any other negative consequences for the rest of our cruise?

 

To put this in perspective, we will be on the Discovery Princess and it will only be for four days.

 

Thanks for your thoughts/experience.

Not to worry. Hard copy is still good and by the way, those who get put into the green lane are sometimes at a disadvantage, as the line may be so long that the slow lanes are processed faster. 

[Lady Meer]

We boarded Sky Princess in Southampton in April with just paperwork - it was very speedy with no problem. We arrived at the terminal at 10.45 and were in the Wake View Bar at 11.20!!

 

You should be fine.

[caribill]

The extra time you might spend at check-in will be significantly less than the time you have already spent trying to use the App.

[AF-1]

Do not spend too much time with the app.  If it works then fine;  but a lot of people on this forum have lots of issues with the app accepting some things and not others.  Just show up with required paperwork, passport, vax card, neg covid and you should be fine.

[latebloomer56]

We don't plan on using the app either. Will the required paperwork be available and access to completed our booking information be available after final pagment? I can't open our booking to complete as it keeps asking us for information to start the app.?

Thanks

[JF - retired RRT]

10 hours ago, Smokeyham said:

We are signed up for a cruise in November and decided to get a jump on things by downloading the Medallion app and entering some of the information.   We've sailed with Princess before and it recognized us and pre-filled some information such as passports, etc.

 

However, when we tried to accept the passage contract it just went into an endless loop and would not even let us exit the app.  Had to reboot the phone.

I've been reading some horror stories about people having difficulties with the app and am wondering how bad it is if we just choose to ignore it and turn up at the dock with our usual paperwork (including vaccine certificates) and just show those to shoreside staff and be issued a medallion at that point?  

 

If we do that will the boarding process really be extended and might there be any other negative consequences for the rest of our cruise?

 

To put this in perspective, we will be on the Discovery Princess and it will only be for four days.

 

Thanks for your thoughts/experience.

You could also try the "web-based" app at Princess.com.

[Smokeyham]

Thanks for the great feedback!

Edited May 27, 2022 by Smokeyham

[fairmontracer]

I agree with all the above, the pre-cruise experience for us has been useless with the app for the last two cruises. I have pretty much given up on it. It seems to work fine once on the ship though.

However, I would highly recommend you call Princess and do your dine my way reservations ahead of time. If you wait until you are on the ship, you may not be able to dine in the main dining room. This happened to others on our last cruise.

[Lady Meer]

Also of note - onboard Sky we tried to book a specialty restaurant using the TV and were only offered 9 pm any evening. Went to the desk at the restaurant where we were offered a selection of earlier times!

[Smokeyham]

2 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said:

You could also try the "web-based" app at Princess.com.

Thanks for that suggestion!  

I found a link that on this webpage (about 1/2 way down the page in rather small print).  https://www.princess.com/plan/oceanready

[Smokeyham]

11 minutes ago, fairmontracer said:

I agree with all the above, the pre-cruise experience for us has been useless with the app for the last two cruises. I have pretty much given up on it. It seems to work fine once on the ship though.

However, I would highly recommend you call Princess and do your dine my way reservations ahead of time. If you wait until you are on the ship, you may not be able to dine in the main dining room. This happened to others on our last cruise.

 

2 minutes ago, Lady Meer said:

Also of note - onboard Sky we tried to book a specialty restaurant using the TV and were only offered 9 pm any evening. Went to the desk at the restaurant where we were offered a selection of earlier times!

 

This is really sad! We really enjoyed "Any time" dining in the Main Dining Room and the flexibility of just turning up with perhaps a short wait at one of the bars.  

[jaxw17]

48 minutes ago, Smokeyham said:

Thanks for that suggestion!  

I found a link that on this webpage (about 1/2 way down the page in rather small print).  https://www.princess.com/plan/oceanready

It does not show that option when I sign in to mine I am having trouble with the app and thinking of ditching it

 

[Smokeyham]

15 minutes ago, jaxw17 said:

It does not show that option when I sign in to mine I am having trouble with the app and thinking of ditching it

 

Is your question that you do not see the link on the Princess web page?  

Did you scroll down on the web page?  The link is just above the colored bars which explain the possible boarding lanes (Green, Blue, and Yellow).

 

https://www.princess.com/plan/oceanready

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, Smokeyham said:

Thanks for that suggestion!  

I found a link that on this webpage (about 1/2 way down the page in rather small print).  https://www.princess.com/plan/oceanready

Did it work?

[Smokeyham]

2 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Did it work?

It did! 

 

Thanks for that.  I made a seperate post with the instructions for others to use.  

Much easier than trying to do this on the phone.  

I also reloaded the App and checked that the information was reflected on the phone App and it showed there.

Thanks again for sharing that... very helpful!

[dockman]

other than opening my door (well except for three occasions where that did not work and i had to go to front desk)  and getting on/off the ship the app/medallion was totally worthless to me since my i phone 6 is too old and it won't load it.....can't say as i missed the app but problem is they have now done away with ability to do things like check your bill balance on the tv as of course everyone is supposed to use the app...i truly do not understand especially after a two year covid hiatus why the IT people could not use that time to get the bugs out....for the app cheerleaders out there...good for you happy it works...for the rest i wouldn't worry about it as i suspect some kids in a basement somewhere will soon come up with a generic cruise app that actually works for all.

Edited May 27, 2022 by dockman