Beach chair and umbrella

[Rich 1]

Hi all

Just had a quick question .And this is no way a major issue. I was curious as to other people’s experience?

We sail out of Miami on the 28th March for ten days around the Caribbean to St Bart ,Antigua ,Barbados Tortola and St Lucia. All great beach destinations. This for us is a beach and ocean vacation - on the water in the water and under the water.

1 I asked a supervisor if I could bring on board a small fold up beach chair and beach umbrella to use on the beaches.

The answer was “NO. It’s against written company policy”. I asked to be emailed the policy. The answer after 5 minutes on hold was it was not written into company policy.

2 The next statement was we have chairs and umbrellas for you to use on the ship for shade. I stated again this is for use on the beach not the ship.

3 The next statement was the airlines will not allow you to fly with the umbrella and chair.

We have purchased them in Miami.

4 We can’t allow them as there is no room to store the umbrella and chair.

We have a 420sf penthouse and I stated that as far as I knew I could bring on board as many suitcases as I wanted and they would take up more room than a chair and umbrella.

5. Some people are in smaller rooms and the space is limited.

But we are not.

7 The shore excursions use private contractors and for liability issues will not allow chairs and umbrellas on the tours.

We are doing all private excursions.

8 The private tender service will not allow a chair and umbrella on the tender- not even wheelchairs or strollers are allowed – liability issues.

I asked whether the ship uses its own lifeboat or contracts with a private tender service. I then asked how this was applicable to the islands that we dock at rather than tender into.

The end result was I CAN NOT take my umbrella and chair on board.

Am I missing some logical explanation???As mentioned above this is not a major issue.

Rich

[Rich 1]

Issue resolved.

 

Head office called me and said my small chair and umbrella are OK.:) They have placed a note in my file so I will have no issues at boarding

 

WOW That's costumer service

 

Rich

[eddmel]

From a safety perspective, the O policy seems well grounded. I seem to recall being banged in the knee and elsewhere in beach type settings as others fail to control the items they are carrying. Permitting personal chairs, etc. is an accident waiting to happen.

[Ronniewales]

Issue resolved.

 

Head office called me and said my small chair and umbrella are OK.:) They have placed a note in my file so I will have no issues at boarding

 

WOW That's costumer service

 

Rich

 

Souldnt that be WOW I wonder who else reads cruise critic.:confused:

[JimandStan]

As with so many of these "Why can't I" questions, Oceania is probably trying to maintain some sort of a standard in a World that is increasingly free form.

 

You may say now, from the vantage point of your home, that you don't "want" to use the chair on the ship, but if you had it with you, and the Oceania seating in what you saw as a desirable area was full....

Then too, when entering and leaving the ship (even a docked ship), the doorways are narrow, and the slope of the gangway can be steep (tides are tides, after all).

 

Finally, if a chair and an umbrella are important factors in your enjoyment of the beach, the Concierge will happily give you a list of locations where they may be rented at very reasonable rates. Every Caribbean Island offers this service, and you won't have the chair to wash and carry! :D

Enjoy your cruise!

[Rich 1]

As with so many of these "Why can't I" questions, Oceania is probably trying to maintain some sort of a standard in a World that is increasingly free form.

 

You may say now, from the vantage point of your home, that you don't "want" to use the chair on the ship, but if you had it with you, and the Oceania seating in what you saw as a desirable area was full....

Then too, when entering and leaving the ship (even a docked ship), the doorways are narrow, and the slope of the gangway can be steep (tides are tides, after all).

 

Finally, if a chair and an umbrella are important factors in your enjoyment of the beach, the Concierge will happily give you a list of locations where they may be rented at very reasonable rates. Every Caribbean Island offers this service, and you won't have the chair to wash and carry! :D

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Thank you for the reply.

 

We rent a car in port and for the most part like quiet secluded beaches that generally have no facilities / vendors /chairs umbrellas.

 

We are in our early fifties and play competitive sports and I can assure you that the elderly cruiser that can hardly walk( wheelchair / scooter / walker / cane) is far more of a danger than I could ever be with my umbrella and chair.

 

I am sure we will enjoy the cruise:)

 

Rich