Scenic Ocean Views always sold out until close to cruise time

[asalligo]

Anyone know why this is? I have been stalking scenic ocean views for a long time and cruised in them twice. Both times I got them by checking the sailing every day and about a month before the sailing the rooms became available. Are they popular and people are booking them as soon as they come available and then cancelling or are they being held back for some reason?  I was just spot checking the ships I know have them and I cannot find one available on any cruise I have checked. 

[ProgRockCruiser]

Well, I would say that anything regarding the behavior of the booking engine right now is massively up in the air due to COVID, lack of cruises, and the shifting quicksands of what might be expected to resume cruising.

 

If this was "normal times", I would say it is because there are some balconies remaining or opening up soon after final payments due, and the folks in the Scenic Ocean Views get enticed to upgrade, freeing up their cabins.  And/or the Scenic Ocean View folks are the ones cancelling (or changing dates) at Final Payment.

[mondello]

Yeah, I've been searching lately with the same results. There are only a handful available on each ship. I just had a thought, maybe TA's are grabbing 'em up.

[bury me at sea]

On the Conquest class ships there are only 4, located on deck 9, designated as 6J.  Only one of the four shows as a two person cabin.  I caught one once by looking daily at various dates.

 

I have never personally seen one of the Grand Scenic Ocean View cabins available.

[asalligo]

1 minute ago, bury me at sea said:

On the Conquest class ships there are only 4, located on deck 9, designated as 6J.  Only one of the four shows as a two person cabin.  I caught one once by looking daily at various dates.

 

I have never personally seen one of the Grand Scenic Ocean View cabins available.

I stayed in the Grand Vista Suite on the Elation cabin G3 and it was amazing. Two Floor to ceiling front windows and a large balcony. 

[highcorral]

I have a Scenic Ocean View on the Freedom November 14, 2021. I made the reservation on 12/9/2020 and it was the only one available. I chose this particular ship and date because it was the only one with that cabin available.

[bury me at sea]

30 minutes ago, highcorral said:

I have a Scenic Ocean View on the Freedom November 14, 2021. I made the reservation on 12/9/2020 and it was the only one available. I chose this particular ship and date because it was the only one with that cabin available.

 

We had it one time.  Trust me, you're in for a treat.

[skrufy]

3 hours ago, asalligo said:

Anyone know why this is? I have been stalking scenic ocean views for a long time and cruised in them twice. Both times I got them by checking the sailing every day and about a month before the sailing the rooms became available. Are they popular and people are booking them as soon as they come available and then cancelling or are they being held back for some reason?  I was just spot checking the ships I know have them and I cannot find one available on any cruise I have checked. 

Yes they are, you have to be on the web site as soon as the cruise goes up for sale. I to look for them, they are great cabins. Have had only 1 and we got it through an e-mail upgrade from Carnival about 2 months before the cruise.

[skrufy]

Just now, skrufy said:

Yes they are, you have to be on the web site as soon as the cruise goes up for sale. I to look for them, they are great cabins. Have had only 1 and we got it through an e-mail upgrade from Carnival about 2 months before the cruise.

We got an up sell, not an upgrade.

[Banditswife]

I have tried to book these cabins with no luck, we even looked into those cabins with a walk way view.  I think they are only on deck 6 & 7 of Conquest class ships.  I wish there was a trick to it.

[bury me at sea]

1 hour ago, Banditswife said:

I have tried to book these cabins with no luck, we even looked into those cabins with a walk way view.  I think they are only on deck 6 & 7 of Conquest class ships.  I wish there was a trick to it.

 

I stalked Carnival's website religiously until spring itineraries for 2019 were announced.  I then looked at the Freedom week by week.  The first date I found with the Scenic Ocean View cabin for two available I booked.

 

The Freedom is no longer home ported in Galveston.  I got one shot and I jumped.

[ProgRockCruiser]

We booked a Scenic Ocean View on Elation (Deck 14) for a cruise that is now a couple of years ago - one of the two cabins on the ship with the huge front facing windows.

 

I stumbled across it because I was reading a thread like this one discussing the various Scenic Ocean View rooms and how they often sell for not much more than a regular OV, but offer great views and more room.  I saw one available for a particular cruise, thought "hey, I should ask my wife if she's interested", and by the time I had a chance to tell her it was gone.  But then it reappeared the next day - someone must have had it on hold but changed their mind.  So I snagged it pronto!

Edited April 9, 2021 by ProgRockCruiser

[wemjam]

These actually usually sell out right away. They are highly sought after and book not looking after the cruise opens up.  However, certain rooms are designated for more than 2 people and they will "hold" it to try to book more than 2.  If it doesn't book, they cut it loose.

 

Also, it could be those who have booked and decide to cancel that causes one to open up too.

 

We try to get these every time we sail on the Conquest, and have been lucky a few times.  6K is the BEST (Grand Scenic Ocean view), but 6J's (Scenic Ocean View) is nice too!

[BenjiRodney]

23 hours ago, asalligo said:

Anyone know why this is? I have been stalking scenic ocean views for a long time and cruised in them twice. Both times I got them by checking the sailing every day and about a month before the sailing the rooms became available. Are they popular and people are booking them as soon as they come available and then cancelling or are they being held back for some reason?  I was just spot checking the ships I know have them and I cannot find one available on any cruise I have checked. 

The only time I was able to snag one of the big ones, 9201 on the Valor was to book it 2 years in advance.  It was available the day Alaska 2023 rooms were released but I opted for an Aft Extended Balcony instead for that one.

[kbh2]

I booked a grand scenic ocean view about a year and a half out from the cruise a few years ago, best cabin ever.... When I saw it I booked so fast I didn't have time to blink...

[Linsuesue]

I had never heard of a scenic ocean view before reading about one on this board.  I luckily found one for the Freedom next summer and booked it as soon as the cruise opened up. I can’t imagine they would still be available close to sailing time. 

[bury me at sea]

12 hours ago, Linsuesue said:

I had never heard of a scenic ocean view before reading about one on this board.  I luckily found one for the Freedom next summer and booked it as soon as the cruise opened up. I can’t imagine they would still be available close to sailing time. 

 

I am so jealous!  Happy sailing indeed!

[boomhower]

We had a scenic room G1 on the Elation and it liked it better than a balcony, absolutely loved the room.  We booked it well over a year in advance and would take one again in a heartbeat. 

[BlerkOne]

The cabins that come up at the last minute might be:

a) special needs cabin that the no one has booked.

b) for a different passenger capacity that was released for anyone.