royal caribbean the key boarding time

Pricing for The Key varies by itinerary. Final Notes on Royal Caribbean - The Key The Basics of Royal Caribbean - The Key This cruise line's optional add-on called The Key is a relatively new program. At some ports of call, a small boat (or tender) will carry passengers to and from the port. 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. Read more, Copyright 2023 Chaotically Yours | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine. We had it in January because it wasn't too much more expensive than the internet and we enjoyed having it. But on an RCI cruise, theres a way to get these perks without spending lots of cash on a suite or waiting years to build up your loyalty status: The Key! But, be aware that all the following perks will not be available across the entire fleet. The Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, which departed from Brisbane two weeks ago, halted its course after the incident. As a Key Guest, you will enjoy your choice of the best seats. This Surf + Steam VOOM would be the other reason why you would get the Key for your next cruise. One of the perks is lunch but if we go that late, we would miss that. It is satellite-based and works throughout the ship. Guests need to purchase The Key before the cruise begins on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner website. Read Also: Are Royal Caribbean Cruises All Inclusive? Or the benefits are simply not as lucrative as it sounds. **** Reservations are required for shows on Quantum and Oasis class ships. Cruise terminals, as we learned during the pandemic, are . But, since RCI allows passengers to carry on limited amounts of non-alcoholic drinks and bottled wine (see my post about carrying on beverages for their current rules), you probably wont want to be carrying those around with you all day. The Royal Caribbean Key Program guests each have a special key icon on their SeaPass card, indicating participation in the program. Is the Royal Caribbean Key Program a must-do or a hard pass for your next cruise? Why would someone want to drop their carry-on luggage off at The Key location? 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. 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, in the alternative, Royal Caribbean may offer free room service for the entirety of your cruise along with a percentage off the cost of all onboard dining. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. We ended up having to confirm at the front desk that reservations for shows were not necessary for this sailing. 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? Unfortunately, the private times at attractions were limited and at inconvenient times. Timing is everything. * Carry-on bag drop off with delivery to your stateroom. Flying Wish Paper: How To Make Your Own With Things You Already Have! But when youre actually on the ship, they all really do make a difference. Paste as plain text instead, You can read more about me and about Should Be Cruising here. The first stop you will make is to a designated drop-off room for your carry-on luggage (usually in the Main Dining Room). Benefits of The Key. 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. Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society What You Need to Know. Carrie Ann is the founder of Should Be Cruising and a lifelong travel fanatic. 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. Some of the updated information had changed, like the location of our welcome lunch, but other instructions were just flat out incorrect. In addition, your SeaPass card will have a special sticker to easily identify yourself as having The Key. 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. The only Key perk thats not included with any of these programs is the reserved hours for select activities. Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world. The Key on Royal Caribbean is a for-a-fee program offering priority boarding, private hours at onboard activities, preferred theater seating, and more. Available for booking pre . 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. On my canceled October 2020 repositioning cruise aboard Brilliance of the Seas, RCI was running a 45% off sale. If you purchased the program on a previous RCI cruise, be sure to carefully read the updated explanations of each perk listed below before you buy it for your next sailing. This is so Key customers can take advantage of the Key lunch. The Key is an add-on program on Royal Caribbean cruises that allows any guest to obtain some VIP perks on board the ship. Nobody likes lugging their carry-on luggage around the ship after they board while waiting on their state room to be ready. Do you already have perks? 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. All guests over the age of 6 in the same room must purchase The Key. It is suggested that you arrive approximately 30 minutes prior to curtain time to select from amongst the best seats in the house.. Enchanted with cruising from my first voyage in the Bahamas on the SS Emerald Seas to Alaskas Inside Passage. 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. Everyone is packing and trying to figure out how to disembark in the quickest way possible. This is a super beneficial perk when traveling with children. Swimsuit, acceptable dinner clothes for a few nights, acceptable day wear for a few days, and dop kit. Pricing for the Key starts at $24.99 per guest per day, depending on the ship. If a large group of Key members and suite passengers enter just before you, it might be quicker going through a regular security line. How To Purchase Still need help? Each of you can use however many devices you wish, but you can each only be logged into one device at a time (hopefully that makes sense). You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Hi! The VROOM Surf & Stream package and a meal at Chops Grille are the only two benefits that are eligible for purchase individually. ** Also, its best to come early to take advantage of the carry on drop off service. If so, what kind? Does this extra cost amenity make sense to get for your family? As you walk around the ship, it will be on posters and signs. I tried it for my last cruise which was a 4 day cruise. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Unfortunately, on our cruise the information we were given prior to boarding as to the location of where to leave our luggage was incorrect. Another Overbooked Oasis-Class Royal Caribbean Ship, Royal Caribbean Changes Itinerary for First New Homeport Cruise, Refurbished Carnival Cruise Ship Completes Costa-Inspired Livery. **, Exclusive welcome lunch in the Main Dining Room featuring The Key signature menu.***. or is it only 1 internet device? 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! Since space is limited on a cruise ship, the larger, more popular show are notorious for filling up fast. We even had an entire Key Program booking canceled and our money refunded to us before sailing with no explanation. While the check-in time advantage could be helpful to ensure you are among the first to board, Royal Caribbean says if you miss the 30 minute window of arrival right at the beginning, you will not be able to use this benefit. 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/. Crew delivers your bags to your stateroom and leaves them in the roomnot outside your door like regular checked luggage. All rights reserved. Learn about these types of VIP benefits for your specific ship in the welcome letter, which you will receive when boarding. 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. You cannot paste images directly. But I wouldn't pay any more than that the value just isn't there for me. On this sailing, the price per person per day would have been a little over $12, the lowest price Ive ever heard of for the program! 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. That brings your total for purchasing these benefits individually up to $182. 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. Henderson Nv. 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. You could book a full suite, which is way out of the price range of the average cruiser. Where to Get Coffee on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. Also, you should be able to see when and how often the locations are reserved for Key Guests. Lets take a look at what this program offers, and see if its worth booking for your next Royal Caribbean cruise. In addition, with multi-device internet plans, the Key doesn't scale to families or larger groups if internet is always purchased. The menu features limited selections from Chops Grille. To many passengers, one of the most popular perks included in Royal Caribbean The Key program is WiFi. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'shouldbecruising_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_6',199,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-shouldbecruising_com-medrectangle-4-0');Booked guests on most Royal Caribbean sailings have the choice to upgrade to The Key, a program that offers enhanced benefits. 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. We are headed out on the Oasis of the Seas from Miami on Sunday. 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. Lunch on Day 2 for ships sailing from Seward or Vancouver. A premium section of each of the larger venues on each ship is reserved for The Key, loyalty club members and suite passengers. Heres what The Key is (and why some cruisers like it), Royal Caribbean testing VIP guest access program. But some Freedom Class ships that I've sailed on did just that. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. However, some RCI ships have started offering Fast Track boarding when returning to the ship, and Key members are eligible. Just by flashing your SeaPass, Key members can take advantage of lots of benefits that the vast majority of RCI cruisers dont have. Why would someone want to drop their carry-on luggage off at The Key location? I think that price is bat-poo crazy. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Be sure to check out these resources when youre planning a Royal Caribbean cruise: Have you bought The Key on a Royal Caribbean cruise? I wouldn't pay that for unlimited dining. 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 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. Weve always enjoyed this luncheon. Cruisers who have reached Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club status in RCIs Crown & Anchor Society also already get many of these perks as well. Not sure if even the most vocal supporter of the VIP pass would say it makes sense financially at that price. Reservations for shows can be made on your own via the Royal Caribbean app. These extra benefits generally fall into the categories of saving money or time, exclusive access, or to create a sense of VIP status. My assigned boarding time is 1:00. This terminology was super vague to us when we first came across it in the description of the Key Program. Think of it like a way to pay extra to get VIP treatment, faster access, or otherwise nice to have extras. When you receive your SeaPass card, you should see a small decal on the front indicating that youre a Key member. The Key will usually show up as an option for purchase in your Cruise Planner about 90-100 days before your sailing. madoris, Thursday at 02:15 PM in Royal Caribbean International. Other benefits may apply at specific ports. 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 aren't cheating the system, you are the earliest boarding time. This can pose a problem if youre meeting a self-booked tour (or if you just have lots of things you wanted to see and do in port). Complimentary room service for your entire cruise, along with 25% off all onboard dining purchases. This option which is available 24 hours a day, every day has been recently offered in lieu of the complimentary embarkation lunch. All this and more. Some say priority boarding within your check in time. November 15, 2022 in Royal Caribbean Discussion. Obviously, in these instances, the time it takes to leave the ship and begin your onshore adventures could be hours. There were no lines for the water slides during our reserved hours. What we did learn was that reserved hours for each activity were typically only offered once during a sailing, and usually during a day at sea. You will have no priority boarding for transportation back to the ship. We much preferred this meal instead of fighting our way through the buffet along with every other passenger onboard the ship. Priority Embarkation is one of the best Key perks. During our first experience with the Key program, we were with a large group and had a table to ourselves. 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. 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. Some ports may have The Key folks enter the same place as the suites. Lines for this mode of transport can get extremely long, and wait times can be extremely frustrating. On our last two cruises with Royal Caribbean, we purchased the Key Program. One note about this perk: It only applies in one direction from the ship to the shore. Priority departure from ship-to-shore at tender ports. The welcome lunch for Royal Caribbeans Key Program guests is served in the main dining room during limited hours on your embarkation day. 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. My family is headed out on Oasis in June 2023. The Reality of Royal Caribbean and Carnival Marijuana Policies. What lines do you think it will cut time for? 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. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Much of the value of the program is in the unlimited internet. 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. I couldnt imagine why anyone would carry on a bag, only to check it soon after boarding! They get more time to actually have fun on each attraction. Traditional continental breakfast items are also on the menu, like cereal, yogurt, pastries and fruit. Powered by Invision Community. Tip: Be sure to still make reservations for shows in advance and arrive at least 15 minutes before showtime. Probably not a terrific idea when traveling with children. 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? Can't forget the wine! 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. Whether you need to communicate with home or you just want to use social media while youre onboard, its pretty likely that youre going to purchase an internet package during your cruise. 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. Ultimately, the value of this program is subjective. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. The food is scrumptious and included in the price of The Key. This is understandable, since limiting super-popular activities to a small number of guests during the busiest hours could anger a lot of cruisers. 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. Then, you can enjoy a private embarkation day welcome lunch rather than bustling around with the throngs of people learning their way around the ship. Whether or not The Key is worth the money really depends on your situation. 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. I thought it was a little pricey but for a first time experience I felt it was worth it. So, it's important to know that Carnival won't serve any passenger more than 15 alcoholic drinks in a single day. To ensure that you receive this perk, arrive at the port during the special check-in time slot that you received with your Key purchase. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Boarding Day ART Test Photo credits: Cruise the World/ Facebook This is just my own personal theory! Perk number two! Frankly, you will probably get through quicker in a regular line than the Key line. While all passengers must follow general boarding and security protocols at every port, Key Guests have a shortcut afterward. Early seating at all entertainment venues. And wine. 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. If not, just leave blank, watch the Royal Caribbean app for when check-in windows will become available to book.
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