Once you win the bid, you cant make any changes or cancellations. While its unlikely that your RoyalUp bid will be accepted immediately after bidding, be sure to double check your bid amounts. The price difference to pay for the upgrade was consistently $3,000, which was the reason I booked the balcony. A step up from the Royal Caribbean interior staterooms would include balcony cabins. Cruise lines are encouraging select cruisers to bid online for cabin upgrades, and there are deals to be had. This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. Fliers on some airlines can upgrade at a discounted rate to avoid what could be a cramped flight. 9 comments. ), it doesnt hurt to make a bid. Royal Caribbean charges guests an automatic daily gratuity. So you only get charged for the first and second guests. If your bid is accepted, you'll be charged for the upgrade. The Royal Caribbean RoyalUp program acts as an auction for unsold cabins. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Kept checking for notification with no response. Good thing we didn't bite," Want2Cruise 701 writes. 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. Royal Caribbean RoyalUp (Guide to Upgrading Your Cabin), How to Increase Your Chances of Winning the Bed, 2. While getting an upgrade for a bargain price is exciting, it's still a game of chance. My family and I received an email from Royal Caribbean Royal Up about 58 days before our sail date. 3. For more details about how we use your information, view our Privacy Policy. Are the Suites worth it, even with RoyalUp? You'll also find multiple beaches, pools, dining options, island excursions and more. Read more at straitstimes.com. We are new to RCL, have done just 3 cruises. 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. 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. If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Ovation of the Seas might be a better choice. Royal Caribbean offers a pretty cool bid-based cabin upgrade program called RoyalUp. Royal Caribbeans 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. However, no additional promotions will be added to your reservation. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. If you are eligible, youll be able to submit bids for your upcoming sailing. Regardless of the room you select, we hope you have an amazing time sailing with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line! Here are tips to make a cruise experience better. 3. You can unsubscribe at any time. With Royal Caribbean, you can look at minimum bids for various stateroom categories and select the amount you are willing to spend for each. When I looked at the process to bid on a Royal Caribbean upgrade, they used a slide bar as a bidding tool. But this wasn't welcome news for the couple. Bids can be accepted up to 2 days before your sail date. The bar moves by specific increments to prevent bids of odd amounts. By placing a bid on a higher cabin category, you can upgrade your accommodations at a significant discount. Remember, if you win a Royal Caribbean RoyalUp bid, your cabin is assigned to you. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. So, the Royal Up opportunities were dependent on no-shows at the port. Are Royal Caribbean Internet Packages Worth It? If you do not receive word about successful bids before your trip, you can inquire on boarding day. Im not sure if they didnt get the email because they used a travel agent rather than booking direct or not. Royal Caribbean's RoyalUp Bidding Process. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. Lets return to our example that says your upgrade costs $200 per person. Does the RoyalUp upgrade include any additional promotions? When my familys bid was not accepted, I asked about upgrading during check in at the port. Many passengers bid on suites with RoyalUp, as you can often find a lower price through bidding than upgrading to the suite category outright. Although, there are times when a cruise line will offer to upgrade your room for free . 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. You may find yourself in a cabin at the ships bow. Note that if your bid is accepted after you have purchased all of those additional items, you can cancel the extras online. We were notified the day before our cruise, moved to the last balcony port side on the 8th deck, 8398. Is it worth it to book a short 3-night cruise? Since it is by no means a sure thing, you dont want to completely depend on the Royal Up program to receive a stateroom you like. Like what you see? RoyalUp cannot guarantee a specific cabin location, so if location is of utmost importance to you, it may be better to upgrade a stateroom on your own instead of through the bidding process. You can also check if youre eligible to bid on RoyalUp on Royal Caribbeans RoyalUp portal. Complimentary in-suite movies. Several years ago, I decided to start this blog to document our family trips. So, bid only on the rooms that you like. (Note that we didnt receive our emails stating our bids had not been accepted until after we were already onboard.). However, our pending status resulted in an email stating that our offer would be reviewed onboard. Basically, our ship was completely sold out. A few clicks and you place your bet and wait to see if your bid is accepted. Then, set a reminder or alarm on your phone so you don't miss that activity. Ours said Pending for weeks, and we were hopeful that our bid had been a success. Executives hint at an answer. Submitted a Royal Up request for a Junior Suite on the Odyssey sail date 2 Jan 2022. 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. Even if your cruise will likely be at near-full capacity (cruising during peak season, during holidays, etc. Since there seems to be no rhyme or reason to how Royal Up bids are accepted, its difficult to provide tips on bidding. Your seapass card will be placed outside yr cabin. Introducing RoyalUp a new bid-based stateroom upgrade program. 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. One of the easiest ways to waste money on any cruise is to be unaware of all the free activities and programs that are scheduled. A Royal Up upgrade from an inside cabin may include an interior cabin with more square footage. 7-day spa pass. A passenger in an inside paid $100 to upgrade to an ocean view. Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. #6. Thats why its essential to ensure youve bid on the rooms that suit your needs. For more details about RoyalUp, click here. Heres everything you need to know about the RoyalUp program. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. So keep that in mind when budgeting for your cruise. Since we had booked a junior suite, our upgrade options included the Sky Class suites and the Star Class suites. It's also important to note that you'll be responsible for paying a higher gratuity rate if you're upgraded to a suite. So you only get charged for the first and second guests. Bidding on all the rooms wont increase your chances of landing a particular room. There is typically a minimum bid to get the ball rolling, and the dial indicates the strength of your offer relative to other bidders. On our Royal Caribbean cruise, Perfect Day at CocoCay was hands-down our most enjoyed experience on our itinerary and everything being included in the price of our cruise saved us hundreds of dollars that we would have spent at another port of call. 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. Royal Caribbean International; Cruise Critic Community. While everyone else is eating dinner, you can have that gorgeous hot tub all to yourself! When bidding, be sure you'll be happy in that cabin because once your bid is accepted, your credit card is charged and the fee is nonrefundable. As the 1940s began, the military intelligence world spoke surreptitiously of new kinds of airplanes. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. Bidding for the room you want and getting your upgrade couldnt be easier. As travel is slowly restarting, PCR tests is the new norm. (Bid for stateroom upgrade) By John&LaLa, November 26, 2018 in Royal Caribbean International. Your travel agent will give you the new price and apply payments you have made towards the new stateroom. If your stateroom has more than two people, however, youll only be charged the bid amount for 2 passengers in the stateroom category. In Royal's Royal Suite Star class, you get everything included with Sea and Sky class, plus: The Royal Genie. how many pattern block triangles would create 5 hexagons yamaha g29 controller composers of the classical period and their compositions. Turn on push notifications and don't miss anything! Can I modify or cancel my RoyalUp offer after I submit it? Once you select the cabin, youll find a scale that you can slide from this minimum bid all the way to the maximum bid. Like any other commodity, cruise fares fluctuate. For more details about RoyalUp, click here. Our Royal Up email included the following opportunities: Since my sisters family and my family had three staterooms in a row (one ocean view balcony and two junior suites), we debated on bidding at all. If you havent received an email, make sure to opt-in to Royal Caribbean Internationals marketing emails. Remember, dining in the main dining rooms (although nice) are not mandatory. 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! The increased gratuity charge applies even if those upgrades were acquired through bidding. Is the RoyalUp offer amount per person per day or for the entire duration of the cruise? The 1-bedroom Aquatheater suites on the lower decks feature spacious balconies that overlook the Aquatheater. On most ships, the elevators are located in the front and back of the ship, while the biggest ships have them in the center as well. How to Navigate the Airport on Cruise Turnaround Day, Step By Step: How to Submit Comments on Cruise to the CDC, The Penthouse Suite on Celebrity Edge (Photo: Cruise Critic), Woman typing on computer keyboard (Photo: mimagephotography/Shutterstock.com), Connecting at Sea: Internet and Phone Use Onboard (ID: 45) (Photo: tolotola/Shutterstock). That means that you can participate in most activities, amenities and areas of the island for no additional cost beyond your cruise fare. Offers are based on two occupants per stateroom - only the first and second guest will be charged. How Much Should I Tip My Room Steward on a Cruise? Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. You should be able to find plenty of articles mentioning undesirable things about the room. Royal Caribbean offered Stan Fernald and his wife the opportunity to bid on an upgraded cabin for their upcoming cruise. When will I know if my RoyalUp offer got accepted? Check your email. Weighing value, I recently returned from my first ever cruise from the United Kingdom, a 7-night Spain & France cruise on Royal. Bidding for a better room doesnt provide the flexibility youd get from regular upgrading. As with any "deal," it's important to do your research. And only bid what you can afford to spend. TPG values it at $1,600. The ultimate in being a VIP! Dont make the mistake of assuming you can bid on a better room only to be let down when your bid isnt chosen. Most guests choose to dine for dinner either at 6 or 8 p.m. Winning a RoyalUp bid is a great feeling. So, continue reading below for everything you need to know about the super exciting Royal Caribbean Royal Up process! If you win the bid, youll receive an email confirmation and your card will be charged the bid amount automatically. Or you may be able to bid on a stateroom with a Royal Promenade, Central Park, Boardwalk, or ocean view window. Our cruise group consisted of families who bid the minimum and were upgraded and those who bid the maximum and were not accepted. The line is known for its mega-ships and first-of-its-kind world-class entertainment at sea. $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. RoyalUp bidding charges per person, but the minimum charge is two people. - Photo by Royal Caribbean International It hasn't made front page news, but multiple cruise lines are now giving passengers the opportunity to bid on cabin upgrades. Depending on your offer, a dial at the side goes from red to green. Just make sure they fall into the guidelines of the Research section we detailed above. Find the right card for you. For more details about RoyalUp, click here. 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. The Royal Caribbean fleet includes multiple ship classes of all different sizes. Related: Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbeans loyalty program. If you originally booked a connecting room with friends or family, ensure you are comfortable with the fact that you will no longer be in a connecting room if you win a RoyalUp upgrade. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. No, if you have two cabins you will need to submit two separate bids and they will be considered independently. For more details about RoyalUp, click here. For examples, blogger Chris Gleason of Top Dog Trips snagged an upgrade from a mini-suite to a two-bedroom suite in The Haven for his family of four, bidding $3,500. Auctions for cruise vacations have all but fallen by the wayside. But if you are willing to take a chance, the RoyalUp upgrade is an excellent opportunity to win a higher-tier cabin at a lower cost. Your offer can be accepted anytime from the moment it is submitted up until 2 days prior to voyage departure. This is an important consideration for families who need cabins close together or connected cabins to keep the family in one location. Cruises during the off-season may have fewer guests onboard, meaning there are more rooms available. One possibility of a RoyalUp upgrade is from a regular suite category to Star Class, Royal Caribbeans top-tier suite level. If my RoyalUp offer is accepted, will I earn Crown & Anchor points at the rate associated with my upgraded stateroom category? Spacious Ocean View Balcony $15 Junior Suite $75 Grand Suite $100 Owners Suite $175 (The others are either too expensive, $400+, or unnecessary) So any personal experience on bidding and try and get one? All rights reserved. In the case that one of the reservations gets upgraded, you cannot move the You will be charged based on double occupancy. You dont need to bid on every cabin category. For more details about RoyalUp, click here. Occupancy: Can accommodate up to 2 guests in this particular Occupancy: Can accommodate up to 2 Atlantis all-gay Caribbean Cruise on Navigator of the Seas, sailing October 21-28, 2022 from Los Angeles, California to Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlan, Mexico. 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