JohnK6404

Basically, you are not given a specific time for departure (or ship location to wait)... you are escorted off the ship when you are done with your Key breakfast and/or when you are ready and choose to depart the ship. We worked our way down to the main dining room (MDR) when we were ready to eat and had the nice "Key" a la carte departure breakfast (breakfast hours were 6:30AM - 9:00AM). They watched our carry-ons which we left just outside the MDR while we ate. Once we finished breakfast, we headed over to a designated location (Champagne Bar in the Royal Promenade for us on Allure) to wait to be escorted off of the ship. They lead groups off the ship every 15 minutes or so. I guess we had good timing as we only had to wait about 5 minutes and they escorted us off the ship and through the terminal past the long lines to our luggage (designated luggage area for Key members). We collected our luggage (porters available) and were lead through the Star class lane to what appeared to be a dedicated customs agent (absolutely no line!). In total, it took about 10-15 minutes from the time we left the Champagne Bar to the time we got into the taxi outside of the terminal. They will let you know what time to have your bags outside your cabin the evening before as I believe they collect those bags first since you effectively decide when you want to depart. I believe they had asked us to have the bags outside our cabin by 11:00PM.

Just a little tip based on our experience on Allure with the Key. Plan to arrive no later than 15 minutes or so before the show starts (sure beats the typical 30+ minutes and a prayer to get decent seats especially with a group). We pushed it to 10 minutes once at the Aqua Theater and just made it! The crew members explained that about 8 minutes or so before the show starts they drop the rope to the reserved section to fill the section. Have a great time!

That sounds reasonable... In Labadee back in May, we shared a cabana with our friends (4 of us) and we each (each couple) tipped our attendant $50.

LOL! ☺️ That was out experience on Allure back in May at Port Everglades. The regular line snaked around the terminal and we were escorted directly through to our luggage and awaiting porters and through the Star class lane through customs, etc. Ship to taxi literally in about 10-15 minutes!

Does anyone know more about this? Sounds promising... I wonder if they would ever connect the other ports to this line... My wife just found this recent article about the plan to expand Brightline train service from Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach stations to the Port of Miami. I’m just seeing this now... sounds promising. Apparently, Richard Branson is behind the expansion as it will benefit the new Virgin cruise line. Not sure if the train-to-cabin baggage service will only be for Virgin. “Plans advanced Thursday for a Brightline train station for cruise passengers at PortMiami, with Miami-Dade moving closer to approving a depot connecting the world’s busiest cruise dock to a for-profit railroad with plans to extend as far north as Orlando.... ‘They can hand over their bags at the Fort Lauderdale station, the West Palm Beach station, the Orlando station, and the passenger won’t see his or her bags until he or she gets into their cabin,’ said Juan Kuryla, the county’s port director.” https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article236355013.html

Welcome @LuciaYSL! To really over simplify it... how do YOU value the perks? Everyone has their own opinion and perspective... I can tell you that we, along with our friends, absolutely loved the Key on Allure back in May. I can only speak from experience from an Oasis class ship perspective. We are also just Platinum members in C&A and have not booked a suite, so there is no other way for us to experience VIP treatment. If you plan on purchasing the VOOM Surf & Stream package for each person anyway and you can get the Key for say $24.99 or less, then in my opinion it's a very easy decision. We got it on Allure for $19.99, just purchased it yesterday for Oasis for $21.99 for MAY 2020 (hope it drops to $19.99 again ), and plan on purchasing it for Symphony for APR 2021. In our case after crunching the numbers, effectively for the cost of ONE glass of wine per day, both my wife and I can get all of the other Key meals/benefits (over the VOOM package cost for 2 devices). Remember, like with the Deluxe Beverage Package, that everyone in your cabin must also purchase the Key. If you do not plan on purchasing the VOOM package for everyone in your cabin, then the Key may not make sense for you...

... it's $21.99 for our 5/31/20 Oasis sailing... down from $24.99... was $19.99 on Allure last May...

I like this little 4-5 minute drone video on Symphony too...

Thanks! Just watched it... all from the engineering perspective (as titled), so it may not interest everyone. We liked it!

Hey @SteveinSC ! See if you can track this series down... they feature many RC ships... I watched the Allure episode which was excellent a couple of years ago... having a hard time finding it now... Yes, love the Mega Food episode on Oasis... it's currently available on Netflix... Another awesome documentary on Harmony and turnaround day... try pulling it up through the Science Channel website and log in through you cable provider: https://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/mega-machines-sea-giants/ Another video of Allure drydock...

Hi @CHRIS WONG ! Very nice to meet you and look forward to hearing about your experiences! Enjoy your contract on Mariner!

Got it! Makes sense!

... and remember to cancel that internet package if you purchase the Key of course! 😎

No, the drink package is good on the ship and on Royal properties like Labadee and Perfect Day at Coco Cay.

Welcome Mike! My wife and I are on that cruise too and can't wait!