The Key on Grandeur

[vagolferbob]

Does anyone have any experience or insight into benefits on Grandeur. The program seems more beneficial on larger ships with more activities and people. For example where would the reserved seats be in the theater?

[Biker19]

Existing thread: 

 

[RRFPresident]

Haven't experienced the key program on Grandeur but since the key purchasers have their reserved theater seats with the suite guests on Oasis class ships, I would guess that on Grandeur you'd have access to the back center section on the lower level. This small area has love seat style couches versus the individual fold down seats and they position a crew member there who requests to see your suite colored ship card before they'll remove the ropes and let you in. 10 minutes before showtime, they remove the ropes and let anyone else come fill in any remaining seats so it still would require showing up early.

[cruisegirl1]

If you are getting it for theater seating, be aware that many do not find the reserved seating section on that  class  to be  desirable.  We have access to that section and only sit there if we know we have to leave the theater early ( dinner) of are apprehensive about an entertainer ( and might want to leave). 

 

The reserved seating on that class is way in the back, and when folks enter the theater late, they are often standing in front of that section searching for a seat.    We prefer seating  in the front,  or in one of the side balconies.  With that said,  they could  change the reserved section at any time.  I have never seen the theater packed for any show on that class of ship.  And, you will still need to be in the theater 10 minutes prior as the section is then  open to the public.

 

Some people are buying it.   It seems to be a great way for RCCL to get money for what they give away for free (theater seats).  If you are expecting to get internet for everyone in the cabin, then it might not be a bad deal.

 

Oh - someone on our roll  didn't realize it was  per person/PER DAY! 

 

enjoy

M

[Merion_Mom]

53 minutes ago, RRFPresident said:

Haven't experienced the key program on Grandeur but since the key purchasers have their reserved theater seats with the suite guests on Oasis class ships, I would guess that on Grandeur you'd have access to the back center section on the lower level. This small area has love seat style couches versus the individual fold down seats and they position a crew member there who requests to see your suite colored ship card before they'll remove the ropes and let you in. 10 minutes before showtime, they remove the ropes and let anyone else come fill in any remaining seats so it still would require showing up early.

 

Just a quick correction:  there are no “fold down seats”. 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I do not see that the Key is a very good deal on the Grandeur.  There are no activities.  I feel it would only be worthwhile if  2 people in the cabin would buy Voom with streaming.  . .  and maybe on a short cruise.  However, for our 9 day and 12 day B2B that is a great deal of money for almost no benefit.  

[Edhoff]

Agree Key would be waste of money.  Usually no problem finding seats for shows and don't know what else you would use if for. Save the money and applied to your next cruise.

[vagolferbob]

Thanks for your responses, it confirms my thoughts on theater seating and the other benefits.

[dutchclogs]

I suppose if you have several tendered ports, this program may be of interest but otherwise I came to the same conclusion that it is not really of value on Grandeur, and certainly not a longer cruise. (and a 2 device internet package is better value)

[SmurfBunny]

It really is a personal decision whether this is worth it or not.  It depends on what you want from your experience as well as what you had already planned to purchase. 

 

I have little tolerance for crowds, lines, and waiting around.  Day 1 is always extremely stressful to me, to the point where I am at my wits end by the end of the day.  The last cruise we went on day 1 was so bad that I was ready to get right back off the ship before we even left port.  Standing in line at checkin, lines and crowds at security, carrying bags around for a couple hours waiting for the rooms to open (and I generally bring a couple bottles of wine, so those bags aren't always light!), crowds at the Windjammer, standing shoulder to shoulder with strangers for the muster drill, noise and commotion everywhere you go??  No thanks.

 

We just booked a 5 night on Grandeur in August, and the prices are currently as follows: 

 

$19.99 for The Key

 

$17.99 for Surf & Stream Internet (which we probably would have gotten anyway).  The 2 device for Surf & Stream is only about $1.50 cheaper, no real savings there.

 

If we planned to get the $17.99 internet package anyway, the cost for added benefits is only $2 per person per day.  $20 total.

 

2 device Surf package ... $26.98.

 

Even if we were to buy the cheaper 2 device internet, the increase in cost from that to The Key is $65 total.

 

Skipping the line at checkin, not having to carry bags around with us,  and having a nice leisurely lunch at Chops while waiting for rooms to open?  That alone seems totally worth it in order to make day 1 more pleasant for me.  Add to that the leisurely breakfast on the last day and the option to skip the lines and leave whenever we want??  That's beautiful.  And, with current pricing and our original plan to purchase the $17.99 Internet package, that beauty is only costing me an additional $20.  The lunch at Chops alone is probably worth that.

 

The activities and reserved seating at the shows aren't the only benefits.  If those are the only benefits that are important to you, then it's definitely not worth it on Grandeur.

[SRF]

On 2/7/2019 at 12:21 PM, RRFPresident said:

Haven't experienced the key program on Grandeur but since the key purchasers have their reserved theater seats with the suite guests on Oasis class ships, I would guess that on Grandeur you'd have access to the back center section on the lower level. This small area has love seat style couches versus the individual fold down seats and they position a crew member there who requests to see your suite colored ship card before they'll remove the ropes and let you in. 10 minutes before showtime, they remove the ropes and let anyone else come fill in any remaining seats so it still would require showing up early.

 

I have cruised 3 times on Grandeur, all 3 times in a suite, and I think MAYBE used that section once.

 

It is not good seats (way back), and on Grandeur, unless you arrive VERY late, you will find seats.

[vagolferbob]

Any recent experience of thoughts?

[vagolferbob]

Just off Grandeur today and here is my assessment of the key:

Baltimore terminal is small and no real value in boarding or disembarking, except for picking up bags next to suites

Chop lunch was good

Only rock climbing wall for activities and for cruise with most people over "50" and many around "250" not much of a benefit. The comedian said the only way for people to climb the wall is if there was a buffet up there.

Reserved seats in the theater was in the right balcony which is where I prefer. The area was managed for the dinner time shows, other shows the sign was up with no one checking sail passes.

The breakfast was in Giovanni's and unrushed with the normal MDR breakfast selections

The internet was fine for my uses, but this is still an older ship with less speed in the rooms.

[h20skibum]

And internet on this ship can almost be a waste.  We could not connect at all in our cabin, unless we stood by the cabin door.  Speed was not adequate to stream, and we tried several times during our cruise.  Even trying to stream beside the Internet cafe, where you would expect a strong signal, was not reliable.

 

We had much better luck using our cell plan, because we could pick up cell towers the entire first and last day of the cruise. Not enough benefit that we would ever consider it for this ship.

[suesnake2002]

The key seating section is second level starboard side closets to the stage. 

Arrived late to a show, after 15 min. Saw seats open over there. When i got there saw the sign. Turned to walk away, one of the people inside said theres plenty of seats c'mon in and sit. So i did

[biomedbob]

After about 30 or so Grandeur cruises, could always score 1st or 2nd row seats.  The latest with the Captain and his 2 kids aboard.

 

[BaltimoreIke]

My wife and I had the Key for a late July 2019

cruise on the Grandeur. While the Baltimore port isnt large it was really nice to bypass any lines and get right on the ship. Once on the ship walk to the MDR entrance on the 4th floor just off of the Centrum. There we got the “key” sticker on our seapass and dropped off our carry on. CHOPS is not big enough to accommodate all key guests for lunch so they have The Key lunch in the MDR  but serve from CHOPS menu. Lunch was delicious, very quiet and very calm. This was one of the best perks since all other passengers are trying to eat lunch at Windjammer buffet and its an absolute disaster up there. Extremely crowded with everyone carrying bags and fighting to get food and seating. The breakfast on the last day was at Giovannis and was very good. This also allowed us to sleep in a little and get breakfast a little later. Key guests also can disembark at their leisure and do not to go holding areas in large groups like other passengers. The rockwall is the only real experience and there was never a line so the few hours that Key guests had reserved didnt really matter. Getting off the ship at ports was  not well organized. They really need to having a holding area for Key guests and allow them to disembark before allowing other guests. Otherwise its a mad rush and you dont get any benefit. Seating for shows was in starboard upper balcony. Not a bad view and there werent many children at all so it tended to be calmer and less noise during shows. And of course the one internet device per person was nice, although as others have noted service in rooms wasnt great. We were in an inside cabin on 2nd floor so that probably didnt help with the internet. We found the service was better in higher floors.  So, is it worth it? For us it was because we wouldve gotten the internet anyway, we really liked the embarkation  lunch and avoiding the windjammer mess on embarkation day , and liked the departure day breakfast and ease of getting on and off the ship.  Your  mileage may vary.