No chair hogging! Cruise firm bans passengers from 'saving' sun loungers

Filed under: Cruises

No chair hogging! Cruise firm bans passengers from 'saving' sun loungers Cruise stock image. PA

A cruise company is stopping passengers from hogging sun loungers by banning the practice of laying towels out on the chairs to secure the spots for later.

Cruise giant Carnival Cruise Lines has placed the ban on 'chair hogging' on its Carnival Breeze ship giving passengers who leave their belongings on or around a chair 40 minutes to return to it or someone else will have their spot when they return to it.

Carnival's senior cruise director John Heald posted the new policy on his Facebook page. The use it or lose it rule will be rolled out to other ships if it works.

John Heald said: 'We went with 40 minutes as we felt that this was a fair amount of time if guests get up to eat, drink, pee, swim or slide.

'The big difference here is that we are now staffed and able to police this. Our crew will walk the decks and if they see a chair unused but saved with towels, books, shoes, baby Yaks or underpants they will place a sticker on the chair with the current time.

'Then, they will check 40 minutes later and if the chair is still reserved and unoccupied then they will remove the articles and take them to the towel station by the main pool making sure a note is left for the guests that they have done so.

He added: 'This is step number one in a new drive to make this work and once we finish the test here this cruise and next, we will make adjustments and then add to the rest of the fleet.'

Travel Weekly reported that one of Heald's Facebook friends commented saying: 'This is an awesome thing... nothing more aggravating than to go out to the pool and see a bunch of lounge chairs with towels and no people.'

According to the Daily Mail, an announcement in the ship's theatre and on televisions says: 'In consideration to all guests on board, please do not reserve sun loungers. Towels will be removed after 40 minutes and kept in the Towel Station close to deck 10 main pool. Enjoy your FUN Day at sea.'

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