OV sold out before balconies and suites

[dbrown84]

I'm getting ready for my first MSC cruise next month.  Looking forward to it.  One thing I've noticed which is strange to me is that the ocean view cabins have been sold out for the last month, while there are still balconies and suites available.  Is this normal, or just a one time quirk?  Is there something nice about the OV cabins that make them more desirable?  I'm booked into an ocean view guarantee which hasn't been assigned yet.  I'm starting to wonder if I'll be upgraded if all the OV really are sold out 

[Essiesmom]

Well, have you looked at the deck plans and counted how many of each type there are?  Back in 2019 we sailed on Seaside.  When I booked, I checked number of cabins on cruisedeckplans.com.  This was before any bidding for upgrades.  I noted that there were 80 OV cabins, half Bella and half Fantastica.  And 1300 balconies.  I figured if I booked a Fantastica OV gty I would probably get a balcony.  Because there will be some people who book a cabin number because that’s what they can afford.  We did get a balcony.  Last year I also sailed on Seaside, and booked a gty…don’t remember if it was inside or OV, but was Fantastica.  Got assigned balcony.  I’m awaiting my current gty on Seashore, Bella this time because that was all that was offered.  It’s all in the numbers.  EM

[dbrown84]

22 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Well, have you looked at the deck plans and counted how many of each type there are?  Back in 2019 we sailed on Seaside.  When I booked, I checked number of cabins on cruisedeckplans.com.  This was before any bidding for upgrades.  I noted that there were 80 OV cabins, half Bella and half Fantastica.  And 1300 balconies.  I figured if I booked a Fantastica OV gty I would probably get a balcony.  Because there will be some people who book a cabin number because that’s what they can afford.  We did get a balcony.  Last year I also sailed on Seaside, and booked a gty…don’t remember if it was inside or OV, but was Fantastica.  Got assigned balcony.  I’m awaiting my current gty on Seashore, Bella this time because that was all that was offered.  It’s all in the numbers.  EM

 no I didn't count the cabins.  It just looked strange to me, but that makes sense that it's just a numbers thing.  I'm sailing on the seashore, which I understand is the sister ship to the seaside.  so, I'd suspect the cabin numbers are similar, if not exactly the same.  I usually sail in insides, so I'm totally fine with either the OV that I booked, or something higher.

[Essiesmom]

A glance at cruisedeckplans shows insides as 512, OV at 100, balconies 1425.  They are no longer classed as Bella or Fantastica, they can sell them as either.  With those numbers, your chances of a free upgrade are highest booking an OV.  I am on Seashore in June with a Bella OV gty.  I prefer to do Fantastica, but when I selected OV the only option was a Bella gty.  I prefer an OV over an inside because I want the couch.  I don’t book a balcony because I don’t use it.  
Now, I am also sailing on Magnifica in July.  In this case, I booked a Fantastica Inside and was able to choose the cabin.  I chose the only cabin offered that was for three.  On Magnifica, all upper bunks are wall mounted, and a cabin for 3 will only have one wall with bunk.  I was offered the option to bid for an OV or balcony, and the OV was a particularly attractive price.  But many, many of the OV cabins had two bunks, and I didn’t want to take the chance of getting one.  EM

Edited May 20 by Essiesmom

[SailorfromBrazil]

8 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

Is there something nice about the OV cabins that make them more desirable?

Yes, they are cheaper.

It may come as a surprise, but there are people "on a budget" wishing to go sailing! 😁 

[Scottdalfonso]

It's the price.... a lot of people will take a cheaper room to sail more. We did just this, we have three cruises coming up and could only afford that because we did one OV , one interior then the one further out is a balcony.  I honestly don't care much if we have a balcony or not, but my wife enjoys it, so we try to get one when we can, but luckily she agrees that cruising more is more important than the balcony! 

[ray98]

OV has the by far the fewest number of cabins in any of the main categories.

[dbrown84]

6 minutes ago, ray98 said:

OV has the by far the fewest number of cabins in any of the main categories.

Thanks.  The first response said the same thing.  this answer makes the most sense to me, especially if it's true that there are about 80 OV and over 1300 balconies.  Like I said, it just looked odd to me, especially with so many people who swear by cruising in balconies.  I'm not one of those people.  I stay in whatever cabin the casino is giving out 🙂