Chair Hog Pole

[island lady]

Oooh...my...gosh...

 

Now I am especially happy to never spend time at the pool in those prized "pool chairs". Sheezz....sounds like world war 3 out there.

Ya'll can have our chairs...whichever they may be.

 

I prefer, and we also do, to spend our time on our own personal chairs on our balcony. The last few cruises we have been on, we really never noticed till much later after the cruise that we had never even used the pool deck chairs, and for that matter were never drawn to the overcrowded pools.

 

Our idea of a relaxing vacation is the quiet of our own balcony with the unobstructed veiw of the sea that we came to enjoy.

 

My drink waiter? That would be my sexy DH who willingly volunteers to supply us with our tropical libations.

 

Ahh....two chairs...no waiting...no reservations...no wars!!

 

Cheers!

[jwlane]

Grow up! What the heck is 'creditability' ??

 

That's not the word I used. Some definitions of creditable are worthy, good, respectable. Conceeded, credible is probably a better choice of words!

[suekay]

Returned from the Navigator in December. The last sea day was hot and sunny but extremely windy on deck apart from round the solarium pool. There were 7 sunbeds "reserved" and we hovered by them until the lady alongside said to use them. We moved 3 of the towels to one of the other beds and began to settle ourselves until a very irate man appeared demanding to know why we were moving his belongings. Embarrassed, we began to pack up, but then realised that he was alone (obviously left to stand guard). We decided to sit at the poolside opposite the beds for 30 minutes - if no-one else appeared we'd move in. The same lady then explained that the beds had been reserved since 8.15 and it was now 10.45, so we had no hesitation in moving back without delay. The man glared at us, but obviously thought better of approaching us again. He sat back on one of the 7 chairs also reserved! (well you never know if you'll want to sit or lie do you?!!!)

The funny thing is, it then started to rain VERY heavily, but we were determind that he wouldn't have the last laugh....so we stuck it out under our dripping towels until it passed :D

Luckily, the sun soon came out and we spent the rest of the day baking in the sun while the irate man sat glaring at us from his upright chair

[michmike]

our approach is to give an empty chair with "belongings" on it a 30 min grace period. After that it's up for grabs. It's no more rude to take it for yourself than it is for folks to expect that their towel or book will reserve it for the day. Simply take the things in it, set them neatly underneath and the chair is yours. If they come back and get ignorant, just chalk it up as THEIR problem and stand your ground. No need to get into a screaming match.

 

Now of course, being 6ft4 and 275 does have a certain advantage when pursuing this strategy. *L* And hey.. if provoked I can be WAY more ignorant than the best chair hog on his or her best day... then laugh the rest of the day about giving the offending party something to stew about for the rest of THEIR day.

 

If you really want to stir up some commotion, just for laughs sit at someone else's table in the dining room and then act like THEY are the one who is wrong when they object.. SO many fun ways to while away the day on a cruise..

 

hey.. you can always tell them that with so many people at dinner there's likely a prime chair available by the pool.. ENJOY!!!

[checker78]

If there were a dissatisfied category.....that would be the one I would choose.

[Philly Steve]

Maybe the cruise line should get rid of the deck chairs and require guests to bring their own. Just think how valuable those chairs would be during airport layovers and cancelled flights!

[Erie Dave]

Sorry, no one ever told me it was a crime to defend something. I have just always held the position that the RCI board is a place to share ideas and tips and spread a positive word about the vacations we love so much. It isn't so much that I defend the cruise line as much as I get tired of those of you that constantly bash them.

[setsail]

I love you Dave. Bring it on over to c.f.d.c., The light side. I always thought getting a pool chair assured me of getting drinks. Maybe some of these people need 1st and 2nd seating (to match their dinner seating) for pool chairs. LOL.

[k9cop]

Just where does one purchase a Chair Hog Pole? Is it anything like a fishing pole or the proverbial 10 foot pole? Is this pole used only to catch Chair Hogs or can it be used to catch any kind of hog?

 

So many questions, so little time.

[frayedend]

A chair hog pole is a small invisible pole with a pointed tip. You place it in just the right place under a chair hog chair and when they show up 3 hours later and sit down...well you can figure it out. So if you remove items from a chair hog chair, make sure you remove the chair hog pole also.

[island lady]

A chair hog pole is a small invisible pole with a pointed tip. You place it in just the right place under a chair hog chair and when they show up 3 hours later and sit down...well you can figure it out. So if you remove items from a chair hog chair, make sure you remove the chair hog pole also.

 

Thanks for the laugh....that was great!

Cheers!

[Rustynail]

Isn't it odd how nobody ever admits to being a chair hog? It's always someone else who does it.............

[NeepierRoad]

It really is a word AND used correctly.

 

You really do learn something new every day!

[txfirstcruiser]

Now that I have worn myself out laughing about chair hog poles (and putting it on my Wal Mart list) I will give my comments about chair hogs.

 

On our Christmas cruise with our two (supervised) daughters of 9 and 11, they were treated horribly at the pool on Rhapsody by extremely rude females in their 50s who moved our daughters' belongings while they were taking a swim. It is a pool chair for godsakes, partial time in the pool, partial time in the chair. Well, sure wish I would have had a chair pole to poke those women with. Actually, I wish those women would have found a childless cruise to go on. (and for those of you who are asking where are the parents in this picture? Well, we were watching in amazement from the hot tub while our towels, books and souvenir glasses were hogging a couple of chairs of their own.) I have decided that if I ever cruise again I'll use the old "how to not get your stroller stolen at a theme park" routine and put a crap infested towel on my chair to hold my spot until I'm ready to return. Bet no one will touch that with a ten foot chair hog pole!:eek:

[bplazo]

I have never had trouble finding a chair on deck, but i prefer out of the way spots. I would have trouble moving someones property from a chair even if they were a chair hog.

[Folgy]

I have never had trouble finding a chair on deck, but i prefer out of the way spots. I would have trouble moving someones property from a chair even if they were a chair hog.

 

 

I'm with you :)

 

I prefer the solarium or upper deck away from the screaming of kids/babies.

[climbsrocks]

JWLane: No need to back down from using creditable, the usage was fine...equal to or better than credible in this context.

 

Folks, why so quick to flame here? Dictionaries are only a mouse click away...

[PhoenixCruiser]

Isn't it odd how nobody ever admits to being a chair hog? It's always someone else who does it.............

 

Just like no one wants to admit that they have children from hell or use the ship as a babysitter....

 

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[Folgy]

Just like no one wants to admit that they have children from hell or use the ship as a babysitter....

 

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LMBO............I am just falling off my chair laughing :D

[mammallama]

JWLane: No need to back down from using creditable, the usage was fine...equal to or better than credible in this context.

 

Folks, why so quick to flame here? Dictionaries are only a mouse click away...

Took the words right out of my fingers. ;)

And by the way, I agree. The OP should spell 'poll' correctly and fix the two "very satisfied" categories for more accurate poll results.

[nynewfies]

I have to believe, based upon my own experience, that people on this board who consider chair hogs to be a manufactured problem are fortunate enough never to cruise during peak weeks, or perhaps have no sea days on their cruises. I think a cruise is the best vacation you can possibly have, and I do not wander around looking for things to complain about. But I have absolutely seen the MAJORITY of deck chairs (not just the ones adjacent to the pool) reserved by 8 a.m. I have also seen a MAJORITY of those chairs remain empty for hours. This is simply completely inconsiderate behavior. I have also been in relatively out of the way places (upper deck around the back, out of sight of the pool) and been passed by couples repeatedly circling looking for any empty chairs (read "unreserved" as opposed to "unoccupied" chairs - there are always lots of "unoccupied" chairs) to sit on. It is irritating that legitimate complaints are sometimes dismissed by people who question the motives and sensibilities of the people that post them. If you are lucky enough to never have experienced the problem, be grateful. But please don't dismiss the possibility that a problem actually might exist just because it hasn't affected you personally. I don't doubt that the Norwalk virus exists. I'm thrilled that I haven't contracted it.

[superjerryw]

I have to believe, based upon my own experience, that people on this board who consider chair hogs to be a manufactured problem are fortunate enough never to cruise during peak weeks, or perhaps have no sea days on their cruises. I think a cruise is the best vacation you can possibly have, and I do not wander around looking for things to complain about. But I have absolutely seen the MAJORITY of deck chairs (not just the ones adjacent to the pool) reserved by 8 a.m. I have also seen a MAJORITY of those chairs remain empty for hours. This is simply completely inconsiderate behavior. I have also been in relatively out of the way places (upper deck around the back, out of sight of the pool) and been passed by couples repeatedly circling looking for any empty chairs (read "unreserved" as opposed to "unoccupied" chairs - there are always lots of "unoccupied" chairs) to sit on. It is irritating that legitimate complaints are sometimes dismissed by people who question the motives and sensibilities of the people that post them. If you are lucky enough to never have experienced the problem, be grateful. But please don't dismiss the possibility that a problem actually might exist just because it hasn't affected you personally. I don't doubt that the Norwalk virus exists. I'm thrilled that I haven't contracted it.

 

Great post!! The problem does exist and those that do not encounter it are lucky. I have no desire to sit near the pool so I don't really care. It's far more entertaining to go to the deck above the pool and watch the fights below. I'm out and about early in the morning and I always see people near the pool claiming a chair and then leaving to go to breakfast or back to their cabin to go back to sleep. It's selfish behavior and nothing else. I particularly like it when a large group sends one person to claim a row of chairs and then chase other people away from using them. It's important to note that chair hogging is not lmited to the pool as it happens in the theatre as well. On one cruise a group of about a dozen people would send one person to claim the front row in the balcony in the theatre at least 30 minutes before the show would start. The rest of the group would show up just as the curtain was going up. On the third day of the cruise my wife and I sat down in the middle of the row of seats this guy was saving. He started yelling at us that the seats were taken. I told him where he could go and guess what, he knew he was wrong and he disappeared.

[frayedend]

Just like no one wants to admit that they have children from hell or use the ship as a babysitter....

 

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I have children from hell and I admit it. I don't use the ship as a babysitter though. I wonder if there is a 12 step program for people with children from hell. My wife won't let me shave their heads, but I'm sure if I did I would find 666 on there somewhere. :)

[AngieBaby161]

I just realized I mis-voted. :eek: I thought the next to last option said

very dissatisfied. Fix the poll...2 satisfied options are not needed

[pltag]

But I have absolutely seen the MAJORITY of deck chairs (not just the ones adjacent to the pool) reserved by 8 a.m.

Were you looking for a chair at 8 A.M., how did this affect you......just curious? :confused: :confused: