Chair hogging-how do you know?

I'm not a fan of reserving *anything* you don't plan to use in a timely manner and I don't use pool chairs any more unless we're watching an outside movie (at night there are typically plenty). That said, I wonder if some people reserve chairs because they think that's the only way to get a chair when they want it. Maybe they think if they don't go out "at the crack of dawn" and grab a chair before they're gone they won't have one waiting after breakfast when they want it.

There has always been a first come first serve mentality in life and it wouldn't surprise me if people aren't trying to be rude, they just think it works that way. Maybe not everyone reads these threads on Cruise Critic.

We do this sort of reserving thing so often in life that I think it just becomes second nature. There are people that wait in line for 2 days to buy concert tickets often taking up parking spaces in the lot. There are people who camp out for parades (we always put out chairs a day early in our town).

Of course, those things may not be keeping someone else from using the space like chairs, but I think it may be how we're trained so people aren't stopping and thinking, "Hey, if I reserve this chair someone else can't use it!" Instead they are thinking, "If someone else wants a chair let them get out here at 7a and reserve their own... you snooze you lose!" In fact, RCI is noted for saying "You snooze you lose..." all the time.

Tom

tserface - sadly, no. There are signs posted everywhere on the pool deck. Every single day the cruise compass says no saving of deck chairs. Unfortunately, it is simply just plain old rude people.

I can't argue with that logic. It's hard to find the best in people when they don't have best in them.

Tom

tserface - sadly, no. There are signs posted everywhere on the pool deck. Every single day the cruise compass says no saving of deck chairs. Unfortunately, it is simply just plain old rude people.

I know it changes ship to ship but on Navigator, I am positive it was how the deck crew prepped the chairs since I was out early one morning and they were setting them up. Exactly like how they prep the chairs in the suite seating area by the pool. That way, the deck police can see what chairs are being held since the hogs would unroll the towels.

No doubt every ship can operate uniquely. Whatever works for them I guess. FWIW, I was surprised that Oasis was still doing sea pass checkout for towels this spring

The thing that annoys me are the people who not only "hog" chairs, but hog extra chairs.

I have seen a party of two put stuff on 4 chairs and no one uses the other chairs.

Barb

About 2:15 the couple came back, and the female went into a tirade about how someone had stolen their table

"Their" table. Like it is reserved for their private usage. :rolleyes:

AS these guys did, in what I like to call "The changing of the (chair hog) guard.

 

 

Yikes! Did he tell you to get off his lawn, too?

Maybe we are too caring for others, but if there are four of us, we generally only take 2 or 3 chairs, as usually one or two people are in the pool, getting a drink, going to the washroom, playing table tennis, etc. Rarely are all four of us lounging at once.

You aren't the only ones! My wife can spend the majority of the day pool side. I will stay with her sometimes as much as 3 hours, but when I leave I give up my chair. I'll come back every 90 minutes or so and see if she needs anything or wants to use the facilities.

There is one thing I like to mention in chair hog threads hoping Royal will catch on. Sometimes I like to use the pool for an hour and don't need a chair, but I need someplace to put my shirt, towel, and shoes where they won't get wet or stepped on. If they had a cubby nearby, like a lot of gyms do, that might free up some chairs.

No doubt every ship can operate uniquely. Whatever works for them I guess. FWIW, I was surprised that Oasis was still doing sea pass checkout for towels this spring

That's news to me. Good to know. I'm torn which is the best way. I've never been charged for a towel I didn't return, but I have no doubt it happens. My first cruise with the "new" policy was on Jewel in 2014. I was walking to get 2 towels and another guy was walking the same way. I stopped and politely let him go first. He took all the towels! I guess my stare of death works as he sheepishly offered me two.

That's news to me. Good to know. I'm torn which is the best way. I've never been charged for a towel I didn't return, but I have no doubt it happens. My first cruise with the "new" policy was on Jewel in 2014. I was walking to get 2 towels and another guy was walking the same way. I stopped and politely let him go first. He took all the towels! I guess my stare of death works as he sheepishly offered me two.

You all do know there is an identical thread going on elsewhere on CC, don't you?

Join the party. We're having a ball. We got walruses, half naked people, conniving Nanas, spoiled twenty something's and a lot more.

You all do know there is an identical thread going on elsewhere on CC, don't you?

 

Join the party. We're having a ball. We got walruses, half naked people, conniving Nanas, spoiled twenty something's and a lot more.

Count me in :D

You all do know there is an identical thread going on elsewhere on CC, don't you?

 

Join the party. We're having a ball. We got walruses, half naked people, conniving Nanas, spoiled twenty something's and a lot more.

Actually, I can't seem to find it. I assume it's not on the Royal pages. Poor search capabilities on cell phone.

One funny activity I thought of, but never actually had the guts to do myself, is to remove a chair hog's stuff from their "reserved" loungers after their 30 minutes is up, go sit nearby, wait for someone else to grab the loungers, thinking they must be the luckiest people in the world to get a prime spot at such a late time, and then wait for the original hog to come back to "his" lounger and see what happens.

Would that be a bad deed or a good deed?

There is one thing I like to mention in chair hog threads hoping Royal will catch on. Sometimes I like to use the pool for an hour and don't need a chair, but I need someplace to put my shirt, towel, and shoes where they won't get wet or stepped on. If they had a cubby nearby, like a lot of gyms do, that might free up some chairs.

I think that same thing sometimes! Me and my DH sometimes just want to use the pool for a bit, and there is never anywhere just to put "stuff." This is such a great idea, I hope Royal does catch on.:)

One funny activity I thought of, but never actually had the guts to do myself, is to remove a chair hog's stuff from their "reserved" loungers after their 30 minutes is up, go sit nearby, wait for someone else to grab the loungers, thinking they must be the luckiest people in the world to get a prime spot at such a late time, and then wait for the original hog to come back to "his" lounger and see what happens.

 

Would that be a bad deed or a good deed?

Bad, so bad. :eek::sly:

Actually, I can't seem to find it. I assume it's not on the Royal pages. Poor search capabilities on cell phone.

It's under Celebrity. The thread is "How to deal with chair savers". Start from the beginning.

It's under Celebrity. The thread is "How to deal with chair savers". Start from the beginning.

Thanks, will mosey over

What I'm saying here is basically, why are there so many people who are technically policing the time in which I use my chair? I know that there is no formal way in which to monitor and I'm sure that RCCL doesn't do this but it is fellow cruisers. There are ample chairs are there not? So if I want to go and have a swim with my husband or my kids, for example, when is it "not okay" and for how many minutes?

1. I don't think there are "so many people . . . policing" anything. You don't really have to be policing it to notice that there are often a large number of chairs that sit vacant, except for a towel, for long periods of time.

2. There are pool attendants who, at least from time to time, do some "formal monitoring" of this.

3. No, there are not always ample chairs, especially on a sea day with nice weather.

4. The general rule is that more than 30 minutes away from your chair is the "not okay" point. Yes, it's fine to go use the restroom, get a drink, take a swim, etc., without giving up your chair. If you're gone for an hour to have lunch, though, you shouldn't expect your chair to be reserved for you all that time.

:cool:

Over the years there has been much talk about 'chair hogging' and I've wondered about this. I understand that when people save chairs first thing in the morning and don't return until after breakfast and such. That is not right. I'm really wondering about the following because I'm scared that I will be in the line of fire.

1. How can I get up and have a swim or a drink without leaving my chair empty for maybe 15-20 minutes?

2. Is there someone monitoring how long I leave my chair in order to see that I'm 'hogging'?

3. What if I'm first to the pool area and hubby is going to be joining me after he rallies the children and he won't be by my side for 10-15 minutes does that mean I cannot take a chair for him?

 

What I'm saying here is basically, why are there so many people who are technically policing the time in which I use my chair? I know that there is no formal way in which to monitor and I'm sure that RCCL doesn't do this but it is fellow cruisers. There are ample chairs are there not? So if I want to go and have a swim with my husband or my kids, for example, when is it "not okay" and for how many minutes?

 

If you are going to flame me save it because I too have a sharp tongue and I'm not interested. I'm a civil, vacation-loving, die hard cruise defender and I visit/post here because the majority of posters are wonderfully helpful.

 

TIA:o

I have a pretty easy solution to being in the pool. I don't really sunbathe directly. I go to the pool, put my stuff (bag/book/flip flops/towel) on a chair near the pool and get into the pool. I stay in the pool as long as I like (which realistically is never going to be much over 30 minutes anyway), and when I get out I go back to my chair. If someone else is sitting in it when I get there, I'll drip all over them while questioning where my stuff is, this may take what they find to be an inordinate amount of time. "How can one woman drip so much?!", they'll exlaim. If there's no-one in my chair I'll stretch out, read for a while, have a drink, and then either get back in the pool, or pack up my stuff and leave.

I've never been gone more than 5-10 minutes for a drink, maybe I'm just lucky.

I would suggest if the hubby and kids are going to be following you 10-15 minutes later that you just get a chair for yourself to start with. That 10-15 minutes can easily turn into 30 because Mary couldn't find her feet, then Fred decided he needed to go wee wee again. Then the 30 turns into 40 because on the way we realised that Mary now needs to go wee wee too. 40 becomes 70 because after all the weeing, both children are now dehydrated and have to stop off somewhere for sustenance, but because of all the things they're carrying, they need to sit down in the windjammer. So in that scenario I'd get a seat for myself first, then when husband and children arrive see if there's 3 free seats beside you, if not, get up and go find a set of 4 elsewhere. Or explain to husband that sadly you have become one with the chair, and they should just leave you there and save themselves by going somewhere completely different. Ask him to bring you another drink before he goes.

haha loving this thread. I really wish that the considerate people who post here were the majority of the people who are on the ships!

I usually head to lay out after lunch (yea - i'm a late starter) and by then usually almost all the chairs are "taken," as in about a third of them do not have an actual person but contain a towel, a flip flop and/or sunglasses. I do meet considerate people who tell me they are leaving and give me their chair so that I can lay out. I lay out for an hour or so and the majority of those "taken" chairs are still empty...

haha loving this thread. I really wish that the considerate people who post here were the majority of the people who are on the ships!

 

I usually head to lay out after lunch (yea - i'm a late starter) and by then usually almost all the chairs are "taken," as in about a third of them do not have an actual person but contain a towel, a flip flop and/or sunglasses. I do meet considerate people who tell me they are leaving and give me their chair so that I can lay out. I lay out for an hour or so and the majority of those "taken" chairs are still empty...

While an active participant in these discussions, except for port days, don't like sitting either directly by the pool. To crowded, too noisy to relaxe and read a book or doze.

We much prefer decks 11 or 12. Lots of places with ample chaise lounges I either sun or shade. Last cruise saw a couple tucked under the staircase. Their own little balcony.

On port days that we stay aboard we do like to sit by the pool.

On the Jewel in January, I looked all over for a vacant chair. Went everywhere there might be a chair and nothing. Finally on my last walk around I spotted a woman leaving. I politely asked her if she was leaving - her response "why yes I am but no you can't have my chair because I MIGHT decide to come back later. And, my husband is still sitting in the next chair so I'd want to sit next to him IF I come back". I looked at her and smiled, shook my head and walked away. An hour later she was still not back and her chair was still saved by her husband! Just gotta love rude people.

The thing that annoys me are the people who not only "hog" chairs, but hog extra chairs.

I have seen a party of two put stuff on 4 chairs and no one uses the other chairs.

 

Barb

I read on a Cancun forum that someone at an all-inclusive resort went out early one morning and put yellow caution tape around a bunch of chairs. Not sure when that person's posse finally showed up but, as Stephanie Tanner would say: "How rude!" (my teen and tween love that show).

On the Jewel in January, I looked all over for a vacant chair. Went everywhere there might be a chair and nothing. Finally on my last walk around I spotted a woman leaving. I politely asked her if she was leaving - her response "why yes I am but no you can't have my chair because I MIGHT decide to come back later. And, my husband is still sitting in the next chair so I'd want to sit next to him IF I come back". I looked at her and smiled, shook my head and walked away. An hour later she was still not back and her chair was still saved by her husband! Just gotta love rude people.

Given that the preponderance of passengers find chair hogging the number one complaint I find it really odd that the cruise lines don't do more to curtail the practice. Have heard that Carnival has implemented procedures but haven't heard on what the impact, if any, it has had.

Would I be a bad person if I put a thumbtack on a chair "owned" by a blatant chair-hog?

(answer: yes, yes I would. But it would still be funny to watch.)