Crack Down on Chair Hogs on Odyssey

[Psycho and Barb]

We just completed an 8-day cruise on the Odyssey and we had 4 sea days.  As you can imagine, the chair hogs were out in full force but Odyssey’s staff were ready.  Each pool area had at least two attendants that worked all day long…They were tagging all unoccupied chairs and removing the items if the person didn’t return in time.  They were using little yellow stickies to mark the time they placed the tag, the number of chairs and they placed the tag on the chair in a location the person would not notice.  The staff got lots of thanks and I only witness one upset lady…She came back three hours later and was upset her stuff was removed.  Way to go Royal!!!

[Leroyr55]

Hopefully it carries across the fleet. We have 8 night on SOS coming up and 11 on Odyssey next year. Hopefully nobody harasses the crew when they do this.  

[Fastfaller]

Way to go... Hopefully my Symphony trip on the 20th will have this too!

[cruisingfever]

Glad they are starting to enforce it, I hope it's across the fleet. It's really out of control 

[Southern Dan]

This is awesome and I hope they continue to crack down on these selfish people.

[atseau]

What does the circled 3 mean below 8:10?

[cruisingfever]

Maybe 3 unoccupied chairs 

[Psycho and Barb]

56 minutes ago, atseau said:

What does the circled 3 mean below 8:10?

3 Chairs

[tjcruisers]

I like it, hopefully they keep it up. I'd be willing to give these staff a tip when I see them

[smokeybandit]

They need to invent pool chairs that have a toaster feature. After a certain amount of time the chairs pop and push you out.

[Ryan79]

@smokeybandit why is the image in my head of Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail when they tried to use the catapult to get over the castle wall??

[JulietTango]

20 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

They need to invent pool chairs that have a toaster feature. After a certain amount of time the chairs pop and push you out.

Or maybe a chair with springs like in cartoons. They'll fling the towels right off the ship, $25 surcharge!

[KWong]

16 hours ago, cruisingfever said:

Glad they are starting to enforce it, I hope it's across the fleet. It's really out of control 

Same. Although my next cruise is in the Mediterranean in late October, so I'm not anticipating too many chair issues at that time.

[bluer101]

Great news, we board Odyssey this Saturday for 8 nights also. Last year on Odyssey the pool staff were removing items left too long but not really keeping track. 

[FionaMG]

5 hours ago, KWong said:

Same. Although my next cruise is in the Mediterranean in late October, so I'm not anticipating too many chair issues at that time.

You would be surprised. October in the Med is like the tropics to peeps from more northerly climes.

[KWong]

17 hours ago, FionaMG said:

You would be surprised. October in the Med is like the tropics to peeps from more northerly climes.

Guess we'll see. Not particularly concerned either way - wife and I will find chairs if we need them.

[FionaMG]

26 minutes ago, KWong said:

Guess we'll see. Not particularly concerned either way - wife and I will find chairs if we need them.

Yes, as long as you don't need to be right beside the pool you'll be fine.

[Geezer Of The Seas]

Related................sorta. Disney Experiences has announced implementation of a screening program for their Disability Assistance Program at WDW. Seems there's been a problem with visitors with no physical/developmental disabilities taking advantage of the program by flat out....................I don't know LYING about their need because it's cheaper (free) than purchasing the express option or whatever it is that allows you speedy access to rides.

I'm left to conclude 'theme park hogs' is a thing...................

[TheoneandonlyMICAH]

On 4/8/2024 at 5:58 PM, atseau said:

What does the circled 3 mean below 8:10?

More than likely 3 chairs in use. 

[loki007]

i'll be the naysayer on this policy. If I choose to get up and head to the pool deck at 9:00 to get some seats i should be able to go to lunch for an hour and come back to my stuff. Maybe the right solution is to sell reserved chairs on the cruise planner. Then I can buy them and leave them empty all day if i want. 

[HeWhoWaits]

4 minutes ago, loki007 said:

i'll be the naysayer on this policy. If I choose to get up and head to the pool deck at 9:00 to get some seats i should be able to go to lunch for an hour and come back to my stuff. Maybe the right solution is to sell reserved chairs on the cruise planner. Then I can buy them and leave them empty all day if i want. 

If you're dropping stuff off at 9:00 and not using the chairs until after lunch, that's far more than an hour (chair hog). If you're using the chairs from 9:00 until you leave for lunch, that's a different story and the staff monitoring the chairs (as well as other passengers) would have seen you there throughout the morning (NOT a chair hog).

[loki007]

8 minutes ago, HeWhoWaits said:

If you're dropping stuff off at 9:00 and not using the chairs until after lunch, that's far more than an hour (chair hog). If you're using the chairs from 9:00 until you leave for lunch, that's a different story and the staff monitoring the chairs (as well as other passengers) would have seen you there throughout the morning (NOT a chair hog).

agree but what they are doing is tagging the chairs for 30 minutes so i lose my chairs despite enjoying them for 3 hours then heading to the windjammer for lunch when you decided to sleep in and wander up an noon and are stunned there are no chairs

[Carlos A.]

Doesn't matter how long have you been using them or if you think it's Ok to go to the Windjammer for 1 hour or more.

Chair space is limited, if you are not using your chair for more than 30 minutes it's time to let it go for someone else to use it. It's that simple.

 

 

[smokeybandit]

32 minutes ago, loki007 said:

i'll be the naysayer on this policy. If I choose to get up and head to the pool deck at 9:00 to get some seats i should be able to go to lunch for an hour and come back to my stuff. Maybe the right solution is to sell reserved chairs on the cruise planner. Then I can buy them and leave them empty all day if i want. 

So why not go reserve a windjammer table for the day, too?

[Psycho and Barb]

16 minutes ago, loki007 said:

agree but what they are doing is tagging the chairs for 30 minutes so i lose my chairs despite enjoying them for 3 hours then heading to the windjammer for lunch.

It’s not exactly 30 minutes.  I saw people drop off their stuff and the pool attendants didn’t come by to mark the chairs till 15 to 20 minutes later.   They also didn’t take the item’s exactly 30 minutes after they marked them.  Each pool area had a lot of chairs for just two pool attendants to monitor.  The point is the Odyssey was attempting to fix the age old  problem and I’ve got to admit…The word spread fast and there seemed to be less chair hogs on sea days three and four.

[Fastfaller]

1 hour ago, loki007 said:

i'll be the naysayer on this policy. If I choose to get up and head to the pool deck at 9:00 to get some seats i should be able to go to lunch for an hour and come back to my stuff. Maybe the right solution is to sell reserved chairs on the cruise planner. Then I can buy them and leave them empty all day if i want. 

Disagree 100%. Why are you so special that you get a hold on your chair for an hour while you go do something else? Be happy you got a chair for 3 hours, others haven't been so lucky.

[HeWhoWaits]

1 hour ago, loki007 said:

sleep in and wander up an noon

If I wanted chairs by the pool (I never do), I would be one of those available to snag them as soon as the early morning deck cleaning is done. I'm up by 6:00 a.m. every day (earlier if it starts getting light out before that). As I said, if you were using the chair all morning, the staff would know that and not treat you like the "drop their stuff just to reserve a chair" types.

[HeWhoWaits]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

So why not go reserve a windjammer table for the day, too?

Or get an early boarding time, go straight to WJ, find a table you like, and reserve the space for the duration of the cruise.

[tonyfsu21]

21 hours ago, loki007 said:

i'll be the naysayer on this policy. If I choose to get up and head to the pool deck at 9:00 to get some seats i should be able to go to lunch for an hour and come back to my stuff. Maybe the right solution is to sell reserved chairs on the cruise planner. Then I can buy them and leave them empty all day if i want. 

If this is acceptable then what’s the line in the sand? Personally, I get up to the pool deck at 07:00 and sit on a chair and place our belongings on adjacent chair until my wife and kids arrive after breakfast (sometimes 9:00 or later). At lunch we still keep one person at the chair at all times. Even at 07:00 (especially on Icon) just about every chair is vacant with towels on it which is not ok. I locate the prime location that I plan to occupy for the day and if said location has a towel on it then I put the towel on one of the other unoccupied chairs and I take my seat. I have never had an issue. While you wait on RC to resolve the hog issue, I will be enjoying a prime chair pool side with my family because everyone has a right to a nice day at the pool. 

[Crown&AnchorEsq]

@loki007's position is sort of like a chicken and the egg argument.  Right now he is making an effort to get up and actively use a chair in the morning but is afraid to go to lunch for fear of losing the ability to enjoy the pool deck.  However, if no one is hogging chairs except for those actively enjoying them then the need for chair reserving is diminished.  Obviously there will still be peak times where there are not as many chairs (which also coincides with lunch) so that answer may become adjusting your lunch schedule to make sure you are back on the pool deck for peak time.

Stated another way, the chair hog conundrum will only worsen if it is allowed to continue because the need to reserve a chair increases directly proportionally with the number of people reserving chairs.

 

[Fastfaller]

1 hour ago, Crown&AnchorEsq said:

@loki007's position is sort of like a chicken and the egg argument.  Right now he is making an effort to get up and actively use a chair in the morning but is afraid to go to lunch for fear of losing the ability to enjoy the pool deck.  However, if no one is hogging chairs except for those actively enjoying them then the need for chair reserving is diminished.  Obviously there will still be peak times where there are not as many chairs (which also coincides with lunch) so that answer may become adjusting your lunch schedule to make sure you are back on the pool deck for peak time.

Stated another way, the chair hog conundrum will only worsen if it is allowed to continue because the need to reserve a chair increases directly proportionally with the number of people reserving chairs.

 

Sort of like when you couldn't buy toilet paper during the pandemic.... Remember those good ol days? 

There was a limited supply so people started stocking up and hogging TP not knowing when they would be able to find it again. This further exacerbated the shortage of TP. If there were no chairs hogs there would be chairs when you needed them most of the time 

[Doug_Texas]

We spend the day at the pool but quit using pool chairs/loungers because of the 30 minute vacancy limit.  We found ourselves in the pool making conversation and often ended up staying in the water well beyond the 30 minutes.  It took a while to get used to not using a chair at all and sometimes it is a challenge where to put towels, sandals, phones, suntan lotion, etc. but it’s the right thing to do as a lot of people want to lay and read or visit in the chair.  They should have access to the chairs and loungers.  If you are not in it, release it.

(RCL, a wall of cubbie holes to put things where they would stay dry wound be nice. I saw something like that on Icon but the location could be improved.)

[Ryan79]

It’s sad that we have to explain why being a chair hog is wrong. I’ll never understand this “It’s my chair even if I’m not using it” mentality.

[Pattycruise]

2 hours ago, Doug_Texas said:

We spend the day at the pool but quit using pool chairs/loungers because of the 30 minute vacancy limit.  We found ourselves in the pool making conversation and often ended up staying in the water well beyond the 30 minutes.  It took a while to get used to not using a chair at all and sometimes it is a challenge where to put towels, sandals, phones, suntan lotion, etc. but it’s the right thing to do as a lot of people want to lay and read or visit in the chair.  They should have access to the chairs and loungers.  If you are not in it, release it.

 

This!

[JBC]

I was on Odyssey in Feb and the pool chairs were all gone by 7 am on sea days.  I also saw attendants walking around tagging chairs.  Those people must hate getting that assignment.  There just isn't enough chairs for the amount of people looking for them.  Also part of the issue is the smoking side of the pool deck.  There are frequently open tables and chairs over there because no one wants to sit there.  They really should figure out how to relocate the smoking section to a less prime spot, maybe more towards the aft of the ship.  It doesn't bother me when walking past, but I would not want to be lounging close by or be down wind all day.  A lot of lounge chairs could be added to that area.  

[Matt]

I don't think the scenario @loki007 describes of going to get lunch is the problem. It's the people that get up at 6-7am and reserve chairs without being there for a while to actually use them.

It breeds others to grab chairs so they have one, and it's the primary reason why you can't get a chair when you get up to the pool deck around 10 or later.

Once you get to the lunch hours, all bets are off if you ask me. 

[BrianB]

The ‘Chair Hog’ conundrum involves more than just releasing hogged chairs.

For the cruise line, and especially the crew members, the issue includes taking action that results in passengers confronting each other over who ‘stole’ whose chair and what did you do with my stuff! Many passengers who unknowingly find a recently cleared chair have no idea that the previous occupant had their stuff removed. The returning occupant has no idea that their stuff was removed by the crew. Also, confrontations with crew members simply doing their jobs. Tempers flare and can have unintended consequences. 

Hopefully by consistently publicizing and enforcing this new policy…it will become common knowledge and have a positive effect on preventing hogging, and confrontation between passengers.

Also, the crew must be able to release the right items to the right passenger. Once they take possession of someone’s property, they are responsible for safeguarding it until they release it back to the rightful owner. Mistakes can happen. Not to mention dealing with passengers who claim they were ‘only gone for ten minutes!’…or so many other excuses.

Finally, the crew and the bosses don’t want negative reviews because of their actions trying to deal with hogs. I’m thinking that there have recently been so many negative reviews about chairs being hogged that the ship has decided to take action, knowing that it will generate negative comments…but less than they are getting now.

[HeWhoWaits]

49 minutes ago, JBC said:

They really should figure out how to relocate the smoking section to a less prime spot,

Like nowhere near the pool, perhaps?

[WAAAYTOOO]

We are currently on Explorer.   On boarding day the Cap included, in his welcoming chat, that chair hogs would not be tolerated.  He said, "These chairs do not belong to you.  They ALL belong to me !".  I thought it was awesome.  We do not use outdoor loungers (well, Dan will on occasion, but not routinely) so it's not an issue that we deal with but I am totally on the Cap's side on this one.

[Doug_Texas]

Sadly, this situation will not be resolved.  It has gotten worse over time not better.  We went to Sandals Antigua where it is adults only and they told people that you had better put belongings down on beach chairs by 6 am.  They were right, by 6:30 everything was staked out.  On RCL it doesn’t help that there are over 5,000 passengers competing for 400 pool loungers (or whatever the actual math is).  We compete with other passengers to reserve seats for the shows.  I see people every morning “reserving” 4 chairs at 7 am.  It’s a herd mentality.

I think now there are the hogs who don’t care and the non-hogs watching the hogs and getting angry.  I’m a lot happier on vacation not using their chairs and loungers at all and not having to think about what others are doing.  Get a waterproof pool tote to leave near the pool and let the others battle it out.