RoyalUP? (Bid for stateroom upgrade)

[phillygirl2400]

18 minutes ago, booplesnoople said:

Okay, y'all wanna hear something whackadoodle?

Background: We sail in 18 days on Mariner. As I said above, no email, and putting in my confirmation number and last name on the website kept kicking me out.

Well, there's two last names in that room. Mine and my husband's, and my younger brother's (my maiden name.) The cruise is booked in my married name. I decided to try my brother's last name and our confirmation. 

And you know what? Even though I'm the primary on the res and everything (like...everything) is in my name, the RoyalUP offer went to my brother. I'm cackling while deciding whether or not to bid. 🤣

Interesting!  I'm getting emails to my address for a cruise for which my husband is no longer on the reservation.  However, the emails and RoyalUp are to him. 

[Pratique]

6 minutes ago, phillygirl2400 said:

Interesting!  I'm getting emails to my address for a cruise for which my husband is no longer on the reservation.  However, the emails and RoyalUp are to him. 

Their e-mail system is terrible.

[phillygirl2400]

True!

[LINDAE3213]

I am 9 days before sailing Anthem and my guarantee balcony cabin is STILL not assigned.  I did not participate in Royal Up...which I have  renamed  "royal up the xxxx"  as it is ruining my getting an assignment while they keep trying to squeeze more money out of other guests before assigning me a cabin.  Certainly putting a damper on my pre cruise experience for what i believe is my 23rd cruise and probably 2nd time doing a guarantee.  NEVER AGAIN. 

[kpark895]

Originally had an OV on Serenade of the Seas, leaving for Bermuda Sunday.  For the past 6 weeks or so, cruise has appeared to be pretty much sold out, although every once in a while a suite would pop up as available.  When bidding first began, I only bid on a regular balcony.  Yesterday I decided to up my bid a little, and also bid on the spacious OV Balcony.  Several hours later, received the notice that I was upgraded to a junior suite!  My spacious oceanview bid was for $5 more than the minimum bid available and considered weak.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

3 minutes ago, kpark895 said:

Originally had an OV on Serenade of the Seas, leaving for Bermuda Sunday.  For the past 6 weeks or so, cruise has appeared to be pretty much sold out, although every once in a while a suite would pop up as available.  When bidding first began, I only bid on a regular balcony.  Yesterday I decided to up my bid a little, and also bid on the spacious OV Balcony.  Several hours later, received the notice that I was upgraded to a junior suite!  My spacious oceanview bid was for $5 more than the minimum bid available and considered weak.

Congrats!

 

We have some offers as well...but specifically chose a pair of neighboring Junior Suites in the first place for 5 family cruisers.

 

The bidding is somewhat tempting...but the unknown of approval, cabin type, cabin location offsets our interest in an upgrade for the most part.

[John&LaLa]

7 minutes ago, kpark895 said:

Originally had an OV on Serenade of the Seas, leaving for Bermuda Sunday.  For the past 6 weeks or so, cruise has appeared to be pretty much sold out, although every once in a while a suite would pop up as available.  When bidding first began, I only bid on a regular balcony.  Yesterday I decided to up my bid a little, and also bid on the spacious OV Balcony.  Several hours later, received the notice that I was upgraded to a junior suite!  My spacious oceanview bid was for $5 more than the minimum bid available and considered weak.

 

Curious how you ended up in a JS if you only bid on balcony cabins

[newlife569]

I’ve been reading through the thread and thinking of the changes... one thing I noticed along these lines is the default bid fell at or above the current retail price of the stateroom. I also spoke with someone and stated my proposed bid and they replied with an amount double what I had anticipated.

  Bottom line is my amount was the minimum and 10-15 % below retail and my friend was a couple of hundred above retail. To clarify, my “retail “ value was best price, guarantee stateroom, theirs would have been allowed a choice, once “offered and accepted “

[barbeyg]

12 hours ago, LINDAE3213 said:

I am 9 days before sailing Anthem and my guarantee balcony cabin is STILL not assigned.  I did not participate in Royal Up...which I have  renamed  "royal up the xxxx"  as it is ruining my getting an assignment while they keep trying to squeeze more money out of other guests before assigning me a cabin.  Certainly putting a damper on my pre cruise experience for what i believe is my 23rd cruise and probably 2nd time doing a guarantee.  NEVER AGAIN. 

 

If you look at your SetSail pass, you will possibly see your deck and/or muster station.  We knew our deck for several months before assignment.  RCI started holding out on assignments for GTY cabins a while before Royal Ups were offered.  I think they wait because it gives people less opportunities to change cabins if they don't like their GTY assignment.

 

We have done GTY several times.  The latest assignment was 3 days out.  Hopefully you will hear soon.  

[LINDAE3213]

my set sail has neither deck nor muster station.   at this point I anticipate being left on the pier and already have my TA looking into options to fly to Aruba, St Martin or St Thomas..... seriously ( we can drive from Bayonne to EWR in 30 minutes and be on an afternoon flight somewhere )   … there is no guarantee that this process will go smoothly  considering the reliability of the  IT dept of RCCL  and I want to have a back up plan to proceed with. 

 

I am not comforted by the fact that I may need to pull up to the curb next Sat and ask a subcontracted employee handling luggage to check the manifest to see if I have a cabin assigned, as if they have any ownership in the RCCL process. 

 

My TA  who happens to be a Pinnacle has checked the TA site last night and only sees 2 OV cabin guarantees open --  so she was wondering if possibly they plan to call her and DOWNGRADE me from balcony to OV and offer compensation.

 

8 more days of anxiety to go to see how this turns out.   i am going somewhere on the 19th  - it just might not involve RCCL.

thankfully live in NJ and not flying into a port for a cruise.

 

lesson learned for me -- no more guarantees -- can't handle it due to RUMA  ( Royal up my  xxx )  program in play  - was flexible on cabin assignment but not flexible on "possibly" being bumped or downgraded.

 

 

 

 

[kpark895]

2 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Curious how you ended up in a JS if you only bid on balcony cabins

I have no clue.  Only thing I can think of is that they had an unsold JS, and no one left had bid on one, so then they looked at the next lowest level bids.  Doesn't make any sense, but I don't really care!  Happy to get more than what I bid on.

[Biker19]

29 minutes ago, LINDAE3213 said:

lesson learned for me -- no more guarantees -- can't handle it due to RUMA  ( Royal up my  xxx )  program in play  - was flexible on cabin assignment but not flexible on "possibly" being bumped or downgraded.

You probably have a higher chance of getting into a car accident on your drive to lovely Cape Liberty than being bumped. It doesn't matter what/who your TA is, they don't have access to see all available inventory. And in the very rare case of being bumped, most have been very well compensated.

Edited October 11, 2019 by Biker19

[Ronaldo807]

We have a cruise next month on Independence of the Seas. We just got the Royal Up email this morning and one of our options is the Panoramic Suite (No Balcony). If we were to bid and have our bid selected, would we receive double points and suite perks? Also, does this category room have the bunk beds on Freedom Class? 

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, Ronaldo807 said:

We have a cruise next month on Independence of the Seas. We just got the Royal Up email this morning and one of our options is the Panoramic Suite (No Balcony). If we were to bid and have our bid selected, would we receive double points and suite perks? Also, does this category room have the bunk beds on Freedom Class? 

 

No extra C&A points, but you would get full suite perks.

[Piperandleroy]

That's why we don't bid because you don't get the points. Only get points of room that was originally booked.

[cruiselvr04]

Linda E .....it makes me nervous too to not have an assigned cabin.  Especially when you fly in a couple of days early. We have a GTY for the second week of a B2B.  They better have a place for us. ( I’m sure it will all work out but the over planner in me gets anxious.) And a downgrade would make me VERY unhappy cause I don’t think they could sweeten that deal enough for me.

 

We are a month away so still have some time to wait for cabin assignment and our bids for both weeks.  ( We have to move cabins anyway so thought we’d give it a shot.)

 

The bids I’m seeing are really all over the map.  Some are getting upgrades for very little and others who bid quite a bit don’t get them.  I guess we’ll never know how they pick and choose.

[tinkr2]

16 hours ago, LINDAE3213 said:

I am 9 days before sailing Anthem and my guarantee balcony cabin is STILL not assigned.  I did not participate in Royal Up...which I have  renamed  "royal up the xxxx"  as it is ruining my getting an assignment while they keep trying to squeeze more money out of other guests before assigning me a cabin.  Certainly putting a damper on my pre cruise experience for what i believe is my 23rd cruise and probably 2nd time doing a guarantee.  NEVER AGAIN. 

Long before the bid program, they waited until 3 days before to notify me. I have booked guarantee all the time for 20 years, it was often last minute then and now. You know you're on the ship in a balcony, how is this diminishing your pre cruise experience? 

[LINDAE3213]

I don't have any bids in play  - just my original GTY booking.   it's the RUMA bids that are holding my cabin hostage while they try to get more money out of other guests before assigning me whatever is left.    

[tinkr2]

2 hours ago, LINDAE3213 said:

my set sail has neither deck nor muster station.   at this point I anticipate being left on the pier and already have my TA looking into options to fly to Aruba, St Martin or St Thomas..... seriously ( we can drive from Bayonne to EWR in 30 minutes and be on an afternoon flight somewhere )   … there is no guarantee that this process will go smoothly  considering the reliability of the  IT dept of RCCL  and I want to have a back up plan to proceed with. 

 

I am not comforted by the fact that I may need to pull up to the curb next Sat and ask a subcontracted employee handling luggage to check the manifest to see if I have a cabin assigned, as if they have any ownership in the RCCL process. 

 

My TA  who happens to be a Pinnacle has checked the TA site last night and only sees 2 OV cabin guarantees open --  so she was wondering if possibly they plan to call her and DOWNGRADE me from balcony to OV and offer compensation.

 

8 more days of anxiety to go to see how this turns out.   i am going somewhere on the 19th  - it just might not involve RCCL.

thankfully live in NJ and not flying into a port for a cruise.

 

lesson learned for me -- no more guarantees -- can't handle it due to RUMA  ( Royal up my  xxx )  program in play  - was flexible on cabin assignment but not flexible on "possibly" being bumped or downgraded.

 

 

 

 

I will bet you one million dollars you will be on that ship. I have heard of about 2 people ever being bumped. And honestly I live for the day. They put them on a different cruise and gave them another free cruise and a refund.

I can not stress to you how much you should try and relax. I have done at least 20 guarantees over the years, maybe more. it is fine, maybe you're getting upgraded to a junior suite, its happened to me. I can assure you that you will not be downgraded. Your TA, can not see all the cabins available and certainly can not see all the people they are moving around right now.You are going to have a great cruise. I hope you get a suite for your guarantee.

[Tree_skier]

3 hours ago, LINDAE3213 said:

my set sail has neither deck nor muster station.   at this point I anticipate being left on the pier and already have my TA looking into options to fly to Aruba, St Martin or St Thomas..... seriously ( we can drive from Bayonne to EWR in 30 minutes and be on an afternoon flight somewhere )   … there is no guarantee that this process will go smoothly  considering the reliability of the  IT dept of RCCL  and I want to have a back up plan to proceed with. 

 

I am not comforted by the fact that I may need to pull up to the curb next Sat and ask a subcontracted employee handling luggage to check the manifest to see if I have a cabin assigned, as if they have any ownership in the RCCL process. 

 

My TA  who happens to be a Pinnacle has checked the TA site last night and only sees 2 OV cabin guarantees open --  so she was wondering if possibly they plan to call her and DOWNGRADE me from balcony to OV and offer compensation.

 

8 more days of anxiety to go to see how this turns out.   i am going somewhere on the 19th  - it just might not involve RCCL.

thankfully live in NJ and not flying into a port for a cruise.

 

lesson learned for me -- no more guarantees -- can't handle it due to RUMA  ( Royal up my  xxx )  program in play  - was flexible on cabin assignment but not flexible on "possibly" being bumped or downgraded.

 

 

 

 

Have we seen examples of people being left shoreside because of an oversold cruise.  This is the first time I have seen this expressed.

[LINDAE3213]

it will be interesting to see what happens  - but for me -- never again to book a guarantee -- as mentioned this was only the 2nd time i did this.   someone recently was downgraded from a guarantee  -- there is a post about it here -- with compensation of course.  and if we end up in Aruba which  I know very well -- I look forward to lunch at El Gaucho  - beats Chops any day. 

 

[bouhunter]

2 hours ago, LINDAE3213 said:

I don't have any bids in play  - just my original GTY booking.   it's the RUMA bids that are holding my cabin hostage while they try to get more money out of other guests before assigning me whatever is left.    

You aren't listening.  LONG BEFORE Royal Up people were waiting until the last minute for guarantee room assignments.  You're right about one thing - you should probably never book a GTY again, you're letting it cause you way too much unnecessary stress.

Edited October 11, 2019 by bouhunter

[julesbeara]

5 hours ago, LINDAE3213 said:

my set sail has neither deck nor muster station.   at this point I anticipate being left on the pier and already have my TA looking into options to fly to Aruba, St Martin or St Thomas..... seriously ( we can drive from Bayonne to EWR in 30 minutes and be on an afternoon flight somewhere )   … there is no guarantee that this process will go smoothly  considering the reliability of the  IT dept of RCCL  and I want to have a back up plan to proceed with. 

 

I am not comforted by the fact that I may need to pull up to the curb next Sat and ask a subcontracted employee handling luggage to check the manifest to see if I have a cabin assigned, as if they have any ownership in the RCCL process. 

 

My TA  who happens to be a Pinnacle has checked the TA site last night and only sees 2 OV cabin guarantees open --  so she was wondering if possibly they plan to call her and DOWNGRADE me from balcony to OV and offer compensation.

 

8 more days of anxiety to go to see how this turns out.   i am going somewhere on the 19th  - it just might not involve RCCL.

thankfully live in NJ and not flying into a port for a cruise.

 

lesson learned for me -- no more guarantees -- can't handle it due to RUMA  ( Royal up my  xxx )  program in play  - was flexible on cabin assignment but not flexible on "possibly" being bumped or downgraded.

 

 

Quote

Our last guarantee stateroom was issued 3 days prior to sailing.  We had a Suite Guarantee.  I was told they have staterooms set aside for entertainers, possible maintenance work, and crew with family members visiting and sailing.   We ended up with an Owners Suite, but I hated the waiting.  It was so stressful.

 

Edited October 11, 2019 by julesbeara

[ATLD]

6 hours ago, LINDAE3213 said:

it will be interesting to see what happens  - but for me -- never again to book a guarantee -- as mentioned this was only the 2nd time i did this.   someone recently was downgraded from a guarantee  -- there is a post about it here -- with compensation of course.  and if we end up in Aruba which  I know very well -- I look forward to lunch at El Gaucho  - beats Chops any day. 

 

 

Agreed anticipation waiting for assignment may cause some stress and the result of what you may get with the GTY may not meet your expectations but that is part of the deal with a GTY booking.  I had a GS GTY with no suites showing "available" for a few weeks, but 4 days before departure I was assigned a Star Loft.  I have done GTYs in the past, if the dollars makes sense, and each time have been fine with the assignments plus the waiting never really bothered me and this comes from someone who is a planner.

 

We kind of got off topic here.  Speaking of Star Class, has anyone bid a RoyalUp and won with this category?  Curious of any other stories out there regarding the bids people submitted.

 

[Miggsoo3]

Bid on Ultra Spacious Balcony on Harmony for the 10th of November my bid was $50 above the minimum and got the notice today we won the bid. Didn't feel the Junior Suite were worth the bids since they don't give you the double points. Bid on the larger balcony room since it is me DW and DD (5) in the room and this is a great was to get a separate sleeping area for DD.

 

In case anyone is curious about the process once you win the set sail passes automatically updated in the App and they sent me new Edocs via email about 10 minutes after I got the email confirming winning the bid.

Edited October 12, 2019 by Miggsoo3
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