If you can't beat em...

[donoiv]

Just back from the Magic. First Carnival experience and I have to say it was a fantastic trip. Great choice for those with kids... The water park kept my 6 year old entertained for hours on end. Food was pretty good... Drinks were fantastic. Surprised by Montego Bay. Had never been... Heard a lot of negatives... But we loved it. Just did the hop on hop off bus to Rose Hall shops and then to Doctors Cave beach... Had planned on Iberostar for the day, but we took a chance on the less expensive option... Worked out famously.

 

So if you can't beat em... Join em... And by this, I mean "chair hogging". Have joked around on the boards in the past about this... But have never been one. Always respected "the rules". So... On our first sea day I slept in till the ungodly hour of 8:00. Went up to the lido deck and noticed all the chairs were "taken". Walked around for 90 minutes and finally found 3 chairs that we could drag together. The whole time I was grumbling to myself about how rude and inconsiderate everyone was. Very frustrating. Promised myself it wouldn't happen again. On friday and Saturday I got up and found three chairs around 6 am... Many had Already been "taken". Threw some towels on them along with. Backpack... And went back to sleep for two hours. Arrived back around 9:00 and found my prime chairs waiting for me to bake in the sun. No frustration and no anger... Just two happy vacation days.

 

I am now a convert. Blast if you must, but I am on vacation and I am going to enjoy it.

 

One final thought... And I will wait for the flames to begin. Not once.. Never... Did I see any signs indicating that it was not ok to "hog" a chair... Not in the fun times... And not on the list of pool rules... I looked for it... And didn't see it. Next time you cruise with me... And want the same chairs that I do... Better get up early... Cause I will get them first... And will keep em all day :)

 

Cherrio

[Frank12]

Glad you had a great cruise.

Going to get the popcorn! :)

[Ready 2 Go]

Glad you had a good time.

[donoiv]

Glad you had a good time.

 

Thanks. It was a fantastic time. Interesting ending. Someone had to be airlifted last night around 11:30... Not sure what happened... But cool to see the coast guard chopper in action.

[GlendaleCruiser]

Someone will post a picture soon. Sorry you missed it.

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

Hmmmm...I understand your rationale, and I think that getting up at 6am and then being in the chair by 8/9am is much better than staking your claim at 6am and then not showing up until noon or later...but I can say I wish Carnival would enforce their own rules, rather than making other passengers do it (or not in your case ;) )

[vols_159]

You didnt hear ccl new rule? Starting next week all chairs are up for bid.. all prime chairs are sold to the highest bidder.. better take some xtra cash on your next cruise? and dont leave anything Someone may want in your chair.. Because i have no mercy for chair hogs.. if a chair is not used for over 30 min.. the chair is fair game you "stuff" may be place in the corner or in the lost and found..

 

While im on vacation i dont wanna see 730am or earlier I go to work b4 5am everyday.. so im not gonna wake up go chair hog than come back 3 hours later

[donoiv]

Hmmmm...I understand your rationale, and I think that getting up at 6am and then being in the chair by 8/9am is much better than staking your claim at 6am and then not showing up until noon or later...but I can say I wish Carnival would enforce their own rules, rather than making other passengers do it (or not in your case ;) )

 

But there is the problem. Where is the rule? I looked for it.. And couldn't find it. Not on the little towel hut... Not on the pool rules sign... Not a mention in the fun times... Nothing (didn't check serenity area... But we didn't sit up there) if I am looking for it.. And can not find it... How is one to know unless they have cruised in th past? Maybe they quietly did away with the rule

[donoiv]

You didnt hear ccl new rule? Starting next week all chairs are up for bid.. all prime chairs are sold to the highest bidder.. better take some xtra cash on your next cruise? and dont leave anything Someone may want in your chair.. Because i have no mercy for chair hogs.. if a chair is not used for over 30 min.. the chair is fair game you "stuff" may be place in the corner or in the lost and found..

 

While im on vacation i dont wanna see 730am or earlier I go to work b4 5am everyday.. so im not gonna wake up go chair hog than come back 3 hours later

 

I don't want to get up that early either... But I also don't want to be unhappy the whole week... And if someone moves my stuff... And it isn't someone with authority... I'm on vacation... But there is going to be a problem... ESPECIALLY when there isn't a sign in sight. Like I said, I have always been respectful of the chairs.... But that's over... Too much time wasted on being mad at others reserving the chairs... I can play the game too

[tikimon]

No bashing from me, glad you had a great cruise!

 

I've said all along if you want lounge chair in a certian area then get your butt outta bed and get the darn thing or just sit down where ever you can find a spot.

[mikel24m]

I don't want to get up that early either... But I also don't want to be unhappy the whole week... And if someone moves my stuff... And it isn't someone with authority... I'm on vacation... But there is going to be a problem... ESPECIALLY when there isn't a sign in sight. Like I said, I have always been respectful of the chairs.... But that's over... Too much time wasted on being mad at others reserving the chairs... I can play the game too

 

Id have to play musical chairs and move everyones personal items around,then grab a coffee and people watch from deck 10

[vols_159]

I don't want to get up that early either... But I also don't want to be unhappy the whole week... And if someone moves my stuff... And it isn't someone with authority... I'm on vacation... But there is going to be a problem... ESPECIALLY when there isn't a sign in sight. Like I said, I have always been respectful of the chairs.... But that's over... Too much time wasted on being mad at others reserving the chairs... I can play the game too

 

 

How would you know who moved your stuff if you was in bed sleeping for 2 or 3 more hours.. I like to be in the shade or under something.. i could careless about a pool side seat

[luv2cc]

On the Splendor a few weeks back, they scrolled the 'rule' across the bottom of the poolside movie screen ALL THE TIME. It was huge, and no way you could miss it. It did say 40 minutes, though, not 30. However, I did not see any hogged chairs, ever. There were always plenty of empty chairs even right next to the pool. My daughter swam in there almost 24/7 and I was always able to grab a chair by the pool to watch. The most coveted chairs seemed to be on the deck facing the screen anyway, and there were plenty of those available all the time, too. May be because they were enforcing the rule?

[hartskys]

Glad you liked Montego Bay - we will be there this month :)

 

How did you know where to go for the hop on hop off bus and how much was it?

[Westbank is bestbank]

Im not a chair hog either but you might have convinced me to start, haha. I have a room on the lido deck next cruise so I will be real close to go put my towel out. I really do wish that the rules were posted and enforced.

[jks336]

i would have to deal with it, because once i'm up long enough to go get chairs, i would be up for the day! lol..

 

I do think it's rude to hog chairs, BUT, as you stated, IF there were no signs (i have seen them) then you have that right to save.

[jks336]

Id have to play musical chairs and move everyones personal items around,then grab a coffee and people watch from deck 10

 

lmao Mikel.. now that would be fun

[cruisinmimiof3]

I see in your signature you are doing the southern next! Please post a review, I am doing that one next year! But I will be on the Valor. Thanks much, fellow Vermont cruiser!:cool:

[Lady_Jag]

I'm not a sun worshipper, so I couldn't care less about "reserving" a chair all day. The length of time I spend in a chair taking turns supervising my little one by the pool is never more than an hour, since she likes to move from pool to hot tub to waterworks.

So I never have any problem neatly folding up a towel in a chair and taking its place as seat saver. If the towel's owner happens to come back, I just smile and say, "just keeping the chair warm for you," and get up to leave. Only had the hog come back once, though, and she offered me her other "reserved" chair.

 

No stress, no conflict. Everyone was happy.

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Can't blame you. Personally I don't care about saving a chair. I prefer a spot in the shade when I'm not in the pool.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

But there is the problem. Where is the rule? I looked for it.. And couldn't find it.

 

There is no posted rule about cutting in lines or yelling in the hallways by cabin doors at 3AM either but common courtesy and decency tell us its wrong to do.

 

I don't really have much else to say as I will be in the minority on thinking its wrong. You will have plenty of support on Cruise Critic though. I hope your cruise was great and as are your future ones.

[Dolfinsfan]

But there is the problem. Where is the rule? I looked for it.. And couldn't find it. Not on the little towel hut... Not on the pool rules sign... Not a mention in the fun times... Nothing (didn't check serenity area... But we didn't sit up there) if I am looking for it.. And can not find it... How is one to know unless they have cruised in th past? Maybe they quietly did away with the rule

 

Some rules and actions in life are not written anywhere. They are just common sense out of courtesy for others. What ever happened to politeness and compassion for others? We don't hold open doors for little ole ladies because there's a sign that says so. We dont say "please" and "thank you" because there's a sign that says so. We do these things because they are the right thing to do. They show us as being nice and caring for others. Back when more people did those things, this was a better place. Now that we live in a society of "me, me, me" and the entitlement era, I guess manners and caring have been replaced with "what's in it for me?". While you and others may have "joined them", there are still some of us out there that refuse to change the way we were raised- not even for a chair in a prime sun spot.

On a side note- how 'bout we go early to the MDR and reserve our seats in there with a towel so we can come back later to dine when we want to while taking in the best views from there as well? Sounds like a plan to me!!!! Oh wait, they dont allow that. But I am sure there aint no sign in there that says "please do not reserve seats at your table for patrons who may (or may not) show up later to dine".

Let the flood gates open up.....:cool:

[brooklynfc]

Ugh, getting up at 6am to go throw stuff on a chair and then trying to go back to sleep for 3 hours? If I'm up, I'm up.......I will never get back to the same sweet slumber I was in at 6am. I mean, if I wasn't sparkly like a vampire, and got up that early for a chair, I would have thrown myself in the chair and fell back to sleep right there. But, if that makes your vacation better...........more power to ya.

[English Tim]

That's early enough, as I usually go around the deck at 06.30 for a bit of sport - removing all the towels!

[Virginia21]

i know where u are coming from. on the liberty last month, i refused to be one of those chair hogs, went to the pool with our 6 year old (he is a fish in the water and will be there for hours) around 10ish, not a chair available in sight! well next day the same thing. i might also add the whole time i was by the pool with our son at least 70 percent of those chairs still had only towels on them, no people. well after 2 days of this my hubbie and i had enough, so u know what we did the next morning :)

this was only my second cruise, first time was on the dream, and it was during august. maybe due to the time of year, there were less ppl so no need to save a chair. we usually go to AI resorts and its the same thing there. get your chair early or dont get a chair.