true45

Unfortunately on some lines, most recently Celebrity, all levels and locations of seating were affected, not just near the pool.  The chairhog problem seems to be growing.
.

56 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Do they not have the same rules as regular balconies that the door is not supposed to be kept open?

The sliding door to the balcony was not “kept” open.  A couple of times we were on the balcony with door closed behind us.  Once I was in the doorway. And closed it fast.

4 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

Oh great! We have this cabin booked for the Apex. Was there a worker there often? And was the equipment permanent?

 

I would love to hear opinions of the BEST choices in porthole verandas. The most forward DPVs have the window washing equipment blocking the view, so I thought 7123 would be far enough bag to be safe from obstructions......

There is a big permanent metal platform with a hatch that opens.  It wasn’t open often but our balcony was sprayed with liquid and clothes got soaked - husband got sprayed in the face. Another time the spray started and reached the sliding door but we were quick to close the door. Again, no warning.  Don’t know what was in the water like soap or if it was just plain water.  
 

We were not bothered by loss of view due to window washing equipment though.  
 

the cabin itself was nice but the little chairs uncomfortable with no footstools.

Enjoy.

28 minutes ago, albingirl said:

This topic tends to raise the blood pressure. I used to see HAL's library books used for this purpose....just to hog the chairs.  I'm at the point where I am inclined to do a broad sweep ot the arm over belongings that sit for a period of time on an unused chair.  It's rude to claim these chairs as your own personal property.  I just sailed on NCL, and they have an area that they call the Waterfront which has plenty of couches and chairs.  I'd see people napping across the whole couch, insuring that no one sat on the chairs in that semi-circle.  One person hogging an area meant to seat six.  Wrong, wrong, wrong. 

On celebrity also 

no but we were sprayed with water a few times without warning!?!

7123 — would not book again

This was sold as unobstructed.  If it truly was unobstructed I do like the Porthole Vetanda.

I’m leaving on a HAL sailing this weekend and am concerned that we will have a lounge to relax also.  We will have a balcony also but don’t want to be prisoners in our cabin either.

we are vets of 30-something cruises mostly on Celebrity.  Our last 2 sailings on RCCL and Celebrity Beyond were so crowded we wandered around looking for chairs mostly unsuccessful.  
 

If the cruise lines cannot get their act together and enforce their own policies and rules, the lack of relaxing public sense will send me to another way to spend my vacation $.  
 

Selling me a chair or onboard cabana after I have paid the cruisefare is not right.  Neither is downgrading the included dining so that passengers are forced to pay for the ever-expanding specialty dining options.

We have this HAL sailing soon and then Oceania in the fall. Hope springs eternal.

Happy sailing.

24 minutes ago, chisoxfan said:

That's the million dollar question. My wife and I like to hang about the pool in warm weather cruises and expect a packed house on sea days with better availability on port days depending on port. It depends on weather what time you come down to the pool, and luck. Generally if you

are OK being on second level or away from pool you will find something. 

We have booked X Retreat, Princess Sanctuary, HAL Cabana, NCL something or other and will try Princess' new dedicated area next year primarily to have a relaxing place to sit. The thing we don't like in some cabana areas is the distance from the pool.  This appears to be the deal on Nieuw Statedam so for the first time in years will join the crowd looking for a pool spot.

Hoping HAL does work to address chair hogs. 

15 minutes ago, Maryjane8 said:

Is it possible to "adjoin" port hole verandas? Being able to open the section separating the balconies?

Don’t think it is possible

10 minutes ago, clo said:

That's really shocking re the end of the row. I wonder if they do that on-shore at theaters, movies,etc.

 

We don’t comply but as politely as we can.🙂🩴🛟⚓️

59 minutes ago, harryw said:

 Senses of entitlement show no boundaries.

Last cruise someone was saving a seat next to me 

in the theatre for her husband, who never showed up.

Maybe it was all innocent.

We always get to theater super early to get a seat on the aisle so dh can get to restroom quickly.

We're often asked to move in and would rather not explain why we would rather not.

we do move out to the aisle to let others in the row.

I try not to judge - we don’t always know the reasons.

15 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

When I read the thread title I questioned it.  Having sailed many times on O, never had chair hogs. That was until today. On Vista. It’s a port day.  Usually on a port day, there’s no problem finding seating by the pool.  After lunch, we thought that we would sit there. Nothing.  Not that many people out there. Everything was littered with stuff.  Asked at reception and was told that they don’t remove personal belongings.  Frustrated .

A shame that this problem affects Oceania too.  But they have it within their power to make their pax comfortable by enforcing a reasonable no-reserve policy.   

9 minutes ago, wdw1972 said:

The most significant thing is probably that they removed the staircase going from the casino down to deck 2 between Billboard & Rolling Stone Rock Room.  That means deck 2 doesn't have the stench from the smokers in the casino drifting into that area.  Also, for the gamblers the former staircase is now more floor space with most likely slot machines. 

 

Sue/WDW1972

Thanks 

Was hoping hoping that plan was done.

Linda

Hi

Can anyone tell me what has been done in the November 2023 dry dock of NS?

We were passengers November 2022 and are sailing March 2024.

Thanks.

Linda ⚓️🩴🛟

3 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

@POA1 @true45 I was on both the last cruise before drydock and the first after. I did not spend time in the casino pre or post drydock other than walking through and taking very few random photos. Post drydock, we were told smoking was on the side w/the cashier w/the other side of the room being non smoking. It was never smoke-cloud smokey, but definitely smelled it inside the casino. There are no doors.

Below is the non-smoking casino annex. 

Both of these are post drydock  - if I locate the other pictures I'll post them.

Thank you very much.  Interesting.

Hope it is not too smoky but with no doors can’t see how that works.  But I’m optimistic.  Can’t wait for our sailing.⚓️

36 minutes ago, POA1 said:

 

Thank you.

 

We were not on the Nieuw Statendam prior to drydock, so I don't know. The casino was expanded, but I don't know by how much or where.

 

The casino was more full than we've ever seen a HAL casino - by a wide margin. We broke even in the casino - simply by virtue of not being able to gamble. 😉

 

The casino was noticeably smoky in places. We're not smokers but we have never really noticed much of a smoke smell in the past. We're also not big gamblers. We typically stop by the casino a few times a week, tops.

 

I didn't pay attention to what parts of the casino were smokiest. It was so full that you really couldn't find room at a machine, roulette table, or craps pit.

 

Sorry that I don't have a better answer.

 

Thanks again.  Sounds like you had a very nice time.

Maybe someone will give the info before our next sailing.  The plan sounded good with a small non-smoking area where the stairs are or were.

When we were on NS last yr November the casino was also crowded but the smoke was overwhelming most times.  Which meant I spent less time there — could have saved me money or cost me money.  Who knows?  🙂🙃🎰

Thank you for the live thread.  Very enjoyable.

I read and/or perused the 26 pages.  You mentioned the casino was crowded and there was a slot tournament.  Was the non-smoking redo of a portion of the casino during refurbishment completed as expected?

22 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

There are loungers everywhere  with a small path to walk to the other side of the deck 

where would they put more loungers?

Maybe they should just  enforce their  chair saving  rules  maybe have one big burly crew member  patrol the  loungers  I not sure anyone would confront  him if he moved their belonging after 45 mins of absence

 

We have seen people put books & the breakfast smoothie  next to the lounger then go off the ship for the day ..we returned to area in the afternoon both still there  ..the pax returned at 4pm  to sit in the loungers

Next day same thing  on a sea day

asked the deck crew to remove the items after  2 hrs  after we searched for  a lounger 

Pax  returned 2 hrs after we were seated  & screamed at me for moving there things   told him to talk to the deck crew . as I never "Touched " his items

I might have tossed them overboard  but that is not allowed 😉

 

😋Do you mean toss Pax or toss items overboard? LOL😇

21 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Enforce chair use, enforce dress codes, enforce, enforce, enforce.  I'm pretty sure cruise lines have given up on confronting pigheaded, selfish, entitled cruisers who are not at all disposed to following the simplest of rules, policies or 'suggestions' if they don't suit them.

No fun for the cruise lines to confront the entitled, yes true, but someone’s dress doesn’t really affect me — however, if I can’t find a place to sit it does affect me.  Perhaps there should be a larger seating area around the pools in general.

3 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Well, sure.  That's pretty much what was always supposed to happen in one way or another yet.... chairhogging is still as strong as it ever was.

Yes for a short time on some cruise lines it was enforced — but got worse lately.

54 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

I believe a number of cruise lines alrea provide dedicated areas where those wishing to reserve a deck chair o lounger can pay fr the privilege.  Permitting passengers to pay to occupy chairs and louners in the already crowded common areas sort of makes a mokery f the idea that hey're for the commoners, not for for those with the resources to reserve them and make hem unavailable.  Personally, I don'tthink there is a practical solution to the chairhog problem.

I agree mostly

But the pool attendant can limit the unoccupied lounges with cards stating a limit of 30-45 minutes & removing belongings to a table in the area set for that purpose.  Of course, if a chair is occupied, then by all means occupy for as long as you like.

To see all the unoccupied seats with lonely possessions and no one in the pool or in the vicinity when you need a place to sit just isn’t right.  Sometimes I only like an hour to read or relax and the same belongings are there for hours on an unoccupied lounge.

Just my 2 cents

Funny and not funny at the same time 😯

10 minutes ago, true45 said:

 

Wow, just read the thread.

We also booked to go to Guadeloupe (we wanted to see the filming site for Death in Paradise) in November and because Marina was planning to be refurbished including new bathrooms.  Our travel agent sent us pictures of what it would look like.  
 

Very disappointed — this would be our 3rd Oceania but most of our sailings have been on Celebrity.  We are on Beyond next month and we are considering booking the new Ascent instead of Marina  Old tired ships don’t do it for us.  Calling our agent at Oceania tomorrow.

On 11/24/2023 at 12:34 PM, MarkWiltonM said:

It's very disappointing they won't be refitting the bathrooms, and I am surprised they are comfortable with Marina being a second-class vessel to its sister ship, Riviera, for what will probably amount to years. We are scheduled to be on Marina in November 2024 but we booked an alternative cruise on another line just in case Marina wasn't going to be refurbished (at all). We will have to decide what we want to do. The only thing in favor of Marina at the moment is that our itinerary is taking us to Guadeloupe, one of the few islands we haven't visited in the Caribbean. But we've been to Martinique and I hear they are similar. Anyone care to weigh in on Guadeloupe?

29 minutes ago, basor said:

Currently on Vista and there is shampoo, conditioner and lotion along with 2 different types of bar soap - I believe you can request shower gel too

That’s great

i guess I’m not the only one that loves the Bulgari toiletries 👍

Happy sailing 

Thanks.

Hi

I remember lovng the shampoo and lotion but don’t remember (5 years ago) if there was conditioner.  One less thing to pack if there’s conditioner.  Have Marina booked.

Thanks.