Seat Rotation

Whilst I can understand the reasoning behind this, has it occurred to JY that it takes longer for 30+ people to get on the coach and find their seats than it would if the group just sat where they wished, but not in the same place every day?

Our poor TM on our last trip was tearing her hair at what to do because it was taking so long, until we rebelled, said we would rotate ourselves, and she forget spending time the evening before trying to sort us out. It was a democratic decision and worked fine.

She said it was JY policy - we told her to forget policy - we would do it our way. It was much faster, and invariably the coach was not help up because we were trying to find out seat. After all, JY, it is adults you are dealing with, even though we do behave like teenagers at times!

Sylvia

We advise in the essential information in our brochure that:

"On all our holidays that include travel by coach we operate a rotational seating policy. All customers are expected to abide by this policy and adhere to the instructions given by the Tour Manager to ensure that all customers on the tour are given the opportunity to move seats"

Generally, the Tour Manager simply encourages the group to rotate seats so that everyone has the opportunity to sit at the front or back of the coach should they wish.

I would be really interested to hear the experiences of other community members.

Kindest regards,

Julia

On the ten tours I've done with the company no tour manager has operated a seat rotation policy - they generally just ask the customers to move around the coach and it always works out fine. There are some (like me) who prefer to sit near the front (I never sit in the very front seat, usually somewhere around a third the way back) and some who like to sit near the back (the rowdy ones!). There is usually a lot of banter amongst those sitting near the back and part of me would like to join them but my stomach acts up if I sit anywhere near the rear of the coach. On one tour, the TM did attempt to give people numbers and rotate but it became clear very quickly it was never going to work, so she gave up on it!

All the best,

Bob

Some people did opt out and were allowed to sit towards the back of the coach (we used front 10 rows) but I feel that is their loss as i am happy to meet lots of different people on these trips.

Its something i try to do on these holidays anyway, its my policy to sit with different people at breakfast every morning.

Sure when going out in the Evening for a meal you tend to go with those you have most in common with. However i don't want to go on a solo traveller group holiday just to meet 2 or 3 people, its great to at least say hello to all in the group at least once.

Mick

Ann

I do agree that folk cannot remember where they sat exactly the day before or whether they are moving forward or backwards, I also think that the TM has enough to think about without this added muddily seat rotation and I also think maybe they should not allow people to board the coach early to lay their things on or leave them on overnight

These are my thoughts

Dave

To be fair they do usually mention seat rotation in their initial spiel at the start of the holiday and then leave it for people to do their own thing. Once there was a slight problem on a holiday to the US when a lady always sat on the front seat, when someone got there before her one day she tried to sit in the TMs seat and couldn't understand why the TM needed 2 seats, the 2nd being for all her paperwork etc. I'm a mid to back seat traveller, not just on JY coaches but on National Express as well, guess we all have our preferences.

Is it really necessary for TMs to keep to a strict rotation of seats or give out numbers? We are adults for goodness sake!! I appreciate some people might like the idea and see it as the right way to do things if they have experienced problems, but then a quiet word to the TM at the time would probably be the right way to go so it can be dealt with tactfully without upsetting the whole coach.

I'm glad I've never encountered such TMs on my holidays. If all TMs adopted this policy it would completely put me of touring holidays. I don't want to feel dictated to at the best of times, least of all when I'm on holiday.

Avocet

This was my first of 5 trips where I was allocated a seat. I quess it was like this as there were 35 of us on this trip. We got to meet and chat more. Good time had by all.

Jan

I have been on 10 tours with JY, Ok I understand fully why there MIGHT be a need for seat rotation, so no one hogs the front seats.

BUT! I will not be told where to sit and with whom. like the others say I am definitely an adult and have the right to choose where I sit and with whom, for the records I DO NOT and never have wanted the first seats, I am someone who heads towards the back part, reasons are so I can get some peace and quiet and be near the toilet if need be! I go for the long coach drive type of holidays and like to have a spare seat next to me so I can chill for hours, listen to music, sleep, or catchup on paperwork.

Many tour managers have tried to Implement the seat rotation, and I would hasten to say it has never worked because we the customers on the whole do not want it. you will always have some that will and some that won't, the tours I have been on wont, So perhaps JY need a re think on the wording, people do know why this is in place but honestly if someone hogs the front seats I am sure that there would be someone in the group I.e. ME who would move them along. For others to have them.

Cindy

I have found that most people like to sit in the same seat or area, some pair up and sit together

and some like to be at the front of the coach and others at the back, as there are usually more seats than

people it doesn't become a problem.

Dave.

hi one and all

I have been on 10 tours with JY, Ok I understand fully why there MIGHT be a need for seat rotation, so no one hogs the front seats.

BUT! I will not be told where to sit and with whom. like the others say I am definitely an adult and have the right to choose where I sit and with whom, for the records I DO NOT and never have wanted the first seats, I am someone who heads towards the back part, reasons are so I can get some peace and quiet and be near the toilet if need be! I go for the long coach drive type of holidays and like to have a spare seat next to me so I can chill for hours, listen to music, sleep, or catchup on paperwork.

Many tour managers have tried to Implement the seat rotation, and I would hasten to say it has never worked because we the customers on the whole do not want it. you will always have some that will and some that won't, the tours I have been on wont, So perhaps JY need a re think on the wording, people do know why this is in place but honestly if someone hogs the front seats I am sure that there would be someone in the group I.e. ME who would move them along. For others to have them.

Cindy

Quit agree with Cindy here!

I also always go to the back and find that I have the seat to myself for some of the time. I can then operate and fiddle with my camera gear without disturbing anyone.

The only time I occupied the front seat behind the driver was when being picked up from Auckland airport when our group from Melbourne arrived late and then there were only 8 of us.

Eric

Cindy whilst I understand in principle what you are saying I have been on many holidays where people have grabbed the front seats or back seats or window seats every day... and I think in fairness to everyone on the coach its good to have some kind of rule. Whilst as an adult myself, I would like the choice to sit where I want and with whom I want, I think what our TM did in the states is/was the best solution I have ever come across. Those that weren't interested in sitting at the front in first class - simply gave their space to someone else.

On my recent trip to the states with JY, our TM made the first 6 pairs of seats (3 on each side) on the coach first class. She then put the name up of the first class passenger for each set of seats every morning and told them they could invite someone to join them or sit on the seat on their own if they wished. This worked really well - meant that everyone had a chance to sit up front if they wanted. For the rest of the coach people just sat where they wanted. I personally thought it was a brilliant idea.

Cindy whilst I understand in principle what you are saying I have been on many holidays where people have grabbed the front seats or back seats or window seats every day... and I think in fairness to everyone on the coach its good to have some kind of rule. Whilst as an adult myself, I would like the choice to sit where I want and with whom I want, I think what our TM did in the states is/was the best solution I have ever come across. Those that weren't interested in sitting at the front in first class - simply gave their space to someone else.

Kezzer,

That seems a fair method.

On my recent trip the front 10 rows were used for seat rotation but those that wanted to opt out could go to the back and grab whatever seat they wanted on a first come basis.

Think about 60% took part in the rotation and to be honest i enjoyed sitting with (or near) different people each day.

Accept this isn't for everyone so think the optional methods make sense.

Mick

On all my trips with Just You have not yet come encountered any serious seat rotation. I do not like sitting right at the back as like Bob I would suffer from travel sickness. I agree with Kezzer - even though we are adults and some of us do not like to be told where to seat, it also means that someone should not hog the front seats, back seats or window seats all the time as there may be other people who may wish to seat in the front. I have been on one holiday where one lady always grabbed the front seat - this does not bother me but it can bother others if they too would like to seat in the front. At the end of the day it is not easy to please everyone, but it would also help if fellow travellers were not selfish!

Jaya