Ack!!! my friend is a chair hog!!!

[Sandi149]

Just spoke to a friend of mine who came back from a cruise yesterday. They are thinking of going with us on our cruise in June. Anyway, she was telling me how she would get to the pool by 7AM put the towels down on the chair and then not return until after breakfast around 10AM. I told her that "you are a chair hog" and it's not good. She said ", believe me, you will be doing it too when you go in June, otherwise you won't be able to get a chair. If they come with us, I don't want to be a chair hog. :eek: I don't need to sit two feet away from the pool. It's perfectly fine if I get a chair a little further away.

 

How would any of you handle telling your close friends that you don't want to save chairs without causing a problem with them?

[FastFreddie]

Just the way you did Sandi! "You are a chair hog and I refuse to do it"!

 

 

 

FF

[woodman]

Your right Fast Freddie that's about all it would take. I'm sure a real friendship would not be damaged in the least over a trivial matter such as this.

[WERA]

Yep, and if they do it - then don't have them save you one.

[WERA]

Yep, and if they do it - then don't have them save you one.

[5668200]

Not sure why this is such a problem for you. If they want to be a chair hog - so be it. If you don't - then take your chances and sit where you can find a chair. I, too, think holding a chair for hours while you roam around the ship is wrong, but if you are opposed to it - as you should be - just don't do it.

[Anatresia]

You could sneak back and remove their stuff from the chairs, just to be naughty. :D

[momofzeke]

Sandi, I think you handled it well. Just tell your friend that you won't be saving chairs on the cruise, and don't want her to save them for you either. Explain to her that there will be chairs available in other parts of the ship, not necessary to be right by the pool, and if they want to sit with you they can come with you when you go to find chairs; otherwise you'll meet up with them later for lunch or something.

[Sandi149]

That's what I will do. Not even sure if they are going to go with us.

[QandA]

Sandi149

carnival has signs in the sun bathing areas that clearly say " reserving chairs is NOT allowed" if you leave your stuff on a chair.. then leave.. be prepaired to come back and have it all NOT be there. read the signs folks... carnival does not allow this... if you find a chair and no one returns within 20 mins for it.. then move the stuff.. you are within your right to do so..or ask a waiter. the people will have to then claim their stuff at the front desk............................... READ THE SIGNS FOLKS!!!!!

[hstrybuf]

Sandi, introduce her to Cruise Critic and give her a link to the chair hog threads. ;) That should open her eyes a bit. If it doesn't, so be it. You do what you think is best for you and let her worry about whether or not she'll come back to an empty chair.

[Sandi149]

Sandi, introduce her to Cruise Critic and give her a link to the chair hog threads. ;) That should open her eyes a bit. If it doesn't, so be it. You do what you think is best for you and let her worry about whether or not she'll come back to an empty chair.

 

She says that everyone does it, otherwise you don't get a chair. I dont' think it's right. But to each their own I suppose. I don't even know if they will go with us. They just got back from the AOS cruise yesterday and 2 of the ports are the same as the Miracles.

[c5chaps]

I just came off the Glory Christmas Cruise:) and i did see plenty of chair hogs

My question is how long can you leave your chair before it becomes fair game!!! i saw chairs with nobody in them for over 30 mins what if they went to eat lunch?? do you give up the chair?? i,m asking this cause i really did not know what to do last week, we would just go get some plastic chairs and SIT in those until something became available and i did see an arguement break out over saving chairs on one of our sea days!!!!

[hstrybuf]

I just came off the Glory Christmas Cruise:) and i did see plenty of chair hogs

My question is how long can you leave your chair before it becomes fair game!!! i saw chairs with nobody in them for over 30 mins what if they went to eat lunch?? do you give up the chair?? i,m asking this cause i really did not know what to do last week, we would just go get some plastic chairs and SIT in those until something became available and i did see an arguement break out over saving chairs on one of our sea days!!!!

 

The concensus, at least on this board, is that a chair is fair game if it's empty for longer than 30 minutes. I say concensus because not everyone agrees with that time. Most do.

 

Sandi, I'm sure we both know that just because "everyone does it" that doesn't make it right. It's an excuse. Luckily, you don't care about things like that. Unfortunately, your friend needs to be educated. You can only try and it sounds like you've made your opinion known to her. If she doesn't change her attitude, there really isn't anything more you can do. Good luck!

[MaryZ]

we never sit by the pool, we go up to the topless deck. I don't go in the ships pools and I don't want to sit where they are tons of little kids. So we never have a problem with getting a lounge chair.

However, on our upcoming miracle cruise we booked an aft wrap so we can just enjoy never having to go up on the deck to sun to begin with.

I love carnival, I just dislike all the pool games, so I don't want to be near them.

it's always noisy by the pool with screaming kids etc. We want to relax and read, drink and enjoy the sea.

mary

[Sandi149]

The concensus, at least on this board, is that a chair is fair game if it's empty for longer than 30 minutes. I say concensus because not everyone agrees with that time. Most do.

 

Sandi, I'm sure we both know that just because "everyone does it" that doesn't make it right. It's an excuse. Luckily, you don't care about things like that. Unfortunately, your friend needs to be educated. You can only try and it sounds like you've made your opinion known to her. If she doesn't change her attitude, there really isn't anything more you can do. Good luck!

 

Hi Deb,

 

She has only sailed with RC and I'm sure they have those signs posted on those ships too. 30 minutes would be fine. I mean some people like to go into the pools or grab a bite to eat, but a few hours to me seems a bit too much.

 

 

Nothing I can do, if they want to be chair hogs. I will still be friends with them anyway. :D

[BND]

"Everybody does it". That's what children say when they want to do something they've been told they can't or try to justify why they do something they know they're not supposed to. It is very clear that chair saving isn't allowed and tell her, no everyone doesn't do it. I didn't on my two previous cruises and won't on the next one. You can find a chair. It may not be right next to the pool, so what. We always had a place to lay in the sun or shade depending on what we wanted.

[rt63]

She says that everyone does it, otherwise you don't get a chair. I dont' think it's right. But to each their own I suppose.

 

Don't mean to insult your friend's intelligence but lets say there are 200 chairs by the pool and 2000 passengers. If "everyone" got up at 7am, there would still not be enough chairs. She's depriving people of the ability to use those chairs from 7am to 10am (or whenever...) for her own selfish interests. Only jerks hog chairs. *rant*

 

The signs on deck start with "In consideration of your fellow guests..."

 

Why not suggest to her that you prefer to take your chances and find chairs somewhere without inconveniencing other guests. There are enough on the ship, in various places, in fact you might just spot a bunch right by the pool with only towels or flip-flops on them:D and since reserving is not permitted, you can take those towels off the chairs and have a great spot knowing *you* haven't been inconsiderate.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Sandi149

carnival has signs in the sun bathing areas that clearly say " reserving chairs is NOT allowed" if you leave your stuff on a chair.. then leave.. be prepaired to come back and have it all NOT be there. read the signs folks... carnival does not allow this... if you find a chair and no one returns within 20 mins for it.. then move the stuff.. you are within your right to do so..or ask a waiter. the people will have to then claim their stuff at the front desk............................... READ THE SIGNS FOLKS!!!!!

 

I agree with the no chair hogging but 20 minutes? In your scenario if i plunk down my stuff and get in the pool for half an hour I should lose my chair? I'm not off roaming the ship or anything.:confused:

 

Bill

[ihhk2]

Tracy: COOL DOGGIE!

 

Sandi: Smile your prettiest smile and tell your friend that the BEST way to get a chair and keep it is to USE it. To leave a towel on it for 3 hours (or more?) is just plain selfish.

 

It is terribly rude to think she is more entitled to a chair she is not using than someone who is ready to use it.

 

As for anyone who is in the pool for more than 30 minutes (or anticipates doing so), I would ask the folks in the general vicinity to point you out if someone comes by to "steal" your "unused" chair. But 30 minutes is about right to get a bite to eat, grab the sunscreen from the cabin, make a potty run, dip in the pool, etc.

 

There is no reason in the world someone who is not using a chair for 3+ hours should be able to think it is still "their" chair.

 

A group of us LITERALLY almost got into fisticuffs over this issue on Victory. Someone had left one dirty sneaker on a chair for HOURS, so I took it. I tied my beach bag to the chair, spread out my towel and got out my book.

 

About 2 hours later, this woman comes up to me, tries untying my bag, demanding the chair. There were about 10 of us CC'ers there and we went ballistic on her sorry ass (verbally). She got skanky BF to stand up really tall to try and take on one of our guys. Luckily he didn't have the balls to do it (sorry... I'm wound up about it all over again). We pointed and laughed at this sorry B*&^% all afternoon.

 

Bottom line, Sandi, is that you should STRONGLY discourage your friend's behavior. It is not allowed, is rude, and infringes on the availability of chairs for people who actually want to USE them.

 

BTW: Guess how many $22 CCL beach towels I have!!!! :cool: I WILL acquire them and let chair hogs pay for them. No problem, mon!

[hstrybuf]

I agree with the no chair hogging but 20 minutes? In your scenario if i plunk down my stuff and get in the pool for half an hour I should lose my chair? I'm not off roaming the ship or anything.:confused:

 

Bill

 

I agree with you! 20 minutes is hardly enough time to run to the restroom and grab a drink. 30 minutes would be more realistic.

[kutty77]

I will be on that cruise with you in June. I hope they don't hog the chairs either Maybe it is me but I kind of like having my chair a little bit away from the pool too mamy people crowd you in by the pool.

[Hemisphere Dancer]

I'm in agreement w/ the 30 minute rule that is the concensus of all us Cruise Criticers here ..... however the vast majority of people sailing don't read these boards and therefore don't hold the 30 minute rule in their conscience. Try telling someone that you packed up their stuff and moved it and took over their chair because the board ruled they could only leave their chair unattended for half an hour. Bet you'll get some confused looks and maybe even create a "scene." I don't know the best way this problem of chair hogging can be solved. :confused: I for one don't want to stand over an empty chair, policing it for 30 mins. Plus, the chair hogs usually have at least one "guardian" in a chair that is there to tell you, "Those are taken." What do you do then? Take it by force? The whole issue is exasperating!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I'm in agreement w/ the 30 minute rule that is the concensus of all us Cruise Criticers here ..... however the vast majority of people sailing don't read these boards and therefore don't hold the 30 minute rule in their conscience. Try telling someone that you packed up their stuff and moved it and took over their chair because the board ruled they could only leave their chair unattended for half an hour. Bet you'll get some confused looks and maybe even create a "scene." I don't know the best way this problem of chair hogging can be solved. :confused: I for one don't want to stand over an empty chair, policing it for 30 mins. Plus, the chair hogs usually have at least one "guardian" in a chair that is there to tell you, "Those are taken." What do you do then? Take it by force? The whole issue is exasperating!

 

unfortunately it's like everything else on the cruise ships, they have rules that they don't enforce. Heaven forbid we alienate a paying customer.:rolleyes:

 

Bill

[osiebosie]

Here's what I would say to your friend:

 

"Hey, you two go on ahead and get your chairs and get set by the pool. We don't know what time we'll be down, if at all, so do not save us any chairs."

 

Then, when you find your chairs later, go find your friends and point out where you are.

 

We have some similar friends who we have traveled with before, but not on a cruise. Actually, I don't want to cruise with them, because a ship is not large enough :) ! It's her; she never stops. Always planning every minute, and for us, cruisinig is about relaxing. Every time DH invites them along, I hold my breath until they say they can't go. We love them dearly, but just don't travel well with them.

 

Chair hogging is wrong, but not enough to lose a friendship over, if they cruise with you.

 

Shay