Sunbeds on Ventura

[alynn]

Just back from Ventura, The good news is that they are now enforcing the rule about reserving sunbeds.

 

Every morning on sea days the cruise director Benne announced over the PA system that any towels or books would be removed from sunbeds that were not being used and that books had no need for a suntan. This was followed up by two of the security officers going round and removing the offending items and placing them behind the bar.

 

Good on yer P&O

[u2cruiser]

Just back from Ventura, The good news is that they are now enforcing the rule about reserving sunbeds.

 

Every morning on sea days the cruise director Benne announced over the PA system that any towels or books would be removed from sunbeds that were not being used and that books had no need for a suntan. This was followed up by two of the security officers going round and removing the offending items and placing them behind the bar.

 

Good on yer P&O

 

Excellent news! We had announcements about it every day, which everyone totally ignored.

[cruiseluvva]

That's good to hear, since it is a bone of contention for many passengers.

 

Let's hope all the ships return to doing the same thing.

[dj_spud]

Fantastic! Hope they stick to this aswell, And also i hope these selected few people learn from this and stop being selfish.

[Gerrym]

About time too. Why has it taken them soooo long?

 

Read any review on Ventura, sunbeds, or lack of, will be the hottest topic.

 

 

 

 

Gerry

[wilson2579]

Hope they keep this up as we sail in April.:) It is my pet hate on holiday.:mad:

[Lottycruiser]

Good to hear of them enforcing a rule , just wondering what happens if you go off for a swim ? could you come back to find your belongings gone ?

[mikejt26]

Good to hear of them enforcing a rule , just wondering what happens if you go off for a swim ? could you come back to find your belongings gone ?

 

I am afraid they only checked the beds at the two main pools . The beds around the oasis spa were not checked . We witnessed an argument between a couple a couple who decided to take towels and belongings of two "reserved" sunbeds. I still think P&O could try harder to resolve this.

[u2cruiser]

It must be the most significant grumble on the cruise evaluation forms. They are half heartedly trying to address it by giving verbal and written warnings to passengers, but the attitude on my cruise was 'if you can't beat them, join them'.

 

It's not just on P&O. The problem exists on Princess and RCI. I really think that if the boundaries are set out very clearly and enforced, the problem will be eliminated. Of course they don't want to upset passengers by confronting them and spoiling the cruise, but people are upsetting each other instead.

 

Charge for the left towels! Any that are not returned to cabins each evening (because they have been removed) could incur a charge for the cost of the towel. Then there would be towel wars :rolleyes:

[Lottycruiser]

It must be quite a hard rule to enforce as where do you draw the line at chair hogging ? are we guilty of it because we would wander to the buffet to grab a bite be gone about half hour , if we were likely to be any longer then we would vacate our sunbed , i suppose a time limit could be set but that would be very hard to keep track of .to see sunbeds covered in towels very early in the morning with no one around is a dead set no no , so that would be easy to deal with but during the day with so many comings and goings it would be hard to tell who was where .It is good to see that they are actualy trying to do something about it though .

[oceana20]

My husband and I have just returned from a 5* Hotel in the Canaries as part of a party of 5 adults.

I thought it was a little odd when I made the booking and was asked where I would prefer our sunbeds to be, i.e directly by the poolside/by the bar/in the garden area etc, I said poolside, and hey presto, when we checked in we were give 5 tickets with our surnames on and told to hand them to the pool attentent on our first visit to the pool. Upon handing them to said pool attendent he promptly placed each one into a plastic wallet attached to each of the 5 sunbeds approx 3 feet from pool edge. Bingo, sunbeds reserved until noon on check out day, not once in 2 weeks did we find anyone sat on 'our' sunbeds, pure bliss.

I do appreciate that P&O would have to ensure that they had as many sunbeds as passengers, sadly, never having walked the decks and counted each and every sunbed I am not sure how viable that would be, I just know that IT WORKS.

[Gerrym]

My husband and I have just returned from a 5* Hotel in the Canaries as part of a party of 5 adults.

I thought it was a little odd when I made the booking and was asked where I would prefer our sunbeds to be, i.e directly by the poolside/by the bar/in the garden area etc, I said poolside, and hey presto, when we checked in we were give 5 tickets with our surnames on and told to hand them to the pool attentent on our first visit to the pool. Upon handing them to said pool attendent he promptly placed each one into a plastic wallet attached to each of the 5 sunbeds approx 3 feet from pool edge. Bingo, sunbeds reserved until noon on check out day, not once in 2 weeks did we find anyone sat on 'our' sunbeds, pure bliss.

I do appreciate that P&O would have to ensure that they had as many sunbeds as passengers, sadly, never having walked the decks and counted each and every sunbed I am not sure how viable that would be, I just know that IT WORKS.

 

 

Sounds an exceelent idea...... if you have a few acres out the back to put all the sunbeds in.

 

Not sure it woud work on a ship where the space is at much more of a premium.

 

I reckon that if you have to leave your sunbed for more than 30 to 45 minutes then you shoud have the decency to give it up for others.

[wilson2579]

My husband and I have just returned from a 5* Hotel in the Canaries as part of a party of 5 adults.

I thought it was a little odd when I made the booking and was asked where I would prefer our sunbeds to be, i.e directly by the poolside/by the bar/in the garden area etc, I said poolside, and hey presto, when we checked in we were give 5 tickets with our surnames on and told to hand them to the pool attentent on our first visit to the pool. Upon handing them to said pool attendent he promptly placed each one into a plastic wallet attached to each of the 5 sunbeds approx 3 feet from pool edge. Bingo, sunbeds reserved until noon on check out day, not once in 2 weeks did we find anyone sat on 'our' sunbeds, pure bliss.

I do appreciate that P&O would have to ensure that they had as many sunbeds as passengers, sadly, never having walked the decks and counted each and every sunbed I am not sure how viable that would be, I just know that IT WORKS.

I shall be booking your hotel. I have holidayed every year in the canaries 4/5 star and the sunbeds have always been a pain in the neck. Getting up in the morning at some godly hour to put towels on the sunbed. I have always refused to do this but then find that you are left with an unsuitable area. It is most annoying to see sunbeds booked and no-one arriving for them. I have never stayed in a hotel that enforces this.

[oceana20]

Its the Iberostar Costa Canaria, enjoy.

P.S not sure if its an issue for you but its adult only.

[William Dean]

My husband and I have just returned from a 5* Hotel in the Canaries as part of a party of 5 adults.

I thought it was a little odd when I made the booking and was asked where I would prefer our sunbeds to be, i.e directly by the poolside/by the bar/in the garden area etc, I said poolside, and hey presto, when we checked in we were give 5 tickets with our surnames on and told to hand them to the pool attentent on our first visit to the pool. Upon handing them to said pool attendent he promptly placed each one into a plastic wallet attached to each of the 5 sunbeds approx 3 feet from pool edge. Bingo, sunbeds reserved until noon on check out day, not once in 2 weeks did we find anyone sat on 'our' sunbeds, pure bliss.

I do appreciate that P&O would have to ensure that they had as many sunbeds as passengers, sadly, never having walked the decks and counted each and every sunbed I am not sure how viable that would be, I just know that IT WORKS.

 

As so often, QE2 had the answer. One could reserve (for a nominal fee) a deck chair on the Sun Deck for the crossing. Surely this is an option to consider? More revenue for the cruise line too.

 

WD

[Lottycruiser]

My husband and I have just returned from a 5* Hotel in the Canaries as part of a party of 5 adults.

I thought it was a little odd when I made the booking and was asked where I would prefer our sunbeds to be, i.e directly by the poolside/by the bar/in the garden area etc, I said poolside, and hey presto, when we checked in we were give 5 tickets with our surnames on and told to hand them to the pool attentent on our first visit to the pool. Upon handing them to said pool attendent he promptly placed each one into a plastic wallet attached to each of the 5 sunbeds approx 3 feet from pool edge. Bingo, sunbeds reserved until noon on check out day, not once in 2 weeks did we find anyone sat on 'our' sunbeds, pure bliss.

I do appreciate that P&O would have to ensure that they had as many sunbeds as passengers, sadly, never having walked the decks and counted each and every sunbed I am not sure how viable that would be, I just know that IT WORKS.

 

Great idea , however going on holiday with '' mr sunbed '' that would never work for us :D i am not a great sun worshipper but dh is the worlds worst , first thing is to check out the area and then decide the position of the sun and where its likely to be for most of the day now choose a suitable sunbed ,this can take up to 20 minutes , i kid you not , one thing in his favour he is not a chair hog , once he has his suitable sunbed he is on it most of the day , me however i prefer to sit somewhat in the shade and wander around so i leave him to his sunbed ritual and i just grab a sunbed as and when i need it , if i go for a wander i take my towel and release my sunbed , i am shaking my head and quietly chuckling at the thought of him settling for a pre allocated sunbed , maybe i should wind him up a little and tell him that this is P & O 'S custom to do this ;) i am sure he would be fretting until we depart :)

[wilson2579]

Its the Iberostar Costa Canaria, enjoy.

P.S not sure if its an issue for you but its adult only.

Thanks Oceana - Adults only,no problem as the children have flown the nest and we are back to being a couple on our own again:D Work in a school so adults only might be quite nice for a change.;)

[wilson2579]

Forgot to say Oceana that we have stayed at many Iberostar hotels but none have taken this option on. I think it is a great idea. Often hols are spoiled by not being able to do much in the morning in case you cannot get a sunbed after lunch. We like to have breakfast and then go for a leisurely walk and maybe a coffee, then come back for a spot of sun bathing. I never want to book sunbeds before we go because I feel guilty when I get back but often there aren't any left in the peak seasons. Three cheers for the Iberostar:D:D

Trish

[oceana20]

Hi Trish

Just a word of warning before you book, its in a very quite location, a couple of small shops and the Islands main hospital are your only neighbours. Also night life within hotel amounts to a man and a keyboard, (not quite that bad) but if raucious entertainment is your thing then as great as this hotel is, its probably not for you. :)

[wilson2579]

Hi Trish

Just a word of warning before you book, its in a very quite location, a couple of small shops and the Islands main hospital are your only neighbours. Also night life within hotel amounts to a man and a keyboard, (not quite that bad) but if raucious entertainment is your thing then as great as this hotel is, its probably not for you. :)

Sounds perfect. I am all booked up for this year but will consider it in the future. This is really good information to get otherwise you never find these things out.

Thanks again. Trish

[marden54]

just back today from ventura- yes there were announcements made every day and I was told that towels were being removed but as a single person I found it nearly impossible to get a sunbed fairly early on in the morning especially on a sea day. It appears that some people were reserving sunbeds for themselves in the sun and in the shade. There were many disgruntled passengers like me trailing all over looking for spaces as in certain areas the sunbeds were piled up but it was difficult getting someone to help you get one down then find someplace to put it.

[wilson2579]

just back today from ventura- yes there were announcements made every day and I was told that towels were being removed but as a single person I found it nearly impossible to get a sunbed fairly early on in the morning especially on a sea day. It appears that some people were reserving sunbeds for themselves in the sun and in the shade. There were many disgruntled passengers like me trailing all over looking for spaces as in certain areas the sunbeds were piled up but it was difficult getting someone to help you get one down then find someplace to put it.

Thanks for that Marden, but it wasn't what I wanted to hear. Sailing on 11th of April.

[macca46]

Just got off the Arcadia today and they announced in the daily paper that reserving chairs was not on but it was not really put to the test due to the rainy weather.

Yesterday we were on the Promenade deck and I was slightly worse for wear and was looking for a lay down and there were only two of those timber chairs that fold out to a bed on the whole deck as we got close to them and what did we see a Bag and a book reserving them.

I was tempted to move them and then thought we should wait perhaps they have gone to the Bathroom.

I dozed off in a regular chair next to the offending "reserved" fold out chairs, when I woke nearly two hours had past and the people had not returned.

BUT................... There is a God, when they did not long later they were really upset because the rain coming off the lifeboats had wet their bag and book.

They mumbled something about people not moving their stuff for them, I just smiled at them. :D

I had know idea it had rained and would have moved their stuff further into the rain if I had noticed.