I bought The Key for my upcoming sailing on Harmony 5/1. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. This is just my own personal theory! Lunch on Day 2 for ships sailing from Seward or Vancouver. This is so Key customers can take advantage of the Key lunch. or is it only 1 internet device? Crew often opens up the VIP seating area to all passengers a few minutes before the show begins. Key guests are asked to be at the terminal early, so as not to miss the embarkation lunch. Holding at $35.99 for our upcoming 6 night! Unfortunately, on our cruise the information we were given prior to boarding as to the location of where to leave our luggage was incorrect. It had its pros For my next cruise in July I decided to cancel the key because I did not feel that it was worth that much money as we would not need to use priority boarding or disembarkation. We had it in January because it wasn't too much more expensive than the internet and we enjoyed having it. A much better value as I get 11:00am priority boarding. The Key advertises as offering guests that purchase special perks and access while onboard that would otherwise not be available to them. Key guests are NOT exempt from general boarding requirements like Covid vaccinations or negative Covid tests. While Royal Caribbeans Key Program doesnt give you access to any kind of upgraded WiFi or internet experience, the daily price of the VOOM package alone is well more than three quarters of what you pay for the Key program. I would also argue both attractions on Odyssey of the Seas with special times for guests with The Key have a limited appeal than other activities where it would be far more useful. You will get an email with instructions, usually anyone with the Key can arrive between 11:00-11:30 no matter what your boarding time is. We are headed out on the Oasis of the Seas from Miami on Sunday. I've seen it lower, and purchased once even lower than I've seen it. Display as a link instead, By The 19 Best Cruise Accessories You Need to Pack in 2023, 12 Amazing Cruise Line Private Islands to Visit in 2023 and Beyond, Royal Caribbean Caf Latte-tudes Full Menu (With Prices), Carnival Firenze Inaugural Season Opens For Bookings, Princess Cruises Announces Lavazza as Official Coffee Partner, Disney Cruise Line Announces Inaugural Sailings to Lighthouse Point, Norwegian Cruise Line Will Debut Beetlejuice The Musical Aboard Norwegian Viva, Cunard Sea Views Photo Exhibition Captures 100 Years of Cruising, https://shouldbecruising.com/privacy-policy/. The Key is a program that provides Royal Caribbean International guests with premier access to exclusive experiences during their cruise vacation. One thing I wonder about with The Key. You get lots of great perks throughout your cruise for the cost of one, inexpensive excursion. Cruisers looking to skip the long lines, especially for tender ports, might get a lot of value out of the package. Im Carrie Ann, the writer behind Should Be Cruising. I couldnt imagine why anyone would carry on a bag, only to check it soon after boarding! Priority departure at ports where a tender is required ship-to-shore, A la carte breakfast and choice departure time on debarkation day. You can def check in later, though, whatever you prefer. Ultimately, your wait will be shorter, and you will be one of the first passengers on the ship. A former flight attendant, she now prefers cruise ships over airplanes and spends several months each year cruising and exploring cruise ports. Although youll be able to bypass the long lines at check-in, youll be boarding the ship (and waiting for those notoriously slow embarkation day elevators) along with everyone else. Key members can drop those bags off with less worry about damage from rough handling. If it seems too late in the morning, contact the cruise line to have it changed. It is satellite-based and works throughout the ship. Also, think about the cost of excursions. Passengers with The Key are able to sit in a VIP seating area for many shows, including those in the main theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B, and Two70. Private time at onboard activities tends to be very few (just two times on our Odyssey of the Seas cruise), and at less than ideal times. By Jodi Grundig We found they were never more than a handful of other guests participating in these reserved hours, and our kids got to spend a ton of time doing their favorite activities with little or no wait time in between. We are so excited . Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! To help us break down the real cost of the Key, for simple math lets pretend youre a party of two going on a four day/three night cruise. I know I carefully pack my embarkation day bag with exactly what Ill need for the day plus any valuables I need to keep an eye on. We always like to start our reviews by reminding you that we were not compensated in any way to write this piece. Since we were all going to purchase the surf + stream internet packages, my parents purchased everyone The Key. The Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, which departed from Brisbane two weeks ago, halted its course after the incident. Choice debarkation time with special debarkation breakfast. The Key was something I've always purchased because I highly value these benefits: Either The Key used to include a 25% discount for specialty dining reservations --or maybe it was just some ships would add that as a benefit to boost dining sales-- but I haven't seen that in awhile. On the flip side, you should always keep in mind that these benefits are subject to change at any time, and frequently do for any number of reasons. There were no lines for the water slides during our reserved hours. Hi! A full list of benefits will be given to you once you board the ship with ship-specific benefits. Frankly, you will probably get through quicker in a regular line than the Key line. If you notice that your card doesnt have the decal, visit the Guest Services desk on board and they can attach the sticker. We make sure cruisers are fully prepared for their cruise vacation with tips on ships and ports. This is usually balcony seating, so if you want seats right up front youll need to arrive very early to beat the crowds in the general-access seating. It is a straight breeze through the whole process. On the day you arrive back at your departure point, Royal Caribbeans Key Program guests can eat an exclusivea la carte breakfast in the main dining room. I had it a few weeks ago. Welcome lunch with Chops Grille menu can be bought separately at the restaurant or at a different restaurant. Im Louise. But once guests are fully inside the terminal, there are special representatives that will check guests in quickly, avoiding some of the long lines that form for the average passenger. You will get an email with instructions, usually anyone with the Key can arrive between 11:00-11:30 no matter what your boarding time is. I can see where theyre coming from! At some ports of call, a small boat (or tender) will carry passengers to and from the port. The priority for tendering is largely useless since Royal Caribbean ships rarely ever tender, thanks to more and more ports having piers. Guests could choose an appetizer, an entree, a side, and a dessert. Worth Reading: Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society What You Need to Know. 10 Rookie Cruise Mistakes to Avoid When Booking, Cruise Sweepstakes You Can Enter to Win a Free Cruise! Check out these, Priority access to the terminal upon arrival at the port, Welcome lunch in the main dining room with selections from Chops Grille, Access to VOOM Surf & Stream high speed internet for one device per paying guest, VIP seating to shows in the Main Theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B and Two70. It can be purchased online or via the app when you book your cruise (or added later). Think of it like a way to pay extra to get VIP treatment, faster access, or otherwise nice to have extras. *, Carry-on bag drop off with delivery to your stateroom. Although the internet quality isnt fantastic, its super helpful for communicating with people at home and other people on board the ship. Read more, Copyright 2023 Chaotically Yours | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine. An interesting perk with The Key program is the ability to drop off carry on luggage (usually in the theater until 1:30 PM). If youre in any of these elite clubs, youll have priority check-in and embarkation, reserved theater seating, priority disembarkation, and a private departure lounge with continental breakfast. Our next VIP perk is another time saver. And wine. Access to the fast lane at onboard activities (activities vary by ship)and private time at the Flowrider. There are a number of posts from the past 6 months discussing benefits of The Key. All rights reserved. The system will time out after 30 minutes, so double check that you have everything below for each guest in your group before starting. The VROOM Surf & Stream package and a meal at Chops Grille are the only two benefits that are eligible for purchase individually. Were giving you our detail, unbiased feedback about what the program is and how it works for the average traveler. Please Note: The Key may not be available during all sailings, and some amenities/benefits may vary by ship and destination, and may be subject to change without notice. On debarkation day, enjoy a private la carte breakfast and choice departure. With a lot of guests, the price tag for The Key could add up quickly. In my experience, I found the benefits sound a lot better on the surface than they really are. But, cruisers who buy The Key dont have access to lots of perks that elite loyalty members have. As always though, if it's something you want, book now and cancel/rebook later if you find it cheaper or decide it isn't for you! Additionally, you will once again be the beneficiary of a reserved time to go ashore; also included with this final perk. This Surf + Steam VOOM would be the other reason why you would get the Key for your next cruise. If youre already a suite guests or a member of the loyalty program, these perks might not be up your alley since you already get so many. With capacity limitations lately theres no lines. Worked out to be about $80 more than what I had paid for a 2 device internet package. Lets break the benefits down by order in which youll probably use them. One note about this perk: It only applies in one direction from the ship to the shore. The Key is an optional add-on anyone can purchase for their Royal Caribbean cruise that includes special access and perks. Other benefits may apply at specific ports. All opinions are our own, and all costs were paid out of our pocket for this experience. If you are Diamond or higher in Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society and/or a suite guest, some benefits overlap with The Key, further reducing The Key's value. The only Key perk thats not included with any of these programs is the reserved hours for select activities. Swimsuit, acceptable dinner clothes for a few nights, acceptable day wear for a few days, and dop kit. If anyone knows, let me know. Everything else gets dropped off with the porters outside the terminal. If your Key says that then take screenshots. Perk number five is also a continuous benefit throughout your whole itinerary special sections of reserved seating. On my canceled October 2020 repositioning cruise aboard Brilliance of the Seas, RCI was running a 45% off sale. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? The reserved seating area was in the center of first balcony in the main theater, and in the front of the balcony area in the ice rink theater. How to Get Free Drinks in the Casino on Royal Caribbean And More! I will be sailing on the Wonder on 2/25 and will keep an eye on the price for that cruise. Matt recently did an updated review of The Key, in our post-Covid cruising world. This terminology was super vague to us when we first came across it in the description of the Key Program. On our first sailing with the Royal Caribbean Key Program, there was a designated area for Key guests to wait in the terminal for their turn to board. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'shouldbecruising_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_19',676,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0');Boarding for Key members usually begins around 10:30 AM, so if you want to be among the first to get on board the ship, plan to arrive a bit before this time to check in. You still need to select a boarding time and arrive at that time. Can we use whichever one is better? In addition, your SeaPass card will have a special sticker to easily identify yourself as having The Key. ", https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-are-the-benefits-of-the-key-program. Initially, RCI set aside several one-hour blocks each cruise for VIP access to activities like FlowRider, rock wall climbing, ice skating, and the zip line. Our designated boarding window was at 1 pm, which definitely would have made us miss the embarkation lunch. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. We much preferred this meal instead of fighting our way through the buffet along with every other passenger onboard the ship. Carry-on luggage drop-off with items delivered inside room usually prior to guest access. Before you can board a cruise ship, you have to enter a cruise terminal. Royal Caribbean's internet service, known as VOOM, is well-known for being very fast. Cruisers who have booked any suite category (except Junior Suites) will already enjoy priority check-in, embarkation and tendering, private breakfast and lunch seating, reserved theater seating, and priority disembarkation. Passengers can drop off up to two pieces per person, and items cant weigh more than 25 pounds. But our sailing wasnt taking reservations for shows at all, so there was lots of confusion among Key Guests about this. I did not find that the time was convenient and I do not know how many people showed up. If not, just leave blank, watch the Royal Caribbean app for when check-in windows will become available to book. Available for booking pre . Once purchased, you will see a special image of a key on your SeaPass when you check-in for boarding. Clear editor. Hiya! Held in a specialty venue for Key holders (usually the main dining room), you can either take your luggage with you or leave it safely to be picked up on your way off the ship. If you are planning a standard cruise, rather than a luxe voyage on a premium line, selecting add-ons should be part of the planning process. Most cruise ships require all passengers to be on board no fewer than one to two hours before the scheduled departure time, which is almost always in the late afternoon or evening. It takes a lot of cruise days sailed to reach these high levels. The VOOM family plans come with a significant discount if youre purchasing for three or more devices, so it may be cheaper to just buy the WiFi. You will have priority departure from the ship to the shore at tender ports of call. If youre already planning to buy WiFi, The Key might make sense depending on how many devices you want to activate. Its best to scope out the entrance to see if there is a dedicated Key line. Other benefits may apply at specific ports. There are only a certain number of days and many fun things to do on board the ship and, standing in line is certainly not one of them! yes, it's 1 device per key so yes, your wife will get to access 1 internet device and you will be able access 1 internet device. Janespup, March 6, 2022 in Royal Caribbean International. That is a very long time to wait for a show. Royal Caribbean typically allows cruisers to choose arrival times in thirty-minute blocks as shown in the image below. The search will resume at first light on Friday morning local time. You'll be able to stream or download movies and music, or make FaceTime or Skype calls on the ship and on RCI's private island CocoCay. On most cruise lines, there are only two ways to get priority status that lets you skip all of those long lines, enjoy exclusive dining, and generally be treated like the VIP you know you are. Although RCI advertises the cost of The Key on a per-day basis, cruisers must purchase the program for all days of a sailing. These keys indicate where and when you have access to places and events. While your stateroom is receiving its final preparations, you can eat a leisurely meal with other Key holders in the main dining room. This benefit only applied to the main theater and the ice show. Toward the end of your cruise, keep an eye out for a letter in your stateroom detailing the disembarkation process (it usually arrives with your daily Cruise Compass). Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. I really hope you didn't buy The Key just for the. I just bought is for $22.99. As a Key Guest, you will enjoy the option of a block of reserved times at certain attractions. Complimentary room service for your entire cruise, along with 25% off all onboard dining purchases Private time at some of our onboard activities such as rock climbing, FlowRider, etc. We never found this experience to be very a la carte, since a specific menu was given to us each time. Insider tip: Be sure that your time slot is early enough to take advantage of our next benefit embarkation day lunch. Does this extra cost amenity make sense to get for your family? All other benefits are either exclusive to the Key Program or only available to suite and loyalty program guests. Key members dont have access to the Diamond or Concierge Clubs, exclusive events, and behind-the-scenes tours. When The Key program was first rolled out, one of the perks was an exclusive embarkation day lunch at Chops Grille or Jamies Italian specialty restaurants. Pasted as rich text. In addition, with multi-device internet plans, the Key doesn't scale to families or larger groups if internet is always purchased. Timing is everything. When I first heard about this service, I thought it was an odd perk to offer. Perhaps they weren't so strict in the past, but due to COVID-19 safe distancing measures, this is religiously enforced now. Lines for this mode of transport can get extremely long, and wait times can be extremely frustrating. (Those who miss the window usually about 30 minutes on either side of check-in time may miss the benefit). Royal Caribbean offered The Key for a few years, but then suspended it as cruise ships began restart in 2021. But I wouldn't pay any more than that the value just isn't there for me. How to Get a Free Casino Cruise on Royal Caribbean Plus Free Perks! Offerings usually include hot items like steak & eggs, crab Benedict, French toast, pancakes, and eggs made to order. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'shouldbecruising_com-leader-3','ezslot_15',606,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-leader-3-0');This letter also contains your Key luggage tags, ensuring that any bags you put outside your door on the last night arrive in the designated Key section in the terminal for pickup. Priority boarding either with or right after suite guests. As always though, if it's something you want, book now and cancel/rebook later if you find it cheaper or decide it isn't for you! Private hours vary by ship and sailing, and the schedule is delivered to your stateroom on embarkation day. I really hope you didn't buy The Key just for the earlier boarding time it's really not worth the money, IMO, unless the price for The Key was within a dollar or two of the price for Voom. Powered by Invision Community. Without The Key, if youre late reserving tender tickets, the earlier times will probably be gone. At the end of the day, it becomes your decision if you find enough value in the amenities and services that The Key Program offers. Enchanted with cruising from my first voyage in the Bahamas on the SS Emerald Seas to Alaskas Inside Passage. Insider tip: Watch online for discount options to reduce the cost of the price per day for this add-on. It is suggested that you arrive approximately 30 minutes prior to curtain time to select from amongst the best seats in the house.. This benefit doesnt apply to docked ports, or for tendering back to the ship. Againcrowds, queues and waiting. Overall, we feel like Royal Caribbean The Key is worth the money, especially if you arent splurging on much else. A premium section of each of the larger venues on each ship is reserved for The Key, loyalty club members and suite passengers. Youll be able to stream or download movies and music, or make FaceTime or Skype calls on the ship and on RCIs private island CocoCay. It's important to note that these times that you choose during online check-in are only port arrival times. So, check for overlaps to ensure you are not buying a perk twice! There's no point arriving at the cruise centre ahead of your boarding time, because you can't board until your official time slot. You can post now and register later. Early access at shows in the Main Theater on Deck 4, however a reservation is needed so don't forget to book once you're onboard. Select from chef-prepared VIP Key favorite dishes, egg and griddle creations, several sides, cereals or continental choices. Arriving after 11:30 you would have priority in your scheduled arrival time window. In addition to reading through the options for drink packages, specialty dining, shore excursions, professional onboard photos and videos, stateroom locations and other items, consider a hybrid program like Royal Caribbean The Key. Your link has been automatically embedded. But there are a few considerations you should make that can help justify the cost of the Royal Caribbean Key Program. Check out the latest web stories from Should Be Cruising! You still have to do online check in, I get that part, but if I wanted to arrive early and my check in time is later, does the key (or say suite access) allow me arrive early because of the benefit? If a large group of Key members and suite passengers enter just before you, it might be quicker going through a regular security line. You will each get one account. This is how you can get priority access to the cruise terminal on boarding day, priority access to the theatre shows, private time slots for rock-climbing or Flowrider , VOOM Surf & Stream 1 device and more benefits. During our most recent trip, it was just the two of us, so we were seated with other Key Program guests for the meal. But having tried The Key before and after the cruise industry shutdown of 2020/2021, I do not think it is worthwhile for most people simply because the benefits look better on paper than they are in practice. Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Rockaway NY,Sonoma County,Ca. you still select a boarding time at check in but a couple weeks before the cruise you will get an email that tells you you can board with the Key at (usually 11:30 after suite guests) or keep your scheduled time.
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