Pool side chairs: How to Hog one, how to get a hogged one?

[VanillaGorilla]

I'm a first time cruiser-to-be (6 more days!) and this has got to be my favorite topic on these boards. Obviously, I haven't experienced any of this first hand on a cruise ship, but I don't think it's any different than people saving seats anywhere else, or allowing people to cut in line in front of you just because one member of their party happens to have gotten there earlier than everyone else or dropped off while the rest find a parking spot, whatever. If they can't leave their house (cabin, whatever) at an early enough time to get to where they want to be at a certain time or if they are not capable of setting up a place for their group to meet and go in together, then that is not my fault and it does not buy them the right to take a spot or place in line away from me and the other people who are also there. I've come close a few times to needing to physically remove someone in line in front of me at movies and such in the past, and luckily for them, they've decided to walk away mumbling under their breath, which is fine for me as long as they move along.

I think you have to look at saving as hogging no matter what the excuse/reason is.

My wife and I are also going on board with a fairly large sized group (20+), with one of the other couples being especially very good friends. I don't think it's okay for me to save seats for them, at the pool or lounge or anywhere, if they will be there at an indefinite time. If they get there after us and there are no seats next to us for them, then we can go in search of 4 (or more) new and unoccupied seats (if there are as many "saved" seats as I hear, that shouldn't be a problem)...or we will just have to say hi and see ya later and I would expect the same the other way around. Now, if you were to tell me that your friends/family members will be joining you in a few minutes...maybe even as soon as 10 or 15 minutes, that's okay by me...and if they don't show up within a reasonable amount of time, then you should be prepared to share your immediate environment with a very large, ugly, hairy man and his wife because it's gonna happen (and maybe you'll have 2 more new friends, lucky you:) ), or you have the right to move on to somewhere else. But when it's a matter of not knowing when they plan to get their tails out of bed and join you, then I think you have a responsiblity to allow someone else, who is there at that moment, their right to enjoy that spot. I'm not trying to "flame" anyone, just stating a fact that a reason and an excuse are not far from being the same thing. I don't think it's okay to make excuses of any kind for being rude and selfish, and if it's the person's child/children they're waiting for, they need to take some personal responsibilty for their kids and make the rules as to when they should get their little butts there, or do the same thing that I mentioned earlier and move on to find another group of chairs that fit your needs when they finally do arrive. Besides, you know they're gonna be in the pool most of the time anyways, and they don't really need the seats...lol. Everything you do, rude or polite, teaches your kids what's right and what's wrong...you know what's right. I hope. :D

I actually am looking forward to dealing with some chair hogs...lol. I've been told by some of the people going with us, that they've rarely had a problem but it does happen and I get all tingly and excited...hehe. I'm looking forward to getting some free books and towels to bring home...and I really don't mind confrontation.

[lilsonicfan]

What's a chaises?

 

lol...just kidding...but it was the same typo twice, so I had to say something...:D

 

I think she meant chaise as in chaise lounge. Have you never heard of that?

[VanillaGorilla]

I think she meant chaise as in chaise lounge. Have you never heard of that?

Nope...lol. Guess I'm just an uncultured cad.:D

[jcruise67]

Here what I did after experiencing this debacle during one cruise. Many pax have been contemplating ways to combat this situation for as long as I can remember.

 

After not being able to secure a chair by the pool for days, I finally decided I would get my revenge. You have to understand that this went on for days and many chairs were empty for hours on end. So...I got up at 5 AM one particular morning, wnet to the pool deck, and took all the towels off the occupied chairs. No one was there when I did it, but it sure was fun. When DW and I woke up and headed to the pool deck for a day at sea, there were pax talking about it. I just looked at my wife and winked as we sat in our deck chairs right by the pool.

 

John