9 Best Ways To Use Your Princess Cruises OceanMedallion 2024
The Princess Cruises OceanMedallion enables everything from touch-free boarding, to keyless stateroom entry, and even the ability to order items directly to your location, no matter where you are.
This smart tech solution makes cruising so much more enjoyable, so I recently joined the Regal Princess for four days on a Summer Seacation to witness firsthand what the innovative OceanMedallion coupled with the MedallionClass app could do.
This post is brought to you in collaboration with Princess Cruises. As always, all words and opinions are my own. This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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What is the OceanMedallion?
The OceanMedallion is exclusive to Princess Cruises and is a free wearable disc that serves as your “digital identity” onboard the ship.
The coin sized disc is waterproof, heat, sand and salt resistant, so can be worn at all times, and allows you to customise your cruise experience.
The OceanMedallion comes in different colours depending on your Captain’s Circle loyalty status, as below:
- Blue – First time Princess cruisers (like me!)
- Gold – More than 1 cruise
- Ruby – After completing 3 cruises or 30 cruise days
- Platinum – After completing 5 cruises or 50 cruise days
- Black (Elite) – After completing 15 cruises or 150 cruise days
On top of that, each OceanMedallion is laser-etched with your name, the name of the ship and the date of the sailing, making it a unique take home memento of your Princess Cruises adventure.
How Do You Get Your OceanMedallion?
Firstly you must download the MedallionClass app then fill in the forms, including uploading a security photo and a scan of your passport. Once this is complete your status will change to “OceanReady”.
If you are located in the US, and are “OceanReady” at least 12 days before sailing then your OceanMedallion will be posted to your home address.
If you are located outside of the US or fill in your online paperwork closer to the cruise date you can pick up your Medallion at the cruise port on embarkation.
How Do I Carry my OceanMedallion?
It can be carried in your pocket, or worn around your neck with the free lanyard that comes with every OceanMedallion.
However you can customise your experience by purchasing clips, wristbands, key rings, pendants, caribiners and my favourite, watch adapter clips, which are great for Fitbit/Apple Watch users. Prices range from $8 to $65.
Is the OceanMedallion Safe? Can Someone Steal My Personal Information?
The Medallion device doesn’t store any personal information or carry any data on it.
This means it is completely safe and if you lose your Medallion, it can easily be cancelled and replaced for free.
9 Ways to Use Your OceanMedallion
Below are the best ways to make use of your OceanMedallion by simplifying and personalising your trip:
1. Keyless Entry to your Cabin
The most common use for your OceanMedallion is for keyless door entry.
The smart technology senses your Medallion as it comes close to your stateroom door and then turns from red to green to allow entry.
Note: You can also manually open your door by tapping the Medallion on the screen.
However I loved the ease and the fact that I didn’t need to rummage around my bag to get into my room!
2. Order Food or Drink To Anywhere Onboard The Ship
Once onboard, cruisers can use OceanNow for on-demand food and drinks.
The Medallion uses smart technology to pinpoint your location, allowing you to order food and drinks via the MedallionClass app to either your stateroom or your current location (just toggle the delivery location to pick options).
Soon enough a waiter will appear with your order, without you even having to get up!
3. Order Amenities To Your Stateroom
As well as food and drink you can also order amenities to your room, such as a new bathrobe, towels, free laundry service or even a plug adapter!
You can do this at any time even if you aren’t in your room, saving you time and hassle later.
4. Easy Payments in the Shops
The OceanMedallion also serves as an onboard credit card, transforming the way you shop by eliminating the need to carry cash or credit cards.
Just tap your Medallion for contactless payments.
Don’t worry it’s perfectly safe as your security image (uploaded pre-departure) is used as verification when purchasing, so you don’t need to worry about someone else racking up your shopping bill if you lose your Medallion.
5. Navigate Around the Ship
One of my favourite uses for the Medallion was the onboard navigation function.
Using the MedallionClass app or the interactive wall portals found throughout the ship, you can orientate yourself and get detailed directions for where you want to go.
This helps a lot during the first few days when you are still becoming familiar with the ship, but it really came in handy at the end of the evening when we were tired of walking around in heels and wanted to know the quickest way back to our staterooms!
6. Locate Your Friends and Family
The Shipmates function (OceanCompass) is great for families.
Using the Medallion as a GPS, you can locate anyone in your group, so you don’t need to worry about losing your children.
Like the navigation function you can either use your MedallionClass app or the wall portals onboard the ship.
The app will show you exactly where your Shipmate is and will give you detailed directions to find them.
If you don’t want some in your group to know your location, you can turn off this function at any time.
For example: If you tell your partner you’re going to the gym when you’re actually at the bar…
NOTE: The option to turn off your location is only available for adults not children.
7. Daily Itinerary
JourneyView on the MedallionClass app allows you to have your daily itinerary at your fingertips.
On past cruises I have had to walk around with an A4 paper printout of the daily schedule.
However with the MedallionClass app, you have the schedule for the entire trip and can see how busy each event is and reserve your place whenever you want.
The only events you can’t book via the JourneyView are the after dinner shows, which were first come first serve (but I never had a problem finding seats).
8. Book Future Princess Cruises
The MedallionClass app has onboard only offers, but if you don’t want to wait until you are travelling check out the current Princess Cruises special offers and discounts.
9. Watch TV and Play Games Online
With OceanView you can watch shows and movies on your phone.
You can even pause them and pick up where you left off later.
There are also several games that you can play including a children’s favourite, tagalong, and one of my favourites, the Trivia on Deck.
Things You Can’t Do With the OceanMedallion
It’s currently not possible to view or book gym classes or spa treatments via the MedallionClass app, but this would be a great addition for the future, and it would mean you could customise your Princess Cruises trip even more.
The OceanMedallion and MedallionClass app also currently doesn’t show the geo-location of the ship which was something I was interested about on my Princess Cruises Summer Seacation from Southamption.
There is information about direction and speed, as below, but it would be great to be able to see where you are in comparison to land. It will help you keep your bearings, and answer everyone back home who is curious as to where you are!
Final Thoughts on the Princess Medallion
Overall, the ability to control so much of your cruise experience using just the Medallion and the app is great.
It means you can spend more time with family and friends enjoying your holiday without having to get up to order food or go to the bar.
You can also organise your time easily as the whole holiday itinerary is at your fingertips and there is no need to walk around with daily printed out timetables.
It’s also so easy to meet up with people by sharing your location and letting the Medallion show you the exact directions to find them (perfect when you are on a big ship like the Regal Princess!).
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