Bid For A Cabin?

Royal Caribbean have announced the new Royal Up which they say is inviting passengers to bid for an Upgrade to a higher category.

When you book your cruise with them, you can register with an email address and also have to opt in to receive offers by email with them, which they will reply to with the offer to upgrade, you choose a cabin option and choose the amount you would be willing to pay for each upgrade (you have to add card details at this stage).  By making bids on multiple rooms will apparently increase your chance of being upgraded – only paying once of course.

Bids will be priced per person and based on 2 guests for the entire length of the cruise so you only get charged for 1st and 2nd passengers.

Now all this sounds like a good idea but where do you start?  Do you chance your arm and go in low like with a blind auction and hope that everyone follows suit or automatically go straight for maybe £100 each?

The small print is that it will be selected sailings only, presumably where they need to boost the coffers and have lots of balconies and suites left available, which would make the most business sense and eligible bookings – no further small print than that.

Guests will not be able to select specific staterooms only the category and if you are travelling in a party there is no guarantee that everyone will be offered the chance to bid up.

If you are selected, the payment will be taken and you will be unable to decline so make sure you know what you are bidding for!  You may not be notified until as close as 2 days before you sail.

Any thoughts, I think it is a very strange option to offer and not sure how  many people will try and take them up on it, what do you think?