Chair Hog Encounters Valor 2-26 and 3-3-12 sailings

[FightOnRon]

I don't do pools or sun so I have never had to fight this fight,,but if I did I would take a camera and if this dumb loudmouth rude childish person was verbally assualting I would video it,,for two reasons.

 

First, if they didn't phsically assualt me,,they would just be famous on youtube forever.

 

Second, if I were assualted phsically I would have a record of it so security would know why the other person may be coughing up some teeth (depending what thier assualt was),, and then I would youtube them for eternity.

 

Of course I would probably get tossed of the ship,,but I would feel better.

[missygirl]

We just returned from the Miracle last week and loved the new Serenity deck. I wanted to be able to use one single chair, anywhere in the Serenity area (my husband doesn't like the sun), just once. It did not need to be poolside, just anywhere with the nice plush pillows. I got out there early in the morning and every single chair was hogged. I decided to watch and after the allowed time, notify the security/towel people about this. I had my eye on two chairs that only had towels...no book, sunscreen, etc. There were six chairs in front of the pool with no one there watching, but all saved. After the 30 minutes, security and the pool attendant were very nice and removed the towels. Another lady that I did not know decided to take the other chair. Well...about 45 minutes later this group came down and they were furious! They asked if I was laying on their towel. I said no. They asked if I took their stuff. I said no. They had the other four chairs that were adjacent to the two with just towels. Let me just say - this ended up not being Serenity for me. I held my ground and stayed, but it wasn't enjoyable at all. They were having several cocktails, making comments, that continued to get louder and more rude. I was informed by rude woman #1 that the pool attendant had told her that I was the one that requested the towels moved. It was very windy and then a brief rain. During that time other people had left and they then pulled more chairs into the area where we were and had them squeezed all together. Most of this time they never used the chairs, but sat at the edge of the pool or stood around enjoying their cocktails and rude comments. At the point when it was time for me to leave I was trying to squeeze out of this small space and gather up my things with rude woman # 1 in a chair an inch from mine. There was a wind gust and apparently my towel touched rude woman #1's face. She sat up and screamed that the next time she saw me she would slap me across the face. I don't think anyone has threatened me since maybe middle school. This was our 12th cruise on Carnival and the first time (other than being in port) that we have used chairs near a pool or on a Serenity deck. After this experience I will never, ever get involved with moving someone's stuff, asking to have it moved, or any other such thing. It was also interesting that when I first looked, most of the clam shells were being used just to hold stuff for people in the adjacent loungers.

 

 

Hate these types...so glad you held your ground...and if she had threatened me I would have just suggested to her that if this happens they are a place onboard {room} that they would lock her up...I have only heard that if fighting happens they have a sort of jail...not sure....someone else may know.

[Pyro Tec]

Let's stop chair hogs by getting Carnival to enforce the 30 minute rule!

 

I created a petition to get Carnival's attention!

 

Let's get enough signatures to show Carnival this is a big issue and we want to end the chair hog tirade today!

 

Sign the petition at:

 

 

http://www.change.org/petitions/carn...nes-chair-hogs#

[dclark]

Why is it so necessary to be poolside to lay in the sun? The sun is the same if it's a few feet away or on another deck.

Sun could be the same, but not the wind! Down by the pool, it is deep down away so it is still. Go to the upper decks and it can be very windy, hard to converse, stuff blows around and just plain annoying!

[dclark]

She sat up and screamed that the next time she saw me she would slap me across the face. I don't think anyone has threatened me since maybe middle school.

 

Just another example of the declining quality of the CCL cruiser. When I bought this up a few months ago, the cheerleaders were all up an arms. When I first started cruising CCL, chogs were not a problem and violent confrontations were unheard of. Now, it is common, i have seen it on my last few CCL cruises, the cruiser crowd is looking a bit "rough".

This June, rather than give my $ to CCL, I'll go to Kona, won't have a problem finding a place in the sun, no crowds of people spoiling for a fight. Hey Cahill, do you think CCL is the Fun Ship? I ask because there is nothing fun about the whole chog nonsense.

[ccletzgo]

Just another example of the declining quality of the CCL cruiser. When I bought this up a few months ago, the cheerleaders were all up an arms. When I first started cruising CCL, chogs were not a problem and violent confrontations were unheard of. Now, it is common, i have seen it on my last few CCL cruises, the cruiser crowd is looking a bit "rough".

This June, rather than give my $ to CCL, I'll go to Kona, won't have a problem finding a place in the sun, no crowds of people spoiling for a fight. Hey Cahill, do you think CCL is the Fun Ship? I ask because there is nothing fun about the whole chog nonsense.

 

Royal Caribbean enforces there chair hog rules. ;)

[rdler]

I'm becoming a dclark fan.

[donaldsc]

I wouldn't do that, by the time you get back to the chair - some one else would be sitting at it. I agree with others - remove the hogs items, but to go as far as to place them on a different deck is more work then I would want to do, also it's more like vengeance then simply getting a chair.

 

It is vengeance. That is the point and it is what they deserve.

 

DON

[scrap4girls]

I don't look forward to this part of the trip. I will need two chair by the pool so I can watch my girls play.

[nicolelee2004]

Is the chair hog issue really that bad on the Valor?:( We are sailing for our first time on the Valor soon. I never really had an issue except in adults only locations! I hope it's not too bad! I at least like to hear the music to relax while I sunbathe?!:confused: You guys are scaring me!

[Devmegsmum]

Good going! Perhaps next time just drop off the items and say "I believe someone left these behind since no one has been around for hours" and walk away!>

 

That's perfect! I am going on the Valor on October. I had no idea this was such an issue. Makes me nervous. I really dislike anyone taking advantage of a situation. Knowing Carnival doesn't enforce the policy gives all choggers ( I love that term) free reign. I hope they take note of the opinions expressed here and try to do something about it.

[crewsnews]

If you refuse to go back because they intimidated you, then they win. If you don't touch their stuff, they win. There's no need to encourage a confrontation, but we all need to stand our ground on our future cruises. From reading all the threads lately, it seems that the safest course of action is to drop the stuff onto the deck after the appropriate time has passed and move the deck chair a short distance away. That way, unless you are narked out, the Chog will not know who moved their stuff. I would avoid involving Carnival staff in the removal of items if they plan on diming you out at the first opportunity. A time stamped photo of the original position of items might be helpful should a staff member ask you why you are moving other people's stuff, or if the Chog tries to say they were "only gone for a minute".

 

Other good ideas I have heard are: feigning you don't speak english, feigning deafness, cold stare, ignore totally as though they aren't there, random screaming fits at Chog while hitting yourself (I made that one up), tell them the seat was empty when you found it (lying, but they deserve it).

 

Choose your favorite confrontation avoidance method and never let it come to blows, but don't let the Choggers bellow and snort their way to victory.

[scrap4girls]

I recall reading where one cruiser told a waiter that they wanted to stay a awhile and enjoy some drinks and a twenty would be given if they could find them some seats since most were covered with towels.

 

Whats your suggestion to this way of getting seats? I like it to be truthful. Pool attendants would probably be the best ones to know who been there and who hasn't

[crewsnews]

I would use the $20 to buy more drinks as I sat on a seat with a towel tossed rakishly onto the deck after I had waited 35 minutes or so. Seriously, you could just ask a waiter what seats have been empty the longest and he'll tell you for free, especially if you place a drink order from your newly acquired seat.

[mamaskittles]

A few years back I was cruising with my late husband, I believe It was on the Miracle or it may have been the Legend (doesn't matter). He was a notorious early riser 5:30 or 6 A.M.and I usually slept in.

However on this particular cruise I went up to the lido early AM for some coffee since I forgot to put out the door hanger and didn't feel like waiting for room service. While up on deck I noticed women in bathrobes going to the pool area placing items on loungers and leaving. I asked my dh if he knew what that was about. He said he thought they were saving chairs for later. I was flabergasted. I am not a sunner so I guess I never realized this was an issue. Now I am not necessarily proud of this but I thought it was funny at the time, (and still do :D), I decided to move their stuff. I took my coffee and strolled around gathering up stuff and put it all on the end of the bar. There were staff up there and they just smiled at me. I wanted to hang around to see the ruckus but chickened out. ( I said I was not proud). I did this two days in a row by the third day I noticed some ladies sticking around and I quit messing with them. It was a port day anyway :D. Since reading the boards I am wondering if my early morning shenanigins will be necessary on the Miracle next month as I fully intend to use the serenity area!!!!!!.

[BeagleOne]

I was on HAL recently and there was no chair-hogging in evidence. Not sure if it wasn't happening, or if the crew was removing items.

 

You could always move the items a little distance away, take the chair, and when the chog returns, just say that the chair was empty when you got there and you have no idea who moved the items. And be sure to say, "Oh, is that YOUR stuff? I've been kind of keeping an eye on it so no one steals it. You know you'll get charged more than $20 if you lose your towels!"