RoyalUp guide, tips and tricks from Royal Caribbean
RoyalUp guide, tips and tricks from Royal Caribbean
Planning a cruise often starts with setting a budget, which sometimes means giving up the cruise cabin of your dreams for something smaller and cheaper.
In the past, you could only change your cabin category by paying the “sticker price” for an upgraded cabin, but now there’s a second option: RoyalUp.
RoyalUp is Royal Caribbean’s stateroom bidding program that allows passengers to bid on higher stateroom categories prior to their cruise for a chance to “win” a higher-value stateroom.
RoyalUp upgrades are often available at a lower price than upgrading your cabin yourself, making it an attractive option for those looking for the best deal on a better cabin. Whether you’re moving from an interior to a balcony, or from a Junior Suite to a Grand Suite, here’s what you need to know about Royal Caribbean’s RoyalUp program.
How RoyalUp works
When RoyalUp bidding begins for your cruise, you will receive an email giving you the opportunity to bid on select cabin options. The bidding process consists of several steps:
- Browse the available cabin options and choose the amount you’re willing to pay for each upgrade. You don’t have to bid on every room type, so just bid on the cabins that interest you.
- Enter your credit card details when bidding. If you win the bid, you will receive an email confirmation and the bid amount will automatically be charged to your card. Note that your card is Not charged unless you win the bid.
- Once you win the upgrade and your credit card is charged, you’ll be automatically upgraded to the higher category cabin!
Note that RoyalUp is non-refundable, although cancellations and changes are allowed before a bid is accepted. Bids can be accepted up to 2 days before your departure date.
Related: How to Upgrade Your Stateroom on Royal Caribbean
This is how you increase the chances of a RoyalUp upgrade
Sailing at less busy times of the year
On a lower capacity cruise, you may have a higher chance of winning a RoyalUp bid. Off-season cruises may have fewer guests onboard, meaning more rooms are available.
While your cruise is likely to be running at near full capacity (peak season cruises, holidays, etc.), there’s no harm in placing a bid. Stateroom categories can be opened up by last-minute cancellations, meaning you still have a chance to upgrade on even the busiest cruises.
Related: The best time for a Caribbean cruise
Bid higher than the minimum
RoyalUp bids have a minimum and maximum bid. Minimum bids depend on cabin category, with some upgrades starting at $30 per person, while other bids can start at $200 and up per person. Bid amounts on RoyalUp range from weak to strong.
Although no winnings are guaranteed, it is recommended to bid at least a little slightly higher than the minimum bid. Many passengers may bid the minimum bid and hope to win the upgrade, but if your bid is even $10 higher than another passenger’s, you have a better chance of getting the upgrade.
The most important things to consider before bidding through RoyalUp
If you’re deciding between bidding and not bidding on a cabin upgrade through RoyalUp, there are a few key considerations that can help you decide if it’s right for you. While the idea of getting a cabin upgrade might seem enticing, RoyalUp comes with its own pros and cons.
Check out the cost to upgrade yourself before you bid
Before bidding on a superior stateroom on RoyalUp, contact your travel agent or Royal Caribbean to find out how much it would cost to upgrade your stateroom directly rather than through RoyalUp.
Sometimes you might find that the cost of upgrading your cabin without RoyalUp is not unreasonable. In fact, it’s not uncommon to upgrade your cabin for the same price as a low bid, or even less! Be sure to check what the cost of a (guaranteed) upgrade is before you bid on Royal Up.
Related: Royal Caribbean Suites Guide & Review
Familiarize yourself with the room type and possible cabin locations
RoyalUp cannot guarantee a specific cabin location. So if location is of paramount importance to you, it may be better to upgrade a cabin yourself rather than through the bidding process.
For example, if you bid on an upgrade from a Grand Suite Midships to an AquaTheater Suite, your new stateroom will be located at the very end of the ship, which may result in more movement throughout the cruise.
Additionally, if you are bidding from a sea-view balcony, you have no control over where the balcony will be located. It can be midships, far forward or aft, near the pool deck, etc.
Bidding is per person
Remember that bids placed through RoyalUp are charged per person on a double capacity basis. If you’re a solo traveler, you still need to pay the bid amount x2, which can make upgrades for solo travelers more expensive.
However, if your cabin has more than two people, you will only be charged the bid amount for 2 passengers in the cabin category. Therefore, a bid of $500 per person in a room with four guests is only $1,000 instead of $2,000.
Tip amounts increase
If your RoyalUp bid takes you from an Interior, Ocean View, Balcony, or Junior Suite to a Grand Suite or higher, your daily gratuities increase from $14.50 per person, per day to $17.50 per person, per day . This adds $21 per person to a 7-night cruise.
RoyalUp does not have connecting rooms
An important note for families before bidding on RoyalUp is that the bidding program does not offer connecting rooms. If you originally booked a connecting room with friends or family, make sure you are no longer in a connecting room when you win a RoyalUp upgrade.
Related: What is the best cruise cabin for my family?
You will not earn double Crown & Anchor Society points
When upgrading from a Standard Stateroom (Interior, Ocean View, Balcony) to a Suite, remember that you will not earn double Crown & Anchor Society points through RoyalUp.
RoyalUp cabin categories available
RoyalUp upgrade options differ depending on the cabin originally booked. Usually you can upgrade to cabin categories that are 1-2 notches above your original cabin.
For example, if you have booked an inside stateroom, you will not usually see the opportunity to bid on staterooms such as owner suites and loft suites. However, you can upgrade to ocean view and balcony cabins. The exact bookable room categories depend on the ship.
Many passengers bid on suites with RoyalUp, as by bidding you will often find a lower price than a direct upgrade to the suite category.
One opportunity for a RoyalUp upgrade is from a regular suite category to Star Class, Royal Caribbean’s highest suite level. Star Class benefits include personalized Royal Genie service, complimentary specialty restaurants, complimentary deluxe beverage package, complimentary VOOM Internet and more.
Related: A Beginner’s Guide to Sailing the Star Class
How can I access RoyalUp?
You should receive an email a few months before your cruise giving you the opportunity to bid on RoyalUp.
If you haven’t received an email, make sure you sign up for Royal Caribbean International marketing emails. To do this, log in to the Royal Caribbean website, log in at online check-in, or through the My Reservations section of the Royal Caribbean website.
You can also check if you are eligible to bid on RoyalUp on Royal Caribbean’s RoyalUp portal.
Bid Rules and Cancellations
If you bid on RoyalUp and later decide you don’t want to upgrade your cabin, you can cancel the bid. If you prefer to change the bid to a higher or lower bid, you can change the bid of each cabin category. Be sure to make any changes or cancellations right away, as you never know when you might receive an upgrade confirmation.
Also, always make sure to check your bids before hitting submit. Although it is unlikely that your RoyalUp bid will be accepted immediately after bidding, it is important to check your bid amounts. If you were only bidding $200 per person to upgrade, double check you didn’t accidentally move the slider to $300 or $400!