Saving Chairs/Loungers etc...

[LrgPizza]

It seems this is a touchy topic... I guess it doesn't matter where you go, you will encounter those who think they're entitled to whatever they can take and those who try and be fair for everyone.

 

So, any suggestions on snagging some vibe passes? :cool:

 

 

Go to guest services and buy them. Stories of them selling out unless you are one of the first people on the ship are either a myth or greatly exaggerated. Accounts of people wanting them and not getting them are few and far between.

[Starflyr3]

True. :D

 

For the life of me I can't even figure out why poolside would even be considered a prime location on a ship with 4000+ people.

 

However, I do still think if a company has a stated policy, it should be adhered to or abolished. Actions speak louder than words . . .

 

I wanted a poolside chair because my 3 and 6 year olds wanted to swim/slide. It was too cold for me. I ended up having to stand in the 2 inch water on the edge the entire time they were swimming, to watch them, as the ledges were taken up as well as every lounger. (About half had people, the rest had just towels). And to whoever complained that I was blocking their sun, too bad.

 

^^That's why we booked haven for next year. I have a back condition that is similar to rheumatoid arthritis in the spine, and I can't stand that long without significant pain. At least the haven pool should have a free seat where I can supervise my kids!

[LrgPizza]

... as the ledges were taken up as well as every lounger.

OMG! This is a huge issue! I am not a super strong swimmer, but I can splash about and keep my head above water for a bit. On Getaway, the entire main pool is 6 foot deep, so over my head. Our entire cruise, the entire ledge was 100% filled with people sitting shoulder to shoulder, dangling their feet in the water. I had a couple folks lean over, so I could squish between them to get in the pool. After I puttered around a bit, I went to get out... I couldn't find a way to get out! I was in a near panic when I finally had to grab someone's leg (sitting on the ladder) and ask if they could please stand up and move out of the way so that I had a spot to climb out of the pool.

 

It made me realize even more why kids aren't allowed in there (although I know a ton of kids who are much stronger swimmers than I.)

 

Sorry. I took the off-topic post and dragged it more off-topic. :o

Edited September 10, 2015 by LrgPizza

[Barb Nahoumi]

I think chair hogs don't think about anyone else. That person who comes out at 7 and saves chairs for family until 10, probably doesn't care that another passenger could use that chair for those three hours or the fact that another passenger may never get to lay out because of them.

 

What I find very despicable are those passengers who not only hog loungers in the sun, but they also have chairs in the shade, so they can go back and forth.

 

I think all the cruise lines should set up a system to combat chair hogs, so that all passengers who wish to sit out by the pool or in the shade are able to do so.

 

Build a wall of cubbies on the pooldeck. When someone leaves items on a vacant chair beyond 30 minutes, staff could remove the stuff and place it in one of the cubbies.

 

If my husband or I get up to go in the pool or grab a bite to eat, we will tell someone in a neighboring chair that we'll be right back.

 

What is equally thoughtless, is saving half a row of theater seats. Many times the people for whom the seats are saved, are late or never show up at all.

[NLH Arizona]

Build a wall of cubbies on the pooldeck. When someone leaves items on a vacant chair beyond 30 minutes, staff could remove the stuff and place it in one of the cubbies.

 

If my husband or I get up to go in the pool or grab a bite to eat, we will tell someone in a neighboring chair that we'll be right back.

 

What is equally thoughtless, is saving half a row of theater seats. Many times the people for whom the seats are saved, are late or never show up at all.

I don't think having cubbies is the answer, because it is up to the staff and some don't seem willing to enforce the rules and NCL doesn't insist on it.

 

I do the same thing, even though I sit in the shade, if I go up to go to the restroom or get a drink or food to bring back, I always let the person next to me know or I let the pool attendant know that I'll be right back.

 

Maybe it is just me, but I can not fathom someone watching someone walk around looking for a chair, all the while they are saving seats for someone who might come in 3 or 4 hours. Same thing happens in the buffet with the card and mahjong players or readers. They have to play or read during lunch when the buffet is full and tables are at a premium - can't they see people are carrying their food looking for a table to eat their meal on and be considerate and go somewhere else to play or read.

[Jenjer]

I do think cubbies would be helpful

 

Kids and adults come to the slides with towels, phones, shoes and cards. They need someplace to put them. So they take a chair then head off to ride the water slides for a few hours. Maybe stopping back by the chair to have a drink or rest a few minutes but they are really not using the chair 99% of the time.

 

Most kids will be using a chair in the shade close to the slide stairs at least mine will but still its a waste of a chair. But without any other alternative they have to put their stuff someplace.

 

 

Having a staff person or 2 watch the deck in the morning and tell passengers that drop and go to leave, that their chair will be waiting for 30 or even 60 minutes but after that their stuff will be located at XYZ would be soooooo very helpful. Yeah sure the chair hogs are going to snort and snot but it if the cruise line just enforced their own rules, it would be so much better.

 

Its so clear as to who is swimming and using their chair and who is just hogging it.

[detroitlions]

I see nothing wrong with grandma and grandpa holding a spot for their family - especially if they are coming at 9 or 10am. There are still plenty of open chairs at that time. The problem is the people who get up at 6am, claim chairs, and then go back to bed until noon or later. The other issue is people coming to the pool deck at noon and expecting to find a chair in a prime location. Ain't gonna happen!

 

I get up early eat breakfast and see the flood of towels on loungers. I laugh to myself and remove a bunch and stack it all on one. Then I go to the pool bar and wait. while I am sipping a drink I watching all the angry hogs fight over one apple its hilarious. I think they should ban food by the pool area so people don't use getting there lunch as a excuse for owning a chair all day.

[SailLaVie]

Go to guest services and buy them. Stories of them selling out unless you are one of the first people on the ship are either a myth or greatly exaggerated. Accounts of people wanting them and not getting them are few and far between.

 

 

 

Well, that's great news! I'm hoping to get a cabana... they look perfect for a little snooze ;)

[SailLaVie]

I do think cubbies would be helpful

 

Kids and adults come to the slides with towels, phones, shoes and cards. They need someplace to put them. So they take a chair then head off to ride the water slides for a few hours. Maybe stopping back by the chair to have a drink or rest a few minutes but they are really not using the chair 99% of the time.

 

Most kids will be using a chair in the shade close to the slide stairs at least mine will but still its a waste of a chair. But without any other alternative they have to put their stuff someplace.

 

 

Having a staff person or 2 watch the deck in the morning and tell passengers that drop and go to leave, that their chair will be waiting for 30 or even 60 minutes but after that their stuff will be located at XYZ would be soooooo very helpful. Yeah sure the chair hogs are going to snort and snot but it if the cruise line just enforced their own rules, it would be so much better.

 

Its so clear as to who is swimming and using their chair and who is just hogging it.

 

 

This sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Totally agree that they need a place for people to put their stuff instead of on the chairs. It is a shame that they don't enforce their own rules. Seems like most people would like it if they did.

[SailLaVie]

I get up early eat breakfast and see the flood of towels on loungers. I laugh to myself and remove a bunch and stack it all on one. Then I go to the pool bar and wait. while I am sipping a drink I watching all the angry hogs fight over one apple its hilarious. I think they should ban food by the pool area so people don't use getting there lunch as a excuse for owning a chair all day.

 

 

LOLOLOL That would be so funny to watch! Have you ever been caught moving the towels?

[SailLaVie]

I don't think having cubbies is the answer, because it is up to the staff and some don't seem willing to enforce the rules and NCL doesn't insist on it.

 

I do the same thing, even though I sit in the shade, if I go up to go to the restroom or get a drink or food to bring back, I always let the person next to me know or I let the pool attendant know that I'll be right back.

 

Maybe it is just me, but I can not fathom someone watching someone walk around looking for a chair, all the while they are saving seats for someone who might come in 3 or 4 hours. Same thing happens in the buffet with the card and mahjong players or readers. They have to play or read during lunch when the buffet is full and tables are at a premium - can't they see people are carrying their food looking for a table to eat their meal on and be considerate and go somewhere else to play or read.

 

 

Letting people around you know you're coming back is a great tip, thanks! Although, I am fairly sure I won't be spending any time around the adult pool during the day. I think sometimes people need to slow down, smell the coffee, and be nicer to each other.

 

Thanks for letting me know there's a problem with seats in the buffet as well. I haven't come across this issue. We are planning on eating at off times, because my husband doesn't do well with big line ups, so I'm really hopeful this doesn't pose a problem.

[SissasMomE]

So according to you grandma coming out to the pool deck at 7am to put towels on 5 lounge chairs for family members who don't come out until 10am is not chair hogging? Think there are a couple of million cruise passengers would disagree with you, vehemently.

 

Not if there's a plethora of empty chairs around.

Edited September 10, 2015 by SissasMomE

[navybankerteacher]

There are 2 problems here: There is the chair hog problem, and there are the people that don't bother to get up until 11am and think they deserve a prime location.

 

My butt is in my chair at 7am. I am saving it by occupying it. I might get up to use the bathroom, or cool off in the pool, or grab a quick bite, or a drink... I am rarely gone more than 15 minutes, and never more than 30. The NCL rules give me 60 minutes, and I don't even come close to that. If some douchebag moves my stuff because I decided I needed to find ice cream at 9:30 am, we are going to have huge issues. Yet according to Mr. "I'm a badass with my stupid cards", that is fair game. Wrong.

 

Edited: I am usually done with my chair by noon, and heading off to lunch then Spice H20 for the rest of the afternoon. Prime location opens!

 

I believe the rule is 30 minutes, not 60. In any case, anyone feeling entitled to keep an unused lounger for more than 30 minutes has something wrong with him.

[SissasMomE]

I believe the rule is 30 minutes, not 60. In any case, anyone feeling entitled to keep an unused lounger for more than 30 minutes has something wrong with him.

 

It has taken over 30 minutes a few times to get food from the buffet and bring it back to our seats. We never have a problem because one of us always waits with the chairs while the other people go - specifically to avoid dealing with rude people who would attempt to move our stuff (although i have never witnessed someone leaving and someone else swooping in to steal the seat.). Further, no one needs a time limit of "30 minutes only" in the pool.

[detroitlions]

LOLOLOL That would be so funny to watch! Have you ever been caught moving the towels?

No one even around that early and I always see every pool area lounger with a towel. I saw a girl tie shopping bags to chairs forming a 8 lounger chain at 8am around 11 she found them all tied to one chair. I wish I knew who did that :D. Me and friends watched her go crazy. lol

[SissasMomE]

No one even around that early and I always see every pool area lounger with a towel. I saw a girl tie shopping bags to chairs forming a 8 lounger chain at 8am around 11 she found them all tied to one chair. I wish I knew who did that :D. Me and friends watched her go crazy. lol

 

Ugh - I will never understand how people think it's ok to save chairs and go back to bed.

[LrgPizza]

I believe the rule is 30 minutes, not 60. In any case, anyone feeling entitled to keep an unused lounger for more than 30 minutes has something wrong with him.

Last year it said an hour in the dailies on both my cruises, and I even posted it, but maybe it has changed in 2015.

[SissasMomE]

Last year it said an hour in the dailies on both my cruises, and I even posted it, but maybe it has changed in 2015.

 

I doubt it. 60 minutes is reasonable- 30 is not. Maybe it's 45 now LOL. Like you, we are usually gone by lunch time, or shortly thereafter.

Edited September 10, 2015 by SissasMomE

[Viv0828]

No one even around that early and I always see every pool area lounger with a towel. I saw a girl tie shopping bags to chairs forming a 8 lounger chain at 8am around 11 she found them all tied to one chair. I wish I knew who did that :D. Me and friends watched her go crazy. lol

 

 

Ok Detroitlions, I am seriously chuckling as I read you post. We occasionally move towels off a couple of chairs and sit down.

 

If the person who put the towels there returns, we look at him angelically and reply, "what towels? The chair didn't have any towels on it when we sat down"

 

Usually, the chair saver doesn't even return while we're there so we simply put the towels back on the chair before we leave.

[detroitlions]

Ok Detroitlions, I am seriously chuckling as I read you post. We occasionally move towels off a couple of chairs and sit down.

 

If the person who put the towels there returns, we look at him angelically and reply, "what towels? The chair didn't have any towels on it when we sat down"

 

Usually, the chair saver doesn't even return while we're there so we simply put the towels back on the chair before we leave.

Now you have to understand I have been on many cruises I have seen so many different things that were rude or left me wondering why people think hurray for me and who cares about you. My DW did get mad at me when there was a shopping special going on well over a hour people vanished and left all there crap behind. So I recruited my DS to help me move two chairs from one area to another area when the people came back they looked like they could not remember where they parked there car.

[Viv0828]

My DW did get mad at me when there was a shopping special going on well over a hour people vanished and left all there crap behind. So I recruited my DS to help me move two chairs from one area to another area when the people came back they looked like they could not remember where they parked there car.

 

 

OMG! You should be hired in the Comedy Club!!

[SailLaVie]

No one even around that early and I always see every pool area lounger with a towel. I saw a girl tie shopping bags to chairs forming a 8 lounger chain at 8am around 11 she found them all tied to one chair. I wish I knew who did that :D. Me and friends watched her go crazy. lol

 

I don't know that I'd ever be brazen enough to do these things, but the idea sure makes me smile. I abhor bad manners and think it beyond that when people think they're entitled because they got up 3 hours earlier than everyone else to save a chair for when they finally manage to get there.

 

All may be fair in love and war, but when packed in with thousands of other people, a little thoughtfulness and consideration for others is classy and appreciated. :)

[SailLaVie]

Now you have to understand I have been on many cruises I have seen so many different things that were rude or left me wondering why people think hurray for me and who cares about you. My DW did get mad at me when there was a shopping special going on well over a hour people vanished and left all there crap behind. So I recruited my DS to help me move two chairs from one area to another area when the people came back they looked like they could not remember where they parked there car.

 

 

I think I'd be mad at you too, detroitlions! Though secretly on the inside, I'd be laughing. ;)

[Fitzyk23]

If I can't find a chair, I plan on sitting on a "saved" one and if the owner comes back I will move to another "saved" one, so on and so forth.

[lumpkin8]

I have always felt many of the saved chairs were that way because there is nowhere else to put your stuff when in the pool! I never particularly want to sit, but I do want a place to put my stuff. I have this same problem in land pool areas. I propose that the pool areas all have cubby areas (small lockers/no doors) where people can place their bags/towels/etc. while they swim. It would be a simple fix for many people who don't want to sit but have nowhere else to put their stuff!