Lido Table Hogs, and Another Line's Solution

[Blackduck59]

4 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

 

Just wanted to provide a correction.  My posted mentioned remote workers, not work from home.  Please don't quote me as writing something that I did not.  There is considerable difference between a remote worker and a worker that works from home.

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, I wasn't aware of the difference. But the concept is the same no?

And if we are splitting hairs I didn't "quote" you, I mentioned you in my post. That's "different" too.

Edited March 5 by Blackduck59

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, cbr663 said:

 

Just wanted to provide a correction.  My posted mentioned remote workers, not work from home.  Please don't quote me as writing something that I did not.  There is considerable difference between a remote worker and a worker that works from home.

 

Okay, I'll bite. What is the difference? I was a freelance editor for many years, so which was I?

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Okay, I'll bite. What is the difference? I was a freelance editor for many years, so which was I?

Remote workers would include anyone who doesn't work in a traditional office. That would include, but not be limited to, those who work at home. As a freelance editor, if all of your work was conducted at home, you were both a remote worker and home worker. But if you worked in various locations, you would have been a remote worker, but not a home worker.

 

While there may minor differences in their definition, since the pandemic, a good number of terms have been treated as synonyms, including virtual work, remote work, home-based work, telecommuting and probably others. For the most part, I think that the intended emphasis is on the fact that the person is not working in a traditional office, not that they are working at home, at a coffee shop or on a cruise ship. 

[Lakesregion]

On 3/2/2024 at 1:52 PM, Roz said:

On more than one occasion, I've come back from a cruise and posted about the difficulty of finding a table in the Lido when others are using the area to play cards and board games, and just socialize in general.  The responses I've received have ranged from "I've never seen anyone do that" to "you must be a pathetic singleton who doesn't like to see other people enjoying themselves with friends and family". 

 

Another line has recognized the situation as a problem, and built in a solution in the design of their ships.  A friend just returned from a Virgin Voyages cruise, and told me about the Social Club.  It's an area where there are tables and chairs set up to accommodate card and game players, along with supplying the cards and board games.  There's also air hockey, foosball, etc.  Included in the Social Club is a casual diner where players can get food and beverages along the lines of sandwiches, snacks, pastries, etc., with coffee, tea, juice, and soft drinks.  She said it was a great place to socialize and meet people.  

 

Waiters in the other dining venues would diplomatically suggest the Social Club when passengers would pull out a deck of cards or their travel Scrabble board after finishing breakfast or lunch.  

 

I don't expect HAL to retrofit their ships, but it's something to consider for future vessels.  And table hogs aren't just a problem on HAL.  I've run into it on Carnival and Princess too.  

Excellent idea, Holland can take 20% of the tables out of the lidos and dedicate them to games and other socializing. That will reduce the need to use the lido tables.

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, Lakesregion said:

Excellent idea, Holland can take 20% of the tables out of the lidos and dedicate them to games and other socializing. That will reduce the need to use the lido tables.

Setting up tables elsewhere on the ships is an excellent idea. Taking 20% of the tables out of the Lido to accomplish that is an absolutely terrible idea! 🙄

[dockman]

3 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Setting up tables elsewhere on the ships is an excellent idea. Taking 20% of the tables out of the Lido to accomplish that is an absolutely terrible idea! 🙄

Just what they DON"T need to do is decrease number of lido tables.  The entire discussion is about peope using the sometimes scare lido tables for other than eating.

[Steeler808]

On 3/2/2024 at 8:52 AM, Roz said:

On more than one occasion, I've come back from a cruise and posted about the difficulty of finding a table in the Lido when others are using the area to play cards and board games, and just socialize in general. 

IF there are open tables I really don't have a problem with this. But when tables are full and there are obviously people looking to sit down and eat why not have some class and move along? It's not like there aren't a ton of space within a ship (at least that I've been on) that you can't do stuff like that in lots of places. 

 

In their defense though I have to admit to getting lost in my own little world and having to have the GF give me the nudge that it's time to give up the table so others can eat. 

 

This applies not just to the Lido but any causal counter service place where seating is limited. 

 

[cccole]

I don't know that there is a solution to this post.  You are choosing to travel on a ship with over 1000 passengers, there are 4-5 dining options, there are several hours for dining and you are upset because?  When you decide you want to go to the Lido instead of the MDR, Dive In, or Room Service there is not a table reserved for you?  What?  I hated even going to the Lido on our 22 day cruise.  I would have to take deep breaths and brace myself for absolutely clueless individuals intent on only one thing...eating!  We occasionally took food out to the Lido pool tables for lunch, but mostly took Lido food back to our cabin.  Usually we ate in the MDR to avoid the chaos of the Lido.  The variety in the Lido is wonderful but you have to be prepared for others to be there.

 

One time we were just walking thru to go to the Lido Bar and I was actually knocked into a pillar by a woman only able to focus on the fact that she had her food and was on her way to a table.  I had seen her at one of the counters but did not think that I would be in her way.  Think again. She did not even skip a beat.

 

I loved seeing groups enjoying themselves all over the ship. People are having fun, isn't that what cruising is about. If tables are blocked off for people having fun and those just wanting 10 minutes to eat, will those being in a hurry to eat be denied access to these tables? 

 

Wow,  so many things in this world to worry about.   JMO. Cherie    

[Wehwalt]

I'm just not convinced that the Lido personnel, who are probably busier when it is crowded, should be in the business of regulating occupancy of tables. I just don't see such conversations going well.

[cccole]

2 minutes ago, Wehwalt said:

I'm just not convinced that the Lido personnel, who are probably busier when it is crowded, should be in the business of regulating occupancy of tables. I just don't see such conversations going well.

And why should they?  Shouldn't passengers choosing to eat in the Lido know how to behave?  Because you choose to eat in the Lido for whatever reason, and enjoy the variety of offerings, and amazing staff...does that give you superiority over anyone else dining in the Lido?    Cherie

Edited March 6 by cccole

[dockman]

20 minutes ago, cccole said:

And why should they?  Shouldn't passengers choosing to eat in the Lido know how to behave?  Because you choose to eat in the Lido for whatever reason, and enjoy the variety of offerings, and amazing staff...does that give you superiority over anyone else dining in the Lido?    Cherie

ok we get it...you don't like the lido...fine eat somewhere else but for those who do like to eat in the lido it is nice if you can find a place to sit down and enjoy your meal and people blocking tables to play cards during peak hours could also show a little courtesy and use the lido for dining....my solution is to go to lido during off hours...early or late and i can always find a table....

[cccole]

26 minutes ago, dockman said:

ok we get it...you don't like the lido...fine eat somewhere else but for those who do like to eat in the lido it is nice if you can find a place to sit down and enjoy your meal and people blocking tables to play cards during peak hours could also show a little courtesy and use the lido for dining....my solution is to go to lido during off hours...early or late and i can always find a table....

You are right, I don't like eating in the Lido because it is so crowded.  I would rather get food and take to the Lido pool area tables or back to our cabin.   The Lido itself is an amazing space for passengers, with a variety of offerings and open to all passengers.  Some want a quick meal and some want to enjoy the company and fun of others.  My opinion is that the Lido is for everyone,  That is just my opinion.  You actually did not get it...it's not that I don't like the Lido, it's that I don't like the atmosphere when it is incredibly crowded.  Sounds like you have a solution...go early or late and you will find a table.  Please if you would like to say what I think be accurate.  And I'm sorry that your cruise(s) did not have the variety of dining options that our cruise did.  Cherie

Edited March 6 by cccole

[ORTravelGal]

As someone who worked from home, and considered myself a remote worker, the last 12 years prior to my early retirement, I was shocked just now to learn they are not the same thing. Who knew…

 

IMO, they are the same. 

[cruisemom42]

21 minutes ago, ORTravelGal said:

As someone who worked from home, and considered myself a remote worker, the last 12 years prior to my early retirement, I was shocked just now to learn they are not the same thing. Who knew…

 

IMO, they are the same. 

 

Go back and read the post again. All home workers* are remote workers, but not all remote workers are home workers. 

 

So you are not wrong, and no one has said otherwise...

 

 

*Unless you're one of those individuals lucky enough to work for yourself and your home IS your office!!

[Steeler808]

2 hours ago, cccole said:

 You are choosing to travel on a ship with over 1000 passengers, there are 4-5 dining options, there are several hours for dining and you are upset because?    

Wait- You don't like that it's crowded but also state "You are choosing to travel on a ship with over 1000 passengers". Uhh...that take didn't age well. 

 

You state there are 4-5 other dining areas. Really? Do they have the same selection of food? Are they open when the Lido is for breakfast? What if you don't want to pay the surcharge? Or are we comparing apples to oranges here. 

 

If people are eating...fine. However I find it strange that your suggestion that the person who doesn't like people using  up tables for other than dining (in the dining area of the Lido) be the one to go someplace else on the ship when the vast majority of public space on the ship has tables/seats to socialize and such. Tell me, are there more areas for socializing vs the seating area of the Lido?

 

What if the complaint was someone listening to their music loudly? Is your suggestion the same? Or is it that inconsiderate behavior should be corrected?

 

If people practiced common...or maybe not so common decency things would be better for all.

[CurlerRob]

On 3/3/2024 at 9:50 PM, syesmar said:

You do you. My hesitancy to share tables started before the pandemic. It seemed we were always getting sick when we traveled, and cutting down on table sharing was a precaution we took at times. Other times, we might need to privately discuss something going on in our lives at home.

 

I don’t mind it someone asks us about our 2 empty spaces, but would hope that if we declined there would be no offense taken.

 

We also prefer to eat privately. However, we believe that the onus is therefore on us to find a 2-top for that purpose.

 

If we have to sit at a larger table, we would never refuse a request to be joined - it's a public space - not "our" table because we arrived first. We would expect the same courtesy from others. 🍺🥌

[lyndarra]

Taking food back to cabin? OK for salad eaters as anything that was warm when plated will be cold. Yuk. Another tea or coffee? Long walk.

Crowded? Choose a different time.

I have never been unable to find two free seats (self and friend) within a couple of minutes in Lido. People are coming and going all the time.

[Menocchio]

On 3/4/2024 at 9:57 AM, cbr663 said:

I wonder whether the huge increase in remote work during the pandemic has had an impact on our mis-use of public spaces.  A little while ago I was reading an article of a coffee chain in my city that was recently sold and was closing some of its locations.  The owner was interviewed and stated that you can't look at the number of people sitting in the coffee shop as an indication of success as these are people who spend very little and spend hours working.  It seems like this has become a normal thing for some people to do.  Buy a coffee, grab a table and spend an entire afternoon using the free wifi.  It would seem that offering free wifi to attract customers has created unforeseen issues for many land based establishments.

 

I mention this as it seems like many people have forgotten, or don't care, that these establishments are profit seeking companies.  There is a need for them to turn over the tables often.  Customers hogging the tables actually cost them money in lost sales.  

 

This mindset of being able to use public shared spaces for as long as I want seems to be spreading to cruise ships, at the same time, cruise ships are introducing faster and faster internet connections at sea.  Many cruise passengers are now purchasing faster internet connections for working cruises and it is naive to think that these passengers will be working in their cabins.  Will the unintended outcome on cruise ships be the same as on land with more and more passengers claiming public spaces as their own to work all day or surf online all day?

Maybe it's just what I was exposed to, but coffeeshop workers have been around as laptops (and almost as long as specialty coffeeshops). A Starbucks full of screenwriters is an LA cliche. 

 

The panini pushed those folks back into their homes, and they only came back at the same time the rest of us were going back to the offices. Slower even in LA. They got hit so hard in the early pandemic that they're (on average) still much more cautious than the rest of the US.

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, Menocchio said:

The panini pushed those folks back into their homes

 

I assume you meant pandemic, but this gave me a giggle, imagining the possibility that Starbucks asking remote workers to pony up for an expensive panini for lunch drove them back to their homes to eat.

 

[Mary229]

On 3/5/2024 at 12:45 PM, Lakesregion said:

Excellent idea, Holland can take 20% of the tables out of the lidos and dedicate them to games and other socializing. That will reduce the need to use the lido tables.

There are always an abundance of tables in other locations.  Removing tables from the lido will be going the wrong way. 

[YourWorldWithBill]

For the idea: go early or go late..... Unfortunately, the buffet is not open indefinitely. That's why tables are available! 

[Funsun60]

I'm confused. HAL indicates Lido is a dining venue, albeit a buffet style. At home, we have been to buffet restaurants as well as dining restaurants that host occasional buffets. I have never seen anyone at these venues stay on after their meal to play cards, read a book, etc.  Does this mean the Lido is really a mixed venue where you can eat or do whatever social activity you want? It seems cruise expectations in this regard do not reflect how we mange our dining experiences on land. I have never been to a restaurant where I have been advised to fix a plate and then take it somewhere else to eat. Do social  norms disappear once on board? or are my social norms now outdated?

[ellieanne]

One of the problems my group has is that the tables in other areas of the ship are not large enough to allow 6-8 people to sit around them comfortably. The Lido tables are. While it's good to say "ohh, there are tables in the Crow's Nest or Library, or Ocean Bar, or where-ever, they are not suitable to how we need to use the tables. The Lido tables are big enough and useful for our group and use a table when we are all together.

We never occupy the tables for longer than the group is eating during busy times, but will pick a table as a base mid-morning or afternoon. Often we will be using the table as a group when the buffet opens for lunch, so we will have lunch as we finish the game and then vacate the table only to come back later in the day.

 

Sometimes it looks like we may be hogging the table, but members of our party are taking advantage of the various sections of the Lido and it can take longer to get food from the Dive-In or the Stir-Fry station, so sometimes we wait for them to arrive. Though when it is busy and other people are looking for tables, we will finish our meals and leave as soon as possible.

 

 

[Hlitner]

On 3/6/2024 at 7:07 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

I assume you meant pandemic, but this gave me a giggle, imagining the possibility that Starbucks asking remote workers to pony up for an expensive panini for lunch drove them back to their homes to eat.

 

I can see the Starbucks of the future having time meters on their tables (you would pay by the minute) which also had a large reminder to add your gratuity (for using a table).   As to HAL, since the line is a lover of "add-ons" perhaps they could charge for use of Lido tables (make the first 15 min free).  They could even have a card reader so folks would simply swipe their cruise card when they sat down :).

 

And while we are on the subject of chair hogs, why not some kind of surge pricing for deck loungers/chairs.  In the very old days of cruise liners the ships used to have reserved deck chairs with stewards (who expected a tip) to bring you blankets. bouillon, etc.  HAL might even provide bouillon for about $20 + 18%) on deck.

 

Hank

[3rdGenCunarder]

22 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I can see the Starbucks of the future having time meters on their tables (you would pay by the minute) which also had a large reminder to add your gratuity (for using a table).   As to HAL, since the line is a lover of "add-ons" perhaps they could charge for use of Lido tables (make the first 15 min free).  They could even have a card reader so folks would simply swipe their cruise card when they sat down :).

 

And while we are on the subject of chair hogs, why not some kind of surge pricing for deck loungers/chairs.  In the very old days of cruise liners the ships used to have reserved deck chairs with stewards (who expected a tip) to bring you blankets. bouillon, etc.  HAL might even provide bouillon for about $20 + 18%) on deck.

 

Hank

 

The first 15 minutes free sounds like the parking meters where I live!

 

HAL has the surge pricing you mention, in a way--the Retreat cabanas.

 

I remember reserved deck chairs on QE2. The upper "sun deck" had an area with reserved chairs. That became our "home," especially on transatlantics. The stewards brought out a cushions for the chairs, served "elevenses" (tea or bouillon and biscuits) and afternoon tea. Drinks, too, although they charged for that, same as any bar. The stewards got to know us--when we went up to reserve chairs they recognized us and made sure to put in a supply of Guinness for DH. The last time we did this was a 12-day cruise in 2004 for the low price of $17. That was for the whole cruise, not per day. Around the same time, Princess was charging $25 per day for their "retreat."