Royal Caribbean RoyalUp: Is Bidding on a Cabin Upgrade Actually Worth It?
Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean's stateroom upgrade bidding program, including how it works, what it costs, and when I think it's worth the gamble.
So, you've booked your Royal Caribbean cruise, picked out your stateroom, and started counting down the days until vacation. You think all your decisions have been made except for which lounger to secure on the pool deck and then, BAM! An email arrives inviting you to BID on a better stateroom.
And you say, "I'm sorry. WHAT?! I can upgrade without paying the full price difference?"
Well, YES!
🛑BUT before you start throwing money at Royal Caribbean, there are a few things I think you should know.
A Cruise with PIE client recently asked me whether RoyalUp bids actually work, and after answering her questions, I realized this was information worth sharing with EVERYONE.
So, let's talk about RoyalUp!
WHAT IS ROYALUP?
RoyalUp is Royal Caribbean's stateroom upgrade bidding program. It allows eligible guests who have already booked their cruise to submit offers for higher-category staterooms.
Instead of paying the advertised price to upgrade your cabin, you can tell Royal Caribbean how much EXTRA you're willing to pay for a particular upgrade. And they make it pretty easy! For each eligible stateroom category, RoyalUp gives you a sliding scale with a range of bidding options, from a minimum bid to a maximum bid. You simply move the slider to select the amount you're comfortable offering. You'll also see an indicator showing the relative strength of your bid. But keep in mind, even a STRONG bid doesn't guarantee an upgrade, and sometimes a minimum bid wins!
If Royal Caribbean accepts your offer, congratulations! You've got yourself a new stateroom. If they don't? No harm done. You keep the cabin you originally booked and don't pay anything extra. And YES, people really do win these bids, and NO, it's not some gimmick or scam.
But there's a little more to it than that...
HOW DOES ROYALUP WORK?
IF you are one of the lucky chosen few, you will receive an invitation to participate in RoyalUp. This is NOT offered to every passenger. You can check your availability in the app and on the Royal Caribbean website.
Depending on your reservation, you may see several upgrade categories available for bidding.
Here's how the process works:
Review the stateroom categories available for upgrades.
Select the categories you're interested in.
Enter the amount you're willing to pay for each upgrade.
Submit your offer with your payment information.
Wait to see whether Royal Caribbean accepts your bid.
You can bid on multiple categories, but you'll only be charged for one accepted upgrade.
💵IMPORTANT: RoyalUp bids are priced PER PERSON, based on DOUBLE OCCUPANCY.
That means if you bid $200 per person, you're actually offering $400 TOTAL for the stateroom. Traveling with three or four people in the same cabin? The upgrade bid is still calculated using the first two guests. And that amount covers the entire cruise, NOT each night.
DOES ROYAL CARIBBEAN ROYALUP ACTUALLY ACCEPT LOW BIDS?
YES! And this is where things get interesting.
People really do win these bids! Sometimes, even at the absolute MINIMUM! In fact, I have firsthand experience with this one! On my December 2025 sailing aboard Freedom of the Seas, I submitted the minimum RoyalUp bid of just $90 per person ($180 total) to upgrade from an Ocean View stateroom to a Balcony.
And guess what? WE GOT IT! 🚢
A balcony upgrade for $180 total? I'll take that deal ALL DAY LONG!
But here's the catch: there's no magic number that guarantees success. Just because my minimum bid worked doesn't mean yours will. RoyalUp is a bit of a gamble, and that's part of the fun! Royal Caribbean considers bids individually and makes its own decisions about which offers to accept.
My personal theory? RoyalUp is a clever way for Royal Caribbean to manage inventory and maximize revenue. If a higher-category stateroom is sitting empty, accepting an upgrade bid generates additional revenue from a cabin that has already been paid for at a lower category. And when that guest moves into the upgraded stateroom, their original cabin becomes available for someone else. Sometimes, that newly available cabin might even be easier to sell than the higher-category one. Now, that's MY interpretation of the business strategy behind RoyalUp, not an official explanation from Royal Caribbean, but it would explain why an upgrade might make sense for the cruise line even when the bid seems surprisingly low.
THE BIGGEST CATCH: YOU DON'T GET TO PICK YOUR NEW CABIN!
THIS is the part I want my clients to understand before they submit a bid. When you book a specific stateroom, you can choose things that matter to you, like the deck, location, and proximity to elevators. With RoyalUp, you're bidding on a CATEGORY, not a particular cabin. If your bid is accepted, Royal Caribbean assigns your new stateroom. That means you could end up on a different deck, farther forward or aft than you prefer, or in a location you wouldn't have chosen yourself, and once your upgrade is accepted, you generally cannot reject it just because you don't love the location.
My advice? Don't bid on an upgrade unless you'd be happy accepting ANY cabin within that category. If your carefully selected midship balcony is important to you, think twice before giving up that control.
NOT EVERY UPGRADE IS NECESSARILY AN UPGRADE FOR YOU
Here's another thing I want you to consider: Royal Caribbean offers several different stateroom configurations, particularly on its newer ships. And just because a category is considered an "upgrade" doesn't necessarily mean it's something YOU would prefer.
For example, some ships offer Infinite Ocean View Balcony staterooms. Unlike traditional balconies with a separate outdoor space, these cabins feature a large window that
opens to create an open-air experience within the room.
In my opinion, this room category is one of the most controversial topics of discussion amongst Royal Caribbean regulars. Some guests LOVE them. Others would much rather have a traditional balcony where they can step outside and close the door behind them. Neither preference is wrong, but if you're expecting a traditional balcony and win a bid on an Infinite Balcony, you might be disappointed.
That's why I encourage my clients to understand exactly what they're bidding on BEFORE submitting an offer.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR BID IS ACCEPTED?
Here's where RoyalUp gets serious. If Royal Caribbean accepts your offer, your payment is automatically charged and your new stateroom is assigned. You don't get a second opportunity to decide whether you still want the upgrade. Also, accepted RoyalUp upgrades are generally final and nonrefundable. So, please don't submit a bid just to see what happens unless you're genuinely willing to pay for it!
ONE MORE THING: WATCH THOSE GRATUITIES!
If your RoyalUp bid moves you from a standard stateroom into a suite, you may also owe additional gratuities. Royal Caribbean charges a higher daily gratuity rate for suite guests, and that difference applies to EVERYONE in your cabin, not just the two guests you're bidding for.
If you're simply upgrading from an Interior or Ocean View to a Balcony, your gratuity rate stays the same.
Just another little detail worth knowing before you bid!
HOW DOES ROYALUP AFFECT CROWN & ANCHOR POINTS?
This is a detail that every Royal Caribbean cruiser should pay attention to. Ordinarily, guests booking eligible suites, including Junior Suites, earn 2x Crown & Anchor Society cruise points, but when you upgrade through RoyalUp, your points are based on the stateroom category you ORIGINALLY purchased.
For example, if you booked a balcony cabin and won a RoyalUp bid for a Junior Suite, you would still earn points based on your original balcony booking. You're getting the upgraded accommodations, but not the additional loyalty points associated with originally booking that suite.
Also, RoyalUp doesn't automatically add every promotion or benefit that might have been available if you'd booked that higher category from the beginning, which leads me to my next question...
SHOULD YOU BID OR JUST PAY FOR AN UPGRADE?
Before submitting ANY RoyalUp bid, I recommend checking how much it would cost to upgrade your reservation directly.
And here's where Royal Caribbean can get a little sneaky! 👀
Sometimes, the difference between your RoyalUp bid and the cost of upgrading your stateroom directly isn't nearly as much as you'd think. In fact, depending on current pricing and availability, you could actually pay MORE through RoyalUp than you would by simply upgrading your reservation!
YES. You read that right.
Imagine you're considering a $500 RoyalUp bid, but upgrading directly would only cost $450. Not only would you SAVE $50 by upgrading directly, but you might also get to choose your exact stateroom instead of leaving the location up to chance. So, why gamble on a cabin assignment when you could potentially get the same upgrade for LESS money AND have more control over where you end up?
Of course, pricing varies by sailing, availability, and stateroom category. But that's exactly why I encourage my clients to reach out to me BEFORE submitting their bids.
THIS is where having a travel advisor in your corner really comes in handy!
SO, IS ROYALUP WORTH IT?
SOMETIMES!
I personally tend to find RoyalUp most interesting when there's an opportunity to move into a Junior Suite or higher category at a price that makes sense. Those are the kinds of upgrades that can meaningfully change your stateroom experience, but I wouldn't recommend bidding just because Royal Caribbean has labeled something an upgrade. And I DEFINITELY wouldn't recommend bidding more than you're comfortable spending. If you already love the cabin you've booked, there's absolutely nothing wrong with keeping it!
Remember, your original stateroom is a sure thing. Your RoyalUp bid is a gamble.
And the best gamble is one you're perfectly happy losing.
MY TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
Before you place a RoyalUp bid, ask yourself three questions:
1. Would I be happy with ANY cabin in this category?
Remember, you're giving up control over the location and buying into a category, not a specific cabin.
2. Is the upgrade worth the TOTAL amount I'm offering?
Don't forget to double the per-person bid and consider any additional gratuities for suite-level upgrades.
3. Have I checked the price of upgrading directly?
You might discover that a guaranteed upgrade is worth considering instead.
And if you're a Cruise with PIE client, SEND ME YOUR ROYALUP OPTIONS! If you are considering submitting a RoyalUp bid, I am more than happy to check the cost of a room upgrade. So, screenshot those offers, and send them my way. As always, I'm happy to help you compare the categories, think through the potential benefits, and decide whether a bid makes sense for your particular sailing.
Sometimes, the gamble is worth it, and sometimes it's the smartest move to keep the cabin you already chose.
Either way, I want you to get the most out of your vacation!
Ready to plan your next Royal Caribbean adventure? Whether you're looking for the perfect family cruise, a couples getaway, or your next adventure at sea, I'd love to help you find the right ship, itinerary, and stateroom for your vacation.
CLICK HERE to start the planning process with me!
XO, PIE
P.S. A special shoutout to Eve for inspiring this blog post! I LOVE how you make the most of having a travel advisor in your corner by asking all the right questions, exploring your options, and making sure you're getting the most value out of your vacation. You're doing it RIGHT, girl! 🚢💕
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