The Key

[SeaHoliday]

We are sailing on the Harmony in May. Can anyone share if they have used the Key and if it is necessary or worth the money?

[slyster]

There are quite a few threads on this.  I think it all depends on what you feel is the value.  It seems many purchase it when its only a $5 or $10 price difference from the surf and stream.  Harmony is an Oasis ship so getting special reserved seating is a perk after you make reservations.  By boarding first with Key people, you are able to make your specialty restaurants quicker too.  The abbreviated Chops lunch in the dining room is nice, but again, what is the overall price of the Key.  Some may feel it's worth paying for while others simply don't.

 

For me, I am going to see if the price comes down.  Right now, it's $34.99 a day.  It's not worth it.  Also, if I do online check in and get an early time, I don't think the Key will be worth it either.  You can also do self check out if you wish to disembark earlier too.  

[SeaHoliday]

13 minutes ago, slyster said:

There are quite a few threads on this.  I think it all depends on what you feel is the value.  It seems many purchase it when its only a $5 or $10 price difference from the surf and stream.  Harmony is an Oasis ship so getting special reserved seating is a perk after you make reservations.  By boarding first with Key people, you are able to make your specialty restaurants quicker too.  The abbreviated Chops lunch in the dining room is nice, but again, what is the overall price of the Key.  Some may feel it's worth paying for while others simply don't.

 

For me, I am going to see if the price comes down.  Right now, it's $34.99 a day.  It's not worth it.  Also, if I do online check in and get an early time, I don't think the Key will be worth it either.  You can also do self check out if you wish to disembark earlier too.  

Thank you for the info. 

About the online check in and early time...when do we we sign up for our on board check in? Is it after we do our on line check in in March?

[MrMarc]

If you are traveling solo and you can find it cheap ($14,99 is the lowest I have gotten), it is worth it, especially because this was less than VOOM by itself or combined with any drink package. I have always been able to get it for $20 or less, I almost always get it.  At $30, I am not sure.   The more people in your cabin, the less it is worth it, since you have to buy it for everyone.

[slyster]

It's 45 days out...through the app or online through your RC account. The earlier the better...literally after midnight on day 45, it should open for you.

[rudeney]

If you have more than one person in your cabin, make sure you compare the total price of The Key for all of you to the price of a multi-device Voom package.  On our last cruise (just two of us), I bought a Voom 2-device package for $31.  The Key was $25pp, so that's almost $19/day more ($133 for the 7-day cruise).  That's what you need to do to decide if the price is worth it.  Just seeing it as $5 or $10 more than Voom is not a valid comparison. 

[lcpagejr]

IMO...not worth it if all your ports dock at a pier....

[SeaHoliday]

36 minutes ago, slyster said:

It's 45 days out...through the app or online through your RC account. The earlier the better...literally after midnight on day 45, it should open for you.

Wow...good to know. I will be awake at midnight!

[SeaHoliday]

20 minutes ago, lcpagejr said:

IMO...not worth it if all your ports dock at a pier....

Ok, pretty sure we dock at a pier with St Thomas and St Maarten.

[SeaHoliday]

30 minutes ago, rudeney said:

If you have more than one person in your cabin, make sure you compare the total price of The Key for all of you to the price of a multi-device Voom package.  On our last cruise (just two of us), I bought a Voom 2-device package for $31.  The Key was $25pp, so that's almost $19/day more ($133 for the 7-day cruise).  That's what you need to do to decide if the price is worth it.  Just seeing it as $5 or $10 more than Voom is not a valid comparison. 

We don't need internet really. We were looking at it to get better seating at shows and early embarkment.

[vtgal]

What time was the breakfast on the last day?  just curious

thanks

[slyster]

1 hour ago, SeaHoliday said:

Wow...good to know. I will be awake at midnight!

 me too!  I found the app not to work after midnight, but the website did.  Even though the app is easier, if you notice it's not working after midnight, go to the website!  

[taglovestocruise]

5 hours ago, SeaHoliday said:

We don't need internet really. We were looking at it to get better seating at shows and early embarkment.

It might get you onboard a few minutes earlier and most of the reserved seating is in the upper balcony for shows. You will be right up front and center for the Ice Show.  One tip if you don't get the key, all reserved areas are opened up to everyone about 5 - 10 minutes before show time but they fill up very quick.  

[brillohead]

5 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

It might get you onboard a few minutes earlier and most of the reserved seating is in the upper balcony for shows. You will be right up front and center for the Ice Show.  One tip if you don't get the key, all reserved areas are opened up to everyone about 5 - 10 minutes before show time but they fill up very quick.  

I've never seen The Key seating in the ice show "up front and center"?????

[LindaD22]

22 hours ago, vtgal said:

What time was the breakfast on the last day?  just curious

thanks

Just got off Voyager with The Key. Breakfast in the MDR began at 6:30 am. 

[Twin Dad]

We are on Harmony in February. Might be worth it for reserved seating for Grease. Am I correct in assuming the per-person price includes the zoom for each person that purchases key?  Wasn’t spelled out clear enough for me. Not that I’m untrusting of RCL!

[livingonthebeach]

I've purchased the Key as a solo cruiser and it worked for me. It was only a few dollars over Voom surf and stream. I realize it's not a great value if there are two or more per cabin as many have pointed out.

[rudeney]

45 minutes ago, Twin Dad said:

We are on Harmony in February. Might be worth it for reserved seating for Grease. Am I correct in assuming the per-person price includes the zoom for each person that purchases key?  Wasn’t spelled out clear enough for me. Not that I’m untrusting of RCL!

 

That is correct - each person who buys The Key will have an individual Voom login.  Note that everyone in the room has to buy it, or no one can have it. 

[Twin Dad]

Thanks

[PGPVA72]

On 10/16/2022 at 12:17 PM, livingonthebeach said:

I've purchased the Key as a solo cruiser and it worked for me. It was only a few dollars over Voom surf and stream. I realize it's not a great value if there are two or more per cabin as many have pointed out.

I agree with this. I had it while solo on Oasis at the end of August. It wasn't much more than a single device surf & stream package, and it gave me priority embarkation (I boarded via the suites/pinnacles line), the dining room lunch was a nice way to chill out and avoid the crowds while I waited for my room, I liked the carryon check so I didn't have to lug a backpack around while I explored the ship before cabins opened, and the last day breakfast and quick disembarkation was great. I didn't go to any shows (never do) so the show seating aspect wasn't a factor for me. 

[domi411]

Is it true that if a buy the key today, if the price goes down, i cannot cancel it to buy it again like we do with the drink package??

[ngrund]

no, that is not true-i originally purchased @ 35 a day a while back, recently price went down a little bit, cancelled and re purchased.

 

The only issue would be is waiting for the charge to be reversed on your credit card (mine was done within a couple of days, but some posters have reported longer times)

 

I presume it would be the same for you as for us in the States-

 

Edited October 19, 2022 by ngrund

[Biker19]

7 hours ago, domi411 said:

Is it true that if a buy the key today, if the price goes down, i cannot cancel it to buy it again like we do with the drink package??

Any item in the planner can be canceled and re-purchased (if available)

[nelblu]

On 10/15/2022 at 11:42 PM, brillohead said:

I've never seen The Key seating in the ice show "up front and center"?????

Yes, on Oasis it was the first 4 rows. 
Got better seats on my own in theater as the key seats are in the upper deck. 
Good reserved seats at the aqua show. 

[rudeney]

9 hours ago, domi411 said:

Is it true that if a buy the key today, if the price goes down, i cannot cancel it to buy it again like we do with the drink package??

 

The verbiage about not being able to cancel The Key is that you can't cancel it once you board, but you can cancel it in Cruise Planner before it closes (up to 48 hours or so before boarding).  The challenge, however, may be in that they sell a limited number of The Key (I've heard that it's only 100 or so).  If you cancel, and it's sold out, you may not be able to repurchase it.  If it works like limited-seat excursions, it will be "returned to inventory", but maybe not the moment you cancel it.  So you may have to keep checking and hope you find it available again before someone else does.