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WOW Band Return or something new and improved?


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That's too bad. I have my phone on me for work all the time and we disconnect a lot when we are on the ships and that was an awesome feature. Would have gladly paid 10 dollars for it. We always had good luck with them. I hate having to have the card with me while enjoying the pools also wife loved not having to have it stuck somewhere while swimming and other activities on the ship.

 

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In hindsight I suspect it didn't bring the functionality that seemed like a great idea in 2013 when it was being developed.  For me it was essentially a way to open my cabin door when I was carrying stuff.  The point of sale transaction feature never worked out very well at bars and stores on board.  So I can understand the desire to put this aside for the time being.  

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I read an article back during the pandemic and Royal Caribbean saw app based as the future as opposed to wearables.  The Princess Medallion was great on my cruise with them in September.  I never tried it, but I dont think the wow band was nearly as capable.  Royal's app is far better in my opinion, much easier to navigate and use.  

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Wow bands were never in the same league as the Princess Medallion.  The Medallion is used to board the ship for example and it's used to track you so can order a drink and they'll find you no matter where you are.  As you near your door it automatically unlocks so you just turn the handle and walk in.  

Medallions are way more advanced, contain a battery to power the stronger RFID chip and have corresponding ship infrastructure that's always available for them to connect to.  Wow bands were passive RFID devices that had to be placed in close proximity to an RFID door lock or PoS terminal before they would work and that's where they often failed.  I could never get towels using a wow band, it always failed, so then they had to switch screens and ask my cabin number.  Then towel returns would get messed.  Royal isn't very technological and the wow band flop is another example of that.  

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On 12/11/2022 at 9:21 AM, twangster said:

Wow bands were never in the same league as the Princess Medallion.  The Medallion is used to board the ship for example and it's used to track you so can order a drink and they'll find you no matter where you are.  As you near your door it automatically unlocks so you just turn the handle and walk in.  

Medallions are way more advanced, contain a battery to power the stronger RFID chip and have corresponding ship infrastructure that's always available for them to connect to.  Wow bands were passive RFID devices that had to be placed in close proximity to an RFID door lock or PoS terminal before they would work and that's where they often failed.  I could never get towels using a wow band, it always failed, so then they had to switch screens and ask my cabin number.  Then towel returns would get messed.  Royal isn't very technological and the wow band flop is another example of that.  

Medallion's are a game-changer. Before you even approach the bar, the bartender has your account up and greets you by name. You rarely have to tap or take off your band, as its mostly proximity based. There are for sure some bugs still to work out, and Princess's app needs a ton of improvements, but I really hope the rest of the industry moves to this technology.

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2 hours ago, nickpants said:

I really hope the rest of the industry moves to this technology.

FWIW, it seems to me Royal is not interested in wearables. They seem to think the future is facial recognition as a better long term investment

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/04/15/royal-caribbean-sees-facial-recognition-technology-not-wearables-the-future-of

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6 hours ago, Matt said:

FWIW, it seems to me Royal is not interested in wearables. They seem to think the future is facial recognition as a better long term investment

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/04/15/royal-caribbean-sees-facial-recognition-technology-not-wearables-the-future-of

How would this apply to things like buying drinks?  Would you stand in front of a machine when you approach the bar and it would pull up your info?  Jane

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On 12/12/2022 at 6:26 PM, twangster said:

It will be having a passport picture taken.  Stand on the X.  No smiling.  Remove glasses.  No hats.   🙂

Lol...no glasses either.  My passport almost didn't come before my first cruise because my glasses slightly covered one corner of my eye!  Jane

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  • 3 weeks later...

which ships have keyless entry via the app?  I googled a bit and can't find an exact list.  

 

Also earlier this year on symphony i had a heck of a time keeping my seapass card from peeling apart, never had that issue before.  always kept my card in my board shorts, pants pocket wherever, never had an issue with them being wet or peeling apart but on this last cruise i went to guest services twice to replace it as the laminate was peeling off and the black ink beneath would wash away - could have gone again but just lived with it for the last couple days.

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20 minutes ago, dr martini said:

which ships have keyless entry via the app?  I googled a bit and can't find an exact list.  

 

Also earlier this year on symphony i had a heck of a time keeping my seapass card from peeling apart, never had that issue before.  always kept my card in my board shorts, pants pocket wherever, never had an issue with them being wet or peeling apart but on this last cruise i went to guest services twice to replace it as the laminate was peeling off and the black ink beneath would wash away - could have gone again but just lived with it for the last couple days.

I believe only Oasis and Quantum class ship built after a certain time or amped. I know Odyssey had the option, Harmony as well, my friend said Wonder too.

But yes, the current cards are pretty bad, my brother and BFF had to get their cards replaced twice on a 6N Odyssey sailing because they were peeling and falling apart.

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On 12/29/2022 at 10:59 AM, dr martini said:

which ships have keyless entry via the app?  I googled a bit and can't find an exact list.  

 

Also earlier this year on symphony i had a heck of a time keeping my seapass card from peeling apart, never had that issue before.  always kept my card in my board shorts, pants pocket wherever, never had an issue with them being wet or peeling apart but on this last cruise i went to guest services twice to replace it as the laminate was peeling off and the black ink beneath would wash away - could have gone again but just lived with it for the last couple days.

I haven’t cruised since 2019 but we found our cards were highly sensitive to sunscreen…it would absolutely take off the black ink and I had to replace my card a couple times.  Jane

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
33 minutes ago, Carlos A. said:

Royal should ditch this unreliable passive RFID tech and opt for active RFID like Princess.

I've used the WOW bands and they don't have nothing to be "wowed" about.

 

 

Would love that, but in the interim, prefer the current to a seapass card in pocket or on lanyard.

No reason to let great be the enemy of good.

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1 hour ago, Carlos A. said:

Royal should ditch this unreliable passive RFID tech and opt for active RFID like Princess.

I've used the WOW bands and they don't have nothing to be "wowed" about.

 

 

Love the fact we don't have to have our Seapass cards with us. I'm not at all about being actively tracked across the ship.  

Also fine with not being wowed but having easier functionality for now.

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22 hours ago, Midwest Cruiser said:

Love the fact we don't have to have our Seapass cards with us. I'm not at all about being actively tracked across the ship.  

Also fine with not being wowed but having easier functionality for now.

Easier functionality is very relative to what really happens when you try to pay with them on a bar or a store and the reader wont take them.

I'll recommend trying Princess medallion at least once so you could have a comparing point of view. Just saying. 

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23 hours ago, Carlos A. said:

Easier functionality is very relative to what really happens when you try to pay with them on a bar or a store and the reader wont take them.

I'll recommend trying Princess medallion at least once so you could have a comparing point of view. Just saying. 

I never had any issues using my wow band at any bar on RC ships that had wow bands and I never had an issue gaining access to my cabin using a wow band. 

Now for the onboard shops, spa and casino it would be nice if wow bands worked as currency like your seapass and is something that can be fixed through IT and programming.  But of course we all know Royal's IT departments isn't exactly the best in the business. 

But for what the wow band does it is absolutely better than having to use your seapass for everything. 

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1 hour ago, JasonOasis said:

Now for the onboard shops, spa and casino it would be nice if wow bands worked as currency like your seapass and is something that can be fixed through IT and programming.  But of course we all know Royal's IT departments isn't exactly the best in the business. 

Hey now, don't be hating on Brandon The RC IT Intern. He's doing the best he can as it is.  🤪

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On 2/14/2023 at 12:26 PM, smokeybandit said:

Even if you leave your phone in the safe, they're tracking you with cameras anyway.

Yes that is fine if its in the safe. I have to use my phone most days for work as does my wife. I'm perfectly fine with them tracking it in the safe and we don't have our phones with us. I'm not concerned with the cameras. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

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