RoyalUP? (Bid for stateroom upgrade)

[Sail2k]

On 11/8/2019 at 1:58 PM, junglecat said:

Does Royal Caribbean ever hold Black Friday Deals?  We've booked a resort for mid January and just recently received an email that they are adding over $100 for parking and the costs to rent a car are a lot more expensive than the last time we rented a car.  Right now, due to these two expenses, the cost to cruise or go to the resort are about the same so we are considering a cruise.  We've found one we like, but are just on the fence about what to do.  Someone suggested a Black Friday Deal??  Not sure if this is something they do or not.  Thoughts?

 

[Sail2k]

I too wonder how the heck it is all done and figured out.  I would assume it is all programmed for various configurations and data sets...but I will say it definitely doesn't always go-to the highest bidder...friends of ours all had booked balcony rooms together for a post wedding cruise...all but 1 room on same floor, 2 people bid on RoyalUp, the one who got upgraded bid 200 less than his friend.  The only real difference we all noted was he (winning bid) was a 1st time Royal cruiser...

 

I imagine the people who run this for Royal and other Cruise lines are kept in a hidden compound, with no contact from the outside world...their identity is hidden...phones are tapped... Because it would be great to know someone who does this...lol they would become our new best friend!!

[Bases5]

If you booked thru a TA do they have to do the bidding for you?

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, Bases5 said:

If you booked thru a TA do they have to do the bidding for you?

No

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, Bases5 said:

If you booked thru a TA do they have to do the bidding for you?

Also, certain big box TA’s have opted out of the Royal up bid program so if you booked through them you will not receive any upgrade offers 

Edited November 10, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[Bases5]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Also, certain big box TA’s have opted out of the Royal up bid program so if you booked through them you will not receive any upgrade offers 

Interesting   Good to know  Thanks 

 I guess I'll need to reach out to my TA and ask if they have opted out.

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, Bases5 said:

Interesting   Good to know  Thanks 

 I guess I'll need to reach out to my TA and ask if they have opted out.

There are only 2 that I have seen mentioned here.  Both big box membership warehouses.

[Bases5]

10 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

There are only 2 that I have seen mentioned here.  Both big box membership warehouses.

Mine is a online TA but not one of the monster super big box.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, Bases5 said:

Mine is a online TA but not one of the monster super big box.

Most likely you are fine.

[compman9]

3 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I will take a guess here.

 

Its  about maximizing revenue and not doing what seems fair to the customer.  In your case I would bet that the person who bid $900 would get it.  The other money that they initially paid is already in the bank and Royal wants to add the most that they can

 

If maximising revenue, the person paying $1000 for the JS and 'Up'ing for $500

would be paying more than the $500 balcony guys that have offered $900 for the Up

 

Other than that, I agree - I would have thought the people paying most for their initial booking and their 'Up' would be the best way of making the cruise line most money while creating a chain reaction

 

[Ourusualbeach]

7 minutes ago, compman9 said:

 

If maximising revenue, the person paying $1000 for the JS and 'Up'ing for $500

would be paying more than the $500 balcony guys that have offered $900 for the Up

 

Other than that, I agree - I would have thought the people paying most for their initial booking and their 'Up' would be the best way of making the cruise line most money while creating a chain reaction

 

You are correct if you look at it on an individual cabin basis.  Look at it like this.  Once the initial cabin has been purchased it no longer matters what it was purchased at.  That part is done and cannot be changed. The only thing that matters is the extra revenue that they can bring in.  

[taxatty]

1 hour ago, Bases5 said:

Mine is a online TA but not one of the monster super big box.

My TA is an online one. Both her and RCI sent me the RoyalUP offer and both told me when it was accepted. I'm presuming that her commission went up accordingly.

[Bases5]

2 minutes ago, taxatty said:

My TA is an online one. Both her and RCI sent me the RoyalUP offer and both told me when it was accepted. I'm presuming that her commission went up accordingly.

Thanks    I was wondering if the TA commissions would go up!

[compman9]

2 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You are correct if you look at it on an individual cabin basis.  Look at it like this.  Once the initial cabin has been purchased it no longer matters what it was purchased at.  That part is done and cannot be changed. The only thing that matters is the extra revenue that they can bring in.  

 

Hmmm, this is interesting

 

I would say that the cruise line is getting $1500 rather than $1400, but you are right - they have already secured the initial rate

 

I suppose much depends on the cascade - if the originally referred to balcony booker takes the Junior Suite at, let's say $600, they would be paying $100 more than the original JS booker

 

Complicate stuff

[WIChick27]

And with price fluctuation you can’t compare what you think you should bid. One also doesn’t know the expected profit margin the ship had either. Might explain why a threshold then looks to create a repeat out of a new cruiser versus $$ figures. Repeat business is worth just as much. 
 

the world may never know... 

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, taxatty said:

My TA is an online one. Both her and RCI sent me the RoyalUP offer and both told me when it was accepted. I'm presuming that her commission went up accordingly.

 

1 hour ago, Bases5 said:

Thanks    I was wondering if the TA commissions would go up!

TA’s do get their regular commission rate on the amount of your bid if your bid is successful 

[ddcruisers93]

Compman9, The cruseline would take the balcony persons offer because than they would get $2400 in revenue. $1000 from Junior suite and$1400 from balcony person. If they went with the Junior suite offer they would only get $1500 from them and $500 from balcony person for a total of $2000. 

[Tall-Cruiser]

On November 6, 2019 at 10:42 AM, WIChick27 said:

Anyone on Adventures next few sailings heard anything? Several of the dates have sold out suite classes and we are anxiously awaiting our upgrade fate! 
 

 

 

 

On November 6, 2019 at 3:07 PM, TimeToGetNauti said:

I am leaving on Adventure Dec 7th and no word on my RoyalUp offer. 

 

I am also leaving on the Adventure December saling and have been getting emails to upgrade every few days. I think they may be waiting it out a few more weeks to see how they can maximize on the bids. 

 

$300 PP for an OS or 2 BR GS is not bad. But for two people it doesn't make sense to bid on that. I think I'm ok with my current JS on deck 11 as we got it for a great price and they are new. I would have bid "aggressively" on a GS if the sailing stopped at Labadee or Coco Cay so that we could benefit from some of the Suite perks for those Islands like Barefoot Beach and etc.   

 

Good luck.

[WIChick27]

5 hours ago, Tall-Cruiser said:

 

 

 

I am also leaving on the Adventure December saling and have been getting emails to upgrade every few days. I think they may be waiting it out a few more weeks to see how they can maximize on the bids. 

 

$300 PP for an OS or 2 BR GS is not bad. But for two people it doesn't make sense to bid on that. I think I'm ok with my current JS on deck 11 as we got it for a great price and they are new. I would have bid "aggressively" on a GS if the sailing stopped at Labadee or Coco Cay so that we could benefit from some of the Suite perks for those Islands like Barefoot Beach and etc.   

 

Good luck.

Interesting. We mainly want to get away from the Pullman bed so we didn’t bid JS as OFRA are great to end up with another one. 
 

Wish they would get bid replies rolling for our sail date. I changed mine, again. 

[Cruise a holic]

4 hours ago, WIChick27 said:

Interesting. We mainly want to get away from the Pullman bed so we didn’t bid JS as OFRA are great to end up with another one. 
 

Wish they would get bid replies rolling for our sail date. I changed mine, again. 

IMO worth going into a true suite vs. a Junior suite.  First, you have access to breakfast in a speciality restaurant, access to the suite lounge, and other perks- also extra points getting you to diamond status asap.  While the Adventure is an older ship, and doesn't have the best suite lounge/restaurant or a true suite deck- IMO worth the upgrade if you can swing it.  Enjoy your cruise

Edited November 11, 2019 by Cruise a holic

[Ourusualbeach]

8 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

IMO worth going into a true suite vs. a Junior suite.  First, you have access to breakfast in a speciality restaurant, access to the suite lounge, and other perks- also extra points getting you to diamond status asap.  While the Adventure is an older ship, and doesn't have the best suite lounge/restaurant or a true suite deck- IMO worth the upgrade if you can swing it.  Enjoy your cruise

Unless you were in a suite before bidding you do not get the double points if your suite bid is accepted.  Also it is JS and up that get double points. 

[WIChick27]

3 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

IMO worth going into a true suite vs. a Junior suite.  First, you have access to breakfast in a specialty restaurant, access to the suite lounge, and other perks- also extra points getting you to diamond status asap.  While the Adventure is an older ship, and doesn't have the best suite lounge/restaurant or a true suite deck- IMO worth the upgrade if you can swing it.  Enjoy your cruise

We think the suite would be great since our initial price was so reasonable. Being on Adventure means it doesn't come with all of the extras of an Oasis class, but the experience is one we probably wouldn't shell out for, at the normal price. We weren't able to grab one when prices got realllly good for this sailing, so we have been at the mercy of royal up for months. The wait is painstaking though. 

 

[tomservo]

On 11/10/2019 at 7:19 AM, Sail2k said:

I too wonder how the heck it is all done and figured out.  I would assume it is all programmed for various configurations and data sets...but I will say it definitely doesn't always go-to the highest bidder...friends of ours all had booked balcony rooms together for a post wedding cruise...all but 1 room on same floor, 2 people bid on RoyalUp, the one who got upgraded bid 200 less than his friend.  The only real difference we all noted was he (winning bid) was a 1st time Royal cruiser...

 

I imagine the people who run this for Royal and other Cruise lines are kept in a hidden compound, with no contact from the outside world...their identity is hidden...phones are tapped... Because it would be great to know someone who does this...lol they would become our new best friend!!

 

This got kind of buried in this thread (maybe I should put it in its own thread), but check out my prior post on how I would implement a bidding algorithm.

 

 

[WIChick27]

2 hours ago, tomservo said:

 

This got kind of buried in this thread (maybe I should put it in its own thread), but check out my prior post on how I would implement a bidding algorithm.

 

I am an analyst by all traits and this is great! Thank you for pulling it out of the abyss. It makes complete sense, especially when room types are sold out. I noticed several suite and balcony dates are sold on on AOS for the remaining trips. 

 

[BeagleAgility]

Currently in a Junior Suite on the Navigator of the Seas - 3 of us (2 adults - 1 child (12)).

 

Just did the Royal Up for a possible Grand Suite or Owner's Suite upgrade.

 

I know that you are only charged for the first 2 occupants of the room. I am already getting the double points due to the Junior Suite. However, does the 3rd person get the other suite perks even though only 2 were paid for (does that make sense)?

Thanks.