Deck Chairs?

[kmks1]

I was on a cruise back in November and saw the coolest thing. It was little notes that you could leave in your poolside chair when you went to lunch so the chair Hawks wouldnt steal your chair. Thing is...I lost the order information...has anyone seen anything like this, please let me know, we are cruising in June....I was on Princess but thought I would take a shot and ask here too..ive asked on other boards as well, sometimes longshots come through!

[MyImagination]

I was on a cruise back in November and saw the coolest thing. It was little notes that you could leave in your poolside chair when you went to lunch so the chair Hawks wouldnt steal your chair. Thing is...I lost the order information...has anyone seen anything like this, please let me know, we are cruising in June....I was on Princess but thought I would take a shot and ask here too..ive asked on other boards as well, sometimes longshots come through!

 

To me if you are going to lunch you should give up the deck chair and find another when you return.

[kmks1]

I know, however, I shouldnt lose my seat for a bathroom break or to go to the grill and get something to eat to bring back. Thats what it was used for, not reserving or holding a seat while im in there chowing down. It was just a fun thing on a fun vacation, they were really cool and we had fun with it...we also used them in the room to tell our husbands where we were when they (finally) came in from the Casino!

[happyshelly]

If you are going to do that just use regular post-it notes in bright colors.

[kmks1]

Shelly...they werent post its...thats what someone else said on another board. They were little cards...kinda cool.

[Lisichka]

Just make some on your computer and laminate them.....

[MyImagination]

I know, however, I shouldnt lose my seat for a bathroom break or to go to the grill and get something to eat to bring back. Thats what it was used for, not reserving or holding a seat while im in there chowing down. It was just a fun thing on a fun vacation, they were really cool and we had fun with it...we also used them in the room to tell our husbands where we were when they (finally) came in from the Casino!

 

Are you sitting by yourself? If you are going to be gone less than 5 mins ask the person next to you to watch the chair. Many people will move a hat or shoe left on a chair. So Im not sure if a lil note would really save your deck chair.

[kmks1]

I used the "lil" note in November and it did just fine. Again, I was asking if anyone had ever heard of these or seen them...and I have had hat and shoes stolen in the past, which is why I liked the "lil" note...

[KenMo]

I don't think a "lil" note would stop the chair police!!! But good luck and enjoy your cruise!

[christhree]

When we went on Conquest 2 weeks ago, everyone knew the drill...no saving...everyone SAT in chairs...However..

Let me explain that..

8:30 am we got our chairs for the day...spread towels, took turns getting breakfast...We actually sat in those all day...my opinion, if it matters...

IF you both potty at same time, or go get lunch...if your towel is WET I KNOW you'll be right back...that's not an issue

IF you lay out flip flops, towels, lotion and do not return....OH WELL..if anyone asks how long your crap is there, and you haven't been for 1 hour...I WILL say to folks to get it...turn their crap to lost n found....Too many cruises seeing flip flops, towels, lotion reserving chairs at 9am and no one in sight till after noon...heck with that...if you're gonna sit...SIT. Otherwise give it up. JMHO:cool:

[ladyt]

We were on the Victory for the May 8th sailing. Sirens pool was the best location to be in, a bit more quiet. Well Saturday (the last day at sea) my husband and I got up early and ate breakfast. We then went over to the pool and only saw 1 chair that did not have a towel on it. I laid on the empty chair and waited for my hubby to come back from taking our son to camp carnival. When my hubby came back, he took the stuff off the chair next to mine and put it on another chair.

 

When I say that all the chairs for this pool area were saved and only about 4 people were actually laying in their chairs I am not exaggerating. There were so many people coming to the pool but could not find an unsaved chair and they just walked away.

 

I will say this. If you leave your chair (I don't care what you use to save it) and I need a chair, I am going to take it. I would say that 15 minutes is a fair time for a chair to be saved. If there are two of you, then 1 should stay behind. And for goodness sake, don't leave your Carnival Towel behind because it won't be there when you come back.

 

I was told by people sitting next to me that the day before the entire row of pool front chair was saved for the entire day and no one showed up. The day I was at the pool, from the time I was there no one showed up for around 3-4 hours.

 

My husband did go up to a Carnival employee to complain about the chair hogging and was told to go to the information desk.

 

I don't mean to sound rude, but I find it rude to hog a chair. By the way, many of these chairs were saved either from the night before or really early because it rained early morning and the towels were wet! This also happened at Tritons pool.

[palmtre2]

I got up early, got my coffee and took my book and towels to the deck. I took 2 chairs - 1 for me & one for DH, did NOT save one for my DD who doesn't sit still for long. I sat & read until DD got up & joined me, we took a quick break to grab something to eat, which we brought back to the chairs. DH was out late, nite before and was still in bed. DD went in the pool for a while and on her way back to the chairs fell and put a nasty cut on her knee. I obviously, left to help her take care of it. Don't you know when we got back about 1/2 an hour later(clean & dress her knee & report the incident) our things were on the ground and someone had taken our chairs. I sat at the bar nearby and watched for over an hour and no one ever showed up. Needless to say their things were on the floor and we were parked in those chairs. Talk about the rude looks & comments when they got back(from them - which we chose to ignore). I do not think people should start removing things from chairs after 1/2 hour, I would wait a little longer.

[ahoys]

This board is becoming just as unpleasant as another cruise line's board on CC. Why jump on the OP just because she wanted to locate some signs? I think it's a good idea. If the chair bullies want to ignore the sign and dump the stuff on the deck, well, it's going to happen anyway...whether you're just going to the restroom or sitting in the hot tub for 10 minutes. To kmks: I'm going to make my own signs and laminate them, just as MissChievous suggested.

[L_T]

Just make friends with your chair neighbors - then ask them to keep an eye on your chairs & stuff while you run off for 15 minutes (bathroom break, to the cabin for something, grab lunch, whatever). Offer to do the same for them. Folks trying to get chairs don't want to take any that are being used - but are looking for the long-term vacant ones.

[lil nemo]

Ladt said"I will say this. If you leave your chair (I don't care what you use to save it) and I need a chair, I am going to take it. I would say that 15 minutes is a fair time for a chair to be saved. If there are two of you, then 1 should stay behind. And for goodness sake, don't leave your Carnival Towel behind because it won't be there when you come back."

 

Are you saying that your need for a chair supersedes someones need to go to the bathroom? or back to there room? or to get a burger?

I see no problem coming and going from a chair you have occupied.

thats not chair hogging thats using!

iN one's haste of loathing the chair hogs, they should be careful to assume absences for a dip in the pool or whirlpool which BTW you could spend more than 15 minutes enjoying!

[derf5585]

Here is an idea a "pool chair lock". One folds up the chair then locks it up with a Bungee cord lock (another use for a bungee cord)

 

WS innovated a little bungee cord lock

from

http://www.sit-on-topkayaking.com/KayakData/Reviews/Tarpon2.html

 

or

Cruise ships should hand you a deck chair as one embarks. Yours to keep while on the cruise. It should also have your name embosed on it. The crew will be more than happy to lug your chair where you want if.

[LizaMM]

Oh jeez...the chair situation rears it's head!!! :eek: lol!

 

I LOVE the idea of a little sign.

 

I hate chair hoggers BUT I don't think that it is fair to put someone in this category after only 15 minutes!!

 

I always travel as a solo adult - sometimes simply solo and other times as a single parent with my kids. If I need to go get food or hit the bathroom or something there is NOT another adult with me to take turns with. There are times when I have been off to get food and it took longer than 15 minutes. There are also times when I need to be able to help my kids with a task and that takes longer than 15. IF there is someone on the chair near me I will tell them and ask them to let anyone who comes by know that I will be right back BUT since many of the chairs are populated with items rather than people ;) there is not always a friendly chair neighbor to talk to!

 

ANYWAY.....I think that if I saw a little sign I would feel that that chair was being saved briefly by a courteous and respectful fellow pax and I would NOT take the stuff off (unless of course an hour ticked by!). I believe that a sign is a nice idea. This is a problem that is out of hand because of people who are behaving selfishly NOT because of people who behave fairly.

[christhree]

IF a chair has a towel, and the towel is well {wet ass mark} sat in...hey...I won't touch it...

But the neatly folded towels hastily thrown...are fair game.

When we had enough sun and fun, there were usually folks standing around and looking...we called them over to take our 2.

Reality is, get a chair in the morning before 9am and sit your butt in it...talk to the folks next to you, or behind you....everyone goes to the pp station, everyone eats..realistically, 1 hour is about right { MAX} to vacate a chair. The lines are long, whether you eat at your chair or cool off inside, 1 hour is reasonable. After an hour, I say fair game.

 

We did not have a problem on Conquest ...we got up, went to chairs, ate in shifts, and sometimes napped in place...so did everyone around us. All week we had the same chairmates, and we all took shifts watching them while in pool, slide, meals...It pays to get to know your shipmates.....:rolleyes:

[K.T.B.]

I have no problems with people:

 

Going to the bathroom.

Getting some food.

Getting a drink.

Going back to their cabin and returning.

Swimming or using the waterslide.

 

In all those cases, we're talking 15-20 minutes. The swimming/waterslide could be longer, but you're right there.

 

If all someone is going to do is place their book or shoe or towel on a chair and go off to parts unknown for longer than 20 minutes, the chair up for grabs. Usually, I'll sit at a table, eat my meal, watching to see what chairs remain unoccupied. If I take my time in eating, I'm doing in 20 minutes, maybe 30 if I'm a pig and go back for seconds. ;) If by that time NO ONE occupies any chairs within my view, I consider them free. Regardless of what's been placed there. I'll then turn in the shoe or book or towel to lost and found. :)

 

By the way, I don't recall there being a huge "saving tables by the poolside" brigade on board..... Just the lounge chairs. I could well imagine how much of an uproar there would be if that occurred! :eek:

 

Anyway, that's my take on it. It's more than fair and gives people a fair chance to return without my being a jerk about it.

[ladyt]

lil nemo:

 

I did not mean to come across that harsh, but when you see that all the chairs are empty and there are only towels holding their places it does bother me. No one was in the pool, so where was everyone. As I said it was hours before anyone showed up to claim their saved chairs. I assume that someone got up early and put the towels on the chairs and then went off to do other activities. Meanwhile many people came to the pool to find a chair but all were taken by towels. My family of 4 only used 2 chairs, rotating swimming time etc. I could never leave my chair for a period of time to go eat, that is as I said before just rude.

 

I know that this is a big problem on the ships, maybe the cruiseline should do something to prevent these things from happening. :)

[casmichele]

I am in agreement with you ladyt. I can understand someone actually swimming or going to the bathroom. In that case they're still USING the chair. But if they're gone for over half an hour, why is it wrong for me and my family to sit down?

[lil nemo]

I hate chair hoggers BUT I don't think that it is fair to put someone in this category after only 15 minutes!! QUOTE]

 

 

I think it's sometimes easy to tell if the chairs are occupied or being hogged! and other times not so easy, but, the loathing for chair hoggin' overcomes and people may get a little self righteous. we have had this happen! we get up early 7-8 ish and occupy our loungers for the period in which we wish to use them. we watch for hours people "reservin" hoggin chairs for later consumption, much later. like 10 or nooish. I do see this as a problem, but, i don't see it as an opportunity to be rude and remove stuff because you merely want to use it right "NOW".

it is plenty big enough of a concern for the cruiselines to become involved. All it would take is to have poolside towels only to hold your spot upon request by a cabana/pool attendent for each in attendance at the time. this attendant would watch for the non-occupant reserving issue. they do this at the upscale resorts all the time. for this exact purpose.

they already have towel attendants, just take the service 1 step further! eventually it will become a non-issue.

[MusicMan]

"but, i don't see it as an opportunity to be rude and remove stuff because you merely want to use it right "NOW".

 

It's MY view that the person leaving his/her "stuff" on a chair for any lengthy period of time is the "rude" one, not the one claiming a chair not being currently used. My feeling is that if I need a chair and there are none "available" (ie, none without objects on them) I will place the objects under the chair and use it. If someone returns in 15 - 30 minutes and "claims" the chair I'll relinquish it. If they show up an hour and a half later.... tough!

[MusicMan]

..an additional thought..... if Carnival provided little clockface signs that read something to the effect "Sorry, had to leave my chair briefly. I'll be back by [set the clock to a specific time]." That way you'd have an idea of what was going on. If the clock said "I'll be back by 2" and it was 1:30 you can understand that. If it said "I'll be back by 2" and it was 10:30".... sorry, you lose!!!!

[blackwing]

My favorite is when they put a single flip flop tucked into the corner of the chair. Guess I should be wandering around the bathrooms looking for a person wearing only one shoe before I take that chair. It annoys me to no end.

 

I think it is all in the mentality. If it's "I'm going to put my towel and book down and go get some ice cream and come back", I think that's fine. If it's "I better get up extra early and put my shoe down so I can make sure I get a chair for the hairy chest contest at 3 pm", then that sucks. Those people deserve to have their things tossed overboard.