I Don't Want To Chair Hog

[Annefran]

Anniefran has the right idea. Talk to the folks around you--make friends!!! Then, when you go to grab lunch, or for a potty break, tell them!

Chair hogging is obvious. These are the lounger's that have had a towel slung over them since 7am!!! Using the chair and leaving to swim or grab a bite, or whatever is NOT chair-hogging!

There really are PLENTY of chairs for everyone--they just all aren't within 5 feet of the damn pool! There are several decks--forward and aft. And yes, you can drag an empty chair to an empty space, if you need to!

 

Thanks CB! I totally agree with you also. I don't care if I sit anywhere near the pool actually. I just enjoy sitting in the sun, relaxing, listening to my IPOD or reading a book and people watching. That's always great amusement!

[katiel53]

Thanks for explaining Annefran. I know from what you are saying you aren't a chair hog, but we all know there are a lot of them out there.

 

 

Katie

[akcruz]

Hi all! This is my first post as I have been lurking for quite awhile. We have not cruised before but are learning so much from everyone here. I have a question relating to this topic - if you have two chairs on the pool deck, can you send one to windjammer and back - what I mean is can you bring food out on the pool deck? I'm guessing probably not.

Thanks!

 

Absolutely you can bring food back with you, however its usually harder to eat on the chairs. Nice 15 - 30 minute break from the sun to head to the buffet.

 

We usually get 3 chairs for the 4 of us and not too close to the pool. Close enough that the kids can go in and we can keep an eye on them, but not so close that you are on top of it. Two of the chairs are almost always occupied while we are there, with all 4 of us sharing the 3 at times.

 

If the kids are planning to be off to AO or with their friends, we stick with 2 chairs but do both leave at the same time for lunch and leave our stuff. We like to stay put so that the kids can find us if needed, not move to a new location after we eat.

[Cruisesquatch]

...I prefer to sit on the upper levels.

 

A) Its generally a little quieter

 

B) You're not getting splashed or dripped on unneccesarily (I'm not much of a pool guy, really enjoy the sunning part though)

 

C) As a single guy, its easier to 'kini watch from ahigh:cool:

[pmanchuk]

I have to say, when I was on the Freedom in September, my partner and I never had a problem finding two chairs on regular and sea days. Granted, sometimes they were on the upper level, and sometimes we found them right next to the pool... but I'll be honest, I found the chairs right next to the pool to suffer from an insane amount of wet, dripping traffic and noise... not very relaxing if you ask me.

 

Anyway, my opinion is if you decide to go for a dip in the pool or need to use the restroom... then I don't consider leaving for that period of time with your belongings on the chair as "hogging" them... but I disagree with the people who think heading off to lunch and trying to save your chair is ok. Let's be real... by the time you get up... walk all the way to the Windjammer or where ever you're having lunch... find a seat there, get your food... and actually eat it... you're talking at LEAST 30 to 45 minutes... and even that is rushing it. I guess I look at it this way, if you're vacating the area... take your stuff with you... it's only common courtesy. And look at it this way, if you come back to the pool after your hour + lunch, take the opportunity to find new chairs in a different location on the ship... enjoy the change of scenery :) But that's just my two cents :)

[amybear912]

We usually hit the pool deck around 8:30 or 9 on Sea Days... right after a big breakfast... chairs start to go quickly at that point... especially in the Solarium which is where we prefer to sit anyway. By 11am - good luck! There's not much available...

 

We usually see towels already marking spots when we arrive and you know they've probably been there for a while.

 

I'm not too crazy about the wind factor on the upper decks so I don't spend much time up there...

 

Must share this story about chairs hogs from our recent Mariner cruise a few weeks ago:

 

We got down to the Solarium at our usual time, acquired our chairs fairly and settled in for a morning cat nap... when we heard two women arguing - over chairs. Seems that one of the women had put her towel down on a chair "earlier" and had now returned to find someone had "taken" her chair... she was accusing the other woman and wanted to know where her stuff was. It got kind of nasty and these were older women (one in her 50s, the other late 60s) yelling back and forth at each other. The one lady kept insisting that the chair was empty when she got there, the other one kept saying it wasn't because she had put her bag and towel there earlier... Finally, the "chair thief" pointed directly across the pool and said, "is that your stuff over there?"... the other woman apologized and ran over to her stuff with her tail between her legs.

 

The Solarium has a limited amount of pool chairs that are actually in the sun- they're prime real estate.

[heydn62]

I was on Enchantment 2/17-2/24. On our 1st sea day, at about 11:00 I went in search of 1 chair for myself. I did not find one empty chair anywhere on the pool deck (deck 9), or the deck above. There were no empty lounge chairs in the Solarium either. Probably 2/3 of the chairs had only towels and there were not that many people in the pools or walking around. This was the only time I have not been able to find anywhere to sit. On the 2nd sea day, I found 2 chairs around 1:00 pm.

[diskris]

I could never imagine moving somebody elses stuff because how do I know they aren't in the pool? I don't like how the pools are salt water so once I find a chair I will stay put besides bathroom and drink breaks.

 

This may be a silly question, but if I am on the deck above the pool can I face my chair out to the ocean? I would rather look out to the ocean than people walking passed me.

[FPP777]

I could never imagine moving somebody elses stuff because how do I know they aren't in the pool? I don't like how the pools are salt water so once I find a chair I will stay put besides bathroom and drink breaks.

 

This may be a silly question, but if I am on the deck above the pool can I face my chair out to the ocean? I would rather look out to the ocean than people walking passed me.

 

You can, but they will charge your Seapass for that and will include a 15 percent gratuity.:D

[beachchick]

Absolutely you can bring food back with you, however its usually harder to eat on the chairs. Nice 15 - 30 minute break from the sun to head to the buffet.

 

We usually get 3 chairs for the 4 of us and not too close to the pool. Close enough that the kids can go in and we can keep an eye on them, but not so close that you are on top of it. Two of the chairs are almost always occupied while we are there, with all 4 of us sharing the 3 at times.

 

If the kids are planning to be off to AO or with their friends, we stick with 2 chairs but do both leave at the same time for lunch and leave our stuff. We like to stay put so that the kids can find us if needed, not move to a new location after we eat.

 

Sorry, but this is pretty much the definition of chair hogging. You don't want the inconvenience of moving to new chairs after you leave for a meal, and you don't want your kids to have to find you. The thing is that you do not "own" the chairs for the day. If you go off for lunch, you're likely going to be gone for more than 30 minutes--leaving your stuff and expecting "your" chairs to remain untouched while you go off to eat is chair hogging. Others have every right to use those chairs. Now, if you're going to run in, grab food, and bring it back to eat at the pool (so you're gone for a very short time), then that's another matter.

 

beachchick

[beachchick]

I agree with the posters, 11am way too late to get chairs near the pool area, upper or lower. I am usually alone because my daughter runs off with her friends for the day. I am up near the pool about 9:30am on sea days to get a couple chairs. I ask my daughter to come back around lunch time to either sit on the chairs so I can go to Windjammer to get lunch or she goes to get me lunch. I've seen too many people move the towels and take the chairs when they are unoccupied for more than even 30 minutes. Have a few people go up earlier to get the chairs and sit there until you all can get there. And I would advise not all going to lunch at the same time if you don't want to lose your chairs. Good luck!

 

Actually, 30 minutes is the rule we've seen on some ships. If you're gone for 30 minutes, then the chair is up for grabs. Your DD is gone all morning and afternoon, but you keep two chairs all day just in case she's going to be there? IMO, that's just wrong. You say that if you know she's going to be gone, then you let the chair go. That doesn't make sense when you also say that she goes off "for the day" and only comes back at lunch time to hold your chair and a spare.

 

And I also don't think it's right for part of a group to go "reserve" chairs for the rest of the group. What's right and what should be followed is that if you want a chair, you go sit in it (or at least be in the pool area swimming or what have you). It's wrong to send four people to get chairs for themselves and four more who will show up at some time or another.

 

Getting eight chairs together will definitely be a challenge and may mean being flexible.

 

beachchick

[Annefran]

Beachchick you obviously didn't read my second posting. My daughter does start out sitting with me and I don't chair hog, so please don't call me one. I am one of the very few who does follow rules unlike others around me.

[akcruz]

Sorry, but this is pretty much the definition of chair hogging. You don't want the inconvenience of moving to new chairs after you leave for a meal, and you don't want your kids to have to find you. The thing is that you do not "own" the chairs for the day. If you go off for lunch, you're likely going to be gone for more than 30 minutes--leaving your stuff and expecting "your" chairs to remain untouched while you go off to eat is chair hogging. Others have every right to use those chairs. Now, if you're going to run in, grab food, and bring it back to eat at the pool (so you're gone for a very short time), then that's another matter.

 

beachchick

 

beachchick, if you looked at the comments right before the ones you highlighted you will notice we do think about others. When DH and I go into the windjammer on our own it is ALWAYS less than 30 minutes. Besides, if it is just 2 of us, we are NEVER on top of the pool, always on one of the upper decks where there usually are chairs to be found. If you don't know the details, and no I didn't put them in to be fair to you, be careful who you are calling a chair hog!

[Hflors]

I agree with most of the posters here. DH and I usually wander to the solarium about 9am. Sometimes by lunch time 12 - 1 it's time for us to get out of the sun anyway. Most of the time we will see some one looking around for a lounger and motion them to come over. Other times we will have lunch in our loungers. Dh will watch my chair and I will go get him his hot dog or hamburger! By 2 or 3 we are done for the day and will bring all out things back with us. We like the sun, I like the pool also.

 

Have to tell you a funny story. DH and I went down as usual to the solauium about 9 am one morning. We were sitting there minding our business and reading our books. I go to the ladies, when I come back I know something is wrong. Dh's face is more than a bit red! As soon as I get close the lady next to him is smirking and he begins to tell me what happened. Two ladies had approached him and began to yell at him saying that he "stole" their chairs and they were going to get some one. Well he's trying to explain to them that they were empty. It doesn's work they were in a huff. Finally the pool attendant runs over to find out what the commotion was all about. The ladies tell the attendant that dh took their loungers, bla, bla, Is it turned out the pool attendent removed towels from the loungers earlier before dh and I arrived. He told the ladies that he would be happy to help them find other loungers. So off the ladies go with the pool attendant to find new loungers.

Well dh is such a quiet person and would no way "steal" someone's lounger. The rest of the cruise we kept talking about how he "stole" the loungers.

[DaisyGirl55]

Hi all! This is my first post as I have been lurking for quite awhile. We have not cruised before but are learning so much from everyone here. I have a question relating to this topic - if you have two chairs on the pool deck, can you send one to windjammer and back - what I mean is can you bring food out on the pool deck? I'm guessing probably not.

Thanks!

 

My DH and I love to sit around the pool on sea days, but we generally sit away from the pool. Too much splashing and noise to concentrate on my book. :rolleyes: When we get hungry, one of us will go grab a slice of pizza or a hamburger, and bring it back to where we are sitting. We always bring our dishes to one of the stations when we are done.

 

Great way to grab some lunch, relax, and enjoy the sweet salty air!

[Sally Forth]

I am typically British - believe in being fair, queueing and not inconveniencing others - not that all British people are like that, unfortunately... :(.

 

I also insist on leaving our cabin tidy when we go out - I believe that cabin stewards are there to keep the cabin clean, not to pick-up and tidy-up after us...

 

Unfortunately this means I tend to get very annoyed when others don't treat me with the same consideration - which is far too often :( ;)

 

I like to think of myself as a sane person in an insane world. Although it is probably the other way round ;)

 

Boo

LOL! Maybe we should charter a ship for all the people like us who think we are the last bastions of sanity and civility in an insane world. It would be interesting to see how civil it was. Or maybe we'd all waste time being polite and saying, "No, after YOU!" and watching the elevator pass us by.

 

Viv

 

Viv

[Boo Boo]

Or maybe we'd all waste time being polite and saying, "No, after YOU!" and watching the elevator pass us by.

 

:grin:

 

I think that could well be what happens - still, we would all be very pleasant and nice about it :)

 

Boo

[Tasha999]

I am not a chair hog, as a matter of fact I have a post on the other board on how to combat "Hoggery", but we are not the chair police. We cannot control what others do, there will always be people who are going to come and go as they please and keep the chairs for the entire day. Most people are considerate. If someone is going to go to the trouble of putting a bathing suit on, and come up to the deck, most likely they will be using the chair most of the time. If it's forty-five minutes to an hour that they're gone instead of thirty minutes is it really that big of a deal? I did see on Princess on the last day of the cruise a man at 6:30 am bring his belongings to the pool and leave while I was having my morning coffee.

 

Tasha

[beachchick]

Beachchick you obviously didn't read my second posting. My daughter does start out sitting with me and I don't chair hog, so please don't call me one. I am one of the very few who does follow rules unlike others around me.

 

Okay. When your daughter is there and using the chair, no problem. If she's in the area, say swimming, great. But if she goes off with friends or to another area for an extended time and you still keep "her" chair, then you are "hogging" it. When you said that you ask her to come back at lunch so she can hold both chairs, it sure sounded to me like she was gone for a significant amount of time. If, in fact, she is there with you and is not gone for more than 20 or 30 minutes, then I take back my remark and apologize for misreading; if she is gone most of the morning/afternoon and you hold the chair for her return at lunch or for an extended time, then I stand by what I wrote.

 

BTW, I hear you about vultures hovering just lurking for someone to get up and go to the bathroom or grab a drink at the bar. That is wrong too. You shouldn't have to feel like someone's going to grab your chair just because you have to take care of "business."

 

beachchick

[beachchick]

beachchick, if you looked at the comments right before the ones you highlighted you will notice we do think about others. When DH and I go into the windjammer on our own it is ALWAYS less than 30 minutes. Besides, if it is just 2 of us, we are NEVER on top of the pool, always on one of the upper decks where there usually are chairs to be found. If you don't know the details, and no I didn't put them in to be fair to you, be careful who you are calling a chair hog!

 

It seems to be almost universally accepted that leaving your chair to go have a meal is a reason for others to consider it fair game. That you aren't gone for more than 30 minutes is good, but that's a pretty short time--and most people are gone for lunch for significantly longer. I still believe that if others are waiting/looking for a chair and you are going to go have a meal, then you shouldn't expect your chairs to remain "yours." However, as you frequent the not as popular upper decks, it's pretty unlikely to be the case. In that case, I don't believe you are hogging--and you're right that that detail does make a big difference. We never look for chairs right by the pool specifically because there is so much crowding and animosity. The less popular areas are much nicer, and there's rarely any need to worry about depriving others of a chair.

 

beachchick

[HurricaneSally]

I am a little confused. You say you are alone because your daughter is with friends but you get 2 chairs. Why do you get 2 chairs if she doesn't come back until lunch? That's part of the problem with others not being able to get chairs because you are holding a chair for a long time with no one sitting in it. Why do you do this? To me, you are being a chair hog.

 

If I have misunderstood, and someone else sits in the chair until your daughter gets back, I apologize. I am not just picking on you, because many people do what y ou do as well as encourage others to do the same thing. I just don't understand why people feel entitled to hold chairs. We are all paying to use them. So, we shouldn't have to get some pool attendant to have things removed from a chair because someone hasn't used it.

 

 

Katie

 

I was wondering the same thing.

[Tasha999]

People don't mean to be chair hogs when in fact they are and are caught!

 

Tasha

[Reijo]

I would say that at 11AM your chances of finding that many chairs together are slim to none. My husband and I love the Solarium. On our first cruise we were at the pool by 9AM. My husband would go get a quick bite come back and then I would go. We noticed people gone for 30 minutes to an hour though.

 

After several days we realized that few people were there by 9:30 so......we would put our things down, go get a QUICK bite and were back in 15-20 minutes with plenty of lounge chairs still left.

 

We are taking four other couples with us on our next cruise but everyone will just need to do their own thing as far as getting/saving chairs. Your just need to be considerate of others.

[Homosassa]

The worst case of chair hogging I have ever seen was on our 4/29/05 Empress of the Seas repositioniong cruise. The Wildcat Junior Hockey Team from Windsor, Ontario had a group of family and friends on the cruise. Someone from the team would go out early in the morning and save chairs by the pool and in the shade by stretching a team tee shirt over the back of the chair. On one sea day I stopped counting the saved chairs at 40; I estimate that 70 chairs were saved.

 

At 11 Am when I couldn't find a chair in the shade, I simply walked up to the line of empty lounges, pulled the tee shirt off, and moved the chair into the shade. As I walked away, I heard someone call to me, "Excuse me, we're saving that chair."

 

I ignored them and directed other people to the saved lounges as they came out to the pool.

[Merion_Mom]

I can match that "record" - not for quantity, but for pure chutzpah. (for the un-enlightened, that's "balls", "nerve", "gall". :))

 

On the Crown Princess in July, there was a man who saved his pool lounger with a BLOW UP DOLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

(my roomie saw a family that reserved a half-dozen chairs with little stuffed bears in bathing suits.:rolleyes: )