For example, you can surf the waves at FlowRider; race through The Perfect Storm waterslides; zip line; slide on Tidal Wave; climb a rock wall; and, more without waiting in line. Youll be able to choose what time you disembark, which is nice if youd like to enjoy a leisurely private breakfast first, or if you need to hurry off the ship as soon as possible. It is way overpriced. Recent RCI cruisers report that most sailings now only offer one private hour per week for each activity for Key members. Up to 72-hours before your sail date, you can check-in online or with the Royal Caribbean International app* with the 6 items listed below. But I only paid an extra buck for it so no big. The program wont be available to buy once youre on board the ship. This can be confusing for guests, since Royal Caribbean indicates in several places that Key guests get priority access during their designated boarding window. These windows can range in start times from 10 am to 3 pm. I just don't think you're going to get the bang for your buck that you think you will. Rock climbing was also at 9am. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Some ports may have The Key folks enter the same place as the suites. I wouldn't pay that for unlimited dining. Perk number five is also a continuous benefit throughout your whole itinerary special sections of reserved seating. And wine. My GF purchased the "key" for each of us. Rather than queuing for (possibly) hours, you will be taken to an exclusive area reserved for Key Guests, loyalty program members and those who booked suites. It takes a lot of cruise days sailed to reach these high levels. They get more time to actually have fun on each attraction. This benefit only applied to the main theater and the ice show. It is available on most of the ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet with the current exceptions of Majesty of the Seas, Voyager Class Ships and Quantum Class Ships. I will be sailing on the Wonder on 2/25 and will keep an eye on the price for that cruise. By However, some recent passengers report up to 200 passes sold on their cruises. If no one offers this service, be sure to ask! Another Overbooked Oasis-Class Royal Caribbean Ship, Royal Caribbean Changes Itinerary for First New Homeport Cruise, Refurbished Carnival Cruise Ship Completes Costa-Inspired Livery. 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. Even if you have an earlier time, still use the key lines. I bought The Key for my upcoming sailing on Harmony 5/1. Frequently asked questions about The Key on RCI. Just by flashing your SeaPass, Key members can take advantage of lots of benefits that the vast majority of RCI cruisers dont have. And that's not . However, some RCI ships have started offering Fast Track boarding when returning to the ship, and Key members are eligible. 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. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! That brings your total for purchasing these benefits individually up to $182. Key guests still have to make their way to the port terminal and through security just like everyone else. I don't want most of the "perks" but for some that sets their cruise at a new level . Also, think about the cost of excursions. Since the program began in 2018, passengers have reported paying anywhere from $19.99 to over $35 per person per day. The Key includes Voom Surf and Stream access for each person, which arguably makes up the bulk of the daily cost. (Those who miss the window usually about 30 minutes on either side of check-in time may miss the benefit). You aren't cheating the system, you are the earliest boarding time. Many benefits can be obtained in a different way, but without having to spend extra for it. Insider tip: Watch online for discount options to reduce the cost of the price per day for this add-on. I paid $28.99/day and it never got lower than that prior to sailing. I just bought is for $22.99. At tender ports, where the ship ferries passengers to shore using smaller boats, Key members can take advantage of priority boarding when going ashore. 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. By 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. * Priority access will not be offered in Vancouver, Canada, or at any ports in Australia. An interesting perk with The Key program is the ability to drop off carry on luggage (usually in the theater until 1:30 PM). Many cruise terminals have a special waiting area for Key members, and staff will call you for boarding just after suite and high-level loyalty members. Royal Caribbeans internet service, known as VOOM, is well-known for being very fast. 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. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! The other benefit is that they give you lunch at chops on boarding day and deliver fruit to your room. That is why this is our first stop). Royal Caribbean ; Roll Calls ; Voyager of the Seas Roll Calls ; Voyager of the Seas - Jun 12, 2023 - Jun 17, 2023 (5 Night Western Caribbean) . You get lots of great perks throughout your cruise for the cost of one, inexpensive excursion. Priority departure at ports where a tender is required ship-to-shore, A la carte breakfast and choice departure time on debarkation day. November 15, 2022 in Royal Caribbean Discussion. I haven't seen the Key on sale in months for any of the sailings. Internet that I'd otherwise pay for one device. 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. Lets break the benefits down by order in which youll probably use them. 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. On disembarkation day, Key members can enjoy an exclusive breakfast in the main dining room before leaving the ship. Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, the lunch by Chops during embarkation day (this way underwhelming), luggage drop off at main dining room during embarkation day, Room service (according to the letter this was free), Priority Time at activities- these were at 9am, which is not a time that I normally wear a bathing suit to ride some waves. With capacity limitations lately theres no lines. To many passengers, one of the most popular perks included in Royal Caribbean The Key program is WiFi. What are the benefits of The Key program? *** Welcome lunch is open from 12:00 pm 1:30 pm. Heres what The Key is (and why some cruisers like it), Royal Caribbean testing VIP guest access program. Upload or insert images from URL. Our designated boarding window was at 1 pm, which definitely would have made us miss the embarkation lunch. 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. Access to the fast lane at onboard activities (activities vary by ship)and private time at the Flowrider. Can you help me understand suite and key program priority embarkation? Book with Klook Here: Set Sail with Royal Caribbean Cruise => We value this benefit at $20USD, simply because it costs the equivalent if you were to try FlowRider at Sentosa. Or is the only benefit: priority embarkation mean you have your own line to enter terminal as opposed to the masses. Other times, it is notably higher. Price The cost of The Key can vary from ship to ship, as well as itinerary. But, be aware that all the following perks will not be available across the entire fleet. Lets dive in. Pricing for The Key varies by itinerary. 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. I can see where theyre coming from! Nobody likes lugging their carry-on luggage around the ship after they board while waiting on their state room to be ready. Your link has been automatically embedded. 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. Or, you could reach a high level in the companys loyalty program. Agreed, I enjoyed it at $19.99, and now would only look if it was close to pricing for internet. October 07, 2021. We also purchase. We are planning to purchase the key for our Allure cruise next year. Of course we didn't know the fruit was coming so by the time we got back it was pretty spent. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. All members of the party are checked in with a 10:30 check in time and covered party right across from the new Galveston terminal. But information emailed to us just a few short days before instructed us to arrive early. 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. Key members can drop those bags off with less worry about damage from rough handling. VOOM Surf & Stream package, now including high speed internet, for one device (1 package per guest). You wont even have to hunt it down in the hallway like you usually have to do with your checked baggage. GoPort Fly, Snooze, Cruise package from Orlando to Port Canaveral. It can be purchased online or via the app when you book your cruise (or added later). What this means is that hundreds of passengers will be disembarking around the same time after the ship docks. Without The Key, if youre late reserving tender tickets, the earlier times will probably be gone. 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. Embarkation day is here, and you arrived early at the terminal port, excited to set sail on your cruise vacation. Private hours vary by ship and sailing, and the schedule is delivered to your stateroom on embarkation day. Im Carrie Ann, the writer behind Should Be Cruising. Breakfast room service is likely the most beneficial time to use room service, but there are so many easy grab and go breakfast options that I think in general, the idea of having room service is better than the actual thing. Crew often opens up the VIP seating area to all passengers a few minutes before the show begins. The Key is an add-on program on Royal Caribbean cruises that allows any guest to obtain some VIP perks on board the ship. We got really lucky on the Allure last fall where the Key was $16.99 pp so we got it. Flying Wish Paper: How To Make Your Own With Things You Already Have! But there are a few considerations you should make that can help justify the cost of the Royal Caribbean Key Program. This also means that you get to save on your Wi-Fi costs as well! This inclusion also offers us the opportunity to do a bit of price comparison with some simple math. The priority for tendering is largely useless since Royal Caribbean ships rarely ever tender, thanks to more and more ports having piers. On our latest sailing, we were asked to arrive at the terminal no later than 11:00 am. Or the benefits are simply not as lucrative as it sounds. 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. But, (and this is an important one!) I almost got shut out, as they do have a cap, and it sold out. 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? That is, you cannot cancel it, but the cruise line can. It is suggested that you arrive approximately 30 minutes prior to curtain time to select from amongst the best seats in the house.. The Key on Royal Caribbean is a for-a-fee program offering priority boarding, private hours at onboard activities, preferred theater seating, and more. We are headed out on the Oasis of the Seas from Miami on Sunday. If anyone knows, let me know. If youre traveling with a group in more than one cabin, group members in another room that havent purchased The Key wont be able to join you for preferred boarding, exclusive dining, or in the preferred seating at shows. I sailed the first time with Royal Caribbean on the Oasis of the Seas this past March. I used the Key a few years ago and liked it. It is not like the drinks package or an excursion where you can just add it once youre onboard. Royal Caribbean ships (especially the Oasis-class ships, like the Wonder of the Seas) are so packed with activities, restaurants, and more. 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. I also agree that its best to eyeball the dedicated security lines as you enter the terminal. 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. Clear editor. Welcome lunch with Chops Grille menu can be bought separately at the restaurant or at a different restaurant. Obviously, in these instances, the time it takes to leave the ship and begin your onshore adventures could be hours. Its quite subtle, but this tiny icon gets you all the benefits listed below. But it was a one and done for us. But if youre an average cruiser who wants to feel a little bit like a VIP during your cruise, the Royal Caribbeans Key Program is definitely for you. Againcrowds, queues and waiting. In my experiencethe Key has always had a boarding time of 11:30 or earlier. We had it in January because it wasn't too much more expensive than the internet and we enjoyed having it. Free expert cruise tips and news from Cruise Hive! CRUISE HIVE LTD 2008-2023. 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. The Key allows you to board at that time, but only if you have a time that is before it. Why would someone want to drop their carry-on luggage off at The Key location? **, Exclusive welcome lunch in the Main Dining Room featuring The Key signature menu.***. Insider tip: Be sure that your time slot is early enough to take advantage of our next benefit embarkation day lunch. If Royal Caribbean cancels it for any reason, of course you can expect to get your money back. But keep this in mind if youre looking forward to enjoying this perk. We even had an entire Key Program booking canceled and our money refunded to us before sailing with no explanation. I've seen just a line with a sign for The Key but not a dedicated entrance. I had it a few weeks ago. With that in mind, if WiFi is the main and only reason for interest in this program, it would be more economical to buy one of the singly priced Internet option packages. Choice debarkation time with special debarkation breakfast. The search will resume at first light on Friday morning local time. You can remove the wristband when you finish the activity, and get a new one latertheres no need to keep the wristband on for your entire cruise. These extra benefits generally fall into the categories of saving money or time, exclusive access, or to create a sense of VIP status. I thought "The Key" (now VIP Pass) was a nice option. How to Get Free Drinks in the Casino on Royal Caribbean And More! On the Cruise Critic boards, people have reported paying between $19.99 to $29.99 and even up to $37 per day for each. We are sailing out of Galveston so I wonder if anyone knows how they do it there. We never found this experience to be very a la carte, since a specific menu was given to us each time. So if we get an earlier check-in time through the app we can opt to use that or we can use the key if it's the earlier of the two? fundamentals of statistics ppt, james ball, endodontist, class 9b building requirements nsw,
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