You’re finally on board, and you plan to take advantage of the pool — and the ubiquitous lounge chairs surrounding it. Not so fast. The dreaded “deck chair hogs” have the same plans — and they think they’ve beat the system. Well, Carnival Cruise Lines has instituted a more vigorous approach to ousting these seat-saving miscreants — and you don’t want to be one!
So, what’s new? Sure, there have been seat-saving rules in effect for a while. However, enforcement, not so much. Now, according to Carnival’s website, “Shipboard team members monitor sun lounge usage and if they observe a seat that contains a towel or personal belongings but appears to be unoccupied, a notification is placed on the chair indicating the current time. If the chair remains unoccupied for 40 minutes, the contents are removed and held for the guest’s safekeeping.” So, if you see this dreaded notification on your chair, you’ve joined the ranks of deck chair hogs.
What’s A Deck Chair Hog?
You’ve seen them before — at home. There are seat-savers at events, the local pool, and even at religious services. They are universally despised!
On board, they might set an early alarm, throw their towel on a lounge chair, and go back to bed. When they arise, they head to their “reserved” chair. This often engenders heated arguments where the newcomer maintains that the seat-saver hasn’t been there to claim their prize. Don’t be like them!
Policies Will Now Be Enforced
Now, Carnival Cruise Line is cracking down on irritating deck chair hogs. Although Carnival hasn’t really revised its policy, the cruise line has put some “teeth” into it in the form of an addendum.
You’d be right to say that this is already their policy. So, what’s new? It appears that staff will now enforce the 40-minute rule. This is a part of the cruise line’s effort to address bad onboard behavior, which is rampant in so many different situations — and reflects what is going on outside of cruising. The “teeth” in the policy are fines levied on unruly passengers. Also, in September, Carnival added a curfew for passengers 17 and under, unless they are accompanied by an adult. This is aimed at minimizing poor behavior from unsupervised children.
In addition to enforcement of the 40-minute rule, signage is posted in deck areas, and the announcement is posted on the Seaside Theater poolside LED screen at regular intervals. The policy is also noted on the Carnival Hub app, and cruise directors are beginning to make regular announcements over the ship’s loudspeakers to remind guests of the policy.
How To Avoid Being Notified
There are a few ways to make your lounging more carefree. The easiest way is to set your alarm for an early morning swim, grab your latte, then head poolside to take your pick of deck chairs.
Depending on the cruise line, there might be other choices. Find another deck area where you can nab a chair facing the water. Some ships have lower-level promenade decks with lounge chairs. Book a balcony cabin or suite so you can face the water in sweet solitude. Go on a cold-weather cruise; no one will fight you for a lounge chair!
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