Is the Beyond Pool Deck Very Crowded?

[sanger727]

2 hours ago, Marie51 said:

Thank you for this information. This kind of thing does not appeal to me.

 

In hindsight, I wouldn't go again.  But, this was part of a once in a lifetime trip to southeast asia so not unhappy that we went.  It just wasn't quite what I expected. I think that all Mekong river cruises are similar.  The "ports" are the river bank and again, there's no ability to tour on your own.

[Marie51]

12 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

 

In hindsight, I wouldn't go again.  But, this was part of a once in a lifetime trip to southeast asia so not unhappy that we went.  It just wasn't quite what I expected. I think that all Mekong river cruises are similar.  The "ports" are the river bank and again, there's no ability to tour on your own.

Ha, I understand completely. Actually I lived in Vietnam for a year so going back to that area does not interest me. Thank you for your helpful information.😊

[drakes2]

19 hours ago, Tyler414 said:

The CHOGS are the real problem I seem to notice on the Celebrity cruises I'm on, they put their crap on a lounger and vanish for hours.  I love E-class' pool deck and pool its huge, so lots of CHOGS.

Really not true. Just got off the Ascent in April. Had my book and small bag with sea pass inside removed by staff I was at the solarium pool and gone to lunch at aqua spa guess it was over 30 minutes.  They returned my belongings minus the sea pass told me to go to GR and get a new one.  I said you lost my card you should go down and get it for me which they did.  

[drakes2]

17 hours ago, Frenchkona said:

On every Celebrity cruise, I’ll wait the required 45 minutes then remove their belongings and give them to one of the pool attendants

Its not 45 minutes any more. I had stuff removed after 30 minutes.  They lock it up in the cupboard at the solarium. 

[drakes2]

2 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Starboard going aft before you get to  the Sunset Bar, right on the side of the ship..I think the true correct names are Infinity Pools, and poster below is correct, not on Apex or Edge..

 

I enjoyed the plunge pool on the Ascent. Never had more than 5 people any time I was in it. 

[Tyler414]

2 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

Really not true. Just got off the Ascent in April. Had my book and small bag with sea pass inside removed by staff I was at the solarium pool and gone to lunch at aqua spa guess it was over 30 minutes.  They returned my belongings minus the sea pass told me to go to GR and get a new one.  I said you lost my card you should go down and get it for me which they did.  

It was true on the E-class cruise I was recently on. Not sure why you would call me a liar about the cruise I was on and you were not.    Very Strange

[drakes2]

4 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

It was true on the E-class cruise I was recently on. Not sure why you would call me a liar about the cruise I was on and you were not.    Very Strange

@Tyler414 You need to re read my post; no where did I call you a liar. 

[Tyler414]

44 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

@Tyler414 You need to re read my post; no where did I call you a liar. 

My mistake, you stating "Really not true" on what the pool deck was like on my sailing, is in fact not calling me a liar...

[billc23]

45 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

My mistake, you stating "Really not true" on what the pool deck was like on my sailing, is in fact not calling me a liar...

Perhaps "Really not true" means "My experience was different" or "This was not true on my recent sailing" But what do I know???

[mnpurple]

On one of our second cruises we were in the Haven. Maybe I was naive and we were lounging on a pool day, but I noticed a few chairs that had towels, but were unoccupied for a long time. I wanted to move and just assumed they were done and left their towels, so I moved to those chairs, not even thinking they would come back.  They did come back and she was trying to say how they were her chairs. I had no idea.

 

I guess if we need chairs and see they have been vacant for more than 30 mins, I'll remove towels and now "play dumb".  Although, I don't even need to be right next to the pool, so hopefully when we sail there will be other areas to get chairs.

[drakes2]

1 hour ago, Tyler414 said:

My mistake, you stating "Really not true" on what the pool deck was like on my sailing, is in fact not calling me a liar...

@Tyler414 In actual fact what I was referring to was the comment you made about people leaving their stuff for hours on chairs that were not occupied. My last 2 cruises were on Beyond and Ascent and pool crew were removing stuff after a half hour. Not really enough time to get to the buffet and eat lunch. IMO. 

[drakes2]

1 hour ago, mnpurple said:

 

 

I guess if we need chairs and see they have been vacant for more than 30 mins, I'll remove towels and now "play dumb".

I don't like to touch anyone's property on a deck chair not even a towel. Prefer to have a pool attendant do it. That way you're not accused if something is missing.  

[hcat]

3 hours ago, drakes2 said:

Really not true. Just got off the Ascent in April. Had my book and small bag with sea pass inside removed by staff I was at the solarium pool and gone to lunch at aqua spa guess it was over 30 minutes.  They returned my belongings minus the sea pass told me to go to GR and get a new one.  I said you lost my card you should go down and get it for me which they did.  

That's overkill!    And poor judgment   esp when you were actually using the solarium pool and facilities.

Lunch there is usually quick.

 

. They should not have gone into your bag & confiscated your card.

 

Totally not the same as folks who come out early, leave a book on a lounge, clip towels.. and disappear for long periods 

[hcat]

Just now, hcat said:

That's overkill!    And poor judgment   esp when you were actually using the solarium pool and facilities.

Lunch there is usually quick.

 

. They should not have gone into your bag & confiscated your card.

 

Totally not the same as folks who come out early, leave a book on a lounge, clip towels.. and disappear for long periods 

I.m lucky..my husb does not swim.. and likes to  sit and sip, read and do his puzzles.. We take turn going for food and I am in the water other times

[Tyler414]

28 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

@Tyler414 In actual fact what I was referring to was the comment you made about people leaving their stuff for hours on chairs that were not occupied. My last 2 cruises were on Beyond and Ascent and pool crew were removing stuff after a half hour. Not really enough time to get to the buffet and eat lunch. IMO. 

I was actually referring to what was happening on the cruise I was on.  

 

[drakes2]

6 minutes ago, hcat said:

That's overkill!    And poor judgment   esp when you were actually using the solarium pool and facilities.

Lunch there is usually quick.

 

. They should not have gone into your bag & confiscated your card.

 

Totally not the same as folks who come out early, leave a book on a lounge, clip towels.. and disappear for long periods 

Yes it was poor judgment and I brought it up with GR that evening. It was a very small crossbody bag and my card was inside on my chair with the book next to it but the bag unzipped so I imagine the card fell out and she didn't realize it. Had the nerve to tell me the bag was zipped up. A card doesn't fall out from a bag that's zipped up.  GR said they would speak to the head of housekeeping. Anyway when I returned from dinner that evening a nice bottle of wine was waiting for me in my cabin. Stuff happens but they need to exercise more caution. 

[zitsky]

9 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

We cruised the Mekong river with Avalon.  Now it is a very small ship.  Believe it had 40 cabins.

 

On this itinerary there was one shore excursion at each stop and you had to do it if you wanted to leave the ship.  The stops did not lend themselves to places where you could visit on your own or organize a local tour (small towns in Vietnam) - so it's a bit different than a European river cruise

 

There was one option for dining, the communal dining room.  Set times for all meals. Buffet for breakfast and lunch, a la carte for dinner. drinks were "included" - but really that meant that there was a happy hour cocktail every day from 5-7 and 1 red and 1 white wine included with dinner. Everything else was extra charge and they were pushing wine bottles and specialty cocktails.

 

No entertainment.  No activities on the ship. No room service. 

 

We also had a COVID scare which made it very clear that this line had not planned for issues and every day our cruise director had to wait for a call from his boss to determine what to do. 

We’ve done Viking river and ocean.  We are both late 50s.  Partner says never again, at least not until we’re in wheelchairs.  Food and wine a bit limited but the bar lounge was nice.  No entertainment that I can remember.

[PTC DAWG]

30 minutes seems more than fair, take your stuff with you..

[drakes2]

57 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

30 minutes seems more than fair, take your stuff with you..

If you plan on getting lunch from the buffet and bringing it back to eat on your lounger by the pool then yes, you can do it in 30 minutes. It's not enough time to enjoy your meal at the buffet.  

[IDL]

8 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

If you plan on getting lunch from the buffet and bringing it back to eat on your lounger by the pool then yes, you can do it in 30 minutes. It's not enough time to enjoy your meal at the buffet.  

Well that’s the point; if you are going somewhere outside of the pool area for over 30 minutes you vacate your lounge chair. 

[zitsky]

Depending on the ship the Solarium and Sky Lounge can be a good place to sit.  But they sometimes have loud games in the Sky Lounge.  On Eclipse the Ensemble Lounge looked like a nice quiet place to sit during the morning until the bar opens.

 

(Please don’t use any of these tips as I hate crowds in my favorite places.)

[Cruise a holic]

All ships pools are crowded on Sea days.  We get up early and find our ideal seats.  If you get up late, and have a late breakfast obviously you aren't going to get great seats at the pool until mid afternoon when people leave.  

 

We typically only like well shaded chairs at the pools.  Plenty of seats upstairs in direct sun.

[hcat]

13 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

30 minutes seems more than fair, take your stuff with you..

Just want to note that a good swim in the indoor or outdoor pools,  or a water workout in the  Solarium pool can run more than 30 minutes.. esp for a water rat like me.. Folllowed by hot tub  & a nice relaxing time on the lounger after drying off.

 

We do get out  there early on our  "pool days" so that it all can be done before the crowds come to claim their "self reserved loungers" and the loud music starts!

 

I think the number of  pool Butlers should be increased & be more than towel people..give more service and have better training as to removing belongings

 

 

[hcat]

12 hours ago, drakes2 said:

If you plan on getting lunch from the buffet and bringing it back to eat on your lounger by the pool then yes, you can do it in 30 minutes. It's not enough time to enjoy your meal at the buffet.  

we sometimes  rush to grab and go but not great eating at loungers..esp after the little tables were removed.

[sanger727]

18 minutes ago, hcat said:

Just want to note that a good swim in the indoor or outdoor pools,  or a water workout in the  Solarium pool can run more than 30 minutes.. esp for a water rat like me.. Folllowed by hot tub  & a nice relaxing time on the lounger after drying off.

 

We do get out  there early on our  "pool days" so that it all can be done before the crowds come to claim their "self reserved loungers" and the loud music starts!

 

I think the number of  pool Butlers should be increased & be more than towel people..give more service and have better training as to removing belongings

 

 

 

There's a big difference between swimming in the pool and leaving your stuff on a chair vs leaving the area altogether.  IF you are in the pool, you will be able to keep an eye on your stuff.

 

Not sure what you mean by a "good swim".  The pools are way too small and crowded to swim laps during the day.