New Program called "The Key"

[ryguy2008]

I've been tempted by The Key for my upcoming Symphony sailing. Been a bit on the fence. 

 

For some reason, even though it's not sold out, Cruise Planner was giving an error when I tried to buy it. So I did it by phone with Royal. This is when things started to go wrong. 

 

First off, the agent clearly knew nothing. I asked him if The Key includes priority lines during all hours to every activity, including The Ultimate Abyss. I was told yes. 

 

Once he put the sale through, I noticed the product name was "The Key (Jamie's Reservation)". At first, the agent told me that it meant nothing. Then he admitted that this meant my embarkation lunch is at Jamie's Italian. I don't want this. I already get a lunch there as I have a Central Park room. 

 

When I told the agent that he needed to tell me this before putting the transaction through, he did not care. He also didn't even bother canceling my Wi-Fi that was purchased since it was redundant.

 

After the call, being on the fence, I cancelled The Key. Except the icon still remains on my set sail pass... I called Royal and the agent was clueless as well. 

 

Morale of the story: I should have left The Key alone. Now I don't know how to fix my set sail pass...

[Ourusualbeach]

15 minutes ago, ryguy2008 said:

I've been tempted by The Key for my upcoming Symphony sailing. Been a bit on the fence. 

 

For some reason, even though it's not sold out, Cruise Planner was giving an error when I tried to buy it. So I did it by phone with Royal. This is when things started to go wrong. 

 

First off, the agent clearly knew nothing. I asked him if The Key includes priority lines during all hours to every activity, including The Ultimate Abyss. I was told yes. 

 

Once he put the sale through, I noticed the product name was "The Key (Jamie's Reservation)". At first, the agent told me that it meant nothing. Then he admitted that this meant my embarkation lunch is at Jamie's Italian. I don't want this. I already get a lunch there as I have a Central Park room. 

 

When I told the agent that he needed to tell me this before putting the transaction through, he did not care. He also didn't even bother canceling my Wi-Fi that was purchased since it was redundant.

 

After the call, being on the fence, I cancelled The Key. Except the icon still remains on my set sail pass... I called Royal and the agent was clueless as well. 

 

Morale of the story: I should have left The Key alone. Now I don't know how to fix my set sail pass...

Why worry about the key still showing on your set sail pass.  You have cancelled.  If by some chance you get a few extra perks because someone believes you still have the key then you lucked out.

Edited June 25, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[ryguy2008]

22 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Why worry about the key still showing on your set sail pass.  You have cancelled.  If by some chance you get a few extra perks because someone believes you still have the key then you lucked out.

 

I guess. I just like things to be clean. 🙂

 

I just called Royal again (my original post was based on my experience last night). The person told me that my sailing only has lunch at Jamie's Italian offered. I wonder if this is a change to the program that is being rolled out fleet-wide.

[LMaxwell]

I'd swear there is a football style pool at HQ over this program; whoever gets people to pay the most for boarding day lunch and saved show seats wins the prize 

[Clarea]

56 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

I'd swear there is a football style pool at HQ over this program; whoever gets people to pay the most for boarding day lunch and saved show seats wins the prize 

 

Yep, and probably another pool to guess the highest price a guest will pay for a cabana.

[BeagleAgility]

Where under the Cruise Planning can you purchase the Key?  I don't see it for my sailing (but that may be because I am not going until February 2020).

 

Thanks.

[Clarea]

6 minutes ago, BeagleAgility said:

Where under the Cruise Planning can you purchase the Key?  I don't see it for my sailing (but that may be because I am not going until February 2020).

 

Thanks.

 

It's on the first page, lower left, of my Cruise Planner.

[Biker19]

17 minutes ago, BeagleAgility said:

Where under the Cruise Planning can you purchase the Key?

Usually under the Internet tab.

[BeagleAgility]

Thank you. Must not be for sale yet on my cruise as I don't see it.

[dpostman]

Also under the "Internet & More" tab in my cruise planner.  Price has not budged since it's been available several months ago.

 

dp

[PMGS247]

39 minutes ago, dpostman said:

Also under the "Internet & More" tab in my cruise planner.  Price has not budged since it's been available several months ago.

 

dp

 

Interestingly I see it only for a brief moment (1-2 seconds) under Internet & More and then the dropdown window re-draws itself and The Key disappears as a clickable option.  Similarly, Photo Packages also disappears.

 

If I'm quick enough with my mouse and I hover over The Key before the window re-draws itself it gets trapped and I can click on it....but nothing happens, not surprising.  Sailing May 17 2020...first RCI cruise.  Wonder if they sold out? Haven't started selling it yet? Is it not available until I've made final payment?  This has probably been answered in the first 114 pages of this thread lol

[Biker19]

36 minutes ago, PMGS247 said:

  Sailing May 17 2020...first RCI cruise.  

Welcome to RCI IT - thankfully, the on board experience will likely be better than your Cruise Planner one. Keep checking for availability.

[PamD5]

We sailed on the June 14^th Ovation to Alaska.

First impression of the Seattle Port was not good.  It looked crazy busy, our driver dropped us off and there were two long lines waiting to drop off their luggage.  I asked a porter where we were supposed to go, and he took our luggage with no wait and told us to go into a building and look for key signage.  Once inside, they directed us to a line for key members, however another employee called us over and helped us, she had no line and we went straight onto the ship.  No waits, no lines, it was wonderful.  Maybe it took 5 minutes all together.  Make sure you put your luggage tags on before you get to port, or you’ll be in one of those long lines.

 

Key signage was plentiful, we went to the check in table, received our internet codes (the internet worked quite well for the most part except at the glacier) then we dropped off my carry on, the employee told my husband not to drop his off as it was full of camera equipment.  Then we headed to Chops for lunch.  It was opening shortly so we waited in line for a few minutes.  The key menu was expanded from what I previously saw, and our lunch was delicious and probably took just under an hour. 

 

We went to our room to find my carry-on bag did not arrive, but our larger bags were there.  Had me a bit worried, but our room attendant was amazing and found the missing bag right away and brought it to our room. 

 

Our key paperwork was in our room showing additional times you could sign up for Northstar and I Fly make sure you read it as the additional times had to be reserved on certain days, if you wait to long to reserve there won’t be any slots left.  There was a priority line for bumper cars, but I forgot to take a photo and don’t remember what else was there.   We did have reserved seating for shows which was nice.  On the back side of the paper there were times listed for key members to meet and get off the ship at port.  If you didn’t want to go at that particular time, you just needed to show your sea pass card with the key symbol and they walked you to the front of the line.

 

Disembarkation at the end of the cruise was nice.  We went to the key breakfast and after they walked us to our luggage, once again by passing all the lines.  We got a porter to haul our luggage and he walked us to a separate line to get a cab passing many people.

For us the key was well worth the money, we paid $19.99, there were no lines to wait in, and a peaceful lunch and breakfast with no crowds was wonderful.

 

I posted the above key portion on the other Key thread but wanted to add some non-Key info.  You can get cabs, ubers and shuttles at the airport without booking ahead of time.  We took a shuttle to our hotel, The Grand Hyatt downtown.  The hotel is fabulous!  It isn’t cheap, but what is out there.  They had shuttles and cabs available anytime you wanted them, just had to ask the bell captain to get a cab which we used a few times.  The monorail is available two blocks away to get you to the Space Needle and the walk is flat.  The walk to Pikes Market is flat if you walk on the street behind the hotel by the convention center, otherwise it can be quite hilly.  The market is fun, need to watch them throw the fish, it’s entertaining.  The Chihuly Gardens are beautiful, this particular picture is of a full size row boat, the glass pieces are huge and gorgeous and the views from the Space Needle are very pretty. I may post port review later, I don’t have pictures yet. 

[LMaxwell]

4 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Yep, and probably another pool to guess the highest price a guest will pay for a cabana.

 

[Mat7]

So has anyone done the key - out of southampton yet? just wondering how the port benefits work there.

Many thanks

[blueridgemama]

6 hours ago, PamD5 said:

We sailed on the June 14^th Ovation to Alaska.

First impression of the Seattle Port was not good.  It looked crazy busy, our driver dropped us off and there were two long lines waiting to drop off their luggage.  I asked a porter where we were supposed to go, and he took our luggage with no wait and told us to go into a building and look for key signage.  Once inside, they directed us to a line for key members, however another employee called us over and helped us, she had no line and we went straight onto the ship.  No waits, no lines, it was wonderful.  Maybe it took 5 minutes all together.  Make sure you put your luggage tags on before you get to port, or you’ll be in one of those long lines.

 

Key signage was plentiful, we went to the check in table, received our internet codes (the internet worked quite well for the most part except at the glacier) then we dropped off my carry on, the employee told my husband not to drop his off as it was full of camera equipment.  Then we headed to Chops for lunch.  It was opening shortly so we waited in line for a few minutes.  The key menu was expanded from what I previously saw, and our lunch was delicious and probably took just under an hour. 

 

We went to our room to find my carry-on bag did not arrive, but our larger bags were there.  Had me a bit worried, but our room attendant was amazing and found the missing bag right away and brought it to our room. 

 

Our key paperwork was in our room showing additional times you could sign up for Northstar and I Fly make sure you read it as the additional times had to be reserved on certain days, if you wait to long to reserve there won’t be any slots left.  There was a priority line for bumper cars, but I forgot to take a photo and don’t remember what else was there.   We did have reserved seating for shows which was nice.  On the back side of the paper there were times listed for key members to meet and get off the ship at port.  If you didn’t want to go at that particular time, you just needed to show your sea pass card with the key symbol and they walked you to the front of the line.

 

Disembarkation at the end of the cruise was nice.  We went to the key breakfast and after they walked us to our luggage, once again by passing all the lines.  We got a porter to haul our luggage and he walked us to a separate line to get a cab passing many people.

For us the key was well worth the money, we paid $19.99, there were no lines to wait in, and a peaceful lunch and breakfast with no crowds was wonderful.

 

I posted the above key portion on the other Key thread but wanted to add some non-Key info.  You can get cabs, ubers and shuttles at the airport without booking ahead of time.  We took a shuttle to our hotel, The Grand Hyatt downtown.  The hotel is fabulous!  It isn’t cheap, but what is out there.  They had shuttles and cabs available anytime you wanted them, just had to ask the bell captain to get a cab which we used a few times.  The monorail is available two blocks away to get you to the Space Needle and the walk is flat.  The walk to Pikes Market is flat if you walk on the street behind the hotel by the convention center, otherwise it can be quite hilly.  The market is fun, need to watch them throw the fish, it’s entertaining.  The Chihuly Gardens are beautiful, this particular picture is of a full size row boat, the glass pieces are huge and gorgeous and the views from the Space Needle are very pretty. I may post port review later, I don’t have pictures yet. 

 

Thank you for your review. I am glad the Key worked well for you.

[ryguy2008]

Does The Key include priority lines for The Ultimate Abyss/waterslides/zipline on Symphony? I called Royal twice today and literally got both a yes and a no.

[Biker19]

5 hours ago, ryguy2008 said:

 I called Royal twice today and literally got both a yes and a no.

That's because they both could be right - Key perks change so much, perhaps even by ship/sailing, that exact reliable info is hard to come by. Typically, Key customers get the same perks for those venues as Star class.

[blueridgemama]

7 hours ago, ryguy2008 said:

Does The Key include priority lines for The Ultimate Abyss/waterslides/zipline on Symphony? I called Royal twice today and literally got both a yes and a no.

 

if you decide to stay with the Key my suggestion would be to go to guest services after you board and ask a representative on the ship exactly what your benefits are on that ship, especially with priority lines etc  Apparently the representatives that you get on the phone are not well versed in the exact benefits.

[rhinomike]

On 6/25/2019 at 12:14 PM, Mat7 said:

So has anyone done the key - out of southampton yet? just wondering how the port benefits work there.

Many thanks

 

 

We we have the key and will be departing out of Southampton next week. If nobody else chimes in I will let you know how it goes. 

 

[xpcdoojk]

1 hour ago, rhinomike said:

 

 

We we have the key and will be departing out of Southampton next week. If nobody else chimes in I will let you know how it goes. 

 

 

Please do!  Which ship?

 

jc

[Mat7]

3 hours ago, rhinomike said:

Well please do anyhow! We have booked it - my wife is disabled in a electric wheel chair and finds all the people buzzing about at check in makes her very dizzy - so I am hoping we can get around some of the hectic activity by taking advantage of the key! (we sail in September) 

Thanks

Matt 

 

We we have the key and will be departing out of Southampton next week. If nobody else chimes in I will let you know how it goes. 

 

 

[rhinomike]

6 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

 

Please do!  Which ship?

 

jc

 

 

Will do. Explorer of the Seas. 

[rhinomike]

Ok. I will let you know. 

[John&LaLa]

On 4/17/2019 at 6:38 PM, Colonialdame said:

Valid question, but no preconceived notions.  Checking in hasn’t been an issue for us no matter what cabin or loyalty level we had at the time.  After all, you can’t get your cabin any earlier than anyone else.  Just thought I’d ask and maybe hear from folks who may say they didn’t even notice the program existed or maybe that reserved seating was impacted.  That would be pure speculation.  The only thing I thought was kind of neat was that carry on luggage drop off was available until cabins were ready.  Hate schlepping luggage up to the Windjammer. 

 

Serenade is larger, but probably less passengers than most Vision ships

 I didnt notice the Key at all on our spring TA