Were we really so wrong?

[omalley16]

It may be wrong to save seats, but someone had actually been sitting there and had just gotten up to use the restroom. I suggest lounging and putting a purse or something in between.

 

 

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[Noel182002]

Was it September 2011?

 

No it was Feb 2012....we didn't start cruising til last year...I was chicken forever to get on boat....I conquered that fear...now if i could only fly lol the world could limit less

[Noel182002]

Good for you!! See this is one worries me a little. I'll be taking my daughter (who will be 23 months) on her first cruise and I'd hate for this to happen. This would really upset me and while I try to avoid situations like this with her around I'd have no problem defending/protecting my child. I'll never understand the level of disgust some cruisers have towards children on cruises. They have just as much right to be there as the next paying customer. Parent's should be mindful of their children at all times though. If you don't like children on a cruise simply find an adults only cruise or a cruiseline that doesn't tend to attract families but don't berate innocent babies! :mad:

 

If she was screaming or being disrespectful or osmething like that...but she was just walking up the aisle to see me....i mean she walked kind of slow back then so it probably seemed like the longest walk in history but she was smiling the whole way....I'm a parent and I know how kids are but I think that if kids are respectful and mindful they should be welcomed on the ship...well except the bars and the discos...yeah that isn't a place for them but someone will argue that it is....We have been cruising for about 18 months to 2 years...and this was our only bad incident with someone with either of our kids

[kgymn]

I wouldn't call that "saving seats" considering the occupants had arrived with you. We wouldn't consider it "saved seats" if someone who was seated when the show started got up to use the bathroom during the show, would it? No. They weren't saved, they were being used,

 

~Katy

[kelz66]

I wouldn't call that "saving seats" considering the occupants had arrived with you. We wouldn't consider it "saved seats" if someone who was seated when the show started got up to use the bathroom during the show, would it? No. They weren't saved, they were being used,

 

~Katy

 

I would agree with this 100%!

 

:D

[Can'tWait2SetSail]

Some people should just not be allowed out in public. Perhaps he should sail alone next time, on a raft, out to sea.

[sparks1093]

Some people should just not be allowed out in public. Perhaps he should sail alone next time' date=' on a raft, out to sea.[/quote']

 

We would still have to share the ocean with him.;)

[jsfromsc]

I don't think you were wrong. Someone vacating a seat for a few minutes to use the rest room is not like saving a whole row of seats for folks that are detained at dinner, in the casino, roaming around the ship, etc.

 

I wonder if the angry guy had been in a situation earlier that week where he was the seat saver and was told it was illegal? Maybe he just wanted to take it out on someone else. I would have said, "with all the empty seats in the theatre, you're going to complain about these 2 right here? My kids are in the bathroom. Deal with it."

[jsfromsc]

I must have been on some of the same cruises that Firefly is talking about, as I enjoy sitting front row, center, and more often than not, arrive at the theater an hour early to secure that seat. On one occasion, there were two VERY young kids, saving the entire front row. I informed them that they weren't allowed to do that, and I sat down in my usual seat. They were "steamed", but obviously "in the wrong". An hour later, when their adults arrived, they were pissed, but didn't say anything to me. (They didn't DARE!) ;)

 

"SKY"

 

Wow! Saving a whole row is bad, but making your kids do the dirty work while you gallivant around the ship is worse. Shame on those parents. And good for you for not letting those kids or their parents intimidate you. If they wanted to see the show, they should have gotten there on time.

[Lovefuninthesun]

I'm not defending these rude and whack-a-doo people described in these scenarios -- there's no excuse for such ridiculous lashing out,

but.....

seat saving is so, so, so frustrating on a cruise, and out of control!

At the shows, in the comedy clubs, on lido deck, at the buffet -- it's murder to try and find a seat anywhere! Maybe those crazies had just had it "up to here" (I'm indicating over the top of my head! LOL)

:o

[Elaine5715]

Ive had a cruise where a couple of kids saved the whole front row for their family. If its 3 or 4 kids saving 12 seats, front center row, then yes I have a problem, especially when its every night.

 

They put shoes and what not in each seat and no one else could sit there. I have seen it being overdone.

 

If its 2 seats and you say they are in the bathroom, I think its different than saving the entire front row of seats where there are fewer people there than the number of seats they are saving each night.

 

How are shoes supposed to see the show?

[besillybehonestbekind]

I am so sorry that happened to you! Actually, this has me a little nervous as I cruise with my two boys on Sunday! I can manage my kids but I don't know how I can manage my temper with A-holes!

 

HOWEVER--One thing I am reminding myself (as I deal with this in my own family) is that sometimes early stages of dementia show themselves as aggressive/rude behavior, lashing out, responses that are inappropriate with context. Since cruising does attract both families with young kids AND a lot of elderly folks, maybe that's something that could explain these outrageous interactions.

 

I try to give the benefit of the doubt and try to remind myself of what I may look like on my very worst day...

 

BUT, sorry you had a grumpy old fool yelling at you. Sounds like you kept your cool, so bravo to you! I'd issue you a SOAS!

[suzybeezy]

<clip>

A man came up to my mother and asked if she was saving the seats (the two spaces in between her and I) and she said yes that her grandsons were in the bathroom.<clip>

 

Not to defend this crazy guy, but my guess is when he asked if she was saving seats and she said yes, he didn't hear anything past that point. I'd venture to say it was something that had annoyed him previously on the cruise and he just reacted, without listening to the fact the boys were just in the bathroom. I've dealt with more than my fair share of irate people and I usually try to get them to calm down and recognize their over-reaction. Most of them time, when I point out where the misunderstanding is occurring, I receive an apology, plus my kids learn a valuable lesson on dealing with difficult people. Of course, some people just can't be reasoned with, in which case, its best to say, feel free to contact management and if you don't, I will.

[Noel182002]

i hate chair hogs...I hate having to get up and then take a nap on deck just so I can enjoy some sun....I can seee going off on them!

[CatlinSTJ]

I don't think Carnival would expect anyone to skip using the restroom, that's not what that rule is about at all! You were totally right, and I'm so sorry that this guy obviously shook you up and put a dark cloud over what was probably otherwise a lovely vacation.

[nybumpkin]

I'm not defending these rude and whack-a-doo people described in these scenarios -- there's no excuse for such ridiculous lashing out,

but.....

seat saving is so, so, so frustrating on a cruise, and out of control!

At the shows, in the comedy clubs, on lido deck, at the buffet -- it's murder to try and find a seat anywhere! Maybe those crazies had just had it "up to here" (I'm indicating over the top of my head! LOL)

:o

Seat saving is frustrating - but it's not just on cruises. I see it at my sons' school concerts all the time. And just yesterday, at oldest son's college graduation, we saw seat savers out at 7:30 am for a 10:00 am graduation. Now, graduation was on a football field and guest seating was in the stands. It's not like there really was prime seating to be saved...however, given the sun and heat yesterday I'm sure the seat savers who were tasked with saving seats and didn't bring sunscreen are paying for it today.:p

 

A few years ago DH and I went to the early seating show on a cruise. we arrived in plenty of time and took two seats on the end of a row, about three rows from the front. Not center, but good seats. A guy came along and threw decks of cards along the rest of the row and took a seat at the other end of the row. Show time approached and no one came to join him. Others saw the seats, but he chased them away. Finally, 5 minutes before showtime, two folks we had met earlier on the Lido deck came up to us and asked to join us, and I said "sure." End-of-row guy was over in a flash, telling them they couldn't have the seats. I told him there was no seat saving, and he called me "rude." His family was having pictures taken, they obviously were delayed, but they would need the seats. New friends joined us anyway. About a minute before showtime, family finally arrived, shopping bags in tow (so much for those photos.:rolleyes:) And they didn't need the entire row anyway.

[JawjaFatBoy]

I have to say the OP is completely in the right and that the dude was WAY out of bounds.

 

I also have to say that the posters with children were being no trouble and the other cruisers blew things all out of proportion.

 

That said, I'm glad I haven't had any problems with other cruisers and seating. I'm normally very laid back, and currently do not have any kids. Its just me and DW enjoying ourselves. However, I'm also a correctional officer who deals with abusive inmates on a daily basis and I do not suffer pointless abuse lightly. And even though I don't have kids, I have a very low opinion of folks who would yell at a child for no good reason.

 

Friends of mine joke that I remind them of an old bear: I'm big, don't get in a hurry, and don't get riled up over little stuff, but you don't want to be anywhere around me when I'm ticked about something! And folks who treat kids bad tick me off royally!!:mad:

[Ocean Spirit]

Well I work in a psych hospital and see that type of "over reaction" everyday.

Lets just say you have some folks that

A. need medication or meds adjusted

B. some that need to not drink so much

C. Some that are just naturally mean

D. All of the above

 

Royal Caribbean has staff at the Ice show ( which is very popular and has limited sitting) and they ask people to move to help others sit down. This helps decrease people saving seats and the staff deals with it so that fellow passengers don't have to confront anyone.

[quickrate]

While I can see the woman's point, in certain situations, flying off the handle is unacceptable. It seems she behaved worse than your child. If your son was as well behaved as you say, then she was doubly dramatic.

 

I honestly feel like some people seek confrontation.

 

Sorry, but I don't see the point here at all!! It was a family of five with 5 seats-the son had crawled on the parent's lap as 3 year olds do but it was the son's seat!! IMHO, this is trying to carry the rule thing too far. gthe woman had no business being in the son's seat in the first place!!:rolleyes:

Pat

[cruise_girl2002]

We just got off the Freedom (lovely cruise BTW!)

On the last night, we went to the Beatles show.

It was me, my mom, my nephew and my son (ages 11 and 12)

It was 8:00 and the show didn't start until 8:30-- we were early since we were coming straight from dinner.

We sat down (about 4 rows from the back) and all 4 of us ordered drinks. The waiter left 4 napkins in front of us and went off to get our drinks.

Our two boys got up to go to the bathroom.

It was still early and there were TONS of open seats. We were not up front.

A man came up to my mother and asked if she was saving the seats (the two spaces in between her and I) and she said yes that her grandsons were in the bathroom. He began YELLING and and making a scene about how it is against the rules to save seats. She pointed out that there were plenty of seats. He was loud and rude and screamed he was going to go report her. She told him to go ahead.

 

About 5 minutes later (and our boys were still not back yet---and neither were our drink orders) the man came back and yelled at my mom AGAIN about her blatant disrespect for rules. Mom calmly said to go report her if it made him feel better and to leave her alone.

 

We totally understand the no seat-saving rule-- if we were blocking a row up front at show time, I could see it being rude but was it really so offensive to let the kids go poop while we waited on our drinks? My mom was upset--I hate that it ended the cruise on a sour note :(

 

I don't mind people saving a seat or 2 for those that are in the restroom. I get upset with the people that save seats and their spouse, family members etc, come in after 15 minutes. that annoys me. but you didn't do anything wrong imo, for 2 people using the bathroom.

[near the beach]

In the main show lounge. To me saving seats is getting there early and holding seat for people who have not yet arrived.

 

Once the seats have been filled. They are not being saved if someone gets up to go to the bathroom. They are still taken.

 

You did nothing wrong.

[Butterflywings]

OP, I am sorry that you were treated that way. I woud never consider getting up to use the washroom as 'saving seats'! Some people need to get over themselves. I am glad the rest of your trip was enjoyable.

[markntara]

Too bad they don't do psych evals before the cruise.

 

Shoot ... they would never let me on the boat is this was the case ...

[michigancruiser0715]

Sorry, but I don't see the point here at all!! It was a family of five with 5 seats-the son had crawled on the parent's lap as 3 year olds do but it was the son's seat!! IMHO, this is trying to carry the rule thing too far. gthe woman had no business being in the son's seat in the first place!!:rolleyes:

Pat

 

Oh, agreed! 100%. However, the woman may not have known they were all together and just spotted an open seat; it's pretty likely. So, I can see her immediate frustration when the child started moving. After that, though, she should have been adult enough to assess the situation. Some people just aren't 'kid' people and need to take a step back for a second.

 

In any given crowded place or event, patience is a virtue. We all cruise to have fun, so thinking before you speak is always helpful.

 

In the OP's case, they were totally in the right. Screaming and yelling over children getting up to use the restroom is completely unacceptable behavior.

[WOWGirl]

The savings seat rule is not for people that get up to go to the bathroom. That is crazy. I can see how that "shook you both up."

 

My husband and I witnessed two women in the dining room during breakfast throwing a fit cause they were not getting seated by a window. The only tables available sat 8 people which they were fine with but they made it clear to the hostess that they did not wany anyone seated with them. It was pretty ugly cause they were extremely rude and loud.

 

Some people are just low lifes and treat others badly. The majority of the poeple wouldnt even bother asking for the seats between you and your mom.