RoyalUP? (Bid for stateroom upgrade)

[John&LaLa]

Looks like our upcoming Oasis trip is ripe for Royal Up

 

Feb 17, 2019 Western Caribbean

We are in a mid ship JS on deck 6

Paid $2,700+ with balcony discount, booked onboard, resident rate?, and winter discount?

TA threw in the tips.  No insurance.

 

As of tonight, it appears 7 are still available.

Their seem to be a lot of better suites available. I will list suite, number available, and cost pp to upgrade

FWIW, current JS price with no discount is $3,300

 

L2, 8, add $1,499 pp

L1, 9, add $1,667 pp

A4, 1, add $1,740 pp

A2, 1, add $3,455 pp

GP, 1, add $5,356 pp

OP, 1, add $6,074 pp

 

So what I see is a lot of pricey real estate available 82 days out.

I doubt they'll move much based on demand, so they have to find another way.

Casino perks to the whales (Masters)

Upsell fairy (but it is random and not sure what market will bear, or will they get lucky and find someone to take the call)

 

Or bid it out?  There are around 80 couples in JS's that might bite on 20 full suites.  I will, always wanted to try a Loft.

And then they can bid out those JS's.  It makes sense that you would go incrementally since there is more value to royal when better cabins get turned in. 

 

Any thoughts, guesses, etc...

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2018 by John&LaLa

[Pratique]

If you’re buying cancel for any reason insurance it might be wise to bump up the limit to cover a potentially accepted bid, which is non-refundable once accepted.

[The_Big_M]

Works for Celebrity, and all the airlines before it.

 

Only surprise is it's taken so long for Royal!

[The_Big_M]

<dupe>

Edited November 28, 2018 by The_Big_M

[ggo85]

There's been a lot of discussion on Celebrity's boards about their program. While I don't know if RCL's will be identical . . . a few things folks have learned about their program.

 

First, don't assume that a cabin category must be open for you to be offered to bid for an upgrade.  One of the goals of this program seems to be to be able to fill last-minute cancellations without offering rock-bottom prices.  Say someone with insurance cancels a few days out due to medical reasons.  In the old days, they had to try to sell that cabin often at a huge discount or give a free upgrade.  Now they have people willing to pay more from the fare they've already paid to move up -- a much better deal for them.  So they move folks up to the higher level cabin based on their bid and then do the same for the cabin now vacated.  Thus, if there's a fire sale, it's on the cheapest cabin. 

 

Don't presume to know how they decide among equal bidders.  For example, if two people bid the exact same amount (which is highest) to move up and there's only one cabin, no one knows the criteria for selection -- i.e., first bid, highest status . . . and they don't state it (at least for X).

 

You don't get more C&A points if you move from a regular cabin to a JS or above.  Other benefits based on room category only seem to convey.

 

You probably won't find out if you won or lost until a couple of days before, although some have been told earlier.

 

The "meter" (used by X at least) to tell you how competitive your bid is . . . may or may not be accurate.  There are many tales of folks who bid high and lost and those who bid low and won.

 

You could end up with a great new cabin location or a terrible one -- it really depends on the cabin that is vacant.  And, as noted above, that cabin may or may not be the ones that are showing as available.

 

The general consensus seems to be that -- if you'd like to have the "better" category of cabin, then bid what you're comfortable with and, if you don't get it, be happy with the cabin you originally selected (and were happy with).

[barbeyg]

3 hours ago, ggo85 said:

The general consensus seems to be that -- if you'd like to have the "better" category of cabin, then bid what you're comfortable with and, if you don't get it, be happy with the cabin you originally selected (and were happy with).

 

This is my rule of thumb for GTY suite cabins.  I'm currently 4 days out from our next cruise and waiting for our cabin assignment.  We only book GTY suites if we don't care where we end up, we just want to be on a cruise.  

 

We will treat this the same way.  Have a 2020 Alaska cruise coming up, won't bid on that one because we have family staying by us.  But our two for next year.......

[Big_G]

11 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Looks like our upcoming Oasis trip is ripe for Royal Up

 

Feb 17, 2019 Western Caribbean

We are in a mid ship JS on deck 6

Paid $2,700+ with balcony discount, booked onboard, resident rate?, and winter discount?

TA threw in the tips.  No insurance.

 

As of tonight, it appears 7 are still available.

Their seem to be a lot of better suites available. I will list suite, number available, and cost pp to upgrade

FWIW, current JS price with no discount is $3,300

 

L2, 8, add $1,499 pp

L1, 9, add $1,667 pp

A4, 1, add $1,740 pp

A2, 1, add $3,455 pp

GP, 1, add $5,356 pp

OP, 1, add $6,074 pp

 

 

 

 

 

Wow pricey! I don't feel so bad about my offer now. Harmony 60 days out from a GS starting at:

 

OS - $400 pp... Sky
L1 - $400 pp...Sky
AQ - $700 pp (1 bdr)...Sky
AQ - $900 pp (2 bdr)...Star
TL - $1700 pp...Star
VS - $2500 pp...Star

 

 

Edited November 28, 2018 by Big_G

[John&LaLa]

7 minutes ago, Big_G said:

 

Wow pricey! I don't feel so bad about my offer now. Harmony 60 days out from a GS starting at:

 

OS - $400 pp... Sky
L1 - $400 pp...Sky
AQ - $700 pp (1 bdr)...Sky
AQ - $900 pp (2 bdr)...Star
TL - $1700 pp...Star
VS - $2500 pp...Star

 

 

 

These arent offers, current web pricing.

 

You've received an offer slready?

 

Keep in mind, you're starting from a GS, L1 isnt thst far off

[Big_G]

1 minute ago, John&LaLa said:

 

These arent offers, current web pricing.

 

You've received an offer slready?

 

Keep in mind, you're starting from a GS, L1 isnt thst far off

 

OK. Got the email today. Current L1 pricing is about $2000 more than I paid for the GS. There's no guarantee that I'll get it at the minimum bid and even then it's not really worth it to me. The A4 drew my attention because it's Star Class but I don't need that much real estate and 2 drink packages and dining package are about have the minimum difference.

[John&LaLa]

5 minutes ago, Big_G said:

 

OK. Got the email today. Current L1 pricing is about $2000 more than I paid for the GS. There's no guarantee that I'll get it at the minimum bid and even then it's not really worth it to me. The A4 drew my attention because it's Star Class but I don't need that much real estate and 2 drink packages and dining package are about have the minimum difference.

 

A4 shouldn't be Star, is that new

 

So I guess 60 days is the bid window

 

Did email come from TA or Royal?

Edited November 28, 2018 by John&LaLa

[Big_G]

Just now, John&LaLa said:

 

A4 shouldn't be Star, is that new

 

Sorry, my bad. It's and A2. Bad eye sight.

[JimAOk1945]

Has anyone else received one of these emails? I received one of those emails a few minutes ago.

[jbiz]

7 hours ago, Pratique said:

If you’re buying cancel for any reason insurance it might be wise to bump up the limit to cover a potentially accepted bid, which is non-refundable once accepted.

this got me thinking.. so if have 2 balcony connecting cabins (1 adult, 1 child listed in each in each cabin) on symphony at approx 1900/pp and have "cancel for any reason" insurance. 

 

if i bid on the Aquatheater - 2 Bedrooms, minimum 1600/pp, and it got accepted (~3200 total), couldn't i cancel the 2nd cabin under the insurance and have RCL "add" the other 2 people into the new 2br cabin?

Edited November 28, 2018 by jbiz

[John&LaLa]

5 minutes ago, Big_G said:

 

Sorry, my bad. It's and A2. Bad eye sight.

 

I'd grab that A2 in a heartbeat.  Party on the balcony.  

[Big_G]

13 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

A4 shouldn't be Star, is that new

 

So I guess 60 days is the bid window

 

Did email come from TA or Royal?

 

Email is from Royal but the link brings you to upgrade.plusgrade.com website.

[Big_G]

5 minutes ago, jbiz said:

this got me thinking.. so if have 2 balcony connecting cabins (1 adult, 1 child listed in each in each cabin) on symphony at approx 1900/pp and have "cancel for any reason" insurance. 

 

if i bid on the Aquatheater - 2 Bedrooms, minimum 1600/pp, and it got accepted (~3200 total), couldn't i cancel the 2nd cabin under the insurance and have RCL "add" the other 2 people into the new 2br cabin?

 

Serious question, how do you explain to the insurance company that you cancelled but took the cruise anyway?

[jbiz]

1 minute ago, Big_G said:

 

Serious question, how do you explain to the insurance company that you cancelled but took the cruise anyway?

its "any reason", changed mind and then changed mind again?

[Biker19]

8 minutes ago, jbiz said:

this got me thinking.. so if have 2 balcony connecting cabins (1 adult, 1 child listed in each in each cabin) on symphony at approx 1900/pp and have "cancel for any reason" insurance. 

 

if i bid on the Aquatheater - 2 Bedrooms, minimum 1600/pp, and it got accepted (~3200 total), couldn't i cancel the 2nd cabin under the insurance and have RCL "add" the other 2 people into the new 2br cabin?

Just take the $200 hit for the cancellation and "move" the two others to the cabin. The problem is that either way, your booking will get repriced when you either add or move the two extra into the cabin.

[Pratique]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Just take the $200 hit for the cancellation and "move" the two others to the cabin. The problem is that either way, your booking will get repriced when you either add or move the two extra into the cabin.

If you get the upgrade and then adding guests to the room causes a reprice, that would seem to defeat the whole purpose of the upgrade. I don’t think Royal wants to let people do that.

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, Pratique said:

If you get the upgrade and then adding guests to the room causes a reprice, that would seem to defeat the whole purpose of the upgrade. I don’t think Royal wants to let people do that.

Of course they would - the reprice would net RCI a lot more money.

[Pratique]

2 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Of course they would - the reprice would net RCI a lot more money.

I meant add guests without a reprice.

[Biker19]

4 minutes ago, Pratique said:

I meant add guests without a reprice.

That hasn't been possible for quite a while now.

 

The one way you could save a bit is to stick 4 people into a room and then bid on the upgrade as only the first two in the room are charged. Of course then you are taking the chance that you don't get it.

Edited November 28, 2018 by Biker19

[John Reid]

On 11/26/2018 at 11:26 AM, A&L_Ont said:

 

The one person. 😉🤣

In India.

[Biker19]

Guatemala.

[mringenoldus]

I am currently on the Majesty of the Seas and will continue for the next two sailings. I received the Royal Up email today for the third segment. I went by the Next Cruise desk as I had visited them upon boarding and asked what is available. I was told the same thing on both visits - no availability remaining on December 3, so apparently they are also unable to see any inventory being held by the corporate offices. The Next Cruise agent said he had never seen the email I showed him today.

 

The process looks and works exactly like the NCL bidding game except RCCL contacts at 24 hours in advance of sailing and NCL at 48 hours

 

I will chat with the Loyalty Ambassador at the cocktail hour tonight to see what they have heard. It is disappointing to see this started on RCCL company ships.