Medallion....Hype vs actuality

We have been doing this cruise for many years, its so convenient out of NYC. To bad Princess doesn't use this port more often. We cruised the Caribbean Princess the first week it went partially "live", so we were looking forward to getting the full use of the new technology.

We love the sea days, and this time particularly went to de-stress and not do a lot of things, so we didn't do the theater or any Lido deck activities. We love Aruba and St Marteen, so we just beached it there and did our annual 15 minute walk in Antigua.

Getting back to the Medallion....Reading all the hype and guessing the expense on outfitting entire ships for this experience, we were expecting, I guess, too much.

Reading here, that our first drink using the Medallion Class App, we were only to happy to oblige. So taking a seat at Crooners, I pull up my App and proceeded to order my drink, my husband on the other hand couldn't get his to work no how. Server comes over, she couldn't get it either, so he paid.

One of the finer features we figured would help out, was the "shipmate finder". I couldn't get that feature to work on my phone, so I couldn't find him, but he could find me. We went to the Ocean tech team, and they pointed ME to the Passenger Services Desk to issue me a new Medallion as mine was DEAD. This was just after embarking. SO, we go upon our merry way, trying to get various aspects of this App to work. On the Caribbean Princess, (don't forget limited service) we would approach our cabin door and maybe 15 feet away you could here it unlock, now we were standing in front of our door waving our Medallions like birds to get it to function. The screen on the door didn't even acknowledge our presence, just the light on the door would turn green after a while. A few more days pass, husband still trying to get his "free" drink, now he can't find me. We Again go the Ocean techs, now they tell HIM his Medallion is DEAD and to go back to PSD for a new Medallion. So, we have now been to the Ocean techs 5 times to "help" us to get our Medallions to work correctly. Someone even took a work order on my phone to correct the problem, this was the second day, and would get back to me....never did. Second last day of the cruise, we went to Crown Grill, and my husband wanted to take advantage of the "free" drink. Server looked at his phone, showed him in our cabin, he just brought his drink and didn't charge him.

In my opinion, this technology is a joke, rolled out too soon without making sure all the bugs are out of it. I didn't have the "experience" that has been hyped for over a year. Just give me my cruise card back and let me get on with my vacation. I did email the Ocean people with my experience as well