Simone Clarke's Princess Cruises MedallionClass Experience
What does MedallionClass mean on Princess Cruises?
July 2024
Simone Clarke, previously the Senior Vice President of Global Supply at Iglu Cruise, is something of an expert when it comes to trying and testing the newest features to come out of the cruise industry, and Princess Cruises' MedallionClass app and Ocean Medallion is no exception. While aboard the exceptional Sky Princess cruise ship, which was one of the first vessels in Princess Cruises' impressive fleet to feature the MedallionClass system, Simone took the innovative gadget for a spin.
Read on to find out her highlights of the Ocean Medallion and the MedallionClass app itself!
Our Expert's Opinion
"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." - Simone Clarke, Senior Vice President of Global Supply at Iglu Cruise
What is MedallionClass on Princess Cruises?
Princess Cruises' 'Medallion Class' system, which as you may have noticed is actually styled as one word (MedallionClass), is a unique feature that gives you instant access to a number of exciting features onboard – while also acting as a keycard and wireless payment system.
So, instead of a keycard, passengers will receive a small "medallion" that – connected to your onboard account – is used for making payments and opening your cabin, primarily. Unlike with a keycard that you have to rummage around for in your pockets or bag, the cabin actually detects the medallion when you're nearby and opens as you arrive.
That's not all, though; the medallion also gives you quick access to a number of features onboard; and, MedallionClass privileges also offer guests a selection of unique benefits – all with the aim to enhance your onboard experience and make everything as effortless as possible. These, with the help of the Princess Cruises mobile app, are:
- Faster Boarding
- Best Wi-Fi at Sea
- Ship Navigation (finding your way around)
- Finding Friends and Family Onboard
- Bookmarking Onboard Events
- Easy Stateroom and Suite Entry
- Family-Friendly Games
- OceanNow (unique onboard delivery service)
- OceanReady (pre-cruise preparation features)
- JourneyView (onboard experience and shore excursion booking portal)
- OceanView (film and television service on stateroom TVs and Princess Cruises app)
- OceanCompass (a navigation service with 'find my friends' and point-to-point directions available)
Ocean Medallion 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 small clip for $7, a sports band for $10, or a stylish bangle – which looks beautiful with eveningwear – for $45.
MedallionNet Wi-Fi
The Wi-Fi on Princess Cruises' vessels is really good value, with one-device to four-device service packages starting from just $24,99; it used to be a little less, but has since risen to be more in-line with the wider industry. The Wi-Fi on Princess vessels is really good value with prices starting from $9.99 per day.
Interestingly, they say it's the "best internet at sea", and I actually 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.
Princess Cruises 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.
Room Service and Beyond
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.
Book Your Next Cruise Getaway with Iglu Cruise Today
If you're ready to embrace this impressive bit of cruise ship technology and embark on an exciting adventure with Princess Cruises, you can check out the latest cruise deals and upcoming Princess Cruises sailings right here. We also, across other cruise lines, have fantastic all-inclusive getaways and short breaks for you to check out.
Or, for those of you wanting to learn more about Princess Cruises and cruising more generally, we have a selection of the latest blogs for you to read below!