Why no Magic Bands for DCL?

[southerngirl528]

One factor is no doubt the staggering cost of the MB technology and the systems changeover required to install and run it. I have heard staggering numbers of what the rollout for MB's cost at WDW. I don't want to quote as i don't recall for certain the number but I will say this, it was more than the cost of a brand new Disney ship.

 

[KMovies]

Yes, the costs were much higher than WDW had anticipated ... one reason that it hasn't rolled out to Disneyland Resort yet. I would believe you would see it at Disneyland before the cruise line.

 

[cedricandsophie]

I dislike the bands. They are uncomfortable and I have trouble opening room doors because I cant line it up properly. I would never wear one on the ship. The lanyards work great. I can keep my Key, my Cove card and my drivers license in it when I leave the ship.

 

[kiford]

I didn't think of that but I guess it's possible. Only advertising we got after our stays with MBs was the usual "come back for 20% off rack room rate, etc..."

But now we only get offers for Deluxe resorts (which is where we stay) instead of endless offers for value and moderate resorts which I used to get and where we don't stay. This enables them to target the offers to your past behaviour when you're more likely to take advantage of it. Not that they didn't have a lot of this information before, but now they have more and better data to properly target.

 

[phinz]

It would make you a target in ports.

This. If they gave me a Magic Band for the ship I'd give it back and tell them it's a KTTW card for me. Last thing I want to do is walk around a port wearing a bright yellow indicator that I'm a Disney cruiser.

 

[rantnnravin]

Onboard ship they use facial recognition, since many people happily give them an identified face when boarding the ship (that's what the initial photograph on the gangway is for),

Sorry to burst the cynical bubble, but your facial recognition photo is taken at the desk when you check in.

 

[TandLMommy28]

I'd much rather wear a MB than carry a card. I have not missed having a KTTW card at WDW at all. I know people have mixed emotions but I love them. I get why they haven't done it on the ships but if they even made it an option and charged you for it, I'd pay.

 

[reddog1473]

Do they give you a lanyard when boarding the ship?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do they give you a lanyard when boarding the ship?

If you are a returning DCL cruiser, yes. First-time DCL cruiser, no.

 

[southerngirl528]

Or if you're a DVC Member you can just stop by the DVC kiosk and get a DVC lanyard too. I personally like wearing a lanyard with my KTTW card in it. It's handy, I don't have to fish around in my little cross body bag I wear and the lanyard is very light so it doesn't bug me to wear it all the time around my neck.

 

[C6PT7]

This. If they gave me a Magic Band for the ship I'd give it back and tell them it's a KTTW card for me. Last thing I want to do is walk around a port wearing a bright yellow indicator that I'm a Disney cruiser.

Is there a stigma attached to being a Disney cruiser or perceived easy target to get scammed?

Not aimed at you Phinz, but do people wear their CC lanyards when off the ship or immediately remove them? Do you wear your dcl tee shirts and ball caps when in port or save them for when you are at home?
Royal are using a similar system with the WOW bands on their quantum class ships and it seems to work for them? Do royal also issue their equivalent to the KTTW card for port access?

 

[diznymom]

Another thought:
I wear Psi-Bands while I am on the ship (sea sickness prevention for me). I cannot see me wearing a Magic Band also.

 

[kiford]

Not aimed at you Phinz, but do people wear their CC lanyards when off the ship or immediately remove them

I usually take mine off and put it into my bag after I leave the ship. Not because I'm worried about being scammed because I'm identified as a tourist (let's face it - I look like a tourist even if I wasn't with a Disney tour group with a tour guide holding a Mickey head on a stick) but because: (a) I look like a dork wearing it off the ship; and (b) I'm worried about losing it. Mostly (b).

 

[phinz]

Is there a stigma attached to being a Disney cruiser or perceived easy target to get scammed?

Not aimed at you Phinz, but do people wear their CC lanyards when off the ship or immediately remove them? Do you wear your dcl tee shirts and ball caps when in port or save them for when you are at home?
Royal are using a similar system with the WOW bands on their quantum class ships and it seems to work for them? Do royal also issue their equivalent to the KTTW card for port access?

I carry a wallet. Everything goes into that wallet in my front pocket. I try not to look like a complete cruise tourist, though my wife being bundled up like a Fremen to avoid the sun makes it quite obvious.

I don't like anything that identifies me as being from one particular ship, because that means the hawkers calculate a spiel according to that ship to some extent. I prefer to just look generic.

 

[C6PT7]

Another thought:
I wear Psi-Bands while I am on the ship (sea sickness prevention for me). I cannot see me wearing a Magic Band also.

Maybe they could incorporate Psi into the magic bands also? Just thinking out loud?

 

[C6PT7]

Sorry to burst the cynical bubble, but your facial recognition photo is taken at the desk when you check in.

Are you sure that isn't just for your ship identification photo?
I too thought that the photog's took your picture to ID you with your terminal issued KTTW card swipe or are they just trying to get a photo sale from it?

 

[kiford]

I too thought that the photog's took your picture to ID you with your terminal issued KTTW card swipe or are they just trying to get a photo sale from it?

The photographers who take your picture just before you board are taking it to sell you the photo. The photo associated with your KTTW card is taken by the people who do your check in. Sometimes, if you've recently cruised with them, they won't retake the photo so it doesn't necessarily happen every single time but when it does, it happens at the check in desk with just a little camera attached to the computer not a full-sized professional camera.

 

[C6PT7]

The photographers who take your picture just before you board are taking it to sell you the photo. The photo associated with your KTTW card is taken by the people who do your check in. Sometimes, if you've recently cruised with them, they won't retake the photo so it doesn't necessarily happen every single time but when it does, it happens at the check in desk with just a little camera attached to the computer not a full-sized professional camera.

My point exactly.
The photo taken at check in is for your ship ID, so they can ID you when you board the ship in port. One photo per person, close up and face and upper body. The photo taken when you board the ship by the photog's is for facial recognition to SELL you stuff.
The photog company should not have access to your ship ID photo nor personal details apart from cabin number and passenger ID number for billing any bought photo's. The two are different AFAIK.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

My point exactly.
The photo taken at check in is for your ship ID, so they can ID you when you board the ship in port. One photo per person, close up and face and upper body. The photo taken when you board the ship by the photog's is for facial recognition to SELL you stuff.
The photog company should not have access to your ship ID photo nor personal details apart from cabin number and passenger ID number for billing any bought photo's. The two are different AFAIK.

I believe this is correct based on our 4 cruises. Cruises 1 and 4 we took the time for the boarding picture and there were tons of pics for us to buy in Shutters. Cruises 2 and 3 we bypassed them and the only pics for us to choose from were the character pics where they linked us with our cards. Could be a coincidence but I doubt it.

 

[southerngirl528]

Agree with C6PT7 & ClubDisneyChandler. DCL will take your photo when you are at the checkin desk inside the port. It is done very quickly so I suppose someone could miss it being done. As an aside, I have had one photo taken for the TWO of us on 2 separate cruises. They had DD & I get our faces close together for one photo of us for the September '15 Hawaii cruise in Port of Honolulu and early this month at Port Canaveral they took one photo of DH and I together as well. I don't recall them ever taking photos of more than one person at a time before these last 2 cruises.

And without question those photos they take in front of the big screens right after you are "carded" for boarding, and any others taken while on the ship, will be available for you to purchase.