Heated Debate About Saving Seats Fires Up Cruisers
Key Aspects:
Following a controversial post, Carnival cruise fans are once again debating when and if saving seats for shows onboard is appropriate.
One side of the argument thinks that it’s okay to save seats under certain circumstances, but others say that the practice should never be allowed.
Notably, Carnival does not permit seat saving at any of the theaters or pools onboard its cruise ships.
An age-old debate is once again rearing its head among Carnival cruisers, and the question at hand is if it’s okay for passengers to save seats at the various venues onboard.
The topic was once again broached by a controversial Facebook post from a recent guest of Carnival Spirit, that has now made its way to Reddit.
“Just met the rudest guest. We were saving a seat for some friends at the [trivia] game area and this man and wife picked up our jackets and moved them even after being told we’re holding those seats for our friends,” the anonymous cruiser wrote, likely expecting sympathy.
But after cruise fans bashed the passenger in the comments section for saving seats, the post was quickly deleted – but obviously not forgotten.
Before we get too deep into the different arguments, it’s worth pointing out that Carnival Cruise Line does not allow seat saving in any of the theaters on its cruise ships.
Instead, the crew members are instructed to enforce a first-come, first-served policy.
I remember seeing signs outside of the Punchliner Comedy Club while onboard Carnival Radiance just last year that stated that seat saving was not allowed.
Another cruise guest who put their voice into the mix shared how they sat down in the comedy club even though another family claimed to be saving the seats.
The group called over multiple crew members to try to remove the passenger, but were told that the passenger couldn’t be made to move, which shows that the seat saving policy is enforced.
“One time at said comedy club, I showed up early and snagged a spot at the front row. This was on a Spirit-class ship where most of the seating is long bench/couch seating instead of individual chairs,” they shared.
“The group sitting at one end informed me that they were saving that space for their family, but I refused to move. They flagged down the host who told them that he couldn’t make me move,” the guest continued.
The anti-seat saving policy is also enforced on the pool decks, where Carnival has cracked down on chair hogging by “unreserving” chairs that go unused for a period of 40 minutes.
Is Saving Seats Ever Okay?
Ultimately, there is no right answer to this question, and I’m not sure that there ever will be. There are too many different sides to this heated debate.
For example, some cruisers think that saving seats is okay under certain circumstances, such as when just a couple people are running behind or someone needs to step away to use the bathroom.
“They could have had to use the restroom, went for a drink, etc. I say 10-15 minutes is fair. Anything beyond that is inconsiderate,” one cruise fan asserted.
“I think it’s ok within reason. Saving 2 seats is fine. Saving 6? That’s pretty excessive…you certainly shouldn’t be taking the better seating if your party isn’t ready,” another agreed.
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Others were steadfast in their belief that saving seats is never okay, no matter the circumstances.
“Saving seats to shows is ridiculous. Everyone who wants to see the show is trying to get there early or on time,” one person argued.
“The group that runs down and blocks off desirable seats because members of their group are running late are a–holes. If the show is important, have them be there on time,” they continued.
I’ve personally seen people save prime seats for production shows on multiple cruise lines, only for their party to never actually arrive.
When all is said and done, this debate is really a question of proper cruise ship etiquette.
This means being considerate of your fellow passengers, but also keeping in mind that asking someone to save you a seat can lead to awkward encounters and potential conflict.
I like to think about it this way: If you would be angry to be on the receiving end of your seat saving actions, you may want to reconsider your next move.