The Key for avoiding lines

[budmeister]

I am finally in a shoe and brace after ankle surgery and cannot stand long. We are on the Wonder next week. I never thought I would pay for The Key, but I am considering the lines we stand in for show seating, moving slowly, and getting the there 30-45 min early, and port departure lines. 

 

We go to all the shows and do not stay in suites. Does anyone know if Key purchasers have separate lines for shows ect. or still have to wait in the long lines and hope to get through by the time it is 10 min till for reserved seating to be opened up?

 

The small stuff, in case I get it...

 

The departure lunch is in the main dining room. Will we be allowed a table for 2, or have no choice but sitting with others? What time is the departure lunch?

 

Is the departure breakfast better or faster than main dining room? Will we be allowed to sit by ourselves? 

 

Are there any other lines I will avoid with the Key?

 

 

 

 

[LilBlackDress]

I don't have an answer about the Key, but have you thought about maybe a Scooter or a Wheelchair? 

[Merion_Mom]

I definitely agree with @LilBlackDress.  Get a wheelchair or rent a scooter.  You will thank us.  😄 

[Jussabitconfused]

We have always sat by ourselves at the welcome lunch and departure breakfast with the key. As far as shows go, I have not had much luck getting anything faster but it depends on the show and the ship.

[Ozark_Kid]

I to agree with @LilBlackDress and @Merion_Mom.  Wonder is a big ship to get around on.  An electronic wheelchair will help you to get around all day.  I rented one on Voyager last October and it worked so great I am renting one for the Inaugural Icon cruise.   

[cruisegirl1]

Key has special seating area for shows but NOT a special entry line - and that for those with reservations.  All without reservations ( Key or otherwise) wait in the standby line.  Regarding shows, Key will not help for earlier/no line waiting.  

 

The scooter suggestion comes from experienced cruisers.  You may want to consider that option.

Best wishes.

M

[Saturngrl]

My DH has used a rolator (rolling walker) to help with ambulation on cruises.  He cannot stand for more than 5 minutes, or walk farther that 25 feet without aid.  We purchase The Key for all of our RC cruises.  cruisegirl1 is correct about the shows.  Please make sure you make show reservations BEFORE you cruise, which will make your wait to enter the theatre shorter and easier.  

 

The welcome luncheon is nice, but I cannot speak to seating.  I can report the disembarkation breakfast is FAR superior to any other breakfast on the ship!  You get an upgraded menu and then an escort will be available outside the dining room to escort you past the lines to disembark when you want! 

[alfaeric]

In terms of lines for shows, we have been on a ship where the lines were broken up by: Key, Suites, Pinn with reservations, reservations, and stand by.

But that was one ship out of 4 different Oasis ships in the past year and a half.

 

And we've been on a ship where the reservations line wasn't a line except for people doing in themselves- the staff didn't come out and remind people how to line up.  So it was easy for people to cut in line just when the doors open.  (Which was interesting, as that ship was the only one who had signs for the aqua shows showing where to line up).

 

So the shows thing is incredibly variable.  Which is pretty normal....

[cruisegirl1]

59 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

In terms of lines for shows, we have been on a ship where the lines were broken up by: Key, Suites, Pinn with reservations, reservations, and stand by.

But that was one ship out of 4 different Oasis ships in the past year and a half.

 

And we've been on a ship where the reservations line wasn't a line except for people doing in themselves- the staff didn't come out and remind people how to line up.  So it was easy for people to cut in line just when the doors open.  (Which was interesting, as that ship was the only one who had signs for the aqua shows showing where to line up).

 

So the shows thing is incredibly variable.  Which is pretty normal....

Interesting, we've never seen a variety of lines.  Just one line for those with reservations and one for those  in the standby line.  There is a reserved seating area for various groups ( Suite/Pinnace/Key) but I don't recall lines for different groups. either before or after Covid.  

 

YIKES all those different waiting  lines must  have been a madhouse. Glad I didn't have to experience it. 

M 

 

[cft8]

We had the Key on Freedom, so I can’t speak to the show part since shows don’t require reservations. 
 

For the boarding lunch, we had 5 people so we had our own table. I can’t remember if I saw 2-tops. But, only DH and I went to the breakfast (the rest of the fam wanted to get on the road). We were seated at a table for 2. If I remember right the menu had fewer selections than the regular MDR breakfast but some of them were unique to the event. 

[pcur]

We bought my husband a tri-fold camping stool with a carrying sleeve for him that he or I wore over the shoulder. Weighs about 1 lb, maybe less.  He would take it off the ship in port, too.  Those lines for the tenders were awful on his back.

 

Always could sit down no matter where he was in the world.

 

[budmeister]

2 hours ago, pcur said:

We bought my husband a tri-fold camping stool with a carrying sleeve for him that he or I wore over the shoulder. Weighs about 1 lb, maybe less.  He would take it off the ship in port, too.  Those lines for the tenders were awful on his back.

 

Always could sit down no matter where he was in the world.

 

Hi,

 

Great Idea! I was able to get one from Dicks same day delivery for 12.99. It is 1.3 lbs and I will be able to sit anywhere if I want to rest. 

 

Thanks!

[budmeister]

I rented the knee scooter. Thanks for all the advice!

[toxicfairy]

I was in a boot after shattering my heel. The scooter wasn't a thing I liked too bulky  and I hated using the wheel chair. However a knee scooter was a life saver. Just don't be a dare devil on it or you'll wind up on your arsss...lol.

[LilBlackDress]

9 hours ago, toxicfairy said:

I was in a boot after shattering my heel. The scooter wasn't a thing I liked too bulky  and I hated using the wheel chair. However a knee scooter was a life saver. Just don't be a dare devil on it or you'll wind up on your arsss...lol.

Are you speaking from experience? 

I am not supposed to walk long distances but I never wanted to get a scooter for a cruise. On a Family cruise, for my mother and her BFFs 80th B-day, we rented them both scooters. 
One night I borrowed one when they were asleep... I had no issues going down the hall... nice and slow, but when I turned toward the promenade, I accidentally accelerated too fast (much faster than any I had used before) and I nearly fell on my arse!!  
I found out quickly why my mom wasn't thrilled to use it. But when I turned the dial down for her, she was much happier!! 

[toxicfairy]

6 hours ago, LilBlackDress said:

Are you speaking from experience? 

I am not supposed to walk long distances but I never wanted to get a scooter for a cruise. On a Family cruise, for my mother and her BFFs 80th B-day, we rented them both scooters. 
One night I borrowed one when they were asleep... I had no issues going down the hall... nice and slow, but when I turned toward the promenade, I accidentally accelerated too fast (much faster than any I had used before) and I nearly fell on my arse!!  
I found out quickly why my mom wasn't thrilled to use it. But when I turned the dial down for her, she was much happier!! 

I tried one in a store didn't like it. I did have a wheel chair to go out shopping.  But the knee scooter was the best for me. I was in a car accident and broke my hip, femur and shattered my heel. The heel is the thing that made me not be allowed to walk. I had to stay off it COMPLETELY like not even let it TOUCH the floor for 3 months. So the bones would adhere to the plate. If I put pressure on it I could have shifted the plate. Uggg worse experience ever lol. 

Edited January 6 by toxicfairy

[crewsweeper]

On 1/5/2024 at 11:03 AM, budmeister said:

I rented the knee scooter. Thanks for all the advice!

I'm assuming you're with us next week Western.  So I'll look for you to hitch a ride😄😁

[PhillyFan33579]

On 1/4/2024 at 8:23 AM, alfaeric said:

In terms of lines for shows, we have been on a ship where the lines were broken up by: Key, Suites, Pinn with reservations, reservations, and stand by.

But that was one ship out of 4 different Oasis ships in the past year and a half.

 

And we've been on a ship where the reservations line wasn't a line except for people doing in themselves- the staff didn't come out and remind people how to line up.  So it was easy for people to cut in line just when the doors open.  (Which was interesting, as that ship was the only one who had signs for the aqua shows showing where to line up).

 

So the shows thing is incredibly variable.  Which is pretty normal....

What ship were you on that had a separate Key line for a show? I have been on 16 of the current RCI ships, including every Oasis, Freedom and Voyager class ship, and have never seen a separate line on any ship I have been on. 

[LilBlackDress]

4 hours ago, toxicfairy said:

I tried one in a store didn't like it. I did have a wheel chair to go out shopping.  But the knee scooter was the best for me. I was in a car accident and broke my hip, femur and shattered my heel. The heel is the thing that made me not be allowed to walk. I had to stay off it COMPLETELY like not even let it TOUCH the floor for 3 months. So the bones would adhere to the plate. If I put pressure on it I could have shifted the plate. Uggg worse experience ever lol. 

I had an infection in my femur... The type of infection normally migrates to a pinkie or toe. Lucky me, instead of the smallest bone, it was in the largest 😢 Minutes before the surgery, the doctor said you either promise me you will not touch your toe on the ground until I say so or I put you in a body cast!! He said it would be about 3 months. Of course, I promised and he put me in a full-length brace
3 months came and went... as did 6 months and a year. I was able to touch my toes down with crutches and the brace 19 months after the surgery!! 
Scooters were not a thing to rent back then and the brace was locked in position so my only options were a wheelchair and/or crutches!!  

[alfaeric]

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

What ship were you on that had a separate Key line for a show? I have been on 16 of the current RCI ships, including every Oasis, Freedom and Voyager class ship, and have never seen a separate line on any ship I have been on. 

I think it was the Harmony- and it *might* have been because a Key person asked.  

 

Normally, we all see the lines go straight out the isle toward Studio B, and this "specific" line was to the right (looking out of the theater) right next to the door.

 

Our most recent Symphony cruise, no crew came out to make the line until it opened for people to come in.  Harmony last March and Allure last Feb- someone came out to make sure the lines were organized.

 

Again, it was odd for the Symphony, because the Aqua Theater lines were organized with signs.  Not sure why they need that kind of organization- even with the smaller venue, there are fewer reservations per show.

[pcur]

On 1/4/2024 at 1:49 PM, budmeister said:

Hi,

 

Great Idea! I was able to get one from Dicks same day delivery for 12.99. It is 1.3 lbs and I will be able to sit anywhere if I want to rest. 

 

Thanks!

You are welcome!  Yes, it sounds like the same one. Great for long tender lines.

[budmeister]

On 1/9/2024 at 10:18 AM, pcur said:

You are welcome!  Yes, it sounds like the same one. Great for long tender lines.

This stool saved me when we had to wait over an hour for a taxi after getting off the ship.

[budmeister]

On 1/5/2024 at 5:27 PM, toxicfairy said:

I was in a boot after shattering my heel. The scooter wasn't a thing I liked too bulky  and I hated using the wheel chair. However a knee scooter was a life saver. Just don't be a dare devil on it or you'll wind up on your arsss...lol.

Agreed! My nurse told me of a patient that got going too fast and flipped over the top and shattered his knee. My husband  was picturing going right through the window on the disembarkment ramp.

[toxicfairy]

2 hours ago, budmeister said:

Agreed! My nurse told me of a patient that got going too fast and flipped over the top and shattered his knee. My husband  was picturing going right through the window on the disembarkment ramp.

Haha it's not that bad. Easy to control but also easy for a person to want to go faster than they can control. I was fine but there was a guy in my broken heel group that did turn while going too fast and landed on his ass. But first he tried to break his fall with his bad foot🤢.

Edited January 15 by toxicfairy