Confessions of a chair hog..

We are not bad people.. Sometimes we just don't know any better.. My first cruise in 2004 or 2005 I went with my parents.. Didn't do much pool sitting that cruise. Never did much chair hogging on the next few cruises as there was always a bunch of us and you could always find a seat at a table somewhere where part of the party was already sitting.

But in 2009 I cruised with just me and my Mom.. This was before her knee replacement. I spent a lot of time alone as she couldn't get around much. But I found myself in a pattern. I'd get up early and have breakfast at the buffett (alone) and bring her back cereal and fruit. I'd then head to the pool deck. I'd find a nice spot part shade, part sun, near the smoking tables. Then I'd rearrange the deck chairs to replace a lounger with a regular table chair and RESERVE that for her. I'd stay in my chair reading and swimming.. enjoying my day (alone). Eventually my mom would join me and enjoy her reserved upright chair for a few hours. I thought it was ok because she could never have gotten up and down to a regular lounge chair.

I was a chair hog again in 2010 on the Legend. Get up early and pick my spot on deck. I wouldn't leave them empty all day but come back and forth as we pleased.

But then I found CC. I learned how it was not cool to claim a deck chair and leave it empty while you did other things. So I reformed on my cruise spring of 2011. Didn't reserve a chair the entire 10 days. But also never got to sit on deck with my mom. She had her knee and hip replacement by then and could get up and down, but there was never a chair to be found.

So I relapsed in the fall of 2011 when I cruised with both my parents again (and my sister, nephew and sister's BFF). Got up early first sea day and reserved 6 chairs. Me, sis, nephew and BFF sat in four of them, spread out to keep space for Mom and Dad. We sat there most of the day. We did give up nephew's chair when someone who could not have navigated the stadium seating tiers was looking for a seat. And then Dad's when he had enough of the sun. But I have to say the day was priceless and I do not regret my crimes! My dad has days left to live. He hallucinates at times. And more than once has talked as if he was still on that cruise.

I do know now it is not acceptable to drop your stuff and reserve a chair to come back to later. I also realize it is not polite to save a chair for someone who may show up later. And I vow going forward the only thing I will use to save a seat is my growing behind!!

But I'm glad I learned this later.

I love your Dad, bless his heart.

I don't think you did wrong, as you were there most of the time, and let someone else have a lounger when they needed it.

Melanie

Wish I had a popcorn Icon.

Just popped a bag.

Now that I look at the pictures I don't think we were too bad..

Early

enjoying out seats.. But in this picture most of the other chairs are still empty. So Mom and Dad were on deck pretty early too!

We are not bad people.. Sometimes we just don't know any better.. My first cruise in 2004 or 2005 I went with my parents.. Didn't do much pool sitting that cruise. Never did much chair hogging on the next few cruises as there was always a bunch of us and you could always find a seat at a table somewhere where part of the party was already sitting.

 

But in 2009 I cruised with just me and my Mom.. This was before her knee replacement. I spent a lot of time alone as she couldn't get around much. But I found myself in a pattern. I'd get up early and have breakfast at the buffett (alone) and bring her back cereal and fruit. I'd then head to the pool deck. I'd find a nice spot part shade, part sun, near the smoking tables. Then I'd rearrange the deck chairs to replace a lounger with a regular table chair and RESERVE that for her. I'd stay in my chair reading and swimming.. enjoying my day (alone). Eventually my mom would join me and enjoy her reserved upright chair for a few hours. I thought it was ok because she could never have gotten up and down to a regular lounge chair.

 

I was a chair hog again in 2010 on the Legend. Get up early and pick my spot on deck. I wouldn't leave them empty all day but come back and forth as we pleased.

 

But then I found CC. I learned how it was not cool to claim a deck chair and leave it empty while you did other things. So I reformed on my cruise spring of 2011. Didn't reserve a chair the entire 10 days. But also never got to sit on deck with my mom. She had her knee and hip replacement by then and could get up and down, but there was never a chair to be found.

 

So I relapsed in the fall of 2011 when I cruised with both my parents again (and my sister, nephew and sister's BFF). Got up early first sea day and reserved 6 chairs. Me, sis, nephew and BFF sat in four of them, spread out to keep space for Mom and Dad. We sat there most of the day. We did give up nephew's chair when someone who could not have navigated the stadium seating tiers was looking for a seat. And then Dad's when he had enough of the sun. But I have to say the day was priceless and I do not regret my crimes! My dad has days left to live. He hallucinates at times. And more than once has talked as if he was still on that cruise.

 

I do know now it is not acceptable to drop your stuff and reserve a chair to come back to later. I also realize it is not polite to save a chair for someone who may show up later. And I vow going forward the only thing I will use to save a seat is my growing behind!!

 

 

But I'm glad I learned this later.

Me thinks this post should have started like this......

Hello! My name is Fred and I have a problem! (all together now- Hi Fred!!!) :D