What do you do about "Chair Hogs"?

[mmmmbacon]

So here is a dilemma that I see on every cruise I have been on...people who go out to the deck and place their towels (and a random book or bottle of suntan lotion) on a chair and then walk away for hours. Yes, some cruise lines post signs warning against the practice, but that does not deter the people from grabbing chairs, especially on days at sea.

 

Any way to combat this?

[30thbirthdaygirls]

Bundle them up nicely and put behind the chair and if they finally return to actually use them say someone else had just left the chair and you'd been in the pool for awhile waiting for a chair and you'd been there for awhile with no sign of anyone and didn't notice their stuff (crap) that the previous person must have moved. If they say they were reserving them then be straight to the point and tell them it's not allowed and they obviously had not been there for awhile whilst others may of wanted to use them. If they can't follow rules then why should you worry about them, be sure they have been gone for a while though so it doesn't backfire in your face.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[beachbum53]

Learn to speak a foreign language, like French, Chinese, or Russian before going on your cruise. Then, after you've removed the chair hog's items and parked your own self in the lounge chair, and he/she returns some time later in the day and starts putting up a fuss, pretend like you don't understand, as you speak to the chair hog in a foreign language.;):D

[30thbirthdaygirls]

I like that idea i can speak a little French and Chinese, being a blonde Caucasian I don't think I could get away with them believing Chinese is my first language though maybe I will reserve that for the European chair hogs lol!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[donaldsc]

I would like to throw their stuff out but that is stealing. However, moving the stuff to a chair on the other side and end and deck of the ship is not stealing.

 

DON

[Hlitner]

I would like to throw their stuff out but that is stealing. However, moving the stuff to a chair on the other side and end and deck of the ship is not stealing.

 

DON

 

Instead of moving it simply take it to a crew member and say that somebody must have forgotten the stuff and left it on deck. It then goes to Lost and Found.

 

Hank

[Faie]

It doesn't always mean that the person is away for a long time because you see their stuff. Last cruise I was on I put my stuff on a chair and went to the pool for a very short cool down and when I came back, you got it! I was some what mad! :(

[sparks1093]

Whenever I've wanted to sit and get a little sun I've never had a problem finding a deck chair. Might not have been by the pool but the sun shines just as brightly on other decks;) (I can see where this is a problem but if there is something to be done about it the onus falls on the cruise line, I am not going to waste time watching a bunch of chairs to see if they remain vacant for 30 minutes just so I can move the stuff only to be confronted by some idiot with a large chip on their shoulder).

[JustCruiseMe]

The ONLY way I could see someone feeling like they had to have a front row seat to the pool is if they had children to watch otherwise there are plenty of 2nd row chairs, no biggie. But you shouldn't be able to save chairs without being there in it or in the pool.

[cb at sea]

Unless there are NO loungers at all, I don't worry about "saved" chairs...there are usually plenty! We actually prefer being up a deck from the pool, as the chairs aren't crammed together like they are on the pool deck. There's space to move loungers about up a flight or two....and it's not hard to walk down a flight of stairs to hop in the pool!

[Happy ks]

The last thing I would want is a confrontation with another person on a cruise. I just go find another lounger. Our preference is not right by the pool, up a deck instead. I fail to see what the big deal is to get a lounger right by the pool…so crowded there.

 

The last time I sat close to the pool (last April) was on a port day, we returned to the ship and just went there to watch the concert video, there was plenty of space since many hadn't returned to the ship yet. I had my feet crossed at the bottom of the chair. The woman in front of me went to adjust her chair back and it slammed down on my toe. She apologized, I know she didn't mean to hurt me…and I had no idea the chairs were THAT close by the pool. Hopefully the bruise across my toenail will have grown out by this next Aprils cruise.

Edited February 8, 2014 by Happy ks

[evanevanevans]

Instead of moving it simply take it to a crew member and say that somebody must have forgotten the stuff and left it on deck. It then goes to Lost and Found.

 

Hank

 

 

 

... that is a brilliant solution ... I'm going with that if the need arises

[6rugrats]

So here is a dilemma that I see on every cruise I have been on...people who go out to the deck and place their towels (and a random book or bottle of suntan lotion) on a chair and then walk away for hours. Yes, some cruise lines post signs warning against the practice, but that does not deter the people from grabbing chairs, especially on days at sea.

 

Any way to combat this?

 

There must be a hundred threads already discussing this same subject.

I would thing a user named mmmmbacon would love running into chair hogs.

[iuki]

Instead of moving it simply take it to a crew member and say that somebody must have forgotten the stuff and left it on deck. It then goes to Lost and Found.

 

Hank

 

I love your solution! :cool: :D

[Hydrokitty]

I love your solution! :cool: :D

 

I love this solution too....also speaking a foreign language...I confess we take the coward's way out and always get a room with a balcony. that way I always have a lounge chair when I want it and I don't have to worry about my stuff when I use the bathroom or get something to eat....the worse that will happen (?) is the room steward took my kindle from where I had left it on the balcony and put it on the dresser because he was afraid it might fall overboard!! One other bonus is the peace and quiet.:D

[agargoyle]

I have to agree with Hydrokitty, one of the reasons I get a balcony is so I can enjoy the sunshine any time I want with out fuss,noise or crowded conditions.

 

Not a big pool person anyway so never look for chairs near the pool.

 

Most ships now have an area that is removed from the pool, in full sun and have many lounges.

 

Spice H2O on the Breakaway is adults only, the bed lounges get taken early but you can always find some sort of seating in the sun.

[4x4bob]

A few years ago on a Sea Day I had gotten up early and was walking around the ship with my camera taking photo's. After picking up a cup of coffee I was sitting over looking the pool area.

 

A person came out to the pool area with several towels draped over the left arm and a bag of stuff in the right hand. Then proceeded to drop a towel and something onto three chairs by the pool. Then they looked around and saw me watching. One more chair and one more look up at me.

 

At that time I held up my camera and let it swing back and forth by the strap.

 

The Olympic track team wanted that person from the speed they displayed leaving the area. :D Later I was sorry that I had not taken any photo's

 

But, I do remember that time every time I see a towel on a chair and no one in the pool.

 

Bob

[Cruisin' Chick]

On my last cruise, I went to the pool area to watch the movie, but had trouble finding chairs in the shady area on the non-smoking side. I did see a deck chair that had a paperback book and a sheer blouse on it. I asked the people sitting around it if that person had been there within the past 30 minutes (the amount of time posted by Princess). They all shrugged -- they hadn't seen that person and a couple of them have said they've been there longer than that. So I took the items and missed it to a little table nearby and told the others, "You didn't see that." Laughter.

 

Was there for a while (at least 30 minutes, I believe) and a woman showed up, and took the items. I guess she decided not to confront me as she had a sheepish look on her face. If she had said anything, I would have 1) pretend the chair was empty when I got there, and 2) add, a besides "there's a rule against 'reserving chairs'."

 

I like some of the other ideas. I have suggested on comment cards that cubby holes for putting your towels, etc., would be helpful.

[gary19699]

Super glue the seat and with a bit of luck there ass will be on it ok

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Hydrokitty]

On my last cruise' date=' I went to the pool area to watch the movie, but had trouble finding chairs in the shady area on the non-smoking side. I did see a deck chair that had a paperback book and a sheer blouse on it. I asked the people sitting around it if that person had been there within the past 30 minutes (the amount of time posted by Princess). They all shrugged -- they hadn't seen that person and a couple of them have said they've been there longer than that. So I took the items and missed it to a little table nearby and told the others, "You didn't see that." Laughter.

 

Was there for a while (at least 30 minutes, I believe) and a woman showed up, and took the items. I guess she decided not to confront me as she had a sheepish look on her face. If she had said anything, I would have 1) pretend the chair was empty when I got there, and 2) add, a besides "there's a rule against 'reserving chairs'."

 

I like some of the other ideas. I have suggested on comment cards that cubby holes for putting your towels, etc., would be helpful.[/quote']

 

We've all got ideas about what we'd LIKE to do to chair hogs, but you actually came up with a good idea! I like the idea of a cubby case where you could place someone's belongings for safe keeping. The only real problem with all of this is how do you know the stuff hasn't been left by someone who just found the vacant chair, put down their stuff and went for a dip in the pool. I would really HATE to have that happen to me and I think most of us would feel badly if we did it to someone like that.

[sparks1093]

We've all got ideas about what we'd LIKE to do to chair hogs, but you actually came up with a good idea! I like the idea of a cubby case where you could place someone's belongings for safe keeping. The only real problem with all of this is how do you know the stuff hasn't been left by someone who just found the vacant chair, put down their stuff and went for a dip in the pool. I would really HATE to have that happen to me and I think most of us would feel badly if we did it to someone like that.

 

That's the thing, most people aren't really that aware of what is going on around them and even with asking the people next to the lounger about it you can't be sure that they are right. The only way I would feel comfortable moving someone's stuff is if I have watched the chair(s) in question for the proscribed time and I am not about to watch a chair while on vacation. Cubby holes would be nice so if someone wanted to take a quick dip in the pool or hot tub they wouldn't have to leave their things on the edge of the pool.

[kellane]

On our last cruise, DH went up to the gym while I lounged by the pool. After an hour had passed and no one had even bothered touching the stuff in the lounger beside me, I politely moved their things so that someone (my DH) could actually use the chair.

[baronessk]

As someone who often travels single/solo, it is difficult to sometimes reserve your rights (as you dash off for a slice of pizza or to the loo for example) and not be accused of chair hogging. The whole 2+ hours I was in a lounger on my last cruise, there was a chair next to me with a towel and one sneaker on it. There was a gentleman behind me who was asked by an ”ahem” lady if the chairs surrounding him were being used and he said yes. She then told him in no uncertain terms that you were not allowed to save chairs. He told her that he could assure her they were just over there in the pool. She scored a chair near-by and within 10 minutes, 2 more became available and she plopped down 2 of her party in those chairs. Literally 2 mins. later her DH asked what time it was and she said 1:00. He said, “what I thought it was like 11:00. Let’s go eat lunch at the buffet.” So they left all of their stuff and took off for lunch. I guess the rules don’t apply when you look in the mirror!!! Lol

[Cruisin' Chick]

We've all got ideas about what we'd LIKE to do to chair hogs, but you actually came up with a good idea! I like the idea of a cubby case where you could place someone's belongings for safe keeping. The only real problem with all of this is how do you know the stuff hasn't been left by someone who just found the vacant chair, put down their stuff and went for a dip in the pool. I would really HATE to have that happen to me and I think most of us would feel badly if we did it to someone like that.

 

One thing, I did look at the pool and there were only kids in it (and obviously the items left on this chair didn't belong to a child) and the people were sitting right in eyesight of this chair, and a couple did say they were watching the first movie of the day, so they were there for a while. So I did feel justified that the person hadn't just made a trip to the restroom or was in the pool. And as it turned out, it was someone who had dumped her stuff in the chair for some time.

 

As someone who often travels single/solo, it is difficult to sometimes reserve your rights (as you dash off for a slice of pizza or to the loo for example) and not be accused of chair hogging. The whole 2+ hours I was in a lounger on my last cruise, there was a chair next to me with a towel and one sneaker on it. There was a gentleman behind me who was asked by an ”ahem” lady if the chairs surrounding him were being used and he said yes. She then told him in no uncertain terms that you were not allowed to save chairs. He told her that he could assure her they were just over there in the pool. She scored a chair near-by and within 10 minutes, 2 more became available and she plopped down 2 of her party in those chairs. Literally 2 mins. later her DH asked what time it was and she said 1:00. He said, “what I thought it was like 11:00. Let’s go eat lunch at the buffet.” So they left all of their stuff and took off for lunch. I guess the rules don’t apply when you look in the mirror!!! Lol

 

And going to the buffet does not entitle one to save a chair. If it was the case of a couple who took turns getting a plate and returning to the chair with their food, I can go with that (as you can usually grab a plate of food in less than 30 minutes in most cases).

 

A few cruises ago, my tween had gotten a plate of pizza at the poolside grill. We looked around for a place she can sit and eat-- none. I finally saw a deck chair that was empty. Someone said the person sitting there was watching the ice carving demo. I looked over and it looked like it would be going on for a while, so I said, in the meantime, my daughter will sit here and eat her food. When she was done, we left.

 

The deck chairs are not reservable. There are now areas on some ships that adults can pay for a reserved deck chair in an area for adults only. Maybe someone interested in being a chair hog can be sent over there; else, if your butt isn't in the chair for 30 minutes (and you're not in the pool), you have no right to bully others on the pool deck.

[30thbirthdaygirls]

Just saw a pic of the sign stating if someone who away from their chair after 30minutes can collect their belongings from towel area. So I'll be just handing stuff in to towel area on my next cruise and if they dare to come back to their chair and confront me I'll just ask them to check for their stuff over at the towels and look clueless about the minor details of me off loading their crap there.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums