Laptop at the pool

[kimba_99]

My partner and I were having a discussion about taking our laptop computer with us on our cruise, we will use it to download pics.

 

He thought it would be great to laze in a deck chair up by the pool, with the laptop, and watch movies while sipping a cool drink.

 

I do have an opinion but would like to know what everyone else thinks of his great idea... :rolleyes:

 

Kim

PS. He is conducting the same poll on his favourite forum board too (not cruising).

[ahracer]

I'd leave the laptop at home......watching the ocean go by is better than any movie i've seen.

 

Scott

[meyerhaus]

I have seen a lady at our gym who uses one of the book racks to hold up her laptop and watch movies...why not at the pool...with headphones, of course! :rolleyes:

[pandabebe]

I think bringing your laptop is perfectly fine. But similar to what meyerhaus said, as long as when you're by the pool you're not blasting your movie so that is disturbs everyone around you. And also be careful about your power cord...make sure no one trips over it...=) But other than that, I don't think there's anything wrong w/ bringing your laptop (whether it is used for watching movies, working, etc)...there are more annoying things to deal w/ on the cruise...hahahaha.

[Speechless]

I'd personally watch matinee movies inside the princess theatre.

 

But I DO think he has a GREAT idea. A little tacky, and it may draw some stares or light-hearted conversation - but IT'S A VACATION.

If he enjoys himself - then that's exactly what's supposed to happen.

 

I for one, think watching a movie by the poolside on a hot day with a drink and a magnificent view is a fantastic idea.

[Pam in CA]

If you want to lug it, go for it. I've often been tempted to bring my little portable DVD player on a cruise but haven't so far. A friend of mine borrowed my DVD player when she took her kids on a cruise. It kept them happy and entertained when they weren't in the Kids Center. I say, put on the headphones and enjoy your movie.

[beachnative]

Watching a movie WITHOUT headphones would probably be received as warmly as a person talking into a cellphone or walkie-talkie. You might want to consider taking along a dual jack and a second set of headphones.

 

Although my spouse listens to CDs (with headphones) and I prefer the sound of the ocean, I'm always willing to pack them.

 

For viewing pictures, check your instruction book and see if you have the capability of hooking into the cabin TV and viewing you photos without the computer. (All I need is the video cord for my digital).

[roohound]

I'd ditto the using headphones

 

And also, some people may find it offensive (for whatever reason..you know how squirrely people can be) and may find it amusing to find ways to splash you or somehow get water on you.

[srphnx]

I see movie watching as a "time killing" thing, I don't have any desire for the cruise to go by quickly, that is what I want the flight there to do so I bring my laptop for that.

[dosi]

Okay maybe I am cranky because I've not had enough coffee yet today, but golly, laptops at the pool??? Personally if my loved one told me he would rather watch a movie during vacation than use that precious time to talk and visit with me I would be furious. Between the laptops, portable DVD players, Gameboys, and cell phones we are quickly becoming a society that is unable to relate to others without the assistance of some type of machine.

 

When I grew up (not all that long ago) when we took car trips we talked in the car about what we saw, where we were going, current events etc. My son is four and there is no way in heck that I will ever bring any type of movie related device on any vacation. If my four year old can enjoy his trip without electronic assistance then your partner should be able to also.....

 

(stepping off soapbox and running to get more coffee....NOW).

[catmand]

do we now have another electronic gadget we can all disagree about? Like so many others here I am of the opinion that if you want to watch dvd's and have headphones, well, knock yourself out. Why in the world would anyone be bothered by that? It is just a different form of entertainment or amusement.......nose in a dvd, nose in a book?

[bjboothman]

Well it's certainly okay to do if you want to. Why anyone would consider it rude is beyond me (talk about controlling the behavior of others!). Why anyone would want to is another question. I am quite the computer nerd. One of the best parts of cruising is getting away from the darn thing. I admit to visiting the onboard internet cafe for a minute every day or two to check mail to see if my children have any non-emergency questions or problems for me to solve, but that's the extent of my surfing onboard.

[Crowsie]

knock yourself out. Why in the world would anyone be bothered by that? It is just a different form of entertainment or amusement.......nose in a dvd, nose in a book?

 

Yup..that's how I see it...and if my husband can get some work done..so he doesn't have to feel so guilty about being gone for 3 weeks..then I don't have to feel guilty about having my nose in a book....we're both still doing what it takes to enjoy our vacation.

[GloriaF]

I would not have a problem with it (with headphones) unless it was excessive and interfered with our together time. But, won't it be hard to see the screen with the sun shining? Also, I'd want a pair of headphones, too.

 

It's the same as reading or listening to music IMO.

 

So, Kim, now tell us what you think.

[tom-n-jules]

But, won't it be hard to see the screen with the sun shining?

That was my second thought (after the headphones thing). I have a wireless network now at my home office and I was excited about being able to work out on our deck (or in the pool, laptop enclosed in a vacuum bag :D ) but the sun renders the display for all practical purposes unreadable.

 

If your main concern is running out of storage space for pix on your digital camera, just buy an extra memory card.

 

Or, book on the Caribbean Princess for Movies Under The Stars!! :)

[starsjohn]

The laptop is a necessary tool for my digital photography, and the pool area can be a delightful place to edit photos.

 

John

[CruiseFever]

The laptop is a necessary tool for my digital photography, and the pool area can be a delightful place to edit photos.

 

John

 

 

I don't know why I forgot about that...if for no other reason have done that too. We frequently download images off our cameras to our notebook computers, especially when taking digital (big file) videos

[PescadoAmarillo]

I agree with the viewing issue...flat panel displays are all but impossible to view in any kind of sunlight. But, again, it's a tolerance issue...if someone is using headphones, why should I care that they are watching a movie next to me? They paid for their cruise too!

[melissa_bel]

I am not a fan of the idea of briging a laptop at the pool (how tacky is that, come on) but, I am not going to give someome a hard time because of that. If you want to, it's your choice.

I bring my laptop too, because I have a lot of informations about our port-of-calls and our cruise saved in it (I also try to type a journal of the cruise when I can... too much to do aboard *;)*) but I use it in my cabin.

[floofyfish]

I just got back from 2 weeks in the med and my laptop was a godsent. I took like 80 pictures a day and would load them on my computer everynight. If I had had to use the ship's service to move them onto a cd it would have been a small fortune!

 

I had my laptop on the deck, I used it to listen to mp3s, make sure it's not under direct sunlight though, can get too hot and burnout the insides. It is however somewhat difficult to watch movies as it is far too bright outside. You can't bring a power cord because there are no outlets out on the deck and the battery tends to run pretty fast with the monitor at its brightest level(due to competition with the bright sunlight). If you're in the shade I think at the right angle it would work, but it still is pretty bright outside.

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with watching movies on vacation, I mean you're there to relax and if that's what you find relaxing, then by all means you should do it. I wanted to bring my portable DVD player too, but decided it would be too much to hold in my carry on.

[CruisesOnMyMind]

Get a larger memory card and leave the laptop at home. You will still be able to see your pictures on your camera. Not as good I know. Think how much fun it will be when you get home and see them on your laptop and then printed out. Lugging a laptop around is like another piece of luggage. If that's all you want it for is to download pics I say no. JMHO

[CruisesOnMyMind]

Oh on the movie part. Two guys at the pool and you want to watch movies????There must be something else you would be interested in watching besides a screen. LOL

Won't offend me, I would just wonder who those nuts where.

[mpk]

I was alone on business at a resort pool once, yes, with a laptop trying to do work. Take it from me, it doesn't work. Not to mention the mental obstacles, the screen gets way too washed out by the sun.

 

I laugh when I see the stock photos or commercials of people trying to do that. On "the Apprentice", one of the women was out in the sun with a laptop. I recognized the make and model, it was one I used to have. No way, no how it could possibly work in the sun.

[kimba_99]

Wow.. thanks to all for your opinions and remarks.

 

Both poll's are very similar so I guess I will have to change my mind slightly as I originally thought it was rude to use a laptop at the pool (me not wanting to distrupt other ppl's vacations and him saying it's HIS vacation and if that makes me happy what's that got to do with anybody else!) but maybe it's really just a matter of 'what do you want to do that for?'.

 

Primary purpose of bringing the laptop is to download pics and video, our camera can take up to nine minutes of video and three memory cards just isn't enough for him to do this. AND we will be on a 14 night cruise and there will be times where he will not want to do stuff that I want to do... like trivia or bingo plus there will be something like six days at sea. So if him watching a DVD for a short time keeps him happy I suppose it's OK with me and yes we have headphones so he won't disturb others. Plus he says he will sit in a shady area facing the ocean so he can see the screen and then hopefully not too many ppl will notice and be disturbed by him.

 

Once again thanks heaps, :)

Kim

[catmand]

Kim.....now I remember viewing some of your pic's.....yes yes yes, take that lap top if it will enable you to take more..:D