Alarming sights on the Mariner

[SqueakyDust]

I don't see why Cruise Lines cannot enforce the "no chair hogging" request.

 

They should all make it a rule and part of your agreement when booking your cruise. Like they do over dining room etiquette etc.

It is simple bad manners and selfishness to think that once your towel rests on a chair that it is 'yours' for as long as you wish, whether you are present or not. What would happen if everyone had that attitude?

 

As for the woman going around in her dressing gown at 5am hogging 10 ! chairs, the staff of that ship should have removed the towels and left a note to go see them about it.

 

This is another reason I don't particularly enjoy 'sea days'.

[jplotts865]

I love this one...some of the solutions are ingenious and I will definitely try the shoe-switch-book-switch if necessary on EOS in October - if needed! It's only happened to me once - on either SOS or MOS - the ship was packed...the pool area was a mob scene...the chair hogs were on a convention. It is so damned rude to take up a bank of chairs knowing full well that no one is going to use them...but then there are plenty of damned rude people out there. Is it possible to get one of the pool area crew to help resolve the problem? If pushed I'd try that first...but love the idea of tossing the hogger's pool wardrobe over the side - but don't want to pollute the ocean...oh, gee...now what???

[deaconess]

I had carefully done my CC research, learned all about the dreaded chair hog, and was bound and determined not to be had....The first at sea day was disasterous! There were NO chairs available...I assumed by the pool would be a no go...so anywhere the sun was shining was OK by me...couldn't find one! Many towels saving chairs....So finally I find an empty chair....I noticed the chair next to me had 2 towels on it...but didn't think it odd as did many others.....I was keeping a careful eye on my watch, knowing that after 30 minutes I was within my rights to keep my chair regardless....at minute #29 a woman approaches me, says it is her chair and shows me the towel that blew off of it...so I moved like a good CC member....in the process, my sea pass (securely attached to my retractable belt clip) becomes missing....thinking that it took flight from the wind (40 mile/hr) and is now proudly worn by a beracuda or something.....so I leave get a new sea pass card, and decide to come back later.....I do still no chairs....

 

I decide on sea day #2 to get out there early and bake....at 9 AM I have already eaten and find a lounge chair n the solarium right up near the pool! Jackpot!!!! I lay there, afraid to get in the water for more than 15 minutes at a time, but enjoyed myself anyways....by 10:30 I remember that they were having the final "jackpot" bingo....what to do? I've never done cruise bingo, but how long could it take??? It never took us more than 20 minutes in school.....I decide to .....become a chair hog...yes I know, I fell off the wagon....but the promise of possibly winning thousands clouded my judgement, but don't worry the gods were not smiling.....I learned my lesson....

 

I leave my towel from home and my tote, remove any important possessions, fully expecting my things to be moved or taken when I return....and I make a break for it to the aft....no one is there.......they moved bingo to t he forward!!!! so I got there....there was maybe 15 people....I thought...this doesn't seem right...well they started bingo at 11:15.....(already 15 min. over my allotted time)....then they played5-6 games!!! Who does that?, just give me my money and let me get back to the pool! Then the woman next to me asks if I got caught in the rain.....rain???what rain??? oh yes...it was raining she tells me....fabulous! Then after bingo is over - 1 hr. later.....I run back up to the solarium...and now the piece d'resistance - my stuff was gone! I expected that it would be moved, dumped on the ground, I'd lose my chair, I was OK with that...just wanted my stuff back....so I ask the lady in my former chair....she doesn't speak any english.....so I go to the bar and ask the guy who I should talk to ....I go tell the pool attendant.....he checks his stand...nothing...he makes a phone call......nothing....I asked him what do I do now...just forget it? File a claim somewhere? What? he asks for me to take him to where I was sitting so he can look around.....I bring him back through the doors of the solarium....to find my stuff exactly where I had left it....I was on the wrong side of the pool! Quite possibly the stupidest thing I've done ever!

[critterchick]

Honey, if that's the stupidest thing you've ever done, you haven't lived yet!:D

[Susie51]

While in the pool, where are you suppose to put your towel, book, shoes, cover up, ect.? I've never seen "cubbies" for these things around the pool. I've been on six different cruise lines and the chairs seem to be the best place to put things.

 

We frequently go to the buffet and bring back our food to the pool area. Usually we take turns going so someone is always by the chairs. 30 minutes is not very long to take a restroom break and go to the buffet to bring back to the pool area.

 

I like the idea of asking an attendant to move things that have been unattended for a long period of time, however.

 

This thread has been good for a lot of laughs.

[worldsbestcandles]

Haven't I read that RCCL claims to charge you for lost towels? It would seem, in theory, that I could go around and collect all of the towels that have been left by chair hogs and hold them ransom? People who leave towels unattended for over an hour (who are not in the pool of course) would pay $5 to get each towel back.... It sounds like I could do this for a couple of hours and pay for all the foo-foo drinks I could want! :)

[css]

Why do the all day tanners always need to take the poolside chairs? They sleep or read and don't seem to go into the water, so why not lay out somewhere else. Some of us would just like to grab 30 minutes by the pool to people watch, take a dip, listen to the band etc. Late in the afternoon is just about the only time those spots open up.

It also amazes me how much tanning people do. Some of that old dark wrinkled skin looks really BAAAAD.

[nfused2cruze]

I like the "Seapass" suggestion in getting a chair. However, we better be careful about all of these suggestions. Someone in the cruise industry might see this thread and start nickel-and-diming us on chair space. There'll be meters posted by each chair! When the times up - a "Chairmaid" :rolleyes: will come by and ticket the belongings left on the seat. You can be assured, the ghosts will never return. :p

 

Or, we may be asked to "BYOC" - bring your own chair - onboard, the beginning of the no-frills cruise!

[Max Circus]

Or, we may be asked to "BYOC" - bring your own chair - onboard, the beginning of the no-frills cruise!

 

Not sure that it would be the beginning. If you can believe the easycruise website, they will begin sailings in the Caribbean starting in November. Ports would include Barbados, St Lucia and Martinique. Take a look at their website and you'll see the cruise definition of "no-frills". Hope you like bright orange.

[waterrats]

It also amazes me how much tanning people do. Some of that old dark wrinkled skin looks really BAAAAD.

 

I think this is because people love to buy leather. If these people can make their skin look like leather, they can save a ton of money on leather products and use them for foo foo drinks on their next cruise. :D

[nfused2cruze]

Max,

I saw that and heard about it too. That's one line you won't find me on! Hope you really enjoy the Jewel- that's been getting really good reviews. The next time I do the Caribbean I'll plan for that.

[Barbee524]

OMG, EBFURR! That is really eerie. Did you witness the same phenomenon in the dining room on the last night of the cruise?

 

Worried and on edge,

 

Carol :cool:

 

I have seen this on the last night of every cruise I've been on. Can only hope they have pre-paid their gratuties and aren't stiffing the wait staff.

[scaevolatn]

I've enjoyed the fun anti-Hog ideas on this thread - good laughs!

 

How about this idea? For you early-risers like me, take a pack of Post-Its and a Sharpie with you when you're taking a morning stroll around the pool deck. When you see a chair that has been claimed, write down the current time on a Post-It and attach it to the abandoned possessions.

 

There will be no confusion for anyone who comes along later and sees that chair, and you will have spent next to nothing. And wouldn't you love to see the Chair Hog when he/she eventually arrives and discovers they've been 'outed'?

[volleymasha]

How about this idea? For you early-risers like me, take a pack of Post-Its and a Sharpie with you when you're taking a morning stroll around the pool deck. When you see a chair that has been claimed, write down the current time on a Post-It and attach it to the abandoned possessions./quote]

 

I think it might even be worth getting up early to try this, although I have to say I only had trouble finding a chair a couple of times...

 

Volleymasha

[kenandlaura06]

How about this idea? For you early-risers like me, take a pack of Post-Its and a Sharpie with you when you're taking a morning stroll around the pool deck. When you see a chair that has been claimed, write down the current time on a Post-It and attach it to the abandoned possessions./quote]

 

I think it might even be worth getting up early to try this, although I have to say I only had trouble finding a chair a couple of times...

 

Volleymasha

 

I love this idea!

[Giventofly]

well, I guess we were a bit overdue for another annoying towel thread. Kinda like volcanic etuptions and earthquakes....they absolutely suck....but for some reason they keep happening.

[LindaandJeff]

*puts on flame suit*

 

If you leave the pool area, take your junk with you. People on the NOS last week ran inside during a 30-second rain shower. :rolleyes:

 

Can I take a dip in the pool?

Can I run to the bathroom?

If it's ok for me to take a dip in the pool but it's not okay for me to leave the pool area to run to the bathroom am I allowed to .....in the pool? (Just kidding, of course.) I'm getting a little concerned here that I am going to be spending my day looking over the railing for my stuff every time I have to go potty or get some water. I know...I won't drink any water and then I won't have to go...

[FitzLA]

How did this thread get dragged up again after 7 months. No posts on this thread since June 25th, and then boom, its back. Maybe the chair ghosts brought it back.

[Cincy-David]

FOR ALL OF THE CHAIR HOGS IN THE WORLD.

 

I am a red head and never sit on he pool deck for all the obvious reasons. I don't want to end up looking like the Friday night lobster.

 

SO

 

The next time we cruise together, there will be an extra chair, please feel free to hog it with my blessings, I will not be needing it. But I do reserve the right to switch your shoes and books, LOVE THAT IDEA.

[Cruzntime]

Okay, I admit this is probably the one and only thing on a cruise that drives me totally bonkers. One person sitting and eating at a table for four or more, where it's apparent that they are the only one in attendance at that table. Really, it drives me batty mainly because you get that old "high school squicky" feeling standing there with your tray looking around for a seat.

 

There are always the smaller tables for two or the bar...

 

High school flashbacks are not fun!

 

If there are empty seats at my table it is because there either was not an appropriately sized table, someone left before I was finished eating, or it was the only table available so I took it instead of just standing there. But regardless the reason, please ask to join me for lunch if there are enough chairs remaining for one's party. :) Most everyone I have met cruising is friendly, well mannered, and most of the times it is a joy to meet new people.

[LindaandJeff]

We could always go back to the days when they assigned a deck chair the same way they assign table sittings. You were given a chair number. So a 21 year old could end up next to an 80 year old, or a smoker next to a non-smoker, or a ...well you get the idea... for the entire cruise...so be it. :eek: