which is worse

[brody2005]

From a standpoint of being rude...

 

Saving multiple deck chairs with right flip flop in one, left flip flop, Tshirt, towel, beach bag, and no one in any of them for >30 minutes.

 

vs

 

Moving the items over a seat or two and taking the chair.

 

 

I say neither is worse than the other. If the chairs are not occupied and haven't been for 30 minutes I say they're open.

[MrsPete]

From a standpoint of being rude...

 

Saving multiple deck chairs with right flip flop in one, left flip flop, Tshirt, towel, beach bag, and no one in any of them for >30 minutes.

 

vs

 

Moving the items over a seat or two and taking the chair.

 

 

I say neither is worse than the other. If the chairs are not occupied and haven't been for 30 minutes I say they're open.

Saving a seat prior to its use (for any amount of time) is rude.

 

Moving items that're obviously placed there by chair hogs (i.e, one flip-flop, an unused towel, etc.) is not rude. It's not hard to tell the difference between chair hog items and occupied chairs that've been briefly left.

[bplazo]

Saving the chairs is worse. I do not see anything wrong in someone moving the items if no one has been in the chair. Although I wouldn't do it unless I was bad mood for some reason.

[cb at sea]

If there are vacant seats in that vicinity, take the vacant seat....if there are NO seats anywhere to be found, move the stuff, or ask the pool attendant to do it.

[CALMOM]

It's not rude at all. Rude would be if you threw their items over board :rolleyes:, unless they are already over board :eek:, then at least they will have shoes when they reach land:D

[Dani24]

"Holding" a chair for more than 30 minutes, when you aren't using it is absolutely, without question, the rudest of the two presented choices. If you're actually at the pool, swimming, or if you've gotten up to go grab food/drink (and bring it back) or run to the restroom or to quickly grab something from your room, then that's fine. But if you're off having lunch (and not just getting it), taking a class, naping in your stateroom, playing Bingo, etc., then you aren't really using the seat. You're being a hog who has no consideration for anyone outside of yourself. It's extremely rude to hoard resources that you aren't actually using, thus restricting others who actually do need them from being able to make use of them.

 

What I've done is to ask the people near the chairs in question if they have seen anyone using those chairs recently. If nobody has, then I remove the stuff on the chair. I assume that if the person is actually in the pool or in the vacinity (i.e. getting a hot dog or using the restroom) they'll see me in "their" seat or moving their stuff within a few minutes of me sitting down. Though I've never had this happen, if it did, I'd certainly return the seat to the person. However, any time I've ever had to move someone's things, I've spent over an hour in that chair and nobody has come to fight me over it, or reclaim their things --proving that they were just being thoughtless jerks.

 

Also, I often find that you can get a feel for who is really using the chair but just away temporarily, and who is holding a chair. Chair hogs often will leave only items that they can stand to lose -- a towel, a flip flop, etc. People who are using them, but just stepped away, are more likely to leave various items on the seat that they'd be more likely to miss if they were taken. I avoid those ones when hunting for a "vacant" seat, and go for the ones with just a towel or something laying on it.

[bucky7680]

I ask near by people if they have seen someone in the chair. If not I place the items neatly under the chair. If the person comes back in 30 min or less I say sorry and move on. If they come back later I tell them that they can not save chairs and tell them to find another chair. 99% of the time no one comes to claim the chair before I'm ready to move on.

 

I ask them if they believe in the Golden Rule when they say yes I tell them I'm treating them with the same rudeness as they treated me.

[apkpcruisers]

I actually saw someone on this board complain that they weren't allowed to hold a chair for 2 hours while they went to breakfast! If you aren't using the chair let someone else use it. As gentle polite people it is hard to move someones stuff, but remember you are moving the stuff of someone rude enough to think they deserve a chair in 2 hours when they feel like coming to the pool, when you are there and unable to enjoy it because their flip flop is using the chair :)

[LiveWell]

It's not rude at all. Rude would be if you threw their items over board :rolleyes:, unless they are already over board :eek:, then at least they will have shoes when they reach land:D

 

Calmom, have been feeling a bit "blue" and you made me laugh out loud. Feeling much better! :D

[Putterdude]

People do go for lunch or have other things to attend to so I don't get too upset over a 30 min chair reservation but much beyond that is rude. I am not sure that I would want to get into a brouhaha by moving someone's towel, book etc, however I would ask a pool attendant to move it.

[Cruisin' Chick]

If those around the chair haven't seen the owners of the flip flops (or whatever) and they've been there for a while and there's no one in the pool, then most likely a chair hogg has left the items. You can place the items off to the side (sometimes there's little tables) and plop down in the chair. Most likely the person won't show up for a long while. If they do come back while you're there and you think they're sincere about whatever excuse they're giving you, then you can decide about whether to move and find another chair. But if he or she storms over and claims that you move, just shrug. If they try to injure you, you'll have witnesses and they could be getting off the ship at the next port.;)

[beachchick]

People do go for lunch or have other things to attend to so I don't get too upset over a 30 min chair reservation but much beyond that is rude. I am not sure that I would want to get into a brouhaha by moving someone's towel, book etc, however I would ask a pool attendant to move it.

 

If they're grabbing lunch to go (to bring back to the chair) or if the thing they had to attend to is using the bathroom or grabbing something back at their cabin, then no problem. If they're having lunch in the dining room or buffet or if the thing have to attend to is another activity (e.g., casino, bingo, trivia game), then absolutely not. They are doing something else and the chair/lounge is no longer "theirs" because they have moved on to other activities. It is never acceptable to "save" a chair while you are off doing other activities.

 

beachchick

[Bonnie J.]

Once, on an upper deck, there were no chaises left after we got ours. A couple came up, couldn't find any so put their towels on the deck and laid down. Shortly after this we told them we were going to lunch at the buffet and would they like our chaises? We left our towels there and our books. They were very grateful. When we came back they thanked us a lot and said they were going to lunch and gave us our chaises back.

 

Often in the morning, say 8 o'clock, I have seen chaises with things on them then. No one is around but they want the chaises whenever they decide to get there.

 

Another time we found a table near the pool, put our stuff on the chairs and went to get our lunch to eat there. When we came back both our chairs had been removed, our stuff on the table, and we never found the chairs! Next time we'll ask someone nearby to watch our chairs for us until we get back - and not 1/2 hour later, a few minutes

[lady_cruiser]

All I have to say is that I am glad that I am happy with a chair on the upper decks. I prefer to be away from the pool, preferrable in the shade, with a good book and either a cup of coffee with a pastry or a glass of ice tea with a slice of pizza. And since there are two of us one of us stays with the chair while the other one goes for coffee, pizza, lunch, restroom break or whatever. This way is someone comes and asks or grabs for the chair a simple explanation such as, my sister just went to get coffee, she'll be right back (etc) is all it takes to satisfy them.

[UlvaZell]

It's not rude at all. Rude would be if you threw their items over board :rolleyes:, unless they are already over board :eek:, then at least they will have shoes when they reach land:D

 

LOL. I hope all of the chair hogs see this post! :D

[okimot]

Have seen chairs with just a book on for several hours while the passengers have been ashore. We know this is true as they will discuss what they have bought or drunk.

I usually get up early, and wait for my wife to join me before we go for breakfast. Later on one of us will leave for some time. Then there will be lunch.

[brody2005]

I think you saw through my real question. I have moved people's stuff in the past and though I'd rather avoid conflict while on a cruise I think the situations outlined clearly demonstrate that its compleletly reasonable to move people's stuff.

 

Other issue is the single person saving 6 chairs. I have had this experience where one person is sitting in a chair and the five adjacent chairs go-left flipflop, right flipflop, tshirt, book, beach bag. There were no other chairs free nearby so I asked the person if anyone had been sitting there. She said they're saved. I said well, if someone shows up soon we'll move, then I moved items over two so my wife and I could have a seat. The person sitting there got all ticked, but no one showed up for the two chairs for the next 3 hours, when we left for other activities ;)