Reserving chairs / loungers beside the pool

I just got off the reflection 2 days ago. We spent a totally of maybe three hours by the pool despite trying to spend many hours per day there. We just could never find chairs. We made the best of our vacation of course, but this did put a damper on things. You pay $$$$ and can't even use the pool. We did just stand one day, but that gets old. One day we couldn't even find a single lounger.

Reading this post makes me very happy we spend 0 minutes on a lounger near a pool on a cruise. I honestly had no idea it was this bad.

It ISN'T this bad...there is always the proverbial bad apple. We see this every cruise where one in a group 'marks territory' for every other member of the group, leaves the cots for hours and then some throughout the day return to lounge for an hour and leave again. This is what needs to change....not the average cruiser who goes to lunch or uses the pool and uses clips to 'hold' their lounger until they return in a reasonable time. I've been tempted to remove the clips etc but consider it too mean spirited. I'm on holiday, not the lounge police, and don't want the agitation. Celebrity pool staff really need to watch out for these large groups and try to formulate a policy to take care of it. JMHO.

I equate chair hogs to those people who insist on standing through most of a sporting event, if everyone just sat the hell down all could enjoy the game in the seats they paid so dearly for. I am a chair hog hater from way back. This is my first cruise in almost 3 years and first time on X, and it appears based on this thread that the chair hogs have evolved. Human nature dictates for a species to survive it must evolve to meet the challenges it's environment, this is just plain-ole survival of the fittest. Too many apathetic rude people, not enough chairs in desirable spots on the deck.

 

I am now rethinking my MO. Since it seems that cruise staff almost never enforces the rules and most passengers passively stand by just bitching among ourselves, maybe I should join the ranks of the hated hogs out of self-preservation. I get up early, I have all kinds of ideas for chair hogging “props”, I can make excuses with the best of them, I bet I would be a stupendous chair hog hogger. To hog or not to hog, that is the question … ?

 

 

BZ

LOL...happy to see someone with a sense or humour...... this was my smile for the day. We always have a lounger on every cruise, perhaps not where we'd prefer; but if you wait until after 10am you're going to have to consider other deck locations or ask a pool butler to find you a lounger. They will accommodate. Sea days many cruisers like their lounging time so it's not surprising to see the loungers occupied for most of the day. It's the ones who mark them and don't use them that aggravate.

It ISN'T this bad...there is always the proverbial bad apple. We see this every cruise where one in a group 'marks territory' for every other member of the group, leaves the cots for hours and then some throughout the day return to lounge for an hour and leave again. This is what needs to change....not the average cruiser who goes to lunch or uses the pool and uses clips to 'hold' their lounger until they return in a reasonable time. I've been tempted to remove the clips etc but consider it too mean spirited. I'm on holiday, not the lounge police, and don't want the agitation. Celebrity pool staff really need to watch out for these large groups and try to formulate a policy to take care of it. JMHO.

I agree with this totally.

There is a world of difference between a couple of people who are using their sunloungers all day long and have gone over the 30 minutes by a couple of minutes whilst at the pool or buffet vs people who are away for much longer. If people are abusing the use of sunloungers and it bothers you that much - report it and leave it at that.

The last thing you need is some stupid prat who takes it upon themselves to be the lounger police with a stop watch and zero authority. My wife and I try never to be away for more than 30 minutes at a time but anyone other than crew picking up our personnel belongings "supposedly" for this purpose can be sure that they would be reported to ship's security

Anyone taking it upon themselves, without authority, to pick up and move someone else's belongings leaves themselves open to claims they've stolen someones belongings and just handed in what they've wanted to. To justify their stupid behaviour they would admit watching someone's belongings - for at least 30 minutes uninterrupted during which no other guest took anything else and when you were sure they'd be gone for a while made your move on their stuff, trying to cover your tracks by handing some of it in with the fanciful notion of supervising sun loungers. Oh you handed a paperback book and some suntan lotion in, what about the Bvlgari sunglasses my wife left on the book?

" what about the Bvlgari sunglasses my wife left on the book?"

Seems to me that anyone who is careless enough to leave something of great value unattended in a public place should not be surprised if it goes missing...

" what about the Bvlgari sunglasses my wife left on the book?"

 

 

Seems to me that anyone who is careless enough to leave something of great value unattended in a public place should not be surprised if it goes missing...

Yes, of course people have a duty to take reasonable care of their belongings - but if stuff goes missing and people admit to watching you and handling your stuff without authority they perhaps should be challenged. Clumsy way of saying that people who take enforcement matters into their own hands put themselves in a position of vulnerability - and don't be surprised if someone exploits that vulnerability.

My wife's Bvlgari glasses are genuine, well we were assured they were by the beach vendor in Thailand :-)

It ISN'T this bad...there is always the proverbial bad apple. We see this every cruise where one in a group 'marks territory' for every other member of the group, leaves the cots for hours and then some throughout the day return to lounge for an hour and leave again. This is what needs to change....not the average cruiser who goes to lunch or uses the pool and uses clips to 'hold' their lounger until they return in a reasonable time. I've been tempted to remove the clips etc but consider it too mean spirited. I'm on holiday, not the lounge police, and don't want the agitation. Celebrity pool staff really need to watch out for these large groups and try to formulate a policy to take care of it. JMHO.

Well put, and I agree. It is usually the few individuals with little common sense that insist on putting their comfort before all others despite the rules and just doing the right thing . Unfortunately there are usually enough of these peeps to put a damper on a law abiding cruiser's vacation, if nothing else the frustration it causes. The chair hog issues are well known and have been posted to death, the cruise lines all monitor these boards so you would think they could come up with a viable solution.

I am trying to come up with a plan so I can enjoy the shady pool areas on my upcoming cruise and not just sit by and watch the anointed few just take over the pool deck at their whim. We both get up early to workout and usually do about an hour of cardio and 15 minutes of weights/resistance. Ann likes coffee first and I like coffee after, so I will workout while she secures two primo loungers and sips her coffee. I will relieve her as soon as I can and stay with our coveted spots. We will not both leave at anytime for more than a half hour. Maybe put out a laminated card with: "Be Back in 29 Min.".

Thoughts/ideas?

BZ

Well put, and I agree. It is usually the few individuals with little common sense that insist on putting their comfort before all others despite the rules and just doing the right thing . Unfortunately there are usually enough of these peeps to put a damper on a law abiding cruiser's vacation, if nothing else the frustration it causes. The chair hog issues are well known and have been posted to death, the cruise lines all monitor these boards so you would think they could come up with a viable solution.

 

I am trying to come up with a plan so I can enjoy the shady pool areas on my upcoming cruise and not just sit by and watch the anointed few just take over the pool deck at their whim. We both get up early to workout and usually do about an hour of cardio and 15 minutes of weights/resistance. Ann likes coffee first and I like coffee after, so I will workout while she secures two primo loungers and sips her coffee. I will relieve her as soon as I can and stay with our coveted spots. We will not both leave at anytime for more than a half hour. Maybe put out a laminated card with: "Be Back in 29 Min.".

 

Thoughts/ideas?

 

BZ

Problem with a sign saying "back in 29 minutes" is that it is wrong a minute later, and in 28 mins it will still say you're not back for another 29 minutes

Well put, and I agree. It is usually the few individuals with little common sense that insist on putting their comfort before all others despite the rules and just doing the right thing . Unfortunately there are usually enough of these peeps to put a damper on a law abiding cruiser's vacation, if nothing else the frustration it causes. The chair hog issues are well known and have been posted to death, the cruise lines all monitor these boards so you would think they could come up with a viable solution.

 

I am trying to come up with a plan so I can enjoy the shady pool areas on my upcoming cruise and not just sit by and watch the anointed few just take over the pool deck at their whim. We both get up early to workout and usually do about an hour of cardio and 15 minutes of weights/resistance. Ann likes coffee first and I like coffee after, so I will workout while she secures two primo loungers and sips her coffee. I will relieve her as soon as I can and stay with our coveted spots. We will not both leave at anytime for more than a half hour. Maybe put out a laminated card with: "Be Back in 29 Min.".

 

Thoughts/ideas?

 

BZ

I honestly cannot envision leaving a lounger even for lunch and trying to save it. Maybe it's because we don't spend more than a couple of hours at a time at the pool before we decide to go do something else.

I'm surprised cruise lines haven't moved to a reservation system for loungers. It could be an upsell opportunity if you wanted to have one by the pool always.

I'm surprised cruise lines haven't moved to a reservation system for loungers. It could be an upsell opportunity if you wanted to have one by the pool always.

They have - the alcoves! Other cruiselines have similar dedicated more upscale areas where you can buy a day ticket

I'm surprised cruise lines haven't moved to a reservation system for loungers. It could be an upsell opportunity if you wanted to have one by the pool always.

That might work if it was limited to a small number of prime loungers. I've seen that work on beaches. Open it up to all loungers and you could be creating a management nightmare.

I'm surprised cruise lines haven't moved to a reservation system for loungers. It could be an upsell opportunity if you wanted to have one by the pool always.

Please, no more suggestions like this! :eek: Next thing you know, they'll be selling pool access like their internet access!

Please, no more suggestions like this! :eek: Next thing you know, they'll be selling pool access like their internet access!

Pool access charges should definitely be based on how much water someone displaces. :D

Goodness, I hope not. They certainly should be first come/first served. That sort of behaviour is guarantee to cause issues and ill-feeling, and quite rightly so. It is nothing but extremely ill manners.

A person that thinks their clips can reserve their loungers may be considered "behavior that is ill-mannered", but just having clips on ones chair does not mean that person is trying to reserve. :o So if anyone sees me in a lounger with clips, please know that I bring clips (have been for about the last 10 years) to keep my towel in place because it is normally windy up on deck. I cannot stand to have a towel flapping me in the face while trying to read a good book, or while napping. :D Never have I considered that they be used to "reserve my spot." :rolleyes:

I honestly cannot envision leaving a lounger even for lunch and trying to save it. Maybe it's because we don't spend more than a couple of hours at a time at the pool before we decide to go do something else.

If we go to the Mast Grill, we bring our lunch back to our loungers. It's too hot up there, with all the tables in the sun, anyway. If we go to Oceanview, we vacate the loungers because we know, realistically, we will be gone for longer than 30 minutes. Sometimes we return later in the afternoon and find new loungers.

I have seen pool butlers in the Solariums pick up items and wet towels, left by slobs, to clear loungers. Perhaps guest or hotel services received many complaints from passengers who couldn't find loungers.

 

 

Just playing devil's advocate here but 29 minutes from when? How does another person know when the card was dropped. A 29 minute card could turn into hours for some. Isn't that the perception chair hogs want others to believe when they leave their personal stuff on loungers for hours and leave. "I'm coming right back". The pool staff needs to constantly police the more popular areas and enforce the time limit for vacated loungers. But I don't see that happening either.

Good point ... thanks!

Any credence to the idea of having pool staff making an announcement every hour or so that chairs vacated for more than 30 min. are subject to the removal of personal items per the Celebrity T&C's, and can be claimed at .... ? I know if not enforced hoggers will soon figure out they are being scammed, but if nothing more it may make some a little nervous and draw attention to their shenanigans.

BZ

Just curious but is this before or after you had the people thrown out of the restaurant because you didn't think they were dressed appropriately or before or after you had the person thrown out of the restaurant because the dog they had in your opinion was not a service dog. I could go on and on from previous history but everyone should keep in mind that anyone can say anything on an anonymous board.

 

I deplore chair joggers just as much as anyone else.

Encouraging people to take matters into their own hands could lead to real problems. There was a story on this board a while back from a passenger who removed someone's belongings, turned them over to the pool butler. The passenger was threatened by the evacuee throughout the cruise. I don't remember the outcome, but was it worth it? I don't think so. Let the Celebrity crew do their jobs. If the pool attendant won't help you find a lounger, complain to guest services. Why would anyone want to spend their vacation fighting over loungers and having other passengers thrown out of the dining room?

They have - the alcoves! Other cruiselines have similar dedicated more upscale areas where you can buy a day ticket

you shouldn't have to reserve or buy a ticket to use a lounger... should be courtesy just to let everyone have a turn... maybe a sign stating 'maximum time allowed on loungers is 2 hours"?

people hogging the loungers should be asked to leave after 2 hours or something

It is obvious that one of the major shortcomings of cruiseships is the ratio of loungers to pax.

I don't understand why some of the experts can't figure out a new way of designing the area.

Hopefully, on the new Edge ship there will be a better solution.

Our solution...we enjoy the pool area on port days. We could "hog 10 chaises if we wanted and not inconvenience anyone!!!!

you shouldn't have to reserve or buy a ticket to use a lounger... should be courtesy just to let everyone have a turn... maybe a sign stating 'maximum time allowed on loungers is 2 hours"?

 

people hogging the loungers should be asked to leave after 2 hours or something

Disagree!!! You are confusing chair hogs and those actually occupying a lounger. I'm a lounge lizard and like to sit in a lounger all day while enjoying the sun and drinks. A chair hog is one that puts their crap on a lounger and leaves it vacated for lengths of time. That's the topic here.

...Our solution...we enjoy the pool area on port days. We could "hog 10 chaises if we wanted and not inconvenience anyone!!!!

Yep. Like having your own yacht.:D

Well I have to admit I enjoy lying on my sunbed and if the sun is out frying on my chair most of the day..... we also get up early and YES grab a good spot that suits US, I acual think people who wander up to the pool deck or in my case Solstice Deck at midday etc and expect to get the best chair are having a laugh !!!

Where in any other situation if your last should you be entitled to the first prize..... !!

I do eat during the day so there are times I leave my chair unattended and I would consider anyone who dared to try and remove my stuff whilst I was away eating to be a "ignorant hogg" to coin a phrase. ..and yes I would let them know.

Bottom line is if you want a good spot go get it ..... To be fair I am not away for hours in that case the moaners have a point .....

Just an opinion. .. [emoji849]

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Disagree!!! You are confusing chair hogs and those actually occupying a lounger. I'm a lounge lizard and like to sit in a lounger all day while enjoying the sun and drinks. A chair hog is one that puts their crap on a lounger and leaves it vacated for lengths of time. That's the topic here.

Agree and add the one person sent down to save multiple chairs, I’ve actually seen a woman reserve 14 chairs in the Solarium and no one comes for hours.