Magic Bands on Cruise Ship

[Atliana11]

Can't seen to find this topic anywhere but I was wondering if Disney is considering using the magicbands on board the cruise ship, not just for charging convenience but in case someone falls overboard? I'm sure the GPS range on the magicband isn't fantastic but it might at least be a starting place in the first few hours.

 

[wcw57]

there was a thread about this very subject last week.....
I don't think they're designed for man overboard situations...
interesting thought process

 

[squirk]

There is no GPS technology on a MagicBand. A MB contains an RFID chip that works with RFID readers over very short distances. It would not really help locate someone who fell overboard.

 

[Steelers0854]

There is no GPS technology on a MagicBand. A MB contains an RFID chip that works with RFID readers over very short distances. It would not really help locate someone who fell overboard.

It actually works over a much longer distance, and would allow for tracking the location of the band, albeit not by GPS. According to this one article it can transmit up to 40 feet.

https://www.wired.com/2015/03/disney-magicband/

 

[apathetic]

My guess is you can't convert to the Magic Band (like WDW) because the card is also used used as a physical ID in ports. This card, combined with picture ID, gives you ability to embark/disembark the ship and enter secure areas of the port. Each port would have to convert to reading the Magic Band. I'm sure Disney is working a solution. I think it would be great to get rid of the keys and go to Magic Bands on the ship, though.

 

[squirk]

It actually works over a much longer distance, and would allow for tracking the location of the band, albeit not by GPS. According to this one article it can transmit up to 40 feet.

https://www.wired.com/2015/03/disney-magicband/

Yes, the active RFID works great in the kids clubs or in the parks where there are readers all over the place, but 40 feet is not going to be of much help in a "man-overboard" situation.

From the WDW site: "The RF Devices are not GPS-based and do not enable collection of continuous location signals. Instead, MyMagic+ uses both short- and long-range readers located within the Resort to deliver the benefits of MyMagic+."

 

[minorthr]

Yes, the active RFID works great in the kids clubs or in the parks where there are readers all over the place, but 40 feet is not going to be of much help in a "man-overboard" situation.

From the WDW site: "The RF Devices are not GPS-based and do not enable collection of continuous location signals. Instead, MyMagic+ uses both short- and long-range readers located within the Resort to deliver the benefits of MyMagic+."

Technically you could line the outside of the boat with RFID readers and it would let you know if and who went overboard at exactly what time. You could use that to pinpoint the boats exact location when someone went over and that could possibly assist in locating a person but like you said once your in the ocean its not doing you any good and its not really practical.

That being said its believed Disney boats already have man overboard alerting systems but I dont believe they have actually ever confirmed that. Only the vendor who makes them has.

 

[Dug720]

You do realize how uncommon it is for someone to GO overboard? There are basically three ways it's happening...

1 - You are doing something stupid like sitting on a rail for a picture, climbing over the rail and back on a dare, etc.

2 - You intentionally WANT to go overboard (aka you jump)

3 - Someone throws you overboard.

IMHO unless planing on being so intoxicated stupid things seem like a good idea, people worry far too much about "falling" overboard.

(I'm not saying that ships shouldn't use technology available - but I don't see why cruiselines have any reason to lie about having the detection systems on ships.)

 

[minorthr]

Who said anything about manufacturers lying?

 

[squirk]

Technically you could line the outside of the boat with RFID readers and it would let you know if and who went overboard at exactly what time. You could use that to pinpoint the boats exact location when someone went over and that could possibly assist in locating a person but like you said once your in the ocean its not doing you any good and its not really practical.

That's an interesting idea, but I doubt any cruise line would spend the money to roll something like that out, especially since, as @Dug720 said, this is a very rare occurrence.

But more to the OP's original point, anyone trying to rescue you in the ocean is not going to locate you via your MB.

 

[Dug720]

Who said anything about manufacturers lying?

There was that implication in your post. Sorry - the implication that the cruiselines are lying.

That being said its believed Disney boats already have man overboard alerting systems but I dont believe they have actually ever confirmed that. Only the vendor who makes them has.

Stating "it is believed" and following it with "I don't believe they have actually confirmed that" does seem to imply that you don't think Disney/other cruiselines are telling the truth.

 

[CurtisB]

There was that implication in your post. Sorry - the implication that the cruiselines are lying.



Stating "it is believed" and following it with "I don't believe they have actually confirmed that" does seem to imply that you don't think Disney/other cruiselines are telling the truth.

I didn't read it that way at all. Because he said they haven't confirmed it means they lied? That's a reach.

 

[Dug720]

I didn't read it that way at all. Because he said they haven't confirmed it means they lied? That's a reach.

Given the conspiracy theories that abound in society, I don't think so.

But the bottom line is, no one in the cruise industry or the industry with those cameras has any reason to say they are where they aren't. Because that would be the first thing that would come up in a lawsuit if they weren't there. "You stated that they were." (Which tbh is why I said "manufacturers" when I should have said "vendors".)

 

[minorthr]

There was that implication in your post. Sorry - the implication that the cruiselines are lying.



Stating "it is believed" and following it with "I don't believe they have actually confirmed that" does seem to imply that you don't think Disney/other cruiselines are telling the truth.

Im not implying that at all. Disney has never confirmed they have it but the company who makes them says they are installed on the ship. So I believe they are on there. There is no reason for any of them to lie about it.

If I had written Disney has them someone else would have posed "Well Disney has never said they have them" No win situation here.

 

[RoseSanti]

IMHO I don't think that Disney will change the KTTW card any time soon. It would involve many renovations to each and every stateroom from the doors and new lighting fixtures as they use the KTTW as a way to conserve energy as the guest leave the staterooms. As others have mentioned getting the ports on board with the technology maybe more trouble that it is worth. As for my response to the OP its a great thought, not to be a downer but realistically the current can carry a person an incredible distance in a short amount of time. So even if you had a starting place the person who fell over board can be miles away by the time they get a team out to search for them. A magic band is not going to help much. The best thing that will help anyone that falls overboard is quick reaction from anyone and everyone around to notify CM's.
Stay safe everyone.

 

[starvenger]

[QUOTE="RoseSanti, post: 56957230, member: 582336"It would involve many renovations to each and every stateroom from the doors and new lighting fixtures as they use the KTTW as a way to conserve energy as the guest leave the staterooms. [/QUOTE]
Does it require renovations though? Not to sound snarky, but I doubt there are that many passengers that haven't figured out that the switch works with just about anything you can jam in there. And I'm sure DCL is aware of this as well.

In any event, I could see DCL following RCCL's lead on this (with their WOW Bands) and charging a small fee for a Magic Band that supplements your KTTW card.

 

[squirk]

And as we beat to death in the other thread, MBs are just not as useful on the ships as they are in the parks. I am sure that if DCL thought there was a percentage in moving to MBs, they would have done so. Perhaps they will in the future, when they find a way to monetize such an upgrade.

But as it stands now, is anyone really going to not book with DCL because they don't have MBs?

 

[squirk]

In any event, I could see DCL following RCCL's lead on this (with their WOW Bands) and charging a small fee for a Magic Band that supplements your KTTW card.

They kind of already do this with the Oceaneer Club/Lab. The bands they use there are identical to the parks' MBs, and you can keep your kid's band after the cruise is over for $12, I think.

 

[starvenger]

They kind of already do this with the Oceaneer Club/Lab. The bands they use there are identical to the parks' MBs, and you can keep your kid's band after the cruise is over for $12, I think.

Correct, but with more functionality. The Oceaneer band can't open your cabin door or buy stuff. But the kids did love them, for sure.

 

[squirk]

Correct, but with more functionality. The Oceaneer band can't open your cabin door or buy stuff. But the kids did love them, for sure.

Right. I guess I was getting at the fact that the bands theoretically could open your door and buy stuff if DCL wanted to go to the time and expense of making it so. It's all RFID technology, be it KTTW or MagicBands. One is active, one is passive, but it's still a the same little chip in there, no?