Pure selfish

Imagine the scene aboard the Emerald Princess at 1.30.pm last Friday (13th May). Following a cloudy morning at sea, the sun broke through and the prospect of a nice sunny afternoon was a reality. As I was one of the first to venture out into the glorious sunshine I chose a lounger on the Sun Deck.

A few minutes later I noticed a lady struggling up the steps laden down with towels and she put a towel on each of six loungers laid out in a row. She then went back down the steps and returned with a further six towels, each of which she draped over the backs of each of the chairs. She then walked away and despite me staying on my lounger until 3.15.pm, the lady never returned and not one person sat on the six "reserved" loungers.

As I left I went to the deck steward and pointed the woman's action out to him as there was by now a distinct lack of available loungers and suggest that he threw the towels in his used towel bin.

The utter selfishness of some people on cruise ships never ceases to amaze me, I don't hold out any hope that this SELFISH creature will see this posting, but I certainly feel better for having written it.

LOL! That was the towel attendant!

This happens all the time. I don't know what Princess's policy is on saving chairs/loungers. I do know that DCL has a written policy which is posted in the Navigator daily as well as being printed on the back of the loungers. I have a very simple solution. If there are no loungers remaining and I want one, I watch for about 15 minutes. If no one appears to sit in one that is occupied by a towel only, that towel mysteriously drops to the ground which frees up the lounger.

I agree that this person is totally out of line...but again, don't know if Princess has a policy on the matter. My theory is that an individual rented a cabin on the ship. That is the only place that "belongs" to them unless their bottom is planted on it. By that same logic, 15 minutes is sufficient time to obtain something to eat or drink or to make a trip to a restroom. Beyond that, the chair is unoccupied.

I had an unbelievable experience at the adult pool on Regal. I like to take a dip in the pool and just need a place to dry off after- so that I'm not dripping through the ship.

So my two friends and I went to the adult pool and were able to find two loungers. I said- you take the chairs and when I get out of the pool if no one is sitting next to you- I'll dry off there. Well- the chairs were "taken" next to them- but no one had been there on my arrival and no one was there now- 30 minutes later. So I sat on the lounger. No sooner did I sit down when two older ladies came over and stared at me. I said to the more menacing one "Is this your chair" and she said it was- so I scooted over to the end of my friend's lounger. She put another towel down on "her chair" and promptly walked away with her friend. The woman never came back in the next 30 minutes and was not in the pool. So when I got up- I took the two towels she had left on "her chair" and put them in the bin. The nerve of some people- you don't own the chair for the day. Sit your butt in it or get in the pool. Otherwise- it's up for grabs as far as I'm concerned.

Rebecca,

Good for you. I would have done the same thing. Although if they pushed me far enough i might have just sat there:D

I wish Princess would enforce this somehow. I have gone up in the morning around 7am for a walk around and have noticed everything from sandals to towels and books laying on a lot of chairs nobody around or even out by the pools. When they see this they should remove them as its obvious people are saving these for when it gets warm enough to lay out there. I checked back around 11am and almost all that were saved were still empty. Come on Princess step up to the plate and make this right. Every cruise I have put this on my comment card and nothing changes.

I had an unbelievable experience at the adult pool on Regal. I like to take a dip in the pool and just need a place to dry off after- so that I'm not dripping through the ship.

 

So my two friends and I went to the adult pool and were able to find two loungers. I said- you take the chairs and when I get out of the pool if no one is sitting next to you- I'll dry off there. Well- the chairs were "taken" next to them- but no one had been there on my arrival and no one was there now- 30 minutes later. So I sat on the lounger. No sooner did I sit down when two older ladies came over and stared at me. I said to the more menacing one "Is this your chair" and she said it was- so I scooted over to the end of my friend's lounger. She put another towel down on "her chair" and promptly walked away with her friend. The woman never came back in the next 30 minutes and was not in the pool. So when I got up- I took the two towels she had left on "her chair" and put them in the bin. The nerve of some people- you don't own the chair for the day. Sit your butt in it or get in the pool. Otherwise- it's up for grabs as far as I'm concerned.

GOOD FOR YOU.....WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME:p

Stupid...all about me individuals.......idiots!!!

I had an unbelievable experience at the adult pool on Regal. I like to take a dip in the pool and just need a place to dry off after- so that I'm not dripping through the ship.

 

So my two friends and I went to the adult pool and were able to find two loungers. I said- you take the chairs and when I get out of the pool if no one is sitting next to you- I'll dry off there. Well- the chairs were "taken" next to them- but no one had been there on my arrival and no one was there now- 30 minutes later. So I sat on the lounger. No sooner did I sit down when two older ladies came over and stared at me. I said to the more menacing one "Is this your chair" and she said it was- so I scooted over to the end of my friend's lounger. She put another towel down on "her chair" and promptly walked away with her friend. The woman never came back in the next 30 minutes and was not in the pool. So when I got up- I took the two towels she had left on "her chair" and put them in the bin. The nerve of some people- you don't own the chair for the day. Sit your butt in it or get in the pool. Otherwise- it's up for grabs as far as I'm concerned.

I think more of us have to take the initiative and clear out the hogs.

I think more of us have to take the initiative and clear out the hogs.

I agree! And I plan to be bolder in my future cruises, especially the Disney Dream cruise coming up in January.

I think more of us have to take the initiative and clear out the hogs.

Well said.....:):):)

Bob

I had an unbelievable experience at the adult pool on Regal. I like to take a dip in the pool and just need a place to dry off after- so that I'm not dripping through the ship.

 

So my two friends and I went to the adult pool and were able to find two loungers. I said- you take the chairs and when I get out of the pool if no one is sitting next to you- I'll dry off there. Well- the chairs were "taken" next to them- but no one had been there on my arrival and no one was there now- 30 minutes later. So I sat on the lounger. No sooner did I sit down when two older ladies came over and stared at me. I said to the more menacing one "Is this your chair" and she said it was- so I scooted over to the end of my friend's lounger. She put another towel down on "her chair" and promptly walked away with her friend. The woman never came back in the next 30 minutes and was not in the pool. So when I got up- I took the two towels she had left on "her chair" and put them in the bin. The nerve of some people- you don't own the chair for the day. Sit your butt in it or get in the pool. Otherwise- it's up for grabs as far as I'm concerned.

Good for you.....:):):)

Bob

I agree! And I plan to be bolder in my future cruises, especially the Disney Dream cruise coming up in January.

It is easy to be "bold" on Disney with the policy clearly printed as well as announced periodically. If your butt isn't in the chair, it isn't your chair! And since you are doing Disney, the same policy applies to seats in the theatre. Now, your only mistake is doing the Dream. Far too short.

Holiday cruises are the worst for chair hogs. Large family groups save large quantities of chairs by sending out just one person at sunrise while the rest sleep till noon. We once saw 12 chairs in a row saved (poolside, of course) and the second person didn't show up until nearly lunch time. It's so horribly selfish.

I am actually relieved now that I don't spend much time in the sun. It's much less stressful. And I have always enjoyed the stadium seating by the Lotus and Terrace Pool on the Grand Class ships. All I need is a space to lay a towel while I'm using the pool.

I really wish Princess would enforce their no chair hogs rule much more than their dress suggestions rule. The latter penalize fellow passengers; the former does.

It is easy to be "bold" on Disney with the policy clearly printed as well as announced periodically. If your butt isn't in the chair' date=' it isn't your chair! And since you are doing Disney, the same policy applies to seats in the theatre. Now, your only mistake is doing the Dream. Far too short.[/quote']

 

The policy might be out there, but I've been on enough DCL cruises to see that it's definitely not enforced like it should. I'm not usually confrontational, and would hate to get into it with another passenger on the boat especially in front of my daughter, but I plan to move towels on chairs if I see that they are there for more that 30 mins unoccupied.

 

And I agree, the cruise is way too short, but we're doing another cruise for spring break, so.....:D

I think more of us have to take the initiative and clear out the hogs.

I agree! On our last two Regal Princess cruises we sat at the Retreat Pool, arrive early and "sit" on our lounges until we are ready to leave. I can't tell you how many people come up and just throw towels hither and yon to reserve lounges and walk away. We have seen folks searching for lounges after several that have been "reserved" sit empty for hours. That's when DH will go talk to the pool attendants or tell the folks looking for a seat to move the towels. So annoying!!:mad:

The policy might be out there, but I've been on enough DCL cruises to see that it's definitely not enforced like it should. I'm not usually confrontational, and would hate to get into it with another passenger on the boat especially in front of my daughter, but I plan to move towels on chairs if I see that they are there for more that 30 mins unoccupied.

 

And I agree, the cruise is way too short, but we're doing another cruise for spring break, so.....:D

Agreed, most of the time it is not adequately enforced. However, I've also seen the Staff Captain up on the pool deck directing CMs to take anything off an unoccupied chair and place it in a box. Seems they'd had enough complaints to enforce the policy and they were merciless. Shoes, books, etc. were boxed. Towels were sent to be washed. A few people hopped out of the pool to sit on their chair!

OK, this was the aggressive end of the policy, but clearly they were not into giving anyone the "watch and wait" time.

I've also been "That person" in the theatre. On one cruise, there was a family of 17 that would send one child to save an entire row of seats. When the kid tried to tell me that I couldn't sit there, I suggested politely that he show his father in the Navigator where it says "No saving of seats in the Walt Disney Theatre." And we sat in "his" row. The father tried to tell me that I had to move--I suggested that he go and get a CM and we'd see what the policy was.

Hi All

How about this, a few years ago in the Caribbean, I took up a spot on one of the wooden deck chairs at the spa pool, may be hour later, I had an older lady standing over me, I asked if there was something I could assist her with, her reply was I could get off her deck chair, some what shocked, I asked what she meant as my wife and I had been here for an hour, she went on to explain that she always had that spot, and that she was later today because she had been to something in the theatre, I told her that we would be going for lunch soon and she could get it then, she then sat on the wooden benches, after a few minutes we decided just to leave.

yours Shogun

Hi All

 

How about this, a few years ago in the Caribbean, I took up a spot on one of the wooden deck chairs at the spa pool, may be hour later, I had an older lady standing over me, I asked if there was something I could assist her with, her reply was I could get off her deck chair, some what shocked, I asked what she meant as my wife and I had been here for an hour, she went on to explain that she always had that spot, and that she was later today because she had been to something in the theatre, I told her that we would be going for lunch soon and she could get it then, she then sat on the wooden benches, after a few minutes we decided just to leave.

 

yours Shogun

We prefer the spa pool and apparently so do a lot of the chair hogs.:rolleyes:

Several times when we've gone there all or almost all of the loungers are "reserved" by a towel, even though there is no one in or around the pool!

Totally agree Princess and fellow passengers should be more assertive.

This is the reason I'm going to pay $40 to rent a cabana at the retreat pool on Royal. We shouldn't have to do this, but I want to make sure we get our loungers.

 

Well said.....:):):)

 

Bob

Yep!.

How about the "hogs" who put towels on chairs both in the sun and in the shade so each person has TWO. :D

Hi All

 

How about this, a few years ago in the Caribbean, I took up a spot on one of the wooden deck chairs at the spa pool, may be hour later, I had an older lady standing over me, I asked if there was something I could assist her with, her reply was I could get off her deck chair, some what shocked, I asked what she meant as my wife and I had been here for an hour, she went on to explain that she always had that spot, and that she was later today because she had been to something in the theatre, I told her that we would be going for lunch soon and she could get it then, she then sat on the wooden benches, after a few minutes we decided just to leave.

 

yours Shogun

Steve, I'm glad you & the Mrs. "stood" your ground!

I agree! On our last two Regal Princess cruises we sat at the Retreat Pool, arrive early and "sit" on our lounges until we are ready to leave. I can't tell you how many people come up and just throw towels hither and yon to reserve lounges and walk away. We have seen folks searching for lounges after several that have been "reserved" sit empty for hours. That's when DH will go talk to the pool attendants or tell the folks looking for a seat to move the towels. So annoying!!:mad:

It is annoying indeed!! I can almost see parents that are physically there saving a chair or even two for their kids but when a several loungers in a row are saved early morning and nobody shows up to sit in them until 4 PM -- just to toss that towel into the bin -- I just want to scream. I have found the towel attendants are quite helpful in removing the towels. Better yet when they have to go to lost and found to gather up their belongings. :D

I hardly ever set near the pool for any length of time. However, when I am in the pool I often have to put my things (towel, t-shirt, etc) on a chair near the pool because there is not anywhere else to put them. I do keep an eye on them and at times have to have a chat with someone that tries to move them (often when they have been there less then even 15 minutes, let alone 30), without checking that the owner might actually be there and using the pool.

Princess should put a set of shelves near each pool, divided into bins, where those people like me, that primarily use the pool, can put our things while swimming. Would not take much space at all.

It is annoying indeed!! I can almost see parents that are physically there saving a chair or even two for their kids but when a several loungers in a row are saved early morning and nobody shows up to sit in them until 4 PM -- just to toss that towel into the bin -- I just want to scream. I have found the towel attendants are quite helpful in removing the towels. Better yet when they have to go to lost and found to gather up their belongings. :D

I saw it enforced on the Grand a few weeks ago...daily.

Towels and belongings were removed at the Terrace pool.