Angry Chair Hogs

[Nutto]

Maybe one way to get the chair hogs is to take their towel and hand it back to the towel station and say it was found abandoned. Remember - Anyone that has a towel checked out on their sea pass that is not returned at the end of the cruise can be charged $25! :D

[Scottee25]

So, hidden in your message is that you are a chair hog.:)

 

Quite the contrary. I am the guy that lays his towel and flip-flops at the edge of the pool and takes a dip. I very rarely sit around the pool. With the exception of my cruise in the Mediterranean, I am not usually awake soon enough to go claim a chair :)

[Scottee25]

How about Royal just enforce the no hogging rule. I do not think paying for loungers would solve any problem, all that would happen is that the chair hogs would move to the free areas so everyone else would be forced to pay for chairs or you would see nothing but empty chairs around the pool.

 

I for one will never sail on a ship that charges for loungers.

 

You are asking people who can lose their job if they begin to receive negative passenger feedback to enforce a rule that is sure to upset the violators of that rule. These crew have to decide between self preservation and appeasing the masses that want chair hogs held accountable. That's a tough sell to the crew.

 

And I disagree that the chair hogs would move onto the free areas if the the line charged to rent the chairs near the pool. The chair hogs want the chairs near the pool. And while you may not pay to rent a chair (or even sail with a line that charged for such a thing) I can assure you that others would. People pay extra for suites because of the benefits that come along with it. I have paid to rent chairs at beaches. So no, I don't think that you would see a lot of empty chairs around the pool.

 

Even bigger still, everyone complains about chair hogs but most only offer the suggestion that Royal enforce their rule. They don't enforce the rule and they show no intention of starting to vigorously enforce the rule. This should tell us that chair hogs are going to continue to hog and Royal will do little to stop that.

[Scottee25]

But that would require they actually sat in the chairs! :D

 

Right! So people should be thanking the chair hogs because they are helping the rest of the people avoid getting skin cancer by forcing them to sit in the chairs that typically get less sunlight! :)

[kerryincork]

The reason their are chair hogs is because the rules are not enforced if ship had the reputation of enforcement of this simple rule then people wouldn't bother trying to do it. It would free up chairs and people would move around the deck as chairs would become available.

The

It is complete guff to suggest that some how I am an cruel person to expect someone to do the there job 'because it will impact their pay' I've never seen people giving the pool attendent tips or the towel folks. And I doubt anyone who dose is the chair hogs anyway. I would say only small% passengers are chair hogs & they damn well know they are flaunting the rules & wouldn't have much impact on people's money anyway.

 

And comparing a free beach where a large number of people prefer to use towels and lie on the sand is not the same as a cruise ship, where the pool is used as a significant draw to the ship, and you want us to pay for this?

A better comparison would to list all the hotels you have stayed at that charge guests to use the sun loungers.

 

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[Twibes]

Life is all about the small pleasures, and for me it's a hot cup of well-brewed coffee and a chair hog thread. Loving everyone's stories! :D

 

I have membership in this prestigious club as well, sitting here as we speak sipping this cup of java and keeping up to speed on this! :cool:

[Roce48]

Quite the contrary. I am the guy that lays his towel and flip-flops at the edge of the pool and takes a dip. I very rarely sit around the pool. With the exception of my cruise in the Mediterranean, I am not usually awake soon enough to go claim a chair :)

I was only teasing you because it seems that the only people that don't see chair hogging as a big deal are the chair hogs themselves.

[Roce48]

4000 passengers and too few pool side chairs. Can you imagine what would happen if everyone went to the pool at the same time?:D

[ColoradoGurl]

You may see it that way but skin cancer accounts for more than half of all cancer diagnoses. You are more likely to get skin cancer in your life than you are lung cancer. And in fact, 90% of all skin cancer is caused by sun exposure. So sitting around in the sun (you know those seats the chair hogs love to grab) is actually contributing to one's likelihood of contracting skin cancer.

 

 

So are you suggesting we avoid Caribbean cruises altogether, given the sun is almost always shining down there? I agree with Bill, you are really working hard with that stretch. There is such a thing as sunscreen, which protects you from harmful sun rays (as far as I know, there is no such thing to protect your lungs from cigarette smoke other than to completely avoid it altogether). Also, vitamin D is essential to our health and well being, so we actually need to be in the sun for a little while (I can't think of a comparable health benefit from smoking).

 

Chair hogs, plain and simple, are rude and inconsiderate, just as smokers who light up in any public space. I have never had to remove anyone's towels to find a lounge chair, but if I did, I would have zero problem taking their towels off and subsequently standing my ground in any confrontation that happened afterward. If someone is legitimately in the pool for an hour and I see they are soaking wet when they come back, I'd apologize and give them their seat back regardless of how long their stuff was there, but if they come back dry- they would literally have to out muscle me to get their chair back and I wouldn't feel bad about it either.

 

 

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Edited January 18, 2017 by ColoradoGurl

[Scottee25]

The reason their are chair hogs is because the rules are not enforced if ship had the reputation of enforcement of this simple rule then people wouldn't bother trying to do it. It would free up chairs and people would move around the deck as chairs would become available.

The

It is complete guff to suggest that some how I am an cruel person to expect someone to do the there job 'because it will impact their pay' I've never seen people giving the pool attendent tips or the towel folks. And I doubt anyone who dose is the chair hogs anyway. I would say only small% passengers are chair hogs & they damn well know they are flaunting the rules & wouldn't have much impact on people's money anyway.

 

And comparing a free beach where a large number of people prefer to use towels and lie on the sand is not the same as a cruise ship, where the pool is used as a significant draw to the ship, and you want us to pay for this?

A better comparison would to list all the hotels you have stayed at that charge guests to use the sun loungers.

 

Ok, first things first... there, their, and they're... there is a difference between these three.

 

As far as rule enforcement goes, even if rules are enforced, there will be those segments of the population that will continue to break them. Police write speeding tickets all the time, and yet, people continue to speed. Murderers are put to death (or imprisoned for life) throughout the world, and yet, people still commit murder. Even if Royal removed items from unattended chairs at the 30 minute mark, there would still be those that would take their chance on hogging the chairs.

 

Next, I never called you cruel. I simply suggested that it is a lot to ask of the crew who could lose their JOB (and I did use that terminology. I never suggested they would lose pay in the form of tips as you claimed) for angering passengers. Imagine you are a crew member from an impoverished 3rd world nation. Working on the cruise ship is a great step up from what prospects you had back home. So you can either smile and be pleasant to the passengers, or you can rock the boat and risk losing that all. I think you'll be hard pressed to find many willing to engage in the latter.

 

So, I still stand behind what I said. If you want to get rid of the chair hogs, charging for the chairs is a good way to do that. Do I think it is ideal? Of course not. I would hope that everyone would play by the rules and make this whole conversation moot. But I am under no illusions that we live in a perfect world.

[Scottee25]

I was only teasing you because it seems that the only people that don't see chair hogging as a big deal are the chair hogs themselves.

 

I know you were just teasing. :) And I feel that the chair hogs are rude, selfish, inconsiderate people. However, I also understand that I cannot control the actions of other people. I know I can either fume over the fact that people hog chairs making it difficult for the rest of us find a chair or I can brush off the fact that there are just people in this world with narcissistic views that don't care about my happiness. Something tells me I will find more happiness in taking the latter stance! :)

[Fouremco]

4000 passengers and too few pool side chairs. Can you imagine what would happen if everyone went to the pool at the same time?:D

RCI's crack IT team is working on a new ship-based system that will designate times and specific loungers to all passengers on sea days. Assigned time slots will be for a maximum of two hours. For the initial release of the software, passengers will not be able to request changes, but in v.2 it is hoped that this and other functionality additions will be incorporated. There are still some minor issues in the beta version that they are trying to iron our before the initial implementation, such as trying to restrict the time slots to daylight hours, but management doesn't believe that such minor inconveniences justify holding back on the program's release.

[BillOh]

You are asking people who can lose their job if they begin to receive negative passenger feedback to enforce a rule that is sure to upset the violators of that rule. These crew have to decide between self preservation and appeasing the masses that want chair hogs held accountable. That's a tough sell to the crew.

 

I think you're crossing over between people who share tips and the rest of the crew. No surveys are done for Deck Patrol people and they don't get tips, at least for that job. I WOULD THINK, if someone gets riled up enough to take down the name of a Deck Patrol person and write to the cruise line, they will consider the source.

[Scottee25]

So are you suggesting we avoid Caribbean cruises altogether, given the sun is almost always shining down there? I agree with Bill, you are really working hard with that stretch. There is such a thing as sunscreen, which protects you from harmful sun rays (as far as I know, there is no such thing to protect your lungs from cigarette smoke other than to completely avoid it altogether). Also, vitamin D is essential to our health and well being, so we actually need to be in the sun for a little while (I can't think of a comparable health benefit from smoking).

 

Nope, not at all. Personally I like being in the sun. It's one of the reasons I moved south last year and bought a convertible when I got here. And yes, sunscreen can help protect your skin from UV rays. But let's not pretend here... most people laying in the chairs in the sun are doing so to sun themselves. They want to get a tan. A tan, as I am sure you know. is caused by damage to the skin. If you wear sunscreen (fully and properly) you don't get this damage, and therefore do not get a tan. Also, sunscreen blocks the absorption of vitamin D. You can't have both protected skin AND a tan (and vitamin D). My point was it is quite hypocritical to complain about smokers and the effects of 2nd hand smoke and then partake in an activity that actually has a much greater chance of causing you cancer. While vitamin D may be an important for our health, you can always take a vitamin supplement and avoid the sun. Personally I don't care for the smell of smoke and would be perfectly happy if I never had to smell it on a cruise ship. But I also understand that I am actually breathing more carcinogens from the diesel fumes produced by the cruise ship's power plants than I am from the occasional 2nd hand smoke.

 

Chair hogs, plain and simple, are rude and inconsiderate, just as smokers who light up in any public space. I have never had to remove anyone's towels to find a lounge chair, but if I did, I would have zero problem taking their towels off and subsequently standing my ground in any confrontation that happened afterward. If someone is legitimately in the pool for an hour and I see they are soaking wet when they come back, I'd apologize and give them their seat back regardless of how long their stuff was there, but if they come back dry- they would literally have to out muscle me to get their chair back and I wouldn't feel bad about it either.

 

Chair hogs sure are rude and inconsiderate. In fact, I have said that. But I won't get into it with you about smokers lighting up in public places (that's an argument for another day since smokers are only allowed to smoke in public places on the ship. They are not allowed to smoke in their cabins or on their balconies). And I respect your strong convictions to stand up for what you believe in. I wouldn't fault you in the least if you removed someone's towel if they were hogging a chair. Like I said, if I am going for a dip, I am the guy who lays his towel at the edge of the pool. I don't need a chair for towel storage. But I still feel, of all things to worry about in life, that chair hogging is one of the small things not worth sweating over.

[Scottee25]

I think you're crossing over between people who share tips and the rest of the crew. No surveys are done for Deck Patrol people and they don't get tips, at least for that job. I WOULD THINK, if someone gets riled up enough to take down the name of a Deck Patrol person and write to the cruise line, they will consider the source.

 

Actually I am not. I was not talking about this affecting their pay. I was talking about it affecting their employment. And how often do people take their grievance to only Deck Patrol? I have seen people complain to wait staff and bartenders as well. And the type of people who would get this riled up are probably not the type to write the cruise line. They are the type that complains to management there on the spot.

[BillOh]

The reason their are chair hogs is because the rules are not enforced if ship had the reputation of enforcement of this simple rule then people wouldn't bother trying to do it.

 

You may be right, and I'll speculate you are partially right. Just guessing, but I think about 75 percent of people on some cruises are first timers, They are certainly part of that group. Sure some of the professional chair hogs are repeat cruisers.

[Fouremco]

Actually I am not. I was not talking about this affecting their pay. I was talking about it affecting their employment. And how often do people take their grievance to only Deck Patrol? I have seen people complain to wait staff and bartenders as well. And the type of people who would get this riled up are probably not the type to write the cruise line. They are the type that complains to management there on the spot.

BillOh is talking about complaints made ABOUT Deck Patrol, not complaints made TO them.

[John&LaLa]

4000 passengers and too few pool side chairs. Can you imagine what would happen if everyone went to the pool at the same time?:D

 

That is true of almost all venues if you think about it.

[ramja96]

ok, first things first... There, their, and they're... There is a difference between these three.

 

thank you!

Edited January 18, 2017 by ramja96

[Fouremco]

Ok, first things first... there, their, and they're... there is a difference between these three.

 

thank you!

Why would you thank someone for a breach of the CC guidelines? :confused:

 

It is important to remember that everyone makes mistakes at one time or another, and that there are many users who use English as a second language, especially on our Cruise Boards. There are also a number of people who suffer from learning disabilities and who have difficulty noticing their spelling mistakes. Do not make comments on the spelling and grammar of other users. It is simply not a productive expenditure of energies.

[BillOh]

I have membership in this prestigious club as well, sitting here as we speak sipping this cup of java and keeping up to speed on this! :cool:

 

We should organize and have our own tshirts and meetings on board!

[BillOh]

. I am the guy that lays his towel and flip-flops at the edge of the pool and takes a dip.)

 

 

If only Royal would give us a safe dry place, it would free up seats.

[BillOh]

4000 passengers and too few pool side chairs. Can you imagine what would happen if everyone went to the pool at the same time?:D

 

You will see for yourself in 32 days! Well, almost everyone, especially those people who have been stuck in the Great Lakes Area for the winter. :D

[mollyeilis]

If you wear sunscreen (fully and properly) you don't get this damage, and therefore do not get a tan.....You can't have both protected skin AND a tan .....

 

 

Can you explain my tan lines then? 35spf reapplied at least once an hour, at max two hours on a sunny lounger, turning every 15 minutes (mainly because my back hurt), once a day. And still I got color.

 

Don't get me wrong. A tan for me means someone said upon my return: "Molly! You're almost tan!" But I changed color. Despite scads of sunscreen (I don't go higher spf because articles say that the higher ones aren't generally actually that coverage and I get cocky and think I don't have to reapply as often and then I go straight to burned. It feels really silly to wear 50spf and get burned) and reapplying and limit exposure, I have whiter lines where my suit covered.

 

********

I've never understood the people who set up in the shade and sleep. The last thing on my list of things to do is sleepy in public. How embarrassing for them! Mouths agape, snoring, hey what are you doing with your hand...nope. Not for me!

 

 

 

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[PoppyandNana]

You may be right, and I'll speculate you are partially right. Just guessing, but I think about 75 percent of people on some cruises are first timers, They are certainly part of that group. Sure some of the professional chair hogs are repeat cruisers.

 

Just got off the phone with a friend who just got back from their first cruise, RCCL. She said she had no idea what an imbroglio it was around the pool. They naively went out to the pool area at 10:30am not thinking too much about it. Was shocked to see the number of chairs that had towels or some manner of stuff on them but no bodies. They wandered around for quite a while. Finally went to an upper deck.

 

She later noticed that most of those marked chairs never did have a human in it. She did see two almost violent confrontations about chairs that someone had the audacity to remove stuff from a chair.

 

She was shocked at the whole ugly scene, wondered if they would ever go on a cruise again. Towards the end of the week they adopted a more resigned attitude about it. They thought about going out early in the morning to mark their territory but just couldn't lower themselves. She asked me if this situation is normal on all cruise ships. How should I answer her?