whenismynextcruise

agreed. I am eating at Chops this year for Thanksgiving!

We will be on Serenade for Thanksgiving this year, I'll report back on how our experience was. Whoop whoop only 25 days to go!

We have done the thanksgiving sailing many times on Anthem (its an easy port to get to for us) Will be again this year 4 weeks from Saturday!!! . Its a great time to sail. Lots of families if that interests you. As for special events I have never really noticed any to be honest. Outside of turkey being offered on the menu's the holiday isn't really a big deal on board. 

It’s an awesome week to sail! I would venture to say it’s the best week of the year to sail! Watch for the butcher chasing the turkey through the Promanade.

I always wondered...what is the difference between The Key's "Choice Departure" and the "Regular Departure"/"Self-Assist Departure"?
I know people's experience with the Key is that a crew member will take you straight to customs and bypassing the general line. However, disembarking at Cape Liberty, I don't think that was the case. Unless we missed something? *We just hopped on the regular line with our luggage, got through customs, and in less than 5 minutes, we were outside waiting for our ride.
*Edit: We had the Key

Welcome to the boards. So many factors go into that. The cabin you have, the ship you are on the perks that you might enjoy.  If you search on the key here you will see that there are many many posts about this and you should be able to find a ton of information here to help influence your choice as to whether or not to purchase it. The opinions run the gambit from absolutely yes to absolutely no to a general maybe :)

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... 

Drink Package plus crazy never ends well.

I'd share that I have zero desire to cruise on any of the ships that are like amusement parks on water. I don't want or need water slides or zip lines or any of that. I am probably in the minority but there has to be more than one of me that is okay with just sitting quietly and reading a book while I sip a drink. There has to be more than one of me out there but probably not many so they leave the smaller ships to us folks who actually avoid slides and zip lines and all that. I have nothing against them personally but it's just not what I want when I cruise. I'd like to think they realize there are still a few of us left around. Let me have that illusion.

I think this thread has a pretty good handle on the relevant business aspects.  I mean, if it's not broke don't fix it.  If those small ships are still selling well (and they are) then RC will keep them around.  In a way they offer a lot of great cruising to the brand new cruisers (a simple three night to key west and the bahamas) as well as the older, maybe more affluent experienced cruise who wants exotic, remote ports for a 12 nighter.  After having been on symphony during peak spring break, I would be very ready to be on a small ship adults only cruise.  The number of people and kids was evident everywhere around you, 24/7 nonstop, but that's why we and a lot of family groups like us pick those ships, so we all can do our own thing in whichever way we choose.
If anything, that's Royal's only weakness.  Trying to be too many things, trying to be everything to everyone, which of course is impossible.  Hence, the variety of the fleet.  To me, the sweet spot for amenities and space is still the voyager class, looking very forward to seeing the amped navigator, would like to try the quantum.  The smaller ships have very loyal followings, they are free to visit a lot of smaller islands and more secluded ports, do long or odd itineraries that clearly the market will not bear for the big ships where most families are still led by working age folks and can't or don't want to take 12 days off.  I see a ton of value in being on a small ship where a higher level of service is easier to maintain consistently and you're with like minded cruisers.  Some would say family friendly is RC's strong suit, some would say they prefer not to be around the kids gone wild all day everyday and with this fleet, you can find what you like.

Frankly, to me, the biggest “upside” to the CK vs the MDR is the ambience.  The food is just marginally better, IMO but, particularly on the O class ships, the view is so incredible that it just “makes” the meal.   I do completely admit that the CK filet is the best on ship.
I find the CK on Anthem (this is the only Q Class ship I have sailed on) to be just “meh”.  I love breakfasts there (given the lack of options elsewhere) but the ambience on Anthem is orders of magnitude lower than it is on the O class ships (JMO) because of the location, orientation and views.
Sorry to say it this way, but there is an element of “covetousness”, given the CK’s exclusivity.  Since not everyone can go to CK, it gets a bit of allure (pun intended) just by being unavailable to some.  Is the CK better than the MDR ?  Yes.
My final statement:  Dan refuses to eat in the MDR ever again on any ship...so, with that in mind, we would choose CK every time, if we only had 2 choices. But the lobster bits in orange sauce is a crime against humanity (and crustaceans).  ???

The food is sort of the difference between banquet dining for 1,000 people and for 300.  They don't have to as massively produce the menu in the CK so food quality can be a little better and there's more attention to detail.  They are also accommodating in that if you really want something off the MDR menu you can ask for it in the CK..so it nearly doubles your choices.
The ambiance is a little better because it's a much smaller space with a lower capacity.
I'm one that can find something to eat anywhere, but if I have the opportunity to eat at CK I will since I don't have the opportunity to often. 
You might as well take advantage of it for dinner with being in the JS when you can.  Make your reservations as soon as you can on embarkation day.

Thank you very much for the description of your experiences there. Makes CK something that is a must do!!! Everyone's advice and information on this post has been amazing and I thank all of you for that. But, your closing line literally sold me "This is from someone that was not too crazy about going until I saw the reviews on here......."
The people on this blog are amazingly helpful :)

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/10/07/royal-caribbean-holds-first-late-night-visit-perfect-day-cococay
Looks like fun!

It’s no more a “pay-for-play” port than any other port one stops at; in fact less so; I’ve never been granted free drinks and food in Cozumel, Jamaica, St Thomas.....................

What a very cool thing this would be! We are on Anthem in November and we leave the island around 6 according to the cruise planner calendar. If they stayed there a few more hours it would be perfect for fireworks. It made me wonder why do we leave at five? Its their own island so I don't imagine there are port charges or rules to follow. Days 7 & 8  are sailing days back to Cape Liberty and it cant possible take that long to sail there for departure on day 9 so it seems feasible to me.
Maybe now that Coco Cay is basically a pay-for-play port RCL is still trying to figure out how to get the guests to pay for fireworks viewing!! 

Thank you very much for the description of your experiences there. Makes CK something that is a must do!!! Everyone's advice and information on this post has been amazing and I thank all of you for that. But, your closing line literally sold me "This is from someone that was not too crazy about going until I saw the reviews on here......."
The people on this blog are amazingly helpful :)

Thank you very much for the description of your experiences there. Makes CK something that is a must do!!! Everyone's advice and information on this post has been amazing and I thank all of you for that. But, your closing line literally sold me "This is from someone that was not too crazy about going until I saw the reviews on here......."
The people on this blog are amazingly helpful :)

Thank you very much for the description of your experiences there. Makes CK something that is a must do!!! Everyone's advice and information on this post has been amazing and I thank all of you for that. But, your closing line literally sold me "This is from someone that was not too crazy about going until I saw the reviews on here......."
The people on this blog are amazingly helpful :)

Thank you very much for the description of your experiences there. Makes CK something that is a must do!!! Everyone's advice and information on this post has been amazing and I thank all of you for that. But, your closing line literally sold me "This is from someone that was not too crazy about going until I saw the reviews on here......."
The people on this blog are amazingly helpful :)

Thank you very much for the description of your experiences there. Makes CK something that is a must do!!! Everyone's advice and information on this post has been amazing and I thank all of you for that. But, your closing line literally sold me "This is from someone that was not too crazy about going until I saw the reviews on here......."
The people on this blog are amazingly helpful :)

Thank you very much for the description of your experiences there. Makes CK something that is a must do!!! Everyone's advice and information on this post has been amazing and I thank all of you for that. But, your closing line literally sold me "This is from someone that was not too crazy about going until I saw the reviews on here......."
The people on this blog are amazingly helpful :)

Great suggestion!

I too went to CK on Anthem and had an absolutely AMAZING experience, as has been mentioned the food is on par with the specialty restaurants if not better, the service is absolutely AMAZING and they really do strive to make you happy.  As I have said in an earlier post I thought that the service was good in the MDR, but that was prior to me ever getting to experience what happens in CK, and that is all without an upcharge.  I can assure you that if the ship that we sail on has a CK, then I will gladly pay the difference (within reason) to upgrade our room for the extra perks as well as access to CK.  There were things in CK that they had that were on the menu in the MDR but they were SO much better and given FAR more love than the dishes in the MDR.  Let me put it this way, I am a foodie, and enjoy eating great food.  While the food in the MDR is good I was hooked on CK within the first 10 minutes of being in there.  I am not going to try and explain it any further, just please do yourself a favor and if you have the opportunity to go to CK please take it!  This is from someone that was not too crazy about going until I saw the reviews on here.......

Part of the reasoning to purchase specialty dining is the ambiance and service, not just the food.  CK also checks the ambiance and service boxes.
Let's put it this way - when I have access to CK that tends to be where I eat.  
While food taste is personal, ambiance and service are less so.  
On lobster night ask for a full tail, not the standard CK lobster dinner which is bits of lobster in a sauce.