Interesting Royal Up email.....

[Shippy]

    Our cruise leaves in 2 days.

We have a GS and quite awhile back bid on an Owners Suite & Royal Suite.

There were none available at the time but thought there might be a cancellation.

Still nothing shows available

BUT....

I guess they want to be covered for people that do not show up.

Sign of the times...weather/flu/covid

We got an email last night asking if we wanted to leave our bid or cancel.

    If we leave our bid we have to be able to give up our cabin AFTER we have checked in and basically settled in later in the day if one of those cabins becomes available. If we do not, we will still be charged to our room, the amount of our bid.

  I know odds are slim but I agreed to leave the bid. Only bummer is I like to unpack right away. Guess I will have to wait for the sail away to do so.

[c-leg5]

2 minutes ago, Shippy said:

    Our cruise leaves in 2 days.

We have a GS and quite awhile back bid on an Owners Suite & Royal Suite.

There were none available at the time but thought there might be a cancellation.

Still nothing shows available

BUT....

I guess they want to be covered for people that do not show up.

Sign of the times...weather/flu/covid

We got an email last night asking if we wanted to leave our bid or cancel.

    If we leave our bid we have to be able to give up our cabin AFTER we have checked in and basically settled in later in the day if one of those cabins becomes available. If we do not, we will still be charged to our room, the amount of our bid.

  I know odds are slim but I agreed to leave the bid. Only bummer is I like to unpack right away. Guess I will have to wait for the sail away to do so.

There have been several postings of people getting notified after boarding some quite late on as I recall. Only you can decide if it is worth the hassle.

[sunnydaysmile]

9 hours ago, Shippy said:

    Our cruise leaves in 2 days.

We have a GS and quite awhile back bid on an Owners Suite & Royal Suite.

We leave in 2 days also.  Received a similar email, except we bid on a GS....so if you get your upgrade, maybe we will be getting your GS.  🙂

[Starry Eyes]

That sounds like the standard email going out to people in all sorts of cabins with bids in the RoyalUp system.  The success rate after boarding seems very low from reports on CruiseCritic, so I’ve been unpacking as usual.

[BirdTravels]

On 1/11/2023 at 11:27 AM, Shippy said:

    Our cruise leaves in 2 days.

We have a GS and quite awhile back bid on an Owners Suite & Royal Suite.

There were none available at the time but thought there might be a cancellation.

Still nothing shows available

BUT....

I guess they want to be covered for people that do not show up.

Sign of the times...weather/flu/covid

We got an email last night asking if we wanted to leave our bid or cancel.

    If we leave our bid we have to be able to give up our cabin AFTER we have checked in and basically settled in later in the day if one of those cabins becomes available. If we do not, we will still be charged to our room, the amount of our bid.

  I know odds are slim but I agreed to leave the bid. Only bummer is I like to unpack right away. Guess I will have to wait for the sail away to do so.

It's a normal email. Normally, at this point, bidding would be over and you would have got a reject letter. The final reservations are transferred to the ship. 

 

With a lot of last minute cancellation (COVID), they have allowed the ship to fill any last minute cancellation and no-shows. 

 

Your bid was not accepted. The potential of getting a room from a no-show is very, very, very low. 

[Merion_Mom]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Your bid was not accepted. The potential of getting a room from a no-show is very, very, very low. 

 

.......but not non-existent.

[RCCLNYMETS41]

Same email the last 2 cruises. Once onboard (I left bid in case notified at check in), we cancelled bid. Decided not worth hassle & wanted to get settled in to cabin. 

[jean87510]

Im curious about this scenario.  Has anyone actually experienced this after unpacking and does anyone on the ship at least assist you in moving the luggage to the new room as it could be a distance?  I mean if it was not that much and the only inconvenience was to repack and unpack, I would just go for it.

[nelblu]

8 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

Im curious about this scenario.  Has anyone actually experienced this after unpacking and does anyone on the ship at least assist you in moving the luggage to the new room as it could be a distance?  I mean if it was not that much and the only inconvenience was to repack and unpack, I would just go for it.

I did not realize that you got your bags that quickly, unless you have carry on only.😄

[jean87510]

2 minutes ago, nelblu said:

I did not realize that you got your bags that quickly, unless you have carry on only.😄

You misunderstood what I meant.  Which is basically if you've already unpacked.  It sounds like these assignments can occur at any time on Day 1.  And, if I am incorrect and there's a definite timeframe of 2pm when rooms open up, then why is it an issue at all to change rooms since obviously now you 90% don't have all your luggage and it's an easy move.

[nelblu]

2 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

You misunderstood what I meant.  Which is basically if you've already unpacked.  It sounds like these assignments can occur at any time on Day 1.  And, if I am incorrect and there's a definite timeframe of 2pm when rooms open up, then why is it an issue at all to change rooms since obviously now you 90% don't have all your luggage and it's an easy move.

My comment was in jest as many times by bags don't show up until I'm about to go to dinner. You are right.  I don't know when is the latest that one's bid is accepted.  I assume that by the time the cabins open up one should have a pretty good idea.

[billslowsky]

13 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

That sounds like the standard email going out to people in all sorts of cabins with bids in the RoyalUp system.  The success rate after boarding seems very low from reports on CruiseCritic, so I’ve been unpacking as usual.

They get day-of-cruise no-shows sometimes.

[orville99]

2 hours ago, jean87510 said:

Im curious about this scenario.  Has anyone actually experienced this after unpacking and does anyone on the ship at least assist you in moving the luggage to the new room as it could be a distance?  I mean if it was not that much and the only inconvenience was to repack and unpack, I would just go for it.

If you get an upgrade after you board, your room steward will assist in moving you to your new cabin. Happened to us once, and we didn’t find out about the upgrade until the morning of day 2. GS tried to call us in the evening on day one, but the previous week’s occupants had unplugged the phone. We had to repack what was in the drawers, and the room steward brought a cart and moved everything that was hanging in the closet, along with the suitcases.

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, billslowsky said:

They get day-of-cruise no-shows sometimes.

Yes.  Still here on CruiseCritic we see very few reports of RoyalUp upgrades after luggage is received.  
So far I have usually chosen to leave my bids in place.  We go ahead with our usual day 1 routine (including unpacking) as the probability is we will stay in our current cabin.  RoyalUp in not occupying our thoughts; we are enjoying day 1 as usual.  If perchance we get that seemingly rare day 1 upgrade we could repack easily enough.

 

I suppose if I knew there was reason to think there would be an increased number of same day cancellations (major travel disruptions or such), I might delay unpacking

[Kendall R]

I too received this email for my bid on the Grand Suite. But if they wait until after you board before letting you know whether or not you've won the Royal Up, then how do you cancel perks you paid in advance for that you'd no longer need if you were in a suite? For example I purchased The Key for my Wonder OTS sailing next week being it was only a few $$ more than buying standalone VOOM. But if I'm in a Grand Suite, I no longer need to pay for VOOM as it comes free for that class of suite as well as most of the other perks of The Key.  I doubt they'd let me cancel my Key purchase after boarding? 

 

When I made the Royal Up bid I remember reading that they'd inform you at least 2 hours prior to boarding whether or not your bid was accepted.

Edited January 13, 2023 by Kendall R

[ngrund]

1 hour ago, Kendall R said:

I too received this email for my bid on the Grand Suite. But if they wait until after you board before letting you know whether or not you've won the Royal Up, then how do you cancel perks you paid in advance for that you'd no longer need if you were in a suite? For example I purchased The Key for my Wonder OTS sailing next week being it was only a few $$ more than buying standalone VOOM. But if I'm in a Grand Suite, I no longer need to pay for VOOM as it comes free for that class of suite as well as most of the other perks of The Key.  I doubt they'd let me cancel my Key purchase after boarding? 

 

When I made the Royal Up bid I remember reading that they'd inform you at least 2 hours prior to boarding whether or not your bid was accepted.

This is my question as well, I bid for a GS for a March cruise on Oasis (that I don't really expect to get) and I also bought the Key-

 

I am expecting to just  eat the cost of the Key and consider it as part of the upgrade cost,  but it sucks if they don't make some sort of accommodation. If I can't get the Key cost refunded, I may just ask if we can get some OBC

[orville99]

1 hour ago, Kendall R said:

I too received this email for my bid on the Grand Suite. But if they wait until after you board before letting you know whether or not you've won the Royal Up, then how do you cancel perks you paid in advance for that you'd no longer need if you were in a suite? For example I purchased The Key for my Wonder OTS sailing next week being it was only a few $$ more than buying standalone VOOM. But if I'm in a Grand Suite, I no longer need to pay for VOOM as it comes free for that class of suite as well as most of the other perks of The Key.  I doubt they'd let me cancel my Key purchase after boarding? 

 

When I made the Royal Up bid I remember reading that they'd inform you at least 2 hours prior to boarding whether or not your bid was accepted.

 

29 minutes ago, ngrund said:

This is my question as well, I bid for a GS for a March cruise on Oasis (that I don't really expect to get) and I also bought the Key-

 

I am expecting to just  eat the cost of the Key and consider it as part of the upgrade cost,  but it sucks if they don't make some sort of accommodation. If I can't get the Key cost refunded, I may just ask if we can get some OBC

They will refund amenities like VOOM if purchased separately, but you’d probably have to jones for a rebate on the Key because of everything else it gives you that you don’t necessarily get in. suite.

[ngrund]

This will be my first RCL cruise, but what else does the Key get me that a suite doesn't?

 

All I can think of is The Chops lunch?

[jean87510]

3 hours ago, orville99 said:

If you get an upgrade after you board, your room steward will assist in moving you to your new cabin. Happened to us once, and we didn’t find out about the upgrade until the morning of day 2. GS tried to call us in the evening on day one, but the previous week’s occupants had unplugged the phone. We had to repack what was in the drawers, and the room steward brought a cart and moved everything that was hanging in the closet, along with the suitcases.

thank you.  That sounds great!  

[jean87510]

2 hours ago, Kendall R said:

I too received this email for my bid on the Grand Suite. But if they wait until after you board before letting you know whether or not you've won the Royal Up, then how do you cancel perks you paid in advance for that you'd no longer need if you were in a suite? For example I purchased The Key for my Wonder OTS sailing next week being it was only a few $$ more than buying standalone VOOM. But if I'm in a Grand Suite, I no longer need to pay for VOOM as it comes free for that class of suite as well as most of the other perks of The Key.  I doubt they'd let me cancel my Key purchase after boarding? 

 

When I made the Royal Up bid I remember reading that they'd inform you at least 2 hours prior to boarding whether or not your bid was accepted.

You only get the free wifi on certain ships with Grand Suite.  I had actually cancelled the Key once I was successful with my Royal up bid for a GS in December cruise.  I did find out a while out though.  Plus the internet was cheaper to buy 1 voom/2 devices then the key.  I already had the priority boarding and didn't care about the lunch as I don't really like Chops lunch.

[Starry Eyes]

2 hours ago, Kendall R said:

I too received this email for my bid on the Grand Suite. But if they wait until after you board before letting you know whether or not you've won the Royal Up, then how do you cancel perks you paid in advance for that you'd no longer need if you were in a suite? For example I purchased The Key for my Wonder OTS sailing next week being it was only a few $$ more than buying standalone VOOM. But if I'm in a Grand Suite, I no longer need to pay for VOOM as it comes free for that class of suite as well as most of the other perks of The Key.  I doubt they'd let me cancel my Key purchase after boarding? 

 

When I made the Royal Up bid I remember reading that they'd inform you at least 2 hours prior to boarding whether or not your bid was accepted.

I think you have a few choices:

1. If you want to insure you do not pay for both Key/VOOM package and your RoyalUp, then cancel your RoyalUp bid a couple days before boarding.  Or you could reconsider your package purchase and just buy VOOM.

2.  Or if it happens you can discuss the situation with the concierge.  They might (or might not) be able to refund the package under that circumstance.  You could ask.

[ngrund]

2 hours ago, Kendall R said:

I too received this email for my bid on the Grand Suite. But if they wait until after you board before letting you know whether or not you've won the Royal Up, then how do you cancel perks you paid in advance for that you'd no longer need if you were in a suite? For example I purchased The Key for my Wonder OTS sailing next week being it was only a few $$ more than buying standalone VOOM. But if I'm in a Grand Suite, I no longer need to pay for VOOM as it comes free for that class of suite as well as most of the other perks of The Key.  I doubt they'd let me cancel my Key purchase after boarding? 

 

When I made the Royal Up bid I remember reading that they'd inform you at least 2 hours prior to boarding whether or not your bid was accepted.

actually can be up to 2 hours after sailing (last minute no shows)-this is from the e-mail I just received

 

Advanced online check-in is recommended and will not affect your chance of upgrade. You will be notified on the final status of your upgrade up to day of your sailing, so please check your email up until the time of departure that day. If you do not receive any communication by 2 hours after sailing, your cabin has not been upgraded.  

[orville99]

1 hour ago, ngrund said:

This will be my first RCL cruise, but what else does the Key get me that a suite doesn't?

 

All I can think of is The Chops lunch?

On any ship other than Oasis or Quantum class, internet is not a suite perk, and on ships with no Coastal Kitchen the only meal in a specialty restaurant that is included is daily breakfast in Chops. Have never seen the value of the Key in a suite since the only incremental item of value for the entire cruise is internet, and that is usually cheaper a la carte.

Edited January 13, 2023 by orville99

[ngrund]

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

On any ship other than Oasis or Quantum class, internet is not a suite perk, and on ships with no Coastal Kitchen the only meal in a specialty restaurant that is included is daily breakfast in Chops. Have never seen the value of the Key in a suite since the only incremental item of value for the entire cruise is internet, and that is usually cheaper a la carte.

Thanks, I am on Oasis of the Seas, so we would get internet and Coastal Kitchen-

 

I really don't think I'll get the upgrade, (min bid and no GS rooms show as available to book now)  and if I do I have to eat the cost of The Key, oh well.

[orville99]

1 hour ago, ngrund said:

Thanks, I am on Oasis of the Seas, so we would get internet and Coastal Kitchen-

 

I really don't think I'll get the upgrade, (min bid and no GS rooms show as available to book now)  and if I do I have to eat the cost of The Key, oh well.

Cabins not showing as available doesn’t mean you have no chance of getting an upgrade. We got an upgrade from a GS to an OS on Jewel in December even though the OS never showed as available.