Simone Clark, Senior Vice President of Global Supply at Iglu Cruise, is a real expert in trying and testing the newest features to come out of the cruise industry, and the Princess Cruises Ocean Medallion is no exception. While onboard Sky Princess, one of the many MedallionClass ships including Regal Princess, Simone took the innovative gadget for a spin - read on to find out her highlights of the Ocean Medallion!
It’s the first time that I’ve experienced a MedallionClass ship, which enhances the Princess Cruises experience with clever use of technology in the form of a stylish, wearable medallion. This sleek accessory is your smart friend, your room key, your credit card, your waiter, your bartender, your daily planner, navigation device and messenger. After simply connecting to the ship’s Wi-Fi at no extra cost - although I’d highly recommend paying for the ship’s Wi-Fi, which often feels better than mine at home - you’re ready to go.
What is Medallion Class?
Instead of a keycard passengers will receive a small round “medallion” that is used for making payments and also for opening your cabin. Unlike with a keycard that you have to rummage for in your bag, the cabin opens as you arrive as it detects you are nearby. The medallion also gives you a number of features at your fingertips, making your onboard experience smoother than ever.
Wearability
The small, subtle medallions can be worn around your neck on a lanyard given to you during embarkation. However, you can also purchase a sports band or clip for about $10, or opt for a stylish bangle which looks beautiful with evening-wear for $45.
Wi-Fi
The Wi-Fi on Princess vessels is really good value with prices starting from $9.99 per day. They say it’s the “best internet at sea” and I have to agree. The high speed means that you can FaceTime home, send emails and messages, and even stream great quality TV and video - it took just seconds to start streaming Spider-Man on Netflix and also watch live football on Sky Sports, which is a fantastic achievement at sea.
App
The app and the Ocean Medallion work hand-in-hand to further amplify your onboard experience. With great ease of use, the app is home to information such as the daily schedule of events, ship information, time, the deck plan and venue opening times. You can also message your friends and family and locate them on the ship, making meeting up for drinks and meals a breeze. As well as this, passengers can access their onboard account to track spending.
Service
While room service can be ordered from the app as well as the TV, thanks to the Ocean Medallion, drinks can now be ordered from anywhere on the ship and will be delivered to you. You’ll be able to track it’s progress and see when your drink is on it’s way, meaning you won’t miss a second of the fantastic entertainment or time in the hot tub.
Find your way round
Never again will you spend too much time looking for friends and family! Through the app, you can send messages to your group to coordinate meeting times, before finding where your group is on the ship. This is a great perk for families who like to dabble in different activities- with the Ocean Medallion, you’ll never be too far from one another.
While some seasoned cruisers may be wary of this change, I highly recommend that you keep an open mind. Don’t be afraid of this new technology - embrace it! It’ll enhance your Princess cruise and make your holiday more relaxed and stress free, which is exactly what cruising should be about. And if you want to learn about even more amazing cruise ship technology, be sure to read our blog!
