One of many greatest complaints cruise passengers make throughout a cruise is the dreaded “lounge chair hog” downside.
With hundreds of individuals on a cruise ship and solely a restricted variety of swimming pools and house to get pleasure from exterior, loungers can refill shortly. That is very true on a sea day.
For a lot of passengers, the thought of lounging within the solar is ruined by the sight of each lounge chair being “saved” with a towel or somebody’s belongings.
The basis of the criticism is that some passengers attempt to maintain their spot at a deck chair for hours on finish, which is technically towards the insurance policies of most cruise traces.
Now, Carnival Cruise Line is ramping up efforts to handle this downside with a method to implement the prevailing coverage.
John Heald, Carnival’s Model Ambassador, not too long ago talked about the enforcement of the “chairing is caring” coverage in one in all his “morning walkies” posted on his Fb web page.
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Right here’s how the coverage works:
Crew members, performing because the “ChairShare Staff”, place stickers on unoccupied chairs with towels or belongings. These stickers will clearly show the time and a warning: objects left unattended for 40 minutes can be eliminated and held for safekeeping.
That is an instance of the wording of the stickers:
“We stopped by at _____ and located this chair empty,” the stickers learn. “Hope you’re having a good time… however for the good thing about all we restrict how lengthy chairs may be left unattended. At _____ we’ll transfer your stuff to the towel hut for safekeeping.”
Crew members will fill within the first clean with the time the sticker was positioned on the chair, and the second clean is for the time the passengers’ belongings can be eliminated.
Heald’s feedback
Heald admitted that the stickers gained’t remedy all the issues however is a step in the proper course, stating,
“It’s not an ideal system. It could be foolish of me to counsel in any other case, however it’s one thing that we have to do.” Within the video he additional added, “There’s been this new drive from us to say, ‘Pay attention, save a seat, go for breakfast. However should you’re not again in a sure time, you should have a sticker in your chair, and it is going to be eliminated. It’s the one manner that we will make it honest.”
The timed stickers provide a double profit. They not solely deter chair hogging, but in addition present useful info for different visitors. By noting the time the sticker was positioned, visitors can test again later to see if the chair has change into obtainable after the 40-minute window.
Carnival has applied a multi-pronged method to handle chair saving:
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- The timed sticker program, launched in October 2022, visually reinforces the coverage.
- Up to date signage across the pool space clearly communicates the no-reserving rule.
- Common bulletins on the ship’s PA system function reminders.
- The Carnival Hub app and poolside theater screens (the place obtainable) show the coverage info.
The cruise line’s web site outlines their coverage towards saving seats in outside deck areas.
As acknowledged within the coverage itself: “Shipboard workforce members monitor solar lounge utilization and in the event that they observe a seat that comprises a towel or private belongings however seems to be unoccupied, a notification is positioned on the chair indicating the present time. If the chair stays unoccupied for 40 minutes, the contents are eliminated and held for the visitor’s safekeeping.”
