On the Cruise Critic boards, people have reported paying between $19.99 to $29.99 and even up to $37 per day for each. This is just my own personal theory! To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. 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. Royal Caribbean Embarkation Tips for Your First Day For some activities, crew will give Key members a wristband once theyve shown the decal on their card. While not quite on par with a dining experience youll get in one of the specialty restaurants on board the ship, the food was definitely better than anything we found at the buffet or in the main dining room during our cruise. You might not be interested in trying the FlowRider at 9 AM, or climbing the rock wall at 5 PMbut those are common times for Key private hours. If you want to get your vacation started ASAP, this is an amazing perk. Also, look for the signature key image that matches the one on your SeaPass. There is a wide variety of entertainment options to enjoy during your time at sea. RCI actually claims that it's six times faster than any other WiFi at sea! Scoring an Early Boarding Time on Royal Caribbean I don't want most of the "perks" but for some that sets their cruise at a new level . An important point to know is that you must buy it prior to sailing. Join Sean and S. Boarded Wonder of the Seas almost a year after our first sailing on her. 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. Our next VIP perk is another time saver. However, if you check the cost which is calculated by the number of devices and which package the price of just buying VOOM as a stand-alone option is often close to the price of the entire Key package per day. 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. Activities like the FlowRider, the rock climbing wall, water slides, and such often involves SUPER long lines, and cruisers only get to experience them once or twice during their open hours. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Powered by Invision Community. The letter said we had early access to reserved shows and to make a reservation for the shows wed like to see. RCI currently offers The Key on all sailings on all ships except for Quantum of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, and Voyager of the Seas. Internet access, early check-in, special times at signature attractions and more are included with The Key. Yes, for $2/day more than Voom, it's worth it because you get the boarding day lunch and debarkation breakfast. Additionally, you will once again be the beneficiary of a reserved time to go ashore; also included with this final perk. When you get to the port there will be plenty of signs and dedicated lines for the Key. 4.4k. Read Also: How Long Does It Take to Get Off a Cruise Ship? With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Carry on luggage can be left in the MDR and delivered to cabin. The menu features limited selections from Chops Grille. 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. The only Key perk thats not included with any of these programs is the reserved hours for select activities. In order to be a Key Guest, anyone over the age of six in your stateroom must buy this benefits package. Priority departure from ship-to-shore at tender ports. Guests could choose an appetizer, an entree, a side, and a dessert. Read more, Copyright 2023 Chaotically Yours | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine. Royal Caribbean offered The Key for a few years, but then suspended it as cruise ships began restart in 2021. Pasted as rich text. Choose to upgrade the complimentary continental breakfast; order a light lunch; and, have an entire dinner sent to your room. Carrie Ann is the founder of Should Be Cruising and a lifelong travel fanatic. Priority Access could mean a multitude of things. Since 2018, when The Key was rolled out as a pilot program on select ships, some benefits have been modified. You still need to select a boarding time and arrive at that time. But, be aware that all the following perks will not be available across the entire fleet. 10:30am Boarding time : r/royalcaribbean - Reddit 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. This also means that you get to save on your Wi-Fi costs as well! When I first heard about this service, I thought it was an odd perk to offer. You could book a full suite, which is way out of the price range of the average cruiser. Flying Wish Paper: How To Make Your Own With Things You Already Have! Is Royal Caribbean's "priority access" package worth the price? TPG The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. EF Tours Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. You should see signs and there will be attendants there to handle the luggage. Looking for more travel content? Key guests should keep a close eye on their schedules so that they dont miss out on the reserved hours for their favorite activities. This is understandable, since limiting super-popular activities to a small number of guests during the busiest hours could anger a lot of cruisers. If youre already planning to buy WiFi, The Key might make sense depending on how many devices you want to activate. In my experiencethe Key has always had a boarding time of 11:30 or earlier. Guests can choose boarding times in the afternoon or earlier times of 10:30 or 11:00. But there are a few considerations you should make that can help justify the cost of the Royal Caribbean Key Program. Passengers can drop off up to two pieces per person, and items cant weigh more than 25 pounds. They may need something from it between porter drop off and Key drop off. As we shall see, this requirement will affect several aspects of your time, access to places and expenses on the ship. Royal Caribbean's The Key: Should You Buy It? But keep this in mind if youre looking forward to enjoying this perk. . That is, you cannot cancel it, but the cruise line can. A good sit-down breakfast that starts early (6:30am) allowing for an early walk-off. Then again, Royal Caribbean wants you to arrive45minutesearly to the theater, which seems to negate the point of having a reserved seat, in my opinion. Everyone is packing and trying to figure out how to disembark in the quickest way possible. Royal Caribbean ; Roll Calls ; Voyager of the Seas Roll Calls ; Voyager of the Seas - Jun 12, 2023 - Jun 17, 2023 (5 Night Western Caribbean) . How Carnival and Royal Caribbean Handle Marijuana Onboard Full suite guests already receive many of the benefits of The Key program as part of their booking. But I only paid an extra buck for it so no big. 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. What is The Key on Royal Caribbean? We then headed to The Key waiting area. 10 Rookie Cruise Mistakes to Avoid When Booking, Cruise Sweepstakes You Can Enter to Win a Free Cruise! Today Sean and Stef drive to Port Canaveral where the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas waits to take them on their next Caribbean journey! Much, much better value for 2 extra dollars per day! I tried it for my last cruise which was a 4 day cruise. This cruise lines optional add-on called The Key is a relatively new program. The Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, which departed from Brisbane two weeks ago, halted its course after the incident. Carnival Cruise Line Explains Controversial Beverage Policy Yes, if you get an earlier time, you can use that time. Another perk that has recently changed for Key members is the availability of private hours for several of the onboard activities. Crew delivers your bags to your stateroom and leaves them in the roomnot outside your door like regular checked luggage. Royal Caribbean does set some limits with this perk. When you check your baggage in at the designated location, youll also be given a letter updating your Key Program benefits. Im so glad youre here! Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! *** Welcome lunch is open from 12:00 pm 1:30 pm. It can be purchased online or via the app when you book your cruise (or added later). My experience has mostly been the my luggage checked with The Key is already inside my room by the time the rooms are ready between 1pm & 1:30pm. At some ports of call, a small boat (or tender) will carry passengers to and from the port. The Key is an add-on program on Royal Caribbean cruises that allows any guest to obtain some VIP perks on board the ship. When The Key program first launched, RCI limited the passes to 100 passengers per cruise. 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. This benefit allows Key Guests to skip the long lines for the dinghys that ferry cruisers from ship to shore in ports that dont have docks appropriate for cruise ships. when I got it I wasnt thinking about capacity numbers. The Key Guests will enjoy the following exclusive benefits during their cruise vacation: When you receive your SeaPass card, it will have an icon confirming your purchase of The Key. I'd want to keep that stuff with me. Available for booking pre . One thing I wonder about with The Key. In this day and age, having access to the internet is pretty vital on a cruise. You could book the cheapest inside guarantee stateroom, but have access to lots of the benefits that suite and high-level loyalty members enjoy. Or is the only benefit: priority embarkation mean you have your own line to enter terminal as opposed to the masses. I just checked my cruise planner and The Key is only two dollars per day over the Voom Surf n Stream that I previously purchased. Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society What You Need to Know. Royal Caribbean Cruise The Key Benefits Surf + Stream VOOM Connection. Video: Is Royal Caribbean's The Key worth it? Although the internet quality isnt fantastic, its super helpful for communicating with people at home and other people on board the ship. This benefit does not apply to smaller venues or activities like nightclubs or karaoke. Pricing for The Key varies by itinerary. Can anyone tell me if I purchase The Key for both myself and my wife, do we get two internet devices, 1 per person? Not to worry. The Reality of Royal Caribbean and Carnival Marijuana Policies. Elite loyalty members also board the ship before Key members, so they still have higher-priority access to the ship to get their vacation started early. This terminology was super vague to us when we first came across it in the description of the Key Program. i always try to get the earliest boarding. Janespup, March 6, 2022 in Royal Caribbean International. BOARDING DAY! | Wonder of the Seas | GoPort & The Key The Key allows you to board at that time, but only if you have a time that is before it. And wine. Cruisers looking to skip the long lines, especially for tender ports, might get a lot of value out of the package. Since I'd purchase a one device internet package otherwise, it's really about the price differential. 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. 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. One of the really nice benefits of the Key Program is that you dont have to do that. All rights reserved. VOOM Surf & Stream package, now including high speed internet, for one device (1 package per guest). And, it is included in the price of The Key as follows: one online package per paying guest on one device. I take that to mean if you have a 12 pm boarding time, you'll "jump ahead" of others with a 12 pm boarding time.