Royal up will review once onboard?

[Templecruiser]

I just got a email from royal up. I’ve done royal up many times but don’t remember ever getting a email saying it will be reviewed once onboard. Here is what they sent.

We have reviewed the RoyalUp bids for your upcoming sailing onboard Harmony of the Seas^®. While we have not selected your offer yet, the team onboard the ship is still reviewing, and may choose it for upgrade based on availability at departure time.

Has anyone else seen this and if so, did it work out?

[Bruin Steve]

Doiesn't sound like they're sayiung it will be "reviewed once onboard"...just that they are keeping it open up to departure time.  That's instead of letting everyone know and canceling bids, say, three days prior...Which is, IIRC, how they originally designed this.  It's all really for their convenience, not yours.  Juust because the bids have not been canceled doesn't mean any will be accepted.  And, rather than let a higher category sail empty, they might as well squeeze a few hundred extra dollars out of someone.

When they first started doing this on RCCL and Celebrity, we were headed for a SE Asia cruise on Celebrity Millennium and had booked an OV cabin.  We put in a bid and got a canceled bid notice three days prior to sailing.  When we got to the embarkation port, we got a surprise FREE upgrade.  A cabin opened up due to a last minute cancelation, but since they had already canceled everyones bids, they ended up giving it to us for free.  Sounds like they've learned.

[Templecruiser]

This was the heading of the email sent,

“Your RoyalUp request will be reviewed onboard”

[teddy]

We’ve received this on the last couple cruises we put Royal Up bids in. 
 

It’s a change from the unsuccessful bids just showing canceled or expired.  Based on what I’ve read here as well as personal experience, I believe it’s just Royal hedging their bets (in the off chance they can make a few more bucks) rather than any real possibility of an upgrade. 
 

In other, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.  Yes, there are instances where people have been upgraded when they bosrd, but I believe those instances are very rare compared to the amount of people who aren’t upgraded.

 

 

[Xaa]

2 hours ago, Templecruiser said:

This was the heading of the email sent,

“Your RoyalUp request will be reviewed onboard”

I think what they are saying is that the onboard staff is reviewing it vs it will be reviewed once you get onboard.

Essentially you aren't out of the running, but you certainly weren't awarded in any RUB's already accepted.

[Xtentions]

We got the same email for our trip on Grandeur in November.  We knew ahead of boarding the ship was full you can see this by doing a mock booking.  Once we got on board there was a sign at guest services that stated there were no upgrades available.  We talked to a very nice agent anyway since they were not yet busy and were told that there would be no upgrades via RoyalUp or otherwise.  We received an email while at dinner that our Royal Up was not successful.

We had our bags in our room but made the decision not to unpack until we knew for sure if we would get the upgrade or not.  We went back after dinner and unpacked and made our first Junior Suite ours. 

[smokeybandit]

This is just code for "there are no rooms available, so the only chance you have at an upgrade is if someone cancels after the RoyalUp window closes"

[Cactus527]

We got one of these in October prior to our sailing. Got excited. Nothing happened. So...don't bet on it. Sorry.

[Mike45orlando]

If you don't mind.  If you don't withdraw your bid, a cancelation could possibly have you moved to another cabin after you have settled in your cabin.

[Jolly Ogre]

I got an e-mail for Royal up this morning for my sailing in 3 days and the cheapest bid per person is almost what I already paid for the cruise.

[Lovetocruise2002]

@Neesawrote on her blog that she got one of these for her Thanksgiving sailing and then was upgraded shortly afterwards.

[FireFishII]

I think the only reasons you could be upgraded once you are on board is because someone had to cancel due to contracting COVID or they missed the boat.  Lots of folks would go ahead and cancel their bid at that time because they don't want to be inconvenient by moving to a different room after setting in. But others rather keep the dream of Royal Up going.  So, keep your faith but don't hold your breath for an upgrade.  Best of luck!

 

[Neesa]

51 minutes ago, FireFishII said:

I think the only reasons you could be upgraded once you are on board is because someone had to cancel due to contracting COVID or they missed the boat.  Lots of folks would go ahead and cancel their bid at that time because they don't want to be inconvenient by moving to a different room after setting in. But others rather keep the dream of Royal Up going.  So, keep your faith but don't hold your breath for an upgrade.  Best of luck!

 

Well said! I had emailed the concierge who told me he was in communication with the passengers that had booked the suites that my RUB's were for, so I believed my bids would ultimately be unsuccessful.  The Royal Suite & the 2 bedroom/2 bathroom Owners suite, again they were spoken for. (Serenade of the Seas Thanksgiving week) Hours later I was awarded the ability to pay a little bit more for the upgraded cabin and my cabin assignment changed. (The 2 bed OS)  We believe the family who had intended to sail were hit with/by that freak snow storm up north & flights were canceled like crazy. I was shocked for sure, this was on the 17th I was set to sail the 19th. I bid 29 times in total during my cruising tenure, I am 28 losses & 1 award. 

My Loyalty amenities were not there but I visited the LA and she did get it sorted, it did take 2 attempts. 

[WAYNO]

I have also received the same notification that we'd be reviewed at departure.

 

And, I've attempted upgrades multiple times.  I've bid high, medium, and low, but never have I succeeded in a Royal Up. 

 

We have 4 cruises upcoming.  I wont attempt a Royal Up  on them.  Not only because of my apparent low odds, but because Royal has been dismally silent of ongoing concerns.  I don't want a snafu, then have Royal ignore me. 

 

[asquared17]

we just got one for odyssey on sunday but we certainly aren’t holding our breath  i would be shocked if we got an upgrade and actually quite like our cabin already. 

[Lynne S]

I, too, received this email.  I have never won a bid in all the times that I have placed one.  I was wondering if anyone else had gotten this email.  So now I know that I am not the only one.  Interesting!

[FireFishII]

Gee, with all these emails, do you think Royal is trying to get a bidding war started. LOL !!  Good luck to anyone who choice to go that route. It can't hurt to try and dream.

[asquared17]

we did not get our RU bid but i loved our cabin so was actually not sad about it.

[Templecruiser]

Didn't get ours either, but the 1 bedroom ATS was awesome anyways.

[BRY7]

has anyone encountered where booking is eligible for Royal Up but upon entering the details within 30 days, it prompts "Please ensure your sailing is within the next 30 days
Please ensure there are no errors in the information you entered"?

[Ampurp85]

3 hours ago, BRY7 said:

has anyone encountered where booking is eligible for Royal Up but upon entering the details within 30 days, it prompts "Please ensure your sailing is within the next 30 days
Please ensure there are no errors in the information you entered"?

So not all bookings will be "eligible." Even if you booked with Royal or are within the 30 days, there could be nowhere to go. For example, I sail Grandeur in Jan, I should be able to bid but I get that same message because the cruise has been sold out since the middle of Oct. There are no balconies or suite available. 

[BrianB]

Several times I received the email that my bid was unsuccessful on the evening of embarkation day. Usually while sitting in the theater during the Welcome Aboard show. 

I guess they keep bids open as long as there is a possibility that a bid category opens up. 
I was surprised to hear that there are quite a few instances where people just don’t show up. Either due to travel issues, sickness or other reasons…and they don’t notify Royal. Or they do….but Royal waits until after sailing just to make sure. 
I also heard that they get an idea of possible no shows when people don’t do the online check in…so they wait until embarkation.

Either way, once I’m already in my cabin…unpacked and set up…I don’t think I’d like to repack everything, move, and then do it all over again. But, if the bid is successful, I guess there’s no choice…as per the agreement. Especially if the room I’m vacating has also been awarded to a bidder. I don’t think Guest Services would be able to help at that point…but wouldn’t hurt to try.

[WAAAYTOOO]

If you have more than 1 person on the booking, try inserting their name into the RU link.  Sometimes I have to put Dans name in even though I am the first passenger.  This worked for me very recently