RoyalUP? (Bid for stateroom upgrade)

[Journey2016]

The offers go out 6 weeks before the cruise. 

People booked with TAs get them. The TA gets the commission on the updated fees.

The upgrades appear to be awarded in order of cabin class- Higher suites first, cascading down to Ocean view last. We bid on an Owner's suite and were notified of the acceptance just two days later. 

[boscobeans]

On ‎1‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 1:54 PM, wwcruisers said:

 

When it comes to the inherent silliness of this program, I can even top this. We booked a truly last-minute 'family cruise' on Indy, for next month. We snagged one of the last JS's, and got a nearby inside cabin for our son and his family. He called me yesterday, saying that he had received an e-mail from RC, encouraging him to put in a bid for a higher grade cabin. That same morning, I had pulled up our cruise and it showed 'sold-out' in EVERY category, except for 'inside guarantee'. I told my DS not to waste his time or energy, because (from what I could see at least) there was nothing on the ship to upgrade TO.

 

Cruises for any number of reasons are cancelled right up to the morning of departure.  Not even travel agents are aware of the possible minute by minute changes. 

 

This is where the Royal Up system is supposed to work.  A sold out cruise (as per the RC website ) will have staterooms in various categories open up and then disappear throughout the day.

[wwcruisers]

4 hours ago, boscobeans said:

 

Cruises for any number of reasons are cancelled right up to the morning of departure.  Not even travel agents are aware of the possible minute by minute changes. 

 

This is where the Royal Up system is supposed to work.  A sold out cruise (as per the RC website ) will have staterooms in various categories open up and then disappear throughout the day.

Thanks for the info. Royal-up sounds a lot like the 'up-bid' program that X is currently doing. In our particular case, we did choose our cabins for their proximity to each other -- and were lucky to get them, considering how late we booked. So, we would not have been looking to move anyway. I was just surprised that my son got that e-mail, on the day I looked online and found the ship practically sold-out. But, what you (and others) have said does make sense. I learn something every day, when I log onto CC! 🧐

[MandyMooToo]

Just for information purposes, I received our third(I think) RoyalUp email a few hours ago "reminding" us to bid before our cruise next week.  We leave 2/9/19 on Brilliance and the opening bids never changed from my earlier post:

Ocean View 30pp

Balcony 50pp

Junior Suite 150pp

 

[cruisegirl1976]

Ok.. help.. I am interested in this Royal UP and I am just finding out about it.. my cruise isn't until Next Feb 2020, and I booked it directly with RCL, will I get an email?.. or do I need to contact them to let them know I am interested? Thanks in advance 🙂

[Clarea]

18 minutes ago, cruisegirl1976 said:

Ok.. help.. I am interested in this Royal UP and I am just finding out about it.. my cruise isn't until Next Feb 2020, and I booked it directly with RCL, will I get an email?.. or do I need to contact them to let them know I am interested? Thanks in advance 🙂

 

Many people have contacted RC and still don't get emails.  There's really nothing you can do to guarantee getting an email from RC.

[molly361]

19 minutes ago, cruisegirl1976 said:

Ok.. help.. I am interested in this Royal UP and I am just finding out about it.. my cruise isn't until Next Feb 2020, and I booked it directly with RCL, will I get an email?.. or do I need to contact them to let them know I am interested? Thanks in advance 🙂

It seems to be a mystery who gets them.  You should make sure that you are signed up in your Crown and Anchor account to receive promo emails

 

Ellen who has yet to receive one and does not know why she is giving advice😇

[3bzmom]

21 hours ago, cruisegirl1976 said:

Ok.. help.. I am interested in this Royal UP and I am just finding out about it.. my cruise isn't until Next Feb 2020, and I booked it directly with RCL, will I get an email?.. or do I need to contact them to let them know I am interested? Thanks in advance 🙂

If you do get an email, it will likely be a couple months in advance. Is there a reason you don't just book a better room now? For us, our financial situation changed between the initial booking and now, so we could've booked a balcony.

[cruisegirl1976]

2 hours ago, 3bzmom said:

If you do get an email, it will likely be a couple months in advance. Is there a reason you don't just book a better room now? For us, our financial situation changed between the initial booking and now, so we could've booked a balcony.

We have a Balcony room booked, I just wanted to upgrade to a suite.. and don't want to spend that much money right now.. 

[tcneal]

We received an offer to bid on our March Symphony cruise.   The problem is that we have 2 connecting CPV rooms with linked reservations with kids in the other room.   We only received the offer on 1 of the cabins.   I wonder if they would ever let you bid on a pair?   I guess not.  So we passed.

[aaflygirl]

Looking for a little advice!  We are on Harmony of the Seas February 24 Western Caribbean.  We booked a WS Guarantee and was given a Accesible Junior Suite on Deck 14.  Neither me nor my husband have a need for an accessible cabin.  Personally, I feel that these types of cabins should be reserved solely for guests that require such a cabin, but it was assigned to us by Royal Caribbean.  I called to try and get it changed, and was unsuccessful.  We received an email invitation to participate in the RoyalUP bidding program for a possible upgrade.  Here is my question :

 

Our Accesible Cabin will be 390 square feet with a 107 sq ft balcony.  The grand suite is actually a little smaller at 371 sq ft with a 105 sq ft balcony.

Personally, I would love the tub to soak in...which I will not have in the cabin we were assigned. When I booked this cruise a WS Guarantee was only $200 more than an Deluxe Ocean View Balcony with large balcony that I could have chosen the cabin.  Lesson learned here!

Are the perks of a GS that much better than a Junior Suite?  I have been looking for comparisons and can’t find one that is similar to this.  Any advice?  Thank You!

 

[Clarea]

5 minutes ago, aaflygirl said:

 .... Are the perks of a GS that much better than a Junior Suite?  I have been looking for comparisons and can’t find one that is similar to this.  Any advice?  Thank You!

 

 

Yes, the perks for a GS are MUCH better than those for a JS.

 

On Harmony, the GS will get you free internet, access to Coastal Kitchen breakfast, lunch, and dinner,  free room service including being able to order off the MDR menu whenever the MDR is open, access to the Suite Lounge with the 3.5 hour free drink period every night, etc.

[molly361]

5 minutes ago, aaflygirl said:

Looking for a little advice!  We are on Harmony of the Seas February 24 Western Caribbean.  We booked a WS Guarantee and was given a Accesible Junior Suite on Deck 14.  Neither me nor my husband have a need for an accessible cabin.  Personally, I feel that these types of cabins should be reserved solely for guests that require such a cabin, but it was assigned to us by Royal Caribbean.  I called to try and get it changed, and was unsuccessful.  We received an email invitation to participate in the RoyalUP bidding program for a possible upgrade.  Here is my question :

 

Our Accesible Cabin will be 390 square feet with a 107 sq ft balcony.  The grand suite is actually a little smaller at 371 sq ft with a 105 sq ft balcony.

Personally, I would love the tub to soak in...which I will not have in the cabin we were assigned. When I booked this cruise a WS Guarantee was only $200 more than an Deluxe Ocean View Balcony with large balcony that I could have chosen the cabin.  Lesson learned here!

Are the perks of a GS that much better than a Junior Suite?  I have been looking for comparisons and can’t find one that is similar to this.  Any advice?  Thank You!

 

Here are the suite benefits for a GS- they are quite a bit better than a JS

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/royalsuiteclass/sky

Edited January 30, 2019 by molly361

[MandyMooToo]

7 minutes ago, aaflygirl said:

Looking for a little advice!  We are on Harmony of the Seas February 24 Western Caribbean.  We booked a WS Guarantee and was given a Accesible Junior Suite on Deck 14.  Neither me nor my husband have a need for an accessible cabin.  Personally, I feel that these types of cabins should be reserved solely for guests that require such a cabin, but it was assigned to us by Royal Caribbean.  I called to try and get it changed, and was unsuccessful.  We received an email invitation to participate in the RoyalUP bidding program for a possible upgrade.  Here is my question :

 

Our Accesible Cabin will be 390 square feet with a 107 sq ft balcony.  The grand suite is actually a little smaller at 371 sq ft with a 105 sq ft balcony.

Personally, I would love the tub to soak in...which I will not have in the cabin we were assigned. When I booked this cruise a WS Guarantee was only $200 more than an Deluxe Ocean View Balcony with large balcony that I could have chosen the cabin.  Lesson learned here!

Are the perks of a GS that much better than a Junior Suite?  I have been looking for comparisons and can’t find one that is similar to this.  Any advice?  Thank You!

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-are-the-benefits-of-the-suites-program

[Ahmne]

We sail on the Freedom March 31st and got an offer today. We have a balcony room currently. 

 

Here are the prices in the email (in CAD)

Panoramic $200pp

Jr. suite $270

Grand suite $465

Owners suite $600

Villa Suite $900

Royal suite $1330

 

When I clicked through the minimum bids were slightly different for the larger suites

 

Owners suite $595

Villa Suite $925

Royal suite $1315

 

We are a family of four. I put a minimum bid on the grand suite and a slightly higher bid on the Jr suite. The Jr suites only have guarantee rooms left for the sailing.

We will see if we can a get a cabin with more space to spread out.

[Sailing_Canuck]

I know a few people have said they were successful - but numbers seem lower.  I'm sure there are several successful bidders who are not on this forum.  

[TillieAgnes]

On 11/26/2018 at 1:02 PM, Pratique said:

I agree it can be senseless bidding. Who knows what the upgrade fairy was going to do before seeing your bid and laughing maniacally? Maybe if you have the winning bid then they give you a casino credit and get you to fall for it again lol.

There is a minimum and maximum bid.  It is my guess the the opportunity is extended to those who have been assigned a room in a category  of rooms that has a “room guarantee,” and they have over booked that category.  If you are going from a junior suite to a grand suite the extra perks, include access to the concierge room, and the extra space in the room may well worth the $200 to $500 bid.  Unlike the casino, if you don’t win you keep your money.

[RFerrington]

I noticed this morning that there is now an Owner's Suite showing as available on my 2-23 sailing on Anthem.  That sailing has been showing sold out for weeks now.  SOO.....that tells me that they are going to try and sell this OS for retail rather than going to RoyalUp first.  I guess if it doesn't sell within X number of days they will go to the RoyalUp bids and push everyone up.

[Biker19]

19 hours ago, RFerrington said:

.....that tells me that they are going to try and sell this OS for retail rather than going to RoyalUp first.  

No reason they can't have bidding going on now - that way they have the bids all lined up if no one takes the retail price - and, someone who doesn't look could bid even more than retail.

[BillOh]

On 1/30/2019 at 3:49 PM, aaflygirl said:

.  We booked a WS Guarantee and was given a Accesible Junior Suite on Deck 14. ......... Personally, I feel that these types of cabins should be reserved solely for guests that require such a cabin, but it was assigned to us by Royal Caribbean.

 

 

Who knows if Royal Caribbean actually uses logic, but if you bid, maybe you would be more likely to be successful with a lower bid if a last minute person needs an accessible cabin. Good luck. 

[TanaQ]

First timer here. Had a GTY  and was offered a Royal up to an unobstructed balcony. I bid 60 PP and got it within a few days. In the grand scheme of pricing, the 120 is worth it to actually be able to see the ocean! (I hope).

[Biker19]

48 minutes ago, TanaQ said:

 Had a GTY  and was offered a Royal up to an unobstructed balcony. I bid 60 PP and got it within a few days. In the grand scheme of pricing, the 120 is worth it to actually be able to see the ocean!

Welcome to CC.

 

What was the list price of the upgrade?

[jmom2004]

53 minutes ago, TanaQ said:

First timer here. Had a GTY  and was offered a Royal up to an unobstructed balcony. I bid 60 PP and got it within a few days. In the grand scheme of pricing, the 120 is worth it to actually be able to see the ocean! (I hope).

Which sailing?

[TanaQ]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Welcome to CC.

 

What was the list price of the upgrade?

 

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Welcome to CC.

 

What was the list price of the upgrade?

200 pp so I made out ok. 

I think. Total noob. As evidenced by the double quote. 

[TanaQ]

10 minutes ago, jmom2004 said:

Which sailing?

2/15 from Bayonne.