Villager Seat Savers - On A Cruise
 

Mrs. Trap and I just returned today from a very nice 7 night Caribbean cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette. We did not meet any Villagers on the cruise but did hear earfuls about the Villagers who were on the previous sailing of the Silhouette (January 17-24).

There were quite a few passengers (not from The Villages) who were on for back-to-back sailings and when we mentioned we were from The Villages, they let us know their feelings real fast about Villagers!

It seems there were around 300-350 Villagers from the Second Honeymoon Club that were on a club vacation together. The group - we were told - tended to take over entire venues en masse. What upset passengers the most was the saving of entire rows of seats in the theater. The Villagers would have a few of their members sitting in the prime rows and save the rows for their club members who would come to the theater just before show time. Yes, Celebrity does make an announcement about no seat saving but it is not enforced.

Clubs who take cruises together should respect the other passengers so they project a good image of The Villages instead of the entitled image that was seemingly projected on the Second Honeymoon cruise.

Interesting you expect these clowns to be any different away from home. The blame with the ship not enforcing the rules.

Sounds to me like there is enough blame for the passengers and ship to share.

Glad you and Mrs. Trap had a nice cruise.

Mind boggling that grown adults all have to sit together at every single gathering.

What grade are these people in??? Sounds like grade school cliques!!

Do tell....

We were on a Freedom of the Seas cruise several years ago. The ship announced over and over not to reserve seats at the pool. At the crack of dawn people began placing towels another things on seats around the pool, then left. After a while the crew came around and removed all the towels and things from the empty seats. Some people became outraged when they came back hours later and found their stuff taken away. Some never seemed to learn as the same thing happened day after day.

I liked it better when the village's bad reputation was a lot juicier. The new villagers are ruining everything.

Even on the water, there is no cure for "STUPID". Even worse, is stupid AND RUDE.

Do wish The Villages would enforce the rules for those to ignorant to contain themselves. I hesitate to even make it known I'm a Villager sometimes.

I wish that ALL cruise lines would be more vigilant at removing articles left by people saving lounge chairs. We've been on multiple Royal Caribbean cruises (including Freedom of The Seas) and our experience is that RCC does NOT enforce their own rules. Kind of sad too. Best enforcement we saw was on the Disney Cruise Line where even the person taking care of the pool will intervene when families try to set up shop in the adult pool area-they don't need to get a ship's officer like on RCC.

Rude behavior lives on...............<sigh>

Maybe they look the other way just to annoy people. The last time we went on a cruise we got a balcony because we didn't want to look for a chair. It was so annoying.

HO!

Amen to that. The balcony is definitely a better choice. On our last cruise our balcony also had a hot tub.

You mean taking a cruise won't get me away from this seat saving garbage? Darn!

Just hope you don't need a life boat.

My experience has been the same as yours. I wish the cruise lines would enforce their pool seat rules so that the cruising experience could be fairly enjoyed by all.

A lot of people don't know any better - including Villagers.

We were on a Carnival cruise and the staff handled it the same way. I forget exactly where offenders had to report to get their stuff back but it wasn't lost and found. The staff were great.:highfive:

Not for nothing but when I go on a cruise I want to look at the ocean. What's so special or unique about looking at the people in the pool?

Why am I not surprised. Hey if your friends are not even here yet you are not saving their seat because I am going to sit right here! It's one thing to save one or even two seats but that is where I draw the line.

There is a web site, Cruise Critic, where passengers review their cruises. Talking about it on here does nothing, posting it on the leading cruise site will have more of an impact.

Have you been to any resorts of late? The pool-side chairs ALWAYS have room towels on them so folks can save them as well...then rarely show up anyway. Must be human nature to claim "territories". It's called being selfish. Just be happy when it doesn't pretain to one's self.

They even save spaces & bikes at the gym. Duh. Then the other person often doesn't show. How rude! What is this junior high?

Then explains why for a few days squares didn't have seat savers. They must've been on the cruise

We should invite the Leisureville writer for a return visit. He has not been here since 2005-2006 as far as I know. That's Andrew Blechman.

that loser isn't still here sponging off his parents?

I've enjoyed every cruise I have gone on and have removed towels, etc. from chairs and lounges when the savers are obviously not present. when questioned I ask what extra fee they paid that allows them to step on others rights. it usually ends there.

I did not know his parents live here. :wave: Andrew D. Blechman - author of LEISUREVILLE and PIGEONS

My parents have allowed me to work on the 224 613 Project while in the Villages since June 2005. I am very beholden to them. And unless I am mistaken this work has had quite a large impact. Google Taltarzac725 if you want to see what I am talking about. It does need some imagination and faith in people to see things though.

I think Belchman is a very good writer for the most part. He made some valid points about some Villagers.

I like the idea of just getting rid of seats at the town squares. I'm sure we have all been to events over the years where if you want to sit you bring your own chair.

On Holland America Cruises which my wife and I always use with few exceptions. Have three coming up next t two months, the Stewards watch and remove things left on chaises and chairs. Big signs say this will be done.

Going on their bigger ships, inlcuding the first two cruises of MS Konigsdam Their new jumbo ship, holds 2670 passengers. Not sure if we will like this big a ship.

We cruise to see sights.

The worst time was back on my first cruise on old Noordam in 1986 to Alaska with my parents. Show lounge in middle of ship, we had Second Seating and by the time we got to show lounge, practically all full, hard to get a seat. Seemed like were from First Seating, went early to get good seat, and heard some speaking as if they had seen first show.

Now with open seating and Lido dinner along with fixed seating even harder to get good seats. and this with 769 passengers

I don’t believe it’s a Villager problem, more a people problem. You are going to find selfishness wherever you find humans. One might make an argument, the older we get the more entitled we feel, but I don’t know if that’s really true. If there is a retired mental health professional here, maybe you can chime in.

When I see selfish behavior I tend to blame the parents. In this case the parents may have left us 40 yrs ago, still – I blame the one that raised that selfish person.

TV is like any other city of 110k. It has its saints, it’s registered sex offenders and everything in between. Except TV has more golf courses.

Personally I would be embarrassed to save a seat, but that’s just how I was raised.

Last night we went to karaoke at the Waterfront. It was very crowded with a lot of people having to stand. My other half went to the restroom. Someone went to sit in the empty seat. When I explained that the person was in the restroom, I was immediately accused of saving a seat and someone called the manager over. By then my other half had returned and all went back to normal. I think that we should stay home while the crowds are here!

Maybe Seat Savers can't help themselves. Sure, they want to be like the rest of us but they have a disease. Let's face it, it's more than a problem, it's a disease, Seat Saver Syndrome.
I have to make a confession. I use to be a Seat Saver but I joined Seat Savers Anonymous this past September and have been Seat Free for the last five months. Come to one of our meetings. PM me that you are coming and I'll save you a seat.

OH NO,,,a relapse

I just love the people who think they pay more in amentity fees, that allows them to save seats. :D

One fanny in seat, equals it, being saved. :smiley:

Tom we all applaud you for being 5 months seat saver free. It’s wonderful you joined a local 12 seat program. You should be commended. I wish more knew they had a problem and sought help. For those reading this that are in withdrawal because you can’t save a seat till Saturday, I say hang in there. You can join a local 12 seat program or you can tough it out and do it cold seat. When you get the urge I’m sure you can find a 12 seat meeting somewhere in TV. Soon you too, like Tom, will be seat saver free. God Bless.

And soon, Tom, you will be chairing your meetings.