Chair Hogs On Notice?

Just posted on facebook...

Let’s talk everyone’s favourite subject. No, not my hemorrhoids……………seat saving. It has been a subject discussed over and over again and it has been so because it continues to be a concern. But now is not the time to dwell in the past but in the future and that future is today. The Carnival Breeze is the test ship for a new commitment to stopping this and we started today.

As you can see, this screen shot was sent to every cabin TV. The same announcement was made by me three times a day and live on the morning show. It was also placed on the Seaside Theatre Big Screen. So the message is loud and clear.

We went with 4o minutes as we felt that this was a fair amount of time if guests get up to eat, drink, pee, swim or slide.

The big difference here is that we are now staffed and able to police this. Our crew will walk the decks and if they see a chair unused but saved with towels, books, shoes, baby Yaks or underpants they will place a sticker on the chair with the current time. Then, they will check 40 minutes later and if the chair is still reserved and unoccupied then they will remove the articles and take them to the towel station by the main pool making sure a note is left for the guests that they have done so.

This is step number one in a new drive to make this work and once we finish the test here this cruise and next, we will make adjustments and then add to the rest of the fleet. It has been noted by the beards who read this page how important this was to you and I have pushed hard to the most senior beards to get this done and my thanks to them for listening and acting.

The comments here are fantastic and guests truly appreciate the effort and it has really, absolutely made a difference. We still have work to do but we are on the right path and I would like to thanks Marcin our Housekeeping manager and Pierre the Hotel Director and all the wonderful deck staff who are making this work.

Comments please.

Cool, hope it works.

It's certainly a start. Perhaps not the most elegant or labor-saving solution, but there's only so much you can do.

I think this and "education" of pax is the key. The more notices you see on TV etc. the better. Think of it as a version of "Pavlov's dog"; behavioral conditioning. Show enough notices, and enough people have their stuff removed, and they then learn, hog chair = stuff gone = not good.

While I realize probably no cruise ship has enough deck chairs for every pax, I'm surprised that the money-hungry cruise lines have not set aside certain areas (both in Sun and shade) where pax can rent the chairs, either on a daily or per-cruise basis. This used to be done on ocean liners years ago. Here, you would pay a fee to the deck steward, and you would "own" a particular chair(s) for the alloted time frame. I would say to do this on a per-day basis, but allow for discounts if on a per-cruise basis. What to charge? On a 7-day, $20/day/chair/daily, or $10-$15/day/chair/cruise length. Also these chairs would be padded, and of a higher caliber than the regular ones.

Okay, I have my Nomex suit on! ;)

I commend Carnival for taking action. Now...let's hope it works!

This will be outstanding if they enforce it.

This will be outstanding if they enforce it.

No! It will be "BRILLIANT"! Geez...get it right.

YEAH!!! Hopefully they'll start on other ships......(Like Valor in January 2013 :D)

I notice the screenshot only says "towels" will be removed and doesn't mention personal items being removed. I guess maybe that's assumed???

I hope they stick to it.

So they stick a 'note' on the chair? ...and I guess others are free to use the now vacated loungers? So what happens when said chair hog returns - sees you in the chair, sees their stuff gone and you like hand them a note? LOL....maybe it blows away in the strong ocean breeze? I know it won't be your fault - but you may still face the 'wrath' of a chair hog's anger? :) Anxious to see how this works out!

I think this is great. I appreciate that the beards listened and came up with a plan. Now hopefully it will be enforced on each ship over the longer term.

Love it --hope the pilot is successful and they are able to quickly roll it out on the other ships! (sailing on Freedom on 11/3!)

Yay!

So they stick a 'note' on the chair? ...and I guess others are free to use the now vacated loungers? So what happens when said chair hog returns - sees you in the chair, sees their stuff gone and you like hand them a note? LOL....maybe it blows away in the strong ocean breeze? I know it won't be your fault - but you may still face the 'wrath' of a chair hog's anger? :) Anxious to see how this works out!

That 'wrath" would not last long I can gauruntee it. At least in my case.

loubetti considered the suit well used. Not something many would pay for especially if there are free chairs available. I would not.

maybe they can film this and make it episode 1 of season 1 of the brand ambassadors new sitcom series (did he ever get those 500 likes?).

This is a good concept, but as we all know, there are vacationers who think they are above the rules just because they are on vacation. 'The rules pertain to all but me' attitude and they will continue their actions regardless of notices.

It's that group of people I fear will be most ugly and irrate when they venture back to "their" chairs two hours later and really cause a scene. If they are not considerate enough to follow the rules in the first place, what's going to stop them from screaming and threatening those who do follow the rules?

So they stick a 'note' on the chair? ...and I guess others are free to use the now vacated loungers? So what happens when said chair hog returns - sees you in the chair, sees their stuff gone and you like hand them a note? LOL....maybe it blows away in the strong ocean breeze? I know it won't be your fault - but you may still face the 'wrath' of a chair hog's anger? :) Anxious to see how this works out!

John showed a picture of the "note". It is just an acco label with a time written on it. It is the parking enforcement equivalent of chalking a tire.

Here is hoping the system works.

I think it would have been a better system to somehow number the chairs (probably too costly) and then use a clipboard system to note when people are using the chairs. Otherwise won't people just take the time to come back every now and then and remove the sticker? Or in the case of one person sitting with a group of "reserved" chairs. They will just remove them once the Carnival employee leaves. But I do agree it is nice to see them trying to enforce the rule.

Cyndi

This is a good concept, but as we all know, there are vacationers who think they are above the rules just because they are on vacation. 'The rules pertain to all but me' attitude and they will continue their actions regardless of notices.

 

It's that group of people I fear will be most ugly and irrate when they venture back to "their" chairs two hours later and really cause a scene. If they are not considerate enough to follow the rules in the first place, what's going to stop them from screaming and threatening those who do follow the rules?

Once it is noted that the rules are being enforced, I think the inconsiderates will find that they don't have much of a leg to stand on.

Definitely a start!

I think it's great that they're finally doing something.

maybe they can film this and make it episode 1 of season 1 of the brand ambassadors new sitcom series (did he ever get those 500 likes?).

He currently has "28,334 likes". :p

And another reason to cruise Carnival!!!

Give the passengers what they want!!!

This is a good concept, but as we all know, there are vacationers who think they are above the rules just because they are on vacation. 'The rules pertain to all but me' attitude and they will continue their actions regardless of notices.

 

It's that group of people I fear will be most ugly and irrate when they venture back to "their" chairs two hours later and really cause a scene. If they are not considerate enough to follow the rules in the first place, what's going to stop them from screaming and threatening those who do follow the rules?

Considering the person who is now sitting in the chair is not the one who moved the CHOGS stuff, who cares? Someone is welcome to try and go off on me because I am sitting where their crap was. I will gladly tell them to go see a Carnival staff member because that was who moved their towel that was enjoying the sun all alone. They are welcome to cause as much a scene as they want. Not my problem. If they followed the rules, then they would not have to worry about where their stuff was.

Seems that what matters here is the reaction of the person who now occupys the chair. Don't react, simply point them towards the nearest Carnival employee. I welcome this and cannot wait to see how it goes.

just got back from cruise on RCI... also had 40 min. rule... it worked. We never had a problem getting a seat near the pool. This was on Explorer of the Seas... had TONS of loungers, chairs all over Pool Deck and Deck above it... Every 2 hours there would be an announcement over the PA system by the pool reminding everyone about that rule..

Now we'll see if Carnival has the guts to enforce this rule, as well as the rest of their rules or if it's just something printed on paper..

 

Seems that what matters here is the reaction of the person who now occupys the chair. Don't react, simply point them towards the nearest Carnival employee. I welcome this and cannot wait to see how it goes.

Oh, I so agree! I'm not one to be causing a scene, but would be mortified if someone came up to me and my family, yelling and demanding "their" chairs back! :eek: That's not a memory I want my children to remember on vacation.

But like another post stated, hopefully this rule will be enforced and remind those who "don't know better" that chogging is unacceptable, therefore, more happy rule abiders and non-choggers! :)

So if you wait for 20-30 minutes for Deli or Mongolian Wok, you have to eat on your chair or lose your seat, that is not fair

This should be a great first step. There of course will be problems with it, but it is a step. And saddly yes the person who goes to grab lunch and finds an over long line will be the 1 that pays the price. However if it wasn't for people who think they can get on the ship and have it for the entire cruise. There wouldn't be a price to pay.