If you’ve ever sailed with Royal Caribbean, you might have heard about their Royal Up Programme. It’s the cruise line’s cabin upgrade bidding system, and it can be a good way to bag yourself a nicer stateroom without paying full price. But how does it work, and is it worth it? Let’s break it down.
Royal Up is an invite-only programme. After you’ve booked your cruise, you may receive an email from Royal Caribbean (usually around 30 – 90 days before sailing) inviting you to place bids on higher-category staterooms.
Alternatively, you can check if your cabin is eligible on the Royal Caribbean website.
Here’s how it works in practice:
Be aware though, once you bid, you are tied to it. So if Royal Caribbean accept your bid, then you can’t withdraw.
Well, it depends on what you define as cheap. For my Oasis of the Seas cruise, I bid £200 per person for a balcony cabin. Now, at the original time of booking, it was more than +£200 per person for the balcony cabin. So technically, yes it was cheaper. And in the moment, I only saw it as “£200”, so i felt more inclined to pay that.
But the prices depend on the current sailing and the cabin grade. But still, you could bag a nice little suite for a fraction of the original price.
If you like reading about prices and costings, I actually have a full breakdown of how much my Oasis of the Seas cruise cost! You can view that here.
If Royal Caribbean can sell you a suite for less than the advertised price, how are they making any money?
Here’s the trick: if a cabin type isn’t selling, the line would rather offer it to you at a discount than let it sit empty. They can then resell your old stateroom at the current market rate, which is often higher than what you originally paid. That’s already more revenue in their pocket.
On top of that, more guests means more spending onboard. Think drinks packages, speciality dining, shore excursions, and of course gratuities. Even if the upgrade itself is sold at a bargain, Royal Caribbean usually makes up for it (and more) with the extras.
This really depends on your situation. If you’re happy with your booked cabin but wouldn’t mind a better one at the right price, then Royal Up can be a great deal. It’s especially tempting for suites, where you could experience perks like priority boarding, extra space, and access to exclusive venues for far less than the standard suite fare.
On the flip side, if location is important to you (for example, being close to the lifts or avoiding noise), you might prefer to keep your original choice rather than risk being upgraded to a less ideal spot.
I personally didn’t love it. In hindsight, paying an extra £400 in total to from an Inside Cabin to a Boardwalk Balcony where I had virtually no privacy was a bit of a regret. But y’know, all good for the experience! But realistically, I don’t think I would bid again for another cabin. I’m not actually that bothered by an inside cabin, and a balcony can be a bit wasted on me. I’d much rather save the money for another cruise.
Stay awhile onboard Royal Caribbean
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You can usually find me on a cruise ship, somewhere in Europe, or sneaking a beach day. I share beautiful photos, travel tips, and the occasional ‘why did I book this?’ moment.
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