Dealing with uncomfortable balcony furniture...help

[caribill]

What has happened to the "consummated host" who lets you"escape completely":cool::eek::confused:

 

You no longer "escape completely."

 

You now "come back new," which could mean with aches and pains from using the balcony furniture.

[HleeCruiser]

Just on Sapphire and found the balcony furniture worked just fine for sitting with our feet on the stool. Obviously it is not meant for stretching out and sleeping. I use the bed for that. I would never forego booking a balcony due to the lounge furniture.

[donaldsc]

Since you already bring your own mattress topper (can't imagine why), I have a suggestion of yet another thing to bring.

 

You could arrive at the departure port a bit earlier. Go to a good patio store and find comfortable patio furniture. When you buy the stuff, do not take them out of the box and stick a cabin luggage sticker on them just as the people who bring cases of water on board do. It will be delivered to your cabin with the rest of your luggage.

 

At the end of the cruise just abandon the stuff in your cabin.

 

True, it might be a bit costly. However, it will make you more comfortable and the total cost of the new patio furniture will be only a small percentage of the cruise cost.

 

This may sound stupid but it will solve your problem.

 

DON

[capriccio]

Like everything else in life one size (or opinion) doesn't suit all. We recently spent 9 days on the Ruby in a mini suite. Due to the beautiful weather we sat out for several sunsets and late evenings of star gazing. We were able to sit comfortably with the chair backs reclined and our legs extended on the foot rests.

 

So did we on our recently completed B2B!

[lljost]

Since you already bring your own mattress topper (can't imagine why), I have a suggestion of yet another thing to bring.

 

You could arrive at the departure port a bit earlier. Go to a good patio store and find comfortable patio furniture. When you buy the stuff, do not take them out of the box and stick a cabin luggage sticker on them just as the people who bring cases of water on board do. It will be delivered to your cabin with the rest of your luggage.

 

At the end of the cruise just abandon the stuff in your cabin.

 

True, it might be a bit costly. However, it will make you more comfortable and the total cost of the new patio furniture will be only a small percentage of the cruise cost.

 

This may sound stupid but it will solve your problem.

 

DON

 

 

Too funny...however I would not put it past somebody to do this... :)

[Pam in CA]

These are the "old" chairs. See how they're curved?

 

 

These are the "new" chairs. Not a curve in sight.

 

 

For those of us who are older, and particularly if you tend to have arthritis, the new chairs can be excruciating after only a few minutes unless you're using the chair to sit up straight.

[HleeCruiser]

Pam, Why did you have to remind me how nice the "Old" chairs were? Now I too, shall miss them. It had been a while since we had cruised so I had forgotten the nice contoured chairs.

[donaldsc]

So did we on our recently completed B2B!

 

I was serious - sort of. However, when you consider the cost of a cruise, the cost of buying and abandoning comfortable balcony furniture is just roundoff error. Not sure whether the ship would have fire code violations however.

 

If one can justify bringing all the junk on board that is on the many "must have" lists on CC up to your own mattress topper, why not your own furniture.

 

DON

[Coral]

I was serious - sort of. However, when you consider the cost of a cruise, the cost of buying and abandoning comfortable balcony furniture is just roundoff error. Not sure whether the ship would have fire code violations however.

 

If one can justify bringing all the junk on board that is on the many "must have" lists on CC up to your own mattress topper, why not your own furniture.

 

DON

 

Do you think I could get "Stewart" to put the deck furniture together? :)

 

The "old chairs" were so much more comfortable!

Edited February 12, 2014 by Coral

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes "Stewart"!! :)

[capriccio]

I was serious - sort of. However, when you consider the cost of a cruise, the cost of buying and abandoning comfortable balcony furniture is just roundoff error. Not sure whether the ship would have fire code violations however.

 

If one can justify bringing all the junk on board that is on the many "must have" lists on CC up to your own mattress topper, why not your own furniture.

 

DON

 

Don - i don't understand this in response to my message since I was agreeing with

 

Originally Posted by

lynnak

Like everything else in life one size (or opinion) doesn't suit all. We recently spent 9 days on the Ruby in a mini suite. Due to the beautiful weather we sat out for several sunsets and late evenings of star gazing. We were able to sit comfortably with the chair backs reclined and our legs extended on the foot rests.

Am I missing something?

[Iamcruzin]

Since you already bring your own mattress topper (can't imagine why), I have a suggestion of yet another thing to bring.

 

You could arrive at the departure port a bit earlier. Go to a good patio store and find comfortable patio furniture. When you buy the stuff, do not take them out of the box and stick a cabin luggage sticker on them just as the people who bring cases of water on board do. It will be delivered to your cabin with the rest of your luggage.

 

At the end of the cruise just abandon the stuff in your cabin.

 

True, it might be a bit costly. However, it will make you more comfortable and the total cost of the new patio furniture will be only a small percentage of the cruise cost.

 

This may sound stupid but it will solve your problem.

DON

As stupid as it may sound there was a thread some time back, around the time that they were first rolling out the new furniture. Someone asked if they needed to bring their own deck furniture. It ended up with a reply from Princess stating that they would be looking into changing the furniture. Seems like they are just continuing to roll out the uncomfortable stuff that passengers complain about.

[RickEk]

Here is an idea for Princess to make some extra $$$!

 

I love the steamer chairs (with footrests) that are on the Promenade deck. They are extremely comfortable with the cushion and correct placement of the footrest. These chairs were missing from the deck on the Golden on our recent SA cruise. If Princess made these chairs available for an additional fee on your balcony, I know that I would "rent" them for our cruises!

 

It would require a lot of furniture shuffling at the start and end of the cruise, but they are extremely comfortable.

 

BTW, those steamer chairs were not missing from the Golden since they were never there. Only the Island/Coral/Sapphire/Diamond and the Sun-class ships have the steamer chairs because their Promenades are wider...

Edited February 12, 2014 by RickEk

[KruzPrincess]

We had this same conversation about a year or more ago when the new furniture was introduced. Princess said they'd look into the table issue and they did get larger tables. I don't think they ever considered the chairs to be an issue. I imagine the buyer sat down for a second and thought it was OK. They never sat for an hour or two. I wish they had to have these chairs at their desks. Finally, the mattress problems seem like they're being resolved as time passes and now we have uncomfortable balcony furniture. I love being able to go out onto the balcony early AM and late PM and anytime during the day, so I haven't been able to give it up yet. We also discussed the idea of inflatable furniture then, but I never actually tried it. LOL. For me, I don't think there's a fix to make those chairs feel better.

[Pam in CA]

I love the steamer chairs (with footrests) that are on the Promenade deck. They are extremely comfortable with the cushion and correct placement of the footrest. These chairs were missing from the deck on the Golden on our recent SA cruise. If Princess made these chairs available for an additional fee on your balcony, I know that I would "rent" them for our cruises!

Three reasons: 1. They're not fireproof so they can't be used on balconies any more than the loungers on Lido can. 2. They won't fit on most balconies. 3. They're not available on most Princess ships.

[Coral]

[quote name='Pam in CA']Three reasons: 1. They're not fireproof so they can't be used on balconies any more than the loungers on Lido can. 2. They won't fit on most balconies. 3. They're not available on most Princess ships.[/QUOTE]

I have a difficult time buying this argument (fireproof) as last I knew, they still used similar furniture on suite cabin balconies.

[Pam in CA]

[quote name='Coral']I have a difficult time buying this argument (fireproof) as last I knew, they still used similar furniture on suite cabin balconies.[/quote]I have to admit that I pay little attention to full suites but are they usually uncovered? If they're covered, I can understand it as the biggest danger has been cigarettes being thrown overboard.

[Coral]

[quote name='Pam in CA']I have to admit that I pay little attention to full suites but are they usually uncovered? If they're covered, I can understand it as the biggest danger has been cigarettes being thrown overboard.[/QUOTE]

They have both. For example on the Grand class, the Caribe suite balconies are half covered, half open.

[bhopal21]

[quote name='Coral']I have a difficult time buying this argument (fireproof) as last I knew, they still used similar furniture on suite cabin balconies.[/QUOTE]

Yep, still a teak table with four teak chairs and fabric covered memory foam cushions as well as two teak loungers with the same cushions and a small side table.

I took a couple of nice naps last week on the Ruby in those loungers.

Mike:)

[Lynda90]

[B]I just don't understand the mindset of the buyer in charge of balcony furniture. I'm sure that they could find something more comfortable for a reasonable price. It just doesn't make sense that they want us to pay more for a balcony but make it so uncomfortable for us. I do take out bed pillows and they do work for me. But, I realize they don't work for everyone. Maybe if we just keep complaining they will listen to our plea. Please, please Princess, provide us with comfortable chairs on our balconies! There, maybe they heard that!. :p:p[/B]

[Scotto97]

[quote name='Lynda90'][B]I just don't understand the mindset of the buyer in charge of balcony furniture. I'm sure that they could find something more comfortable for a reasonable price. It just doesn't make sense that they want us to pay more for a balcony but make it so uncomfortable for us. I do take out bed pillows and they do work for me. But, I realize they don't work for everyone. Maybe if we just keep complaining they will listen to our plea. Please, please Princess, provide us with comfortable chairs on our balconies! There, maybe they heard that!. :p:p[/B][/QUOTE]

It's quite possible they fully tested the chairs and picked them BECAUSE they are uncomfortable. I remember reading about McDonald's several years ago intentionally furnishing their busiest locations with hard, forward tilting benches and chairs in order to turn the tables more quickly and allow more people to find seating during peak dining times.

As with the design of the Royal Class, Princess is focusing more on revenue generation onboard as others have mentioned. Passengers siting for hours on their balconies in comfortable chairs doesn't generate much income

[shredie]

[quote name='caribill']You no longer "escape completely."

You now "come back new," which could mean with aches and pains from using the balcony furniture.[/QUOTE]

Funny!

[Forester Gump]

But, having uncomfortable balcony chairs on the theory that you get more revenue may backfire. If I can't use the balcony to the level I have paid for it, I probably won't get a balcony next time, or may even cruise on a different line.

This will be my first cruise on Princess. HAL has very nice balcony accommodations. Its a bit more expensive.

[donaldsc]

[quote name='capriccio']Don - i don't understand this in response to my message since I was agreeing with

[INDENT]Originally Posted by [B]lynnak[/B] [URL="http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=41640048#post41640048"][IMG]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif[/IMG][/URL] [/INDENT][INDENT] [I]Like everything else in life one size (or opinion) doesn't suit all. We recently spent 9 days on the Ruby in a mini suite. Due to the beautiful weather we sat out for several sunsets and late evenings of star gazing. We were able to sit comfortably with the chair backs reclined and our legs extended on the foot rests.[/I]
[/INDENT]Am I missing something?[/QUOTE]

Great minds think alike and also out-of-the-box.

It always amazes me how people can spend so much on a cruise and then stress out over something that costs $10.

When the great HAL wine policy discussions were going on and everyone was complaining about the corkage fee, I did an analysis and posted it on the break even point between paying the overpriced HAL bottle cost without a corkage fee versus the cost of buying on shore and paying less for the wine but having to pay the corkage fee. It amazed me that nobody had done that before.

DON Edited February 13, 2014 by donaldsc

[bigguy6]

Is the balcony furniture that this thread is talking about different than the furniture Princess was using 2 years ago? That furniture was not the most comfortable but was adequate as far as I was concerned. Just wondering if it was change out during the last 2 years for something less comfortable.