IRMO12HD

@twangsteri believe elaborated on the formula for this program. I have a 90% success rate which originally I attributed to bidding the highest dollar amount but later realized I just have really good luck. It is annoying that this drags on to the 11th hour but I get the fact (especially with the COVID-19 testing requirements) that plans change and rooms shift last minute. At the end of the day, RC makes money and that’s what this is all about. 

Unfortunately, the room you bid for may not even be available currently. Royal may just be preparing for potential cancellations, or perhaps the folks in the room you have bid on are also waiting on an upgrade bid.
There are plenty of stories out there of folks not finding out they have won their bid until they are at check in.

@DuaneGIf you prefer a certain cabin category or cabin in general Royal wants you to book, they are in business to make money. They have hired this third party firm to add to their revenue with this program to fill cabins last minute, it is up to us as passengers to just deal with the way it is handled because essentially if you "win" you may be getting your cabin at a price point lower then it could have been purchased, especially when sailing with more then 2 people.
Participating in the program going in one must know you are just a number, that is all. This is our third time bidding and we are 5 days out, all bids still pending. Our two previous sailings our bids were not accepted and we found out the evening before our sailing, 1800hrs and 1900hrs. It's a great program for some lucky passengers and hands down better then the demeaning way DCL conducts theirs in the terminal.
My advice, book the cabin you want and then bid if there is something you would love to try and then forget about it. (Okay, I check my status daily) but go in accepting you will be assigned the cabin you booked and what a happy surprise if your number is called and you "win" the upgrade. Wishing you a positive outcome. 

If you use Twitter, I've found that contacting Royal Caribbean that way tends to get faster results.  Also, I ran into the same problem that you did, and used a combination of telephone call and (I think) Chat to get it resolved.  They then emailed me my Confirmation with all of the charges and discounts.  BTW, they hold absolutely to that 30-day limit to transfer your reservation to a TA -- and it's definitely based on the day you made the reservation, not the day they decide to send the confirmation!

If you use Twitter, I've found that contacting Royal Caribbean that way tends to get faster results.  Also, I ran into the same problem that you did, and used a combination of telephone call and (I think) Chat to get it resolved.  They then emailed me my Confirmation with all of the charges and discounts.  BTW, they hold absolutely to that 30-day limit to transfer your reservation to a TA -- and it's definitely based on the day you made the reservation, not the day they decide to send the confirmation!

Quick question. It is impossible to get through to RC via phone and it's been almost a month since I sent an inquiry via email so hoping posting here will help. 
We booked a cruise during a sale period (booked 24 October for an Alaska sailing 1 May 2022 on Serenade of the Seas). We paid the deposit (received confirmation of deposit payment) but didn't receive a receipt itemizing what we booked. Is that normal? I called today to get a receipt sent via their automation and it is not showing any of the discounts. Does that happen? 

I put in for the Royal Up room upgrade and it is still in pending status, which is no big deal because we have 13 days before the cruise. BUT why do they wait until the very last minute to let you know if you won the bid or not? I have seen people not finding out until a day prior. With our party leaving home to go towards the cruise area I am afraid that we may not find out until we are boarding if we won or not. I get them trying to fill as many rooms as possible but makes it rather inconvenient if you travel a couple days before the cruise. Sorry for the venting . Anyone find out they won prior to 1-2 days before sailing?

I had multiple appetizers on the 3-night/4-night back to back we just got off.  There was no sharing…my wife had to get her own. 🙂
 
It was great.  We managed to get the same waiter/assistant waiter combo for the second one, and they automatically brought me the multiple appetizers the nights that the menu was a repeat. 

@dittyBy now I'm sure you've had a chance to see @SpeedNoodles's link.  You can also get an understanding of what it will be by looking in your Cruise Planner (assuming you've booked a cruise) or by looking at the Royal Caribbean FAQs (https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/how-can-i-purchase-the-key and https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-are-the-benefits-of-the-key-program).  Bear in mind that what is offered on one ship, or on one sailing, may differ from another, especially with current and future COVID-19 protocols.
 
As to "Why purchase it?"; here are my suggestions:
Consider purchasing The Key if:
1. you only have one or two people in your cabin AND
2. you haven't achieved the higher tiers of Crown and Anchor Society (say, Diamond) AND
3. you plan on purchasing the VOOM Internet package AND
4. the cost per day per person doesn't exceed the going rate for Voom 1-Device + $5 (or so).
I use the AND qualifier because in my view, the other benefits besides the Voom total about $35 per person -- the Chops Grille lunch,  the Disembarkation breakfast, and the (possible) early boarding and reserved seating at shows.  For a 7-night cruise, that would be about $35 over the cost of what you'd pay for Voom (per person), so it would be more beneficial to purchase The Key.  This is just my thinking, of course.  I would recommend reviewing the benefits of The Key and determine what they are worth to you.
 

The ship can survive much worst sea conditions but why risk breaking glass and causing even some crew to become sick.  It's not like they are required to stick around near Seattle.  I think it was NCL that said to Florida... our ships have propellers, we can take them anywhere we want.  If bad weather is moving in, move the ships away.  
Having said that, the promise or suggestion that cruising could restart by Christmas does give one hope that Ovation may be trying to gain enough momentum to break away from the gravitational pull of the CDC and launch itself down under.  

@dittyBy now I'm sure you've had a chance to see @SpeedNoodles's link.  You can also get an understanding of what it will be by looking in your Cruise Planner (assuming you've booked a cruise) or by looking at the Royal Caribbean FAQs (https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/how-can-i-purchase-the-key and https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-are-the-benefits-of-the-key-program).  Bear in mind that what is offered on one ship, or on one sailing, may differ from another, especially with current and future COVID-19 protocols.
 
As to "Why purchase it?"; here are my suggestions:
Consider purchasing The Key if:
1. you only have one or two people in your cabin AND
2. you haven't achieved the higher tiers of Crown and Anchor Society (say, Diamond) AND
3. you plan on purchasing the VOOM Internet package AND
4. the cost per day per person doesn't exceed the going rate for Voom 1-Device + $5 (or so).
I use the AND qualifier because in my view, the other benefits besides the Voom total about $35 per person -- the Chops Grille lunch,  the Disembarkation breakfast, and the (possible) early boarding and reserved seating at shows.  For a 7-night cruise, that would be about $35 over the cost of what you'd pay for Voom (per person), so it would be more beneficial to purchase The Key.  This is just my thinking, of course.  I would recommend reviewing the benefits of The Key and determine what they are worth to you.
 

I dislike the cans as well.
 
We each brought a reusable water bottle from home and they will fill them for us.  I know for certain they are filling them at the Windjammer and Cafe Promenade 

We still had plastic bottles on Symphony 2 weeks ago. I do agree with the tin can taste. 
 
Knowing that this is coming fleet wide, I’ll be bringing a reusable water bottle and filling from the sink. Reverse Osmosis water is quite tasty to me and it’s free! I also noticed that I have the BEST hair days on cruises from the RO water. Apparently my hair likes “naked” water! Lol 

If you are looking for a free option for testing the CVS location on Bird Road in Miami is a walk-in testing site. However it is about a 25 minute each way ride from the Port of Miami/Miami Beach area. Appointments are required.

I just sailed on Freedom on Friday, Nov 12 and it was a bit of a mess when I arrived. They have line queues for the different timeslots but none were for before 12 noon. I showed up at 11:15 for my 11:30 boarding and they put us all in the 12 noon queue. Not sure what the delay was but it took 30 minutes to get into the terminal. From there checkin went super fast and I was on the ship by noon, so 45 minute process from parking to ship.

I'm thinking Jewel will use G long term.  Freedom and Symphony using A.  
If she parked at G, it's very unlikely they'll move to A because they need a pilot on board and longshoremen to handle the lines to make the move.
They try to use the same terminal or else people who park cars will get stranded at the wrong terminal if they flip flop.  If any sail dates conflict with Symphony or Freedom it's better to just use G all the time.

Lines were not separated but the way you proceed from checkpoint to checkpoint, it kept it flowing smoothly.

Updates to the Key Program!
Just got this today -- it looks like hanging on to The Key was the right move for me -- hope it helps others who are considering it.  This is on my 4-Night Freedom sailing at the end of November:
 
Dear Guest,
We're excited to share that our Welcome Lunch, featuring Chops Grille has been brought back to The Key! We hope you look forward to enjoying your exclusive lunch which will take place in the Main Dining Room between 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM! Additionally, as we previously shared, you'll receive a 25% discount for onboard dining purchases, plus complimentary room service! And, our private debarkation á la carte breakfast is back, replacing the "grab and go" breakfast option. Now, enjoy a more relaxed breakfast experience before heading off the ship.
Here's what you can expect on your upcoming sailing:
Early access at the terminal.* Drop off your carry-on luggage in the Main Dining Room on Deck 3 by 2:00 PM - your carry-on luggage will be hand delivered to your stateroom. Exclusive welcome lunch in the Main Dining Room featuring the Chops Grille® menu (open from 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM). We recommend arriving to the terminal no later than 11:30 AM for you to have enough time to enjoy lunch with us! Complimentary room service for your entire cruise, along with 25% off all onboard dining purchases! Private time at some of our onboard activities such as rock climbing, FlowRider, etc. Priority departure from ship-to-shore at tender ports. Early access at shows in the Main Theater on Deck 4, however a reservation is needed so don't forget to book once you're onboard! VOOM Surf & Stream package, now including high speed internet, for one device (1 package per guest). On debarkation day, enjoy a private á la carte breakfast and choice departure. *Please arrive at the terminal between 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM. If you are not able to make the early access window, you should arrive within your appointment time and will receive priority access into the terminal.
Lastly, when you arrive to the port for your sailing, please locate The Key signage for priority access into the terminal and make your way onto the ship.
We look forward to welcoming you aboard Freedom of the Seas in the coming days!

So I know it’s not Symphony, but we boarded Freedom on the 5th at Terminal A, and it was a piece of cake.   There were roped off lines for different arrival times. 
 
We showed up a few minutes before noon with a noon check in time, and were onboard in less than 10 minutes. 

One more day! One more day!
What a week it has been? I finally started driving again. With my surgery, that can be a painful task. The more I do it, the better I will feel and the quicker I will heal. I am back on the streets of Atlanta getting a pedicure, hair cut and picking up last minute items.
Yesterday, I took the online COVID test. After I received my negative result, I walked around the house acting like a guy on Maury who received a negative paternity test.

 
Now, I have finished packing. I am waiting for Kiesha so, my fiancée can take us to the airport.

Ok ok ok OK….an apology! To say that I failed at the LIVE portion of this blog is a gross understatement. However I had NO idea just how busy and demanding it would be to film a vlog, host an entire group and oh yeah….get married while on a ship LOL After staying up till 2am writing and falling asleep with my phone IN my hand I knew it wasn’t going to happen!  However, fear not I have taken notes and will recount the experience now day by day…so just PRETEND I am on board LOL 
Day 2 (WEDDING DAY!)
We pulled in for our Perfect Day at Coco Cay at around 7am. We had a quick break fast on the balcony before Shane came to get us at 7:30am to get off the ship.  
 
Shane walked us off the ship and we were the FIRST ones to enter Thrill Waterpark! Of course after roughly 2 minutes of getting in it started a torrential downpour that got us all soaked (including Shane) we just could not stop laughing. We we to do all of the slides while Shane returned to the ship to set up the wedding magic. We managed to do ALL of the slides within an hour. We literally ran up all of the stairs which if you have ever been on Devils Peak you are aware is NO easy task…especially when you had been eating Star Class meals every 20 minutes since being on board LOL We managed it without needing any medical intervention….but barely. The tallest slide is an amazing experience but after breathlessly making it to the top and questioning my life choices we decided ONCE was enough. We loved the park and would absolutely recommend if for those of us who like thrills! 
 
After all of that climbing we decided to make our way to Oasis Lagoon! We are a sucker for a swim up bar! The pool was legitimately FREEZING! Lol All you could see was people stick their toes in scream before exiting or bravely accepting their icy fate. We did the latter and justified that the cold water just meant we needed to drink more as a source of mere necessity. Cruise logic ya see? And drink we did…and danced and laughed. The sun even that came out and it was a fantastic time! 
 
We eventually got hungry and I knew we had to go and try the iconic chicken sandwich! We first grabbed tacos because we needed some “walking food” to get us to South Beach LOL the steak tacos were AMAZING!! We Then made our way to South Beach where we got the secret chicken sandwich with mozzarella sticks and let’s just say that I am forever changed! DELICIOUS! I unfortunately don’t have photos as I was trying to keep my phone dry and sand free because I didn’t want to take any chances of not having it for the wedding LOL 
We then swam to the floating bar and had a few long islands! This was such a fun little addition. The drinks were strong and you could watch the fish swim by. By this time it was almost four and we knew it was time to head back and see what magic Shane had created and then get dressed for the sunset wedding! 

 
The moment we returned to the Suite we were completely blown away. We brought some decor with us but only the aisle/runner and some greenery for the railing. The way that Shane set it up with the chairs and bringing in the flower stands took our breathe away! 

 
The entire Suite was FILLED with perfect little romantic touches! 

After seeing all of this it was time t shower and get in our tuxedos and meet with our amazing friend Matt who was going to marry us to go over things. Shane was in constant communication with us regarding food deliveries and when the cake would arrive which was shortly before the guests. We had custom Funko Pop cake topper made of us for the cake but when they brought it in I audibly gasped! It was STUNNING! Beyond perfect!! 
I mean…can you even stand it?! And the platters of food were PERFECT for our party! 
Then the time had finally arrived! Sunset was upon us and it was time for the guests to arrive and for us to have our DREAM ocean view wedding. It was truly perfect….intimate, beautiful, personal, heart felt and beyond anything I imagined could be done. We are not “groom-zillas” and put our trust in Shane. However, The magic he created will live in our hearts forever. The sun set exactly as the kiss happened as if it were a movie. Here are just a few snaps from the ceremony 

After the ceremony we cut the cake and had a champagne toast! We had the best time! We decided to eat in the MDR for the dinner because originally it was formal night. However, they changed it due to it being a port day. But it was no big deal. It was nice for us all to be able to eat together and the captains tables were very special. They made us feel like a million bucks and it was nice to be dressed up. We ordered off of the premium menu and it was delicious! 
After dinner we headed to see the headliner show which was a juggler/unicycle performer. VERY talented but yikes…the comedy portion was a HOT dated mess. However, it was very VERY rough seas so the fact that he was able to accomplish things like standing on a vertical ladder in the midst of it was very impressive! 
The day was MAGIC and we were EXHAUSTED! Speaking of that you must be exhausted reading this as it is SO long! Next up our first sea day! 
 
 
 
 

I believe vests come with the rental kit, but I am not sure.  My wife ordered us vests on Amazon.

HAPPY VETERANS' DAY!  If you have served or have supported someone who has served, a huge THANK YOU from us to you !!
We officially have "cruise brains" !!  I had today off for the holiday, but I have one more work day to go before I can completely devote my brain to the cruise.  I'm sure I'll be worthless tomorrow.  😂😂
Our last week has included multiple conversations with Yen as we prepare for the cruise IN 3 DAYS!!!  We have officially switched our conversations over to WhatsApp and have our embarkation day instructions.  We were informed today that regardless of our check-in time, we are allowed to arrive as early as 11:00am, and can board as early as 11:30am.  We confirmed we would be ready and waiting for her at 11:30am.  Yay !!!
Got my nails done today, and Kenzie and I get our toes done on Saturday!  Kenzie quickly got caught up on the shopping to make sure she was ready for the cruise, and our concierge (where all of our packages are delivered) gets a visit from our family each evening to gather the daily deliveries.  It's like Christmas!  I think I'll miss that after the cruise.  
Tomorrow we get to clean the bank out of their stash of cash for our tips.  I read a really good Facebook Star Class 101 post a while ago about tipping with $2.00 bills, so we decided to adopt that same philosophy.  Hoping the bank has enough of them.  LOL !
We just learned tonight that the We Will Rock You and Spectra shows have both been cancelled for the current sailing due to "staff shortages".  Yen confirmed it for us.  Those announcing it for others are speculating that it is Covid-related (I didn't ask if it was Covid - figured it probably isn't allowed to be shared).  Covid would make sense considering the ship is at level yellow on the CDC website right now (which updated with the data from before the ship launched with US passengers).  I hope all are okay and get well soon.  I'll be very sad if we miss those two shows as they were the two shows we wanted to see most.  However, if they are missed during our sailing, I'm sure we'll catch them on a future sailing since we live in NJ and I'm sure we'll be on her again.  We all know that the shows last a while so not much risk in waiting.
Yen shared today that room service won't be able to deliver meals into the room, but will instead leave them at the door due to the current health protocols.  I asked if there would be any way they could deliver them with the tablecloth into the room if we all went upstairs.  Hoping that one works out as that was something we were really looking forward to.  I had heard from many others that this was the case, but it wasn't really followed.  I'm thinking that since Anthem is newly in US waters, it may be more strictly enforced.  Hoping not though.
One more thing she shared is that the North Star will no longer operate on embarkation day out of NY/NJ.  I knew it couldn't be launched prior to passing the Verrazzano Bridge, but thought we could do it afterwards.  This one isn't super disappointing, but I was kind of hoping to see the NY skyline at night from the North Star.  Oh well, we will have to enjoy it from our AMAZING cabin balcony instead - oh darn!  
Nothing is taking this girl down!  WE'RE CRUISING IN 3 DAYS !!  

When our story began, Tim and I were booking a long overdue vacation and it was just going to be us.  Then Kenzie moved back home with us and Jeremy was going to be visiting, so we invited them to join us.  His trip got cancelled at the last minute and Kenzie was super sad, so when we took Jeremy off of the reservation, she asked to be removed as well.  
Since Kenzie had already gotten that week off, and was just going to be hanging at home alone, we couldn't stand the thought of us having all the fun without her so we talked her into going.  I already called Royal and updated Yen.  
So, I think I can honestly say that being spontaneous isn't an issue in our family.  The word "pivot" came to mind, and now all I can think of is the scene from Friends when Ross is trying to get the sofa up the stairs... 😂😂😂

Well...my shopping phase is finally coming to a close.  
You all thought I was going to have fun with the shopping, huh?  Well, some of it was fun, like getting gifts for Yen, and planning for things in our cabin, but the rest has been rough!  Clothes shopping on Amazon is brutal!!  
My routine for the last two weeks has gone something like this:  Alexa telling us all day long that new packages have arrived; someone from our household picking them up from the concierge's office; sitting at the dining table acting like it's Christmas opening up the new packages; me fighting with clothes and having to have my daughter help me out of some of them; sitting in front of the fan for 10 minutes because I've overheated from trying on clothes that were too small; sadly admitting that working from home during a pandemic not ever going to the gym wasn't super great for my figure; then spending the rest of the night trying to figure out which bags the items belonged to so they could go back.  Ugh!  My hubby and daughter started a pool for which items I would keep each time I placed an order.  
After the multitude of packages, I think I finally have a few things that can work for the cruise, along with a huge pile of bags ready to be dropped off at Kohl's to return.  I think I'm calling it for the shopping. Whew!
We got a few things for Yen for the trip, and the last one arrived today - way ahead of the scheduled date which made me so happy!  It was engraved in her native language and we are all so excited to see it.  The only problem is that the concierge's office closed early tonight so I can't pick it up until tomorrow.  I wonder if they're trying to get back to me over all the packages.  
Since I didn't have any packages to try on tonight, I booked our COVID tests!  It's getting real!  We have the at home tests as well, but I didn't want to take any chances and not have something booked just in case we have a failure on our hands.
I've been emailing with Yen almost daily.  She's so sweet!!  I can't wait to meet her in person.  They're coming across the Atlantic right now and they had bad weather for the first couple of days out.  She said it's better now, but was pretty rough at first. 
I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.  My staging table for all cruise-related items is piled high in the corner of my home office.  I've had to adjust my camera (for all my Zoom calls) so it doesn't capture my cruise pile.  I figured non-cruisers might not get it.  LOL!