Interesting morning on the Allure regarding deck chairs.

[Trex827]

The following excerpt (at the end of the post)  is straight from the Royal Caribbean "Guest Conduct Policy". 

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/guest-conduct-policy.pdf

 

Reserving deck chairs is right up there with  public nudity. 

 

....... And where did the 30 minute rule come from?

 

Next time, I'm going to remove the towel,  turn it in to the attendent and sit down and enjoy myself it the best spot by the pool.   

 

If........ and when anybody shows up, I'm going to tell them nobody was using that towel so I turned it in.  Let the fun begin. 

-----  from the policy and I quote. 

 

Discourteous or Disruptive Behavior 

 

Pool, deck and theater chairs may not be reserved. Public nudity is not permitted and guests must 
be appropriately attired (including while on stateroom balconies if visible to others onboard, on 
other vessels or ashore). Topless sunbathing may be permitted on some ships and on some 
itineraries, but only in designated areas. (Contact Guest Services for Dress Code details.) Boom 
boxes or loud radios are not permitted. Roller blades, roller skates, skateboards, scooters, 
surfboards, bicycles, and similar items may not be utilized onboard; except for mobility aids related 
to special needs, as approved by the ship's medical staff. 

[sandystx]

I, personally, can not relate to those that don't sit it an unoccupied chair.  A towel is most definitely not a deterrent and many times neither is a book.  If I want to sit in the solarium or even at a "full pool", I just remove the towel and sit in the chair.  The rules are stated and the rules are on your side.  There is no discussion required.  

 

I have done this at least a dozen times on various ships, the most recent was on Brillance.  I removed a towel and a book, gave them both to a passing employee and said the person had left.  I was in that chair in the solarium for 2 hours and no one ever approached me to "claim" their chair.  

 

If I am there, and I would like a chair, and there are no others, I have no concerns at all sitting in an unoccupied chair.  "Chair Hogs" are only an issue if we make them an issue.

just my 2c.

enjoy.

 

[bonsai3s]

3 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

If I were fortunate enough to have my father still alive at 90 and if he were cruising with me, you can be damn sure that I would take one of those loungers for him!  🤬

Like +++++...well said.

[RW20]

24 minutes ago, Trex827 said:

The following excerpt (at the end of the post)  is straight from the Royal Caribbean "Guest Conduct Policy". 

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/guest-conduct-policy.pdf

 

Reserving deck chairs is right up there with  public nudity. 

 

....... And where did the 30 minute rule come from?

 

Next time, I'm going to remove the towel,  turn it in to the attendent and sit down and enjoy myself it the best spot by the pool.   

 

If........ and when anybody shows up, I'm going to tell them nobody was using that towel so I turned it in.  Let the fun begin. 

-----  from the policy and I quote. 

 

Discourteous or Disruptive Behavior 

 

Pool, deck and theater chairs may not be reserved. Public nudity is not permitted and guests must 
be appropriately attired (including while on stateroom balconies if visible to others onboard, on 
other vessels or ashore). Topless sunbathing may be permitted on some ships and on some 
itineraries, but only in designated areas. (Contact Guest Services for Dress Code details.) Boom 
boxes or loud radios are not permitted. Roller blades, roller skates, skateboards, scooters, 
surfboards, bicycles, and similar items may not be utilized onboard; except for mobility aids related 
to special needs, as approved by the ship's medical staff. 

I am so tempted to print it off and highlight it then leave it on chairs (while making it look official).... Then watch their faces when they return!

[LovetheTXsun]

Does this ‘chair hogging’ always happen?  Something we should be prepared for? 

 

Also, wondering if you couldn’t just fold/pick up towels and give them to the attendant if you verify the owners of the towels are gone more than 30 minutes?  Direct them to the attendant and let them deal with it if they come back? 

 

[Clarea]

5 minutes ago, LovetheTXsun said:

Does this ‘chair hogging’ always happen?  Something we should be prepared for?

 

Very common.

[ipeeinthepool]

5 hours ago, TinkBellaMom said:

I’ve read many threads on policy on saving deck chairs, and I kind of developed a way to handle this issue after many suggestions read here on CC.

We in the past have just given up and walked away.

Well, this morning after breakfast, my 90 year old Dad, wanted to sit in the solarium for a bit.  We walked for awhile looking but everything had been saved, most with just towels, no people around.  I sat Dad on a bench and said I would walk around and come back for him.

I read on CC that folks had removed the  belongings from chairs and sat down.  I was afraid to do that.  After almost an hour I went to a towel desk and asked what the policy was for this issue.  I sat watching dozens of chairs and in that time no one came to use them.  He said to go to Guest Services.

 

I would went there, waited in line, told them my issue,asked for the policy.  She called  pool manager in Solarium, he said send me up and he would take care of me.

Did that, couldn’t locate him.  Found a crew member on a phone, asked him what policy was.  He said you need to get here earlier and do the same.  

So I learned, policy is to get there early, put down towels, go about your business and arrive when you feel like it .  That is the policy.

I might add that numerous people passed by while I was trying to get policy explained,with a smile, thumb up and even a” you tell em girl”.

 

 

 

Just move all of their stuff from several chairs and put it in the corner.  If they come back and complain, tell them security moved their stuff and send THEM to Guest Services.  I doubt they'll go to guest services and complain that they weren't allowed to save chairs.  Sit back and relax.  I'll bet your 90 yr old Dad will enjoy the game.

[clean1owner]

4 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

If I were fortunate enough to have my father still alive at 90 and if he were cruising with me, you can be damn sure that I would take one of those loungers for him!  🤬

 

 

Sailing with my 82 year old mother next month. If she wants a deck chair that some hog has "reserved", I GUARANTEE she will get it.

[clean1owner]

5 hours ago, lifes-a-beach said:

Y'all are too nice.  Pick up the towel and book or whatever. Put them on the floor in the corner and sit down.  When they come back just shrug your shoulders.  What are they going to do?  Take away your birthday? 

 

 

I usually turn them in to the towel station.

[MandyMooToo]

I’ve seen both sides of this, the chair hogs who throw down a towel and a book and then spend the day in the pool and then there are the people that just assume if no one is in the chair it is free. On our Allure cruise a few years ago the husband and I got seats in relative shade by the pool and he got up to go get a soft serve ice cream (yards away) and I ran to the ladies’ room, telling my neighbors and leaving a shirt, book and beach bag. Neither of us were gone more than 10 minutes max and when we got back at basically the same time there was a woman im my husband’s chair. Our neighbors had told her we were using those seats and had only been gone a few moments but she insisted on staying there. I was able to get a pool attendant to intervene, as I was not going to start a new search for two chairs together in a bit of shade again, because she wanted to be difficult. 

[Lionesss]

28 minutes ago, MandyMooToo said:

I’ve seen both sides of this, the chair hogs who throw down a towel and a book and then spend the day in the pool and then there are the people that just assume if no one is in the chair it is free. On our Allure cruise a few years ago the husband and I got seats in relative shade by the pool and he got up to go get a soft serve ice cream (yards away) and I ran to the ladies’ room, telling my neighbors and leaving a shirt, book and beach bag. Neither of us were gone more than 10 minutes max and when we got back at basically the same time there was a woman im my husband’s chair. Our neighbors had told her we were using those seats and had only been gone a few moments but she insisted on staying there. I was able to get a pool attendant to intervene, as I was not going to start a new search for two chairs together in a bit of shade again, because she wanted to be difficult. 

 

 

A similar event happened to us about 3 years ago also on the Allure.

We walked to get soft serve and came back not being gone 10 min and a couple were sitting in our two chairs.

She goes since  no one was here---- so they are ours now. 

 

I was upset, DH said let it go, grabbed our shoes and towels which were conveniently on the table and left.

We got a lounger behind them.  And I behaved.

 

Now we just lock our kyss bag on the chairs tying them together, at least to make someone really work at claiming prime real estate.

 

Safe travels.

 

 

 

 

[tarrenel]

How do people check out towels? Is there a bar code or something on each towel  so the employee knows that is your towel you were given? I ask this cause what will happen if someone leaves their towel on a chair for hours and I remove said towel from the chair  and that person doesn't find his/her towel when she gets back? Are they out $25 ? Maybe next time they wont leave the towel unattended :-)  

[Clarea]

3 minutes ago, tarrenel said:

How do people check out towels? Is there a bar code or something on each towel  so the employee knows that is your towel you were given? I ask this cause what will happen if someone leaves their towel on a chair for hours and I remove said towel from the chair  and that person doesn't find his/her towel when she gets back? Are they out $25 ? Maybe next time they wont leave the towel unattended 🙂 

No bar codes on towels.  No way to identify who checked out a particular towel.

[John&LaLa]

4 hours ago, Keri's Cruisin' said:

 

All the while her sweet Dad is sitting on an uncomfortable bench.  I too would have removed a towel and sat him in a lounger.

 

So sorry this happened to you...

 

Those loungers aren't very easy to get out of.  I'd be a little concerned sticking one in them.

[TinkBellaMom]

5 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

If I were fortunate enough to have my father still alive at 90 and if he were cruising with me, you can be damn sure that I would take one of those loungers for him!  🤬

You hit it right on the head!  There are 6 of us on this trip, we have Mom and Dad with us.  I had to tread carefully because Dad knew I was upset and it was making him upset.  Not to be morbid, but we know this will be our last time cruising with them along.  I decided to drop it for now.  A deck crew member went and brought us out 2 loungers and squeezed them in so we could sit him in a nice place and get him a lemonade, that’s all he has asked us to do for him.

I do intend to speak to someone in private before leaving the ship.

[zdad59]

2 hours ago, RW20 said:

I am so tempted to print it off and highlight it then leave it on chairs (while making it look official).... Then watch their faces when they return!

 

Hmm…..I have a laminator here.  I could run off a bunch and laminate them.    What a great chair hog gift.

[Bradison]

Of all the cruise critic threads about chair hogs, I have never seen a defender.  On this thread there have been a couple of folks argue that "we were gone less than 10 minutes and all of our stuff was there".  That is as close as I have seen to a chair hog proponent.  Has anyone seen a cruise critic poster think this practice is ok?  Or are they afraid to take on the mob of public opinion on the subject.  As many people that do this there has to be some CC posters that think this behavior is no big deal.

 

Personally, I think the RCI policy of chairs cannot be reserved without occupancy to be how I behave.  When my wife drags me shopping my tolerance for time spent in any individual store is much shorter than hers.  When in a mall, I often walk outside the store to find a bench. If I find one and left a book or some article of clothing I would not expect to have that seat saved if I went to the restroom for any length of time.

[lazydayz]

1 hour ago, TinkBellaMom said:

You hit it right on the head!  There are 6 of us on this trip, we have Mom and Dad with us.  I had to tread carefully because Dad knew I was upset and it was making him upset.  Not to be morbid, but we know this will be our last time cruising with them along.  I decided to drop it for now.  A deck crew member went and brought us out 2 loungers and squeezed them in so we could sit him in a nice place and get him a lemonade, that’s all he has asked us to do for him.

I do intend to speak to someone in private before leaving the ship.

 

Glad it worked out for you. Hope you and your parents enjoy the rest of the cruise. 

[MandyMooToo]

20 minutes ago, Bradison said:

Of all the cruise critic threads about chair hogs, I have never seen a defender.  On this thread there have been a couple of folks argue that "we were gone less than 10 minutes and all of our stuff was there".  That is as close as I have seen to a chair hog proponent.  Has anyone seen a cruise critic poster think this practice is ok?  Or are they afraid to take on the mob of public opinion on the subject.  As many people that do this there has to be some CC posters that think this behavior is no big deal.

 

Personally, I think the RCI policy of chairs cannot be reserved without occupancy to be how I behave.  When my wife drags me shopping my tolerance for time spent in any individual store is much shorter than hers.  When in a mall, I often walk outside the store to find a bench. If I find one and left a book or some article of clothing I would not expect to have that seat saved if I went to the restroom for any length of time.

I think there is a big difference in a bench, meant for multiple persons to use at a time, and an individual pool lounger (which people would conceivably use for a longer period of time typically). And yes, I think you should be allowed to keep your seat long enough to go to the restroom or get a drink at the bar, for example, as long as you are going directly there and back. 10 minutes is not an unreasonable amount of time, half an hour or more is. 

[Big_G]

Just now, MandyMooToo said:

I’ve seen both sides of this

 

Just today we were on the Suite Deck and my son and DIL took their 3 year old for a walk. My wife and I were sitting at the bar when a group came up within 10 minutes and started moving their stuff because they needed one more lounger. The wife sprung into action before they could sit down. Don't be touching other people's belongings. If you truly are watching for 30 minutes then go to an attendant. If they can't help there's more to life than stupid sun lounger.

[Bradison]

1 minute ago, MandyMooToo said:

I think there is a big difference in a bench, meant for multiple persons to use at a time, and an individual pool lounger (which people would conceivably use for a longer period of time typically). And yes, I think you should be allowed to keep your seat long enough to go to the restroom or get a drink at the bar, for example, as long as you are going directly there and back. 10 minutes is not an unreasonable amount of time, half an hour or more is. 

 

On ships the size of these RCI ships with all over 3k people I would have zero expectation that a hot commodity like a sun lounger would be "mine" just because I claimed in it in some fashion.  If my wife stayed behind while I went to get some soft serve or use the head then that is the only way I would expect to still have "my" seat.  Clearly your definition of reasonable and lots of others differs and therein lies most of the problem.  Unwritten rules do not usually work in scenarios like cruise ships with large amounts of cultural diversity.

 

Now let's talk about people saving whole rows of seats at the ice show.  Just kidding 🙂

[JamesEM]

Do what I do,  just pretend you belong there, collect several towels, turn them in and just walk away so other passengers can use the chairs.

[SRF]

A couple of years ago, were were lounging by the pool.

 

Someone had "saved" 6 loungers.  After several hours 2 people showed up, we were there right after an early breakfast.  A lady and child came by and wanted to use the loungers, and the 2 there shooed them off.  So the lady grabbed two of the lounger chairs and put them between the saved loungers and the pool.  Shortly a pool attendant came over to tell them  they could not do that. 

 

They pointed to the saved loungers.  The two people there stated their friends had been there and just left (all there was on the lounger was a rolled towel).

 

I intervened and told the attendant that we had been there for 3 hours and NO ONE had been in those loungers.  He removed the towels.

 

Got nasty looks from the two sitting there.  And their "friends" NEVER did show up.

[SargassoPirate]

I've come to the conclusion that staff are reluctant to enforce the no reserving chairs policy for fear of receiving less than a 10 score on the post cruise evaluation.  They live and die by the 10.

 

Nothing will change until enough passengers complain - like we did about smoking.

 

Come to think of it, imagine the chair policy of the future "Royal Caribbean does not allow reserving chairs and loungers anywhere on the ship.  However, we realize that some of our passengers are chair hogs.  We have, therefore, set aside several loungers and chairs in selected areas of the ship for those who must hog a chair. These areas are easily identified by the ashtrays and butt cans"

 

[islandwannabee]

On Oasis, this past September. Beach pool area, about 9 am. All chairs were taken with towels, but I noticed attendant walking around with a clip board and asked him if he was monitoring pool chairs. Then he showed me his chart, wow was I surprised, it was a diagram of all the chairs with various notes all over. He then took me to 2 chairs, removed the towels and said here you go. About 11:00 a man comes by and says those are my seats, I say no the attendant gave them to me 2 hours ago. Then he starts yelling and screaming at me on how I stole his personal stuff (only towels on chair). Good thing other cruisers came to my rescue, he finally left.