The Key for speedy tender to shore?

[SJay]

I'm eager to maximise my time in port - especially in Phuket, which involves a tender docking. One of the benefits listed for The Key is priority departure at tender ports of call from ship-to-shore, but how much differrnce does it actually make?

For an 8am arrival for the ship to Phuket, what time would you estimate I could get to shore with and without The Key? Thanks!

[Bowen]

We were able to tender right away with The Key. I don’t have any particular insight into that particular port, but you can get off in One of the first few groups I’d imagine. We never even stood in line for tickets, we just found The Key sign and an attendant took us right down in the elevator.

[SJay]

@Bowen Thanks for the info. Was the tender queue for non-Key holders long?

Am I correct that you can't purchase The Key for individual days, only for the entire cruise?

[DoomSlayer]

1 hour ago, SJay said:

@Bowen Thanks for the info. Was the tender queue for non-Key holders long?

Am I correct that you can't purchase The Key for individual days, only for the entire cruise?

Yes, it must be purchased in advance thru the cruise planner (not onboard), for the whole trip, and for everyone 6 and older in your stateroom.

[Jill]

I know on odyssey it took upwards of 2-3 hours to get everyone tendered in Santorini. 
 

If you book an RC excursion, you also get priority tender

[SJay]

1 hour ago, Jill said:

I know on odyssey it took upwards of 2-3 hours to get everyone tendered in Santorini. 
 

If you book an RC excursion, you also get priority tender

That's troubling, as I've booked a tour independently of RC. Maybe I need to think about buying The Key.

[wordell1]

This is one of the better benefits of The Key if you happen to have a tender port on your itinerary. 

[TeRriii]

49 minutes ago, SJay said:

That's troubling, as I've booked a tour independently of RC. Maybe I need to think about buying The Key.

Could you tell me which tour operator that you use ? What kind of tour that you take and for how much ?

TIA

[totalmorganmove]

Just cruised on Spectrum in January with a stop in Phuket. We lined up very early to get tender tickets, however once the tenders started running they were very quick. Unless you need to get off in the first 20 minutes, you really didn't need one. 

The tenders were really quick, under 15 minutes and they were continuous. We were there overnight and we never waited more than 5 minutes for one. 

[BrianB]

Whenever I had the Key at a tender port…we were escorted through a crew area and right to the front of the line. It was pretty cool coming out of a side door and being at the head of that long line. And there was no specific meeting time…just showed up at the meeting point and there was a crew member standing by to escort us. Good luck!

[SJay]

13 hours ago, totalmorganmove said:

Just cruised on Spectrum in January with a stop in Phuket. We lined up very early to get tender tickets, however once the tenders started running they were very quick. Unless you need to get off in the first 20 minutes, you really didn't need one. 

The tenders were really quick, under 15 minutes and they were continuous. We were there overnight and we never waited more than 5 minutes for one. 

@totalmorganmove Can I ask how early you lined up for tender tickets please?

[SJay]

5 hours ago, BrianB said:

Whenever I had the Key at a tender port…we were escorted through a crew area and right to the front of the line. It was pretty cool coming out of a side door and being at the head of that long line. And there was no specific meeting time…just showed up at the meeting point and there was a crew member standing by to escort us. Good luck!

I am very tempted! Thanks!

[SJay]

16 hours ago, TeRriii said:

Could you tell me which tour operator that you use ? What kind of tour that you take and for how much ?

TIA

I didn't use a TA - just looked up some local boat tours based in Phuket. 

[totalmorganmove]

1 hour ago, SJay said:

@totalmorganmove Can I ask how early you lined up for tender tickets please?

I got there maybe 30-35 minutes before they started handing them out and I was about 7th in line. But they called the numberw so quickly that when they got to mine, I had just gone for some breakfast. Went down maybe 15 minutes later and walked straight on. 

Honestly, it was a breeze of a tender port. If the priority tender is your main motivation for the key, I would skip it. 

[Carlos A.]

On Odyssey last summer on Santorini we were escorted from Boleros to the tender and were the first off the ship with the Key. Worth every penny. Took us about 10 minutes or less. 

[carole]

We have the key booked for QOTS in April ,have since read you do not get priority boarding in Australia, very disappointed as hubby cant stand too long. But happy with the other perks.

[SJay]

2 hours ago, carole said:

We have the key booked for QOTS in April ,have since read you do not get priority boarding in Australia, very disappointed as hubby cant stand too long. But happy with the other perks.

@carole That's odd. Did they give a reason why you don't get this in Australia? (I'm not going there, just curious.)

[Xaa]

That's one of the better perks @carole.  In your shoes, I would probably cancel The Key.

[FloatyBoaty]

My reservation for The Key on Quantum DOES show

• Priority access into the terminal (within booked arrival time) on Day 1.

I wonder if it's because I booked from the US site and whether it will be listed on my "reminders of your Key benefits" letter that I expect to receive in a couple of weeks. I will try to remember to update you @carole as I am sailing before you. You can cancel the Key up to 48 hours before your sailing, so maybe hold on to it for now?

Right now, I'm just praying for the people of New Zealand, their lives and property, as they have declared a state of emergency due to cyclone Gabrielle.

Also preparing myself for possible changes to excursions, ports, etc, as I get ready to travel from Chicago to Australia for my New Zealand cruise. 

[carole]

Thank you for your help will wait until nearer the time to decide to keep or cancel.

[FSUFAN]

We had priority tender with the Key on the Voyager OTS in Bar Harbor. 

The issue I had was that RCL had contracted with a local outfit that had these really nice large catamaran boats plus they used the ship's bare bones lifeboats.  Getting off the ship, Key purchasers were ushered to the lifeboat tenders. Hard cramped bench seats in the pitchy, dark small boat.  We were packed shoulder to shoulder. I'm 6' 4" and my knees were banging up against the bench seat in front of us.

We rode back on one of the catamaran boats and the difference could not have been more striking.  Roomy isles with individual cushioned seats and arm rests, large stable boat, huge picture windows. I would have waited in line to get off if I had known we were going to be put on the lifeboat tender vs the catamaran.  It was virtually like "basic economy" VS "first class" on a flight.

[SJay]

5 hours ago, FSUFAN said:

We had priority tender with the Key on the Voyager OTS in Bar Harbor. 

The issue I had was that RCL had contracted with a local outfit that had these really nice large catamaran boats plus they used the ship's bare bones lifeboats.  Getting off the ship, Key purchasers were ushered to the lifeboat tenders. Hard cramped bench seats in the pitchy, dark small boat.  We were packed shoulder to shoulder. I'm 6' 4" and my knees were banging up against the bench seat in front of us.

We rode back on one of the catamaran boats and the difference could not have been more striking.  Roomy isles with individual cushioned seats and arm rests, large stable boat, huge picture windows. I would have waited in line to get off if I had known we were going to be put on the lifeboat tender vs the catamaran.  It was virtually like "basic economy" VS "first class" on a flight.

Thanks for sharing. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[totalmorganmove]

All tenders (I took 6 during our overnight stop) in Phuket were from a local company. They did not use the ship's lifeboats. They were big double decker ferries - lovely open top deck for getting great photos of Spectrum as well!