S0nny

We had an ABBA cover band on Oasis in 2016 and it was the best show we have seen on a cruise ship! We still talk about how awesome the show was to this day.

Hey Cruise Family! Give a shout-out if you are going to be on HOTS this New Year Eve. This will be our 6th cruise with RC and our first holiday cruise! Can't wait!

OOOOOoooooOO! Can you share your experience here for others who would rather go the same route? How was your experience?

When doing your open water certification, you are a group of your own so you wouldn't be diving with your husband and son. But like you thought, the RC excursions are (mostly) headed to the same dive locations. So if they booked an open water 2 tank dive, they would likely be at the same dive location, but with a different dive group. That was the case for Roatan Honduras and others. Confirm with RC at the excursion desk once onboard though if not being with them is make or break.

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by! 1. If you are doing PADI certification through the ship, they provided a mesh dive bag to carry your gear. We did bring our own collapsible backpack to carry things like wallets/sunglasses, reef friendly sunscreen, etc. 2. Snack were not provided by RC (neither was water). We made a habit of stopping by WJ every morning and grabbing water and snacks for the day. Because you are essentially doing an "excursion" at a dive location for your open water dives, there were snacks/food/drinks for sale. 3. We normally pack a change of shirt but that's all we needed. The dive locations have restrooms where you could change into dryer/comfy clothing, but our swimsuits dried quickly and a change of shirt was all that was needed. (we normally wear a thin, second skin long-sleeved for diving just to stay warm and keep the sun off our backs. 4. Everything dive related can go in the dive bag RC PADI provided. Including wetsuits if you wanted. You would don them just prior to the dive if you wanted to wear them. We felt that a lightweight second skin shirt (bought from the dive shop onboard) was enough for our Caribbean dives. 5. For the PADI certification, they do not permit you to dive with cameras (as your focus should rightfully be focused). Our RC PADI dive instructors were amazing and held our go-pro and filmed for the entire class. I simply shared all the videos to those in our cohort that wanted them. After certification, you are free to bring recording devices.

lol... I don't think you're crazy! There are a few things that I am certain of; they are: 1. Death 2. Taxes AND 3. Royal Caribbean's website is Gremlin Central Station

"PAX" lol... your vet status is showing

You don't... and it is written into the fine print. This is directly from their TaC. RCL Purchase Terms and Conditions.pdf (royalcaribbean.com) It sucks... but just follow @Matt's advice and you can't go wrong!

That happened with us too. Best part about The Key IMO. Didn't stress about showing up to any show or rushing through dinner to get there early enough for good seats. Every major resort has pay for exclusivity perks. Disney has Fast Pass, Universal has Express Pass, Delta has Sky Priority... I think RCI is missing a major opportunity to promote The Key in a similar fashion without this perk.

Bummer they didn't bring back the reserved seating benefit. On our last cruise, the reserved seating went largely unused even with The Key benefit and having a ship full of suite guests. Hopefully there are opportunities for adjustment! It was a nice way to bridge the gap between Sea Class and Sky Class perks.

I feel like long segmented cruises would be an amazing way to actually market this to the younger generations. We have been saving for a Star Class suite... I would MUCH rather do something like this a segment at a time. It makes me think of Spartan runs. You do certain segments and get a piece of a large puzzle which when combined, makes a cool metal. RCI could even flaunt off the sections you have completed by displaying them on your cruise pass, or door.

THIS! Long term assisted living was the first nursing job I got out of school... average cost PER DAY in an assisted living is about $130. I think I would rather do this!

Smart choice! Happy sailing!

I think your cabin class, whether or not you would use room service/internet, and whether one of your port itineraries includes a tender should really be the primary considerations. Personally, I thought the Chops embarkation meal in the MDR was not as nice as the meal is when actually in Chops. I would LOVE no cost room service as I am an early riser while my spouse is not. I would love to enjoy a full service breakfast on my balcony without having to go to the WJ (does anyone else hate walking back to their room with food...? all uncovered... and then someone always makes a comment about your breakfast... lol... like... mind yo business... this is for TWO people <-- clearly still holding onto trauma) We always use the internet, and on larger ships, the priority tender / saved seats at events can definitely make you feel like Sky/Star class without booking that level of suite. Without the saved seats at events, The Key just doesn't seem worth it.

I actually prefer to stay in an Air BnB when we cruise out of Miami (especially if we are in a group). You can find some amazing rentals there for a fraction of the price. Luxury W Hotel Downtown Miami Beautiful Views - Apartments for Rent in Miami, Florida, United States (airbnb.com) for example

you mean that BOBO 30% off discount WASN'T unique to me?!

It's probably like everything else nowadays... at the mercy of some almighty algorithm... "SO SAY WE ALL"

Chair hogs are like roaches... they will outlast us all

Which means we will get a FULL 360 HD camera shot, complete with live blog, and room rating shortly! @twangsterHolmes is on the case!! @GKMCruising Can't wait to see what the layout looks like! That's my TA!! I told y'all she was good

@GKMCruising ... did you post the room number...? Either way... sign me up for any room without an arrow!

@CJS2766 To answer that question definitively, you might have better success copying and pasting the perks listed for The Key straight from your cruise planner. I wouldn't be surprised if RCCL is trying to find the right combination of perks to ensure The Key brings value to their guests. Maybe they are offering different perks for different sailings? As you can see from the picture (and link), our last cruise was just like @IRMO12HD said; $7.95 delivery charge for anything not on the "continental breakfast" menu. If you order anything else off the menu, there is a $7.95 flat rate charge whether you order a single PB&J or everything. (so get that second order of fries when your significant other says they "just want one off your plate"). To your question about the ironing/pressing, that most likely would be a separate charge. Ironing/pressing is often included for Junior Suite and above, and I haven't yet seen that as a perk of The Key. 24/7 Room Service | Cruise Ship Food | Royal Caribbean Cruises

Me too

Yes! @ChristieSuper excited for yall! Just for anyone lurking the thread with the same question, RCI provides everything to rent EXCEPT the mask and snorkel included with the price of the class. You can buy a mask and snorkel onboard, but I would strongly encourage anyone planning on doing this to hit up a dive shop on land. Price and variation are SUPER important when finding a mask that works for your face and budget. On the ship, they only had 2 different sets to really choose from. Keeping a seal on a mask can be challenging for beginners, and without tons of options, you may have a difficult time sealing/clearing the mask.

I prefer having decorations! It makes it easier when stumbling back to the room