New Program called "The Key"

[Tin can]

As some folks will no doubt pay for the Key for priority seating in the theatre, private time on the flowrider, priority tender etc do you think there will be a noticeable reduction on the cruise fare for the rest of us . Almost like a ‘not first to the fun’ reduction.

 

Said in jest obviously but if you are on a cruise with a large proportion of ‘Key’ guests are you going to be happy standing in the theatre because there is a large ‘Key’ reserved section or not getting on a tender for two hours because they are reserved.

 

I understand and accept the Suite perks, they are controlled by the number of suites on the ship and have little impact on the rest of the passengers. A hypothetical 300 - 400 ‘Key’ guests will have an impact though.

 

 

[BNBR]

1 minute ago, Tin can said:

As some folks will no doubt pay for the Key for priority seating in the theatre, private time on the flowrider, priority tender etc do you think there will be a noticeable reduction on the cruise fare for the rest of us . Almost like a ‘not first to the fun’ reduction.

 

Said in jest obviously but if you are on a cruise with a large proportion of ‘Key’ guests are you going to be happy standing in the theatre because there is a large ‘Key’ reserved section or not getting on a tender for two hours because they are reserved.

 

I understand and accept the Suite perks, they are controlled by the number of suites on the ship and have little impact on the rest of the passengers. A hypothetical 300 - 400 ‘Key’ guests will have an impact though.

 

 

 

I imagine they would limit the number of key guests.  For example, Key includes Embarkation Chops.  They can only sell so many of these.  400 guests going to Chops would be a disaster.  So it has to be highly limited.

[legallyshell]

I'm on Oasis in December and it popped up in my cruise planner. £276 for the two of us for a week?! You're ok thanks. The lunch only being on until 1:30 is really quite bad as well - Our transport doesn't get us in till 12:30 and by the time you check in etc. Would probably end up missing the best perk

[Biker19]

10 minutes ago, legallyshell said:

 Would probably end up missing the best perk

The main thing that has any real value is the VOOM package (~$90).

[orville99]

9 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

The main thing that has any real value is the VOOM package (~$90).

That's the only perk that we would ever use, so we can buy it on board for ~$90/pp, or get it for ~$175/pp as a Key customer

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, orville99 said:

That's the only perk that we would ever use, so we can buy it on board for ~$90/pp, or get it for ~$175/pp as a Key customer

To be fair, the Stream package would cost you $140 on board ($20/day typically for Stream) - the $90 is if you get it at a discount in the planner pre-cruise.

[Mikew0805]

2 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

You could flag it and ask mods to delete.

Thanks... I have just done that. 

[Tin can]

1 hour ago, BNBR said:

 

I imagine they would limit the number of key guests.  For example, Key includes Embarkation Chops.  They can only sell so many of these.  400 guests going to Chops would be a disaster.  So it has to be highly limited.

 

I found an old document that states on Liberty (which I think I recall is one of the trial ships) has a capacity of 104 in Chops.

 

On a 7 day sailing that is $18000 odd sales receipts from selling the Key.

 

Im not sure that would be worth Royals time with it. I accept your point but I see this being sold in greater numbers than the capacity of Chops although how they would deal with the embarkation lunch I don’t know. Staggered times perhaps?

 

 

[orville99]

30 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

To be fair, the Stream package would cost you $140 on board ($20/day typically for Stream) - the $90 is if you get it at a discount in the planner pre-cruise.

Since you can only purchase the Key package pre-cruise, the $90 figure is the more appropriate comp for a novice cruiser. With our D+ discount, the stream package would only cost us ~$90 on board.

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, Tin can said:

As some folks will no doubt pay for the Key for priority seating in the theatre, private time on the flowrider, priority tender etc do you think there will be a noticeable reduction on the cruise fare for the rest of us . Almost like a ‘not first to the fun’ reduction.

 

Said in jest obviously but if you are on a cruise with a large proportion of ‘Key’ guests are you going to be happy standing in the theatre because there is a large ‘Key’ reserved section or not getting on a tender for two hours because they are reserved.

 

I understand and accept the Suite perks, they are controlled by the number of suites on the ship and have little impact on the rest of the passengers. A hypothetical 300 - 400 ‘Key’ guests will have an impact though.

 

 

 

Kind of like 200+ Pinnacles. 😉

[El Abuelo]

18 hours ago, wolfcathorse said:

Have you seen the size of the VIP seating in the theaters? They are full enough with the Suite guests, Pinnacles, and D+ people. How are they going to fit in all those extra people who will have purchased access?

One option is to follow the example of the airlines, create a new category for suites. Super-duper extra- special VIP. Then carve up the seating so that people not paying anything or not in any VIP group get the binoculars section. 

 

This would also work with priority embankment and lounge access. 

Edited November 6, 2018 by El Abuelo

[Bookish Angel]

Not even remotely interested in this as none of what is included appeals to us.

[Ewing]

Given that I already purchase Voom Surf and Stream on every cruise and this includes it - I'd probably buy it just for the priority tender service. 

 

I cruise "solo" most of the time (we usually cruise as a group with half a dozen cabins, but I get a cabin to myself) so having to buy it for everyone in my cabin would be fine 🤣

[Merion_Mom]

On ‎11‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 7:21 PM, 3monkeys4me said:

 

Ovation does tender sometimes. We will be tendering at Mystery Island and I think she tendered at some New Zealand ports as well. Not an issue for Alaska though.

 

Priority disembarking is one of those things that sounds so nice in theory, and if it was just my husband and I we would love that perk. However getting my teens PLUS my MIL up and moving is no easy task and I'd bet money on us being some of the last off the ship. 🙄

 

I apologize.   I was thinking of Oasis class - those ships don't tender.  Anthem certainly tenders in Bar Harbor, Maine.

[lovescats5]

I wonder how this would affect the suite guests?  It is pretty much what you are paying for when you book a suite on a on Star Class ship.  It will be interesting to see how it plays out.  We are in the Villa Suite on Liberty in March 2020 so I guess we might see how it affects the suite perkes.

[Biker19]

The program might be gone by then. 

[tinkr2]

I would do this in a heartbeat. We buy internet anyway. I like a lunch thats not in windjammer. And most importantly...flowrider all day long. That would be awesome. No long lines , perfect. I wish they'd roll it out on my next 2 cruises. Ill be stalking it to see how it goes.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, tinkr2 said:

And most importantly...flowrider all day long. That would be awesome. No long lines , perfect. 

That's the part that we don't know how it will be implemented - there are  only so many hours available outside of the general public hours.

[A&L_Ont]

 

14 hours ago, tinkr2 said:

I would do this in a heartbeat. We buy internet anyway. I like a lunch thats not in windjammer. And most importantly...flowrider all day long. That would be awesome. No long lines , perfect. I wish they'd roll it out on my next 2 cruises. Ill be stalking it to see how it goes.

 

13 hours ago, Biker19 said:

That's the part that we don't know how it will be implemented - there are  only so many hours available outside of the general public hours.

 

Like Biker, I can guarantee one thing, the wave will not be open all day long. Minds blow up if one or two Star Class use their wave perk upon occasion, image 10 plus people in line all week to doing that.

[sue gill]

what all does it cover and did you think it was worth it? i bought a park view window on the oasis of the sea next sept.2019. does the key give me the perks i would have gotten with a high grade of cabin.

[Dajbman22]

I personally don't see The Key being worth the steep price ($25pp/d on my next sailing). You do get some benefits of a suite (priority seating/access at shows/activities and priority debarkation at ports/final day) and some extras such as Voom for one device (per stateroom, not per person) and a Chops Lunch. To me, it may be worth $25 per stateroom per day, but certainly not per person. 

[JezzaC]

Seems they also selling it after March, since The Key is available in Cruise Planner on Oasis TA April 2019. Not interested in purchasing though. 

[Atlantix2000]

There's a good length thread going already...https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2601591-new-program-called-the-key/

 

 

But the direct answer to your question is no one has used it yet.  "The Key is being tested out on Liberty of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas for sailings beginning November 25, 2018 through the end of March 2019."

[mousefan73]

I am new to RCI and we are a family of 4 doing the Oasis Med sailing in June. I read what this costs and what it gets and was like Heck no.... but it does raise a concern....with this they are blocking times for the flo rider, ice rink etc.. 

 

Can some one comment how this will effect us poor folks getting an experience on these? what are the general opening times for these activities.. especially port days while in europe? we have only one sea day... 

 

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by mousefan73
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[emdia43]

No way. It just means more amenities are going to exclude us peasants, more of the time...