Saving Deck Chairs

[Grrrracie]

Hi there, my hubby and I are booked on the Carnival Spirit 12 day cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii, departing on September 24th. This will only be our 2nd cruise, with the first one being on our honeymoon last year to Alaska. We went at the end of May and the weather was fairly cold, so sunning by the pool just wasn't an option.

 

From reading comments on this site and in talking to other cruisers, it seems that one pet peeve for many folks is that people will "reserve" deck chairs by leaving their towels or other articles on them. My question is, when we are sailing to Hawaii, if we can't find an available chair and notice that some of them have been occupied by nothing except some personal articles for an hour or more, is it really bad manners to remove them and kidnap the chair. Has anyone done this? What's the proper protocol or etiquette in this area? It doesn't seem fair to take a chair and then not use it....

 

I'm not anticipating any poolside fights - just curious and you guys are extremely experienced cruisers.

[zacc]

I find it is easier to say something to a pool attendent and have them remove the items.

[paul929207]

30 minutes & their stuff goes to the lost & found & we get their chairs.

[cruiselover57]

Hi there, my hubby and I are booked on the Carnival Spirit 12 day cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii, departing on September 24th. This will only be our 2nd cruise, with the first one being on our honeymoon last year to Alaska. We went at the end of May and the weather was fairly cold, so sunning by the pool just wasn't an option.

 

From reading comments on this site and in talking to other cruisers, it seems that one pet peeve for many folks is that people will "reserve" deck chairs by leaving their towels or other articles on them. My question is, when we are sailing to Hawaii, if we can't find an available chair and notice that some of them have been occupied by nothing except some personal articles for an hour or more, is it really bad manners to remove them and kidnap the chair. Has anyone done this? What's the proper protocol or etiquette in this area? It doesn't seem fair to take a chair and then not use it....

 

I'm not anticipating any poolside fights - just curious and you guys are extremely experienced cruisers.

 

If I were you, I wouldn't dare touch their personal stuff! They'll be screaming for sure! No, I've never done such a thing but you'll find a deck chair - not to worry - it may not be close to the pool (maybe one deck up and that's where I like to be anyway) so play it safe and leave their personal stuff there so that way, they know where they've left them. They could be in the pool or spa or getting something to eat. I know I've left stuff there to get food and came back about 30 minutes later and my stuff was still there.

 

Laurie

[satxdiver]

This is a major problem on cruise ships particularly in warm climates. People "reserve" chairs for the entire day and never seem to use them. On one ship they did not issue towels so you had to use the towel from your stateroom and that seemed to hold down the "reserved" chairs. Others threaten to remove any towels/personal effects from chairs that are clearly not being used. I have never seen them do it but then I do not "hog" chairs.

 

Removing other people's belongings is risky and can result in a very ugly confrontation. If you can get an attendant to do it, then you are in the clear. Another tactic could be to remove their belongings and move the chair to another location so when they come back the chair(s) is/are not there anymore.

 

Personally I have never had a problem since I do not lay out by the pool in the sun (light complection/blue eyes = sunburn city!). I have noticed that the deck above and overlooking the pool is always available.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We never tough someone else's personal items.

 

We just indicate to a pool attendant that no one has been using the lounge chairs for ----- minutes. They remove the items.

[Sheffie]

We have always been able to find a chair somewhere in the sun. You may have to move one from a different location, but you might not have to. I have never found that people leave their personal belongings on a chair for a LONG period of time. They may go to do something and then come back, but not for HOURS at a time.

 

Have a great cruise. Don't fret the small stuff!!!!

[n2cruisin2]

Chair Hogs were a HUGE problemon our last cruise, which I frankly don't understand. If you are saving a chair (or two) and are only going to be gone from your spot for a few minutes, then okay. But if you are planning on saving the chair, then doing other things like going back to your cabin, getting dressed (for swimming), going up to grab a bite to eat, talk with other passengers while you are at your table (to eat), then get back to the chair, I say DON'T SAVE THE CHAIR. That would require that chair to be "taken" for more than 30 minutes. And the same for when you plan on leaving the area. If you are going to be gone more than 30 minutes, leave with all your belongings. Because IF everyone did this, there would be ample places to find a place to sit, besides on the top deck in the sun.

 

Here is a picture I took on the last cruise of chairs being taken and it wasn't even 9 a.m. yet. Where were all the people who had the chairs saved?

[CGBCruiser]

On our last cruise in March I was trying to locate ONE chair for me in the solarium. A woman was sitting by herself in a row of 8 chairs. She told me was saving them all for her "large" family. I did tell her that it wasn't right and then I notified the pool attendant. That's ridiculous. I don't really mind someone saving a chair or even two for family, but 8! That's the first time I've ever complained but it was so rude and such a chair hog!!! :mad:

[Sweetest Sin]

On our last cruise I pretty much hung out by the pool on sea days. I got there early, had no problem finding a chair. My observation: Yeah, people would put their stuff on their chair, and they would come and go, but I NEVER saw a chair that was "reserved" that was left all day and no one came to use it. Not even for an hour. I mean, when you are looking for a deck chair are you really standing in one spot for an hour watching to make sure that that person comes back or not??? Seems like there would be better things to do.

[lady_cruiser]

Although it would be nice to remove the abandoned items I wouldn't. They can claim that items were missing and accuse you of taking them.

 

My sister and I are not water people but we love sitting in the pool area with shorts and a t-top while reading a book and enjoying the sun. Because we don't go in the water we always try to get a lounge chair either near the railing (looking out to sea) or on the second level to watch the people below. We have a rule that when one of us leaves the other stays there to watch our personal items and hold the other one's chair. I have seen time go by faster than you realize. By the time I use the restroom in the spa, go to the buffet area, stand in line to get us a drink, fries or a sandwich and get back to my chair 30 minutes or more have gone by.

 

If you really think a chair hog has taken a chair ask an attendant to remove the items. Then if that person comes back 45 - 60 minutes later just tell him that you saw an attendant removing the items. And at least you will know that you are not telling any fibs.

[Grrrracie]

Thanks a million to everyone who responded to my thread about "reserving" deck chairs. Your advice is well taken. We'll be sure not to touch anybody's items, and will solicit the help of an attendant if ever needed. Only 97 more days until we get to go!!!!!!! I am so excited!

[Grrrracie]

Chair Hogs were a HUGE problemon our last cruise, which I frankly don't understand. If you are saving a chair (or two) and are only going to be gone from your spot for a few minutes, then okay. But if you are planning on saving the chair, then doing other things like going back to your cabin, getting dressed (for swimming), going up to grab a bite to eat, talk with other passengers while you are at your table (to eat), then get back to the chair, I say DON'T SAVE THE CHAIR. That would require that chair to be "taken" for more than 30 minutes. And the same for when you plan on leaving the area. If you are going to be gone more than 30 minutes, leave with all your belongings. Because IF everyone did this, there would be ample places to find a place to sit, besides on the top deck in the sun.

 

Here is a picture I took on the last cruise of chairs being taken and it wasn't even 9 a.m. yet. Where were all the people who had the chairs saved?

Thanks for your update AND the photo. It's really amazing.... and exactly what I was afraid of.............

[jp2001]

On our last cruise in March I was trying to locate ONE chair for me in the solarium. A woman was sitting by herself in a row of 8 chairs. She told me was saving them all for her "large" family. I did tell her that it wasn't right and then I notified the pool attendant. That's ridiculous. I don't really mind someone saving a chair or even two for family, but 8! That's the first time I've ever complained but it was so rude and such a chair hog!!! :mad:

 

I think the same way, reserving 1 or 2 chairs for a short period of time (not for the entire day or hours at a time) is fine but don't save more than that. If they are 8 people, do they really need to all be in chairs one beside the other? that is ridiculous.

 

By the way, saving many theatre seats is not better.

[bar_20]

The important thing is that you don't reserve deck chairs and then leave and come back 2 or 3 hours later. I to have seen people come out early in the morning and put towels over the chairs, then go to breakfast, go back to their cabin and come back in the late morning. I hate to sound sexist but it's usually young girls that I have noticed doing this.

[hammybee]

 

is it really bad manners to remove them and kidnap the chair. Has anyone done this? What's the proper protocol or etiquette in this area?

 

Let's turn this around.....is it really bad manners to hog a chair?

 

I do not hesitate to tip the abandoned chair, dump the stuff and claim it as my own.

[Sheffie]

Let's turn this around.....is it really bad manners to hog a chair?

 

I do not hesitate to tip the abandoned chair, dump the stuff and claim it as my own.

 

Seems to me that I remember my father telling me, "Two wrongs don't make a right." JMHO

[ovccruiser]

Just tell the pool attendant there is an unattended package over by those seats and it's ticking. You will then have a choise of sitting whereever you want:D :D

[CGinMTL]

If the chair is reserved with personal stuff, then don't touch it. But if it is just a towel, I ask the people around if anyone is using it, if they tell me that it has been a while, then I remove the towel and it is mine. Honestly, I haven't even had a problem with anyone coming back.

 

But I think that the staff should be taking care of this instead of the passengers. I rarely see the "clean-up" staff around the pool area, they usually only take care of the tables. The attendants around the pool seem more pre-occupied with selling drinks.

[lady_cruiser]

Thanks a million to everyone who responded to my thread about "reserving" deck chairs. Your advice is well taken. We'll be sure not to touch anybody's items, and will solicit the help of an attendant if ever needed. Only 97 more days until we get to go!!!!!!! I am so excited!

 

How exciting indeed. I have 212 days to go before I have my sail-away.

 

Heres to you and yours having a great trip!

[Rick-cruiser]

On our last cruise in March I was trying to locate ONE chair for me in the solarium. A woman was sitting by herself in a row of 8 chairs. She told me was saving them all for her "large" family. I did tell her that it wasn't right and then I notified the pool attendant. That's ridiculous. I don't really mind someone saving a chair or even two for family, but 8! That's the first time I've ever complained but it was so rude and such a chair hog!!! :mad:

 

I can top that. On our last cruise, during one of the sea days, 11 lounge chairs - yes 11!!..in a row!! - immediately in front of the swimming pool were "reserved" and unattended for over 3 hours. It was around late morning / early afternoon - between 11am and 2pm - and during that time only one person had come back.. and only for about 10 minutes. It didn't affect us directly, as we were sitting in chairs right behind them. But what REALLY bothered me was that, for 3 hours, we saw a LOT of people looking around for lounge chairs, and had to go somewhere else much further away while these were completely empty. Although I was on vacation, this whole situation bothered me. When the group FINALLY appeared, I was about to rip into them - but they spoke a different language and so they wouldn't have understood (or would have pretended not to). And then they started chatting together so loudly, I finally got a headache and had to leave.

 

SO... later that evening I made an appointment with the Hotel Director and had a little "chat" with her about everything. Let's just say that, the next day, there were OFFICERS (not just the pool attendants) patrolling the pool area the entire day, sometimes in groups of 3 and 4. None of the other passengers knew what had prompted such a different and effective approach to the situation, but I felt good about speaking up.

 

So the solution is, yes - ask a pool attendant to remove the items off a chair if you notice it has been "reserved" for 30 min or more. BUT, if you don't feel like standing around staring at a lounge chair for 30 min... or if you are already in a lounge chair but notice a row of them being "held" for hours and hours... SPEAK TO THE HOTEL DIRECTOR directly, and make it clear that you will not tolerate such blatant selfishness and inconsideration by any of your fellow passengers.

[Grrrracie]

I can top that. On our last cruise, during one of the sea days, 11 lounge chairs - yes 11!!..in a row!! - immediately in front of the swimming pool were "reserved" and unattended for over 3 hours. It was around late morning / early afternoon - between 11am and 2pm - and during that time only one person had come back.. and only for about 10 minutes. It didn't affect us directly, as we were sitting in chairs right behind them. But what REALLY bothered me was that, for 3 hours, we saw a LOT of people looking around for lounge chairs, and had to go somewhere else much further away while these were completely empty. Although I was on vacation, this whole situation bothered me. When the group FINALLY appeared, I was about to rip into them - but they spoke a different language and so they wouldn't have understood (or would have pretended not to). And then they started chatting together so loudly, I finally got a headache and had to leave.

 

SO... later that evening I made an appointment with the Hotel Director and had a little "chat" with her about everything. Let's just say that, the next day, there were OFFICERS (not just the pool attendants) patrolling the pool area the entire day, sometimes in groups of 3 and 4. None of the other passengers knew what had prompted such a different and effective approach to the situation, but I felt good about speaking up.

 

So the solution is, yes - ask a pool attendant to remove the items off a chair if you notice it has been "reserved" for 30 min or more. BUT, if you don't feel like standing around staring at a lounge chair for 30 min... or if you are already in a lounge chair but notice a row of them being "held" for hours and hours... SPEAK TO THE HOTEL DIRECTOR directly, and make it clear that you will not tolerate such blatant selfishness and inconsideration by any of your fellow passengers.

Thanks for sharing! 11 chairs is absolutely over the top - I'm glad you took action. Clearly, this is an issue which many people have become familiar with. All I know is that we've just endured 7 months of winter here in Washington State and I'm getting a chair IN the sun and BY the pool!!!!

[Racegoer]

Move it or lose it. 30 Minutes and your stuff is in the lost and found. Mostly this is why we book balcony cabins to avoid this stuff and some lines are worse than others and Caribbean cruises worse than Alaska. So there was 11 chairs empty for 3 hours. I have seen people almost come to "blows" over this stuff. Some cruise lines are making you use a special towel they supply you in your room and if you lose it you have to pay about $25. Anyway nobody has the right to save a chair for hours, its against the rules anyway. Either move it or ask a pool attendant. Bottom line here if the staff isn't doing it then I would.

[Putterdude]

Rick-cruiser, good on you.:)

[satxdiver]

...By the way, saving many theatre seats is not better.

 

You have hit the nail on the head. Saving theater seats for someone who may or may not be coming is right up there with saving lounges in the pool area. Saving seats in the theater is prohibited on all the ships I have been on but it happens regularly. I guess the people that do this feel they are above the rules of common decency. I call it just plain selfish behavior.