New Program called "The Key"

[Crazydancemom]

3 minutes ago, cruising texans 44 said:

Boarding was not the problem at Galveston it was getting thru security where only suite, pinnacle, and key guest were permitted in the priority line and everyone else was in another line. How was that handled on your Anthem cruise?

 

The key was put with the suite/pinnacle line. There was no one in that line and the other regular line only had a handful of people at about 1015am. It looked to take maybe 10 mins max for anyone to get to the point they were taking pre boarding pictures and then sitting people in long rows to eventually board.  Once we were onboard after our chops lunch, the line to get into the port was massive so I’m sure the wait time was very different. 

[cruisinmama!]

We are booked in 2 side by side balcony cabins, one for us and one for our sons.  If we purchased it for us in the one cabin would the boys still be able to do the priority boarding and departure with us if they don't also have it since they are both too young to be expected to do those things without us?  Or would we have to purchase it for all 4 of us?

 

Thanks!!

 

 

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, cruisinmama! said:

We are booked in 2 side by side balcony cabins, one for us and one for our sons.  If we purchased it for us in the one cabin would the boys still be able to do the priority boarding and departure with us if they don't also have it since they are both too young to be expected to do those things without us?  Or would we have to purchase it for all 4 of us?

 

Thanks!!

 

 

No, only guests 6 and under do not have to purchase the key to get the same perks as their parents 

[cruisinmama!]

Thank you!

 

[Tin can]

This may be old news as we came back at the weekend off Adventure but just read that fleet wide the Chops embarkation lunch is moving to the MDR but with a Chops menu.

 

More capacity I guess.

[dhdelrod]

We recently had the Key on Symphony for us it was money well spent. We boarded right after the Pinnacles and Suites. Being able to drop off our carryons was great. Our Chops lunch was served in the MDR. We made our show reservations before we left and had good seats at all the shows. The internet was adequate. I will say the one of the best parts was disembark day we walked passed the long line and right off the ship. We enjoyed having the Key. 

[12times]

Has anyone used The Key on the Oasis Class and found it to be beneficial ?

 

tks for any information

[gammite]

11 minutes ago, 12times said:

Has anyone used The Key on the Oasis Class and found it to be beneficial ?

 

tks for any information

 

 

[tinkr2]

19 hours ago, 12times said:

Has anyone used The Key on the Oasis Class and found it to be beneficial ?

 

tks for any information

We loved it on Harmony. We had great lunch . Terrific seats. Nice breakfast and easy fast disembark. We have it for Symphony again in November. 

[starrcards]

In then spirit of full disclosure, I have NOT read all 123 pages of this thread.  But I do have 2 questions about the Key.  

1. We are cruising to New England/Canada on Empress next July.  We have 2 tender ports and am considering the Key for this reason. But the downside I see is that Empress has only 1 entertainment venue (the main theatre) and only one onboard "activity (rock climbing). We normally get a single vroom and share it among the three of us.  So at $25pp per day it would cost us $525 for the cruise.  So the question is has anyone gotten the Key on Empress and did they get their money's worth?

2. I've seen a price of $20 in reviews. Is that the best price anyone has seen?

 

Thanks.

[blueridgemama]

3 minutes ago, starrcards said:

In then spirit of full disclosure, I have NOT read all 123 pages of this thread.  But I do have 2 questions about the Key.  

1. We are cruising to New England/Canada on Empress next July.  We have 2 tender ports and am considering the Key for this reason. But the downside I see is that Empress has only 1 entertainment venue (the main theatre) and only one onboard "activity (rock climbing). We normally get a single vroom and share it among the three of us.  So at $25pp per day it would cost us $525 for the cruise.  So the question is has anyone gotten the Key on Empress and did they get their money's worth?

2. I've seen a price of $20 in reviews. Is that the best price anyone has seen?

 

Thanks.

 

I can only address the price aspect of your question. $19.99 is the lowest I have ever seen.

[starrcards]

8 minutes ago, blueridgemama said:

 

I can only address the price aspect of your question. $19.99 is the lowest I have ever seen.

Thanks.

[brillohead]

I cannot even begin to think of a reason to purchase The Key on Empress....  

[xpcdoojk]

or on any ship at almost $40 a day and with a single flowrider day.  Seems a bit mad.

 

I am guessing phasing out soon

 

jc

[blueridgemama]

9 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

or on any ship at almost $40 a day and with a single flowrider day.  Seems a bit mad.

 

I am guessing phasing out soon

 

jc

 

Other lines are adding similar programs so I doubt that they will phase it out. My thinking is that they will make changes to it and keep what works and change what doesnt. Time will tell.

[starrcards]

12 hours ago, brillohead said:

I cannot even begin to think of a reason to purchase The Key on Empress....  

The only real reason to consider it for our Empress cruise is the two tender ports.  The Chops lunch, departure breakfast and Vroom for all of us are nice to haves (versus gotta haves).  But so is the $535 we'd have to pay for the Key.  That would pay for our gratuities.  The more I think about it, the more I agree with you brillohead.  Thank for the touch of sanity (and reality).

[LMaxwell]

On 9/11/2019 at 10:27 PM, xpcdoojk said:

 

I do hope you don’t mistake my lack of disagreeing with you for accepting that the minions you know are telling you things that the corporation would not prefer to get translated into the world thru your posts as a fact.  Yeah... let’s tell someone who hates our company all of our company secrets and let him share them....    what a effing joke.

 

I simply don’t care enough to reply for a month.🤣

 

jc

 

 

Too many falls on the Flowrider.  Be careful

[brillohead]

13 hours ago, starrcards said:

The only real reason to consider it for our Empress cruise is the two tender ports.  The Chops lunch, departure breakfast and Vroom for all of us are nice to haves (versus gotta haves).  But so is the $535 we'd have to pay for the Key.  That would pay for our gratuities.  The more I think about it, the more I agree with you brillohead.  Thank for the touch of sanity (and reality).

The day that *I* am the voice of reason / sanity is a scary day indeed!  LOL

The way I look at it, there are only ever a handful of people on Empress on a good day.  It's not like you're trying to tender off the population of a Freedom-class ship (which I have done, and really wasn't that awful).

If getting people off the ship in a timely manner were a problem at tender ports, we would have heard about it by now.  Spend that money on your next cruise, or an amazing excursion, or something else that will really give you $535 worth of enjoyment.  

[mkh103]

I feel this takes away from the people who over the years have achieved a certain status by staying LOYAL to the line.  Why stay LOYAL now when you can buy the perks?

[blueridgemama]

On 9/11/2019 at 7:19 PM, 12times said:

Has anyone used The Key on the Oasis Class and found it to be beneficial ?

 

tks for any information

 

see post # 3051 directly above yours. A Symphony of the Seas Oasis Class user😊  Also post #3055 from Harmony of the Seas.

Have you read The Key reviews which are listed in the stickies at the top of the page? There are several recent reviews from Oasis Class ships.

Edited September 16, 2019 by blueridgemama

[brillohead]

6 hours ago, mkh103 said:

I feel this takes away from the people who over the years have achieved a certain status by staying LOYAL to the line.  Why stay LOYAL now when you can buy the perks?

These aren't all the same perks you get for the loyalty program.  The loyalty program doesn't give you a Chops lunch, or special time on the Flowrider, or holding of carry-on luggage, or an escort off the ship, etc.

And it's not any different than paying for a suite, which also confers a variety of special privileges.  

[xpcdoojk]

Wow, complaining gets you everything....  such a poor sport, pity

 

jc

Edited September 17, 2019 by xpcdoojk

[kyrie]

On 9/16/2019 at 11:46 AM, mkh103 said:

I feel this takes away from the people who over the years have achieved a certain status by staying LOYAL to the line.  Why stay LOYAL now when you can buy the perks?

Ill way in on that. The perks are somewhat different. We are diamond plus. But we have two 8, 10 year old girls who love doing the activities and like front of the line or reserved time for this. It is also nice to have someone take your carry on luggage and to do the meals at the embarkation/debarkation. Yes, we get priority access to shows already. But we barely go. For us it is the other perks. So we do the Key. Now, once we hit Pinnacle perhaps it will be different. Also when we cruise without kids.. and no, I'm not doing the flowrider, we don't do the key. Does that help? 

 

I just realized I read your question backwards. 🙂 That's the answer to do both. We also like the perks of being loyal like the concierge and the unwritten perks of their help. We will stay loyal for that reason. 

Edited September 18, 2019 by kyrie

[Cruising Cheryl 61]

I don’t see totally what you are saying I can understand loyalty but I got the key because I’m handicapped mostly just for boarding and getting off ship as I can stand in lines for long time. I won’t use flow rider hubby may the shows will be nice but if I’m paying for this it should be fine. All the lines are doing it now you still get plenty of perks us key people don’t but I do understand but honestly can’t you just share perks like activities and not make a big deal about it because honestly life is to short and people just don’t seem the same anymore. Remember we are all there to relax enjoy ourselves make new friends and have new adventures so just enjoy the trip and as long as you can get seats at the show that’s the important thing right? Have a blessed day and remember WWJD

[brillohead]

On 9/21/2019 at 8:35 AM, Cruising Cheryl 61 said:

I don’t see totally what you are saying I can understand loyalty but I got the key because I’m handicapped mostly just for boarding and getting off ship as I can stand in lines for long time.

Honestly, you can save your money -- if you show up after boarding has started, you're unlikely to ever encounter a line of any kind, at least in my recent experience at Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Port Canaveral. 

 

If all you're wanting is to avoid lines for boarding and disembarkation, you can just wait until the lines have subsided and then get on or off the ship.  Use the money you save to go on another cruise!