Trip Bacon β€” The secret ingredient to the perfect getaway logo

Royal Caribbean's THE KEY: Full review

Royal Caribbean Blog
Royal Caribbean Blog
πŸ…Authority
πŸ‘οΈ 117K viewsπŸ“… 4 years ago⏱️ 8:58

Key Moments

Editorial Summary

The creator evaluates the value of Royal Caribbean's The Key, a VIP access program that offers various perks such as early check-in, special dining, and internet access. After testing the program on an Odyssey of the Seas sailing, the creator concludes that the service is generally not worth the cost for most passengers. While the benefits appear attractive on paper, the creator argues that many can be achieved through other means or are limited in practical application. For instance, early check-in can often be secured via the cruise line app without the extra fee, and the private activity times offered frequently occur at inconvenient hours. The creator also notes that the program requires all guests over age six in a stateroom to purchase it, which can significantly increase the total cost for families. Ultimately, the creator suggests that travelers save money by purchasing specific amenities like Wi-Fi or dining packages individually rather than paying for the bundled VIP program.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.

How This Review Compares

This review's score for Royal Caribbean Group
Mild Gripe
All-time creator consensus for Royal Caribbean Group
A Nibble

This review is more critical than the all-time creator consensus.

What This Creator Said
Creator Warns AgainstFull Ship ReviewπŸ…Authority Creator
Veteran Cruiser

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

i just tried it recently and i don't think it's worth the money and i'm gonna tell you why

in my experience i found that the benefits sound a lot better on the surface than they really are

i just don't think it's worthwhile for most people simply because the benefits look better on paper than they are in practice

skip the key and instead focus on how to get an early check-in time buy a dining package pre-purchase wi-fi

Creator's Tips & Advice

βœ“Monitor the Royal Caribbean app for early check-in slots without The Key
βœ“Purchase a dining package if you want the welcome lunch
βœ“Buy a multi-device Wi-Fi plan instead of The Key for internet access

Questions This Creator Answers

QIs Royal Caribbean's The Key worth the extra cost?
QWhat benefits does The Key include?
QHow does The Key compare to getting similar perks on your own?

Topics Covered

Value Pricing2Β½ Sad BaconWifi Connectivity1 Sad BaconLoyalty Program2 Sad Bacon
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
Happy Bacon β€” creators loved this aspect
Sad Bacon β€” creators took issue with this
Meh β€” no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = β€œmeh”, 5 = β€œbacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology

Video content sourced from the creator's original upload. Watch on YouTube