Chair Hogs

[merryecho]

Apparently HAL does not enforce their policy that poolside chairs/lounges may only be saved (empty) for 30 minutes. Some people seem to think draping a towel over a chair is tantamount to putting a down payment on a piece of real estate. Leaving a chair empty just because you may want to use it later, when others have nowhere to sit, (especially those who get up before dawn to stake their claim, then leave the chairs empty for hours) is just plain rude and selfish.
Another cruise board recently posted some great responses to use if, after waiting without a chair for 30 minutes, you decide to move the chair hog's belongings, and the hog returns later to claim 'his' chair. My favorite is "Gosh, the person who was sitting here before said they were finished with it. How long have you been gone?" Second favorite was, give the belongings to a steward, pointing to the 30 minute sign. Then, when the hog returns, say "Sorry, perhaps the steward took your things because of the 30 minute reserve rule".
Sadly, neither of these answer the problem of one person saving unused chairs for others (often in one of the few shady spots) for hours on end. Any other ideas for not putting up with boorish behavior, without becoming uncivil oneself?

[divinggirl]

To me, this is a non-issue. If I have to leave my chair, I try to have another in my party stay there to avoid any confusion. If I'm alone, I'll leave my book or sunscreen or glass or something personal on the chair, but I'm only gone long enough to go to the bathroom or whatever it is I'm doing. If I need a chair and have been standing and searching for about 10 minutes, and there's an empty chair with only a towel on it, I would not hesitate to move the towel and take the chair. Maybe some people think it' s rude, but I saw many people on my sailing get up and leave their chair with a towel on it, but were actually leaving. It gave the impression that the chair was taken, but it wasn't.

If anyone ever said anything when they came back to claim "their" chair, I would tell them "Sorry, I don't see your name on it" and really mean it. I know I sound like a kindergartner, but if I left my chair for a long while and someone did it to me, well that's my fault.

Nikki

[dakrewser]

AS Nikki said, if the chair simply has a towel on it then there's a 50-50 chance they simply left without putting the towel in the bin.

Unfortunately, there are rude people everywhere. Nothing I like more than carrying my tray thru the Lido and seeing no empty tables, but a dozen or so with a person (and no food) "holding a place".

Still, I will remember to use the line "Gosh, the person who was sitting here before said they were finished with it. How long have you been gone?" :)

[RuthC]

I've never heard of any 30-minute rule regarding pool chairs; nor have I ever seen a sign about it.

I do know that rolled-up towels are placed on the chairs by the deck stewards, and oftentimes when someone is leaving they don't put the towel in the bin---they leave the towel strewn for the steward to pick up.
This certainly leaves the impression to me that they are gone and the chair is free.

[merryecho]

I am taking my first HAL cruise soon, so I don't know about the 30 minute rule personally- I took the info from a previous post on this site. I should have been more specific- if it is just a towel on a chair it is pretty easy to move, assuming the person is gone. But what if it is a towel, a book, and a beach bag? And again, what would you do if the person sitting next to 6 empty for hours chairs says "sorry, these are all saved" ?

[RuthC]

merry, where are you getting the idea that chair hogs is going to be a problem? Sure, there are times that it might be a bit tight getting a seat, or the exact seat you want, but as a rule, there are chairs available near the pool.

[Orcrone]

And again, what would you do if the person sitting next to 6 empty for hours chairs says "sorry, these are all saved" ?You raise your arms up in the air, shout "These chairs are saved, Hallelujah Jesus" and sit down.:D

I wish I had the nerve to do that.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I read this problem and how some of them solved it on the other board.

There used to be an unofficial rule on HAL about how long towels would remain on a chair before a steward removed it. With HAL's cut backs I haven't seen much in the way of inforcing rules around the pool - not enough people to work the area. We used to watch the stewards after a period of time clean up the wet towels.

[lka1012]

oohhhhh, I LOVE Orcrone's idea. I will have to try one. I had thought of a very small neutron bomb. One that would leave the chair standing but .....

[Spot]

If you aren't going to use the pool, stay in a verandah room and have no worry about chair hogs :)

[kelelmel]

[QUOTE=Orcrone]You raise your arms up in the air, shout "These chairs are saved, Hallelujah Jesus" and sit down.:D

Just visualizing such a scene is hysterical. How very funny!

[akeka]

I've experienced problems getting chairs on Carnival and Celebrity, but not on our HAL cruise (which was a sold-out sailing with lots of families).

I hope that is our experience next month on the Volendam as well.

[merryecho]

Ruth- I have never seen this problem with small ships, like silversea or windstar, but it was very irritating on a large ship NCL cruise. If it doesn't happen on HAL that would be lovely, but reading past messages, apparently it does sometimes. I have never had the nerve to actually move someone else's things (other than a towel), and wonder if others feel comfortable doing so.
As for, 'you can usually find a place to sit', that is nice, but doesn't address the problem of people staking out the most desirable spots as their own private property, even when absent.
And yes, we do have a balcony suite, but sometimes we like to join friends by the pool.

[Giorgi-one]

I never get involved in the chair saving game since my wife and I only use the pool area on some days in port when everyone else is off the ship. We do not enjoy the crowds and the loud music which makes it impossible to think let alone talk to someone sitting next to you wihout screaming or reading lips. We always book a balcony cabin and spend the afternoons on our balcony sipping wine and ordering Chicken Ceaser Salad and Shrimp Cocktails. That said, I always wanted to handle a chair saver by moving the chair to another location and leaving their towel and book on the deck in the empty spot. Wouldn't it be fun watching him/her standing there like a moron looking for their chair.

[michmike]

I like the Hallelujah Jesus approach. We HAVE experienced the chair problem on previous HAL cruises and after one sits with no one in it for 30 minutes or so I have absolutely no problem moving their things underneath it and taking it. That is certainly no more boorish than them tying it up for hours on end on the chance they'll want to use it later. AND at 6ft4, 270 I can get away with it. *L*

[Orcrone]

I like the Hallelujah Jesus approach. We HAVE experienced the chair problem on previous HAL cruises and after one sits with no one in it for 30 minutes or so I have absolutely no problem moving their things underneath it and taking it. That is certainly no more boorish than them tying it up for hours on end on the chance they'll want to use it later. AND at 6ft4, 270 I can get away with it. *L*Mike, that 270, is that at the beginning or end of the cruise?:D ;)

[RevNeal]

And again, what would you do if the person sitting next to 6 empty for hours chairs says "sorry, these are all saved" ?

Similar to Marc, I would say "Praise the Lord ... damned chairs are a sad sight to behold." as I sat down in one of them :)

[michmike]

orcrone - at 270 what's 5 pounds one way or the other.. bring on the bread pudding!!~

[Travelbug 2]

Michmike, I am 6'4" and 245 lbs can we start a club !!!!!

The chair thing is a vacation "bug a boo" hotels and resorts have the same problem, too bad we can not all be kind and considerate. What a perfect world that would be.

Happy cruising.

[Orcrone]

orcrone - at 270 what's 5 pounds one way or the other.. bring on the bread pudding!!~Good point. I'll have some of the bread pudding too.:D

[michmike]

I'm a cook (actually a prison foodsvc director). I always tell the fellas never trust a skinny cook! And hey.. if we teamed up we could appropriate a dozen of the best chairs and then tell folks there is a $10 cover charge for each. Would pay our bar bills, no??

well ok.... maybe at least the ones til 6 pm every day? *L*

[darnapar]

We were pleasently surprised by the availabilty of chairs on the Zuiderdam even with the ship completely sold out. Unless there are personal belongings on a chair I go with the theory that it's available.

[RedmondCruiser]

We were pleasently surprised by the availabilty of chairs on the Zuiderdam even with the ship completely sold out. Unless there are personal belongings on a chair I go with the theory that it's available.
Its all dependent on the age of the group