Winning RoyalUp bids after return to full capacity

[sandebeach]

9 hours ago, Wineaux007 said:

If this is this coming Odyssey TA, we are in a JS and RoyalUp bid to GS.  I guess someone else's bid was accepted to free up that JS, and ours was too low.  🙃  

Yes, it is the upcoming TA. I had also bid on a grand suite and an owner’s suite. Was very glad to get the JS. 

[sandebeach]

11 hours ago, Wineaux007 said:

If this is this coming Odyssey TA, we are in a JS and RoyalUp bid to GS.  I guess someone else's bid was accepted to free up that JS, and ours was too low.  🙃  

Oops! Not for the TA, for the following cruise to the Holy Lands. I have not heard anything on my bids for the TA, oh well. Just glad we got our upgrade to the JS on the Holy Lands cruise. Saved me $3,000!

[jean87510]

On 3/27/2023 at 10:30 AM, orville99 said:

And yet, we have won suite upgrades six times since the restart with minimum bids, four of which were after ships started sailing at full capacity, and at least three were upgrades to categories that showed as sold out when we placed our bids.

We "won" 4 out of 5 times since the restart.  3 were on full capacity.  1 was JS to GS.  All were minimum bids.  Only one we didn't get was our Grandeur December Holiday 2021 where there were 600 onboard.  Apparently no rooms available per GS.  Had an inside room on Deck 3 covid floor.  I think Karma felt sorry for me and gave me breaks on my next 4 tries.

[BirdTravels]

On 3/27/2023 at 6:41 AM, dleahy4444 said:

Once cruising resumed and sailings were at low capacity, it seemed that a higher percentage of cruisers were winning their RoyalUp bids. Now that sailings are at full capacity and inventory on the website often shows multiple stateroom categories as sold out, are there any recent success stories out there? I’m particularly interested in winning bids within the suites category. My upcoming sailing shows balconies as available but the suite category is sold out. I know there is no way of guessing how Plusgrade  determines who wins a bid, but it’s fun to try to detect recent trends

Consider the probability very low to none. There are thousands of people who could bid on a suite. 

[sassy1ja]

23 hours ago, sandebeach said:

It had been a while since I won a Royal Up bid but yesterday my Royal Up was accepted. Went from an OV balcony to a junior suite on the Odyssey TA. 

Can I ask how much was your bid? We are booked same ship same cabin. 

[AtSeaAlways]

On 3/27/2023 at 7:15 AM, Joseph2017China said:

Getting an upgrade, under the old way, and with the new bidding has always been extremely rare except for a small period of time.  Don't try to over guess this, since the odds of getting an upgrade is slim to none, but bid a really high number and maybe you will get it.  I would guess just getting what you want in the first place is better.  

Think about the math here- booking cancellations, or a decision to assign a last minute unsold premium cabin to upgrades can create a lot of wins.  A full ship does not matter.  If a booking in the Grand/Owner's Suite cancels or is open, that generates a possible number of upgrade opportunities close to the number of cabin categories on the ship.  Even if a party cancels in a Spacious Ocean View, that might generate two wins.  Inside to OV, OV to SOV.  Can you upgrade to a larger inside cabin? 

This is why it is in software- all the paperwork would be a pain.  There is/was a known bug- some booking numbers don't download into the upgrade system.  So it gives you a generic error.   One mystery - presumably it decides winners based on size of bid.  But if there are two identical bids?   Does the first bidder win?  

And then more math- do you try to sell an open suite up to the last day, or assign it to RoyalUp and then try to sell the resulting open inside cabin on the website?  I think they want to try to offer cheap GTY cabins to web buyers to capture new last minute passengers, or not?  It is maybe best to sell the top cabins at full price?  But two days before sailing push it to upgrades?  

[sandebeach]

9 hours ago, sassy1ja said:

Can I ask how much was your bid? We are booked same ship same cabin. 

My bid was $310 for a total of $620.  

[cruiseboy89130]

5 minutes ago, sandebeach said:

My bid was $310 for a total of $620.  

But that was NOT for the TA?! - and that is what they were asking.....

[sandebeach]

1 hour ago, cruiseboy89130 said:

But that was NOT for the TA?! - and that is what they were asking.....

Yes, this was my follow-up post:

Oops! Not for the TA, for the following cruise to the Holy Lands. I have not heard anything on my bids for the TA, oh well. Just glad we got our upgrade to the JS on the Holy Lands cruise. Saved me $3,000!

 

I bid the same amount for the TA as for the Holy Land cr.

 

[little britain]

Is there a list somewhere please of what bookings are NOT eligible for Up?

 

I’ve read somewhere about big box bookings ( whatever they are - obviously nothing we have here in England!) but wondered if there were any other exclusions like group rates, NET fares, or friends & family discounts?

 

 

@Ourusualbeach or @Biker19 ? 
thanks 🙏 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by little britain

[Ourusualbeach]

4 minutes ago, little britain said:

Is there a list somewhere please of what bookings are NOT eligible for Up?

 

I’ve read somewhere about big box bookings ( whatever they are - obviously nothing we have here in England!) but wondered if there were any other exclusions like group rates, NET fares, or friends & family discounts?

 

 

@Ourusualbeach or @Biker19 ? 
thanks 🙏 

 

 

It is only if the TA has opted out.

 

I have received Royal Ups for 2 different types of complimentary cruises so I am fairly confident in saying there are no restrictions based on rate codes.

[Wineaux007]

Usually Royal will send you an email announcing the RoyalUp program.  If you have not heard, go to this website and enter your Name & Reservation No to find out if you are eligible:  Cruise Room Upgrades - Royal Up | Royal Caribbean Cruises

 

[BecciBoo]

Sailing Allure out of Galv. Sept. 14th in an inside.  Planning on trying again trying for a OVbalcony or higher.  Will only bid minimum or slightly above up to $50 above minimum per person.  Figure O class chances are better.  Have a couple months to go yet though.  So I'll be watchin ya.  Good luck everybody.

Edited April 10, 2023 by BecciBoo