Reserving chairs / loungers beside the pool

AS a Melanoma patient who has spoken to several dermatologist, its' not your friend no matter when, many dermotologists consider sunbathing to be the new smoking. Also, before anyone says it, the concept of a base tan is a major myth...

Basal cell myself - very leery of the tropical sun. Also have to watch some of my BP meds that caution not to take in prolonged, intense sunlight. It doesn't get much more prolonged and intense than the Caribbean.

Interesting to see that this is an issue no matter the cruise line, I have just booked my first Celebrity cruise after 7 years in a row of Carnival. We never sit by the pool, we always sit on the Serenity Deck which is Carnival's adults only deck, similar to the Solarium I believe. On Sea Days, carnival has attendants that go around and put a sticker on items that just appear to be chair savers with the time and they have 45 minutes from being tagged to return or their stuff will be moved. We are "all day butt in the lounger hogs" so we often see this happen to chairs around us. We have a routine that I hope will be ok to follow, we get up early we pack up for the day out of our room, books, towels, water bottles sun hats etc then we go find our desirable location. We then set up, sit out for a bit until we are hungry for breakfast and then go and have the buffet. Do you think we could typically have a breakfast buffet and stay within the 30 minute time limit, we usually leave our bags and all stuff behind (no valuables obviously) but then we return for another few hours and then do the same for lunch. Or would it not be out of the ordinary for people to go to the buffet and bring their plate back to their lounger? I need to be in the shade so if I have found a shady location I wouldn't want to lose it.

I also like to walk at daybreak and see people (sometimes in their pajamas) leaving stuff on chairs by the pool. I have to admit... after my walk I've piled all of it up on ONE lounger and left. Maybe more than once.

I've done the same. There's no one in the pool, no one in the shower and no one in the chair! I've got to where I look forward to my morning walk on a cruise. BTW, we have clips and they will keep your towel from landing on someone else on a windy day while you are in the pool or other "necessity".

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The chairs and loungers are supposed to be first come first serve. Fellow cruisers are not "allowed" to do this, but unfortunately lots of people do. I've been on a few cruises where the pool staff used 30 minute cards to identify "saved" loungers. This gave passengers the opportunity to go grab a quick bite or to pick up something from their room without losing their seat and also identified the chronic abusers so the loungers could be freed up for passengers who wanted to actually sit on the lounger or chair.

I've seen something similar on some, but not all, of the RCCL ships. The pool attendant, either on his own or by report of a passenger, puts a wooden sign on the chair stating that in 30 minutes they can find their stuff at " fill in the blank". It worked really well. The weak link is the pool attendant and his actual instructions in how to do his job.

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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.

To me, the worst part is the people that sleep there all day when they have a perfectly good bed and pillow in their cabin.

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To me, the worst part is the people that sleep there all day when they have a perfectly good bed and pillow in their cabin.

 

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Disagree! No difference if someone is sleeping, reading, drinking, or just chillin in the lounger. The lounger is being used by someone actually in it. Unlike those that drop off their crap and leave for an extended amount of time. No matter the time of day. That's a chair hog!

To me, the worst part is the people that sleep there all day when they have a perfectly good bed and pillow in their cabin.

 

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Darned right, that's terrible! The nerve of them. And everyone with a balcony should stay there and not take up space on the pool deck or the other public spaces outside; keep that for passengers with ocean view or inside cabins. :rolleyes:

I was reading another thread here and someone said they always bring large clips with them to clip their clothes / towel to the chairs / loungers by the pool so no-one takes them.

 

I thought the chairs / loungers would be on a first in first served basis - I didn't know you could actually put stuff on them to 'reserve' them

 

does anyone know if this is the case?

NO! You cannot reserve loungers! You may occupy them while there, but you lose that privilege if say.. you go to lunch etc. Bathroom breaks are allowed. If I'm on that/any cruise & I see a lounger unoccupied for more than 30 min. I remove all items & return them to pool butler. Some disgruntle pax are now tossing clips into the trash, so be warned!

Interesting to see that this is an issue no matter the cruise line, I have just booked my first Celebrity cruise after 7 years in a row of Carnival. We never sit by the pool, we always sit on the Serenity Deck which is Carnival's adults only deck, similar to the Solarium I believe. On Sea Days, carnival has attendants that go around and put a sticker on items that just appear to be chair savers with the time and they have 45 minutes from being tagged to return or their stuff will be moved. We are "all day butt in the lounger hogs" so we often see this happen to chairs around us. We have a routine that I hope will be ok to follow, we get up early we pack up for the day out of our room, books, towels, water bottles sun hats etc then we go find our desirable location. We then set up, sit out for a bit until we are hungry for breakfast and then go and have the buffet. Do you think we could typically have a breakfast buffet and stay within the 30 minute time limit, we usually leave our bags and all stuff behind (no valuables obviously) but then we return for another few hours and then do the same for lunch. Or would it not be out of the ordinary for people to go to the buffet and bring their plate back to their lounger? I need to be in the shade so if I have found a shady location I wouldn't want to lose it.

I'm hoping this is sarcasm. If not, & I need your lounger after you skipped out for(obviously)much more than 30 min. You may either find your belongings either in lost & found or the trash can.(and that's NOT sarcasm!)Y'all have a nice day now!

I'm hoping this is sarcasm. If not, & I need your lounger after you skipped out for(obviously)much more than 30 min. You may either find your belongings either in lost & found or the trash can.(and that's NOT sarcasm!)Y'all have a nice day now!

Just curious but is it 30 minutes or 45 minutes as you stated in another thread with a threat.

I'm hoping this is sarcasm. If not, & I need your lounger after you skipped out for(obviously)much more than 30 min. You may either find your belongings either in lost & found or the trash can.(and that's NOT sarcasm!)Y'all have a nice day now!

Take my stuff because you "think" i've been away for more than 30 minutes and unless you are an employee of the cruise line you can expect no end of trouble. You have absolutely no authority whatsoever to start picking up other people's belongings and putting them in the bin or taking them to lost and found - there is no basis to suppose these are items are lost.

Find a pool attendant or better still an officer to clear a space for you. That's what they get paid to do. Best not to touch other people's belongings.

Thank you!

This is a wonderful thing to do :)

To me, the worst part is the people that sleep there all day when they have a perfectly good bed and pillow in their cabin.

 

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Do you also have a preference about whether they sleep on the right or left side of the bed? Side or back sleeper? Use the pillow or not? If they are using the lounger to sleep, read, listen to music, people watch, stare into space, drink, eat, talk, or watch the sea, they've paid their cruise fare and are entitled to enjoy their day! Most folks only object to lounges being reserved empty for hours on end without use while leaving others without access.