Problem with guest reserving seats in entertainment venues?

[BillOh]

Fascinating thread

 

 

Do you also believe people sitting at tables in the Windjammer is wrong, while one of their party is lining up for food and you are standing with a plate full but not table?

 

 

Invite yourself to join them. There are so many tables for 6-8 in the WJ and most people are in groups of 4 or less, We usually ask if we can sit at the end of tables where seats appear unoccupied. We have met the nicest people that way.

[bilyclub]

I have found that the Windjammer on both of the ships have the same huge crowds at the prime hours as most of the other ships, but nothing atrocious. The service in the Dining Rooms for breakfast was fair to bad.

[ALW2]

I completely agree with you Steve. While it is annoying when one or two people save seats for a very large group of people at a show, I think it is completely reasonable. I have more than 30 cruises under my belt too. I frequently travel with my parents and in-laws. We do not always stay on the same deck and therefore arrive at different times to the shows. My parents are getting a bit slower...does that mean I shouldn't sit with them? If anyone is being a bit discourteous it is the people who don't understand families wanting to sit together and claim they would sit in a saved seat anyway. That is childish. I do agree however that it is incredibly rude saving seats for someone just in case they show up or past the time that the show is starting. But, I think that is not the norm. Have a great cruise!

[compman9]

I think the main reason I found this thread fascinating, and as vindicated by subsequent comments, people tend to think what they do is right.

 

I was in Ikea last week and courteously waited for my food at the till. I went to look for a seat and there were people saving tables all over the place for others in the queue for food. I did not know this was the acceptable way of doing things, and it appears that cruise ship buffet restaurants accept the same behaviour.

 

I believe it to be exactly the same as chair hogging. On several occasions I have waited with food getting cold, while one person is sitting at a table for six for several minutes - five others rarely turn up.

 

As I said, those of you that do this will not agree, but I find this stunningly rude behaviour.

[bilyclub]

I disagree. If one would like to sit and eat in the Windjammer when its crowded you have to grab a seat first. There is usually two of us, one will sit at the table why the other gets some food. I find this totally acceptable and necessary.

[compman9]

So Bilyclub...

If you sit at a table without food. You are not using the table for the prescribed purpose of that table.

 

I fail to see how this differs from someone placing a towel on a chair and leaving the chair.

 

Of course it could be argued that the others collecting the food will be very quick, but this is often not the case. Indeed, I have waited with food getting cold while people are queueing in the burger line, then at the salad bar, then the coffee line.

 

I could have eaten my food before they returned.

 

What often makes this worse is irrespective of the amount of people in their party the person sitting without food indiscriminately sits at whatever table is available, whether it be a table for four, six or whatever.

 

As I said, if someone does something as a matter of course, they rarely see any wrong in it. Yet the same people find rudeness just as readily elsewhere.

[Lady Chew]

we do the same as bilyclub ... and you can see that many, many people do the same. It sounds kind of silly to say that's not the intended purpose of the table - we're there to eat, not take up space!!

 

We always try to find a table for two, if we can't we'll take a larger one, but we don't prevent anyone else from sitting with us. And we don't hesitate to sit down at a larger table if there are only a few people sitting there. It's never been a problem!!

[caribbeanfever]

negrilbride,

 

You are young yet. Don't know if you plan on having children someday, but we have 4 adult children, 1 grandson with another on the way, and are in the process of taking and paying for 3 out of four of them, their spouses and our parents(our 3rd time treating them). We will and have always had the majority of us sit in the show and saved seats while others were in the restroom or taking care of personal business. We also have saved seats in the movie theater while my husband went to get popcorn and the rest take turns going to the restroom-have never understood people walking in with their popcorn and drinks and no where to sit because they all had to go to the snackbar as a group! Same with the Windjammer-why would you load up on food without making sure you have a table first?Bruin Steve-I agree with you, i enjoy seeing families traveling together on a cruise and feel fortunate to be able to be one of these people. Happy cruising to all of us!!

[compman9]

Luv2Cruise4Fun...

 

I completely sympathise with your predicament regarding seat reserving. I wouldn't attempt to justify it though, simply accept that it suits your needs while inconveniencing others.

 

As I am from the UK, I get the distinct impression that while in Britain we have differing views on what constitutes selfish and rude behaviour, reserving tables that you are not immediately using is part of your culture.

 

However, at the root of it is exactly the same argument as chair hogging. You fear that a table will not be available when you have your food, so you grab one to make sure.

 

It seems very hypocritical to disagree with chair hogging while doing exactly the same in a dining hall.

[bilyclub]

Number 1, I don't think you can eat faster than it takes me to get food. Number 2, I like to take my time when I'm on vacation. Number 3, it seems to be the practice by a majority of the patrons in the Windjammer.

[compman9]

bilyclub...

I don't want to get into an argument with you, and I certainly don't want to offend you.

 

The majority of patrons are American, and I appreciate that it is an acceptable part of your culture - to us in the UK, it is simply queue jumping.

 

Thankfully the great aspects of your culture far outweigh the negative aspects.

[negrilbride]

Luv2Cruise4Fun...

 

As I am from the UK, I get the distinct impression that while in Britain we have differing views on what constitutes selfish and rude behaviour, reserving tables that you are not immediately using is part of your culture.

 

 

I promise you, Americans are not ALL like that. Some, yes, obviously from this thread, but please don't lump us all together. I have met people from many cultures that could fall on either side of the debate.

 

I think you will find that in any culture there are people who believe that their needs and comfort/convenience are more important than those of others. Perhaps it has more to do with the culture in the households where they grew up and their life experiences than the culture of their nation?

 

When I travel with my father, which I will be doing in November on the Allure, We will have to plan around his disability. Where we left 20 minutes early for dinner 40 minutes early for shows on the Oasis, we are going to have to leave 40 minutes early for dinner and possibly 60 minutes early for shows because it takes him longer to get places. We will leave early as an entire group though, and not send one person ahead. When our needs are different from the average person,we adjust our OWN behavior accordingly. We don't inconvenience and slight others for our own convenience.

 

I also cant imagine anyone i know holding a table at a dining establishment when they have no food while others with a plate of food stand and wait. That makes no sense at all to me personally based on my experiences.

 

I guess like someone else said, we all think that however we conduct ourselves is the "right" way. I wonder if those whose feel it is appropriate to reserve beach chairs, theater chairs, or buffet tables without food grew up in an environment where they were taught to 'look out for yourself because no one else will' as a child? While maybe those who do not adopt that behavior were brought up to place more weight on how their actions affected others?

 

I know that both lessons have an important place in every upbringing, but I think that one lesson or the other often has more weight in different people's lives.

 

"seat reservers" for lack of a better term will probably always think of those who are complaining, "well, they should have just done the same thing we did and sent someone ahead." while those opposed to the saving of seats will think that seat reservers are acting in a discourteous manner.

 

I guess there is really no solution other than to suck it up and do what is right by your own conscience and ignore what others are doing.

[Bruin Steve]

Okay...I guess it's time to once again pipe in as "devil's advocate" and get some more people riled up...so, here goes...

 

This "Windjammer" question is nowhere near as "black and white" as some of you folks may think...

 

First, I rarely visit the Windjammer as I dislike buffets, but, from what I can tell on my many cruises is that it is never all that clear that tables are universally unavailable and, if not for those "rude" people holding a table, that YOU couldn't otherwise find a seat...I've always noticed that tables are largely plentiful, though sometimes you need to walk a way toward the aft of the ship or settle for a table NOT near the windows...Plus, people are continually getting up and leaving...and, with RCCL (thank you, unlike Carnival), Crew is always clearing and wiping off tables...

 

..., you also need to realize that not everyone sitting at a table without food is somehow rudely holding it for someone far from ready so that you, personally, are denied its use wrongfully...

 

Without some form of interrogating everyone as to their intent, you really don't know what the story is...

Perhaps they and their spouse finished eating and the spouse just got up to get some dessert and, meanwhile, a waiter came and took their dishes? Should the remaining spouse abandon the table so that when the other spouse returns, both spouse and table are gone and they're standing there holding their dessert?

 

Or, perhaps it's this scenario (We often travel with my 84 year old mother, so we've done this at buffets): We enter the buffet and, rather than force Mom to walk through buffet lines carrying a tray, WE HAVE HER SIT AT AN EMPTY TABLE while I go and fill a plate for her before then setting off again to get my own food...Perhaps you're seeing someone like my mother sitting alone at a table without food? Is THIS wrong in your book? Not in mine...

 

Another scenario is this one: The Windjammer is a big place...and, when your family disperses to fill up trays of food, there is often a problem finding each other again at the end...So, many a family will claim a table, leaving one member there while everyone else fills up their plates...so that everyone will know where to find each other...rather than have several family members wandering individually looking for tables and never locating each other...It guarantees everyone, especially the kids, know where to return to.

 

There are LOTS of reasons people may be holding a table at the Windjammer...and likely none of those reasons are to be rude to you...and, more than likely, there ARE other available tables...These venues are amply sized...

 

Can't find a table? Ask a crew member...they will actually help you find one, and, depending on who you are, will likely carry your tray for you...

 

That table you think is wrongly being saved? Guess what, if not for the folks holding it, it wouldn't be open when you got there anyway...someone else would have grabbed it before you...

 

And, you really don't know how long that person is holding it for, for how many others or for what reasons...

 

I seriously doubt anyone in the Windjammer holds a table for more than a few minutes...How long does it really take their friends or family to get THEIR food so as to allow this one person the opportunity to get up and get HIS/HERS?

 

There are lots of things to get indignant about, but I think this issue is WAY overblown!

[Lady Chew]

very good response, Bruinsteve!!

[ion-man]

No, but sitting in an over crowded WJ playing a card game while others are looking for seating is.

 

 

I couldn't agree more. It's totally ridiculous! If you think RCCL is bad, Princess is worse. People just sit, and sit, and sit....and play cards...uughhgh!!

[compman9]

Bruin Steve...

Of course there are grey areas in all walks of life - but it's hardly playing devil's advocate simply listing a few of those grey areas.

 

Indeed, many of your grey areas would also apply to chair hogs or theatre row saving.

[bilyclub]

I still am baffled by this whole Windjammer thing. My wife and I walk into a very crowded buffet style, self-seating, food joint. We have 2 options.

#1 is get food first and then search for a table carrying around a full plate of food that is getting cold and could possible end up on the floor, or worse yet, on another person, because the place is crowded and people are bumping into you, and they too are looking for a empty table . OR

#2 Walk in, head for the back, find an empty table, and then go get your food.

 

How does this compare to going on the pool deck and throwing crap on numerous loungers, thereby saving chairs for people who are not even on the pool deck?

[caribbeanfever]

bilyclub,

 

Totally different than saving pool chairs when you are not going to use them at the time! I never would save pool chairs for later in the day. However, in the Windjammer-a buffet style informal restaurant where you seat yourself, there is nothing wrong with getting a table first, then taking turns getting your food so when you sit down it doesn't get cold.

[bilyclub]

Not according to the poster from England.......

 

 

Compman9 stated:

 

So Bilyclub...

If you sit at a table without food. You are not using the table for the prescribed purpose of that table.

 

I fail to see how this differs from someone placing a towel on a chair and leaving the chair.

 

Of course it could be argued that the others collecting the food will be very quick, but this is often not the case. Indeed, I have waited with food getting cold while people are queueing in the burger line, then at the salad bar, then the coffee line.

 

I could have eaten my food before they returned.

 

What often makes this worse is irrespective of the amount of people in their party the person sitting without food indiscriminately sits at whatever table is available, whether it be a table for four, six or whatever.

 

As I said, if someone does something as a matter of course, they rarely see any wrong in it. Yet the same people find rudeness just as readily elsewhere.

[koterry]

We are recently off the Oasis, and I appreciate the efforts the cruise line has taken to prevent chair hogs at the pool areas. We saw the pool staff in action numerous times removing items from chairs that had been sitting empty for a while, great job!

 

So why aren't they continuing these efforts into the entertainment venues? It was a huge problem on our sailing for 2 people out of a group of 20 to go very early to a show and block off an ENTIRE ROW of seats for their family.

 

I just don't understand why Royal Caribbean will take a stance and upset guests over one pool chair, but they won't take a stance when a couple guests reserve huge blocks of seating at the entertainment venues.

 

It certainly didn't ruin our trip, but I do think Royal Caribbean could improve the atmosphere for the majority of their guests by not allowing chair hogs in the theaters either.

 

We are sailing the Allure in November, and I do hope they address this issue.

Fisrt let me say that I am an animal lover and would never think to skin a cat, thank you. You could always do what I do and sit in the seats anyway. I politely will tell the individuals that the policy is no saving seats sorry. I will get a sideways glance and then it's over!

[koterry]

bilyclub,

 

Totally different than saving pool chairs when you are not going to use them at the time! I never would save pool chairs for later in the day. However, in the Windjammer-a buffet style informal restaurant where you seat yourself, there is nothing wrong with getting a table first, then taking turns getting your food so when you sit down it doesn't get cold.

Your right Luv!