Policy for reserving deck chairs

[CruisingCatherine]

I loved it on my Brilliance cruise. The deck patrol would mark chairs with little stickers with the time on them. After 30 minutes, the items in the chair would head down to the lost and found and the chairs became available to people who actually wanted to use them.

 

I love this!! I wish the deck patrol would do this on all ships. I have small children who love to hang out in the pool for hours. One is 8 and the other 11. Neither of them swim the best. I have to have a chair close enough to the pool to get to them if need be. On my last cruise there was a group of 8 older adults who held the same chairs right next to the pool everyday. They would show up for a half hour every few hours for a game of cards. Several times people took their chairs and a verbal fight ensued. This type of monitoring would really make the chairs available to those who use them or need them to watch their kids in the pool.

[katiel53]

I can understand not hogging the chairs, meaning putting your towel or book on it at 7AM, so that you have it at 11am. But, what if I'm swimming with my kids? I need to stop swimming, try to get the kids out of the pool, if we're in the large pool, and go back to the chairs so that my stuff doesn't get moved?! I understand why they have the rule, but they need to somehow distinguish real chair hogs from those that are swimming.

C

 

I know this is not going to make you happy, but if you are swimming for an hour, or two or however long, why should you hold up a chair that someone else could be using? Perhaps RCI needs to have some kind of lockers or shelves or something so you could put your things in while you are swimming.

 

There isn't any way to have enough chairs for everyone, and I do understand that people want to swim. But, what if you're in the pool with the kids for say 45 mins, then they decide they want to go get lunch? What do you do then? You still aren't using a chair that others could use.

 

I do wish the cruise lines went back to making people pay to rent a chair for the week. Of all the things that people complain about, I would think having your own personal chair to sit in as you see fit would solve the problem. I somehow doubt there would be chair hogs if they had to pay. JMO.

[jaysmom]

Can anyone tell me if there is a definitive RCCL policy as to the amount of time that a towel can be on deck chair?

 

I have searched the boards as well as the RCCL site and I can not find anything official other than to say that reserving chairs is not permitted...period.

 

I am attempting to educate a coworker about chair hogging so any link, picture of a poolside sign (He says he never saw one), or anything else which could help my cause would be greatly appreciated.

 

My hope is that we can convert another chair hog with enough evidence...

 

Thanks in advance...

 

There are signs up in several areas on the pool deck regarding NO reserving chairs. The towel guy does his best and clears towels frequently. If someone is in a chair nearby he would inquire and either remove the towel or leave them be. If there was anything else besides a towel on the chair he would not touch it.

[CMSDAD]

Just got back from Adventurer over Xmazs...saw two near fist fights over :eek: chairs!

 

There is a posterd sign "NO RESERVING CHAIRS" but absolutely noone pays attention! Sea days require you to get up early (before 8:30A) or wait until after lunch to get a chair!

 

/c

[Debde]

Just got back from Adventurer over Xmazs...saw two near fist fights over :eek: chairs!

 

There is a posterd sign "NO RESERVING CHAIRS" but absolutely noone pays attention! Sea days require you to get up early (before 8:30A) or wait until after lunch to get a chair!

 

/c

 

Hi CMSDAD. I sail on Adventure in a few weeks. How was the solarium? Much quieter on sea days? I hear some ships solariums have a retractable roof? Am I reading that correct? If so does AOS have it? Need my sun baking time!!!:)

[BillOh]

But it is often more fun to move the chairs, pile the stuff up and just wait for the confused chair hogs to come back and find stuff all mixed up.

 

Glad to see I'm not the only one who enjoys that :D Now to read the rest of this thread.

[wrp96]

Hi CMSDAD. I sail on Adventure in a few weeks. How was the solarium? Much quieter on sea days? I hear some ships solariums have a retractable roof? Am I reading that correct? If so does AOS have it? Need my sun baking time!!!:)

 

The Solarium on AOS does not have a roof, it is completely open air.

[BillOh]

Chair hogging is putting a towel on the chair BEFORE you need the chair! Like getting on deck at 6am and "holding" 4 chairs until 11am!!!!! That's a no-no!

 

To illustrate this point.

 

[Sue L]

Hi CMSDAD. I sail on Adventure in a few weeks. How was the solarium? Much quieter on sea days? I hear some ships solariums have a retractable roof? Am I reading that correct? If so does AOS have it? Need my sun baking time!!!:)

 

 

This is from the Explorer but the AOS is similar.

 

[BillOh]

I can understand not hogging the chairs, meaning putting your towel or book on it at 7AM, so that you have it at 11am. But, what if I'm swimming with my kids? I need to stop swimming, try to get the kids out of the pool, if we're in the large pool, and go back to the chairs so that my stuff doesn't get moved?! I understand why they have the rule, but they need to somehow distinguish real chair hogs from those that are swimming.

C

 

 

I just keep an eye on my chair while I'm in the pool. I'm paranoid anyway, so I'm always keeping an eye on my stuff.

[Debde]

Thanks for the info. on the solarium guys! Thanks for pic Sue L

Might be a place to go for some quiet and sun!

[Lightsluvr]

We brinh aloong a couple of old diry shorts and put them on a few chiars with one of the dirty towle out of the return tub. No one generally touches them and we have gone away for a couple hours with no problems.

 

Hope this help

 

So you're the ones... it sounds like you should be prepared to "lose your shorts" in the future...

 

LL

[CruisingCatherine]

I have the all time wost chair hogging item. On the Caribbean Princess there was a woman and a baby walking by the chairs. She saw an empty chair and jumped on it. In order to save the chair she actually laid her baby's dirty diaper on the chair and walked on. I was completely grossed out!! I was nearby so watched this with great interest. NO ONE came near the chair including the Deck Patrol staff. A couple of hours later she showed up with her older children and pool bag. She sat down, the kids jumped in the pool. She stayed for a grand total of maybe 45 minutes at the most, of which 30 minutes she was in the pool with the kids. So for the use of a deck chair for 15 minutes, she tied up a chair for nearly 3 hours and contaminated the pool deck with e-coli bacteria:eek: :eek: .

[ziggypup]

I have a few of those rubber looking pieces of turd. They really look like authentic feces. Maybe I'll put them on a few lounge chairs and see what happens...........lol

[amybear912]

I have a few of those rubber looking pieces of turd. They really look like authentic feces. Maybe I'll put them on a few lounge chairs and see what happens...........lol

 

 

Rubber vomit does the trick too!:D

 

Just dunk it in the pool to get it wet and then it looks pretty real...

[nosmothj]

So you're the ones... it sounds like you should be prepared to "lose your shorts" in the future...

 

LL

 

Yes I was kidding. Maybe what they should have is a Chair Hog Jail set up on the pool deck. Anyone caught hogging chairs will be put in jail for however long they hog the chair for. This would do two things

 

Give everyone a laugh.

 

Second free up a lot of area in the Chair area.

[dwdwnurse]

Here is a link from Cruise Critic regarding Chair Hogging that I thought was good. Maybe the word will get out...I'll keep hoping!:)

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/features/articles.cfm?ID=218

[berwyn]

Yes, lets put "chair hog jail" in the comment cards.

[cruisevacationsrock]

I know this is not going to make you happy, but if you are swimming for an hour, or two or however long, why should you hold up a chair that someone else could be using? Perhaps RCI needs to have some kind of lockers or shelves or something so you could put your things in while you are swimming.

 

There isn't any way to have enough chairs for everyone, and I do understand that people want to swim. But, what if you're in the pool with the kids for say 45 mins, then they decide they want to go get lunch? What do you do then? You still aren't using a chair that others could use.

 

I do wish the cruise lines went back to making people pay to rent a chair for the week. Of all the things that people complain about, I would think having your own personal chair to sit in as you see fit would solve the problem. I somehow doubt there would be chair hogs if they had to pay. JMO.

 

I understand what you are saying and agree with it to a degree. But, if we do only swim for say 15 to 20 minutes, and want to sit, is it fair that we need to search for a chair? Going to lunch, is a different matter, of course we would give up our seats. I don't understand people who don't do that.

 

C

[BillOh]

Yes I was kidding. Maybe what they should have is a Chair Hog Jail set up on the pool deck. Anyone caught hogging chairs will be put in jail for however long they hog the chair for. This would do two things

 

Give everyone a laugh.

 

Second free up a lot of area in the Chair area.

 

 

They jail sentence would be an hour, but you could buy your bail for $10 which goes right to the pool attendant. Problem solved!;)

[BillOh]

I understand what you are saying and agree with it to a degree. But, if we do only swim for say 15 to 20 minutes, and want to sit, is it fair that we need to search for a chair? Going to lunch, is a different matter, of course we would give up our seats. I don't understand people who don't do that.

 

C

 

To me, you are still there. I'm restless by nature, 20 minutes in the chair, 15 in the pool, repeat as needed. The solarium area, where I usually am is small enough that I can keep an eye on my chair. (Now if 4 people show up and me getting up and moving down one spot makes 4 contiguous ones for others, I'll do that. (Despite getting burned by my courtesy on my last cruise)

[clararats]

Make paper machate dummies like they did in escape from Alcatraz.

[qorc]

It is on a post, simply says reserving deck chairs is prohibited.

 

And yes, if you are having a problem finding a chair, the pool guys will clear towels. But it is often more fun to move the chairs, pile the stuff up and just wait for the confused chair hogs to come back and find stuff all mixed up.

 

does the policy matter? it's not enforced at all -- or at least I've never seen it enforced, and I've seen choice chairs saved at 7 am and have no one sitting in them for several hours and no one says boo

 

That's why I love the aft balconies...i never have to worry about getting a decent deck chair, tussling with people, getting hounded by waiters.

 

however, on the last cruise, I decided to take that last afternoon on the main deck. I was there early and had my chair. It all quickly filled up and there was, after a fashion, 2 empty chairs next to me and the only ones on the entire deck in the sun, and right near the main walkway between the stage and the bar (on the Navigator). Anyway, this family shows up with four people. 2 plop in the chairs (no problem). Then 2 more pull up OTHER chairs and pretty much block the way for people to walk through. People are having to cut this way and that way to get around not just them but the other people who've pulled chairs into the sun and blocked the walkway (mine was against the bulkhead).

 

Then 2 MORE show up and this woman sits on the deck and leans against the end of my chair. I couldn't believe the hutzbah. I finally said, "ummm...do you mind?". I swear, these people didn't have a brain in their head, but that's what you get with cruising with the masses!

 

anyway, the chair policy is ignored and some of those that criticize booze-smugglers are likely the ones who save chairs themselves. Apparently ignoring one rule is not as bad as ignoring another?

 

*shrugs*

 

Some of you have seen the rule enforced? I never have. I've seen stuff on chairs for hours before anyway sits there.

 

 

I thank God for my rum runners and my balcony.

[wrp96]

however, on the last cruise, I decided to take that last afternoon on the main deck. I was there early and had my chair. It all quickly filled up and there was, after a fashion, 2 empty chairs next to me and the only ones on the entire deck in the sun, and right near the main walkway between the stage and the bar (on the Navigator). Anyway, this family shows up with four people. 2 plop in the chairs (no problem). Then 2 more pull up OTHER chairs and pretty much block the way for people to walk through. People are having to cut this way and that way to get around not just them but the other people who've pulled chairs into the sun and blocked the walkway (mine was against the bulkhead).

 

Then 2 MORE show up and this woman sits on the deck and leans against the end of my chair. I couldn't believe the hutzbah. I finally said, "ummm...do you mind?". I swear, these people didn't have a brain in their head, but that's what you get with cruising with the masses!

 

Umm this story is bad, but what does it have to do with saving chairs? The people were in the chairs.

[qorc]

Umm this story is bad, but what does it have to do with saving chairs? The people were in the chairs.

 

it was tangential. It's about the people that grab chairs and drag them to certain areas making it impossible an obstacle course then for people to pass. And the general rudeness that characterizes far too many passengers related to chairs, deck space, etc.

 

sorry to have bothered you.