New policy re: chair hogs - 1/2 hour max??

[tbmrt]

I recently read that your "stuff" will be removed if you are away from your chair for more than half and hour and you'd have to go to Guest Services to pick it up.

 

Is this correct? I'm totally not into being a chair hog, but do spend lots of time in the pool with my feet in the water, especially if it is hot....Don't want to feel like I have to "keep an eye" on my lounge if I'm there for awhile or have to go back to "sit on my chair" for awhile before going into the water!

[jakenashleysmom]

On my recent Constellation cruise, any chairs with items left on them in the early morning (7:30 am) were given a paper card stating that exact thing. By noon the items and the notes were still on the chair....no worries, not enforced as usual.

[WestLakeGirl]

Not a new concept. It was in effect last winter, however the level of enforcement varies from ship to ship and cruise to cruise

[kevinyork]

They used the timed paper system on RCI last year. As it was a sunny transatlantic cruise so people were out in force on deck. Despite issuing the timed paper, the only occassion they actually removed clothing etc was when we complained that the occupants had been gone for three hours.

 

When the owners returned they were raising their voices in disgust at the deck patrol person and at the innocent people who had taken the freed up sunbeds.

 

One thing that really annoys me is to introduce a system then not actually enforce it.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Yellowfurbaby]

I definitely think this should be enforced. It is infuriating

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[spookwife]

I recently read that your "stuff" will be removed if you are away from your chair for more than half and hour and you'd have to go to Guest Services to pick it up.

 

Is this correct? I'm totally not into being a chair hog, but do spend lots of time in the pool with my feet in the water, especially if it is hot....Don't want to feel like I have to "keep an eye" on my lounge if I'm there for awhile or have to go back to "sit on my chair" for awhile before going into the water!

 

there's a difference between being IN THE POOL and leaving your stuff on a lounger and 'claiming' a lounger and then going to trivia, an Art Auction and then lunch on the MDR, or worse, in port.

 

20-30 minutes is plenty of time for people to go potty, grab a quick bite at the buffet or take a dip. More than that and you really do not need the lounger at all.

[Macadian]

there's a difference between being IN THE POOL and leaving your stuff on a lounger and 'claiming' a lounger and then going to trivia, an Art Auction and then lunch on the MDR, or worse, in port.

 

20-30 minutes is plenty of time for people to go potty, grab a quick bite at the buffet or take a dip. More than that and you really do not need the lounger at all.

 

Agreed, the policy is a good one, however I have never seen it enforced.

[Queen of Oakville]

Sounds like a great policy, I'd like to see it enforced.

 

When the cards are left, do they state a time on it? This would at least enable to me to call a crewperson and say that the card was left three hours ago, can you remove their stuff so I can take the chair.

 

 

On a recent trip to an all-inclusive. On the first day, we got out at 8AM by the pool and virtually every chair was claimed by the pool, claimed only by a beach towel. We called someone to bring us more chairs. He scooted the other chairs over and made room for us. We sat there for 3 hours and not one of those chairs was actually claimed by a live body.

The next day, we just claimed whatever chairs we wanted IF all that was left was a resort pool towel. If someone left personal articles behind, then i considered the chairs claimed.

 

I'm sure the same thing happens on cruises.

[jkgourmet]

I definitely think this should be enforced. It is infuriating

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

From your mouth to every cruise ship guest services director and CEO.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forums mobile app

[CruisinGirl777]

Great idea. I hope they enforce it.

 

Sent using Tapatalk

[Rick-cruiser]

The Hotel Director folks..... the Hotel Director.

.

[maggie.1008]

Celebrity is my favorite cruise line. However I have found over my 20 cruises with them that they do not enforce their own rules.

[Clydesmom7865]

The two times I did sail the pool butlers were enforcing the 30 minute rule.

 

Twice I was floating in the pool when one came around and inquired of the person next to me if it was their items on the chair. I spoke up from the pool and claimed them and the pool butler waved and continued on. I watched as he collected unclaimed chair hogging items and freed up the loungers. The greatest amusement was when the woman came back 3 hours later to find her 3 chairs occupied by a new family. The screeching that ensued as she howled about how she should be allowed to roam the ship and return to the pool when ever she felt to her "saved" chairs was priceless. I don't know what happened as an officer escorted her some where private to finish the discussion and get her things.

 

I have heard that it varies from ship to ship as far as enforcement.

[Cruise To Relax]

First, let me say that we rarely use the pool now so my opinion is biased. During the early years, we frequented the pool and had the same problems then with chair hogs as there are today. However, IMHO, the problem is not so much with the cruise line but with the chair hogs who consider they are special people. The cruise lines can only do so much and usually wants to avoid confrontation with their guests. The old rule that the guest is always right is a good policy as long as the guest uses good common sense and respects the rights of others. I don't mind the chair hogs expressing their views but I don't remember signing up saying I could not express my views. Chair hogs are another one of those group of people who think they are special and rules and common courtesy does not apply to them. If I want to sit in the sun, I get a balcony. If I want to swim, I go swim. I guess I like to avoid all those nasty chair hogs while I am on vacation. I do not want to allow those thoughtless folks ruin my vacation by infringing on my rights. I do that by staying away. I have the same rights as the chair hogs. At some point, maybe the cruise lines will develop an automatic "chair hog vacuum lounger" that automatically vacuums all the items on the lounger if the lounger has not been used in 30 minutes. The items would fall through a hole and end up in guest services. :) Of course, it would be just too bad if one of those chair hogs sat down at the same time the lounger opened up and they ended up in guest services.

 

Humor aside, I am sure all the cruise line management get numerous comments about chair hogs. I am sure they have tried to figure out how to really do something that will reduce the number of chair hogs significantly. I don't think the problem is solveable. All the rules don't make it happen - those that are parents understand how children really like to push the edge of each rule. I guess we could say that chair hogs are nothing but "spoiled" children and throw a temper tantrum when they don't get their way despite the rules. It is unfortunate you cannot tag someone as a chair hog and make them sit in a designated place (like children in the corner) where they have to compete with other chair hogs. Perhaps they would change their mind.

 

Perhaps this problem will be solved at some point but I really doubt it. Years ago the common answer by contestants when asked what they wanted was "world peace." We all know that will probably not happen and I think chair hog problems are in that same category. Until these folks start respecting others, they will continue to do this. Some folks just don't like to be equal - they want to be special and treated like royalty.

 

Just my thoughts.

[Gbnut1]

The other issue is people having two chairs, ok when nit is quit and a post day but not when at sea when everyone wants a chair. We have just come back from equinox and it was very frustrating that my husband who wanted to sit in the shade could not as no seats available just the belongings of people sitting in a bed in the sun opposite. When asked if they could move their belongings they refused - How Rude!!!!!!

 

Susan

[TBone2K]

Agreed, the policy is a good one, however I have never seen it enforced.

 

That approach probably gives the greatest benefit to the cruise line. Many people don't care about chair hogging, so they are happy anyway. The fact there is a policy make some people happy (although less than if they enforced it) and the fact that they don't really enforce it makes the chair hogs happy.

 

So until those of us that do care get more vocal about it, this is probably they way it will stay.

[ghstudio]

I have seen it enforced...and yes, it is amusing to see someone come back after many hours and see their chair taken.

 

One really wonders why some people feel that they are "special".....

[rnrcruzin]

Whenever I leave the lounger I utter the spell, “This is my lounger, tap, tap, no eraser.” This put’s a cone of protection around my lounger from the pool butlers.

[FeelingCruisy]

I really think this should be enforced. MOST of the time, there's only a few people by the pool and the rest of the chairs are littered with bags, books, etc. But I believe enforcement is difficult because of fear of bad comment card and complaints. If everyone just use the chairs and empty them when they don't need it, everyone will be able to enjoy it and I don't think it'll be difficult to find any chairs if there were no hogs.

Edited April 4, 2014 by FeelingCruisy

[gimletgal]

Many a lounger is occupied by pool towels. The person has long ago left the area but is too lazy to take the towels with them and put in the receptacle!

 

People see the towels and "assume" the chair is occupied, when in reality, it is not. The pool butlers pick up as many as they can, but many are missed.

 

Personally, I think the chair hogs are totally disrespectful of everyone. It is all about them!

[jerseygirl3]

To the OP who worried about being in the pool for more than 30 minutes, my suggestion would be to step out of the pool every so often so it shows you are using the chair.

 

I do have one problem with the policy, however. A couple of years ago DH and I had selected specific chairs in the shade due to a medical condition he has whereby he has to limit his time in the sun (this was on RCI). Since we like to spend most of the day near the pool, we made sure we got chairs that would keep him protected. At one point, both of us went to the spa to make an appt for a future spa treatment. We were gone no more than 15 minutes. When we returned, all of our stuff was gone! I'm not sure where the new "occupants" were, but their stuff now occupied our chairs. I asked the woman who had the chair next to ours if she knew what happened to our stuff. She said somebody (the new occupants) came over and asked the pool attendant to remove our belongings since the chairs were left unoccupied for over an hour!!! Seriously???? And I have to say, I was a bit perturbed by the woman who didn't inform them that we had just stepped away minutes before. I got the impression she didn't want to get involved. So we had to go retrieve our belongings, and I have to say I was pretty livid. When I questioned the pool attendant about how they determine how long a chair has been left unattended, he sort of shrugged his shoulders and said if a guest comes to them and tells them it's been unattended, they just take their word for it! So I guess if I want a chair in a prime spot, and nobody is there (they possibly could have just gotten up to use the restroom), all I have to do is get a pool attendant and tell them the occupant has been gone for over 30 minutes and I get the chair??? When I related that scenario to the pool attendant, he looked perplexed and didn't have an answer.

 

My point is, regardless, there will always be problems and I don't think there is a viable solution that will please everyone.

[cruise47]

Many a lounger is occupied by pool towels. The person has long ago left the area but is too lazy to take the towels with them and put in the receptacle!

 

People see the towels and "assume" the chair is occupied, when in reality, it is not. The pool butlers pick up as many as they can, but many are missed.

 

Personally, I think the chair hogs are totally disrespectful of everyone. It is all about them!

 

Your words are right on point.

[patty1955]

To the OP who worried about being in the pool for more than 30 minutes, my suggestion would be to step out of the pool every so often so it shows you are using the chair.

 

I do have one problem with the policy, however. A couple of years ago DH and I had selected specific chairs in the shade due to a medical condition he has whereby he has to limit his time in the sun (this was on RCI). Since we like to spend most of the day near the pool, we made sure we got chairs that would keep him protected. At one point, both of us went to the spa to make an appt for a future spa treatment. We were gone no more than 15 minutes. When we returned, all of our stuff was gone! I'm not sure where the new "occupants" were, but their stuff now occupied our chairs. I asked the woman who had the chair next to ours if she knew what happened to our stuff. She said somebody (the new occupants) came over and asked the pool attendant to remove our belongings since the chairs were left unoccupied for over an hour!!! Seriously???? And I have to say, I was a bit perturbed by the woman who didn't inform them that we had just stepped away minutes before. I got the impression she didn't want to get involved. So we had to go retrieve our belongings, and I have to say I was pretty livid. When I questioned the pool attendant about how they determine how long a chair has been left unattended, he sort of shrugged his shoulders and said if a guest comes to them and tells them it's been unattended, they just take their word for it! So I guess if I want a chair in a prime spot, and nobody is there (they possibly could have just gotten up to use the restroom), all I have to do is get a pool attendant and tell them the occupant has been gone for over 30 minutes and I get the chair??? When I related that scenario to the pool attendant, he looked perplexed and didn't have an answer.

 

My point is, regardless, there will always be problems and I don't think there is a viable solution that will please everyone.

and there's your answer as to why they don't enforce the rules.

[cynbar]

I guess I don't understand why this is so complicated. Celebrity needs to set a policy, post it by the pool and in the Celebrity Daily, and then tell the pool butlers to follow it. The simplest method would be to have the attendants mark the time on a ticket and attach it to the lounger --- when the attendant walks by and the current time is more than 1/2 hour later than the posted time, just remove the belongings. Some passengers may still complain but they couldn't say the policy wasn't clearly posted. And personally, I don't think it should matter where the passengers have gone for that 1/2 hour or more.

[daisy-mae]

I guess I don't understand why this is so complicated. Celebrity needs to set a policy, post it by the pool and in the Celebrity Daily, and then tell the pool butlers to follow it. The simplest method would be to have the attendants mark the time on a ticket and attach it to the lounger --- when the attendant walks by and the current time is more than 1/2 hour later than the posted time, just remove the belongings. Some passengers may still complain but they couldn't say the policy wasn't clearly posted. And personally, I don't think it should matter where the passengers have gone for that 1/2 hour or more.

 

 

Just wondering what would prevent someone from simply removing or obliterating the ticket?