Key guests are then called to get on the ship quite early in the boarding process, with just two or three VIP groups called first. The Key could be better in certain situations, such as when sailing on Oasis or Quantum Class ships, which havemore entertainment venues where the Key can help with seating. For this reason, you should buy it early since they can sell out for any given itinerary. Learn about these types of VIP benefits for your specific ship in the welcome letter, which you will receive when boarding. This option which is available 24 hours a day, every day has been recently offered in lieu of the complimentary embarkation lunch. On our sailing, Key guests needed to show up no later than 15 minutes before the start of the show, where they were allowed to sit in a reserved section with great views of the action. During our most recent trip, it was just the two of us, so we were seated with other Key Program guests for the meal. I recommend selecting the earliest check in when it opens. Some feel that offering many perks (that used to be exclusive to them) to anyone willing to pay a bit extra is essentially selling loyalty status. A much better value as I get 11:00am priority boarding. Tip: Be sure to still make reservations for shows in advance and arrive at least 15 minutes before showtime. So I cancelled the Voom and purchased The Key. 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. 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! Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. By Im Louise. The Key program was first introduced in 2018, and this package add-on must be purchased prior to boarding via Royal Caribbean. (Keep in mind that there will likely be another window of time to deposit your luggage. We have a RoyalCaribbeanBlog video today, discussing the merits of if The Key program is worth the money!The Key offers, If you have a Royal Caribbean cruise booked, then you probably have logged into the Cruise Planner website to peruse, Guests sailing on Symphony of the Seas this week noticed a new option to allow select guests faster boarding back, Royal Caribbean is testing out a newlimited quantity VIP guest experience on select Liberty of the Seas and Oasis of, Is The Key worth it? Lunch on Day 2 for ships sailing from Seward or Vancouver. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. madoris, Thursday at 02:15 PM in Royal Caribbean International. This Key decal is how the ships crew knows that a guest is part of the program, so its important to have it on your SeaPass card. (2023). I thought it was a little pricey but for a first time experience I felt it was worth it. According to one R&M Manager (that's the person on board responsible for overseeing The Key Program) being personally escorted to the front of the disembarkation line --literally to the Security Officer who scans the SeaPass-- was never a benefit. It made no difference in regards to my entry into the terminal as there was no lines. Another perk that has recently changed for Key members is the availability of private hours for several of the onboard activities. Welcome to Chaotically Yours. Playing the "waiting game" for a price drop can be dangerous if you really want The Key. Priority departure from ship-to-shore at tender ports. We then headed to The Key waiting area. 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. 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. 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. #5. When you get to the cruise terminal, and subsequently onboard the ship, there will be special signs to indicate where guests with The Key can go. Everyone is packing and trying to figure out how to disembark in the quickest way possible. Can't forget the wine! The Key is only sold to a limited number of guests per sailing, keeping the program quite exclusive. They also dont get upgraded amenities, exclusive gifts, or priority waitlist seating in the main dining rooms. 37 Cruise Tips: What to Do Before Your Cruise, The 19 Best Cruise Accessories You Need to Pack, Priority check-in and boarding on embarkation day, Carry-on bag drop off and stateroom delivery, Welcome lunch with a menu featuring Chops Grille on embarkation day, Private hours for onboard activities, including Rock Climbing, FlowRider and more, VIP seating for shows in the Main theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B, and Two70, Exclusive la carte breakfast on disembarkation day, Choice of departure time at disembarkation. This was the only benefit of the program that we didnt experience, since all ports we visited had an appropriate sized dock for our ship, so we cant speak directly to this benefit. But I only paid an extra buck for it so no big. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! don't know what your cabin category is but if in a suite, you really don't need key if you want to board early. When planning your vacation at sea, you will see that there will be stops along the journey ports of call. Carry on luggage can be left in the MDR and delivered to cabin. 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. I'm glad I saw your post. I used the Key a few years ago and liked it. Or, you could reach a high level in the companys loyalty program. Guests could choose an appetizer, an entree, a side, and a dessert. Frankly, you will probably get through quicker in a regular line than the Key line. The package includes one device per person. The other benefit is that they give you lunch at chops on boarding day and deliver fruit to your room. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. Of course we didn't know the fruit was coming so by the time we got back it was pretty spent. The steepest discounts come closer to sailing IF bookings are soft and they want to fill space. Are Royal Caribbean Cruises All Inclusive? We are sailing out of Galveston so I wonder if anyone knows how they do it there. Free room service is indeed a very nice benefit, but I question how often anyone will order room service to truly take advantage of it. For example, if VOOM by itself is around $20/day (for one device for one person) and The Key is $25/day (for the same) and you definitely need WiFi, then you are getting all the other Key perks for only $5/day in our example. I will be sailing on the Wonder on 2/25 and will keep an eye on the price for that cruise. The lunch is usually served through 1pm. Disclaimer: I may receive a small commission when you make a purchase from a link on this site, at no added charge to you. But I wouldn't pay any more than that the value just isn't there for me. 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. On the other hand, the only time I say its totally okay to arrive super early to port is if you have one of the first check-in times. If . Guests in a suite, and those who are Diamond level or above also might not need to purchase The Key because many of the benefits are already included. But, ever since RCI cut back on those times, the value of this perk is less than it used to be. While all passengers must follow general boarding and security protocols at every port, Key Guests have a shortcut afterward. Secondly, if we're going to be able to board early, might as well get the Chops lunch, and lastly, I had a significant travel voucher with my TA, so somewhat forced to spend money. Perk number seven! Some say priority boarding within your check in time. That I can live with..certainly not $30+. But there are a few considerations you should make that can help justify the cost of the Royal Caribbean Key Program. Nobody likes lugging their carry-on luggage around the ship after they board while waiting on their state room to be ready. If you do choose to have the exclusive breakfast, a crew member should be available to escort you and your bags off the ship right from the restaurant when youre done. Since we were all going to purchase the surf + stream internet packages, my parents purchased everyone The Key. If interested in the other perks such as the lunch, internet, and flowrider, or seating at ice rink or aqua show, I personally think its not worth unless it's less expensive then the Chops lunch plus internet. Something that regular cruises don't purchase . Key guests are asked to be at the terminal early, so as not to miss the embarkation lunch. Frequently asked questions about The Key on RCI. Although RCI advertises the cost of The Key on a per-day basis, cruisers must purchase the program for all days of a sailing. It can be purchased online or via the app when you book your cruise (or added later). You will have priority departure from the ship to the shore at tender ports of call. Matt recently did an updated review of The Key, in our post-Covid cruising world. But if youre already planning on purchasing the WiFi package for everyone in your stateroom, I think that upgrading to The Key is almost a no-brainerespecially if RCI is running a sale when you buy. 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. I wouldn't pay that for unlimited dining. Let me know in the comments below! *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions, Priority access during The Key designated arrival time (to be communicated via email). The Key program is Royal Caribbean's initiative to give guests access to premier and exclusive cruise services and activities while on board for a small additional fee. A The Key Guests will enjoy the following exclusive benefits during their cruise vacation: Priority access during The Key designated arrival time (to be communicated via email). For some activities, crew will give Key members a wristband once theyve shown the decal on their card. There is currently no special seating in nightclubs and other smaller gathering event spaces. 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.