You're on vacation, the sun is shining on the Caribbean and your only goal for the day is to stretch out on a lounge chair by your cruise ship's pool. Every prime lounger on the Lido Deck is occupied by actual cruise passengers or with their stuff, even though you stride onto the Lido Deck like a boss. Stymied, you come up with a plan: tomorrow, you will rise early, reserve your preferred lounge chair with a towel and a cheap paperback, then sneak back to bed before enjoying a leisurely breakfast and return to the pool deck around 11:30 a.m.
Don't stop! This is deck chair hog behavior, and you should never do it on a pool deck.
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The phenomenon of deck chair hogs is something anyone who's sailed on a mass-market megaship has seen.
The deck chair hogs are hated by everyone. The slobs take a chair in the sun and one in the shade and go back and forth. Frank Valentino is a fan of the TPG Lounge on Facebook. Most cruise lines don't do enough to prevent unauthorized deck chair reservations. If you try to take matters into your own hands, you could find yourself in a standoff when the owners come back.
The ratio of sun worshippers to deck chairs is always off when there is a cruise ship. If you can't beat them, join them, but please don't. We don't need more of them.
We're going to look at how cruise lines claim to prevent deck chair landlords and what you can do to secure your spot in the sun.
Crew members on the pool deck are said to monitor the chairs and remove items from them. The Carnival Cruise Line has a FAQ.
"Carnival has a system designed to ensure that all guests are able to enjoy equal access to sun loungers by preventing seat saving in outdoor deck areas." A notification is placed on the chair if a seat with a towel or personal belongings is not being used. The contents are removed and held for the guest if the chair is not occupied for 40 minutes.
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I hear you say that it's a smashing idea. Roving crew members will time stamp reserved-yet-unused chairs and immediately remove the items that have been left behind. Some people claim to have seen it, but I have never seen it myself. This policy is difficult to enforce. I don't like the plan.
Post-pandemic staffing issues are still a problem for many industries. I can't believe there are more crew members available to simply wander around the upper deck and take note of the empty chairs and return within an hour to remove anything. Crew members have more important responsibilities such as removing empty drinkware or cleaning up slippery puddles of water.
How can a busy crew member determine which chair is occupied by which person in the pool? The Lido Deck has a variety of pools and hot tub. Crew members would have to search for their towel when they emerge from the water if they removed their items.
Many deck chair hogs leave a towel to mark their territory, but other passengers may leave a book or other personal items. It might be difficult to return these items to their owners if the crew takes them.
There are many ideas posted by readers about using technology or advance booking systems to allow people to book deck chairs in limited time windows. You need better strategies for securing deck chairs until that pool deck utopia becomes reality.
I got up early and claimed my spot in the Serenity deck, but I stayed there. You can spend all day in a deck chair if you are physically present. Throw on a swimsuit and go camping. If you need to catch up on the Zs you missed, you can sleep in the sun for as long as you want.
There are many chairs on the Princess, according to Linda Ialacci. It's nice to have a chair that faces the water if you're only reading a book or sunbathing.
The pool deck is the most popular place to sunbathe. Lounge chairs running the length of the ship can be found on the open deck areas. There are lounge chairs and hot tub on some ships. Some Carnival ships have secluded forward decks with benches you can claim as your own, while others have forward hot tub that everyone forgets about.
Sara Voohees said she couldn't be bothered with it. I like to enjoy the solitude of my own balcony.
There are two upright chairs on most balconies, perfect for sipping a cocktail or reading a book. Upper category rooms with larger verandas are ideal for stretching out. These may have reclining seats with ottoman footstools. The only people who will fight for chair space are your family.
Some suites come with access to a sun deck, while others come with balconies. These can be found in Norwegian Cruise Line's The Haven or the Yacht Club. You'll be competing with a lot fewer people for lounge chairs in these areas, and the chairs may be nicer with extra padding.
Money can be thrown at the deck chair problem. Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess all have exclusive sun deck areas. You get a shaded space to yourself with either a lounge chair or couch to call your own. If you don't have a reserved chair, the line won't sell more passes than they have lounge chairs. A stress-free day in the sun may be worth the extra fee if you find a deck chair.
Helen Goldner Engel would like to go to Alaska. Getting a chair is always easy.
It's still true even though this strategy is tongue-in-cheek. I guarantee that you won't have to fight the cruise crowds for that prime deck chair location if you choose to hot tub in any weather or not.
Laura said she would move the stuff over. They should be able to deal with their stuff in the lost and found area.
A single towel doesn't give a person ownership of a lounger. If you see deck chairs that aren't occupied, you can move them and sit down. The owners don't have a legal right to the chair if they return.
Your shipmates are not always rational people, even if they've spent the morning losing in the casino or drinking a bucket of beer. When you touch their belongings, they might become aggressive. Don't take this approach lightly.
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