The Princess Cruise Upgrade Bid
Princess Upgrade, from Princess’s own published rules.
Ask Before You BidPrincess calls its upgrade auction Princess Upgrade. It lets booked guests bid to move to a higher stateroom category, and it has some of the most clearly published rules of any line. Here is how a Princess cruise upgrade bid works, according to Princess’s own upgrade page as of October 2026.
Who Can Bid
- The guest bidding must be 21 or older (18 or older in Australia).
- The booking must be paid in full, and bidding opens five days after the final payment deadline.
- On voyages of 1 to 24 days, final payment is due 90 days out and bidding opens at 85 days; on voyages of 25 days or more, those points are 120 and 115 days.
- Email invitations go to guests who have opted in to Princess marketing emails; you can also check eligibility through Manage Booking or the Princess app.
How the Bid Is Priced
A Princess upgrade bid is an amount per person for the entire cruise, based on two guests in the stateroom. The third and fourth guests in the same stateroom are upgraded at no extra cost, which can make bidding attractive for families. Solo travelers pay 200% of the bid amount, so a single guest should double the number on screen before deciding.
You may bid on several stateroom types (one bid per type), which improves your odds, but you pay for only one upgrade. Your card is not charged when you bid. If Princess accepts, you receive an email and the payment is taken from the card you used; at that point it becomes final and non-refundable.
Timing, Changes and the Cabin You Get
Acceptance can come at any time from the moment you bid until one day before departure. Until a bid is accepted, you can change or cancel it up to one day before sailing. Princess chooses the new stateroom from what is available and does not promise a location, and each booking is considered on its own, so friends on separate reservations may not all move up or stay close together. Your Medallion is updated automatically with the new stateroom.
Is a Princess Upgrade Bid Worth It?
Bid if
You would be glad, not just willing, to pay that amount for any cabin in the higher category.
Skip if
Your current cabin location matters to you, such as being near family or midship for comfort.
Compare
Ask what the higher category costs to book outright; if the gap is small, a direct change gives you a cabin you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I place a Princess cruise upgrade bid?
Princess says bidding opens five days after final payment is due: 85 days before sailing on voyages of 1 to 24 days, and 115 days before sailing on voyages of 25 days or more. Your booking must be paid in full.
How are Princess upgrade bids charged?
Princess prices bids per person based on two guests in the stateroom, for the whole cruise. Third and fourth guests move up at no extra cost, and a solo traveler is charged 200% of the bid amount. Your card is charged only if the bid is accepted.
Can I choose my new stateroom?
No. Princess assigns the stateroom based on availability and does not guarantee a location. Guests on separate bookings are considered individually and may not be placed together.
Got a Princess Upgrade Invitation?
Forward the invitation to our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise and we will compare it with a direct upgrade on your sailing.
Ask Before You Bid