My RoyalUp Minimum Bids on Voyager of the Seas — CAD840 Extra for a Balcony

After booking a seven-night Voyager of the Seas cruise for US$259 per person, I wondered whether I could keep the low fare and upgrade my cabin later through RoyalUp. I had read stories of passengers getting balconies for surprisingly small bids. So when I finally accessed the bidding page, I was curious.

Then I saw the minimum amounts. The cheapest ocean-view option started at CAD135 per person. A balcony started at CAD420 per person. And because RoyalUp charges for two guests, that balcony would cost at least CAD840 extra. That was more than I had hoped to spend.

My RoyalUp Minimum Bids

These were the starting amounts shown for my November 27–December 4, 2026 Mexican Riviera sailing on Voyager of the Seas, when I checked on October 11.

These amounts cover the entire seven-night cruise, not each day. If a bid is accepted, the upgrade charge is added to the original booking price. We are travelling as three people in one cabin, but only the first two guests are charged the RoyalUp bid amount.

Is It Higher Because I Booked a Cheap Fare?

That was my first question. If I booked my interior cabin at a particularly low price, was RoyalUp asking for a larger amount to make up the difference? I could not find an official answer confirming that.

Royal Caribbean’s published terms explain that the bid is separate from, and additional to, the original booking price. However, the terms I reviewed do not explain how the minimum bid is calculated or whether the fare originally paid affects it.
There are passenger discussions about different minimum offers being shown to different bookings on the same ship. Some people suspect the original fare plays a part, but those reports do not establish the reason for the difference.

So I cannot say that my US$259 fare caused the CAD420 balcony minimum. It is a reasonable question, but I would be guessing at the answer.

Can the Minimum Bid Go Down?

Apparently, it can—but that does not mean it will happen for my sailing. The unofficial Royal Caribbean Blog has collected passenger experiences in which minimum bids dropped after the initial offer.

One passenger reported that the minimum for an ocean-view balcony on Oasis of the Seas fell from $300 to $70 per person. Another passenger, sailing on Voyager of the Seas to Alaska, reported a 60% reduction in minimum bids for certain balcony categories before winning an upgrade. These were different sailings, and the amounts should not be compared directly with my Canadian-dollar offers.

Still, those examples give me a reason to check again rather than assume today’s minimum will stay the same.

Is CAD840 Extra Worth It?

A balcony would be lovely. But CAD840 is a substantial addition to a cruise I booked because it was inexpensive. Spread across seven nights, it works out to CAD120 extra per night for the cabin. The standard ocean-view option is easier to consider: CAD270 total, or about CAD39 per night. That would give us a window, although I would still need to decide how much that matters to us.

For this trip, I expect to spend plenty of time enjoying the ship and visiting the ports. A balcony would be a bonus, but it was never essential to my booking. I also need to keep the currencies straight. My original fare was quoted in US dollars, while my RoyalUp offers are in Canadian dollars. Comparing “259” with “420” without accounting for currency—and the two-person charge—would be misleading.

What I’m Doing for Now

For now, I am holding off on bidding. I will check the page again and see whether the minimum amounts change. If they fall to a price I feel comfortable paying, I may reconsider. If they stay where they are, I am happy to keep my interior cabin. This has changed how I think about upgrade bidding. I had hoped it might be an inexpensive way to add a balcony after securing a bargain fare. Looking at my actual offers, that is far from guaranteed.

My takeaway is simple: book a cabin you would be happy to keep, and treat RoyalUp as an optional extra. I still feel good about my US$259 booking. I just do not want to spend CAD840 more simply because an upgrade is being offered.