One of many greatest issues that results in visitor complaints on cruise ships is the notorious chair hog scenario, when thoughtless company try to say prime poolside lounge chairs for hours with out really utilizing them.
Carnival Cruise Line has renewed its efforts to crack down on this drawback and encourage “chairing is caring” with strict enforcement of its no-saving-chairs coverage by sticker notifications and cut-off dates.
Carnival Imposing No-Saving-Pool-Chairs Coverage
Chairs and loungers on the pool deck are in excessive demand on cruise ships, significantly throughout days at sea when many passengers wish to take pleasure in time within the solar and splashes within the pool.
Carnival Cruise Line Model Ambassador John Heald, who’s presently onboard Carnival Horizon for his sixth “FFS Cruise,” has addressed the issue in considered one of his “morning walkies” movies across the ship, noting that the cruise line is doing its greatest to manage the issue.
Crew members monitoring the pool deck – the “ChairShare Group” – are inserting stickers on empty chairs which have towels clipped to them or are in any other case supposedly saved with a guide, pair of flip flops, or different merchandise.
The stickers that crew members placed on so-called “reserved” chairs say notice the time the sticker was positioned and when private objects might be eliminated.
“We stopped by at _____ and located this chair empty,” the stickers learn. “Hope you’re having a good time… however for the advantage of all we restrict how lengthy chairs will be left unattended. At _____ we’ll transfer your stuff to the towel hut for safekeeping.”
Crew members fill within the blanks with the suitable occasions. The primary clean is when the sticker was positioned on an empty “reserved” chair, and the second clean is when the objects might be eliminated – 40 minutes later.
“If they aren’t again by that point, we’ll take away it,” confirmed Heald. “It’s the one method we are able to make it honest.”
At all times an Ongoing Downside
All cruise vacationers, whether or not on their first crusing or if they’ve loved dozens of cruises through the years, are aware of this kind of seat-saving, which might generate unhealthy emotions when somebody needs to benefit from the pool however finds all one of the best seats taken with no different passengers close by.
Heald additionally notes that this isn’t an unusual drawback or a brand new incidence, as it’s discovered on all cruise ships.
“Ever since I’ve labored on ships there’ve been individuals determined to get the chairs,” he mentioned.
In fact, there may be flexibility, and it’s completely comprehensible for a visitor to discover a chair they need and put their objects on it, solely to depart briefly for breakfast, a restroom break, or to dip within the pool themselves. The issue arises when chairs stay empty for hours, unavailable for different company to make use of.
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Placing the timed stickers on the chairs is a method Carnival Cruise Line is making an attempt to mitigate the issue.
“We’re doing our very best possible,” Heald mentioned. “It’s not an ideal system, it might be foolish of me to counsel in any other case. However it’s one thing that we have to do. Individuals who say we don’t do something, that’s completely not true.”
The timed stickers additionally give different company some extent of reference for when extra chairs may develop into out there, allowing them to return and test for newly opened chairs at a later time.
Carnival first started the timed sticker program in October 2022, and in addition up to date signage across the pool space alerting company to the no-reserving-chairs coverage. Bulletins are sometimes remodeled the ship’s PA system to remind company of the coverage, and the coverage is famous within the Carnival Hub app in addition to posted on the poolside theater screens the place out there.
The cruise line’s web site additionally discusses reserving solar loungers and the prohibition on saving seats in out of doors deck areas.
“Shipboard crew 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,” the coverage reads. “If the chair stays unoccupied for 40 minutes, the contents are eliminated and held for the visitor’s safekeeping.”
Have you ever seen these stickers on Carnival lounge chairs? Have you ever tried to order a chair? Share your ideas on the Cruise Hive boards!
