lounge chairs on balcony

Please forgive me if this topic has been already discussed and I missed it, but I was completely unprepared for the fact that we did not have lounge chairs on our aft balcony (9256) for our recent Radiance sailing. We always book aft cabins when we can, primarily so we can read, sun, and relax on our balcony, and we've never before had a problem.

When we questioned our cabin attendant, we were told that "lounge chairs were not allowed in the cabins" (this with a stern expression) nor were we "allowed" to bring them down from upstairs. Unable to contain my dismay, I went instantly to Customer Relations, where, after several calls to different people, he backed up the cabin attendant, stating that it was new company policy fleetwide. With the intent of booking a future cruise, I asked the C&A rep about this. She, too, said it was corporate policy, that it had become a safety issue. She added that they were looking into designs for more efficient lounge chairs since the balconies were too crowded by furniture with the current loungers on them. (If you've ever seen the size of 9256--the corner aft-- you'll understand the absurdity of that statement.) She even went so far as to contact her counterpart on the Enchantment, who agreed that all lounge chairs have been taken off their balconies, as well. I was disappointed but I figured if these are the rules, I guess I have to live by them.

However, at dinner the last night, one of my tablemates told me that she had spoken to someone in an aft suite (9256 is a Cat D) who did have lounge chairs. If so, does that mean the rules only apply to non-suite balconies?

(Something I'd have prefered to know before booking the cabin)

So my question is this--has anyone in an aft cabin on a recent cruise faced the same situation? If so, can you tell me what category cabin you had, the name of the ship, and how long ago you sailed? It's too late for the Radiance ( I know it's petty but not having the lounge chairs negatively impacted the cruise experience for me) but before I commit to another cruise, I need to know what I'll be dealing with. I'd also love knowing the reasons why RCCL made this decision, if anyone knows them.

I appreciate any and all feedback.

Thanks

We're really planning on them for our 7388 balcony on VOS in Sept - would be really disappointed. On our Grand Princess cruise we had padded loungers and spent half our cruise out there (aft balcony as well). Wanted to see what anyone else says since if nothing else we'll bring inflatable airbeds/rafts to lay out on!

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We had an aft cabin on Legend a week ago and had 2 lounge,and 2 regular chairs.

On 2/29 AOS we had 2 lounge chairs, 2 regular chairs, and 2 side tables.

Sorry, we were in 7388.

We had corner aft 9390 on Navigator April 3rd and had one lounger and 2 chairs and a table.

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I am thinking that it may be the rule for side balcony's. I'm sure people have tried squishing too much furniture on those.?

The thing about Royal and "rules" They never quite see the entire picture when you are trying to ask or explain something. Of course there has got to be a differant rule for lounge chairs on aft balcony's then side balcony's. Except of course the suites on the side. Maybe people like to sleep in them? (one girl disappeared when sleeping on a lounge chair on the balcony)

this is crazy. I too spend half my cruise on the balcony and on a lounge chair. keep us posted! :eek

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No chairs on the side balconies???? That's rediculous. We like to sit on our balcony in the morning. No chairs kind of defeats the purpose of a balcony.

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We were on the 3/19/04 Brilliance Panama Cruise in cabin 1600 (GS) and had two lounge chairs, two regular chairs and one table.

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We had aft corner #7688 on the Navigator, and aft corner #9256 on the Serenade. BOTH balconies, had a lounge chair. The voyager class balcony was the absolute best. The bigger of the two and had one lounger. Cabin 9256 was a bit smaller and that balcony had two loungers. I guess you cant expect anything. Who know why they do what they do!

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by birdyhunter:

No chairs on the side balconies???? That's rediculous. We like to sit on our balcony in the morning. No chairs kind of defeats the purpose of a balcony.

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Sorry, I meant Lounge chairs. Like chaise lounge's

of course there would be a small table and two chairs on side balcony's.

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3/29/04 Brilliance cabin 8670 had 2 lounge chairs, 2 regular chairs and a small table

Sorry, I meant Lounge chairs. Like chaise lounge's

of course there would be a small table and two chairs on side balcony's.

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Glad to hear that! I was getting mad just picturing my balcony without any chairs and wondering what we were going to sit on out there!

 

Sophie

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We are just back from the Explorer and we were in aft cabin 7390. We indeed had 2 lounge chairs, 2 regular chairs and a table. With that we had plenty of room to spare.

Too many people getting comfortable with their fishing poles, took all the chairs away. Karen

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We were in room 7152 - corner aft balcony - on Rhapsody three weeks ago. We had two lounge chairs, a table and 4 regular chairs. 7652 - other corner aft - had 2 lounge chairs a table and 2 chairs.

So what furniture is normally on a side balcony on a voyager class ship?

Phat Cruiser

We were on the 3/39/04 sailing of the Brilliance. Corner aft balcony (1100) Cat. C. We had 2 loungers, 2 chairs and a table.

Side balcony has 2 chairs (not reclining) and a small round table.

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I am thinking that for some unknown reason,Bart's lounge chairs had been taken off the aft balcony. The problem is trying to get the room steward, and then customer service to understand that you are not expecting to be able to bring lounge chairs from the pool to your balcony, but to have the lounge chairs that SHOULD BE THERE brought back. I would have made someone from guest relations come to the cabin and then I would try to again explain..........Sounds like they where on "auto response" to me.

Does 9690 have one or two lounge chairs?

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Bartelbee

There were a lounge chairs there in November, we had that exact cabin....Did you happen to look at the balcony next to yours.....#9258....I bet someone jumped onto your balcony before you boarded and put it on either 9258 or 9260's balcony.

I think you were robbed to have had that balcony and not atleast one lounge chair.

Jimbo

May 2nd, 2004

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Thanks so much everyone for your replies--you've reinforced our own suspicions that the issue is not fleetwide. This will help when I write to RCCL. I'd love to know who decided to take away the loungers and why, (though I'm sure I'll merely get the runaround again) but more importantly, I want to make sure the same won't happen on my next cruise. We felt silly, each time we backed up up to those HAL and Celebrity ships with their padded-furniture-strewn balconies, and we had to sit there on our virtually empty balcony in our two little not-so-comfy chairs.

As far as what chairs SHOULD have been there, I've seen previous pictures of that particular balcony and I certainly believed we should have had loungers but unfortunately, we were not the only aft D balcony without them on our sailing of the Radiance.

From what everyone is saying.. odds are you will have lounge chairs. If not.. just go get some and don't ask the cabin attendent. Sounds like they must have had an incident onboard or something (or people complaining on lack of lounge chairs at the pool).

Call customer service at RCCL. Ask them how many chairs for your particular cabin. They may not know right away but will call you back with the answer. I called them last week about the doors on cabin 8690 on the Mariner. The voyager has a door - but I wanted glass sliders. They did call me back with the answer (the later).

Maureen

Princess Sun 2/27/2005

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Jimbo,

Yes, I most definitely did feel robbed and I have to admit, I peeked at 9258, first thing, and affirmed that they didn't have them, either. Also, since everyone--except for the kid at the purser's desk who seemed new--seemed primed and ready to shake their heads with that oh-so-solemn expression as they repeated "not allowed," I doubt our case was unique.