Chair hogs - beware

[nho9504]

We're the type who does laundry on a cruise. Hubby would rather spend a couple of hours doing laundry (yes' date=' he does help load the machine and unload and fold everything) if it means we take less luggage. So we try to wear much of our clothing more than once. My daughter is allergic to most laundry detergents, so I pack ziplock bags of allergen free detergent. If we ever get to Elite, I might not be able to have the ship's laundry service wash her clothing.[/quote']

 

Yes, we did 2 loads on our 18 days Emerald Princess Venice to Ft.Lauderdale so we only needed to travel with carry-ons. Our neighbors sailed with us and they each had a 28" to 30" luggage plus carry-ons. I did not see them dress any better than we did. In fact, hubby commented to me, "what the heck they packed? How come it does not reflect to the way they dress?" :p In Venice, We stayed at the island of Lido. The wife was exhausted during their first day of arrival to Venice, pulling the luggages from ferry dock to the hotel as their arrival time was like 10pm - no taxi available. She slept at least half the following day and still felt her whole body was aching. :D She said she learned her lesson and vowed never do it again. (I did warn her after I saw their luggages before we left.)

 

6 more cruises to elite for us - but I am not sure I would send out our underwears for laundry even it is free.

[shellbeachjim]

That being said.....Again, to spend and waste time in a laundry room, onboard an oceanliner, when there are vistas/horizons/open seas/flora and fauna/games to be played/food to eat and people to meet.....I'm too old and too aware of the time that is passing to waste it in a closet filled with machines and irons!

On my laundry days (yes, I'm the one who does it, not my DW), I was probably going to sit on the balcony and read. I substitute the laundry room for the balcony. I'll have my book and my ipod and I'm good for the hour or so it takes - it's really no big deal to me. On one cruise I actually met the inventor of Clorox 2 while in the laundry. Appropriate place to meet, I guess... :cool:

[Host Caroline]

This thread is beginning to take some off-again/on-again turns and is definitely not staying on topic. To each his own re laundry etc., okay? Don't want to have to pull rank or the thread:(... play nice:rolleyes:

[coiran]

Just wondering,

Were you the only one aware of this? :rolleyes:

 

What did the ladies take? :rolleyes:

 

The two men who attacked the crew member did that happen on a sea day? :rolleyes:..;)..:D

 

Many were aware of it!

 

What did they steal? What difference does it make - just because they call it cashless cruising doesn't mean you don't have to pay!!

 

Yes, it happened on a sea day and they were put off at the first port, Oahu.

 

Ron

[Putterdude]

Captain was Todd McBain from Canada. And yes, dress code was also enforced.

 

 

Good on you Captain Todd and thanks Princess for supporting him.:):):)

[nbsjcruiser]

Just returned from the Dawn Princess SFO - Sydney 31 days. Early in the cruise:

 

Two women were put off the ship for shoplifting in the boutiques!!

 

Two men assaulted a deck staff member when he removed personal items from their SAVED deck chair after 30 minutes - they were put off the ship!!

 

Two men involved in a battle in the laundry room were put off the ship.

 

We had a VERY GOOD Captain!!

 

Ron

 

I never understood chair hogs. If everyone gave up their chair freely when they were done with it, there'd be no problem getting one.

[RvrCrzr]

I like when rules are enforced. I'm glad someone is actually doing their job. Rules are rules for a reason. Be it safety, or for the enjoyment of other paying customers.

 

If you are hogging a chair...by placing a towel on it for hours...and not using it...I'm the guy removing it so I can get a little of what I PAID FOR TOO.

 

If you are the person hogging a laundry machine...by not taking your items out in a timely manner...so some of the other 3,000 people can use it...I'm the guy removing your 'undies' from the machine.

 

If you are the parent allowing your kid to 'run amok' on the ship...I'm the guy telling him to behave when they are not.

 

NEWSFLASH: Get over yourself. I'm pretty sure you can't beat me up anyway. Even if you try...remember...we're getting kicked off the boat together at the same place. :eek:

[Sandytoes]

Many were aware of it!

 

What did they steal? What difference does it make - just because they call it cashless cruising doesn't mean you don't have to pay!!

 

Yes, it happened on a sea day and they were put off at the first port, Oahu.

Ron ~

Depending on the situation, when a passenger gets into trouble on board a ship or in a port, they may be held accountable to the laws of a foreign country.

You think more would comment. :rolleyes:

Giving more details.

Or even published in the news.

 

Take for instance -

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/philadelphia/20080929_Fight_aboard_cruise_ship_leads_to_arrest_of_one.html?adString=inq.news/philadelphia;!category=philadelphia;&randomOrd=092908075002

[ibfern]

Wherever do you get your information?

 

I can't speak for NCL - haven't cruised that line in a long' date=' long time. However, I cruise Carnival 2/3 times a year.

 

Carnival's demographic isn't the same as it was 25 years ago when it had the reputation of having "party ships" full of barfing young people. It must be a long time since you've cruised on one of their ships.

 

While it's true that the shorter 3/4 night cruises attract a slightly younger crowd, the average age of a Carnival passenger is 45... and, the manifest on any given cruise includes about 90% return passengers.

 

My first cruise with Carnival was in the 1970's when their 3 ships were, indeed, Party Central. I was in my mid-30's. Now, pushing geezerhood, I still love their cruise experience. I'm about to embark on #67 with them in December.

 

Give 'em a try. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised.[/quote']

 

I have to agree with you there. Last year 6 of us girls went on the Pride out of Los Angeles during the summer, some of them single. We went to a singles meet and greet and there was a man "pushing geezerhood" and his father, that was it for the singles guys on the ship. Needless to say my single friends were disappointed, but only in this. The food was delicious, the melting cake to-die-for, our room steward gave us private towel folding lessons and he watched over us like a hawk, and our waiter team was one of the best I have ever had. I was so pleasently surprized.

[ptcruzers]

I'm with ndjollymon!! I pay for the right to be a passenger on the ship and to be able to take advantage of all that is offered by the cruise line. To have my vacation governed by a chair- or laundry- hog is unfair to me and all those affected. As I stated before, unless there is a reserved sign on a chair, (and this is not allowed), or a washer/dryer, I am going to have a seat (or do my laundry) and enjoy my vacation!! Drink, please!!:D

[Easternstar]

So... a towel on a chair constitutes ownership? And are there not enough chairs to go around? I've seen this behaviour in hotels but I guess I always had somewhere else to go. Or maybe I didn't mind a towel on the deck. I was so young then...

[RvrCrzr]

So... a towel on a chair constitutes ownership? And are there not enough chairs to go around?

 

No. The cruise line owns the chair.

On sea days...there usually aren't enough chairs...at least not in a spot you want to be.

 

I don't move towels...if I can find a suitable alternative. I realize it may be someone just taking a dip, or left to use the facilities. I always ask someone nearby first...and give the person some time to come back and reclaim the chair. I treat the belongings in a respectful manner. Most often, it's only a cruiseline towel. It's all about courtesy and respect.

 

I love to see the rules followed, and the cruiseline forcing the issue. I really hate to see them look the other way. If they do it for one rule...they'll do it for others.

[GloriaF]

Chair and Laundry hogs are just people that haven't stopped to think of anyone but themselves. If everyone tries to do the right thing, treat others as you would want to be treated --> The Golden Rule we all learned as children -- then things would go smoothly and everyone would be more relaxed and happier.

 

I see no problem in removing laundry that is finished - rather than the owner getting upset, they should thank the person that moved it for them. Times are posted as to how long a wash or dry cycle runs, so it is not necessary to stay in the laundry room, just be sure to come back in time or OK with someone else touching your clothing.

[kryos]

The only bit that worries me is that the OP stated that 2 people in a battle in the laundry room were put off - one of those 2 people could have been the victim and has been unfairly put off the ship.

I had the same gut reaction ... but, I can understand where Princess is coming from too. If it's a case of he says/she says ... with no witnesses, what can the captain do? Either they both get bounced off or neither one does. It's not fair, but there's really not much else that can be done. And, in actuality, it does take two to tangle. I know it doesn't sound fair, but if one person got belligerent, the other could have basically backed down and let him have whatever it was he wanted ... a washer or a dryer probably.

 

So, I can well understand why both were put off the ship. I would have done the exact same thing if I were the captain. You can't possibly choose sides, and if there were no witnesses to the altercation, you have to assume that both were equally wrong.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

The way it should be!If everyone followed that advice there would be no issue.Personally,i never will use a laundrymat on a ship because i do not want to lose any cruise time.My wife used to bring 4 huge suitcases with clothes that would not wrinkle and were interchangeable.She now brings Two regular suitcases.After next year cruise,off to elite status and laundry done for us.

I agree that's the way it *should* be, however, it's not always workable.

 

On my last cruise, on Holland America's Statendam, there was a sign on the laundry room door asking people to ALWAYS keep that door closed. This was out of courtesy to the people who had cabins nearby the laundry room ... so that noise from the laundry room wouldn't disturb them. However, trying to sit in that little room while laundry was running was almost impossible. It was unbearably hot and stiffling. So, you had a choice. Either leave the room and come back when you thought your laundry would be finished, or ignore the sign and open the door. Either way, you're in the wrong.

 

I have a much better solution. Simply don't do your own laundry. Let the ship's staff do it for you. I did laundry once and never again. For $12 for all I could stuff in that laundry bag, I just let the folks in the Statendam's laundry do it. Aside from the one load of laundry I did myself, I think I sent stuff out maybe three times ... for $36 total -- and that was over the course of a 35-day cruise! Not bad at all.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[burm]

Hi there!

I would be interested to know how you would take a 51 day cruise and not have to do laundry? Exactly how long are your extended trips?

 

 

A separate suitcase for your 51 pairs of underwear? :D

[3GR8Sons]

"Laundry"...and..."Cruising", there's something way to "oximoranish" (is that a word?) about these two in the same sentence.

 

You will NEVER find ME in a laundryroom on a cruiseship.....if it's that dirty...I throw it out and buy a new one! I also did this when I cruised with the kids!!!!

 

If I'm on an extensive cruise I bring enough clothing for the entire cruise or I don't go! I mix and match my clothing and make sure that everything will go with something else!

 

It's very easy to do and it's much more fun than doing laundry on vacation! :eek:

 

Things are a bit different now with the airline restrictions on the number of bags passengers are permitted to take, the weight of the bags, and the cost of additional bags.

 

On land based vacations, when we can usually wear casual (read jeans/shorts) to dinner some nights I never have a problem packing. But when we cruise and we need separate daytime and nighttime outfits for every single day of the vacation it becomes difficult to pack enough to last the whole week.

 

We are 5 people ranging in age from 9-43. Our 12 and 14 year olds wear adult sized clothing so we are basically packing for 4 adults and one child. My kids each have one suit (the little one has some extra because his brothers have outgrown stuff) and one dress shirt so if they get stuff dirty (usually the shirt) it has to get washed so they can wear it for the second formal night. It seems silly to get all dressed up in stained dress clothes.

 

I can't imagine that it would be possible to pack enough for a 25 day cruise......

[kobecat]

I say Bravo. I'd like to sail on his ship!

 

I too was on this cruise and it was absolutely fantastic. The Captain Todd McBain I agree was a gem - very approachable, friendly etc. and did a great job, as did all the staff. Our cabin attendant, Sixto on Caribe, was the best we have ever had, and the waiters we asked for at anytime dining, Edwin and Angel were sensational!

 

However, I am not so sure that some of this talk of people being put off the ship is not a case of the old "Chinese whispers".

 

We "heard" that a man got put off because he used a piece of equipment in the gym that was part of a paid class (cycling), he refused to pay and got into an altercation with the gym staff member, and was subsequently put off (along with his wife).

 

We also "heard" about the stealing from the boutique but "heard" it was one lady, not two.

 

Heard nothing about the laundry fights, but this is an on-going issue that seems to pop up after all long cruises. I did hear a few people upset in the laundry when I was there but nothing too offensive.

 

About mid-cruise the pool deck staff were putting up laminated signs about the 30-minute rule. It is a pity these weren't up as we started the cruise and followed through on from the beginning. We had a lot of consecutive sea days which did mean people were out there at 7 am with their towels etc. and then disappearing for hours on end leaving their belongings.

 

I actually sat down on a lounge where there were some belongings and about 45 minutes later the man who owned them (who said he had been in the hot tub - obviously watching me and working himself up to a state) approached me very angrily. If it had been another man sitting there it may have turned into a fight, but I just shrugged, told him that was the rule and to get over himself.

 

Beryl

[RVD]

in most situations, it does take two to fight. i travel a lot for work and a few weeks ago i was at the airport sitting in the normal sitting area with my small suitcase on the ground next to me. a really old man and his caretaker walked by me but the caretaker tripped over my bag. it was totally his fault as my bag was not in a normal walking area, etc. anyone else sitting there would have had their bag there. the man simply wasn't paying enough attention, etc.

 

but i still apologized to the man. he mumbled that his shin hurt a little bit so i apologized again and he left but he looked fine.

 

the old man was really angry at me though and basically cussed me out (called me an a**hole).

 

i have trained in martial arts for years and if push came to shove with any normal guy on the street, i can probably end the fight fairly quickly as long as guns aren't involved by breaking a small bone (usually in the wrist or if i'm really unhappy the collarbone or elbow or if i'm really really unhappy, i'll bust your knee for the rest of your life). but this was what looked like a 90 year old man and i didn't feel like getting into anything with the guy so i apologized to him too. of course that didn't seem to help and he got angry some more so i eventually just ignored him until he yelled some more and went away.

 

if i wasn't such a peaceful and passive guy and the other guy wasn't so old, this could have gotten really ugly. i probably would have told him to take a flying f*ck which probably would have gotten him mad and if he would have taken a swing at me, i probably would have grabbed his arm and broken something. at in the end, i'd be the one in big trouble because you'd have a guy with a broken arm and me sitting there without a scratch. i don't really know how to fight without hurting the other person...i suppose i could just grab and not do anything until the other guy gets frustrated but i'm not necessarily the biggest or strongest guy around...martial arts uses leverage (my arms vs. your wrist) or unequal body parts (my knee vs. your face).

 

anyway, this long story is simply to say that there are unfortunately a lot of stupid people around. it's generally best to get staff involved to clear out someone's stuff from a chair hog or clear out someone's stuff from the laundry machine, etc. at that point, it was empty and you used the machine and you avoid irrational conflict. in general, there's really no need to be a cop while you're on your vacation. i just wish the staff would enforce these rules much more.

 

RVD.

[RvrCrzr]

RVD...I agree with you.

The only problem is...once you lay hands on the guy...they can nab you for assault. That's where the 90 year old gets back at you. (after he gets out of the hospital that is!) :cool:

 

No matter how nice and respectful you are to people...there is always that one person...

 

My pet pevee is when you are walking down a thoroughfare...and all of the sudden people stop in front of you to talk. They don't move to the side...they just block the walkway, expecting everyone to just walk around them. On Island Princess this happened, and as the herd was having to move around the people...I said loudly, "make a hole, make a hole" One large idiot that was causing the jam said something smart to me in return...and of course (the testosterone in me) spun me around to face off with the moron.

I loudly gave my lecture about standing aside/common courtesy to the guy...which hailed som 'Hell ya's' and applause...which backed the guy right down again...and I was on my way.

 

Moral of the story? Some people are just rude, and don't care about it. Nothing you do or say is going to change them. I have found them on EVERY cruise ship, and airport I've ever been in or on. You want to break their wrist...but (hopefully) better judgement and forethought prevents you from doing so in a moment of rage. You take a deep breath...and shuck it off. It's hard...because you'd really like to break their neck...so no one else will have to be humiliated by them. But then...the real victim becomes the sufferer.

 

PS...can you teach me some of those moves??? :D

[caribbean2000]

OK, as long as this has turned into a general rant about rude people on cruise ships...(woohoo!)....the ones that really get me lately are people who quite obviously have been on an elevator, oh...maybe once in their lives (!). The second the door opens they try to rush on. It's simple physics, people - human bodies take up space, and if all the space INSIDE the elevators is filled, there is no possible way you can get ON the elevator until I and whoever else wants off, gets off. "But no - I've been waiting a long time (a minute?) for that elevator and dammit, I am going to push my way in before you can get off!! After all, it's sooo tiring to walk up to the one deck where I want to go!"

Chair hogs - I almost enjoy messing with their heads by moving "their" chairs a few feet after removing their stuff, then watching them fume when they return an hour or more later and try to figure out just who it was that stole their chair. It's fun - try it! (hint - wear reflective sunglasses and have a book opened and in your lap - and use your best poker face!)

[mcclure2]

I honestly don't think it matters what cruise line it is, people still get irate over stupid things. I heard from a client that sailed on an inaugural sailing of one of the Cunard ships recently that there was a fight between two women that broke out in the Laundry room over the iron. Go figure.

[wizard-of-roz]

A separate suitcase for your 51 pairs of underwear? :D

 

I don't know about YOUR size underwear. :o....but, mine can fit into a very small space! :p And, the need to bring too much luggage is totally unecessary!

Sitting on the veranda waiting for the clothes to clean/dry sounds like the only way to go!!! :) That is, if you MUST use the laundryroom! ;)

[coiran]

I am the OP - and - I didn't mean for the topic to go astray - which all goes to prove - tou tell one person something and he tells another embellished and he tells another embellished and before long a slap on the wrist turns into a murder!!!

 

Ron

[dobie]

Ron, I really appreciated you posting, and I'm really glad that the captain took care of the problems on your cruise. Very encouraging.