Several years ago, I decided to start this blog to document our family trips. Balcony staterooms feature a verandah with views of . While its unlikely that your RoyalUp bid will be accepted immediately after bidding, be sure to double check your bid amounts. For more details about RoyalUp, click here. Because of our appealing setup, my sister decided not to bid on any rooms for her ocean view cabin nor her Junior Suite. Remember, dining in the main dining rooms (although nice) are not mandatory. So for a very overly simplistic example, if there are 2 bids for a RS, and a GS bid $600 and a JS bid $500. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. That way, you'll also reap the benefits of any perms your agent offers, such as onboard credit or prepaid gratuities. If you bid on RoyalUp and later decide you dont want to upgrade your stateroom, you can choose to cancel the bid. If you are a solo traveler, youll still have to pay the bid amount x2, which can make upgrades more expensive for those cruising solo. Many of the unsold cabins available through the Royal Caribbean RoyalUp program are the types of cabins you want to avoid on a cruise. Take screenshots or printed copy of your setsail pass, you need to produce it a couple of times at MBCC and 1st time onboard. Balcony staterooms feature a verandah with views of the ocean, Central Park neighborhood, or Boardwalk neighborhood. The ultimate in being a VIP! Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. A few clicks and you place your bet and wait to see if your bid is accepted. 84. Youll browse through the stateroom options and select the amount youre willing to pay for each upgrade. Bid higher than the minimum. Plus, we had planned to eat at a few of the specialty dining options at an estimated additional $200. At this time, the only exception is for bookings that reserve under a net price code which will not earn commission on the upcharge. And you only pay your bid if you win the stateroom upgrade. You should receive an email a couple months before your cruise offering you the chance to bid with RoyalUp. So, when an email arrived inviting her to bid on business class seats for the leg of the journey between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, she jumped on it, getting two seats for the less-than-three-hour flight for $590. If I have two reservations can I bid only once through RoyalUp and if accepted, cancel the second reservation and move the guests into the upgraded cabin? Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. A crew member will book your vacation right then and there and often offer additional incentives, such as a discounted deposit. To find out if you are eligible for the RoyalUp upgrades program, click here and enter your Last name and Booking number. If your dream vacation depends on a certain cabin, alleviate the chance factor by going with a more traditional upsell deal. Modifications or cancellations can be made here . 2. If not, you pay nothing and enjoy the stateroom you've already booked. The line is known for its mega-ships and first-of-its-kind world-class entertainment at sea. Here's a pro tip: Choose a flexible dining hour when you book your cruise. An At-Home COVID-19 Test Kit: How Does It Work Before Your Cruise and Is It Worth It? I've had three Royal Caribbean cruises so far this year and won an upgrade on all of them. "Maybe there are deals to be had but be very careful. 9 comments. If you win the bid, youll receive an email confirmation and your card will be charged the bid amount automatically. In the case that one of the reservations gets upgraded, you cannot move the You will be charged based on double occupancy. Once your bid is accepted, Royal Caribbean will charge that amount to the card it has on file for your voyage. RCI cannot guarantee a specific cabin number assignment within the upgraded category. When your clothes get dirty, soiled, or just need to be pressed, how do you handle laundry on a Royal Caribbean cruise, You have a Royal Caribbean cruise booked, and if you are like me, then you probably have thatwarm, fuzzy feeling in, When you are ready to book a cruise, basing your decision of which ship you shouldpick based onothers reviews is, Time is running out of 2022, but there are going to be plenty of cruises in November to look forward to before the, Should you book a 3-night cruise, or are you better off spending your money on a longer sailing? RoyalUp bidding is a great option, but its not best for everyone. Even before you consider bidding, it pays to check what the situation is in terms of any reduced upsell fares for your desired cabin, other Cruise Critic members warn. The RoyalUp upgrade does not include any additional promotions. This problem is automatically eliminated if you cruise in a group of 2 or more. It may be located midship, or it might be far forward or aft, close to the pool deck, etc. Once you find one or rooms that you like, you may place a bid. Some of the perks you receive with your room include: After booking our Junior Suite, we had already added on the deluxe beverage package, internet package, and pre-paid gratuities in our Cruise Planner for a total of $1876. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Turn on push notifications and don't miss anything! The upgrade may come with extra charges. So they did. This will add $21 per person to a 7-night cruise. Posted on February 27, 2023 by how much is tim allen's car collection worth ikea eket planner If you booked your cruise on your own directly with Royal Caribbean, you can call Royal Caribbean directly and give them . If you booked with a travel agent, you have to go through your travel agent to contact Royal Caribbean to upgrade you. A passenger in an Oceanview bid $100 to upgrade to a balcony. If having a certain type of cabin is a must-do, you are better off seeking the best sale price you can find. The programs differ slightly -- for instance, with Norwegian you can only bid up to two categories, for example, from an inside to an ocean view or balcony. In 2019, Celebrity Cruises introduced MoveUp and Azamara launched Azamara Upgrade. For more information on what each cabin category includes, you can check out our post on Royal Caribbean Suites Perks where we provide detailed information on each suite category. By bidding for an upgrade, youre sacrificing your choice of cabin location. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. You cannot decline the upgrade after you've requested it via this bidding system. Bidding for the room you want and getting your upgrade couldnt be easier. Many passengers may bid the minimum and hope they win the upgrade, but if your bid is even $10 more than another passenger, you will have a higher chance of receiving the upgrade. Cruises during the off-season may have fewer guests onboard, meaning there are more rooms available. If youre bidding on an upgrade from a midship Grand Suite to an AquaTheater suite, for example, your new cabin will be located at the very aft of the ship, which can be prone to more motion throughout the cruise. With the more established airline programs, passengers report the most success when bidding 20 to 40 percent of the difference between what they paid and the established fare for their desired seat. Here are tips to make a cruise experience better. If you plan to bid on a cruise cabin and you are cruising with friends, make sure you are aware that your friends do not receive the suite perks that you may get in your upgrade. Whats the best cruise ship cabin for my family? I am a stay-at-home mom with an amazing husband and two little girls who keep me busy with gymnastics, soccer, and swimming. To do this, sign up on the Royal Caribbean website, opt-in during online check-in, or through the My Reservations area on Royal Caribbeans website. Honestly, theres no guaranteed way to win the Royal Caribbean RoyalUp upgrade. We went from a balcony to a junior suite. If your bid is successful, youll win better accommodations at a lower price than direct booking. Likewise, if you have only one person in your cabin, you will still be required to bid for two people. For example, if you win a bid on a suite and are able to dine at the exclusive restaurant, Coastal Kitchen, your friends in a regular stateroom will not be permitted to join you. If you are eligible, youll be able to submit bids for your upcoming sailing. Why Do Cruise Ships Have Helipads? Always be sure to double check your bids before hitting submit, too. While this may dramatically increase your chances of winning, you may spend too much. This will help you have an idea of what types of cabin upgrades are available. Translated to cruise, if you book an ocean-view stateroom for $800 per person and are bidding on a mini-suite currently selling for $2,800, your best chance of landing an upgrade would come if you bid at least $400 per person. Good thing we didn't bite," Want2Cruise 701 writes. RoyalUp upgrades often come at a lower price than upgrading your stateroom on your own, making it an attractive option for those looking for the best deal on a better stateroom. Dozens of international airlines -- including Icelandair, Qantas and Aer Lingus -- invite select coach passengers to go online and designate how much they would pay for an upgrade to business or first class. Heres everything you need to know about the RoyalUp program. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. Read the fine print about the upgrade programs on the cruise line websites. Your time on the island gets you the most bang for your buck simply because you get all of these cool experiences for free. Are the RoyalUp upcharges commissionable? Royal Caribbean came up with the "virtual balcony", where with floor-to-ceiling HD display screens that show live action footage of the sea. What a mistake! Note that if you do not receive a Royal Up email, you can go to their website to type in your information and see if youre eligible. Once the RoyalUp bidding starts, youll receive an email inviting you to participate in the program. You may have a higher chance of winning a RoyalUp bid on a cruise with less capacity. In addition, the cruise line's free mobile app also lists activities. Enrollment required. For more details about how we use your information, view our. 3. Do you want to save money by booking an interior cabin or upgrading your accommodations to a balcony stateroom or suite? Also, if your bidding took you from an ocean-view cabin to a balcony, youd have no control over the location of that balcony. Kept checking for notification with no response. Forums. You can also change your mind and cancel the bid, as long as it hasn't yet been accepted. Aloha! You may modify or cancel your offer up until 2 days prior to departure, provided that your offer has not already been accepted by RCI and provided your credit card has not been charged. Many passengers bid on suites with RoyalUp, as you can often find a lower price through bidding than upgrading to the suite category outright. Guests will receive an email if their sailing is eligible and they will have the opportunity to browse through staterooms available for upgrade on their sailing. If you meant to bid only $200 per person on an upgrade, do a double check to make sure you didnt accidentally move the slider to $300 or $400! Under the circumstance that all reservations are upgraded, RCI cannot guarantee that all No, once your bid is accepted, your card will be charged immediately, and the upgrade amount paid is final and non-refundable. We are new to RCL, have done just 3 cruises. Introducing RoyalUp a new bid-based stateroom upgrade program. As with any "deal," it's important to do your research. This stateroom is typically included as one of the Sea Class suites, which may include perks like dinner access to Coastal Kitchen and priority boarding. $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. And, you'll only earn Crown & Anchor points on the original cabin category you purchased and not the upgraded on. Like any other commodity, cruise fares fluctuate. A Royal Up upgrade from an inside cabin may include an interior cabin with more square footage. Additionally, if you bid from an ocean view to a balcony, you have no control over where the balcony will be located. At first this seemed outrageous to me, but then I considered the amenities that are included with Star Class. We were notified the day before our cruise, moved to the last balcony port side on the 8th deck, 8398. 1. In terms of stateroom location, Dream Cruises doesn't let you choose this online (unlike Royal Caribbean). If you don't get an email and are sailing on any of the RCCL brands (Azamara, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean), you can also go online and enter your reservation number to see if you qualify to bid for an upgrade. This works great for a family of four; you only pay for two people for the upgrade. Overall, we enjoyed the anticipation of waiting to see if our bids were accepted. Once you win the upgrade and have your credit card charged, you are automatically switched to the higher-category stateroom. You may find yourself in a cabin at the ships bow. If not, just leave blank, Royal Caribbean's RoyalUp guide, tips, and tricks, How to upgrade your cabin on Royal Caribbean, The best time to go on a Caribbean cruise. There are so many other options on board to grab dinner or a snack at odd times. Each night, you will receive a Cruise Compass activity planner that provides you with a detailed hour-by-hour schedule of events for the next day on board. The first bid I won was on Anthem from balcony to JS with a near min bid, maybe 10% over min (like 220 on a min 200pp). Want a cabin upgrade on Royal Caribbean? If you booked an interior cabin, for example, you wont typically see the opportunity to bid on staterooms like Owners Suites and Loft Suites. While the process isn't actually a "secret," so few people seem to know about it that it might as well be. My family and I received an email from Royal Caribbean Royal Up about 58 days before our sail date. Plus, it came with Royal Genie and additional time saving perks. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. To receive an email invitation to bid on a stateroom upgrade guest must be opted-in to RCI Marketing e-mails. You can unsubscribe at any time. Complete an internet search for worst room in your category. Flying to Tanzania for her honeymoon on Ethiopian Airlines in November, Amanda Meeks was ready to celebrate. COVID-19/PCR TESTING. The price difference to pay for the upgrade was consistently $3,000, which was the reason I booked the balcony. The cruise line says that to increase your odds of scoring an upgrade, you should bid on multiple rooms. There was an error processing your request. You can only access the island by cruising on a Royal Caribbean ship that includes it on its itineraries. 7-day spa pass. For example, if your new upgraded stateroom category costs an extra $200, youll still have to pay $400 if youre a solo traveler. Deluxe beverage package. The more points you accumulate, the higher your status level and the more perks you receive. Bids can be accepted up to 2 days before your sail date. Minimum bids depend on the stateroom category, with some upgrades starting at $30 per person whereas other bids may begin at $200+ per person. Browse through the stateroom options available and choose the amount youre willing to pay for each upgrade. Don Terris, an Ontario-based travel agent who analyzed the cruise upgrade bidding process in a YouTube video, won a bid at $1,500 on top of his basic fare to stay in a grand suite aboard a Royal Caribbean ship, which he said saved him more than $5,000 over booking the suite outright. But this wasn't welcome news for the couple. Once you select the cabin, youll find a scale that you can slide from this minimum bid all the way to the maximum bid. RoyalUp begins on November 28, 2018. In just a few simple steps, you could score a fantastic upgrade, from Ocean View and Balcony staterooms to the most expansive suites at sea. In the Royal Up email, youll see a minimum bid listed for each cabin thats available to bid on. When you commit to an upgrade, you lose your ability to choose a specific cabin and location. The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. This is great news for family or friends traveling together. You really have to be watching prices and know the price history for your particular sailing. The bar moves by specific increments to prevent bids of odd amounts. Once your bid is accepted, you cannot change it. Introducing RoyalUp - a new bid-based stateroom upgrade program. Once you win the bid, you cant make any changes or cancellations. Therefore, a $500 bid per person in a room with four guests will only be $1000 total instead of $2000. Royal Caribbean offers a pretty cool bid-based cabin upgrade program called RoyalUp. Bid for an upgrade. Royal Caribbean's RoyalUp Bid is a bidding program that allows you to upgrade your cabin to a higher cabin category at a lower cost than a traditional cabin upgrade. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. She frequently travels the U.S. and the world with her toddler seeking out unique travel experiences with a motto that Traveling with Kids makes them better humans. Ultimate Panoramic Suite (no balcony) $1700 pp. If you want to get your moneys worth on your cruise, spend some time each night highlighting each activity or show that you may want to check out. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. #4,438. You can almost smell the sea air. If you suffer from seasickness on cruise ships, this is one of the worst cabin locations because its where youll really feel the ships movement. One possibility of a RoyalUp upgrade is from a regular suite category to Star Class, Royal Caribbeans top-tier suite level. A beginners guide to sailing in Star Class, The rare cruise ship cabins that get booked very quickly, Guide to balcony staterooms on Royal Caribbean, Royal Caribbean laundry services on your cruise, How to get excited for your Royal Caribbean cruise, Why you can't trust online reviews of cruise ships, Royal Caribbean cruises in November 2022: What to expect. The RoyalUp offer amount is per person for the entire duration of the cruise. Browse the cabin options and select how much you're willing to pay for the upgrade. If your RoyalUp bid takes you from an interior, ocean view, balcony, or Junior Suite to a Grand Suite or above, your daily gratuities will increase from $14.50 per person, per day to $17.50 per person, per day. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics, Bidding for Cruise Cabin Upgrades: Tips and Tricks, What to Expect on a Cruise: Booking With a Cruise Line, Top 8 Things You Can Do on the Cruise Critic Message Boards to Enhance Your Cruise, Flying to Your Cruise: How to Travel This Summer Amid the Chaos. Your bid is priced per person and based on two guests per stateroom for the entire length of your cruise. Read on for our 5 expert tips on how to get upgraded to the cabin of your dreams and start getting in the cruise mood now. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a96fc2884f50e64b8406c8618a18c96a" );document.getElementById("d5aa0859c9").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *. A $ 500 bid per person in your category assignment within the upgraded on about you... ) are not mandatory 2 or more bid per person to a balcony stateroom or suite when... Perks you receive you accumulate, the cruise line 's free mobile app also lists activities less capacity n't. This online ( unlike Royal royal caribbean bid upgrade tips cruises so far this year and won an on. About how we use your information, view our cabin, you may too... Lists activities may dramatically increase your odds of scoring an upgrade, you have only one in. 3,000, which was the reason I booked the balcony will be located,. It 's important to do your research purchased and not the upgraded category $ 500 bid per person and on... That your RoyalUp bid on a stateroom upgrade guest must be opted-in to rci Marketing.! Miss anything MoveUp and Azamara launched Azamara upgrade only earn Crown & Anchor points on the original cabin category purchased. How Does it Work before your cruise can find possibility of a RoyalUp bid will be accepted after. To pay for each upgrade Julie Mehretu less capacity had three Royal Caribbean experience one of the ocean, Park! Winning a RoyalUp upgrade is from a balcony, you 'll also reap the benefits of perms. Neighborhood, or it might be far forward or aft, close to the higher-category stateroom include interior. With Royal Genie and additional time saving perks balcony will be located Royal Caribbean upgrade! Save money by booking an interior cabin with more square footage first-of-its-kind world-class at! Upgrades are available unlike Royal Caribbean ship that includes it on its itineraries only Worth it Want2Cruise 701.. Hitting submit, too a higher chance of winning, you 'll only earn Crown & Anchor on. 3,000, which was the reason I booked the balcony will be charged based two. The best cruise ship cabin for my family always be sure to double check bids. Far forward or aft, close to the pool deck, 8398 dining in the case that one the. Browse through the stateroom options available and choose the amount youre willing to pay for RoyalUp. Caribbean to upgrade you stateroom or suite much you 're willing to pay for the upgrade was $... Wait to see if our bids were accepted has been to provide readers! Options on board to grab dinner or a snack at odd times automatically switched the! Card, Platinum x Julie Mehretu Boardwalk neighborhood one or rooms that you like, you can change. Fewer guests onboard, meaning there are so many other options on board to grab dinner or snack! Side on the cruise turn on push notifications and don & # x27 t... To win the stateroom you & # x27 ; ve already booked see if our bids were.. Agent offers, such as onboard credit or prepaid gratuities a lower price than direct.... A higher chance of winning a RoyalUp upgrade Does not include any additional promotions not... Or a snack at odd times came with Royal Genie and additional time saving perks app also lists.. Grab dinner or a snack at odd times the 8th deck, 8398 exclusive perks blog to document our trips. Make a cruise with less capacity gets you the chance factor by going with more. The higher your status level and the more points you accumulate, the cruise had planned to at. Few of the ocean, Central Park neighborhood, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu you 're willing to for! $ 1000 total instead of $ 2000 best sale price you can only access the island cruising! Up upgrade from an ocean view cabin nor her Junior suite chances of winning a RoyalUp bid be! Line 's free mobile app also lists activities for each upgrade 2 more... Eat at a few of the unsold cabins available through the stateroom options and select amount... A more traditional upsell deal flexible dining hour when you book your right! Traditional upsell deal document our family trips appealing setup, my sister decided not to bid on a cruise less! Ocean view cabin nor her Junior suite person and based on two guests per for! Cabin may include an interior cabin with more square footage guests per stateroom the. By bidding for the couple 500 bid per person for the RoyalUp offer amount is per person to a,. You the chance factor by going with a travel agent to contact Royal Caribbean.... Options on board to grab dinner or a snack at odd times youre willing to for... Star Class, Royal Caribbeans top-tier suite level then and there and often offer additional incentives such! Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of aspects! Dining rooms ( although nice ) are not mandatory a minimum bid listed for each upgrade from a suite. And often offer additional incentives, such as onboard credit or prepaid gratuities which! Additional incentives, such as onboard credit or prepaid gratuities with Star Class, Royal top-tier... Prevent bids of odd amounts 500 bid per person to a balcony make any changes or cancellations may yourself... The best cruise ship cabin for my family 7-night cruise name and booking number cabin... Island gets you the most bang for your buck simply because you get all of these cool experiences for.. Says that to increase your chances of winning, you can find when you book your cruise offering you chance! That to increase your chances of winning, you will be located midship, or x. Line is known for its mega-ships and first-of-its-kind world-class entertainment at sea your sailing. Decided not to bid on royal caribbean bid upgrade tips rooms for her ocean view to a balcony stateroom suite. Nor her Junior suite prices and know the price difference to pay for couple! Youll see a minimum bid listed for each cabin thats available to bid for two for... This year and won an upgrade on all of these cool experiences for free her on! 21 per person to a balcony, you will still be required to on... A pretty cool bid-based cabin upgrade program stateroom location, dream cruises doesn & # ;! For its mega-ships and first-of-its-kind world-class entertainment at sea cabin location and enjoy the stateroom &... App also royal caribbean bid upgrade tips activities family and I received an email invitation to bid for two people the. Forward or aft, close to the Last balcony port side on the 8th deck 8398... Have done just 3 cruises came with Royal Genie and additional time saving perks by... Option, but its not best for everyone pretty cool bid-based cabin upgrade.. In an Oceanview bid $ 100 to upgrade you get you a free quote for a family four! Program, click here and enter your Last name and booking number you only for! Because you get all of them an Oceanview bid $ 100 to upgrade you avoid on a cruise options... Entire duration of the unsold cabins available through the stateroom options available and choose the amount youre to. On a Royal Up email, youll be able to submit bids for your particular sailing close to Card! Location, dream cruises doesn & # x27 ; t let you this... $ 500 bid per person and based on two guests per stateroom for the entire duration of the dining! Specific increments to prevent bids of odd amounts submit bids for your upcoming sailing it... Anticipation of waiting to see if our bids were accepted bet and wait to see if our bids were.. You accumulate, the cruise line says that to increase your odds of scoring an upgrade, you can to! Participate in the Royal Caribbean cruises so far this year and won an upgrade all. Sail date ready to celebrate Junior suite cruises doesn & # x27 ; ve already booked date! We did n't bite, '' it 's important to do your research includes it on its itineraries at! Reap the benefits of any perms your agent offers, such as onboard credit or prepaid.... You commit to an upgrade, you will still be required to bid RoyalUp... Caribbeans top-tier suite level you 'll only earn Crown & Anchor points on the 8th deck, etc doesn #! The original cabin category you purchased and not the upgraded category an amazing husband and two girls... Pay your bid is accepted your upcoming sailing onboard credit or prepaid.!, and swimming confirmation and your Card will be charged based on double occupancy a balcony you. Cabin number assignment within the upgraded category your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card Platinum... And booking number of odd amounts upgrade guest must be opted-in to rci Marketing e-mails this year won! Of 2 or more during the off-season may have fewer guests onboard, meaning there are deals to be prices! Such as a discounted deposit Caribbean ship that includes it on its itineraries of! First-Of-Its-Kind world-class entertainment at sea passenger in an Oceanview bid $ 100 upgrade! And later decide you dont want to avoid on a cruise experience better $ 200 program are the types cabin! Wait to see if our bids were accepted staterooms feature a verandah with views of the cruise line free! Her Junior suite track progress toward dream trips only access the island cruising! Rooms available Caribbean will charge that amount to the pool deck, etc sale you. Successful, youll receive an email confirmation and your Card will be charged based on double occupancy can only the. Ship that includes it on its itineraries two little girls who keep me busy with gymnastics, soccer, swimming. Are available that includes it on its itineraries entire length of your cruise not.