Cruise is 60 days away, out of inventory already - but still Royal Up?

[JoieNsk]

We never did Royal Up before, as we always book through a big box travel agency who doesn't participate in the program. 

 

But I decided to try to book without them, to see how this upgrade bidding would work.

 

The cruise is one of the pricey rare itineraries - British Isles. So I realized soon enough, but after 30 days unfortunately - that was not an itinerary for that. I wish I would just stay with our big box agency for this one. Too late, I didn't.

 

It is 60 days away - sharp, as of today. I checked yesterday - the cruise doesn't even show up on the web-site anymore. I checked the big box travel agency site. The cruise still shows up there, but when you click through - it shows up as "no rooms available". None at all.

 

Nevertheless we received a Royal Up invitation :))) We have an OS, so the only cabin we can be upgraded to would be a RS. Actually we were offered a 2-bedroom, but we are two adults, don't need two bedrooms, and RS is way nicer than a 2-bedroom.

 

No RS were available for more than a year on this sailing. So I wonder what is the purpose of this Royal Up bidding? 

 

I still put a bid - why not. Not much, a bit over the minimum - whatever I am comfortable paying. 

 

But I am truly puzzled... 

 

I wonder if somebody with the experience have an explanation?

 

Thank you in advance for any info!

Edited April 13 by JoieNsk

[Tolkmit]

RoyalUp bidding is completely unrelated to room availability. They get bids in case of cancellations or no shows.

[JoieNsk]

1 minute ago, Tolkmit said:

RoyalUp bidding is completely unrelated to room availability. They get bids in case of cancellations or no shows.

Thank you!

 

I suppose emergencies happen. And people can cancel.

 

But I wonder how many cancellations can happen so close to the sailing date? 

 

Even if somebody has to cancel (I can't even imagine a no show, but anything can happen I suppose...) - the cruise line keeps the money. So they don't loose anything, right?

 

Of course it never hurts to get even more money. Maybe that?

[Tolkmit]

44 minutes ago, JoieNsk said:

Thank you!

 

I suppose emergencies happen. And people can cancel.

 

But I wonder how many cancellations can happen so close to the sailing date? 

 

Even if somebody has to cancel (I can't even imagine a no show, but anything can happen I suppose...) - the cruise line keeps the money. So they don't loose anything, right?

 

Of course it never hurts to get even more money. Maybe that?

 

Yep, pretty much. I mean, I can't say how common cancellations are (or no-shows, although someone showing up to the pier without proper documents is functionally the same thing and that does happen occasionally); but with RoyalUp being an automated system, it costs Royal next to nothing to get the bids. And Oasis has what, 2800 staterooms? Even if less than one half of one percent of them cancel, it could be 10 staterooms. Which is could be 30+ upgrade bids accepted, 10 people upgrade from inside balcony to the canceled ocean view balconies, 10 from ocean view to the freed up inside balconies, 10 from interior to the freed up ocean views. Snowballs into a decent chunk of change they make extra for no additional cost to themselves, because they are paying to maintain the automated system regardless.

[Ashland]

Keep and be happy with your OS...I prefer them over the RS regardless.

[dani negreanu]

7 hours ago, JoieNsk said:

I suppose emergencies happen. And people can cancel.

 

But I wonder how many cancellations can happen so close to the sailing date? 

 

My cousin had to cancel a prime location cabin just a few days before sailing day, due to a cancer diagnosis. Since our reservations were linked (dinners, shows), she preferred not to cancel outright, for fear that both reservations will be cancelled

 

She was a "no show" and was credited back the taxes.

 

Edited April 13 by dani negreanu

[Starry Eyes]

8 hours ago, JoieNsk said:

Thank you!

 

I suppose emergencies happen. And people can cancel.

 

But I wonder how many cancellations can happen so close to the sailing date? 

 

Even if somebody has to cancel (I can't even imagine a no show, but anything can happen I suppose...) - the cruise line keeps the money. So they don't loose anything, right?

 

Of course it never hurts to get even more money. Maybe that?

Emergencies do happen.  Cancellations occur.  If hypothetically someone in a high end suite must cancel 4 days before sailing, a whole cascade of upgrades would probably occur, each resulting in a money for the cruiseline and hopefully delighted cruiser in a better cabin. 

[not-enough-cruising]

They also solicit bids, if for no other reason, than data collection regarding what people are willing to pay for cabins

[JoieNsk]

7 hours ago, Ashland said:

Keep and be happy with your OS...I prefer them over the RS regardless.

Thank you.

 

I am happy with our cabin. This itinerary is a pricey one, but I booked it right when the dates were released, so got - as I feel - reasonable price.

 

But RS is nice in my opinion, especially for the 12 days, so I would not mind to get that one, paying a small bid over what I already paid 🙂

 

I got spoiled - we had couple amazing deals during COVID and right after, and tried some extremely nice cabins which are normally out of our price range :))) But I feel the time of deals is over  - at least for a while :))))

 

I will take it though. I better have no deals, but no COVID either!!!

[JoieNsk]

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

 

My cousin had to cancel a prime location cabin just a few days before sailing day, due to a cancer diagnosis. Since our reservations were linked (dinners, shows), she preferred not to cancel outright, for fear that both reservations will be cancelled

 

She was a "no show" and was credited back the taxes.

 

I hope your cousin is doing well, and on the way to full recovery!

 

It does give very different perspective to all these "money" games.

 

I truly wish everybody on our cruise will make it - no cancellations, no "no-shows", no emergencies! 

[JoieNsk]

59 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

Emergencies do happen.  Cancellations occur.  If hypothetically someone in a high end suite must cancel 4 days before sailing, a whole cascade of upgrades would probably occur, each resulting in a money for the cruiseline and hopefully delighted cruiser in a better cabin. 

I suppose it is a higher probability that somebody in a not-suite cabin get an upgrade, compared to a suite cabin, as there are less suites on the ship. And they probably will be happier too 🙂 As suites are nice enough already, even without upgrade.

 

So it was not very smart move on my end to skip the savings I get with the big box travel company for this elusive game :))) Next time I hope I will be smarter! :)))

[JoieNsk]

51 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

They also solicit bids, if for no other reason, than data collection regarding what people are willing to pay for cabins

I suppose - why not.

 

Maybe next time they will offer lower prices right from the beginning - taking in the data I provided to them :))))

[not-enough-cruising]

38 minutes ago, JoieNsk said:

I suppose - why not.

 

Maybe next time they will offer lower prices right from the beginning - taking in the data I provided to them :))))

If only!!! 
 

unfortunately, I believe the RU system had been partially responsible for the increases in fares. The big system has shown them exactly what people are willing to spend. 

[wdwkings]

Chiming in to share two items.  
 

First, we are inside 100 days for our next cruise, in a suite, but there are still uncertain schedule details.  Because of that situation just sharing, rooms become open on sailings, even near sailing, for lots of reasons.

 

Second, you never know when it might happen.  Years before RoyalUp while on another line lucked into an upgrade.  Nothing was available even when we checked in at the port.  While at an event of the first morning with some of the senior staff happened to chat with one of the hotel staff.  Found out one of the suites was booked but the guest did not arrive, he was able to work with us so we got the upgrade by lunch.  
 

So in the famous words of Lloyd Christmas “so your telling me there is a chance”

[JoieNsk]

32 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

If only!!! 
 

unfortunately, I believe the RU system had been partially responsible for the increases in fares. The big system has shown them exactly what people are willing to spend. 

I am not going to be responsible for that 🙂

 

My data gave them an idea that they need to price down the suite I am bidding at, and significantly :))) That 's what I meant. 

 

If I would like the price they were selling the suite for to begin with - I would probably book it right there (maybe not really, as the other suites still would be less expensive, and I am happy enough to book one of them :)))

 

Maybe I don't understand something, but my idea of bidding is to get something at a bargain price. So I don't really get how my bargain pricing for example will give them an idea that I would be willing to pay even more than they try to charge as a regular price?

[dani negreanu]

1 hour ago, JoieNsk said:

I hope your cousin is doing well, and on the way to full recovery!

 

It does give very different perspective to all these "money" games.

 

I truly wish everybody on our cruise will make it - no cancellations, no "no-shows", no emergencies! 

 

Thank you for your kind words. She was lucky it was caught early, being in a medical occupation, they both are undergoing annual check ups.

 

It was a bitter-sweet cruise without them. She lives in Germany and we didn't see each other since before Covid. The cruise was meant to be a happy reunion....

 

We booked, again, a cruise in September. Early days, but this time WE might have to cancel, if the war in our country will continue...

 

Enjoy your cruise in this rare itinerary !! I'm aiming to take this cruise too, one of those days.