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Princess Cruises is Upping Its Tech Game With New Wearable Devices for Passengers

Jennifer Wood
Contributor
Jan. 12, 2017
•
3 min read
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Princess Cruises is Upping Its Tech Game With New Wearable Devices for Passengers
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From cars to sticks of deodorant, the world is a treasure trove of "smart" devices — some of them more useful than others. As we've become more and more accustomed to our devices doing the thinking for us, businesses in every sector — including the travel industry — are racing to keep up. After all, if there's one time where we want our every desire to be intuited, it's while we're on vacation. Which makes the recent announcement of Princess Cruises' Ocean Medallion wearable technology an exciting prospect for veteran cruisers.

Last week, at CES in Las Vegas, Carnival Corporation — Princess Cruises' parent company — debuted its latest open seas innovation: the Ocean Medallion, a tiny wearable device that will allow passengers to have a largely hands-free experience. Created with the assistance of the tech whizzes at Nytec, the waterproof device — which can be worn as a bracelet or necklace, on your belt or simply be dropped into your pocket – works a bit like your very own butler. Confirmed passengers receive the Medallion in the mail before the cruise — it comes engraved with your name and ready to be pre-loaded with the kinds of essential data that'll make navigating your trip a breeze. Guests can personalize their experience by inputting key information and preferences into the Ocean Compass app, which will help expedite everything from check-in to cocktail deliveries.

In addition to working as a room key and cruise ship keycard ID, by using either the app or one of the many interactive displays scattered around the ship, the Medallion can be used to do almost anything on board — make restaurant or spa reservations, arrange a shore excursion, pinpoint the whereabouts of your traveling companion(s), find your way around the ship or order a meal or some drinks to be delivered right away (or at a chosen time) to and from wherever you are or will be.

If you're planning a cruise for this year and want to take the Ocean Medallion for a spin, you'll have to wait until the fall; the Regal Princess' November 13th cruise will be the first ship to debut the service, followed by the Royal Princess and Caribbean Princess ships in early 2018.

Carnival's not the first cruise line to introduce smart wristbands. Guests of Royal Caribbean's Quantum-class ships — Anthem of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas — as well as its newest and largest ship, Harmony of the Seas — have the option to purchase WOWbands for an additional $4.99 per person instead of relying on traditional key cards. WOWbands can be purchased once on any Royal Caribbean ship that currently offers them and the same one can be used on a future cruise, so if you're someone who constantly loses your key card, consider making the investment.

H/T: Digital Trends

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  • Annual Fee is $325.
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at American Express's secure site
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American Express® Gold Card

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Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
4 / 5
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
3XEarn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
2XEarn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • Intro Offer
    You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit
    Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.