Royal Caribbean just made it easier to get a deal on a top add-on
Cruisers now have the opportunity to potentially save money on one very popular Royal Caribbean cruise extra.
Unsurprisingly, the most desirable cruise add-ons usually come with the biggest price tags. Unless of course, you’re lucky enough to score a deal.
Royal Caribbean doesn’t make it easy to get a deal or even know what a low price is, however. The cruise line uses a demand-based dynamic pricing model, which means that prices for cruise extras vary by ship, season, and sailing and change over time.
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To get the best price on Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package, for example, cruisers need to track its price as they count down to their cruise. If they see the package price drop as their sailing approaches, they can cancel and rebook it at the lower rate.
Royal Caribbean also offers another way for passengers to potentially score a deal on a cruise enhancement through its RoyalUp bid-based cruise stateroom upgrade program. This allows passengers to place bids for a chance to upgrade their cabin to higher stateroom category like an ocean view or balcony stateroom, or even a suite.
For deal-seeking passengers, RoyalUp bidding offers an exciting chance to elevate the cruise experience for a steal. The best bidding strategies to improve your chances of winning a room upgrade is a topic that’s often debated by “Loyal to Royal” cruisers.
Now, those bidding discussions are set to heat up in a new way as Royal Caribbean rolls out another enticing upgrade opportunity for its passengers.
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Royal Caribbean extends RoyalUp bidding to CocoCay cabanas
Royal Caribbean is now offering passengers the chance to bid on highly coveted cabana rentals at its private island in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, according to RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com, an unofficial fan blog not affiliated with the cruise line.
Passengers cruising to CocoCay now have a better chance of scoring a deal on one of the island’s luxurious cabanas, which are sought after for the comforts and amenities they offer, but come with luxury price tags.
In what appears to be an effort to prevent cabanas from going unsold, Royal Caribbean passengers can bid on various types of CocoCay cabanas in the event that cabana space becomes available for the date of their planned visit to the island.
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Royal Caribbean will notify passengers via email if their cabana bid is accepted before their sailing. There’s also a chance that a passenger's bid could be accepted during their sailing if there’s a last-minute cabana cancellation. If this is the case, Royal Caribbean will notify the winning bidder on board.
Getting a last-minute deal on a cabana is very possible since some cruisers who book extras in advance tend to change their minds about the added vacation costs once they’re on board the ship racking up additional charges.
CocoCay offers a variety of cabana options at steep prices
Royal Caribbean invites its passengers to elevate their day at CocoCay with multiple types of cabanas that are spread out across various areas of the island. Most of the cabanas accommodate up to eight people.
Cabana prices vary by the type of cabana and its location as well as the season, but they typically run anywhere from $800 per day on the low end for a standard cabana in the Chill Island, Oasis Lagoon or Thrill Waterpark area to more than $2500 on the high end for an exclusive overwater cabana in the private Coco Beach Club area or a Hideout Cabana with a private pool in the adults-only Hideaway Beach area.
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Cabanas come with a sofa and lounge chairs, complimentary bottled water, towels, lockable storage, charging outlets, and other perks. They also come with cabana attendant service to deliver food and beverages.
Coco Beach Club cabanas include the extra benefit of complimentary access to the private beach club. Thrill Waterpark cabanas are a little smaller than other cabanas, accommodating up to six people, but they come with the added perk of tickets to the water park.
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