Pool side lounger hogs

[radar65]

Although most cruise lines prohibit it pool chair hogs are allowed to claim pool side lounges for hours before they use with little to no enforcement .  Just leave an old book and an old tote bag on the lounger and it declares "squatters rights " to said chair.  I am an early riser and have seen people doing this at 6:00 am swing buy at 10, 11, 12 still no one using it.  With all the passenger location technology being introduced maybe it's time to have "parking meters" for pool side loungers with some reasonable time frame for use and continued use. What do you think ?

[NotADopey1]

Because everyone on board(with the exception of crew) have paid to be on the cruise, no crew members want to take the chance of alienating rude passengers.  Unless the cruise line designates pool police, there will be no change.  I would suggest that they designate crew members that remove saved lounges.  Your only other course of action is to book a cabin with a balcony.

[Mum2Mercury]

I'm glad to say that Royal has been addressing this problem:  they've put these -- well, I don't know what to call them -- chair toppers? chair signs?  Anyway, they've been putting these on every 2nd or 3rd chair, and chair-hogging has been reduced.  

[radar65]

I agree with the premise they don't to alienate paying passengers but with "parking meters" it would be automated and the collection would be automatic no judgement by the crew your meter is up or it isn't . 

[mom says]

1 hour ago, radar65 said:

I agree with the premise they don't to alienate paying passengers but with "parking meters" it would be automated and the collection would be automatic no judgement by the crew your meter is up or it isn't . 

You are assuming a cruise line would be willing to foot the bill for installation, maintenance, and staff. For no profit to them. Isn't going to happen.

[Donald]

Some of you are sailing on the wrong ships.

Better cruise lines do not have this problem.

If this is an important issue for you, you might want to look at other cruise lines.

[GTO-Girl]

8 minutes ago, Donald said:

Some of you are sailing on the wrong ships.

Better cruise lines do not have this problem.

If this is an important issue for you, you might want to look at other cruise lines.

And what are the “better” lines and why do they not have a problem?

 

I am curious and respectfully just want to know….

[donaldsc]

I would respectfully suggest that the OP do a search on CC for Pool Hogs.  There are a fair number of very long and vociferous threads on the issue.  The general agreement is that a solution is never going to be implemented although I have not seen much of a problem on high end cruises.

 

DON

[BklynBoy8]

4 hours ago, radar65 said:

Although most cruise lines prohibit it pool chair hogs are allowed to claim pool side lounges for hours before they use with little to no enforcement .  Just leave an old book and an old tote bag on the lounger and it declares "squatters rights " to said chair.  I am an early riser and have seen people doing this at 6:00 am swing buy at 10, 11, 12 still no one using it.  With all the passenger location technology being introduced maybe it's time to have "parking meters" for pool side loungers with some reasonable time frame for use and continued use. What do you think ?

 

WOW....never thought

[BklynBoy8]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

 The general agreement is that a solution is never going to be implemented although I have not seen much of a problem on high end cruises.

Well it did once was implemented on the Queen Elizabeth 2 when we started sailing on her. They had a system that worked and was properly abitted by all on board with understanding.

 

The specific deck "Sun Deck" which was the highest deck behind the funnel, was dedicated for reserved lounging and sunning that was supervised. Don't remember the number of lounges but it was over 100+.....

 

On boarding, a passenger would visit the Sun Deck Staff and select a lounge that they would like to use during the entire sailing. This cost would be applied to the cabin number of the passenger. Then a plastic tag would be placed visible to lounge with the ID of the passenger. 

 

The Sun Deck Staff would make sure the lounge would be used for only that passenger. Would assist the passengers in monitoring the personal property left on the chair. Also assist in monitoring if a passenger was exposed too long to the SUN. Off tea, iced tea or bouillon during the stay at their lounge. There was never a dispute we saw of and all cooperated.

 

It can work if it is supervised under the right conditions.

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

And what are the “better” lines and why do they not have a problem?

 

I am curious and respectfully just want to know….

I have found that on Azamera and Oceania, for example, there seem to be a higher lounger to passenger ratio than on mass market lines - with more places available, there is less incentive to try to hog.

[Donald]

7 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

And what are the “better” lines and why do they not have a problem?

 

I am curious and respectfully just want to know….

Seabourn

Windstar

Ritz-Carlton

Silver Sea

Crystal

Scenic

Sea Dream

[CDNPolar]

I am just happy that one, we are not sun lovers, and two we don't sit by the pool.  If I had to deal with the folks that drop their stuff and not return for hours, I think I would lose my #@#$@.

 

I have sat in a section of a Viking ship that is just off the pool area.  I have watched the loungers along the side of the ship that look out the windows "occupied" for hours without anyone actually sitting in these chairs.  I don't understand the mentality of people who think that they own that chair even if they are not using it.  

[CPT Trips]

I tend to “borrow”unused loungers. If someone returns and want “their” spot back, I leave. If they cop an attitude, I just ask how they enjoyed the last hour, or however long I’ve been there. Not worth an argument.

[Mum2Mercury]

22 hours ago, radar65 said:

I agree with the premise they don't to alienate paying passengers but with "parking meters" it would be automated and the collection would be automatic no judgement by the crew your meter is up or it isn't . 

Parking meters alone solve nothing -- a person who'll toss a book and a towel on a chair will just ignore the meter.  No, the parking meter concept would only work IF staff were charged with meter enforcement, and that opens the door to confrontations that the staff don't want -- even fear. 

[navybankerteacher]

I and a few people I know have occasionally played vigilante:  when leaving a lounger and having noticed nearby ones “reserved “ for some time  by draped towels, books, etc. we remove such items and leave them on a nearby vacant table.  

Edited June 10 by navybankerteacher

[CDNPolar]

54 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

I and a few people I know have occasionally played vigilante:  when leaving a lounger and having noticed nearby ones “reserved “ for some time  by draped towels, books, etc. we remove such items and leave them on a nearby vacant table.  

 

Good for you and thank you.

[SoloAlaska]

I see this as the same as free street parking. Your “tires get chalked” and if it’s still there let’s say 1 hour later then you get “towed”.

[navybankerteacher]

35 minutes ago, SoloAlaska said:

I see this as the same as free street parking. Your “tires get chalked” and if it’s still there let’s say 1 hour later then you get “towed”.

Unfortunately, cruise lines have not the staff (or the sense of customer service) to “tow” the stuff the hogs use to reserve their seats.

[donaldsc]

10 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I and a few people I know have occasionally played vigilante:  when leaving a lounger and having noticed nearby ones “reserved “ for some time  by draped towels, books, etc. we remove such items and leave them on a nearby vacant table.  

 

I do that all the time but at a very far vacant table.  

 

DON

[sparks1093]

I haven't noticed this as a problem lately. Doesn't mean it isn't still happening, of course, but it doesn't appear to be as wide spread as it once was.

[Markanddonna]

On one of my cruises, there was a pool chair policeman in the adult area. I saw a very heated discussion with a man who wanted to claim multiple chairs at 6:30 AM. The crew member was large, and I doubt many wanted to mess with him. He won that round. The end result was a hostile group of passengers, and for a few days, it was like a mutiny on the bounty. People were angry. 

[Mum2Mercury]

6 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

I haven't noticed this as a problem lately. Doesn't mean it isn't still happening, of course, but it doesn't appear to be as wide spread as it once was.

Yes.  

3 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

On one of my cruises, there was a pool chair policeman in the adult area. I saw a very heated discussion with a man who wanted to claim multiple chairs at 6:30 AM. The crew member was large, and I doubt many wanted to mess with him. He won that round. The end result was a hostile group of passengers, and for a few days, it was like a mutiny on the bounty. People were angry. 

People have no right to be angry when they're asked to follow well-established, well-published rules.  

[Markanddonna]

Just now, Mum2Mercury said:

Yes.  

People have no right to be angry when they're asked to follow well-established, well-published rules.  

Totally agree.  I thought it was a valiant effort to tackle an irritating problem. This was the nastiest group I have ever traveled with. I'm just saying that the guard was the tipping point to this group of entitled bullies.

[sparks1093]

3 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Yes.  

People have no right to be angry when they're asked to follow well-established, well-published rules.  

Absolutely right, but calling someone out when they are clearly in the wrong is a sure way to get them angry.