What if you can't find a chair on the deck?

[LandlockedCruiser01]

This thread goes off on a tangent from the usual chair hog threads. You know (or can imagine) the situation: you go out to the Lido pool in the morning, only to find all chairs either occupied or hogged. And let's assume that you don't exactly feel comfortable moving someone's possessions. What do people do in that case?

 

Has anyone, in desperation, just set up camp by laying their towel and setting their possessions on an empty space on the deck, next to existing chairs? (I've seen people do this at land-based public swimming pools.) Or maybe placed their towel folded on the pool's edge, or more precisely, the raised barrier around the pool? Obviously, you won't be able to lie in the sun without a chair (the deck is too hard), but simply being on the open deck will give you just as much sunlight.

 

Long story short, if you can't find a chair on the deck, what do you do?

[firefly333]

Most people would just find a chair further away from the pool.

 

There are always empty lounge chairs. Always.. why would you stake out ground near a chair instead of just going to find a empty lounge chair..

 

On conquest for instance .. go up one deck .. tons of empty chairs.

 

In the aft area by the other pool .. I always can find empty lounge chairs.

 

Just for those who want to be right in front of the pool its a issue. Get over it.. find another chair. Why waste your vacation on waiting for a chair for goodness sake.

[reefisher]

You mentioned wanting to lay in the sun. The two decks above the Lido are better for that, and there are almost always empty lounge chairs. If you want to go in the pool, you don't need a chair.

[beachbum53]

If you don't absolutely have to have a lounge chair right by the pool, there are lounge chairs to be found elsewhere on the Lido deck area, and the sun shines on them too. Take a look around, and if you see an empty chair, and there's someone nearby, ask if they've seen anyone using it within the last 20 minutes. The general rule of thumb is, if a chair's been unoccupied for at least thirty minutes, it's available. You may have to "camp out" on your beach towel on the deck for 1/2 hour to watch for an available lounge chair.

[BeccaBecca1713]

Luckily I have no desire to set up camp next to the pool. Too loud and noisy and crowded for me.

 

On Spirit Class ships there is an open deck right under the whale tail. It's awesome! And the max folks that have been up there when I go is maybe 8, yet they set up about 30-40 loungers. It's like having your own personal gigantic uncovered balcony!:cool:

[Texarribean Chick]

If there is room around the pool area, just no lounge chairs - I will stand in the empty area and DH will ask a waiter (tip in hand) to bring us some empty chairs from another area. He has also gone himself and gotten empty chairs (say from a shady area) and moved them where we wanted them. Some folks think you cannot do this; but honestly - the staff does not care.

 

Have Fun!

[kmrnclrk]

I know at least on the Legend (before dry dock), the old "topless" deck (which apparently was not topless at that point, even though the sign read 18+ on the stairs going up there), just forward of the Whale Tail had about 10 stacks of lounge chairs every day. Just stacked up. With nobody using them. And nobody on that deck. That would be my first stop on any of these ships. I'm sure they all have a place they stack unused deck chairs.

 

Edit: I believe BeccaBecca1713 is talking about the same location as well

[pcvtmom]

There are plenty of chairs away from the pool area. To me, there's better "real estate" to be found elsewhere anyway. Find a sunny, quiet spot on an upper deck and enjoy!

[beebold]

A different question in the same vain: is it difficult to find chairs in the shade?

 

I want to be outside but I have a sensitivity to the sun.

[pcvtmom]

You can always drag a chair to a shady spot, but we've found that the Serenity areas generally have lots of shady spaces, unused. My husband prefers shade, and I like to get some sun! We head to Serenity, where it's easier to get a single chair in a sunny spot and a shady place for him.

[westview1]

Luckily I have no desire to set up camp next to the pool. Too loud and noisy and crowded for me.

 

On Spirit Class ships there is an open deck right under the whale tail. It's awesome! And the max folks that have been up there when I go is maybe 8, yet they set up about 30-40 loungers. It's like having your own personal gigantic uncovered balcony!:cool:

 

I know at least on the Legend (before dry dock), the old "topless" deck (which apparently was not topless at that point, even though the sign read 18+ on the stairs going up there), just forward of the Whale Tail had about 10 stacks of lounge chairs every day. Just stacked up. With nobody using them. And nobody on that deck. That would be my first stop on any of these ships. I'm sure they all have a place they stack unused deck chairs.

 

Edit: I believe BeccaBecca1713 is talking about the same location as well

 

We have always been able to find chairs on this deck as well. If you can't find an empty chair, they usually have loungers stacked and secured. Find a crew member and ask them if they can get you one of them. I've never seen them say no.

[geoherb]

On our cruise on the Fantasy last week there were times when there were not any empty chairs anywhere. People laid down on the deck on their towels. Fortunately, I avoid getting sun and did not want a chair. We found a dry spot to put our things while we were in the pool and hot tub.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

I see. Somehow, I didn't think about setting up camp on a chair farther away from the Lido deck pool and just walking over there; I have no problem doing that. My concern was about not being able to find a chair at all, but it seems like that's not an issue. The only caveat is that if I set up camp farther away and walk to the pool, I'll end up looking like the chair hogs that everyone on Cruise Critic loves to hate. Perhaps a note "swimming at Lido" attached with a clothespin to the towel will help.

[sparks1093]

I've always been able to find a chair somewhere. Usually DW and I are only interested in being in the hot tub and when we go up on deck for that we don't have much stuff with us, and it can go pretty much anywhere while we're use the tub.

[oklahomaeande]

IMHO I find it funny that people fight to sit around the pool. I paid for a cruise and I want to watch the ocean go by. It may be a little different this time since kiddos are going, but when I have time I am not going to fight to sit around the little pool when there is the big ocean there!!!:p

[Texarribean Chick]

I see. Somehow, I didn't think about setting up camp on a chair farther away from the Lido deck pool and just walking over there; I have no problem doing that. My concern was about not being able to find a chair at all, but it seems like that's not an issue. The only caveat is that if I set up camp farther away and walk to the pool, I'll end up looking like the chair hogs that everyone on Cruise Critic loves to hate. Perhaps a note "swimming at Lido" attached with a clothespin to the towel will help.

 

I wouldn't even been concerned. That's one of the good things about being close to the pool - you can keep an eye on your things. The pool is nice (very cold, even in summertime); but DH and I find that once we have "cooled off" - we go directly back to our chairs.

[Ksea1961]

Have not been on a cruise in a while so I was trying to relate this issue to a non cruise vacation. While at hotel pools we find chair and table hogs too. If after about 30 minutes no one shows up at the chair or table...my hubby removes the stuff, piles it up in a corner nearby, and we take over. We have never had the original occupiers come back and say anything to us. Why is it so different on a ship?

[finsupcruiser]

You mentioned wanting to lay in the sun. The two decks above the Lido are better for that, and there are almost always empty lounge chairs. If you want to go in the pool, you don't need a chair.

 

We always go one deck or two from Lido.

 

always plenty of chairs--sometimes more crowded on boat days.

 

It is always quieter:)

[nessz79]

The only time I've ever found it difficult to find *any* chair was on the Destiny in June, 2010. We did find some finally, but it took several rounds around the upper decks before we finally found a stack of chairs and just pulled 4 down.

[Runaway Parent]

IMHO I find it funny that people fight to sit around the pool. I paid for a cruise and I want to watch the ocean go by. It may be a little different this time since kiddos are going, but when I have time I am not going to fight to sit around the little pool when there is the big ocean there!!!:p

 

Amen to that sentiment! It's also much noisier around the pool. Or maybe I'm just showing my age...

[INTERLINER13]

On the last cruise I went on we left the chairs for under 30 minutes to grab some food. By the time we returned our towels were gone. It was weird because there were plenty of chairs around the area.

I have saved a chair near the pool, and if I wake up late and one cant be found. I just head somewhere else. There are always seats somewhere.

 

I find it funny that people actually remove the stuff. Just because someone saved a seat doesnt mean it was saved for you. If everyone removed there stuff when they left, you still would not be guaranteed a chair near the pool. Chances are they would all be occupied with people. Remove the stuff, and see how long the seats last. Im willing to bet seconds. There are other people looking for seats as well, and those seats were not reserved for you.

If you take someone elses seat that is just like saying. Thank you for reserving my seat for me.

 

And if you do plan on taking stuff off the seats, at least ask the pool attendant as he has the actual right to remove the stuff. You wouldnt do a policemans job for them.

[sparks1093]

On the last cruise I went on we left the chairs for under 30 minutes to grab some food. By the time we returned our towels were gone. It was weird because there were plenty of chairs around the area.

I have saved a chair near the pool, and if I wake up late and one cant be found. I just head somewhere else. There are always seats somewhere.

 

I find it funny that people actually remove the stuff. Just because someone saved a seat doesnt mean it was saved for you. If everyone removed there stuff when they left, you still would not be guaranteed a chair near the pool. Chances are they would all be occupied with people. Remove the stuff, and see how long the seats last. Im willing to bet seconds. There are other people looking for seats as well, and those seats were not reserved for you.

If you take someone elses seat that is just like saying. Thank you for reserving my seat for me.

 

And if you do plan on taking stuff off the seats, at least ask the pool attendant as he has the actual right to remove the stuff. You wouldnt do a policemans job for them.

 

That's the thing, you aren't guarenteed a chair near the pool. After 30 minutes of you not being it it your chair is fair game.

[FightOnRon]

I brought this up last week somehwere so thought this would be a good thread to ask.

 

How insane is this? On the SPlendor we are on deck 3. Deck four,,by the deckplans,,is the outside deck under the lifeboats. Could I carry one of those folding chairs that comes in a bag onto the ship with me?

 

Then all I would have to do is go up one deck with my chair and plop my buns outside on a huge balcony.

[Homosassa]

I don't bother with a lounge chair in the sun. On ships where there is a one foot or so wall around the pool and then a shelf area where the water from the pool can swash out of the pool, I put my stuff on the wall and then sit on the shelf area. I stay cool with the water swishing around me.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Most people would just find a chair further away from the pool.

 

There are always empty lounge chairs. Always.. why would you stake out ground near a chair instead of just going to find a empty lounge chair..

 

On conquest for instance .. go up one deck .. tons of empty chairs.

 

In the aft area by the other pool .. I always can find empty lounge chairs.

 

Just for those who want to be right in front of the pool its a issue. Get over it.. find another chair. Why waste your vacation on waiting for a chair for goodness sake.

 

This. I go up a deck and have a pick of over 40 chairs. Even a refreshing freshwater shower up there as well.

 

But if I had little kids, needed to be by the pool and saw hogged chairs for over an hour, I would get a attendant to move the stuff.