crowds by pools, buffet, chair hogs etc

[lettienets]

I am going on my second CCL cruise and so often I hear people complain about crowds by the pool, chair hogs and huge lineups/nowhere to sit at the lunch buffet. Any suggestions on how to cope with these situations?:( I am not looking forward to these problems which I had forgotten about since being on Destiny years ago. I am amazed that the public space can't accommodate the number of guests especially on the new big ships.

Thanks

[saulbadguy]

I never had a problem with finding a seat for the lunch buffet - there was always plenty of seating, save for the very first day during boarding, which you just have to look a tad harder.

 

As for deck chair hogs - I found if you go up a few decks from the lido deck there are usually plenty of deck chairs to go around, you just may not get one right by the pool.

 

But alas, yes, the pool is generally crowded. I don't swim too much so it never bothered me. I guess my advice would be save your swim trunks for the ocean!

[Kurbanfan]

There are plenty of chairs for everybody.......people will whine about anything.....

[steve4040]

and did not really feel that the ship was unbearable crowded. And I have little patience for lines. During the 5 day cruise I ate all of the pizza that I wanted with no major waits, and if I wanted a bagel with lox and cream cheese, that was no big wait either. Breakfast was not the problem that I thought it was. The way that I managed the table finding issue was that we first found a table, and then one went to get food, and then the other went after the first got back.

 

This year in June we will be on the Destiny, which is bigger. I don't know how bad the crowding would be, but it was not mentioned as an issue in the several most recent reveiws. We have an 8G that is right below the rear lido buffet area, and I anticipate quick raids to get food whenever I want. Of course some of this will be consumed on the balcony. LOl

[Lv2Camp&Cruise]

I have never had any trouble finding 2 chairs together for us. Sometimes mid morning we have to get a little further from the pool. In the early afternon people start giving up their chairs once they have either had enough sun or want to do something else. We then move closer if we desire.

[Natanni]

I am going on my second CCL cruise and so often I hear people complain about crowds by the pool, chair hogs and huge lineups/nowhere to sit at the lunch buffet. Any suggestions on how to cope with these situations?:( I am not looking forward to these problems which I had forgotten about since being on Destiny years ago. I am amazed that the public space can't accommodate the number of guests especially on the new big ships.

Thanks

 

Hello!

 

I have not sailed the Destiny but I can give you a quick opinion on what I have been on :)

 

We sailed a 7 day on the Inspiration in 2002. We felt this ship was not at all crowded, always deck chairs available and I don't remember any lines for the buffet-but this was our first cruise. I was probably "in awe" most of the time to notice or not notice, lol!

 

We have sailed a few ships since then, and my pet peeve is definately chair hogging. This came to a "T" when we sailing on the Conquest, we could find no available chair to sit while my then 6 year old swam in the aft pool. Hubby and I finally snatched a lounger to share. Another was taken up with the usual "book bag and sunglasses". After sharing a chair for over an hour, passengers surrounding us told us to move the things at the next chair, as no one had been there since early morning. We did, and a lady sitting over at the bar came running! "You can't move my things!?!" We didn't need to say a word... There was a group of 5 different people who informed her that she had not been at that chair in more than 3 hours. She grabbed her stuff and left. This was in 2004, and since then I have learned that I am not so shy about moving stuff that is not occupied within an hour. On the Victory, I would sit on the teak bench by the pool and watch. When I don't see activity in a chair for more than 30 minutes, I will report it to the Carnival attendant, and they will move the items.

 

The buffet lines are usually worth the food :) Good luck and enjoy your trip!!

[LizaMM]

I have never had a problem finding a table to eat or getting through a food line.

 

Chair hogs....well, yes. I DO like to sit near the action at the midship pool and the chair hogs annoy me. However, I have had this experience on land vacays as well.

 

At least on the ship the "rules" of no chair saving is posted and I have done as a previous poster suggested....ask neighboring people if the chair has been occupied and if not....I have been known to move stuff. Most of the time - even when I sail during "peak times" I can find something on the upper deck above the midship pool. I can still see everyrhing from here, get beverage service AND have the added benefit of enjoying the ocean breeze! Those chair hogs do annoy me though!!!!

[lettienets]

I am feeling more encouarged from these comments so far. Maybe there are more chairs than there used to be.

 

I also agree if I see chairs with stuff on them for over an hour, by all means see an attendant or put all the things on one chair. Everybody knows you are not supposed to save chairs.

 

This new Dream ship everybody is looking forward to, I have such high expectations and don't want to be disappointed

[LizaMM]

I am feeling more encouarged from these comments so far. Maybe there are more chairs than there used to be.

 

I also agree if I see chairs with stuff on them for over an hour, by all means see an attendant or put all the things on one chair. Everybody knows you are not supposed to save chairs.

 

This new Dream ship everybody is looking forward to, I have such high expectations and don't want to be disappointed

 

There are usually chairs that are left stacked on the side. I have grabbed one of those before, slid a chair over to make some room and settled in. If you are just 2 people it really is much easier to find a chaor. My problems arise when for example, it was three (me and 2 DD's) on my last cruise or the 4 it will be on my next cruise and you want to be together.

 

The No Saving Rule was posted on the pool and also in the Capers on the Freedom. I always carry a copy of the Capers with me anyway and figured if I had a problem I would just point it out.

 

I am looking into the Dream as well and can't wait to sail her! I am planning on booking 2 Dream cruises in 2010 - one solo and one with the family :)

[AdrenalineRush]

These are random pics of the lido deck while a ship is at sea. As you can see,chairs are available

 

 

 

[brilliantseas]

We never had any problems on an almost sold out Imagination cruise in December. The only areas that were hard to find chairs at were right by the pool and on the serenity deck during our sea day. Plenty of seating was available in lido deck buffet and in the lounges except during the 2nd late-night comedian in Xanadu, which was standing room only. Still, we never really felt that the ship was overcrowded and we certainly at a great time.

[BullDogChief]

There are plenty of chairs for everybody.......people will whine about anything.....

 

I found that the majority of the whiners about chair hogs are the ones who don't want to be anywhere but right by the pool...same goes for the buffet area, people I have seen complaining will ignore the tables in the middle because they want that particular table right by the window; never had a problem finding a chair, table, never stood in a line longer than 45 seconds for food, last cruise there was a group of ladies from Canada who would leave their towels on their chairs an go to the casino for a while then come back...I didn't even say anything to them but when they left once, they put all their stuff on one chair and gave me and DW two of them just because we were laying in the chairs in the shade...and not complaining

[MrPete]

There's a bi difference between available seats, and seats where the complainer/poster wants to sit. Just like if you're in a open seating auditorium, and there are people walking into the event 5 minutes before start, and are shocked to see there are no seats in the second row, center. And then you will hear them muttering there are no seats.

 

There are plenty of seats EVERYWHERE, but they can't ALL be next to the pool or dessert tray.

 

First come, first served, recycle/repeat.

[vacation_junkie]

We were on the Glory in January. Major chair hogs...Security did nothing.

No word of a lie...if you wanted a pool chair you had to get up at 6:30 am and go put your towel on it!

 

We saw poor families sitting on towels on the deck with youngs kids while a section of chairs sat empty for hours!!!!!

 

I guess it depends which boat you are on and how full the boat is when it comes to chair availability!

 

I searched from the top deck to the bottom...there were no chairs anywhere..even the cheap plastic patio chairs were all called for! It was awful!

At port days were not as bad!!!

[Thirsty Cruiser]

I have never had any trouble finding 2 chairs together for us. Sometimes mid morning we have to get a little further from the pool. In the early afternon people start giving up their chairs once they have either had enough sun or want to do something else. We then move closer if we desire.

 

That is my strategy exactly! By late afternoon, you can have just about your choice of chair, so if it is really important to you, wait it out - a seat will eventually open up.

There's a bi difference between available seats, and seats where the complainer/poster wants to sit. Just like if you're in a open seating auditorium, and there are people walking into the event 5 minutes before start, and are shocked to see there are no seats in the second row, center. And then you will hear them muttering there are no seats.

 

There are plenty of seats EVERYWHERE, but they can't ALL be next to the pool or dessert tray.

 

First come, first served, recycle/repete.

 

Somebody call me? :p

[MamaParrotHead]

I personally have only felt the pain of the crowds ONCE on two 7-day sailings...that was trying to get off the Valor when we got back to Miami. That was insane. The other times I honestly didn't feel crowded at all, and everyone in our group commented more than once we couldn't hardly believe there were X number of people on this ship with us.

[nese12]

I also hate Chair hogs! Though i´m wondering if you are lying on a chair, want´s to go have lunch and then return to your chair where you left your towel, book and sunglasses, would you then be considered a chair hog?? I really don´t wan´t to be one of "those" people :rolleyes:

[Natanni]

I found that the majority of the whiners about chair hogs are the ones who don't want to be anywhere but right by the pool...same goes for the buffet area, people I have seen complaining will ignore the tables in the middle because they want that particular table right by the window; never had a problem finding a chair, table, never stood in a line longer than 45 seconds for food, last cruise there was a group of ladies from Canada who would leave their towels on their chairs an go to the casino for a while then come back...I didn't even say anything to them but when they left once, they put all their stuff on one chair and gave me and DW two of them just because we were laying in the chairs in the shade...and not complaining

 

 

When you have little kiddies that don't swim well yet, you are right, you do want to be "right by the pool" ;)

[cantwait06]

When you move stuff off of someones unoccupied chair, where do you put it? I am so nonconfrontaional but I might just move stuff if I can't find a chair-its my vacation too! I just wouldn't want to cause a big scene....

[cscurtiss]

First on the food lines...always make sure you look at the other side to see how long the line is. I have seen too many times that there will be 50 people in line all the way out the door on one side and 4 people total on the other side.

 

As for chair hogs...I think a lot of people have different definitions of a chair hog.

 

As for me...

 

I go to the bathroom and hurry back...I'm not a chair hog.

I walk to the bar and right back...I'm not a chair hog.

I walk over for a dip in the pool...I'm not a chair hog.

 

But, if I leave my stuff and...

 

Go to lunch...I'm a chair hog.

Go to the room to take a quick nap...I'm a chair hog.

Decide to go up and play 3 rounds of putt putt...I'm a chair hog.

Take a stroll around the ship...I'm a chair hog.

 

To me...If you're gonna be gone more than 10-15 minutes max, then you should be polite and take your stuff so that someone else can enjoy their well deserved time to.

 

Just my two cents.

[eastoftheboston]

Regarding finding chairs in the buffet area, you'll see sometimes a party of 2 at a table for 5 or 6 (they probably aren't being hogs, it was probably the only table open when they got there!), if you're also a party of two, just go up and ask if they mind if you sat at the other end. On our cruise, people did this to us, and we in turn did it as well. You didn't have to strike up a conversation, but you could exchange pleasantries, and it's one more familiar face for you on the ship.

 

I needed to borrow ketchup from someone's table one day and the people there were practically begging us to join them and chat. So searching for a seat doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing.

 

Regarding deck chairs, on the imagination the deck with the waterworks slides on it had hardly any people in the deck chairs when I was there, and I can hardly call that a "secret area" that no one knows about LOL...

[hoss23]

I think cscurtiss hit the nail on the head. If everyone followed your personal guidlines of common courtesy, there would be no such things as chair hogs,

[finoky]

Cruise ship passengers are no different than what you may run into in regular society. This has become a "me" society imho. There are rude and insensitive people everywhere, even on cruise ships.

[pnjkeith]

When you move stuff off of someones unoccupied chair, where do you put it? I am so nonconfrontaional but I might just move stuff if I can't find a chair-its my vacation too! I just wouldn't want to cause a big scene....

 

Take all their stuff and put it on the deck, or take to the cabana boy! I find it very amusing when the come back and start yelling! Chair hogs suck!!!

[alphakitty]

I am going on my second CCL cruise and so often I hear people complain about crowds by the pool, chair hogs and huge lineups/nowhere to sit at the lunch buffet. Any suggestions on how to cope with these situations?:( I am not looking forward to these problems which I had forgotten about since being on Destiny years ago. I am amazed that the public space can't accommodate the number of guests especially on the new big ships.

Thanks

 

I sailed Destiny recently and never had a problem with finding a seat for lunch or a deck chair. We usually go up one deck from the pool, never a problem. The aft pool is Adults Only. I was happy to see security enforced this rule too. Kids were not allowed in the hot tubs and pool in the aft so it wasn't crowded at all. It was always quieter back there....there was a separate breakfast buffet in the aft too and no lines, even for the omelet station.