princess cruises medallion reviews

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To answer your question, yes you can. You can order two drinks with your Medallion and the waiter will see you are together. If you just have his Medallion and he isn't with you then you might have problems as the photo associated with each Medallion appears on their screens. However I rarely used it to order drinks/food and I just went to the bar or signaled a waiter. Often if they saw you ordering using the App they came over anyway. By the way, you don't use the medallion to order, you use the App on a phone/tablet etc. If you don't use the App the medallion identifies you and the charges go on your account. Have you installed the Medallion Class App on your mobile device yet?

Good advice from Graeme.

As long as you have both purchased Princess Plus, there is no problem ordering two drinks at once.

And, if you are in your cabin, order your drinks via the TV.

Yes thanks I have the app , he doesn’t nor does he have a smart phone

Just to add I have made him an account on the app in my phone , I suppose I’ll switch between them

You can use the Medallion no problem to get drinks for each other BUT forget that App, it doesn’t work.

When ordering online it often doesn’t detect your location and if it does you are then instructed to hold your phone up in the air, having pressed a button when instructed that your screen turns red so the server can locate you.

Even in cabin the App often told me ordering at this location wasn’t possible. We used the TV.

I see so I’m at the table , he has gone to the loo , grab me a beer pls … so I just flash both mediallions . I’ll not mess about with the app then . Thanks

You don't need both medallions. Just use your own and order two drinks with it.

And let my father use all my drinks !! Lol ??

And then use his at that point. It's not complicated - you're overthinking.

Overthinking is the correct word.

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21 Things You Need to Know About Ocean Medallion

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It’s been a few months since Princess Cruises has rolled out their innovative (and award-winning ) Ocean Medallion program. They began with the Caribbean Princess, then moved onto the Regal Princess and Royal Princess. By 2020, according to Princess Cruises’ website, there will be a total of 11 Ocean Medallion ships in the fleet.

In this post, I’ll be letting you know how Ocean Medallion works, what are it’s main benefits and answer some of the questions that are commonly asked in Facebook groups and forums.

If you still have a question by the end of the post, please do me a favor and leave it as a comment. I’ll do my best to find that answer for you.

**Update – Princess has recently updated the MedallionClass app and I’ve updated the information below.

I’ve partnered with Princess Cruises and OceanMedallion to share information about the MedallionClass Experience and accessories with you.

Everything you wanted to know about Ocean Medallion – from a cruiser’s perspective

Our ocean medallion story.

I happen to be a big fan of OceanMedallion. We were lucky enough to have cruised on the Regal Princess just a few months ago during it’s trial phase. Even at that, I was impressed with all it could do and bring to a cruiser’s vacation.

We found convenience, connection (love between-friends ship board messaging and MedallionNet), and an overall easier cruise travel experience.

You can read our review and about our Ocean Medallion experience HERE .

What is Princess Cruises Ocean Medallion?

According to Princess Cruises, “ Ocean Medallion  is a first-of-its-kind wearable device that elevates every moment before, during and after your  Ocean Medallion  Vacation. From on-demand food and drinks, interactive gaming, custom entertainment and smart navigation,  Medallion  makes cruising simpler, and more personal and enjoyable than ever.”

By now, you’ve probably heard at least a bit about Ocean Medallion, but perhaps need some more information to be clear on how it works.

In this post I will go over some basics as well as some specific practical benefits for you, the cruise traveler.

** I’ve added a BONUS TIP (#22) which you’ll LOVE!!!

1. What is the Ocean Medallion device and how is it worn?

Princess passengers will receive the Ocean Medallion wearable disk, a little bigger than the size of a quarter. It will be be printed out with your name, ship and sail date, along with the Princess logo in the center. As well, it comes personalized with your Captain’s Circle level color.

It’s quite nice, and I’m imagining that for some it could become part of great souvenir collection. I even saw a suggestion by one Princess cruiser, that she’ll turn them into fridge magnets (why not?) .

It can be worn on a lanyard, which will be provided to you free of charge when you check in to your cruise . There are also accessories that are available for purchase (see below).

If you are a US resident, the Ocean Medallion will be mailed to you a couple of weeks before your cruise. However, Canadians and passengers from other countries will have the Ocean Medallions available for pick up at the cruise port upon embarkation .

2. What does Ocean Medallion do?

Ocean Medallion is a new technology on Princess Cruise ships, and essentially replaces the cruise card, and does so much more. It’s pretty much made the whole ship “smart”!

Plus, although you can access many features on your smartphone, you don’t need to use your phone to benefit. You will still have an Ocean Medallion experience, with your wearable medallion and by using the portals on the ship.

3. Getting Ocean Ready for your cruise

Once you’ve booked your cruise, you’ll need to fill in your mandatory immigration information (ie. passport info and check in information, etc.) on your Cruise Personalizer, just like we do for every cruise.

Now you can download  the MedallionClass app in the App store or on Google Play. It’s that easy.

You’ll be prompted to upload a photo of yourself and input other information and preferences. Not to worry if you prefer to have your photo taken once you’re at the cruise port.

Once you’ve completed the steps, you’ll be pretty much ready to board your ship, after a quick verification of your documents at the cruise port. Current passengers recount that this is a very quick process, so do this prior to your cruise if possible.

I could go into detail about how to do this, but this video from Princess is really good and has step by step instructions should you need them.

4. How much does Ocean Medallion cost?

If you’re booked on an Ocean Medallion class ship, Ocean Medallion is included and there is no additional charge to use it. The wearable medallion disk, which comes with a lanyard, and the majority of it’s features are part of the OceanMedallion cruise experience.

I believe there has been some confusion as the internet, known as MedallionNet, does have an additional charge. However, cruise passengers are not obliged to use any internet at all, so this is optional. I will detail MedallionNet further in this post.

Features and benefits of Ocean Medallion

There are several great things about Ocean Medallion, and some may be more appealing to you than others. That’s what I like about cruising, there’s something for everyone – and the Ocean Medallion is no exception.

5. Hands-free cabin door opening

This simple feature makes cruising so much more convenient. When you arrive at your cabin, there will be a panel on the side of your door that “recognizes” you as you approach. Your photo will come up, so download a good one!

Your door will unlock for you, so no more fumbling for cruise cards. I often have a coffee in hand, so I love this!

6. Ocean Compass

There are portals around the ship that can help you to orient yourself, where you are, and where you want to go. You can also have this feature on your smart phone.

There’s even a little “GPS-like” component where you’ll see a path from where you are, to where you want to go on the cruise ship. You seriously could never get lost, even on a big ship!

These features are my personal favorites:

7. Messenger service between guests

As part of Ocean Compass , guests can message each other throughout the cruise on the ship’s wi-fi (not Internet). I’ve loved this since we used it a couple of years ago, as Princess@Sea, on a amazing multi-generational cruise we did with family and friends . It’s super handy, and it’s free.

8. Find your shipmates

On big cruise-ships, can’t we all use this? Simply search on your phone or on the ship’s portals, for your shipmates (ie. friends and family).

So many people can get excited about this. I have a teen, and I like to know where he is. You can read about our little adventure during our last cruise, and how Find My Shipmates saved me, lol.

Hello Ocean Medallion!! A Cruiser’s Perspective on the Best New Tech at Sea

However, this is great for seniors traveling, those traveling with someone who is vulnerable, or just about anyone who sometimes wonders where their spouse disappeared to.

Funny Story

I have a very good friend who says she always “loses” her husband when cruising. He loves to chat with people and she says he can be gone for much longer than he intends.

An hour at the gym?!? No way. She says he gets so side-tracked after that she needs to search to find him a couple of hours later. She is thrilled to be have this feature!! I’m not sure he is ;-).

9. Ocean concierge

Ocean concierge is where you can see events and activities either on your phone or portal, look at the dining room menus and check your ship board account.

10. Ocean Now – more personal interactions with staff and personalized bar service

The medallion actually lets the crew know who you are, as well as where you are. So, when you order a drink and go sit down by the pool or in the theater, they can find you easily.

When you leave your cabin to go for breakfast or dinner, your cabin attendant can know that it’s a good time to enter to clean the cabin. You’ll likely find that the crew members will call you by name as well.

Something that wasn’t yet available during our cruise, but I know I would have loved, is the ability to order drinks right from your phone. I’m imagining what a pleasure it must be to order a drink while sitting in a lounge or by the pool, without having to get up to go to the bar and wait in a line.

11. Interactive games – Play Ocean

There are several large-screen game portals around the ship where people can play games. These games are also available on ipads and phones. During our cruise, we saw many kids and families enjoying these on the large portals.

Something kind of cute is that you can design and create your own Tagalong avatar on the app. You can choose from a seahorse, turtle or angelfish and customize it’s colors and pattern. Each time you pass certain portals, your Tagalong will come out to play.

12. Original travel shows – OceanView

There is some interesting programming available to watch in your cabin as well as on your ipad or phone. This includes Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin.

13. Casino games (outside of the casino)

If you like to play Casino Games, wherever you feel like, you will probably enjoy Ocean Casino . You can play a variety of games right on your device, from just about anywhere on the ship.

I’ll be the first one to tell you, that I wished I enjoyed the casino, but it’s just not my thing. However, we met other passengers who loved it!

14. What is Princess Cruises MedallionNet?

If you’ve ever been on a cruise, you know how expensive and slow cruise ship internet usually is. However, the Ocean Medallion technology has brought with it the Best Internet at Sea (that I’ve ever seen).

If you’re not an internet user while on a cruise, there is no need to change and no pressure to buy any internet package. The Ocean Medallion will work for you without internet.

However, I know there are times people could really use the connection and internet makes their life easier, even on a cruise. The great thing about MedallionNet is that it’s fast, it’s everywhere (even in your cabin), and it’s affordable!

Fun fact – There’s MedallionNet on Princess Cays, Princess Cruise Private Island. How cool is that? 

15. How much does Medallion Net cost?

When we cruised, the price was $10 per day for unlimited internet (which was a 50% discount) but you did need to buy it the first day. The price was $129 for 4 devices for a 7 day cruise, so excellent value for a family of 4 in one cabin.

Price out internet packages on other cruise ships and cruise lines, and you’ll know that this is a good deal!

Cruise Tip: Purchase the internet package online before your cruise or on the first day of your cruise for a discounted rate. Prices may vary and change, so please check your cruise booking for current pricing.

How does this affect Captain’s Circle internet minute benefits?

Platinum and Elite Captain Circle members can use their allotted internet minutes, or can have a discount applied should they buy the unlimited MedallionNet. In my opinion, this is very worth it, but do check for yourself.

16. What if I don’t want to use my phone on my cruise?

If you’re someone who really likes to get away from it all when cruising, I hear you.

There’s no need to use a smartphone and you can keep it locked in your cabin safe all week if you like. Cruise ship portals are available and all the Ocean Medallion disk “functions” work.

17. Help with Ocean Medallion and the Medallion Class App

Something to note is that when we boarded our ship, and into the next days, there were staff at both an Ocean Medallion kiosque and around the ship to assist guests with everything Ocean Medallion related.

So, if you need help with knowing what to do or something isn’t working right, don’t be shy. Just ask at the Ocean Medallion desk or at Guest Relations (who were super helpful when we ran into an Internet snag, so I speak from experience) .

18. How do I pay for purchases, if I don’t have a cruise card?

Your Medallion disk functions the same way as your cruise card, so you will just tap your medallion to pay for purchases throughout the ship.

19. Princess Cruises Ocean Medallion accessories

When we cruised on the Regal Princess over Christmas and New Year’s , the Ocean Medallion accessories weren’t available for purchase yet. There was nothing wrong with the lanyard, and being honest, it was surprisingly convenient. But, I LOVE the gold necklaces and bracelets! They just seem to dress up an outfit ;-)!

You can now purchase wristbands in a variety of colors, clips, necklaces and bracelets. OM accessories are available online for pre-purchase, as well as upon boarding your cruise .

See the photo above for a close up view of the wristbands, which I’ve tried out and think are fabulous. They’re very comfortable, fit well and are available in different colors. Super cute!

Now I just have to book a cruise to wear them ;-)!

*Update – we’re heading on the Crown Princess in January 2020. Here more about our upcoming cruise and updated info in this YouTube Video all about Ocean Medallion

20. Can I opt out of the Ocean Medallion?

Princess Cruises says that you can opt out of all but the basic functions of the medallion, and it can be put on a safety mode. It does serve as your room key so it is necessary that you carry it.

However, I encourage you to give it a try for at least a couple of days. Remember that you never have to use your phone, and portals can give you any information you may need.

21. What cruise ships have Ocean Medallion?

As of now, Princess Medallion Class ships include; Caribbean Princess, Crown Princess, Regal Princess and Royal Princess. More are coming soon!

For a complete list of future Medallion Class cruise ships, please visit the Princess Cruises website.

22. BONUS TIP – How to Get a Free Drink with the Medallion App

I’ve recently added this information, as we became aware of a nice little on onboard extra, as an incentive to use the Medallion Class App.

It’s very simple. When you order your drink from the Medallion App on your phone, you’ll see that you will get one FREE drink (up to $12). 

Don’t forget to save this (on your favorite Pinterest board) and feel free to pass this on to other Pricess Cruisers.

Recommended – Are you going on your first Princess Cruise? Then check out this post:  Princess Cruises: 15 Best Tips for First Timers

Recap:21 Things You Need to Know about Princess Cruises Ocean Medallion

These are the most Frequently Asked Questions asked by cruisers about Princess Cruises Ocean Medallion and Medallion Class ships. I hope that this post has been helpful, and given you a better understanding of the OceanMedallion features.

In my Facebook community, I asked Princess passengers, who’ve recently cruised on the Caribbean Princess, Royal or Regal Princess, and other Medallion class ships for their thoughts. Overwhelmingly, their cruise experience with Ocean Medallion has been positive.

If you are having any difficulty with setting up before you go, don’t hesitate to call your travel agent or Princess Cruises for some assistance.

Have you cruised on a Medallion Class ship? Are you booked on an upcoming cruise? Let me know your thoughts and what you liked best! If you have any questions, please let me know and I will do my best to find out the answers.

Happy Cruising!

P.S. If you’ve found this post helpful, please don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with a friend on Facebook or Pin and save for later on Pinterest (share buttons at the top). Thanks so much!

Popular posts to help get ready for your cruise:

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62 Comments

Since I can’t download the app (they don’t have it for my smart phone), how do I get the picture and documents in. At check in?

You can always take a photo at check in, so don’t worry if you haven’t done everything before check in. However, I suggest you call Princess Cruises with specific questions for your booking, as I always want you to have the most current and best information for your own circumstance. 1-800-774-6277

Have a wonderful cruise!

Everything I read focuses on the benefits as a selling point, but however isn’t this a bit too much big brother for anyone else? Maybe some people do not want their data tracked by a company or even friends and family to know exactly where they are at every moment. Also I have been on cruises where my older children have had their own cabin, but it may not be unlikely that I give them my cabin key to borrow something from my cabin. Since they no longer are using a keycard this seems like it could be an inconvenience. The only true benefit I’m seeing is the onboard messaging, and most of the other features have been positioned as benefits but the real value is for the company in collecting tracking data.

I can understand your point of view. My understanding is that you can have all but the basic functions turned off. It doesn’t bother me personally (tracking data) and I think there are benefits to it, but I can see how it’s not for everyone.

In regards to the cabin, perhaps see with guest services how it might work for you all to access each other’s cabins.

If you end up going on a Princess Cruise and experiencing the Medallion, please let me know how it goes.

Thanks for taking the time to comment!

What about getting off the ship? Won’t they still need something with your name, ship etc to get by local authorites?

Yes they most likely will. Many cruise ports ask you to bring your government ID ashore. Otherwise the Ocean Medallion has all your info in it, just like the cruise cards.

The cruise ship will give the information as to what you need to bring ashore.

If you go, please let me know how it is :-).

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment,

Got half way threw loading all information the app say cannot detect internet my internet is working fine

I see from a variety of posts in Facebook groups that others are having the same issue today. It seems there may must be a problem/glitch today (someone reported that the system will be back up Monday).

I would suggest trying Monday and if it’s not working calling Princess or your travel agent.

Hope that helps.

Your post is much more informative than the Princess website. I cannot find where to find accesseries to buy, namely wrist bands & bracelets, on their website, I even asked our princess Cruise person, Becky, & she did not know. I want to buy them for Christmas presents prior to our Sky Princess cruise the end of February.

I’m glad the post was helpful to you. My understanding is that once you log into the new Medallion App, that you will be able to order online. I’m truthfully not sure if you need to be a certain amount of days away from your sailing.

I have not yet tried it myself, but hopefully will soon and then I’ll be able to give a better answer.

As a suggestion, perhaps try asking recent cruisers in one of the Princess Passenger Facebbok Groups. Princess Passengers Forum and Princess Cruise Lovers are 2 I know are very helpful.

I love your idea for Christmas presents by the way!!

As of today (10/25/2019), I still cannot complete the final step of the Medallion app — adding my address so that the Medallion can be shipped to me. The app tells me that Ocean Net cannot access my information. If Princess cannot fix this glitch before we sail, will we still get the Medallion at embarkation?

Hi Elizabeth,

I don’t think you’ll have a problem picking up the medallions at the cruise port if they they aren’t sent to you (I’m Canadian and this is the process for us so don’t worry). However, it’s best to call Princess directly about your specific booking. I’ve done this myself if I have even a small issue with online check in and they can usually help right over the phone.

Hope all goes well and that you have a great cruise!

Hi This is a very important question for people with pacemakers. I have heard that the medallion has a magnet in it and should be kept at least 6 inches away from a person’s pacemaker. Any information would be very helpful

I agree that this is important info. My understanding is that when you receive the medallions, there will be a notice that should you have a pacemaker, it should be kept at least 6 inches away.

People who have cruised with the Medallion, who have a pacemaker have said they have kept the medallion in their pocket, clipped near their pocket, or have worn the sportsband.

I suggest that if you call Princess if you have concerns about your specific situation.

Have a great cruise and please let me know how how it functions with your pacemaker as others will surely be interested.

Hi! We are sailing on two separate ships (a sort of Back to Back but will need to walk from Regal to Sky). MedallionClass app has us listed as one long cruise. Thinking we cannot use the same device on two cruises, but I can’t set up the second cruise. May need to call them. Any thoughts?

I do think you should call Princess.

I’ve heard of having the same for a B2B on the same ship (we did), but would not have thought this would be the case for different ships.

They can actually help you over the phone with the info and online check in, so please give the a quick call and I’m sure it will all get sorted.

Have a great cruise – they do sound awesome!

We are going on the SKY Princess in 2 week. We are super excited about the Medallion and possibilities. Since it is the first cruise ship to be fully integrated and not a refit.

Oh Wow! Very true – this ship is built as Medallion Class. I’d love to hear how it works and what you think. If you have a chance, please let me know when you get back.

So exciting to the cruising on the Sky!

Have a great cruise Lisa!

I will soon be boarding the princess Caribbean I wish to know when and how I can get Ocean Now. Thank yoy

Hi Anthony,

You can now simply download the MedallionClass App. I suggest for your specific questions for your booking, to call Princess or your travel agent. They will know exactly when you’re sailing and can give you accurate information while accessing your booking.

Have a great cruise!

Hello!! This is wonderful information, we are cruising on the Regal Princes in 10 days. We are super excited. I am wondering if we should purchase the internet package or if it’s smart just to utilize the free wifi onboard? Also, are there any “must do’s” on the ship or our cruise that you would suggest? We don’t want to miss out on anything.we are going to Cays, St. Maarten, St. Thomas. Would love to get any suggestions. Thank you!!

I find the internet package so reasonable, that I think it’s worth it. However I think it depends on if you need internet or enjoy it when on a cruise.

What a great itinerary! We loved Megan’s Bay in St. Thomas personally and in St. Maarteen the famous Maho beach (airplanes) is something to experience. For a calmer atmosphere you may enjoy the French side of the island, at Orient Beach. Princess Cays is a lovely beach day with a BBQ lunch.

Hi. We will be cruising the end of February. I downloaded the app,and was setting up all the required information, but didn’t complete it all. What concerns me is the need to take a picture of or scan my passport. This information will be forever in the “cloud”. Has anyone ever questioned this before? This just makes me feel uncomfortable. Maybe I have this all wrong and am worrying for nothing. Thanks for any information that would alleviate my fears.

Thanks so much for your comments and question. I had heard that information was secure, however not knowing the details, I reached out to Princess Cruises for clarification.

I received this information from the MedallionClass Support Team:

The protection and security of guest data is a critical priority for Princess Cruises.

Passport data is stored in a separate Travel Documents system which is tokenized and can only be retrieved based on an approved identity token. *A guest can retrieve travel docs for themselves *A guest can retrieve travel docs for their companions (part of the same booking) *An authorized crew member can access

I hope this helps alleviate your worries.

My college aged kids and I are sailing on a cruise in March. They have their passports with them at college. Can/Should we each separately download and add our information on the MedallionClass app since I can’t access their passports or get a security pic. Or should I just wait until I see them the day before the cruise and enter their info?

Since you’ll want to do your online check in before your cruise, as a suggestion, perhaps have your kids to send you a photo of their passports with info so you can complete the online check in and print out the boarding passes?

For specific information pertaining to your booking, please call Princess Cruises directly or your travel agent, as circumstances may differ.

My main issue is that there is a problem with the app and there is no contact phone number to speak with IT directly. We have to wait for a callback. What if it’s not a convenient time or place or during work hours. This is not acceptable and Princess needs to have a direct line to Tech Support. If you do have it, please provide.

Hi Eleanor,

I understand your frustration, however your issue would be best directed to Princess Cruises directly. This is a cruise travel blog and not affiliated with Princess.

We do not own any mobile device to access the medallion APP. Wiil the check in procedure at terminal be the same as it was pre medallion. When we disembark at completion of cruise is the medallion disabled. Thank you for any information you can offer.

You don’t need a smart phone to use most features of Ocean Medallion once on the ship, so not to worry. That said, do make sure that you complete your online check in, as you would for any Princess Cruise. Yes, the medallion is disabled once you leave the ship, and becomes a bit of a souvenir ;-).

I hope that helps, however for specific information pertaining to your reservation please call Princess or your travel agent.

Is the price for the medallion accessories the same on board as it is if you pre order. The Sport band is $10 on line but I seem to be between sizes and would prefer to try it on but not if it costs more on the ship. I’m Canadian so I don’t worry about shipping charges as they won’t ship to Canada anyway.

I believe the price is the same on the ship. I have heard that if you order online, and replace the lanyard with the band, you save a couple dollars. Since you’re waiting till you get to the ship anyway, you may as well choose your colour and size.

PROBLEM WITH OCEAN READY States Could not start Ocean Ready . All i want to do is Order 2 Medallion class wrist bands . Cruise no . Brisbane to New Zealand . Been trying now for 3 weeks!!

Hi Dennis William,

Please contact Princess directly at the toll free number on their website. This is an independent website (blog) not affiliated with Princess. I removed your booking number so not to reveal private information. In some cases, you may want to wait to buy the wristbands once onboard.

Best of luck,

Ilana, Life Well Cruised

Can both passengers in a cabin have the app with their details or does it have to be set up with the lead passengers info on both phones? Thanks

That’s a good question Sharon. I believe that each passenger would have their own details and information. In my case, I completed the check in process for the passengers in my cabin (family) but did input the info for each. Once onboard each passenger has their own medallion (and info).

Ilana, Awesome information. Just curious if you have any more information regarding ordering food and drinks to your cabin with the medallion. I know previously if you ordered food you would be charged a service tip. As well, you could not order drinks from the bar to your room. With medallion, can we now order food without the tip addition and drinks from the bar? Thanks!

My understanding of the new features & services of Ocean Medallion is that you can order food and drinks to anywhere on the ship. A tip is always optional for room service, so I think this would still be the case. Once Princess starts sailing again (coming soon), we’ll see how things actually work for people onboard. I’ll be watching and updating as I know more.

There will be the usual tip for drinks but no charge for bringing to you according to Princess website.

Awesome, thanks for pointing this out and sharing.

I cannot seem to complete the MedallionClass App (MedallionPay). Is it because I am more than 6 months before the cruise?

Hi Jocelyne,

That’s a good question. I’ve seen others comment as well about this. The best thing is to call Princess for your specific booking for assistance.

Thank you for your information. I was wondering, in the video you hold up the medallion in a plastic case with the lanyard. Do you take it out for you to use with another accessory or is there a different one for those. Can you use your own silver or gold necklace with them?

The plastic clip is it’s own accessory, so yes you can take it out and put it into the wristband or the necklace holder. I don’t think you could use your own necklace, unless you adapt it somehow. Perhaps there are some tips and tricks I’m not aware of though 🙂

Hello Ilana,

We have some questions regarding the new Medallion device, after reading your article and would like some clarification regarding the actual Medallion itself.

1.) Is there a charge for the actual Medallion device, or is it free-of charge?;

2.) Are you obligated to purchase daily Wi-Fi for the device to operate, other than to open your room?

Today, 01 July 2021, we received an email from Princess advising the cruise line is doing-away with the free internet minutes, to be replaced with a per-diem charge for use.

Can you clarify what Princess is doing? Whilst we understand cruise lines have lost revenue due to Covid, it seems the charges are a slap in the face to long-time cruisers, as we are, as our cruises were booked in March 2021.

My wife contacted Princess today to see if they would honour the previously agreed-upon free internet minutes we booked. After a nearly one- and- a half (1 1/2) hours conversation, first with a Customer Service Representative, and finally speaking to a Supervisor, Princess would not honour their prior internet offer, nor did the Supervisor offer any other on-board compensation as a ‘Thank you’ for our loyalty over the years!

Hi Simon and Marianne,

The medallion is free of charge and you do not need to purchase the internet plan for it to work.

In my latest YouTube video I went over some of the updates, including the changes to Captain’s Circle benefits. They added some new benefits & discounts as they changed the former free minutes.

Best to you,

I have a medallion from a cruise that was cancelled. Can I use it, or do I need to order a new one?

My understanding is that you will get a new one for your new cruise. Best to call Princess or your TA for your specific booking questions.

My partner and I are trying to download the Medallion app to his phone; this appears to be the only way to get the cruise contract, travel info, etc., that was previously done by computer. BUT his phone won’t work – every time he tries to push a back button it freezes up. He has to turn his phone off and turn it back on again. Terribly inefficient and frustrating. Isn’t there some alternative to using the Medallion app to check in and get ready for the cruise? Paper always worked before!!! He’s almost to the point of refusing to go with me because this is so difficult. I can’t find an alternative means to get ready for the cruise. We’re sailing 8/22/21.

Hi Kathryn,

I hope this has worked out for you now. Please call Princess as I know they’ll be helpful.

Enjoy your cruise!

I had to cancel a cruise and rebook another. I have my new booking number so that is set. I had already filled all the info on the app for the cancelled cruise. However how do I change my cancelled cruise date to my new booking on the app? It still shows the cancelled cruise data?

Hi Nanette,

For questions specific to your booking it’s best to contact Princess directly. Your new booking should appear, however it does not, just give them a call and they’ll be happy to help.

Enjoy your cruise,

Can you provide the exact dimensions of a medallion? Or a close up photo with a ruler/tape measure?

Diameter, thickness. Diameter of center logo?

I want to make custom accessories for mine before we sail and cannot have it mailed to me in advance.

This is a good question for any recent Princess cruisers – perhaps in a facebook group or on cruise critic? I wouldn’t want to measure one from 2 years ago and not be accurate.

Good luck with it,

Where on the medallion site will I find my cabin number?

On your reservation you should see your cabin number, and it will be on your cruise personalizer as well. Please contact your travel agent or Princess for questions specific to your booking and they’ll be happy to help.

Are these “throw away” items after my cruise or do I have to re-order new medallion for every new cruise?

While you don’t need to throw them away, Princess will give you a new Medallion in a similar way to the old cruise cards.

When can you pick your dining times now? I’m under the understanding you can through the medallion app, but how long in advance?

Yes, you can on Dine my Way.For most passengers you can do this after final payment. Elite and platinum I believe can do this once booked.

And here we are in January 2022 and the system still doesn’t work, indeed has got worse because Princess have switched everything to the Medallion App, so you have to have a smart phone, and a NEWISH smart phone to cruise.

Result, can’t cruise without checking in, can’t check in without app, can’t load app, can’t cruise with Princess.

I know the Medallion app can have some glitches for some. I myself had a few snags as I did my online checkin on the app. What In did, that helped, was delete the app and start again. I know it’s not ideal, but I did the the app improve over a few months, and once onboard it was quite good and convenient.

If you continue to have issues, reach out to Princess so that they can assist you.

I hope things work out and that you enjoy your cruise,

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What is OceanMedallion on Princess Cruises?

Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises have long been at the forefront of technological advancements in the cruise industry, but Princess Cruises ' OceanMedallion has made that line a contender also, much to my surprise.

The first time I sailed with Princess was on Grand Princess -- the line's oldest ship -- and, to be frank, I was underwhelmed. It seemed like the perfect brand for a trivia-and-afternoon-tea demographic who didn't care too much about flashy bells and whistles.

Fast-forward a few years, and, following a significant investment from parent company Carnival Corporation, the line's entire fleet is now outfitted with OceanMedallion technology (and the fastest Wi-Fi I've experienced at sea in order to support it). Here, I'll explain what OceanMedallion is and how to use it.

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What is an OceanMedallion?

Princess' OceanMedallions are small, magnetic, wearable discs given to passengers for use onboard. They replace the traditional cards used by other lines and allow cruisers to open their cabin doors, make onboard purchases and identify themselves when leaving or returning to their ships in port. They are also printed with each passenger's name and the sailing date, and the color of the medallion each cruiser receives indicates their Captain's Circle loyalty status with the line.

Each OceanMedallion comes with a free case (about the size of a credit card) and lanyard, but passengers can also carry them loose in a pocket or purchase one of several accessories -- wristbands, bracelets, necklaces, lapel clips -- that allow them to be more stylishly worn.

What is OceanMedallion technology?

The platform on which OceanMedallions operate and the functionality it provides is known as OceanMedallion technology. It involves the use of thousands of onboard sensors on each ship that read the medallions and track your preferences, such as your favorite drink at the bar. (You can either feed it information before or during your sailing to make your digital profile more robust, or you can simply allow it to gather the info as you sail. If you'd rather opt out and use a regular keycard, one can be made for you at the front desk.)

Although Princess isn't the first to implement wearable tech -- think Royal Caribbean's WOW Bands and MSC's MSC For Me bands -- its system is, by far, the most advanced.

Note that Princess' MedallionClass app is also necessary for the OceanMedallion experience to function properly during your sailing. You can use it onboard, even if you don't purchase a Wi-Fi package, by putting your phone on airplane mode, turning on Wi-Fi and connecting to your ship's network. However, if you don't plan to buy Wi-Fi for your voyage, you should download the app before leaving home.

Via the app, you can view the daily schedule, including your personalized activities, such as dining times; check your onboard account spending; complete the muster drill; make dining, shore excursion and spa reservations; play games and even gamble. The app also allows passengers to chat with one another; those on separate bookings can link their accounts for things like dining and shore excursion planning.

Throughout each vessel, you'll also find large digital screens in public areas and near the stairs and elevators. You can use them to access real-time digital deck plans and view the daily schedule. You can also personalize the experience by touching your medallion to each screen's medallion reader.

Further, each passenger is assigned something called a "tagalong" -- an animated sea creature that serves as an avatar. They show up on the screens as passengers move throughout the ship and are detected nearby. If cruisers choose to do so, they can customize their tagalongs, selecting the type of creature, the color and even its markings.

What does Princess Cruises' OceanMedallion do?

Identifies you: Just as your keycard would be on a cruise with any other line, your OceanMedallion will be linked to your security photo. When you disembark and reboard your ship in port, you'll scan it at the gangway so the crew knows who's onboard and who's ashore.

Your medallion will also be detected when you make onboard purchases, prompting your photo to pop up so the crew member handling the transaction can verify you're not using someone else's medallion fraudulently. It can also allow crew to greet you by name as you approach -- a feature I found somewhat creepy but also nice at times.

Opens your cabin door: As you approach your cabin, if your medallion is properly worn, a digital screen near your stateroom door detects you and unlocks the door for you. You'll still have to have a free hand to turn the handle in order to enter, but it eliminates any fumbling you'd have to do for a keycard stored in your pocket or purse.

Allows for onboard purchasing: As mentioned above, you simply scan your medallion to make all onboard purchases, including those in the ships' shops, spa, casino and bars. It's convenient because, since everything is recorded electronically, it eliminates the need for passengers to sign physical paper receipts. It does make additional tipping a bit cumbersome, though, as you have to request it to be added instead of just writing it in.

Tracks your location: This might sound a little odd, but what it means is that you can place food and drink orders for delivery just about anywhere on the ship. It's convenient when you're lounging by the pool and feeling particularly lazy. What's neat about it is that if you order something while sitting by the pool but then decide to move elsewhere in the meantime, the person delivering it knows to bring it to your new location. (You can also order retail items like sunscreen and clothing!)

Additionally, it allows your cabin steward to see when you've left your room so there's no more awkward knocking before he or she enters to do morning cleanup or evening turndown service.

Further, although it's not the most pleasant of topics, the medallions allow for contact tracing , which is necessary in the event someone onboard tests positive for COVID-19. It's one of the easiest ways for Princess to determine who was near those who test positive so they can be swiftly contacted, quarantined and tested.

How do I get an OceanMedallion for my cruise?

Anyone who books a Princess cruise will automatically receive an OceanMedallion, but where and when you receive it will depend on how early you check in for your sailing. If you check in via the MedallionClass app (free download available for iPhone and Android), fill out all necessary paperwork, scan your passport and provide a security photo at least two weeks in advance, your medallion will be sent to you in the mail.

If you check in less than two weeks out or if you opt to do in-person check-in, you'll pick up your medallion at the terminal on embarkation day.

Bottom line: Is OceanMedallion worth the hype?

I found the technology to be glitchy at times. My tagalong didn't always register when I walked by the digital screens, I wasn't able to place a food order the two times I tried (but fellow cruise writer Gene Sloan was able to a couple of years ago when he sailed), and if I had my medallion in my pocket, it took much longer for my stateroom door to unlock than if I wore it around my wrist.

I also find it to be less convenient than a keycard, which fits nicely in a wallet and doesn't require you to wear it for it to be effective. (Plus, I keep my keycards as souvenirs each time I sail. You can keep the medallions, too, but they're more difficult to display.)

However, the experience is constantly improving. Just a couple of years ago, as many as seven different smartphone apps were required to access all of the functionality now offered by the single MedallionClass app. There are still some kinks to be worked out, but it's well on its way.

I would say to give it a try. You might find it fun, and if you don't, you can always request a keycard instead. Just note that you can't have both activated at the same time, so if you switch to a card, your medallion will no longer work. And don't worry: your data is safe, as nothing is actually stored on the medallions themselves.

Princess Cruises’ Ocean Medallion: The Ultimate Guide

There is a new technology that is rolling out on Princess ships across the fleet. Currently, it is only on certain ships. However, the goal for the future is to have it on every vessel in the fleet.

The goal of this technology is to give you an effortless, personalized cruise experience so you can just relax and enjoy your vacation.

What is Ocean Medallion:

The ocean medallion is a small, circular disk that replaces your cruise card. This technology doesn’t just replace your cruise card though, it goes way beyond what the card is capable of to make your life so much easier while onboard the ship.

The ocean medallion is personalized to you. It will show your name, the ship, and dates you are sailing. The color of your disk represents your cruise status level.

Just like other cruise lines, Princess Cruises has different levels based on how many cruises you have taken with them. Your medallion will show your current level.

Each level includes different perks that you get during your cruise vacation. When you receive your medallion, it will come with a lanyard that you can keep it in.

This makes it easy to wear and have easy access to when you need it. No need to worry about putting it in your pocket and losing it.

You can purchase accessories such as pendants or watch bands to place it in so you can wear it however you want.

Pro Tip: The ocean medallion is completely waterproof so you can wear it while you shower, swim, and snorkel in the ocean. No need to take it off during your cruise.

What does the ocean medallion do?

The ocean medallion replaces your cruise card. Just like a cruise card, you will need to keep it with you at all times, both on and off the ship, during your cruise.

It acts as your room key. It will be linked to your account so you can use it to pay for everything while you are on the ship. You will also use it to get on and off the ship throughout the cruise.

Not only that, but your ocean medallion will track your location when you are on the ship which makes it much more convenient to use than just a regular cruise card.

How will it change my cruise experience while onboard the ship?

The ocean medallion is much more than just a replacement for your cruise card. It is part of the whole Medallion Class experience that Princess Cruises is creating on their ships.

Here are some ways using it will make your cruise experience better.

Please note: some of these features require you to use the Medallion Class app.

It is free and can be downloaded to your smartphone from both the Apple app store and Google Play store.

Get on and off the ship:

Your ocean medallion is what you will use when getting on and off the ship. It’s a quick and easy way to come and go as you please while in port.

Open your stateroom:

When you approach your stateroom door, the door will connect to your medallion and sense your arrival and automatically unlock.

No need to search for your medallion and scan it. Super quick and easy to get into your cabin.

Easy payment:

You can buy anything on the ship using your ocean medallion. It is connected to your ship account so no need to grab your cash or credit card while onboard.

Expanded features you can use from the Medallion Class app:

Order your food & drinks from anywhere on the ship:.

Sitting by the pool and want a drink? No need to move, you can easily order it from where you are relaxing and have it delivered to you. No more waiting in long lines at the bar.

Just use the app to order and the server will bring it to you. They can find you by the location sensor on your medallion and your profile picture in the app.

Find your family & friends:

Using the OceanCompass feature in the app you can see where everyone in your group is on the ship.

This is a great way to track the kids when they are off on their own. You can turn the tracking off if you don’t want to use this feature.

Chat with your group:

You can use the app to send messages to your family and friends for free. It is a quick and easy way to check in and make plans with each other.

You can use the OceanView feature in the app to watch television. An easy way to watch both on-demand movies and tv shows right from your phone anywhere on the ship.

Play Ocean:

This is an interactive game that is great for the whole family to play. You can play it using the big screens found throughout the ship or through the PlayOcean app right from your phone.

Ocean Casino:

Like to gamble, but don’t want to sit in the casino? Now you can play from anywhere on the ship. Just download the OceanCasino app on your phone and you will be able to play both casino games and bingo.

You can also use the various screens around the ship, but who wants to do that when you can do it while lounging by the pool?!

How do you set up the Medallion Class app?

Before you can use these features from your phone, you need to download and set up the app.

Before your cruise:

There are many things you can do before your cruise so you are ready to go the moment you step onboard the ship. You can:

• Set up your profile including your picture
• View your cruise details and a countdown to your cruise
• Check into your cruise
• Add any food allergies you have
• Order any Ocean Medallion accessories you want
• Watch OceanView tv shows and movies
• Book shore excursions
• See the daily schedule and plan your dining, entertainment, and activities (usually 60 days before your cruise)

During your cruise:

These are things you can enjoy by using your app during your cruise vacation. You can:

• Order your food and drinks from anywhere on the ship to be delivered right to you
• Order any amenities you need for your cabin such as extra pillows
• View your shipboard account balance to keep track of your spending
• Buy the souvenirs you want and have them delivered right to your room.

While on the cruise you can also use a couple of other apps to make your experience more convenient. These include:

• OceanCasino: this allows you to play both bingo and casino games anywhere on the ship. Just remember these activities are using real money.
• PlayOcean: this allows you to play interactive game while on the ship. It’s a great activity for your kids to do.

• OceanCompass: this allows you to both track and chat with members of your group. You can also use it as your guide around the ship so you never have to worry about getting lost.

Does the ocean medallion or apps cost money?

Both the ocean medallion and apps are free of charge. They are included as part of your cruise fare if you are sailing on a Medallion Class ship.

If you live in the US, you will receive both your ocean medallion and lanyard in the mail. If you live outside of the US, you will receive them at the cruise port terminal when you arrive.

There are additional accessories for your ocean medallion that you can purchase, but they are not necessary.

Which ships are in the Medallion Class?

Currently, there are seven ships that are included. These are the Crown Princess, Sky Princess, Royal Princess, Regal Princess , Caribbean Princess, Grand Princess, and Ruby Princess.

With more on the way, and eventually all ships will be part of the special Medallion Class of ships.

Check out our Princess Cruises guide for everything you need to know about the cruise line.

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Princess Cruises is proud of their MedallionClass technology and are pushing it out across their fleet. Newer ships like Enchanted and Discovery are being built exclusively with MedallionClass in mind. This technology has great potential on top of the many things it can already do. But what exactly is MedallionClass and how does it affect your cruise experience ? In this article, I’ll break down the different aspects of MedallionClass: what it can do, what works well , and what doesn’t work so well. 

What is MedallionClass? 

At its most basic, MedallionClass is Princess’ proprietary “internet of things”. That is to say it is Princess’ hardware, supported by their app, underpinned by their internet. Still confused? That’s okay – let’s dig into the details. 

The Hardware 

Medallion disc .

The central piece of hardware is the OceanMedallion disc, which is little bigger than a quarter. This disc replaces your cruise key card and is used in all the same ways: scanning on and off the ship, opening your stateroom, and paying for purchases. What differentiates the disc from a key card is that it does all these things from a distance – it unlocks your stateroom door from about 10 feet away as you approach and it tells crew members your information when you order food or drinks, avoiding the need to hand them a card or tell them your stateroom number. 

Vendors in various ports are even partnered with Princess to be able to take payment via your OceanMedallion disc. This means you don’t have to carry cash or cards, though it can limit your shopping selection. Princess has recently introduced this feature and offers an onboard credit as “cash back” on your in-port purchases using your OceanMedallion Disc. 

The disc also has a locator function. This can be used to find travel mates (no more “let’s meet at the starboard aft entrance to the buffet at noon”), or for crew to find you to deliver food or beverages. One can imagine this could be life-saving in an emergency situation as well, allowing crew to quickly find people anywhere on the ship. 

Onboard Portals 

The second piece of hardware guests will regularly interact with are the onboard portals or touchscreens found at the elevator banks around the ships . These portals have a variety of uses, both practical and just-for-fun. 

On the practical side, portals display interactive deck plans of the ship. You can browse by deck, or search for specific venues, then tell the portal to give you directions from your location to where you need to go. If you scan your OceanMedallion disc at the portal, you have more personalized options. For example, you can select an option to take you to your stateroom. Other portals display the ship’s activities for the day, with the option of bookmarking those you’re interested in attending. When in port, you can even browse port attractions through the portals. 

On the just-for-fun side, you can scan your OceanMedallion disc and play casual games, casino games , or customize your Tagalong, a sea animal avatar. There’s a leaderboard for the casual games so you can compete against other guests for the high score. One game even takes you

on an adventure from portal to portal around the ship, helping to acquaint you with the ship’s layout (or keep the kids occupied for an hour or so). 

The MedallionClass App 

As cool as it is to unlock your stateroom door from 10 feet away, the heart of MedallionClass technology is the app. With a large majority of the world’s population carrying around smartphones, a robust app to enhance the cruise experience seems like a no-brainer. So, what does the app do, exactly? 

Pre-cruise, the app is where you’ll enter in and upload all your travel information and preferences: 

● Your passport info, other required documents, personal information, payment preferences, and all other items that you would otherwise fill out on the cruise line’s website. You can also set personal preferences such as dietary restrictions, bed configuration, accessibility options, and favorite activities. 

Once aboard the ship , the app’s uses greatly expand: 

● Watch the safety briefing video from anywhere, then simply go to your muster station and scan in with your OceanMedallion disc to complete your muster drill. 

● If you have travel companions, the app allows you to connect with them and chat via text. You can also allow others to see your location so your travel mates can find you and vice versa. 

● Order food or beverages through OceanNow to be delivered directly to your location wherever you are on the ship (with some exceptions such as when dining in a specialty restaurant and ordering off a different restaurant’s menu). 

● The app has interactive deck plans, allowing you to find your way from anywhere on the ship to your destination . 

● You can view and RSVP to daily activities, creating reminders when it’s time to head to the venue. 

● Port guides are available in the app and allow you to book and review shore excursions . 

● Check your onboard account and review purchase history, as well as plan for future cruises with Princess. 

● Entertainment options are embedded into the app as well. You can watch Princess’ selection of TV or movies right on your mobile device, or play casual games such as trivia or word puzzles.There are also casino games available in the app, allowing real-money wagers from anywhere on board. The app even turns your device into a controller for gameplay in group competition on the Movies Under the Stars screen. 

● Finally, if you need assistance, there is a chat function that connects you to the crew. This means you don’t have to wait in line at the Guest Services desk, but instead resolve your issue whilst relaxing in your favorite onboard venue.

Princess is likely to add more functionality to the app as new opportunities arise and more guest feedback is collected, but it is already a powerful tool for streamlining the cruise experience. 

How It All Connects 

The app and all its functions are supported by MedallionNet, Princess’ internet service. To use the app, guests must connect to MedallionNet using the instructions in each stateroom. This does not mean that guests must purchase an internet package – connecting to MedallionNet is complimentary for all guests in order to use the app, but is restricted to only that function. 

What Works Well with MedallionClass Technology 

The OceanMedallion disc works brilliantly for all its functions. Scanning on and off the ship is a simple tap, the stateroom door unlocks upon approach, and all purchases on board happen with ease. The disc is also more convenient than the old key card system in that it never has to leave your pocket and can simply reside in one of several wearables that Princess offers such as lanyards, wrist-straps, bracelets, or clip-ons. 

The portals work well for wayfinding and for checking in on what is happening around the ship. The touchscreens allow you to expand and rotate deck plans to discern your exact path to your destination or, when viewing daily activities, to scroll through the hours of the day or through the itinerary . The casual games on the portals are easy entertainment while you wait for travel companions to join you for your daily plans . 

Some aspects of the app work very well. Ordering food and beverages is convenient for a poolside lunch without having to leave your lounger. The locator function is handy to find travel mates – my husband and I were separated during sailaway but were able to find each other thanks to the app. Along with that, the interactive deck plans are useful for navigation. The app’s ability to turn your device into a game controller for gameplay on the big screen is stunning. I played one game on the pool deck competing with other guests and was surprised at the real-time interaction between everyone’s devices and the game. 

What Doesn’t Work So Well 

For all its functionality, the app has a long way to go. To be fair, the app has to work across multiple kinds of devices and operating systems which presents a technical challenge. Some guests use an Apple operating system, others an Android OS; some have cutting-edge brand-name devices, while others have a no-frills off-brand device, and everything in between. Engineering the app to work across all these devices is likely an enormous challenge for the Princess IT team. 

Be patient when filling out your pre-cruise information and uploading documents. The process (which can only be completed in the app) has glitches. There is poor design of form input fields, form errors are not clearly highlighted (leaving you to guess where you filled out something incorrectly), and form restrictions are too sensitive (eg., accidentally adding a space after my name meant the form field was considered invalid). 

The app layout is clunky – rather than simple labels such as “Order Food” or “Play Games”, it uses unhelpful names like “OceanView”, “JourneyView”, or “OceanReady.” Finding what you need can be difficult. There is a steep learning curve.

Functionality is spotty. The interactive deck plans, for example, worked very well for wayfinding, but only worked about half the time. Many times it simply stalled out on a loadscreen. 

For all its shortcomings, MedallionClass technology does make the cruise experience more convenient and streamlined and I’m definitely a fan. Whether Princess will be able to fix the bugs remains to be seen. One thing is for certain – MedallionClass is here to stay.

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Home » Cruise » Princess Cruises » Everything You Need to Know About Princess Cruises MedallionClass Experience

Everything You Need to Know About Princess Cruises MedallionClass Experience

If you are planning a cruise, read our guide to everything you need to know about the Princess Cruises MedallionClass experience.

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Disclaimer: We were hosted guests of Princess Cruises on Discovery Princess; however, as always, all opinions are our own. To make guests’ cruise vacations as effortless and contactless as possible, Princess Cruises has introduced its MedallionClass Experience fleetwide. This technological advancement is designed to make every aspect of your cruise vacation easier. From the pre-cruise check-in, to the embarkation process, to daily activities while on your cruise, a simple wearable device and connected technologies (smartphone app, portals throughout the ship, and stateroom televisions) allow you to customize and maximize your Princess cruise vacation. In this post, we detail everything you need to know about the Princess Cruises MedallionClass experience so you can have the best vacation possible.

What is the Princess Cruises MedallionClass and the Wearable Medallion?

The Princess Cruises’ fleet is outfitted with MedallionClass technology, similar to geolocation technology, that allows for a host of features to enhance your cruise with a more personalized level of service.

All this is possible with two simple elements, a smartphone app (or other connected technologies on the ship) and a small wearable device called the Medallion.

Complete Guide to Everything You Need to Know About Princess Medallion

The Medallion is a free wearable device provided to all guests cruising with the brand. It is personalized with your name and sail date, and it makes for a great keepsake.

This medallion essentially replaces the traditional cruise ship key card. Further, it is waterproof, heat resistant, and does not require charging. It can also be worn in a variety of ways making it convenient for everyone.

The Medallion comes in a complimentary lanyard. Or, you can purchase additional accessories like a clip, watch band, or pendant for varying prices. You can also pay for an upgraded medallion with various logos, designs, and even your favorite NBA team if you wish.

Guests residing in the United States can have the Medallion and accompanying accessories mailed to their homes prior to their cruises, or they can retrieve them at the cruise terminal during the check-in process.

This Medallion works in conjunction with the MedallionClass smartphone app. So, you should download this app to your phone prior to sailing with Princess Cruises.

However, those who are not tech-savvy or don’t want to take their phones around the ship can still enjoy the MedallionClass experience by utilizing portals around the ship or their stateroom televisions.

Don’t worry, you can still use the app and its functionality even if you do not purchase an internet package. Simply put your phone in airplane mode and connect to the ship’s MedallionNet WiFi.

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How Does the Princess Cruises MedallionClass Elevate the Cruise Experience?

A Princess Cruises MedallionClass vacation begins as soon as you book your cruise. You can begin to personalize your cruise by downloading the MedallionClass app or utilizing the web version equivalent.

Once you have made your final payment on the trip, you can begin to get OceanReady. This process entails uploading travel documents like your passport, a security photo, and ordering your Medallion. You can also add any food allergies, accessibility needs, or other customizations to your Ocean Profile.

During the check-in process, you will choose an arrival time to allow for a staggered embarkation process. Once “ocean ready”, you can proceed to the “green lane” at the terminal on embarkation day. This expedited embarkation allows for a contactless and streamlined boarding process. This way, you can board the ship quicker and get your vacation started sooner.

Like many cruise lines, Princess Cruises has also implemented a digital muster drill. This mandatory safety briefing can now be completed primarily on your phone (or stateroom television) on embarkation day. Simply watch the required video, make a quick visit to your muster station, and listen to the ship-wide announcement.

While some of the app’s functionality is available pre-cruise, you won’t fully appreciate all the MedallionClass features until you are onboard the ship. It truly is a “smart ship”.

Perhaps one of the best technological features is keyless stateroom entry. That’s right, there is no need to insert or swipe a card to enter your stateroom. Through the use of sensors, your Medallion will activate the keyless entry system as you approach the room, and the small screen outside your cabin door will welcome you home.

OceanCompass

This technology allows for other features as well. When you walk up to the International Café to get your morning coffee, the staff will greet you by name. It’s also an easy way for staff to identify you are the person linked to the Medallion.

With the use of OceanCompass, you can also find your shipmates’ locations. While this can initially sound a little creepy, it can be a great tool to easily stay connected to your travel party (or newly made friends) while on the ship. Unless, you don’t want your spouse to know you are in the casino again! (Don’t worry, you can hide your location.)

You can even message each other in the app without paying for WiFi.

The OceanCompass feature also provides a point to point wayfinding system and digital deck plans, so you can easily locate venues and even get step by step directions to help you get here. This feature is available in the app as well as on certain digital portals throughout the ship.

Lounging by the pool and want to order a drink? Doing work on your balcony and want to order some lunch? You can do all this and more with the Princess Cruises MedallionClass Experience.

With OceanNow, you can order food and drinks from an on-demand menu, and staff will deliver them to your exact location on the ship, with no delivery service fee. There are several complimentary food items as well as some up-charge items. The drinks are included in the Premier beverage package as well.

Further, you can order more than just food and beverages. You can request extra towels delivered to your stateroom or various other merchandise and services. The app will also provide real-time updates to let you know when your order is on its way.

You can even chat with crew via CrewCall Chat instead of visiting Guest Services.

The OceanNow section in the app, also allows you to custom your Dine My Way. With this feature, you can choose to reserve the same dining time each night or book individual reservations. This allows you to choose different dining times, different dining venues, and different dining parties. Also, you have the option to dine at a private table or a table with other guests.

JourneyView

The JourneyView section of the Princess Cruises MedallionClass app allows you to view the daily activities and to bookmark your favorites in an interactive timeline format. From gameshows and events in Princess Live!, to signature performances in the main theater, classes, Movies Under the Stars, and more, you can review all of the day’s highlights right from your smartphone (or ship portal) instead of carrying around a paper copy of the Princess Patter.

Related Post: Is Princess Plus Worth It?

MedallionPay

With the MedallionPay feature, guests not only have access to contactless payment on the ship but also while ashore, allowing for secure transactions in ports of call.

In select destinations, you can use your Medallion to make purchases at participating shops, restaurants, and bars. This new feature even includes 7% back on shoreside purchases as onboard credit. If you do not spend it all during your trip, it will be converted to Future Cruise Credit.

MedallionPay currently is available in St. Thomas, Cabo San Lucas, Cozumel, and Puerta Vallarta. More destinations and merchants are being added in the near future, including Alaska ports of call.

Further, you can easily monitor your family’s spending and onboard account balance.

PlayOcean gives guests access to free games, both on their devices and on the digital screens throughout the ship. From Trivia on Deck to Games Under the Stars, these are activities that the whole family can enjoy.

With this feature, you can also create your very own Ocean Tagalong. This digital avatar will display on the portals throughout the ship for more interactive fun. You can even take a selfie with your customized digital companion!

OceanCasino

While PlayOcean might be fun for the little ones, adults might enjoy OceanCasino. If you like gambling but would rather avoid the crowds in the casino, this app is for you. Once onboard the ship, you can play slots, poker, bingo, and even sports betting from anywhere on the ship. Yes, you can wager for real money.

The OceanView feature allows guests to access free movies and tv shows, as well as Ocean Originals from anywhere on the ship (or their stateroom television). These Ocean Originals include GO. highlighting bucket list destinations, Ocean Treks taking you on various adventures with Jeff Corwin, Good Spirits highlighting the cocktails, food, and culture of destinations, and many more.

What Is MedallionNet WiFi?

Princess Cruises claims to have the “Best WiFi at Sea”, its MedallionNet service.

This is achieved by accessing multiple satellites at any point in time to minimize the distance from ship to satellite and minimize the impacts of weather and geographical features.

Now, you do not need to purchase MedallionNet to enjoy all the other features of Princess Cruises MedallionClass experience. However, if you are like most modern day travelers who want to stay connected, you will need to purchase this upgraded feature.

With MedallionNet WiFi, you can stay in touch with family back home, jump on a Teams or Zoom call for work (gasp!), check email or social media, and stream movies and music from anywhere on the ship. The WiFi also works on the cruise line’s private destination of Princess Cays.

While the price can vary, a full voyage, multi-device (up to 4 devices) unlimited plan for our recent cruise was $139.93 or $69.93 ($9.99 per day) for one device if purchased pre-cruise.

If you have status in Princess Cruises’ loyalty program, there are even further discounts.

Even better, WiFi is part of the Princess Plus fare!

BOOK NOW: Score Deals on Princess Cruises!

Our Final Thoughts on Princess Cruises MedallionClass Experience

Princess Cruises MedallionClass Experience is truly a game changer in the cruise industry! While other cruise lines have attempted similar concepts, Princess has been successful at rolling it out fleetwide.

We love not having to carry around a key card and the fact that the Medallion is wearable. The touchless cabin entry is extremely helpful, especially when you have your hands full with morning coffee or with beach gear after a long day ashore. The paperless transactions make ordering at the various onboard venues more efficient. Not to mention, the ability to order right from your smartphone app is extremely convenient. Also, we love the new digital muster drills.

While the Medallion itself works great, the MedallionClass app had some glitches during our cruise. Still, these technological advancements do help to make your cruise vacation more streamlined and personalized.

Did you find our guide on the Princess Cruises MedallionClass helpful? Have you sailed on a MedallionClass ship recently? Drop us an anchor below to share your experiences sailing with Princess Cruises.

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Princess Cruises MedallionClass Experience Review

Princess Cruises has launched The MedallionClass™ Experience and the OceanMedallion™ provides cruisers with everything they need for an exceptional vacation experience! Cruising is now better and easier than ever!

Just when you thought cruising couldn’t get any more convenient, Princess Cruises has launched MedallionClass™!

I had the pleasure of partnering with Princess Cruises in March in the Eastern Caribbean and in October in the Mediterranean on the newest ship, Sky Princess , to test out the new OceanMedallion™.

And let me tell you, cruising has never been easier (or more fun)!

Even though I had a great time on my Western Caribbean Cruise in November of 2017, these cruises were far and away an even more leisurely and enjoyable experience.

And that is primarily due to the OceanMedallion™!

What Is OceanMedallion™?

Princess Cruises’ new wearable device works in conjunction with their MedallionNet™ and MedallionPay™ to provide a number of convenient features for their guests while aboard their cruise ships.

This device is basically your personal assistant during your cruise. It acts as your key card, identification, and credit card. And when used in conjunction with the new apps, you can order room service, poolside service, play games, find shipmates and so much more! You can also now access your shipboard account and book excursions through the app!

OceanMedallion was created by the same people behind the MagicBands, but it offers even more in terms of technology!

Check out my Instagram Highlights from the cruise to see some of the fun digital experiences and features in action!

Embarkation and Disembarkation are EASY!

Gone are the days of long lines! During my 2017 cruise, getting on and off the ship felt like it took forever, but with the OceanMedallion , you simply scan and walk off or on, it’s that easy!

This means more time connecting with destinations and people on both ends so you can enjoy the pool onboard or have more time exploring in port!

Embarkation from your starting port goes a lot quicker and more smoothly once you arrive at the terminal. And for disembarkation, we were off the ship, through customs, and on our way to the airport in 5 minutes!

Princess Cruises Digital Experiences

In order to make the most of this new technology, there are a few apps you’ll want to download on your mobile device. These apps will work without purchasing an internet package.

Previously, you needed five apps to fully embrace this high tech system. However, between my first MedallionClass™ Experience in March 2019 and my most recent on in October 2019, the apps have been condensed. Now OceanReady™, OceanNow™, and OceanView™ are all part of the MedallionClass™ app!

And you can access PlayOcean™, OceanCompass™, and OceanCasino™ from the MedallionClass™ app as well, but will need to have them downloaded in order for them to work!

Prepare For Your Trip With OceanReady™!

This is the only app you NEED to download because it’s where you’ll enter your personal details after booking your cruise to get your OceanMedallion.

You will need your OceanMedallion™ for embarkation, so make sure you fill out everything at least two weeks prior to your cruise. The Medallions ship from Singapore, so you want to give them ample time to arrive at your home.

If you are traveling in a group, say a family of four, one individual can put everyone’s information into the app as long as you are on the same booking.

You will not need this particular app on the trip, only before.

Never Get Lost with OceanCompass™!

If you’ve never been on a cruise, let me tell you, it can be a little overwhelming at first. Cruise ships are big and there’s a lot of people and a lot of levels and a lot of things to do. So how the heck do you find your way around?

This app is your guide to everywhere you want to go onboard! AND it can even help you easily locate and chat and navigate your way to your shipmates!

If you’re traveling with a group, this is especially helpful when you need to find each other or message one another!

Have It Brought To You With OceanNow™!

My favorite app of the bunch! This one is definitely one that you will use frequently onboard, or at least you should!

This app allows you to order food and drinks from anywhere on the ship to be delivered to you. That means you no longer risk losing that perfectly positioned lounge chair by the pool or missing a minute of one of the Movies Under The Stars!

Simply open the app, place your order, and wait for it to arrive! I highly recommend the Dirty Banana drink!

You can also order non-food items like sunscreen, or more towels for your stateroom – talk about convenient!

Onboard Fun At Your Fingertips With PlayOcean™ !

Love games? You’re going to enjoy this app then! You can participate in Games Under The Stars and Trivia On Deck using your phone as a controller.

You’ll also find PlayOcean portals throughout the ship where you can partake in a fun scavenger hunt onboard the ship – kids love it!

And don’t forget to build your Tagalong who will act as your avatar!

Gamble From The Pool With OceanCasino™!

I know a lot of people who love spending time in the Casino while they’re cruising! And this app gives you the ability to gamble anywhere on the ship from your phone!

Yes, the casinos still exist, but now you’ll find a couple of smaller casino areas and this app where you can test your luck!

I mean, if I were a gambling woman, I’d bet you’d rather hit the slots or test your poker face from next to the pool with a Rum Punch in your hand, amirite?

Experience Cultures With OceanView™!

This app is available on both your phone and on your stateroom television where you can find Ocean Stories.

Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin gives you an inside look into some of the excursions available in different ports. We were about to get a feel for what to expect during our adventure to the Damajagua Waterfalls in The Dominican Republic.

Good Spirits with Matthew Biancaniello inspired the new bar onboard Princess Cruises and features destination-inspired cocktails like this Sandia En Fuego .

MedallionNet – The Best Internet At Sea!

Finally, land-like internet is available aboard all MedallionClass ships! I barely noticed a difference from my home internet, this is night and day compared to my last Princess cruise where the internet was so slooooooooow .

And I’ll be honest, knowing that I was going to have the internet at sea is probably what made me feel so comfortable leaving Evie for the first time when she was just 6 months old.

I could check her Owlet monitor from the app on my phone before bed to make sure she was still breathing almost a thousand miles away (yes, I’m that mom).

I was able to video chat – yes, you read that right, VIDEO CHAT – with Matt and Evie while we were at sea!

And I was also able to stay on top of my emails, check-in for my flights, and browse Instagram!

It was awesome! Because this Mama needed some rejuvenation and this way I didn’t feel “too” guilty getting it!

And if you want to disconnect for the week, just don’t buy the internet package, but it’s sure is nice to have the option!

The amazing internet connection was also the only reason and way we were comfortable with both Matt and I going on our European cruise on the Sky Princess this fall and leaving Evie at home with her grandparents.

MadallionClass™ Ships

Eventually, this amazing technology will be on every ship across the entire fleet! The Caribbean Princess, Regal Princess, Royal Princess, Crown Princess, and Sky Princess are all OceanReady™.

And in 2020, this amazing technology will be rolling out across six more ships in the Princess Fleet! Including the brand new Enchanted Princess ship coming in June 2020!

OceanMedallion Questions From You Guys!

How Much Does It Cost?

MedallionClass™ is no additional cost to you, it’s included in your cruise package. It doesn’t matter what level stateroom you have or how many times you’ve cruised, you WILL get an OceanMedallion!

How Do You Get Your Medallion?

It will be shipped to you once you have filled out all of your personal information in the OceanReady App. Then you’re ready for your MedallionClass vacation!

How Much Is MedallionNet?

I don’t know exactly and I think it depends on how long your cruise is, but my package was $140 for the duration of my cruise (Saturday-Saturday). However, that package covers 4 devices so families can share it!

Are The OceanMedallion Accessories Free?

Princess Cruises offers a ton of wonderful accessories. When you receive your OceanMedallion(s) in the mail, it will come with a lanyard and plastic case.

Once onboard, you can purchase additional accessories like the silver bangle ($65) or blue sports band ($12) pictured in the photos.

Is The OceanMedallion Waterproof?

It sure is! This is so awesome because it means you can keep it on you while swimming or going on water-based excursions!

MedallionClass Is New!

This means that there are new features being added every day AND that there are still improvements to be made.

I definitely felt frustrated with it at times during my first OceanMedallion cruise. However, they have made so many improvements to the apps and functionality between March and October 2019 that I have no doubt it will only get better!

Now that it’s on five ships, and will be on six additional ships in 2020, I think these bugs will get worked out quickly as more people use it! But it’s definitely a game-changer when it comes to cruising!

So what are you waiting for? Book your MedallionClass cruise vacations today and don’t forget to check out my What To Pack For A Cruise post too!

Princess Cruises MedallionClass Guide

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Caribbean Princess medallion review

By tgwabd , March 10, 2019 in Princess Cruises

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First let me say it was a great cruise, the bars and restaurants stopped using the medallion after the first day, if you also had your card and it seems that everyone did, they just went by the four digits on your card, my wife and I did not like the fact that when you passed certain screens your picture would pop up, she just carried her card only and had no problems getting on or off the ship and used her card just like the medallion on the medallion box.

Walking up to your room and having the door automatically unlock was 50/50.  Mostly everyone used the lanyards but a few bought the clip on holder for the medallion. And make sure that when you take your picture for security and id on the app that you are happy with that picture because that is the one that pops up, my wife was not happy about that....we will be taking MUCH better pictures next cruise....

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Share on other sites, tickled2trvl.

13 minutes ago, tgwabd said: First let me say it was a great cruise, the bars and restaurants stopped using the medallion after the first day, if you also had your card and it seems that everyone did, they just went by the four digits on your card, my wife and I did not like the fact that when you passed certain screens your picture would pop up, she just carried her card only and had no problems getting on or off the ship and used her card just like the medallion on the medallion box.   Walking up to your room and having the door automatically unlock was 50/50.  Mostly everyone used the lanyards but a few bought the clip on holder for the medallion. And make sure that when you take your picture for security and id on the app that you are happy with that picture because that is the one that pops up, my wife was not happy about that....we will be taking MUCH better pictures next cruise....

Thank you for the heads up on the photo, but why did the bars etc stop using the medallion after the first day?  We have friends going on their first cruise on the Caribbean and I keep trying to keep them updated on info.  

I believe that pre-cruise you can create an avatar thru Ocean Ready and that pic will be the one that pops up

will find out soon, soon as in a little over 2 months ...

12 minutes ago, Tickled2Trvl said: Thank you for the heads up on the photo, but why did the bars etc stop using the medallion after the first day?  We have friends going on their first cruise on the Caribbean and I keep trying to keep them updated on info.  

Sometimes when you were at the bar and you had your medallion the bartender would just look at the pictures on his screen of the people that were in the vicinity and look at you and say your name and you confirmed it and you were good to go, they never even touched you card or medallion....

18 minutes ago, voljeep said: I believe that pre-cruise you can create an avatar thru Ocean Ready and that pic will be the one that pops up   will find out soon, soon as in a little over 2 months ...

I dont think that avatars would work unless you look exactly like an avatar, security and money are involved, it's got to be you...

EatonDoolittle

If you can, would you please post a close up photo , or give a description of how the Medallion attaches to a wrist band:

i.e. fits into the silicone opening? magnets? some other sort of attachment apparatus like on a watch,? etc. 

WisCruiser2

38 minutes ago, tgwabd said: I dont think that avatars would work unless you look exactly like an avatar, security and money are involved, it's got to be you...

The photo you upload for your avatar can be different from the one you upload for your security photo. We used photos of our dog & cat, so when we approached our room or stood by the elevator screens those were the photos that popped up. I'm not sure which photo (avatar or security) shows up on the waitstaffs' screens. 

6 hours ago, WisCruiser2 said:   The photo you upload for your avatar can be different from the one you upload for your security photo. We used photos of our dog & cat, so when we approached our room or stood by the elevator screens those were the photos that popped up. I'm not sure which photo (avatar or security) shows up on the waitstaffs' screens. 

I had no idea you could use a custom photo for your avatar. I though they were just images that Princess offered such as a fish or a turtle that you could customize with different colors and such. I sincerely doubt that anybody's avatar is what would show up on a bartender's or waitperson's device.

7 hours ago, EatonDoolittle said: If you can, would you please post a close up photo , or give a description of how the Medallion attaches to a wrist band: i.e. fits into the silicone opening? magnets? some other sort of attachment apparatus like on a watch,? etc.    Thanks

If you go to YouTube, you'll find several videos featuring the medallions.

2 hours ago, Thrak said:   I had no idea you could use a custom photo for your avatar. I though they were just images that Princess offered such as a fish or a turtle that you could customize with different colors and such. I sincerely doubt that anybody's avatar is what would show up on a bartender's or waitperson's device.

Tony good pic;  go ahead and use that.

16 hours ago, WisCruiser2 said: I'm not sure which photo (avatar or security) shows up on the waitstaffs' screens. 

For security reasons I'm sure that they'll use the picture that shows your face & not the one of your dog or cat.

Yes, that would make sense. Just didn't see the server's screens 😉

In Feb they had our photo's saved in their computer from a previous cruise last Dec.

We didn't even have to bother to have it retaken. 

I also think they want a full frontal face for your security photo.  Much like your passport; which requires a full frontal pic also

Steven_&_Daniel

We used photos of our two dogs as our avatars so we could see them each time we entered our cabin...

We also used a picture of our dog as our avatar and the door worked perfectly all the time.  We never had a problem with ocean medallion during the entire cruise on the Caribbean Princess and we just got off yesterday.  The security photo is totally different.  We loved the Medallion!

15 hours ago, AF-1 said: Tony good pic;  go ahead and use that.

On 3/10/2019 at 3:48 PM, EatonDoolittle said: If you can, would you please post a close up photo , or give a description of how the Medallion attaches to a wrist band: i.e. fits into the silicone opening? magnets? some other sort of attachment apparatus like on a watch,? etc.    Thanks

We haven't used one yet.  On other threads, people say they use the Fitbit Zip wristbands.  There's lots to chose from on Amazon.

Does anyone know why Princess stopped selling theirs?  If they had a problem with one made specifically for the Medallion,  I'm wondering if I should even try one. 

4 hours ago, palolake said:   We haven't used one yet.  On other threads, people say they use the Fitbit Zip wristbands.  There's lots to chose from on Amazon.   Does anyone know why Princess stopped selling theirs?  If they had a problem with one made specifically for the Medallion,  I'm wondering if I should even try one. 

princess was selling them on Caribbean Princess in Feb.  I was on the cruise and saw people buying them.  Maybe they ran out.

knbcruisers

22 hours ago, Steven_&_Daniel said: We used photos of our two dogs as our avatars so we could see them each time we entered our cabin...    

This is great info. It will help with DH missing our Chocolate Lab, which he does a LOT when we are on vacation. He can’t understand why dogs can’t cruise too 😉

50 minutes ago, knbcruisers said: This is great info. It will help with DH missing our Chocolate Lab, which he does a LOT when we are on vacation. He can’t understand why dogs can’t cruise too 😉

Yea, we think every cruise ship should have a few canines on staff for those who are missing their furry friends back home.

On 3/12/2019 at 12:28 PM, Steven_&_Daniel said: Yea, we think every cruise ship should have a few canines on staff for those who are missing their furry friends back home.

Thanks! That worked. 😁 👍

Cunard allow for pets to come with you on their ships.  They have a kennel onboard. 

• 4 weeks later...

Medallion is great for attendants, staffs to recognize cruisers on the cruise BUT it also shows your ROOM #.  It could create potential security for cruisers.  Google/ search:

• Room service attendant used his company-issued master key to enter the cabin of Jane Doe

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7 Things I Loved, Plus 4 Things I Didn’t During Princess’s Alaska Cruisetour

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On my first morning after embarking on the Royal Princess Hamilton Cruise ship on a sea and land cruise from Vancouver through the Inside Passage of Alaska and up to Fairbanks, I sat on my portside balcony and watched the gray seas as the pale morning sun rose.

A sudden movement caught my eye, and the head of a humpback whale rose directly out of the water, suspended for a brief moment before it disappeared under the sea.

“Did I just see that?” I muttered sleepily to myself. As if to answer me, the telltale poof of water shot out of the sea, followed by the dark, subtle hump of the whale as he followed alongside our massive 1,083-foot long ship .

Instantly, I ran inside to wake my travel buddy, but by the time he got to the balcony, the whale was long gone. However, that whale sighting was a premonition of extraordinary adventures to come on the Princess Cruises’ 12-17 day Connoisseur Alaska Cruisetour .

From luscious food choices and all-day entertainment to excursions and off-shore adventures through Alaska’s small coastal communities, the Alaska Cruisetour was probably one of the most fun trips I had taken all year. While I had my first cruise in January on a small excursion ship, I was invited and hosted by Princess Cruises to experience my first “big” cruise ship. For some reason, I had poo-pooed the idea of the big “floating city” cruise ships in the past, but the 12 days of sailing and traveling with Princess changed my mind.

I get it now. I get why people dream of cruises and just how easy it is to relax and just enjoy when you are being pampered, cared for, and catered to by a cruise ship company. Coming from the eyes of a brand-new cruiser (this won’t be my last cruise, I guarantee you), here are the seven things I loved — plus the four things I didn’t — during the Princess Alaska Cruisetour.

7 Things I Loved

1. medallion magnificant and the staff.

The Royal Princess is a Princess MedallionClass™ ship with a capacity of 3,560 guests. The MedallionClass ships use touchless technologies in the form of a small, quarter-sized customizable Medallion and an app to enhance and personalize individual experiences and health protocols. 

This thing is so cool. I had my Medallion customized with an astrological symbol and ordered the rubber wristband. While wearing it, the Medallion automatically unlocks and locks my stateroom door as I enter it, allows staff to find me anywhere on the ship to deliver my daily Bloody Mary, allows for touch-free boarding and purchases, let me find my travel companion on the ship, and more. 

“So let’s say you’re out tanning by the pool and you want to get some extra sunscreen, you can go on the app on your phone and order sunscreen which will be purchased through the app and delivered to you where you are anywhere on the ship,” said Briana Latner, public relations and marketing for Princess Cruises. “We’ve also introduced ‘Dine My Way,’ which helps you make reservations in the main dining rooms and the specialty dining, helps get rid of wait times and helps you with your special preferences.”

Another feature of the Princess Medallion is the Ocean Compass, which allows you to locate and message your travel companions. Whomever you are traveling with is automatically named as travel companions in the app, but you can remove each other if you choose to.

“Sometimes there are kids who are teenagers. They can go off on their own, but you want to make sure you know where they are and they’re safe,” Latner said. “Many people who are traveling with parents or the elderly who may get disoriented find it’s been really helpful  to be able to find each other too.”

Travel blogger Erin Cohen said the Medallion created a level of ease on her trip that shocked her.

“It makes you eat too much,” she laughed. “Everything comes to you at the snap of a finger or the touch of a button. The Medallion makes life almost too easy, but it’s great.”

Combined with the Princess Medallion, the staff on the boat is top-notch. Our stateroom was cleaned twice a day at least (the Medallion lets staff know when you are out of your room so they don’t disturb you), the bartenders all know your name and preferred drink, and every crewmember greets you with a cheerful hello.

Using the app and the Medallion was super convenient when it came to purchases, ordering, getting around, and more.

Pro Tip: Download the app before you embark on the cruise to upload safety and health documents, pre-book activities and dining, and get used to all the features. It’s a lot to learn. You can order the Medallion ahead of time and either have it sent to you prior to the cruise or you can pick it up upon embarkation.

Fun Fact: The Pacific Princess was the star ship in the 1977 television series called The Love Boat . That series also made the concept of a sea-going vacation popular with millions of people and has been widely credited with fueling the dramatic expansion of the cruise industry.

2. By Land And By Sea

The Royal Princess Alaska Cruisetours are a combo land and sea experience. In addition to a 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers Alaska cruise that includes two glacier-viewing experiences and stops in the small Alaskan communities of Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Whittier (Anchorage), you’ll also explore Alaska’s interior with a guided land exploration tour.

Once you’ve disembarked from the ship, you can spend 3 or more nights on land at the various Princess Wilderness Lodges , including the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge, the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, and the Fairbanks Princess Wilderness Lodge.

These lodges are situated riverside near the legendary Denali National Park and Preserve, on the stunningly beautiful Kenai Peninsula, and in Fairbanks. Each lodge offers its own unique personality.

You will also travel by rail in a private Princess Cruises scenic railroad car and by tour bus to the various locations.

We were on the Connoisseur Alaska Cruisetour , which offers the highest level of service with a dedicated tour director, the 7-day Voyages of the Glaciers cruise, 5-10 nights on land, travel on the Princess Alaska rail service, stays at Kenai Fjords National Park and Denali National Park , a Tundra Wilderness Tour into Denali National Park (We saw three grizzly bears!), sightseeing opportunities, and most meals included.

What I loved about this option was the ability to see not only the glaciers and wonders of coastal Alaska along the Inside Passage, but a chance to explore the famed national parks of Alaska’s rugged and beautiful interior. It truly was the best of both worlds.

“You see pictures but to see it in person is just like, it’s hard to believe this is even real. The whole time I was in Alaska, I just kept saying it was like a movie set,” said Cohen.

3. All The Choices (And Unlimited Drinks)

So maybe you are craving a pepperoni pizza while you lounge in one of the many hot tubs on the 16th-floor deck. Maybe one night, all you dream of is a big juicy steak with a Maine lobster tail. Maybe you want a lot of choices from the all-day buffet.

On the Royal Princess, the more than a dozen dining choices come in many different flavors, ranging from high-end steakhouse to Italian cuisine to sushi. Like many cruise ships, the Royal Princess has a buffet that features Asian, Indian, American, and Latino cuisine, as well as breakfast items, fresh fruit, a pastry bar, and more. On the fifth floor in the central Vista, a small deli is open 24/7 for the late night/early morning crowd.

The ship also has numerous bars, and because we were given the unlimited drinks option, we put those to good use. From the poolside bars to the cozy Wheelhouse Bar with its live music, you’ll not have to worry about finding the perfect cocktail or Alaska beer to sip on. 

Although I dined at the fancy Crown Grill and Sabatini’s, the buffet was our go-to option most days due to the sheer variety of foods to choose from. Be warned, though: It’s easy to let your eyes be bigger than your stomach, and you can end up eating more than you planned because the food is just so tasty.

4. Lots Of Viewing Areas

The Alaska Cruisetour I was on started from Vancouver and sailed through Alaska’s Inside Passage through some of the most beautiful scenery I’d ever seen. With glaciers, waterfalls, misty mountains, and otters and whales frolicking in the waves, it would be a crime not to take it all in.

I loved all the decks and viewing areas on the Royal Princess. From our own private balcony to picture windows throughout the ship to expansive decks, the views just kept coming.

Pro Tip: Bring binoculars! I really regretted not bringing the pair I own. Trust me, you won’t regret taking them when the whales and otters make their appearance.

5. Performances And Special Programs

You’ll never get bored on this Cruisetour. Starting as early as 6 a.m. every day, the Royal Princess has events, special programs, classes, naturalist talks, and fun activities. From morning stretching on the deck to art auctions and contests to game shows and line dancing classes, this ship doesn’t stop!

In addition to the hourly activities, excursions, and options during the day, The Royal Princess presents big musical shows, comedians, naturalist talks, and more in its expansive Princess Theatre. The smaller bars and venues feature live musicians and fun, silly game shows while the main Vista area of the fifth floor holds concerts and dance parties. The ship even has a disco, a hopping casino with slots and table games, a very large fitness area on the 17th deck, poolside movies, a pickleball court, a Discovery Camp for kids, and more.

Every day, a daily newsletter listing all the activities on the ship is delivered to your room, so it’s easy to find and choose what performances or classes you’d like to take part in. If you are bored at all on this ship, that’s on you! Seriously, you’ll have a hard time picking which fun activity to do.

6. Being Pampered

After days of hiking, exploring Alaska’s small communities, whale watching, dancing all night, and maybe having one too many cocktails, it’s nice to be pampered. The Royal Princess’ onboard Lotus Spa brings you to a place of peace and Zen with services like traditional massage, acupuncture, facials like the La Therapie HydraLift facial, couples massage, and Aroma Stone Therapy Massage.

After relaxing, cruisers can head to The Enclave , a getaway of thermal suites and a hydro-therapy pool with a cascading rain shower and therapeutic air jets. Sweat out your worries at a Turkish-style steam bath, steam rooms, and dry saunas for purification and detoxification, then doze off on the heated stone beds or relaxing water beds.

Another pampering experience is Royal Princess’ The Sanctuary , an adult-only retreat on the top deck with private cabanas, food and drink, and al fresco massages. The “Serenity Stewards” are quietly efficient in delivering everything you need, from fresh mimosas to towels.

7. All The Excursions

With 12 days of adventure, it would be impossible for me to list all the land and sea excursions available through the Royal Princess Cruisetour. Thankfully, you’ll be able to find all the options through the Medallion app and with the onboard concierges.

For my excursions, I went out on a crab boat in Ketchikan to learn about crab harvesting and to stuff myself silly on Dungeness crab, roared up winding mountain trails on a UTV, spotted whales, climbed glaciers, kayaked pristine mountain glacial lakes, toured and spotted wildlife on a Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali National Park and so much more.

The excursions range from the sedate and relaxing to the wild and extreme, so there’s a little bit of everything for anyone. You can see the list of available excursions here .

4 Things I Didn’t Love

1. prices of excursions.

Alaska is expensive. There’s no getting around that fact. Being able to enjoy the Alaska landscape on a guided excursion is going to cost you. Some of the most expensive excursions include flights on small planes and helicopters, but they tend to be the most popular as well, like the Denali Flightseeing tours and helicopter tours of surrounding glaciers.

You aren’t required to purchase excursions, however. If you’d rather explore the different ports on your own, you can do that too.

2. Not Enough Time In Each Port Or Land Lodge

When you are cruising, you have a schedule to keep. You might fall in love with tiny little Skagway, but you only have a day in port. You may want to spend more time at the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge with its cozy rooms and fireplaces, but you only have one night.

The fact that you do not have control over how long you can stay in any one place is certainly not Princess’ fault, but it is a bummer and a fact of life when cruising.

3. No Coffee In The Room

One of my biggest pet peeves in life is not having coffee available in my room when traveling. Yes, ordering coffee to the room was easy and the staff at Princess were on top of my caffeine addiction, but it would have been nice to have one of those little coffee makers tucked away so I could make my own coffee.

One great thing about the Royal Princess is the ability to order coffee and breakfast the night before. Each day, you can fill out a form listing what items you’d like to order and what time they should be delivered, so that’s convenient.

4. Staffing Problems At The Lodges

Like so many other destinations, Alaska has a worker shortage. That desperate need for seasonal and long-term employees has led to some staffing issues at some of the lodges. While the Royal Princess ship boasts 1,346 crew members from more than 30 different countries, some of the lodges had problems filling spots, which led to slowdowns, some maintenance issues, and longer wait times.

My best advice is to stay patient with the destinations and with the staff that is working. Everyone is doing the best they can with less.

All in all, my first “big cruise” experience was stellar and has made me a believer! Hopefully, this won’t be my last cruise, and if you yearn for an easy, well-organized way to experience Alaska, the Royal Princess Alaska Cruisetour is the way to go.

For more on cruises and sailing , explore these articles:

• My 7 Favorite Meals On Viking’s New Expedition Ship
• 6 Fabulous Perks Of Cruising Alaska In The Fall
• 9 Tips For Cruising The Mediterranean With Costa

Heide Brandes is an award-winning journalist and travel writer based in Oklahoma. She loves outdoor adventures, exploring different cultures, and finding off-the-wall, bizarre, and wondrous experiences to enjoy. Heide writes for numerous national and international publications and is an award-winning member of the Society for Professional Journalists, North American Travel Journalists Association, and Society of American Travel Writers. Besides traveling and writing, Heide is also a professional Bellydancer, a medieval re-enactor, and a quirky chick who lives in Oklahoma City.

Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi: Speed Test and Review

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive compensation when you purchase via my links at no cost to you. See my disclosure for more information.

Princess Cruises promises guests the “best internet at sea.”

But is it really the best? And how fast are MedallionNet internet speeds?

We’ve tested Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi to determine if it lives up to the name. Read our review on Princess’ internet plans.

Table of Contents

Princess Cruises WiFi Plans and Prices

MedallionNet WiFi starts at $24.99 per device per day when purchased before sailing. Platinum and Elite Captain’s Circle members receive a 50% discount on all internet packages.

You can expect to pay a higher price for the internet plan if you purchase it on the ship.

Princess Cruises offers some of the lowest wifi prices in the cruise industry.

Still, you can get it even cheaper!

Guests who purchase the pricier Princess Plus fare receive free drinks, gratuities, and wifi. You’ll pay more for the Princess Plus or Princess Premier package. But the added perks make Princess Plus worth it.

Princess Plus includes free WiFi, gratuities, and a Princess Cruises beverage package.

How Does MedallionNet Work?

Before discussing the speed of Princess Cruises WiFi, it’s essential to understand how MedallionNet works.

Cruise ships often travel to remote destinations around the globe and spend vast amounts of time far away from land-based cell phone towers. For this reason, cruise ships rely on satellite connections to keep passengers connected at sea.

In the past, cruise ships connected to satellites in geostationary orbit – up to 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers) from the Earth. Although radio waves travel at the speed of light, the distance means up to 240 milliseconds of travel time.

It may not sound like much, but consider that your home internet likely has a connection speed below 30ms.

What makes Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi so fast?

Princess Cruises partners with Starlink to provide high-speed internet to guests. Starlinks low earth orbit satellints provide faster internet speeds, reduced latency, and much more bandwidth.

Internet speeds on Princess cruises aren’t as fast as you’re used to back home, but they are fast enough to browse the web, use social media, and stream movies.

How Fast is Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi?

We conducted several speed tests during our Caribbean cruise on Regal Princess to accurately measure MedallionNet’s internet speed.

We found average download speeds of 5.3 Mbps and upload speeds of 1.2 Mbps.

We conducted our speed tests multiple times daily to get the most accurate data sample.

In our experience, MedallionNet Wifi provides similar internet speeds compared to other mainstream cruise lines.

However, it’s important to note that the internet speeds aren’t as fast as you might be used to back home. The onboard WiFi is great for basic web browsing, emails, and messaging, but you will notice pages take slightly longer to load.

Further, while you can video chat and stream movies, TV, and music, don’t expect 4k video.

That said, for a cruise ship traveling in the middle of the ocean, Princess Cruises provides incredible internet speeds.

How Do You Access the Internet on Princess Cruises?

Accessing the MedallionNet internet is a straightforward process. Just follow the steps below to get your device connected in minutes.

• Open your device’s WiFi settings and select the MedallionNet WiFi connection.
• After connecting, you’ll be automatically redirected to the login page.
• Sign in using your cabin number and birthdate.

If, for some reason, your device won’t connect to the ship’s internet, visit guest services for assistance.

MedallionClass Wearable and App

Unsurprisingly, Princess Cruises offers fast internet speeds thanks to Starlink’s internet service. Every ship in Princess’ fleet is equipped with OceanMedallion – the cruise line’s award-winning wearable device program.

OceanMedallion replaces traditional room cards with a wearable that provides passengers with touchless boarding, room access, locating family on the ship, ordering food and drinks, and making purchases around the vessel.

The OceanMedallion wearable and accompanying app create a more personalized experience for passengers.

With thousands of passengers simultaneously using the technology, Princess cruise ships require a serious internet connection.

Final Thoughts

Princess Cruises MedallionNet WiFi provides comparable internet speeds among mainstream cruise lines .

While not as fast as you’ll find at home, the internet connection works perfectly fine for web browsing, emails, and messaging. It’s even fast enough to video chat back home and stream videos from Netflix, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.

Marcello De Lio

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Enchanted Princess cruise in the Caribbean today. Internet speed between 1.5mps and 2.5mps. No video calling and no chance playing games. Not the 12mps rumoured. I would prefer honesty rather than hype.

Princess Cruises used to have the fastest internet at speed. But with other cruise lines implementing Starlink satellite internet, their internet speeds have fallen behind.

Despite that, they continue to tout their “fast” internet speeds. I think it’s only a matter of time before they partner with a faster satellite provider and slow cruise WiFi becomes a thing of the past.

I was recently on a Carribean cruise aboard the Enchanted Princess over Thanksgiving this year. The Medallion Net service seemed okay at first but every time that I tried to access my email on either Yahoo or Gmail, the service bogged down tremendously, most often preventing me from even logging in to retrieve my emails.

I have sense booked new cruises for next fall and currently there is no options to add Medallion Net Wi-Fi to my bookings. Princess is planning on hiking the cost of their services in February, and I am guessing that they are not showing any options until their new rates go into effect. I am an elite member of Princess Cruise Lines and have 25 cruises under my belt. I believe that the new Medallion Net Wi-Fi today is inferior to what I have experienced in the past and now soon, will have to pay even higher fees for the service. It’s my opinion that by promoting the service to many more passengers by making it part of their Plus and Premium packages is causing an overload to their available bandwidth.

It’s true that internet speeds used to be faster. Today, more people connect to satellite internet, but the number of satellites hasn’t kept pace. This means that the limited bandwidth is divided amongst more people. It’s not just cruise lines but other ocean vessels, airplanes, and remote regions connecting to satellite internet.

Some cruise lines have been vocal about this issue. And several low-earth orbit internet providers are starting up. The low earth orbit satellites are faster because the connection doesn’t have to travel as far. The hope is that internet speeds will drastically improve in the near future as cruise lines make deals with the new satellite providers.

Thanks for this information… I am taking my first Princess cruise on the Enchanted Princess in a couple of weeks, can’t wait… do you have any more hints and suggestions?

Hi Marcello, Thanks for you excellent article. I am currently on the Majestic Princess cruising around New Zealand. I was getting between 0.03M and 0.51M download. (Using Googles Speed Test) (I can supply screen captures if required) On the Internet Cafe PC, the speed was even slower! Doing anything useful on the internet is impossible. (Outlook does not work – Times Out) I asked the IT manager about the slow internet speeds. He said that there was nothing he could do to fix it. He also advised that around the Caribbean the internet was fast. (Not much use to me!) For a 13 day cruise I paid more than I do for my monthly home 100M service. (As Elite I used to get Free Internet, but sadly no more). I have cruised with Princess for over 10 years, and this is the slowest I have seen!!!

That must be an incredible cruise. New Zealand and Australia are on my bucket list, but I haven’t had a chance to sail there yet.

I was in Alaska over the summer and experienced similar speeds, especially further north. It’s unfortunate, but the internet speeds outside of the Caribbean are extremely slow. Even in the Caribbean, internet speeds are far slower than many are used to at home.

I’d love to add those screen captures to the post and give you the photo credit. If you don’t mind me adding them, you can send them to [email protected] .

Thanks for explaining why the internet is slower in Alaska. I was on the Majestic Princess a few weeks ago and not only was it very slow, we kept losing the Wi-Fi altogether. Hopefully, these newer satellites will make a big difference. Thanks again!

I was in Alaska last month. It’s incredible how slow and unreliable the internet is a day or two after leaving Seattle/Vancouver. That should change shortly, thanks to newer technology.

I once heard that the princess ships throttle high bandwidth users so they don’t hog all the bandwidth for everyone else. Is there any truth to that?

To my knowledge, cruise lines throttle the bandwidth for all passengers. Most cruise lines rely on satellites in medium earth orbit or geosynchronous orbit. These systems have high latency, and limited bandwidth, forcing cruise lines to limit the bandwidth per device.

This will hopefully change in the future as cruise lines make the switch to low-earth satellite internet providers like Starlink.

We went to Alaska in June on the Ruby Princess and streamed content from YouTube. The speed was pretty good.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Internet speeds in Alaska are typically slower than in the Caribbean. I’m happy to hear you had a good experience!

Regal Princess Mediterranean trip wifi is very inconsistent. Slow and disconnect all the time.

Sorry, I had the exact opposite experience on Ruby Princess on an Alaskan cruise. Internet speed was between 12 and 36 kbps (yes K, as in poor dial up speeds!). This was on a phone, laptop and even one of their own Internet cafe computers. Horrible wifi!!!

I am sorry to hear about your experience. The internet speeds we measured were on our sailing in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, internet speeds are slower in Alaska because there isn’t coverage from medium-earth orbit satellite providers. In Alaska, Princess cruise ships switch to the high earth orbit satellites which have less bandwidth and slower internet speeds. Hopefully, this will change soon with SpaceX’s Starlink system looking to get approval for use on cruise ships.

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Horrible service.

Horrible service. I need to include the correspondence history and write it out as it is a lot over multiple days but it is truely damning both in terms of their incompetence and lack of accountability and service.

Date of experience : April 04, 2024

Do not let this company book your…

Do not let this company book your flights. They leave booking far too late, resulting in higher flight costs. Book the flights on your own. I have incurred over £1000 of additional flight costs due to this. I had even chased them and given instructions to book them as soon as they were available. I think the other reviews sum up this company’s thoughts about their customers. This is a £20000 cruise for us and the whole holiday is now tarnished. Thanks Princess!

Date of experience : March 01, 2024

Excursions DON'T use their iwn

Excursions, do not use them for your trips. They do not plan ahead for public holidays, they cancel trips without telling you leaving you late to rearrange, they are often three fold more expensive, groups are too large thus hurried and they are not overly concerned with negative feedback. We use Viator or GetYourGuide for well priced smaller groups. Even better deals with same local Operators direct. eg MantaSOS on Ecuador. Some investigation required yet you'll get a more fulfilling experience.

Date of experience : March 28, 2024

We enjoyed the cruise for its…fun and satisfying experience.

We enjoyed the cruise for its organization, port punctuality, and the stellar service. The food options were fine for a medium tier cruise. We bought the Princess Plus package for all the bennies and top shelf alcohol. Well worth it! Entertainment didn’t disappoint. Don’t miss the production shows and comedy act's. Our cruise was Panama Canal. Feb 8 from fll. We only went on one excursion in Panama. The city walking tour. Good background history. Shout out for our cabin attendant Dennis. Outstanding with his attention to our cabin and personal needs. Osnaider from the casino was so cool. Thanks buddy. Mark and Glenn deserve 5 stars for their great service at Crown Grill! We’re definitely going back.

Date of experience : February 07, 2024

The customer service is the worst ever

The customer service is the worst ever. There are 8 of us traveling together and they have tied our reservations together 4 times so it looks like 28 of us traveling together. When trying to book reservations for Dinner it wont let me because I am booking a table for 28. I have at this point been on the phone with customer service 3 times 3 different agents. 5 hours and nothing has been corrected. Its a NIGHTMARE!!!!

Date of experience : March 06, 2024

Ruby Princess February 28

Ruby Princess February 28 - March 9, 2024. -Boarding was a chaotic nightmare. -Very few restrooms and poorly marked and only at the restrooms. No signs pointing out where. -Despite large digital displays of the ship with locations marked it's unclear which way is forward, aft, or mid- deck. Simple arrows would work. -The Panama Old City Excursion was a total Shiitt SHOW. 5 hours on a 40 mile (one way) bus ride without a bathroom. Approximately 45 minutes off the bus. -Very few of the on board entertainment events were worth seeing. They were only 45 minutes long some shorter and each act was repeated many times throughout the week. The best of all were a couple of comedians. -The workout room is totally outdated. If all you want is a treadmill ok but the few machines are as old as the ship. I've seen those machines in garage sales for free, just plane junk. - Services were very good, or room Stewart was excellent.

Pre booking for the majestic was not what we expected.

Pre booking for the majestic was not easy language barriers, hard to understand. Some were joking and mocking because we couldn’t hear what they were saying most of the time it’s a call centre, where they are taking loudly over each other. It wasn’t personal in any way. Some were very nice and empathetic and mentioned they would pass on our complaints to their supervisors. Onboard staff were well mannered and extremely willing to help. Room service was a mixed bag. Ordering breakfast didn’t mean you’d get what you ordered. When we didn’t receive an order, one instance We rang room service and asked why we didn’t receive or order, through the confusion they doubled up on what we had pre ordered the night before. The guys that take care of room daily used blood stained doonas. Cutlery often not appearing to be clean. The dining was massive and the over all experience like a factory production line. What disgusted me the most was the way the luggage was handled. I thought airports were bad for mishandling luggage. Princess cruises takes it to another level. When I asked the handlers to show more respect towards our belongings they just shrug their shoulders and walked away. That is not what I paid for. We have sailed a number of times with Princess Cruises. That is not the quality they advertise. I’m really don’t believe the excursions were that well organised. We had to wait for nearly an hour and a half after we were dropped off in town waiting for our excursion to commence. The first two were canceled due to bad weather. Our journey to New Zealand was not the dream holiday we had hoped for. We were refunded the money for the canceled excursions.

Food is really bad

Food is really bad, same food everyday. Very little vegetarian options. Worst bit is they closed dinning one day. So that they have more business on speciality restaurant. The food thirr restaurant suks. Carnival,Royal Caribbean have alot better food, entertainment and rooms. Rooms have lots of safety hazards.

Date of experience : January 30, 2024

I am stunned by the negative reports on here. We have been on 3 cruises and have 2 booked for this year with Princess. We have found them nothing but brilliant. The food, the berverage package, entertainment, the decor and the staff we would rate highly. Perhaps our expectations are not as high as others.

Date of experience : August 12, 2023

Had a princess cruise to Greece on the…

Had a princess cruise to Greece on the sun princess……packed planned excursions etc for months. One day before check in they cancelled the trip. That was after signing up for their excursions and then having them cancelled. This ship should never been booked for trips by the management/owners.😡

Date of experience : February 14, 2024

Used to be a loyal customer

Used to be a loyal customer, but the Sun Princess Feb 18th cancellation 5 days prior to planned sailing was a total disaster. Lots of people including my family have lost thousands of dollars and lot of time dealing with Princess claims. When a cruise is cancelled, the pre and post cruise plans and excursion plans all are affected. Also, some people have to take time off from work and it is very difficult for them to change their vacation plan with such short notice. Princess will not refund expenses beyond the base cruise fare unless if you are already in Rome when the cancellation announcement was made, in which case you get a couple of days of hotel and flights reimbursed in addition. I understand Sun Princess is a new ship so its first sailing can be delayed, but I don't believe Princess has no earlier knowledge that the sail would not happen. Look at RCL Icon, its debute went flawlessly because the ship was ready a month before its inaugural sail. Sun Princess had a few days. When it was finally sailing on Feb 28th, the main attractions (dome, park 19, and spell bound) are all not yet ready.

Date of experience : February 18, 2024

Phone Customer Service

I have 8 guests going on Enchanted Princess cruise this summer. It’s difficult to book the excursions online due to having 3 rooms including a PH suite. I decided to call to book. Waited forever only to hang up after 20min. The lady on the phone can barely speak English. I asked to speak with someone else many times and she ignored me. She also had no idea what she was doing. Unacceptable Princess considering what this cruise is costing me.

Date of experience : January 12, 2024

Very bad customer service

Very bad customer service, I spent about 45 mins with a rep on the phone and she never emailed me Back with the quote if she had the wrong email she should have called me. Spent another 45 mins this morning and again no email or call rang up stating I was expecting an email and no one could help me…waste of time and energy bust workimg parent and the reps don’t always speak English so it’s fustrating

Very poor customer service

Very poor customer service. People are hard to understand, appear to have no authority to correct issues with booking mistakes and getting to a supervisor is Extremely difficult. When I did reach a supervisor named Win to explain a mistake Princess made with a shuttle booking, he basically said it was my problem and hung up. How these people are employed with this attitude is beyond me!

Date of experience : February 16, 2024

I will never use or recommend this…

I will never use or recommend this cruise line again I reported the cabin steward for making advances towards a young female passenger. At a later date he took her into the cabin opposite us, where he was supposed to be cleaning! In addition the Master cancelled 4 of 6 ports of call - this is apparently usual on this itinerary so please don’t waste your money.

Date of experience : August 14, 2023

Worst customer service ever

Worst customer service ever - and this is my first review about customer service. They force you to do their 'chat' or wait on the phone forever. I chose the chat and after 15 mins I was next in line but they kept making me wait. You can't click over to another page or even navigate their own site without losing your session - or God forbid leave your chair. Terrible!

Date of experience : February 09, 2024

First and last cruise with Princess

Lovely ship. Plus & Premium package mis sold changes made after we had paid in full. Rude guest services staff. Lack of information about flight itinerary booked via Princess prior to departure. Excursions expensive and not enough time at main attractions. Too much up selling. Medallion App only works if bar staff record drinks properly. Had to constantly go to guest services to have charges removed.

Date of experience : September 23, 2023

Last minute booking

Booked 8 days before cruise. Princess only had IE4 inside cabins available, This class of booking indicated they had multiple cabins available, but l now believe they were left with unsalable cabins. Basically these cabins are allocated last minute by princess, so we had no idea of what our cabin number was going to be. After arriving at port we were advised that our cabin was beside the midship “lifts” Had we had prior knowledge of this bad location we would not have booked the cruise. Premium $ paid for a crap noisy room. Late night party revellers. Truth be told princess has sold us a lemon and glossed it in gold foil.

Date of experience : January 05, 2024

The food was terrible.

The food was terrible. Compared to Royal Carribean, Carnival, Norwegian, and Celebrity, the food on Princess cruise ranks last. In addition, the non-production shows were hit and miss, and the farewell show was the worst I have seen in any previous cruises.

Date of experience : January 18, 2024

Customersservice don’t give service

We recently took a cruise with Princess that went well, but we still had money owed in our account afterwards. weeks later I received a check for this money, which unfortunately I cannot cash anywhere in the Netherlands. I have now sent Princess customer service an email 4 times but they have not responded to anything. strange when you consider that it is a relatively small amount and we (2 couples) are regular customers. which of course they will now lose.

Date of experience : December 11, 2023

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Horrible service.

Horrible service. I need to include the correspondence history and write it out as it is a lot over multiple days but it is truely damning both in terms of their incompetence and lack of accountability and service.

Date of experience : 04 April 2024

Do not let this company book your…

Do not let this company book your flights. They leave booking far too late, resulting in higher flight costs. Book the flights on your own. I have incurred over £1000 of additional flight costs due to this. I had even chased them and given instructions to book them as soon as they were available. I think the other reviews sum up this company’s thoughts about their customers. This is a £20000 cruise for us and the whole holiday is now tarnished. Thanks Princess!

Date of experience : 01 March 2024

Excursions DON'T use their iwn

Excursions, do not use them for your trips. They do not plan ahead for public holidays, they cancel trips without telling you leaving you late to rearrange, they are often three fold more expensive, groups are too large thus hurried and they are not overly concerned with negative feedback. We use Viator or GetYourGuide for well priced smaller groups. Even better deals with same local Operators direct. eg MantaSOS on Ecuador. Some investigation required yet you'll get a more fulfilling experience.

Date of experience : 28 March 2024

We enjoyed the cruise for its…fun and satisfying experience.

We enjoyed the cruise for its organization, port punctuality, and the stellar service. The food options were fine for a medium tier cruise. We bought the Princess Plus package for all the bennies and top shelf alcohol. Well worth it! Entertainment didn’t disappoint. Don’t miss the production shows and comedy act's. Our cruise was Panama Canal. Feb 8 from fll. We only went on one excursion in Panama. The city walking tour. Good background history. Shout out for our cabin attendant Dennis. Outstanding with his attention to our cabin and personal needs. Osnaider from the casino was so cool. Thanks buddy. Mark and Glenn deserve 5 stars for their great service at Crown Grill! We’re definitely going back.

Date of experience : 07 February 2024

The customer service is the worst ever

The customer service is the worst ever. There are 8 of us traveling together and they have tied our reservations together 4 times so it looks like 28 of us traveling together. When trying to book reservations for Dinner it wont let me because I am booking a table for 28. I have at this point been on the phone with customer service 3 times 3 different agents. 5 hours and nothing has been corrected. Its a NIGHTMARE!!!!

Date of experience : 06 March 2024

Ruby Princess February 28

Ruby Princess February 28 - March 9, 2024. -Boarding was a chaotic nightmare. -Very few restrooms and poorly marked and only at the restrooms. No signs pointing out where. -Despite large digital displays of the ship with locations marked it's unclear which way is forward, aft, or mid- deck. Simple arrows would work. -The Panama Old City Excursion was a total Shiitt SHOW. 5 hours on a 40 mile (one way) bus ride without a bathroom. Approximately 45 minutes off the bus. -Very few of the on board entertainment events were worth seeing. They were only 45 minutes long some shorter and each act was repeated many times throughout the week. The best of all were a couple of comedians. -The workout room is totally outdated. If all you want is a treadmill ok but the few machines are as old as the ship. I've seen those machines in garage sales for free, just plane junk. - Services were very good, or room Stewart was excellent.

Pre booking for the majestic was not what we expected.

Pre booking for the majestic was not easy language barriers, hard to understand. Some were joking and mocking because we couldn’t hear what they were saying most of the time it’s a call centre, where they are taking loudly over each other. It wasn’t personal in any way. Some were very nice and empathetic and mentioned they would pass on our complaints to their supervisors. Onboard staff were well mannered and extremely willing to help. Room service was a mixed bag. Ordering breakfast didn’t mean you’d get what you ordered. When we didn’t receive an order, one instance We rang room service and asked why we didn’t receive or order, through the confusion they doubled up on what we had pre ordered the night before. The guys that take care of room daily used blood stained doonas. Cutlery often not appearing to be clean. The dining was massive and the over all experience like a factory production line. What disgusted me the most was the way the luggage was handled. I thought airports were bad for mishandling luggage. Princess cruises takes it to another level. When I asked the handlers to show more respect towards our belongings they just shrug their shoulders and walked away. That is not what I paid for. We have sailed a number of times with Princess Cruises. That is not the quality they advertise. I’m really don’t believe the excursions were that well organised. We had to wait for nearly an hour and a half after we were dropped off in town waiting for our excursion to commence. The first two were canceled due to bad weather. Our journey to New Zealand was not the dream holiday we had hoped for. We were refunded the money for the canceled excursions.

Food is really bad

Food is really bad, same food everyday. Very little vegetarian options. Worst bit is they closed dinning one day. So that they have more business on speciality restaurant. The food thirr restaurant suks. Carnival,Royal Caribbean have alot better food, entertainment and rooms. Rooms have lots of safety hazards.

Date of experience : 30 January 2024

I am stunned by the negative reports on here. We have been on 3 cruises and have 2 booked for this year with Princess. We have found them nothing but brilliant. The food, the berverage package, entertainment, the decor and the staff we would rate highly. Perhaps our expectations are not as high as others.

Date of experience : 12 August 2023

Had a princess cruise to Greece on the…

Had a princess cruise to Greece on the sun princess……packed planned excursions etc for months. One day before check in they cancelled the trip. That was after signing up for their excursions and then having them cancelled. This ship should never been booked for trips by the management/owners.😡

Date of experience : 14 February 2024

Used to be a loyal customer

Used to be a loyal customer, but the Sun Princess Feb 18th cancellation 5 days prior to planned sailing was a total disaster. Lots of people including my family have lost thousands of dollars and lot of time dealing with Princess claims. When a cruise is cancelled, the pre and post cruise plans and excursion plans all are affected. Also, some people have to take time off from work and it is very difficult for them to change their vacation plan with such short notice. Princess will not refund expenses beyond the base cruise fare unless if you are already in Rome when the cancellation announcement was made, in which case you get a couple of days of hotel and flights reimbursed in addition. I understand Sun Princess is a new ship so its first sailing can be delayed, but I don't believe Princess has no earlier knowledge that the sail would not happen. Look at RCL Icon, its debute went flawlessly because the ship was ready a month before its inaugural sail. Sun Princess had a few days. When it was finally sailing on Feb 28th, the main attractions (dome, park 19, and spell bound) are all not yet ready.

Date of experience : 18 February 2024

Phone Customer Service

I have 8 guests going on Enchanted Princess cruise this summer. It’s difficult to book the excursions online due to having 3 rooms including a PH suite. I decided to call to book. Waited forever only to hang up after 20min. The lady on the phone can barely speak English. I asked to speak with someone else many times and she ignored me. She also had no idea what she was doing. Unacceptable Princess considering what this cruise is costing me.

Date of experience : 12 January 2024

Very bad customer service

Very bad customer service, I spent about 45 mins with a rep on the phone and she never emailed me Back with the quote if she had the wrong email she should have called me. Spent another 45 mins this morning and again no email or call rang up stating I was expecting an email and no one could help me…waste of time and energy bust workimg parent and the reps don’t always speak English so it’s fustrating

Very poor customer service

Very poor customer service. People are hard to understand, appear to have no authority to correct issues with booking mistakes and getting to a supervisor is Extremely difficult. When I did reach a supervisor named Win to explain a mistake Princess made with a shuttle booking, he basically said it was my problem and hung up. How these people are employed with this attitude is beyond me!

Date of experience : 16 February 2024

I will never use or recommend this…

I will never use or recommend this cruise line again I reported the cabin steward for making advances towards a young female passenger. At a later date he took her into the cabin opposite us, where he was supposed to be cleaning! In addition the Master cancelled 4 of 6 ports of call - this is apparently usual on this itinerary so please don’t waste your money.

Date of experience : 14 August 2023

Worst customer service ever

Worst customer service ever - and this is my first review about customer service. They force you to do their 'chat' or wait on the phone forever. I chose the chat and after 15 mins I was next in line but they kept making me wait. You can't click over to another page or even navigate their own site without losing your session - or God forbid leave your chair. Terrible!

Date of experience : 09 February 2024

First and last cruise with Princess

Lovely ship. Plus & Premium package mis sold changes made after we had paid in full. Rude guest services staff. Lack of information about flight itinerary booked via Princess prior to departure. Excursions expensive and not enough time at main attractions. Too much up selling. Medallion App only works if bar staff record drinks properly. Had to constantly go to guest services to have charges removed.

Date of experience : 23 September 2023

Last minute booking

Booked 8 days before cruise. Princess only had IE4 inside cabins available, This class of booking indicated they had multiple cabins available, but l now believe they were left with unsalable cabins. Basically these cabins are allocated last minute by princess, so we had no idea of what our cabin number was going to be. After arriving at port we were advised that our cabin was beside the midship “lifts” Had we had prior knowledge of this bad location we would not have booked the cruise. Premium $ paid for a crap noisy room. Late night party revellers. Truth be told princess has sold us a lemon and glossed it in gold foil.

Date of experience : 05 January 2024

The food was terrible.

The food was terrible. Compared to Royal Carribean, Carnival, Norwegian, and Celebrity, the food on Princess cruise ranks last. In addition, the non-production shows were hit and miss, and the farewell show was the worst I have seen in any previous cruises.

Date of experience : 18 January 2024

Customersservice don’t give service

We recently took a cruise with Princess that went well, but we still had money owed in our account afterwards. weeks later I received a check for this money, which unfortunately I cannot cash anywhere in the Netherlands. I have now sent Princess customer service an email 4 times but they have not responded to anything. strange when you consider that it is a relatively small amount and we (2 couples) are regular customers. which of course they will now lose.

Date of experience : 11 December 2023

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