*This was my own personal experience from an Oasis of the Seas sailing in April 2023 - I do not know the functionality on other ships/improvements they may be making to the band
When I heard about the WOW band, I associated it with the Magic Band at Disney which (in my opinion) and is great. It has been around awhile so pretty much all of the kinks are worked out and I typically don't have any issues with mine. So I must preface that I had high expectations for the WOW band based on other experiences. Below are the issues I had with the band:
Functionality issues: Based on your experience, the bracelet did not work properly in certain areas such as the casino and arcade. This could be a major issue for someone who wants to use the bracelet for those activities and expects it to function properly and not have their SeaPass card with them.
Limited functionality: The band may not provide all the functionality that someone might want. For example, waiters were having issues when saying we only had our WOW bracelet instead of our SeaPass card. It took them much longer to ring up drinks and I got the feeling from their reactions that it was an inconvenience for them.
Not accepted everywhere: I waited in a 45-minute line just to purchase bingo cards, once I got to the front, they said they could not be purchased with the band and only the SeaPass card. This could have been a major inconvenience if my mom hadn't have come with me and was able to pay on her SeaPass card.
Size options: they only made one size and someone in my party has larger wrists and the band did not close comfortably.
Cost: The bracelet was an additional cost ($9.99 for my sailing), and if it does not provide the expected functionality or convenience, someone may not want to pay for it.
***I need to add that when I was purchasing the band, the person ringing me up told me that I did not need my SeaPass card for anything and the band would do all functions. Along the way, not one person told me that I was also supposed to be carrying my SeaPass card as the website advises.
Things I did like about the WOW band:
Easy room access: The band made it easy to open the door to the room when my hands were full or without fumbling through a bag to find my pass.
Getting towels: I didn't want to take a bag to the pool and I could scan my band to get towels from the pool.
Ultimately, whether or not someone should buy the Royal Caribbean WOW bracelet will depend on their personal preferences and needs. In my case, I will not be purchasing again unless major system upgrades are made.
Comments