RoyalUP? (Bid for stateroom upgrade)

[brillohead]

8 hours ago, jrapps said:

Quick question on the upgrades...if you score an upgrade to a suite (star or sky class) that includes Voom, does everyone (even minors) get their own voom login? How does that work for minors that don't have a royal login?

 

I have the 4-device Wi-Fi booked but trying to decide if I get my upgrade, can I/should I cancel my 4-device package?

Everyone in the room gets wifi (assuming Oasis/Quantum class).  

Being a minor has nothing to do with it.  Nor does having a "royal login". 

When on board, you connect to the ship's wifi and give your room number, name, and DOB, and it validates your package and has you set a login name and password/PIN to use for the rest of the cruise. 

So yes, if you win your bid, you can cancel your package.  If it's too close to boarding and you can't cancel in advance, you can cancel onboard and get OBC.

 

[Biker19]

56 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Are you saying on Odyssey that you might not know if your bid won until 2 or 3 in the afternoon of embarkation day? 

Most get the denial email later at night on embarkation day. 

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Most get the denial email later at night on embarkation day. 

Yes, that’s when people get denials.  I do not think we have yet heard a report from a person whose bid(s) said “pending” when they were ready to go to the pier for checkin (or for that matter when they got up the morning of checkin) and still got an accepted bid later that day.  I just wonder if those really late cancellations (we know they have occur more frequently during covid era) are really going to be filled via RoyalUp.  Or after social media reports on on board upgrades for reasonable prices, perhaps requests for upgrade overwhelming guest services on day one and they decided to quash it.

[jean87510]

9 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Most get the denial email later at night on embarkation day. 

I got my grandeur denial email in the Windjammer the next morning.   This was after seeing a pending locked bid along with 2 expired bids for 11 days. And after only 700 people were onboard after an expected 1100 for a NYE sailing.  We had our little guarantee inside cabin on an empty floor.  Edit:  You are absolutely correct in saying only way to tell is the credit card charge and the email.  I had all the "criteria".  Had a great time and truthfully was never in my cabin after all.

Edited February 16, 2022 by jean87510

[jean87510]

8 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

Yes, that’s when people get denials.  I do not think we have yet heard a report from a person whose bid(s) said “pending” when they were ready to go to the pier for checkin (or for that matter when they got up the morning of checkin) and still got an accepted bid later that day.  I just wonder if those really late cancellations (we know they have occur more frequently during covid era) are really going to be filled via RoyalUp.  Or after social media reports on on board upgrades for reasonable prices, perhaps requests for upgrade overwhelming guest services on day one and they decided to quash it.

On our last cruise, we boarded at around 6 (Barbados.....) and went to guest services immediately to see if we could negotiate for a different room as we had heard nothing yet.  They told me there were no available rooms even though I said there are people who are not boarding because of testing positive so you must have THEIR room!  They wouldn't budge.  We had a guaranteed inside on deck 3 which wasn't bad considering we were only in there to sleep.  We found out later only 700 were on.  400 didn't make it due to the testing shortages, omicron...you name it.  So I was in a perfect situation where I probably should have been permitted to at least offer a bid to move up a category.  GS wouldn't even do that.  It was odd but all worked out well in the end.

[sford75]

11 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Are you saying on Odyssey that you might not know if your bid won until 2 or 3 in the afternoon of embarkation day? 

More like 8pm

[sford75]

15 hours ago, binro01 said:

This is quite amazing to see. I like this process better than the line up at guest services. I do have a quick question though. Are they making access to the RoyalUp site free for everyone, even without a VOOM package? What about notification if you have won your bid? Usually you need access to email for that.

I don’t know anyone who won yet, just denials. My guess would be that if you won, there would be multiple ways to notify you. Via email and also a call from guest services. I was moved at 9pm on night 1 during a sailing last year due to an issue. I had a message from Guest services when I got back to my stateroom and someone helped me moved. 

[sford75]

15 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

Hmm, so if RoyalUp really manages to give upgrades after checkin begins, somebody’s notification of a cabin change might occur when your key card doesn’t open the cabin door any longer, LOL.  If the unknowing steward opens the door for the confused guest, they’l l potentially meet the people who won the RoyalUp upgrade to their old cabin.  Hope they are not celebrating at that moment😊

All joking aside, giving the upgrades to the highest bidder is better in my opinion as a bidder and a shareholder.

I don’t think they would move someone to a stateroom that someone checked in for, even if that person was upgraded: I think this is for those staterooms that go empty due to an issue at the Port like a positive Covid test etc. 

[sford75]

9 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

Yes, that’s when people get denials.  I do not think we have yet heard a report from a person whose bid(s) said “pending” when they were ready to go to the pier for checkin (or for that matter when they got up the morning of checkin) and still got an accepted bid later that day.  I just wonder if those really late cancellations (we know they have occur more frequently during covid era) are really going to be filled via RoyalUp.  Or after social media reports on on board upgrades for reasonable prices, perhaps requests for upgrade overwhelming guest services on day one and they decided to quash it.

I think they will be few and far between and I would guess they will be for bigger type staterooms like suites. 

[cruiselvr04]

I can't imagine it would be the norm.  Then the room you moved from is dirty or left empty.

[Deb1953]

18 hours ago, Deb1953 said:

A friend we are sailing with got her bidup from regular balcony to a spacious one.  My bid on the Owners Suite now says Expired, but my bid for the Grand Suite still says pending. 

 

So last night I got a notice from my Credit Card company of a charge and it appeared to be my bidup amount.  I had NO email, yet when i went to my cruise it now said I had a GSsuite and a cabin number.  Then I got an email from my travel agent.  As of now, still NO email from Royal about the upgrade.  All of our online info has been updated so we are happy for the upgrade..... That was on Tuesday for this Sunday sailing.

Edited February 16, 2022 by Deb1953

[berbician]

6 minutes ago, Deb1953 said:

So last night I got a notice from my Credit Card company of a charge and it appeared to be my bidup amount.  I had NO email, yet when i went to my cruise it now said I had a GSsuite and a cabin number.  Then I got an email from my travel agent.  As of now, still NO email from Royal about the upgrade.  All of our online info has been updated so we are happy for the upgrade..... That was on Tuesday for this Sunday sailing.

That is great news. Congratulations. Just curious what ship are you on and if you don't mind sharing what amount was your  bid?  I am on Wonder of the Seas the March 18th and I did a Bid, the lowest amount for a 1 bedroom GS.  Thanks    

[Qmomma]

Question: I am thinking of bidding on a room upgrade through Royal Up. I've never done this before. I was reading a blog about the program and read that if you win a bid, it can cancel out packages you've purchased so be careful. We have purchased drink packages. If we won a bid, could that possibly cancel our drink packages?

[ticketsunlimited]

Never heard of that ever happening. 

[Cruise a holic]

9 minutes ago, Qmomma said:

Question: I am thinking of bidding on a room upgrade through Royal Up. I've never done this before. I was reading a blog about the program and read that if you win a bid, it can cancel out packages you've purchased so be careful. We have purchased drink packages. If we won a bid, could that possibly cancel our drink packages?

Yes

[Vera/Lee]

56 minutes ago, Deb1953 said:

So last night I got a notice from my Credit Card company of a charge and it appeared to be my bidup amount.  I had NO email, yet when i went to my cruise it now said I had a GSsuite and a cabin number.  Then I got an email from my travel agent.  As of now, still NO email from Royal about the upgrade.  All of our online info has been updated so we are happy for the upgrade..... That was on Tuesday for this Sunday sailing.

Congratulations!

 

[Biker19]

46 minutes ago, Qmomma said:

 If we won a bid, could that possibly cancel our drink packages?

 Very unlikely. 

[alohayall]

1 hour ago, Deb1953 said:

So last night I got a notice from my Credit Card company of a charge and it appeared to be my bidup amount.  I had NO email, yet when i went to my cruise it now said I had a GSsuite and a cabin number.  Then I got an email from my travel agent.  As of now, still NO email from Royal about the upgrade.  All of our online info has been updated so we are happy for the upgrade..... That was on Tuesday for this Sunday sailing.

I don’t know what is normal for RoyalUp when going through a travel agent - but so many aspects of the cruise booking have to go through the Travel Agent if you use one.  Do you get any emails directly from Royal?

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, Qmomma said:

Question: I am thinking of bidding on a room upgrade through Royal Up. I've never done this before. I was reading a blog about the program and read that if you win a bid, it can cancel out packages you've purchased so be careful. We have purchased drink packages. If we won a bid, could that possibly cancel our drink packages?

Some people actually want to cancel their packages if they get an upgrade.  For example, people who upgrade to a star level suite no longer need drink or dining packages.  Some who upgrade to sky level suite may feel drinks provide in suite lounge make drink package unnecessary for them. Such people voluntarily, happily take refunds on their pre purchased  packages.  
It seems unlikely that anyone would involuntary lose their pre purchased packages.

[RFerrington]

9 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

It seems unlikely that anyone would involuntary lose their pre purchased packages.

I agree.  The only time I have heard of cruise planner purchases being involuntarily cancelled was when the entire cruise is cancelled either on purpose or by the cruise line, (for whatever reason).  Upgrading (either on your own or via RoyalUp) should not affect your cruise planner purchases.

[fb0075]

Is the weekly GOING GOING GONE rates gone gone gone?????

THANKS FRANK

[mermaidgal]

Our cruise is 12 days from now and I heard from Royalup yesterday my GS bid was accepted, seems like there is no rhyme or reason on the timing, and I bid the very minimum.

so that’s exciting! 

[Biker19]

16 minutes ago, fb0075 said:

Is the weekly GOING GOING GONE rates gone gone gone?

On pause since March 2020, but some provide crowdsourced good deals. 

[fb0075]

thanks

[topher4519]

2 hours ago, alohayall said:

I don’t know what is normal for RoyalUp when going through a travel agent - but so many aspects of the cruise booking have to go through the Travel Agent if you use one.  Do you get any emails directly from Royal?

 I received a RoyalUp email and my TA sent me an email.