A chairhog question?

[sherin65]

Everyone complains about chairhogs but do you do anything about it?

 

I was on the Grandeur last March and noticed chairhogs in full force but we were so busy I didn't really spend any time at the pool.

 

This March we will be on the Legend and there's a big group of us going. I'm sure I'll spend more time poolside.

 

Do you take action or just complain? I don't want to get into an arguement with another passenger.

 

 

Sher

[MrsPete]

Do you take action or just complain? I don't want to get into an arguement with another passenger.

If there are no chairs free, I'll move unattended things without any qualms.

 

And I'm not waiting around for X number of minutes to see if anyone's showing up either. You can tell whether the chair's being used or not. If the towel was spread out, obviously had been sat upon, a book and shoes were nearby . . . it's fairly sure that the person's nearby, just not sitting at the moment. On the other hand, if it's a folded, unused towel, or just a book . . . you can find it on top of the trash can.

 

Arguments with other passengers? Doesn't bother me when I know I'm right. I'm little but tough. Plus, most chair hogs know they're being selfish, and they're not going to start any trouble.

[TEXASMUNK]

You will see folks stock up on chairs at 6:30am....Grabbing up 6-8-10 chairs. I just stroll by, move their stuff into a pile..

 

Love it when they come back in 2 hours and find everything full.

[cruzfiend]

I, too, have moved things. I haven't had a problem.

[Uggies822]

Agree with all of the above, did however have a bit of a rude experience last summer. We were with a group of 9, so very often we did not all sit together, b/c we 1. very often we couldn't find a group of chairs together until later in the afternoon and 2. b/c noone was going to even attempt to save chairs. There were though a couple days that we all got up extra early and sat together. ONE DAY though, we had three chairs together, reasonable I think, and we were all sitting in them. My son and husband got up to take a dip in the pool, we're talking they were away from their chairs for max 5 min. A women and her husband/boyfriend came over took their towels which had their T-shirts on top of them and threw them on the wet ground, like it was nothing! I couldn't believe it, I nicely asked what gave them the idea that they had the right to do that, they of course snapped back "well they are in the pool, we watched them go there" Keeping my cool I explained how I thought it was very inconsiderate to throw their white shirts and towels onto the wet floor, and that if you saw exactly where they were going, you would have known that I was with them and given me their stuff, and that your more then welcome to use their chairs, until they come back that is, so I'm assuming that you'll be able to set yourselfs up, take out your lotion and book, and have to pack up again, the choice is ours. They picked up what they threw on the floor and left.

 

I mean come on, that is just rude.

[Schplinky]

That is very rude. Likely, they were frustrated but to actually see folks using the chairs and swoop in like that is nasty.

[js]

I too will move towel/book left. If I get a lounger way back I will watch to see if anyone comes back to the other loungers by the pool. I most always use the Solarium pool and while there can be up to 20 chairs saved, maybe only 1-2 people in the water and a few in the Jacuzzi. Anyway, if time goes by, I move the stuff on one lounger to another (so that there would be 2 people saving the same lounger). The only time I had a “problem” was the last time I cruised on NOS. I had been laying in my chair for approximately an hour and a half, and a woman came up to me (really, I was there for almost 2 hours) and said that she had saved that chair for her. I just told her no she didn’t the chair was empty and that was it. She was quite huffy and upset and saw her stuff STILL on the unoccupied chair next to mine. She took her stuff and left??? I still don’t know why she would say something to me if she didn’t even plan on staying but she was a little loud but I kept it quiet and that was it.

[EV323]

While we are on the chair hog topic-what do you think about people with no obvious small children who save/or even sit in the front row. My pet peeve on a cruise is when I see adults who have no children in the front row.

I say this because I have 3, 16, 12 & 7. The 7 year old still needs to be supervised, so I hate it when I am like 3 rows back trying to watch her while someone is sleeping. I can't wait until I could relax by the pool and not watch my child so diligently, you can be sure I would not mind sitting a few rows back, after all, if you are reading or sleeping, does it matter how close to the pool you are?

Let me know(as I'm sure you will) if I am overreacting.

[Retired LEO]

This is really a no brainer.

 

Just follow this recipe.

 

1. See chair

2. See chair being saved

3. Remove items from saved chair.

4. Sit in chair and slightly recline

5. Order drink (Very important ingredient)

6. Relax and enjoy drink.

[Sascol]

While we are on the chair hog topic-what do you think about people with no obvious small children who save/or even sit in the front row. My pet peeve on a cruise is when I see adults who have no children in the front row.

Just to make sure I'm understanding correctly, are you saying people without kids should not sit in the row of chairs closest to the pool so that people with kids can sit by the pool and be closer to their kids? If that's what you mean, you're reeeeeally stretching here. This would not even have entered my thought process when selecting a chair.

[bplazo]

While we are on the chair hog topic-what do you think about people with no obvious small children who save/or even sit in the front row. My pet peeve on a cruise is when I see adults who have no children in the front row.

I say this because I have 3, 16, 12 & 7. The 7 year old still needs to be supervised, so I hate it when I am like 3 rows back trying to watch her while someone is sleeping. I can't wait until I could relax by the pool and not watch my child so diligently, you can be sure I would not mind sitting a few rows back, after all, if you are reading or sleeping, does it matter how close to the pool you are?

Let me know(as I'm sure you will) if I am overreacting.

 

I cannont believe that you would even think that you are entitled to a row of seats in the front row just because you have kids.

[Spf12]

This is really a no brainer.

 

Just follow this recipe.

 

1. See chair

2. See chair being saved

3. Remove items from saved chair.

4. Sit in chair and slightly recline

5. Order drink (Very important ingredient)

6. Relax and enjoy drink.

You have to be kidding.Get on the ship and enjoy your cruise.

[js]

EVE23, I do have two children -11 and 7 and although it would be nice to always have a chair close to the pool, I do not think it is fair to think that you or I should be able to sit in the chairs by the pool because we have children (sorry, you asked for opinions). If I want a chair close to the pool, I’ll have to either get there early and sit and watch them or just sit on the side of the pool. We have a pool at home and although I am not sure if that is the reason, my kids usually aren’t too interested in the pool on the ship. So, lucky for me, I can usually sit by the Solarium during the day while they are in the kids clubs (they love it there).

I’m hoping this thread doesn’t start another pro/con kid’s on ship debate because of your question, but think it may LOL Good luck.

[pauly]

Just to make sure I'm understanding correctly, are you saying people without kids should not sit in the row of chairs closest to the pool so that people with kids can sit by the pool and be closer to their kids? If that's what you mean, you're reeeeeally stretching here. This would not even have entered my thought process when selecting a chair.

 

THANK YOU!!

[premiumrican]

While reading "Caribbean Cruises" by Insight books, it actually encourages the reader to chair hog. Suggesting to get up early and claim your chair by placing a personal items on it. How rude!!!

[Schplinky]

It would not have occurred to me that those with children would want the front row to supervise their kids but I would probably swap with someone who asked politely and explained why. That said, although it takes a village to raise good kids, presuming that we're all a part of a great big child-rearing project gets old for those of us who don't want or can't have kids. Not only did I not choose to have or raise kids, you did. That means that you should either be at the pool early and get these seats or you should stand at its edge and supervise if its that important to you.

 

I was on line at a local festival last year for food when a woman shlepped her 7 year-old up the line and asked if they could cut in line because her daughter (she said) didn't like to wait. I told her that this was a perfect opportunity, then, to teach her daughter patience. Given what she said next, I think it was not the day to teach her that name-calling and swearing are wrong.

 

I realise I am over-reacting to the question but being a non-parent in the world these days is tricky and it's getting annoying. On our last cruise, there were kids running around the pool and nearly knocking over some older folks, I asked them to walk and not runbecause it was the rule and it was safer. Their mom came stomping over and told me not to speak to her kids. I give up.

[Mo7192]

It would not have occurred to me that those with children would want the front row to supervise their kids but I would probably swap with someone who asked politely and explained why. That said, although it takes a village to raise good kids, presuming that we're all a part of a great big child-rearing project gets old for those of us who don't want or can't have kids. Not only did I not choose to have or raise kids, you did. That means that you should either be at the pool early and get these seats or you should stand at its edge and supervise if its that important to you.

 

I was on line at a local festival last year for food when a woman shlepped her 7 year-old up the line and asked if they could cut in line because her daughter (she said) didn't like to wait. I told her that this was a perfect opportunity, then, to teach her daughter patience. Given what she said next, I think it was not the day to teach her that name-calling and swearing are wrong.

 

I realise I am over-reacting to the question but being a non-parent in the world these days is tricky and it's getting annoying. On our last cruise, there were kids running around the pool and nearly knocking over some older folks, I asked them to walk and not runbecause it was the rule and it was safer. Their mom came stomping over and told me not to speak to her kids. I give up.

 

Well said. Although I always sit a few rows back to read, relax, or just people watch, if for some reason I was in the front row and a parent wanted to swap so that they may supervise their children, it would not be an issue, that is the sign of an attentive parent. Now if a parent came to me and said that he/she wants the chairs because their children are joining them later to swim, my response would be 'too bad'.

 

I choose to sit a few rows back (or on on the top deck) to avoid the splashing, running, ect that happen at the edge of the pool, but if I were a few rows back and was being bothered by it, I too would tell the child that it was disruptive. I would happily explain to the mother that told me not to talk to her kids that way that if she wished for the blood that would splatter when they fell around the wet deck to be splattered on her, then keep her monsters next to her chair.

 

Now if I go into the pool to cool off, since it is not a lap pool (I would love ships to install lap pools), I DO expect children to splash and whatnot, it's a pool, it's water, it's wet, and it's actually fun for me to yell out 'polo' from the adjoining pool, then turn around and pretend it wasn't me ;) That being said, if I am in an adults only pool to cool off, no, I will not tolerate the games with exception of bad weather.

 

As far as the woman at the festival, I love what you told her, but I may have expanded by pointing to a shorter line and suggesting she feed her child that instead then :)

[Nliedel]

I never argue with another passenger. If they are there to argue then they are not hogging :) I will, however, ask the pool staff to handle it and yes I report them. I too am allowed a chair by the pool.

[Schplinky]

 

Now if I go into the pool to cool off, since it is not a lap pool (I would love ships to install lap pools),

 

The sports pool on Freedom of the Seas will be used for laps on occasion...

[jphc318]

I agree with all views and yes i have 4 children and would never feel like i deserved a chair over someone who doesnt have children .I like sitting on the edge of the pool and watch my children and people watch chair hogs!have fun whereever you go.Dont let some rude person ruin your enjoyment!

[Robin G]

EV323, I'd have to agree with you. I've got a younger child as well. I prefer to sit along the front or second row just to keep a closer eye on her. I'm sure people w/o the kids don't even think about this when choosing a seat, and why would they. After all it's our problem. (And learning patience as the above poster indicated and drowning are just not in the same category, sorry.)

 

We're talking about chairhogs here, people who deliberately hold chairs they have no intention of using for a period of time. It doesn't matter where. It's just plain inconsiderate and they are asked not to do it.

 

Last year on Serenade we were sitting at the pool, along the front. The four people next to us were puffing away, two of them on cigars. They were also loud and obnoxious(?). The smoking area on this ship is in the back, but they chose not to go there. My husband spotted a pool attendant and pointed them out and he agreed with my husband that they were not to be sitting there smoking. Did the attendant do anything, no. Did we, no.

 

No one wants to rock the boat (Ha!). We're on vacation and want to have fun. It's just hard sometimes when there are people who, when THEY are on vacation, forget to pack their manners and courtesies. Unfortunately, chairhogs and plain rude people don't read these threads!! :rolleyes:

[Schplinky]

EV323, I'd have to agree with you. I've got a younger child as well. I prefer to sit along the front or second row just to keep a closer eye on her. I'm sure people w/o the kids don't even think about this when choosing a seat, and why would they. After all it's our problem. (And learning patience as the above poster indicated and drowning are just not in the same category, sorry.)

 

 

I don't think I equated the two.

 

I think not drowning and good parenting might be more related, but presuming that the rest of us are thoughtless for not considering the safety of someone's children (as expressed by our chair selection) is a bit silly. Those who parent well supervise well. Those who presume that the rest of us should alter our lives so yours is easier are something else: selfish. Sure, it would be easier for you if the front row were reserved for parents with kids but where is it written in my cruise contract that parenting is the most important thing in the world? We all bought a holiday, the ship already devotes an enormous area that could be used for more general activities to activities just for kids and I'm not ready give over any more of my holiday dollar so that the lives of families (which are no more significant than mine) can be catered to.

[T_Bird]

While we are on the chair hog topic-what do you think about people with no obvious small children who save/or even sit in the front row. My pet peeve on a cruise is when I see adults who have no children in the front row.

I say this because I have 3, 16, 12 & 7. The 7 year old still needs to be supervised, so I hate it when I am like 3 rows back trying to watch her while someone is sleeping. I can't wait until I could relax by the pool and not watch my child so diligently, you can be sure I would not mind sitting a few rows back, after all, if you are reading or sleeping, does it matter how close to the pool you are?

Let me know(as I'm sure you will) if I am overreacting.

 

Wow! We just go for the unoccupied chairs regardless of what row they are in. In the event we were in the front row and you had 2 open seats in the third row and asked us nicely to switch, we would. However, we would not think ourselves rude because we used 2 open chairs in the front row.

[EV323]

OK, that makes sense, I was really talking about the people who rushed down at 6:00 am and threw their stuff on the first couple of chairs. I understand when someone leaves you can't be choosy.

[lszu]

On the Jewel a couple of weeks ago the pool attendants were moving stuff that was obviously just left around. I had a guy accuse me of moving his stuff and stealing his towels. He backed down when my husband saw me arguing with the guy and got out of the pool, and again when others nearby said there was really nothing on the chair when I sat down.

 

On another note, there was a group of perhaps six people who were sitting in front of us one day and one of them was stating, loudly, that she had six seats saved by the outdoor pool and was able to save five in the Solarium.