What exactly is a "Chair Hog?"

[Host Jacquelyn]

Carol,

 

By stating that most people have towels and personal items on the chair is hardly assuming the worst. Yes, I agree that things look suspicious when there is a chair with - as you mentioned - only a shoe on it, but to be honest I have never seen someone stroll up to the pool deck wearing only one shoe with no towel or pool cover-up/t-shirt. Is this common now?

[superjerryw]

Carol,

 

By stating that most people have towels and personal items on the chair is hardly assuming the worst. Yes, I agree that things look suspicious when there is a chair with - as you mentioned - only a shoe on it, but to be honest I have never seen someone stroll up to the pool deck wearing only one shoe with no towel or pool cover-up/t-shirt. Is this common now?

It is on the "clothing optional" cruises........:rolleyes:

[superjerryw]

And yes, I do agree with an earlier post that suggested "cubbies" so that people can place their belongings there, rather than on a chair, when all they really want to do is stow their stuff somewhere while they are in the pool or hot tub. Right now, the only options for placing your things while in the water is on the ground or on a chair.

If they set up cubbies we would just end up with cubbie hogs.....:rolleyes:

[cruise182]

Ahhh the age old chair hog debate. I will speak for what I have witnessed on my cruises. I, for the most part, park my hairy dairy on a chair and become one with it for the entire day. of course I will go for the intermittent potty /snack break. What I witness ALL around me during the day are 3 types of people

 

Classic Hog: Shows up before at the crack of dawn and save their seats for their entire family who are never all together in the first place. When they do show up it's well into the afternoon. This group doesn’t bother me because I realize they are just plain ignorant and do not know any better!!

 

The inconspicuous Hog: the one that reserves his and several other chair.........s reports to it for a 5 minute stay and then off to the pool or bingo, or dinning room or ........ Reserved all day used a total of 1 hour tops. This group bothers me the most because they think they are beating the system!!

 

The Hog: I fall into this category. I get on the chair and become one with it. almost permantly bonded to it!! Family members all know where I am and I keep tabs on who went where...kinda like the information center for the Ferrell clan!!

[Nliedel]

Sorry people disagree but I have a cut off and that is that. If you are in the pool then you are in the pool and I would of course give the chair back but the behavior of people who just drop crap on a chair and take off has led us to this. It would be nice if every chair with something on it was being used by someone swimming or playing pool games but that seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

 

No, you cannot go to the dining room for a sit down meal and expect your chair to be there

 

No, you cannot go take a nap and expect your chair to be there

 

No, you cannot go shopping and expect your chair to be there

 

No, you cannot go play bingo and expect your chair to be there

 

It is not me who is rude, it's the people who make it hard for those of us who do not wake at the crack of dawn or who are in the pool. Yes I swim for half an hour too, but I also am close enough to say something to someone who sits in my chair, and no, not something rude.

 

The "half hour rule" is fair because that is enough time, imo, for someone to go to thier room, grab their stuff and come back. Sorry it does not work for everyone but it's the length of time I am willing to stand there like some sort of moron waiting for a chair to open up.

[mcaron]

Are you serious? Is this what's done now... lying on someone else's lounge chair while they are swimming :confused: ? Do the rest of you guys do this too? Would you lie on my towel, too? If not, what would you do with it... put it on the dirty floor? Crumple it up by your feet? Where would you put my stuff while you are lying on the chair? And don't you think it would be more of an inconvenience for you to gather up all your belongings and move again once I come out of the pool? Maybe I am in the minority here, but I find this behavior horribly presumptuous and rude.

 

Here- Here.... Jacquelyn...........You are absolutely 100% correct. In reviewing and unfortunately getting myself entangled in the debate of another thread on this topic I have come to realize that some on this board have assumed the position of Deck Chair police. There have been many assumptions made and accusations that followed that are extremely unfortunate. If you would like a Deck Chair in a particular area of the ship, then get there early and use it, First come First serve. When you are done, or intend to head off to another activity ( other than Pool related, Bathroom break, quick trip to cabin to retireve something or a trip to the Windjammer and return with a snack) then remove your belongings and vacate the chair for someone else to use.

[muscleman]

RCCL should do like princess cruise line. They have someone coming around moving towels all day.

[Soxfan05]

Yup, I disagree. We have particpated in the RCCL-run pool activities - many of which last about a half hour - and we have no choice but to leave our stuff on the chair for that long. Come to think of it, I have gone swimming in the pool for more than a half hour too, and of course left my stuff on a lounge chair - is this chair hog behavior?? By many folks' black-and-white 'half hour rule', I suppose it is, but what other choice is there? To all those self-proclaimed chair-hog police out there, would you stop and ask where the person was for the half hour before confronting them?

 

I agree with you Jacqueline, I think the steadfast 30 minute rule is ridiculous. I will be vacationing with my kids and if we are enjoying ourselves in the pool, I'm not going to clock watch to make sure I haven't exceeded my 30 minutes of chair vacancy.

 

We vacation at an AI and I had this happen to us by a presumptuous family. We were exploring the pool actually, IN THE POOL (1/2 mile long) and when we came back, our stuff was not only moved but totally GONE. I found remnants of my children's sand toys and the woman claimed NOT to have seen the rest. RUDE RUDE RUDE

[Emmabelle]

I have a problem with it when I'm on the upper deck covered in goose bumps (9:00am in April on the Sovereign) while there are at least 50 decks chairs on the pool deck below with just a towel and one beach sandal on them. :mad: Thanks for letting me vent. :)

[Ken]

My opinion FWIW is that the only acceptable way to reserve a chair is to have your butt in it. If you get up, let someone else have the chair. If everyone did this, there would be plenty of seats all day long. Since no two people can agree on an acceptable reason or length of time for saving a chair, completely eliminating the practice seems best. I have never moved anyone's stuff to take the seat, but then I should not be put in that position.

[Nliedel]

OK *If* you move someone's stuff then you are responsible for it, period, until you leave. Put it under the chair. Do not use it, abuse it, get water on it or in any other way harm it. be nice and treat their stuff as you treat your own, or in the case of my children better. When you are done with the chair put it back. Just makes sense to me.

[TheWog]

Way to go Lisa!

[WeBeCruisin']

Yup, I disagree. We have particpated in the RCCL-run pool activities - many of which last about a half hour - and we have no choice but to leave our stuff on the chair for that long. Come to think of it, I have gone swimming in the pool for more than a half hour too, and of course left my stuff on a lounge chair - is this chair hog behavior?? By many folks' black-and-white 'half hour rule', I suppose it is, but what other choice is there? To all those self-proclaimed chair-hog police out there, would you stop and ask where the person was for the half hour before confronting them?

 

My suggestion would be for the ships to have an area on each side of the pool area where there would be a bank of 12" BY 12" cubbyholes where people could put their stuff while they were in the pool, getting lunch, going back to the room, winkie-tinking, etc. When they returned, they would simply pick their stuff up and take one of the many empty chairs that would be available under such a system. There would be no chair hogs, and there would probably always be chairs available. If someone decided to hog the chair anyway, there would be a sign advising other passengers to place the hog's belongings in a cubbyhole. That way, there would be no arguments, no need to define what a chair hog is, and everyone would have an equal opportunity to enjoy the pool area. Or is that too simple?

 

Allen

[cruise182]

My suggestion would be for the ships to have an area on each side of the pool area where there would be a bank of 12" BY 12" cubbyholes where people could put their stuff while they were in the pool' date=' getting lunch, going back to the room, winkie-tinking, etc. When they returned, they would simply pick their stuff up and take one of the many empty chairs that would be available under such a system. There would be no chair hogs, and there would probably always be chairs available. If someone decided to hog the chair anyway, there would be a sign advising other passengers to place the hog's belongings in a cubbyhole. That way, there would be no arguments, no need to define what a chair hog is, and everyone would have an equal opportunity to enjoy the pool area. Or is that too simple?

 

Allen[/quote']

 

I like it!!! I would only add that one should ask the deck hand to remove the belongings....I for one would not want to be accused of stealing or damaging some one else’s stuff!!

[WeBeCruisin']

And yes, I do agree with an earlier post that suggested "cubbies" so that people can place their belongings there, rather than on a chair, when all they really want to do is stow their stuff somewhere while they are in the pool or hot tub.

 

Carol

 

That might have been me ( I know, "I" is proper, but it sounds presumptious:) ) who suggested that. I've mentioned it a couple of times in the past year, but the suggestion has always seemed to be ignored. Sigh. I may be overlooking some entanglement, but it seems like a simple idea which would entirely eliminate the chairhog problem.

 

Allen

[WeBeCruisin']

I like it!!! I would only add that one should ask the deck hand to remove the belongings....I for one would not want to be accused of stealing or damaging some one else’s stuff!!

 

Good point! That would make it even better and less confrontational.

 

Allen

[cruise182]

That might have been me ( I know' date=' "I" is proper, but it sounds presumptious:) ) who suggested that. I've mentioned it a couple of times in the past year, but the suggestion has always seemed to be ignored. Sigh. I may be overlooking some entanglement, but it seems like a simple idea which would entirely eliminate the chairhog problem.

 

Allen[/quote']

 

I find when one makes a suggestion or comment that could end the "problem" it gets ignored. Can't argue with common sense......well then again.....

[WeBeCruisin']

For the chair hogs who want to argue that they don't have time to look through all the cubbyholes for their stuff, each cubbyhole would be numbered. At the top, beside the number would be a nail or peg with one of those circular tags with a little ring attached to it which cost maybe a nickel apiece. The cubbyhole number would be written or printed on the tag, and when you put your stuff in the cubby, simply take the tag with you while you're gone. when you come back, just look at your tag number and, if you're proficient in counting, you should be able to go immediately to your cubby and retrieve your belongings to take with you to any of the numerous empty chairs which would be available.

 

Allen

[cruise182]

For the chair hogs who want to argue that they don't have time to look through all the cubbyholes for their stuff' date=' each cubbyhole would be numbered. At the top, beside the number would be a nail or peg with one of those circular tags with a little ring attached to it which cost maybe a nickel apiece. The cubbyhole number would be written or printed on the tag, and when you put your stuff in the cubby, simply take the tag with you while you're gone. when you come back, just look at your tag number and, if you're proficient in counting, you should be able to go immediately to your cubby and retrieve your belongings to take with you to any of the numerous empty chairs which would be available.

 

Allen[/quote']

 

Will Rogers:

"Common sense ain't common"

[butnzb]

In all honesty, on our last cruise I was never able to find a lounge chair open by or near the pool (for a solid week). So I am beginning to wonder - When you can't beat'em, join'em. I paid just like they did and would like to sit by the pool for a while too. I don't want to be a chair hog but ......

[superjerryw]

In all honesty, I don't think the cubbyhole idea would ever work. The number of people that just use the chairs to keep hold their stuff due to the lack of anywhere else to keep their stuff is small. The chair hogs believe they are entitled to have a chair for as long as they wish once they lay claim to it and "their stuff" is just their way of marking their territory. These people are oblivious to the fact that is simply is not right to claim a chair in the morning because you might want to use it in the afternoon. The hogs that claim a chair in the shade and one in the sun as well are totally disconnected from reality and clearly believe it's all about them and they can just do what they please.

[cruisin'chic]

I have found that the worst chair hogs seem to be during school/spring breaks. I have seen college kids save lines of chairs and then disappear for hours (probably back to bed ). I have also seen large families park "grandma" with a book, acting as guard dog. They don't come back either, too many kids, too many things to do. But just in case, Grandma will keep watch over those saved chairs. These are the REAL chair hogs, not someone in the pool for an hour. That to me is what should be curbed.:mad:

[WeBeCruisin']

In all honesty, I don't think the cubbyhole idea would ever work. The number of people that just use the chairs to keep hold their stuff due to the lack of anywhere else to keep their stuff is small. The chair hogs believe they are entitled to have a chair for as long as they wish once they lay claim to it and "their stuff" is just their way of marking their territory.

 

It would definitely depend upon the Pool Butlers and other passengers having the cojones to place the stuff from the unoccupied chair in a cubbyhole. And there would need to be signs stating that unattended stuff woudl automatically be moved. Once this happened a few times, the hogs would probably get tired of having to try and find their stuff in a cubbyhole, since they wouldn't have a tag to identify the cubby. And we could all lie back in our chairs with our drink of choice and point and giggle.:)

 

Allen

[terri23]

....I have also seen large families park "grandma" with a book' date=' acting as guard dog. They don't come back either, too many kids, too many things to do. But just in case, Grandma will keep watch over those saved chairs. ....:mad:[/quote']

 

I saw her on Rhapsody!! :eek:

[sk8man]

My suggestion would be for the ships to have an area on each side of the pool area where there would be a bank of 12" BY 12" cubbyholes where people could put their stuff while they were in the pool' date=' getting lunch, going back to the room, winkie-tinking, etc. When they returned, they would simply pick their stuff up and take one of the many empty chairs that would be available under such a system. There would be no chair hogs, and there would probably always be chairs available. If someone decided to hog the chair anyway, there would be a sign advising other passengers to place the hog's belongings in a cubbyhole. That way, there would be no arguments, no need to define what a chair hog is, and everyone would have an equal opportunity to enjoy the pool area. Or is that too simple?

 

Allen[/quote']

 

Ok, I'll be the foolish one and ask. What is "winkie-tinking"?