The Key....What's the most you will pay for it?

[Bfamilycruisers]

So I like the key but I've only bought it twice and that was on Navigator of the seas. It was worth it to me for $22 a day per person. I'm currently booked on Harmony of the Seas for next month but they want $49.99 a day per person. Is it worth it on that class of ship? I can buy the ultimate dining package for that kind of money.

 

I did enjoy the reserved seating and dropping off my carry on. Would you pay that price for the key and do you think they will drop the price closer to sailing which is 2/25/24 ? Should I wait it out or buy it before it's too late?

[Scoobydobe7]

I had the key last cruise on the Symphony in Nov...The only way I would buy it again is if it is the same cost as the internet.

 

 

[Bfamilycruisers]

I guess I just answered my own question because I just ran it past my husband and he had a few choice words. He asked me if I was in need of a doctor  due to the fall I must have had that would make me ponder it at this price lol

[time4u2go]

$0

[vision14k]

The Key is a complete waste of money.  I forbid you to buy it.

[RobInMN]

36 minutes ago, Scoobydobe7 said:

I had the key last cruise on the Symphony in Nov...The only way I would buy it again is if it is the same cost as the internet.

 

 

This (I clicked on this thread to post the same thing) 😆

[TheDawg79]

I bought it at $18.99 for my Dec 2024 cruise and the ONLY reason why I paid that is because the internet package was $17.99. So for $1pp/day extra….yeah it’s worth it just for the embarkation lunch to avoid the buffet feeding zoo! $50pp/day is absolutely insane!!!

Edited January 11 by TheDawg79

[Scoobydobe7]

9 minutes ago, TheDawg79 said:

I bought it at $18.99 for my Dec 2024 cruise and the ONLY reason why I paid that is because the internet package was $17.99. So for $1pp/day extra….yeah it’s worth it just for the embarkation lunch to avoid the buffet feeding zoo! $50pp/day is absolutely insane!!!

Our embarkation day lunch was a joke...had to wait in line 30 minutes to get seated...then waited another hour...yes hour...to get served our meal and only because I went and complained...We finally got our food after 2 pm, and we were seated at 12:30...Us and the table next to us were somehow forgotten...Waiter took our order and never came back....service for breakfast on debarktion day was no better...

[Wineaux007]

You have to do the math.  We got it once because it was on sale and we had a lot of tender ports on our cruise which gave us front-of-the-line privileges to get off and on the ship.  I wouldn't get it again.

[gmerick]

Internet + $50.  The arrival lunch and departure breakfast are at least worth $10 each.  Priority boarding is great.  Priority tender and debarkation are right up there.  Not having to lug my bags in the departure hall take some of the heartbreak out of leaving.  On AN I particularly enjoy the reserved center balcony seating in the theater. The two non-crowded timeslots each on FlowRider and NorthStar are a nice perk, but not something I'd pay for.

[DrProfessor]

11 hours ago, TheDawg79 said:

I bought it at $18.99 for my Dec 2024 cruise and the ONLY reason why I paid that is because the internet package was $17.99. So for $1pp/day extra….yeah it’s worth it just for the embarkation lunch to avoid the buffet feeding zoo! $50pp/day is absolutely insane!!!

Same here for our Oct 2024 cruise.  We were not going to get it but for an extra $8 (8 night cruise) over the internet package, it was a no brainer.  Since there are two of us it would have been slightly cheaper to purchase a two device internet package than the Key for both (about $270 total vs $300).  For the extra $30 total, it was an easy decision.  By the way, that price only came up about a week BEFORE the Thanksgiving sales.  Once those sales started, the Key went back up to $24.99 (on sale).  We would not have purchased it at that price.

[CanobieFan]

15 hours ago, Scoobydobe7 said:

The only way I would buy it again is if it is the same cost as the internet.

Pretty much, this. We got it on our Bermuda cruise because it was on sale for *less* than the internet package at the time and outside of the seating for shows I didn't think it was really worth it, for me (besides internet alone, being more)

[TheDawg79]

4 hours ago, DrProfessor said:

Same here for our Oct 2024 cruise.  We were not going to get it but for an extra $8 (8 night cruise) over the internet package, it was a no brainer.  Since there are two of us it would have been slightly cheaper to purchase a two device internet package than the Key for both (about $270 total vs $300).  For the extra $30 total, it was an easy decision.  By the way, that price only came up about a week BEFORE the Thanksgiving sales.  Once those sales started, the Key went back up to $24.99 (on sale).  We would not have purchased it at that price.

So for my cruise, the Black Friday price was $24.99, which was the same price it’s been for 6 months. Then the week of Christmas it went to $18.99. Now it is sitting at $32.99!! $32.99 is a VERY hard pass!! 
 

Edit: $32.99 Was yesterday’s price. I just went to reprice something today and saw it now jumped to $35.99 and this is with another “sale” going on!!!

Edited January 11 by TheDawg79

[Mum2Mercury]

How much would I pay?  Zero.  Admittedly, I'm just not the target audience: 

- I don't want to give someone else my carry-on.  That's why I carry it on.  This perk seems quite odd to me.  

- The priority boarding, disembarkation and meals aren't interesting enough to encourage me to pay. 

- If I were going to buy internet service and this would literally be only $1-2 more per day, I might consider it, but probably not.  

[Mick B]

To be fair, it depends on a few things.

Firstly if you have the money and want all the frills, then so be it.

 

For me, I cannot really answer as I am biased because I am Diamond Plus and therefore get most of what this offers.

We get 2 days internet per cruise which is more than enough to check on the family and also check in for travel etc.

We get reserved seating at shows which although can sometimes be out of the way a bit, it is still nice to have if we choose.

 

As for the other perks the Key offers, I cannot see at the moment a reason why I would want it as I am happy with what I get, but that's just me, and it may be different for you.

It would appear to be another way of the cruise line making money and to be fair to them as a business, if people are willing to pay for this service, then I cannot blame them for providing it.

 

Mick.

 

 

[CruiseIreland]

I booked the Key at 18.99 pppd as it is only a dollar more than the Voom package. However, I thought that I read that it included 20% discount off the speciality restaurants, arising from which, I cancelled the dining package. This purchase does not show on my account/app but I have the email confirming the purchase.

 

Anyone know if the restaurants discount applies?

[neverbeenhere]

Raise the price to $ 100 per day, it would seem so much more exclusive.

[taglovestocruise]

17 hours ago, time4u2go said:

$0

+1

[TheDawg79]

2 hours ago, CruiseIreland said:

I booked the Key at 18.99 pppd as it is only a dollar more than the Voom package. However, I thought that I read that it included 20% discount off the speciality restaurants, arising from which, I cancelled the dining package. This purchase does not show on my account/app but I have the email confirming the purchase.

 

Anyone know if the restaurants discount applies?

The Key 20% off only applies to reservations made on Day 1 onboard the ship.

[CruiseIreland]

Thank you. Good to know I wasn't imagining this and good to remind about day 1! 👍

[Another_Critic]

I don't see any value if you are D+ or Pinn.

[Rubyfisch]

I normally travel solo on Royal. If it is within $5 a day of the internet package, I think it is worthwhile. And I've always been able to get it within that by checking the planner every once and awhile. 

[Norwich Cruiser]

7 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

I don't see any value if you are D+ or Pinn.

My thoughts also.

[crusinthrough]

13 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

 - I don't want to give someone else my carry-on.  That's why I carry it on.  This perk seems quite odd to me.  

 

 

I don’t understand this either.  If you don’t want to carry your carry on, why not give it to the porter with your other bag(s)?  I keep my medicine and other things I cannot lose in my carry on, which is why I don’t give it to the porter.  Why would i turn around and give the bag to a crew member? 

[GJustice]

4 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

 

I don’t understand this either.  If you don’t want to carry your carry on, why not give it to the porter with your other bag(s)?  I keep my medicine and other things I cannot lose in my carry on, which is why I don’t give it to the porter.  Why would i turn around and give the bag to a crew member? 

Last time(s) we've used the Key, I actually DROPPED my carryon in the holding area and didn't GIVE it to anyone. Porters at the curb have LOTS of places to "lose" a bag before it gets on the ship. If I drop my carryon in a room ON the ship, I'm confident it won't be "missing" when I need it. Keeping up with a carryon bag, CPAP machine and rollator makes the Key a deal IF it's priced right.