The Key on Royal Caribbean
If you're going on a Royal Caribbean cruise and want to buy your way into special perks, The Key is an attractive option. The premise is simple: pay a daily fee and get special benefits that you probably wouldn't otherwise get. The Key is a popular add-on, especially among new cruisers because it's an instant shortcut for useful extras, faster access, and even a few discounts.
The Key is a paid add-on for a cruise that must be pre-purchased before the voyage begins. The price varies depending on the sailing (and which sale is running), but you can expect to pay between $25 to over $50 per person, per day. If you choose to buy it, everyone above the age of 6 in the cabin must buy it too. That means you cannot buy the perks for just select people in your cabin.
What's included
- Early check-in time and priority boarding at the cruise terminal
- Drop off your carry-on luggage on Deck 4 at the Main Dining Room until 1:30 pm and it'll be delivered to your stateroom.
- Exclusive welcome lunch on boarding day on Deck 4 in the Main Dining Room featuring the Key Signature menu with seating from 12:00 pm (noon) until 1:30 pm.
- 20% off dining offers when you book on Day 1.
- 50% off select Onboard Sports activities. Activities include Flowrider lessons.
- $60 off Spa Services with a minimum spend of $250 at the Spa (excluding gratuities and taxes).
- Fast Lane at select onboard activities. Activities include Abyss, Zip Line, and Rock Climbing during opening hours.
- Priority departure at tender ports of call from ship-to-shore only. Note: there is no priority from shore-to-ship.
- Stay connected with VOOM using your 1-device SURF+STREAM code
- Dedicated seating section at shows in the Main Theater, Aqua Theater, Studio B, and Two70.
- End your adventure with à la carte breakfast on Deck 4 in the Main Dining Room from 6:00 am – 8:00 am to enjoy before departing the ship.
- Priority luggage tags at the conclusion of the cruise for an earlier disembarkation time
There is a limit to how many passengers can buy The Key, so it can sell out and sometimes does many weeks before the cruise begins.
My experience trying everything
I paid $38.99 per day for The Key, bringing the cost to $155.96 for a 4-night cruise for one person. Royal Caribbean sends an email before the cruise begins to alert you to the important benefits, such as the special boarding time that supersedes whatever boarding time you get on your own in the app. In the past I've seen a dedicated line for Key guests to enter the terminal, but I couldn't locate it in Port Canaveral. Royal Caribbean's boarding process is so efficient for all guests that it hardly matters, so it wasn't a problem.
There's also a reserved area in the cruise terminal for people that bought The Key if boarding hasn't commenced yet. When they start the embarkation process, The Key guests usually board after suite guests, but before everyone else. Even though I arrived at the cruise terminal at 10am, boarding had begun already so I didn't need to use it.
Onboard the ship, you can drop carry-on bags off and check-in for The Key. I love the option to drop off carry-on bags so I don't have to lug around extras that I didn't leave with the porters. The fact it gets delivered to your cabin afterwards is a nice touch.