Royal Up Bidding Questions

[CruiseMsclDad]

Hey guys!

So I just snagged a Suite Guarantee, I am assuming its a Junior Suite, and today I can see the following categories that I can bid on:

Grand Suite $0 - $700

Grand Suite - 2 Bedroom $0 - $910

Owner’s Suite $0 - $980

Royal Suite $0 - $700

I have never done a Royal Up before, what bids would you suggest and how has your experiences been?

Thanks Mitch !

[smokeybandit]

There really is no right answer. It varies so much for a particular ship and sailing

[cedricmr]

Mariner OTS in september !

[CruiseMsclDad]

2 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

There really is no right answer. It varies so much for a particular ship and sailing

I know the ship is almost sold out, I was just curious  with other passengers experiences.

[mk-ultra]

Hi Mitch,

I've pretty much bid on every cabin upgrade (that interested me) since the inception of the program.  I never won until my last cruise.  I'd paid for a Grand Suite.  I really wanted a Grand Loft Suite, but for that particular Alaska cruise they were stupid expensive.

I don't know if this counts as a "strategy", but I put in the minimum bid plus bumping the slider over a couple of extra notches ($200 above min or so).  I used to bid for things on eBay a lot and bumping a little above minimum seemed to work reasonably well.  I got a Grand Loft Suite (one of those 2 floor ones) at a stupidly good price... and a bump to Star Class.

Natch, it's just going to depend on the number of bidders and how hungry they are.  YMMV.  From a Suite guarantee -- I'd probably place bids on the OS and RS just to roll the dice.

[wordell1]

The best advice is to put in a bid that you are comfortable with.  If you would gladly pay the price knowing you would win, then bid that amount.  

I wouldn't get to wrapped up in it.  With ships selling out and sailing full, the chances of winning are really slim.

[CruiseMsclDad]

17 minutes ago, wordell1 said:

The best advice is to put in a bid that you are comfortable with.  If you would gladly pay the price knowing you would win, then bid that amount.  

I wouldn't get to wrapped up in it.  With ships selling out and sailing full, the chances of winning are really slim.

Agree! At this point it would be just for fun, and since I am probably going solo a JS is fine.

[CruiseMsclDad]

1 hour ago, mk-ultra said:

Hi Mitch,

I've pretty much bid on every cabin upgrade (that interested me) since the inception of the program.  I never won until my last cruise.  I'd paid for a Grand Suite.  I really wanted a Grand Loft Suite, but for that particular Alaska cruise they were stupid expensive.

I don't know if this counts as a "strategy", but I put in the minimum bid plus bumping the slider over a couple of extra notches ($200 above min or so).  I used to bid for things on eBay a lot and bumping a little above minimum seemed to work reasonably well.  I got a Grand Loft Suite (one of those 2 floor ones) at a stupidly good price... and a bump to Star Class.

Natch, it's just going to depend on the number of bidders and how hungry they are.  YMMV.  From a Suite guarantee -- I'd probably place bids on the OS and RS just to roll the dice.

Agree, if it were a newer ship I would bid more aggressively, I love the Mariner, for lots of reasons, but not for the cabins, and since I am going solo a JS is fine for just me.

[ScottD]

If it were a newer ship, it'd most like be a lot higher, too... the bids for my Oasis sailing in October are insane. The Grand royal suite starts at 710, the 2BR starts at 920, the owners suite starts at 1130 and the Crown loft starts at 2800

[PL8SWPR]

 

I'm 1 for 1 on bids so far.  Went from an OV to a spacious panaramic OV (new rooms near the spa on Mariner) with a bid one notch above minimum which was $50.   I paid $60 total for the upgrade.  Was happy with the upgrade for the low bid.  Room was newer and obviously an upgrade as was the location (deck 13 I believe).

[OCSC Mike]

11 minutes ago, PL8SWPR said:

 

I'm 1 for 1 on bids so far.  Went from an OV to a spacious panaramic OV (new rooms near the spa on Mariner) with a bid one notch above minimum which was $50.   I paid $60 total for the upgrade.  Was happy with the upgrade for the low bid.  Room was newer and obviously an upgrade as was the location (deck 13 I believe).

Congrats!

We bid on those on Indy last year but didn't win. We're perfectly content in interiors (the cabin is just a place to sleep, shower, and change to us) but those panoramics looked cool and we liked the location.

 

[PL8SWPR]

11 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

Congrats!

We bid on those on Indy last year but didn't win. We're perfectly content in interiors (the cabin is just a place to sleep, shower, and change to us) but those panoramics looked cool and we liked the location.

 

It was nice, but it doesn't seem like they clean those windows often. 

We don't spend much time in the room, so I think the location was the nicest part of it.

[CruiseMsclDad]

6 minutes ago, PL8SWPR said:

It was nice, but it doesn't seem like they clean those windows often. 

We don't spend much time in the room, so I think the location was the nicest part of it.

I started cruising as a kid with different relatives, then mostly with my Uncle. My family are fanatical about certain things, especially cleaning. Growing up I thought all families on vacation cleaned up hotel rooms, or cruise ship cabins after the Cabin Attendant cleaned. My job as a kid, was the windows and the mirrors, which is one of few things that got larger over the years! But on a panoramic ocean view you can clean the inside all you want, if the outside is dirty well I am not hanging on the side of the ship to do them:)

[Matt]

23 hours ago, CruiseMsclDad said:

what bids would you suggest and how has your experiences been?

It's all luck, so there's no real strategy.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2023/06/16/how-can-you-win-royal-stateroom-upgrade-bid-its-pure-luck

[CruiseMsclDad]

21 minutes ago, Matt said:

It's all luck, so there's no real strategy.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2023/06/16/how-can-you-win-royal-stateroom-upgrade-bid-its-pure-luck

Thank you so much! I really like how in the article you pointed out that is is like a scratch off lottery ticket, that hit hoe for me, I think I will put in some bids and just forget about it. Since my son is still debating on joining me, I think I ill be fine in a JS. Thank you again for this article.

Mitch

[CanHardlyWait]

6 hours ago, CruiseMsclDad said:

Since my son is still debating on joining me,

Lucky kid! What's to debate? Lol. I'm 55yrs old and still have never met my father (who is still living) or even seen one red cent my entire life. I cannot even imagine having that choice to make. Lol. Doesn't know how good he's got it. Won't most kids be in school second week September? (Please God) LOL. How old is he?

[CruiseMsclDad]

2 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Lucky kid! What's to debate? Lol. I'm 55yrs old and still have never met my father (who is still living) or even seen one red cent my entire life. I cannot even imagine having that choice to make. Lol. Doesn't know how good he's got it. Won't most kids be in school second week September? (Please God) LOL. How old is he?

You are 100% correct, I guess since my divorce I have spoiled both of them, but the last couple of years my oldest has changed a lot, faced some stuff, he joined the arestling team, got into bodybuilding like his dad, so I can't complain, really. His school would let him start later if he decided to go, so time will tell

Thanks, Mitch

[bobroo]

I am much more logical and strategic with Royal Up than most folks. When I book, I of course know the price I paid for the cabin I selected. But at that time I also write down the pricing of the other higher cabin categories.

When Royal Up time comes, it is real easy to figure a potential maximum bid amount because I know the price level for each category that is already too high.  And I need to factor in a discount of any potential Royal Up bid for the shortcomings and downsides of Royal Up. 

Voila! a reasonable cost and an informed decision for Royal Up bidding.

[CanHardlyWait]

5 minutes ago, CruiseMsclDad said:

You are 100% correct, I guess since my divorce I have spoiled both of them, but the last couple of years my oldest has changed a lot, faced some stuff, he joined the arestling team, got into bodybuilding like his dad, so I can't complain, really. His school would let him start later if he decided to go, so time will tell

Thanks, Mitch

Ah well a teenager. They think they know it all. LOL. (News flash, You don't. Hahaha) Plus they think they are too cool for everything. LOL.

Still very lucky to have the option of a trip and time with you. Eventually he will realize how cool it was to have these options. You show up. Your a good dad. Trust me, showing up is everything. See ya onboard!

[CruiseMsclDad]

UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! So I took Bobroo's advice, and I did a little research, found out the cost of OS, GS 1 bedroom, GS 2bedroom, RS, and then I was in the process of altering my bids, when I get a text from my TA. I found out my Suite GTY was actually a Junior Suite, long story short there were 5 Grand Suite 1 bedrooms available, and the upgrade from the Junior Suite was like $240.  So my TA told me cancel, my Key which was $299. This upgrade price was last night and they had 4 left.

[WAAAYTOOO]

42 minutes ago, CruiseMsclDad said:

the upgrade from the Junior Suite was like $240.  So my TA told me cancel, my Key which was $299. This upgrade price was last night and they had 4 left.

Great job !!  You did just the right thing.

[HSB]

I have always had good luck going one *click* past the center. Most sailings are at capacity now so there's a lot of competition.

[bobroo]

4 hours ago, CruiseMsclDad said:

UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! So I took Bobroo's advice, and I did a little research, found out the cost of OS, GS 1 bedroom, GS 2bedroom, RS, and then I was in the process of altering my bids, when I get a text from my TA. I found out my Suite GTY was actually a Junior Suite, long story short there were 5 Grand Suite 1 bedrooms available, and the upgrade from the Junior Suite was like $240.  So my TA told me cancel, my Key which was $299. This upgrade price was last night and they had 4 left.

Sounds like instead of making the little Royal Up speedometer redline into oblivion... you used some spreadsheet analysis and found good value. Awesome! 

Please keep in touch and share with us how your cruise went, there are many of us who'd like to find out how this story ends.

[CruiseMsclDad]

45 minutes ago, bobroo said:

Sounds like instead of making the little Royal Up speedometer redline into oblivion... you used some spreadsheet analysis and found good value. Awesome! 

Please keep in touch and share with us how your cruise went, there are many of us who'd like to find out how this story ends.

Thank you ! I am constantly amazed at how cabins are valued, When I first booked this cruise everything was so expensive, and certain categories I thought were sold out, but everyday certain categories would open and others close! I found out with this cruise and I will apply this to future cruises is you have to be very logical and be disciplined about checking daily for cabin choice selection changes. I wish my career would let me choose a date in the future because I would like to snag some deals near 2025, but I just can't at least for now. I know the farther out you book the greater selection of cabin choices that you have. I

learned a lot during my first experience with Royal UP and i want to seriously thank everyone here and all those that privately emailed to share their advice, I learned a lot.