How Does RoyalUp Work, Really? My Surprising & Epic Upgrade Story

I’ve lost more RoyalUp bids than I’ve won. But the one time it really worked? It landed me in a $30,000 Star Class suite for a fraction of the cost, on a cruise I was already thrilled about.

If you’ve cruised with Royal Caribbean before, you’ve probably seen the RoyalUp emails in your inbox. The premise is simple: place a bid to upgrade your cabin, and if your offer is accepted, you’ll get a nicer stateroom. No phone calls or hassles required. But is it actually worth the effort? And more importantly, the money?

This post is based entirely on my real experience with RoyalUp, including both upgrades I didn’t expect and plenty of bids that went nowhere. Want to know how does RoyalUp work? I’ll walk you through how the process unfolded on one of my most memorable cruises, along with what I’ve learned about when it might be worth bidding and when it might not.

What Is RoyalUp? (Quick Refresher)

RoyalUp is Royal Caribbean’s bid-based upgrade program that lets you try for a better stateroom before your cruise. Usually at a discount compared to booking that room outright.

Here’s how it works:

• After booking, you may receive an email invitation to participate in RoyalUp (usually a few weeks to a couple months before sailing).
  
• You’ll see a list of available stateroom categories you can bid on. The starting bid and recommended range will vary by sailing, ship, and cabin type.
  
• You move a slider to indicate how much you’re willing to pay per person (based on double occupancy), for each upgrade option.
  
• Once you submit your bid(s), they’re locked in unless you cancel them manually before they’re accepted.
  

If your bid is accepted:

• You’re automatically upgraded — and your card is immediately charged.
  
• There are no refunds, no cancellations, and no cabin selection.
  
• You’ll typically be notified between 2 and 7 days before your cruise.
  

It’s a gamble — but one that sometimes pays off in a big way.

👉 Learn more from Royal Caribbean’s official RoyalUp FAQ

My RoyalUp Bidding History (And Why I Keep Trying)

I’ve sailed with Royal Caribbean many times, and at this point, placing a RoyalUp bid is part of my regular cruise prep. I don’t always win, but I’ve learned a lot from doing it consistently, both from my own experiences and from talking with other cruisers.

My strategy is simple: I start with the total dollar amount I’d actually be happy to pay for a better room. If that number falls within the bidding range shown on the slider and the upgrade category is one I’d be excited about, I place the bid and walk away. I don’t try to game the system. I just base it on value.

Here’s how it’s gone for me:

• Most of the time, my bid is not accepted. I never count on it.
  
• Sometimes, I win an upgrade from a balcony to a Junior Suite. These are the small wins that keep me coming back.
  
• Several times, I’ve won a bid for a “larger balcony.” Unfortunately, I’ve stopped bidding on those. The room location was actually worse than my original booking, and the extra square footage on the balcony was barely noticeable. Since you can’t choose your room when bidding, that kind of upgrade just hasn’t been worth it for me.
  

Still, even with mixed results, I’ve kept using RoyalUp because every once in a while, you get a surprise that makes it all worthwhile. The best example of that was a back-to-back cruise in the Mediterranean, which I’ll walk you through next.

My Most Successful RoyalUp Experience (Mediterranean Back-to-Back)

On a recent back-to-back Mediterranean sailing aboard Allure of the Seas, I placed what I thought were fairly routine RoyalUp bids. I had no expectations. Based on past results, I honestly didn’t expect to win anything.

We were already booked in a Grand Suite thanks to an advantageous casino offer. That gave me some flexibility. Because the out-of-pocket cost was modest, I decided to be more aggressive with my bids for a higher suite category. I was specifically aiming for a Crown Loft Suite, and placed a bid that landed just at the beginning of the “Fair” range on Royal Caribbean’s scale.

About 7 days before the cruise, I received a surprising email. It wasn’t a typical upgrade confirmation. Instead, Royal Caribbean offered me the chance to move up to a Star Class Grand Panoramic Suite, for the same price as my Crown Loft bid. The catch? I had to act fast. The email explained that the same offer had gone out to another guest, and whoever replied first would get it.

The Royal Suite on Allure often books for $25,000 or more, depending on the sailing and number of passengers. I was elated at the possibility of landing it. I was also nervous that I’d already missed my chance since the email had arrived a few hours before I opened it. I replied immediately and hoped for the best.

The next morning, I received confirmation that I had won the upgrade. My bid had worked, and we were now sailing in a Star Class Suite.  Even though the bid ultimately accepted was less than the minimum bid originally posted.

For the second leg of the back-to-back, we didn’t get another miracle Star Class upgrade. But my bid for the Crown Loft Suite did win, and we spent the second week in that category. It was still a major upgrade, and a win I was thrilled to get.  (Switching rooms was easy. The cabin attendants took care of everything!)

Another family we were traveling with had booked a Junior Suite and also won a Crown Loft upgrade for the second leg. Her bid was about $500 higher than mine, which may suggest that your original cabin category plays a role in determining who wins. She had also bid on the Crown Loft for the first leg but didn’t get it, or any other RoyalUp bid. 

Several factors may have helped tip the odds in our favor:

• Starting in a Grand Suite may have placed us higher in the bidding hierarchy. My speculation.
• Mediterranean cruises may have less competition for upgrades than Caribbean sailings.
• Allure of the Seas, while still a great ship, is one of the older Oasis-class ships. That could mean lower pricing pressure compared to newer ships like Icon of the Seas.
  

Although this has not been confirmed by anyone at Royal Caribbean, some cruisers believe that the outcome is controlled by an algorithm designed to maximize the total profit from the available bids. 

This experience made it clear that, while RoyalUp is far from predictable, sometimes it absolutely pays to try. Especially if your starting point and sailing conditions line up just right.

Is RoyalUp Worth It? My Honest Take

In my experience, RoyalUp is hit-or-miss. I’ve placed many bids that went nowhere. I’ve also had upgrades that technically “won” but didn’t feel worth the money. And then I’ve had that one golden moment where I was upgraded to a suite that would have cost over $25,000 at retail.

So, is it worth it?

It depends on how you approach it. The key is understanding that bidding is free You can throw your name in the hat without paying anything up front. You have nothing to lose by placing a bid.

But if your bid is accepted, your credit card will be charged automatically. There are no refunds, and no second chances to say “never mind.” You also won’t get to pick your room location, which is why you should only bid on cabin types that you genuinely want, regardless of where they’re located on the ship.

Here’s how I think about it now:

• Worth it: If you’re bidding on a suite you truly want, and you’d be happy paying that price whether or not the cabin is mid-ship, aft, or tucked under the pool deck.
  
• Not worth it: If you’re just reaching for a slightly bigger balcony or hoping for a better view. Those upgrades are more likely to disappoint, especially since you lose control over cabin placement.
  

RoyalUp is not a system to chase blindly. But if you go in with clear expectations and a firm budget, it can be a worthwhile tool.

Tips for Bidding Smarter on RoyalUp

If you’ve decided RoyalUp might be worth trying, here are three practical tips to help you bid with confidence and avoid common pitfalls.

1. Treat your bid like a final purchase decision

Before placing any bid, ask yourself: Would I be excited to get this upgrade at this price, no matter the room location? If not, don’t bid. RoyalUp is not a place for wishful thinking or “test” pricing. Your card will be charged automatically, and there’s no going back.

2. Ignore the slider psychology

RoyalUp’s slider encourages you to aim higher by showing you where your bid ranks (e.g., “poor,” “fair,” “strong”). That’s a marketing tactic. Stick with the number that fits your budget. Don’t assume a higher bid guarantees success, and don’t chase a win just to get into the green zone.

3. Don’t bid on upgrades just because they’re cheap

Some of the cheapest options — like “larger balcony” rooms — seem appealing at first glance. But in my experience, they can leave you with a worse room in exchange for a barely noticeable difference. If you wouldn’t book that category on its own, don’t try to backdoor your way into it.

Closing Thoughts

My experience with RoyalUp is just one of many. Some cruisers walk away with amazing upgrades, while others never hear back. That unpredictability is part of what makes the program so intriguing and frustrating.

If you’re planning to bid on an upcoming cruise, I highly recommend checking out our full RoyalUp Guide. It covers everything from who’s eligible to how bidding works, what categories typically offer the best value, and more.

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