New Program called "The Key"

[CC Help Jenn]

4 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

No line when you have reservations, except for the ships that have a comedy venue, because that is small and people with reservations do line up.

 

Thanks - realize it was a smidge off topic but I guess not if priority seating would effect those who were waiting in line for a show.  

[Clarea]

47 minutes ago, CC Help Jenn said:

 

Thanks - realize it was a smidge off topic but I guess not if priority seating would effect those who were waiting in line for a show.  

 

Hey, I jump at the chance to help you for once!🙂

[Atlantix2000]

On 12/12/2018 at 9:44 AM, aflyingbuttress said:

 

‘I was thinking the actual process of getting onto the ship would take less time. I don’t particularly care when I get on, except I’d want to make that chops lunch. I was hoping to minimize the amount of time from parking to walking on the ship. I guess it sounds like that wouldn’t be the case though. 

 

The earlier you get there the better but priority boarding really only means something if you arrive AND get checked in before boarding starts.  That's the trick.  If you finish checking in and boarding has already started, you just get in line for security and walk onto the ship.  If boarding hasn't started, you sit around and wait for them to start.  They'll call various types of priority boarding (Wedding parties, Suites, Pinnacles, Keys, etc) in some predetermined order.  As your group is called you get in the security line and walk onto the ship.  This description may change slightly depending on what port you are using (maybe you can do security first and then wait to board somewhere, maybe security happens before checkin somewhere, etc).  But in general priority boarding sounds better than it is.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

On 12/12/2018 at 9:02 PM, HBE4 said:

 

Only 100 people maximum can purchase The Key. 

 

For now.......until it proves wildly popular.

That seems to be fk news...Liberty claims they sell "the key" to up to 90 CABINS!😱

[CruiszBug]

23 hours ago, shakeNbake said:

Seats are only held 10 minutes before the shows, then people already sitting and eyeballing them scramble for them.   I was on the Harmony ice show front row next to the reserved seating, there was a gentleman sitting on the other side of the reserved seating. Less then 10 minutes to show time, the Suite guests show up with their handler, but there too many guests and not enough seats, one short. The handler asks the man to give up his seat but refuses says as they converse back and forth.  The seated man argues he stood in line for over half hour for the seat while the handler and suite person standing up awkwardly tells handler in front of everyone as seated people are watching, very embarrassing for everyone. After a long six-seven long minutes handler standing not knowing what to do, finally, suite guy decided to sit elsewhere.  What the hell took him so long to make the correct decision to find a seat elsewhere? I was on the opposite side waiting for the handler to ask me same, but he never did, I wouldn't move either as I was in line for 45 minutes.

If everything is about money with Royal, I would have asked "what are you offering for me to move"? High bidder gets the seat!

[RadioPeri]

Don't you feel like Royal Caribbean is trolling us at this point??? PLEASE don't sign up for this DREADFUL program. STOP ENCOURAGING extra charges that net you nothing of value!!

[richstowe]

47 minutes ago, RadioPeri said:

Don't you feel like Royal Caribbean is trolling us at this point??? PLEASE don't sign up for this DREADFUL program. STOP ENCOURAGING extra charges that net you nothing of value!!

But that's how it works ! 🙄

[twangster]

1 hour ago, RadioPeri said:

Don't you feel like Royal Caribbean is trolling us at this point??? PLEASE don't sign up for this DREADFUL program. STOP ENCOURAGING extra charges that net you nothing of value!!

 

It may be that there is no value for you.  That's a perfectly acceptable line of reasoning.  However  there are people who will find value in this.  

 

If enough do, it stays.  If few dont, it will go.   Much like just about anything on a ship like drink packages, specialty dining, photo packages, etc.  

 

The truth is I think few cruisers will actually be impacted by this program.  

[richstowe]

14 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

It may be that there is no value for you.  That's a perfectly acceptable line of reasoning.  However  there are people who will find value in this.  

 

If enough do, it stays.  If few dont, it will go.   Much like just about anything on a ship like drink packages, specialty dining, photo packages, etc.  

 

The truth is I think few cruisers will actually be impacted by this program.  

Longer lines for already long lines because of "Daily private hours at signature attractions like the FlowRider, Rock Climbing wall, and ice-skating rink " . It's perfect , sell an upsell which reduces the quality of the regular product thus pushing people towards the upsell . Brilliant ! Slimy but brilliant . 

Edited December 14, 2018 by richstowe

[cha4244]

The Key being offered for $29.99 on our upcoming Harmony of the Seas April 28, 2019.  It does not state that there is a limit on the # sold.

 

We will not buy this!

[Bizzie07]

RCCL have just found a way of making more money "The Key"  at a cost of £19.74 per person per day and each person over 6years old per cabin.  They must be joking!!  No way would I pay that.

[Landlocked Luke]

My takeaway from this is that a big chunk of the benefits for purchasing The Key is gaining priority over other cruisers for commonly available functions (tendering, ice skating, flowrider, climbing wall). RCI is selling the inconvenience of other passengers - kind of like FastPasses at amusement parks.

As someone that falls into the bottom 99% should I expect to wait a couple hours to get into port and only have public access to the skating, rock climbing, and flowrider for a couple hours a day so that more time can be blocked-off so important people can feel more important? I'm already regretting booking the cruise that leaves in a few weeks. What I thought would be a relaxing vacation is starting to feel like going to a resort that is marketing time-shares.

Edited December 14, 2018 by Landlocked Luke
typo

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, Landlocked Luke said:

What I thought would be a relaxing vacation is starting to feel like going to a resort that is marketing time-shares.

Being able to say no or simply ignoring does help not falling for all the marketing gimmicks.

[Landlocked Luke]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

Being able to say no or simply ignoring does help not falling for all the marketing gimmicks.

 

Perhaps you don't understand the reference. Many time-share resorts require attendees to spend hours sitting in their high pressure marketing events - effectively wasting your time while on vacation - even if you don't buy anything.

By reducing public access times for many of their featured products they are effectively taking your time because now the public will have even longer waits during open access periods.

[Ourusualbeach]

On 12/12/2018 at 2:24 PM, Biker19 said:

I got a marketing e-mail mentioning 20% off (it's not, unless the list price went up, did it?) but the interesting thing was that the planner let me buy for only one person (didn't force buying everyone in the cabin).

 

The $175 would provide VOOM Stream for one device (about $100) and the lunch (worthless). So for about $75 I can have exclusive Flowrider use (with other Key customers, could be very few riders in that group) for at least 3 hrs. Getting tempting.

 

Its offered on my Oasis Christmas cruise for next year.  I’m tempted for the same reasons as you.  With 2 in our cabin and I always get the 2 device  internet package I’m looking at it for the 5 hours of Flowrider time

[richstowe]

7 minutes ago, Landlocked Luke said:

I'm already regretting booking the cruise that leaves in a few weeks. What I thought would be a relaxing vacation is starting to feel like going to a resort that is marketing time-shares.

Don't let their corporate greed spoil your vacation . Enjoy your cruise .  

[swoopy2110]

Information also found in the big thread entitled ' New Program called The Key' which has been running since the 5th November

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2601591-new-program-called-the-key/?page=6

 

 

[SteelMagnolia9]

I checked my Cruise Planner and it is being offered on my cruise in September on Freedom of the Seas for $24.99. I would consider it for $19.99 as I always purchase an internet package, but will pass on it for now.

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, Landlocked Luke said:

By reducing public access times for many of their featured products they are effectively taking your time because now the public will have even longer waits during open access periods.

I don't think we have had reports of reduced times in places like rock wall or Flowrider - the two venues in the Key program.

[rydinlow4sho]

I think vacations are for splurging and if I can pay a little extra to get ahead of all the people who want to budget then I will. Chances are all the people who are too cheap, or complaining about this program being bad for everyone else are the same people who take more then one vacation a year... Or five years..

 

I very rarely get to relax, I work very hard, and I'm excited to treat us to a little bit extra. 

[lovescats5]

While on the Oasis last September there was never a line at the rock climbing.  There was only one time there was any line at the flow rider.  So if someone buys a program where they get a specific time to flow ride or rock climb or whatever the activity is on which ever ship they are on there are still how many hours left for all the complainers.  At least now people have something else to complain about besides Star Class and how they are given preference over everyone else.  Last time I was waiting to board an airplane I do not remember hearing people complain about the first class people and how they got to board first and got better treatment than the economy class.  That is just a fact of life if you fly.  There have been no reports yet of people having to wait hours to get on the flow rider.  When we sail an internet program is essential for us because of home schooling and if the Key reduced the cost of purchasing an internet package then I would purchase.  We like the specialty restaurants and if the Key gives us a discount on that price then I would purchase.  They will put a cap on how many Key's to sell and my guess is most people purchasing is couples, not families.  Now you have to factor in how many of those couples are so excited about the flow rider (or whatever) and then figure in how many have never seen the show you want to go see and then figure out if they will take that special seat you want.  I would purchase the Key just I could have a little less worry abuot booking shows, dinners, or whatever else the Key would offer.  But then I am coming from a different point of view than most of you because: 1.  I want that airline first class seat on the cross country trip we have to make every time we sail. It is not fun spending 7 hrs in an airplane in economy class.   2. I am the one who books a Star Class suite and gets the saved seats at the front of the  show room or where ever we want to sit (which is not always at the front).  3.  We are those people who get at the front of the line at the bumper cars and then a couple more times because my granddaughter loves them.  So if you do not want the Key then do not purchase it.  If you want to go to another cruise line then go ahead.  NCL was mentioned but we looked at the Haven and we would still have to pay for specialty restaurants and any drink package we wanted (there are 4 of us).  Don't know if those of you who do not want to pay for the Key are trying to make those of us who have paid or will pay feel guilty but it is our vacation and we will pay for what we feel we want, just like the rest of you who pay for what you want.  And don't bring up the money thing, we save and if that means we go once a year on a great cruise then that is what we do, if it would take 2 years for a first class experience then that is what we have done in the past.  We all have the money to do what we feel is important to us and if that is an inside cabin then that is what you do, if you want better then you save longer.

 

[Thorben-Hendrik]

3 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

 

Its offered on my Oasis Christmas cruise for next year.  I’m tempted for the same reasons as you.  With 2 in our cabin and I always get the 2 device  internet package I’m looking at it for the 5 hours of Flowrider time

Yeah and the other 10% of the 200 people that are going to be flowriders buying it ....thinking the same way.....so you will have 30 people in "the key" line and 8 in the regular line🤣

Edited December 14, 2018 by Thorben-Hendrik

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Yeah and the other 10% of the 200 people that are going to be flowriders buying it ....thinking the same way.....so you will have 30 people in "the key" line and 8 in the regular line🤣

 

Waiting to read reviews of actual first hand experiences as opposed to pure speculation and guessing.

 

So far the one review posted of being the only rider or one of very few riders. 

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Yeah as soon as the avid flowriders find out....they are all going to buy this....

[A&L_Ont]

34 minutes ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Yeah as soon as the avid flowriders find out....they are all going to buy this....

 

I'm thinking they won't, after all why pay to stand in a line longer than advanced, when it happens at the exact same time on the ship.  The avid riders would be smarter to get six together and do a private rental.  It might be a few more dollars but you don't have to wait in line for the newbie learning how to enter the wave.  Also after hours you get a few more liberties on the wave than during open riding hours.