Carnival Enforcing Rule That’s Louisiana Guests Biggest Complaint

People in Louisiana love their time on the water. It doesn't matter whether we are sitting on the bank of a small farm pond, paddling a Jon boat through a shallow swamp, or setting sail on a huge ocean liner if it's wet, we want to go.

Of course, the biggest difference between a Jon boat on the bayou and an ocean-going liner is the people. On the Jon boat, you are usually limited to one or two. On the ocean liner, it could be you and several thousand other guests and a few thousand other crew members going along for the ride. And where you find people that's where you find upset people, it just goes with the territory.

Louisiana Cruisers - Pack Your Patience

To enjoy the cruise life you have to embrace the cruising lifestyle. That means an acceptance of certain things. You know your stateroom bathroom is going to be too small. You know you're going to be able to hear other guests making their way back to their staterooms after a night of karaoke. And you know you are going to have to wait your turn.

The waiting can be the hardest part, especially when all you want is a hamburger from the buffet and the person in front of you seems to be ordering a nine-course meal. And then there is the swimming pool and the chaise lounge chairs surrounding the pool. That's a whole other source of irritation.

Louisiana Cruise Guests Most Frequent Complaints are About the Pool Chairs

If you've ever been on a cruise that traverse tropical climates you've seen the rows and rows of chaise lounge pool chairs. Chances are if you've arrived at the pool deck after 8 in the morning you've seen every one of those chairs "taken" but very few people are physically sitting or lounging in them.

That's because "savvy" which is a French word for rude or entitled in this case guests often wake up early, affix their towels to a beach chair, and then assume that the chair "belongs to them" for the rest of the day. This is a practice that pisses everybody off.

Carnival Ending Practice of Allowing Guests to "Reserve Pool Chairs"

Carnival is now placing employees on the pool deck with the particular responsibility to monitor who is using and who is not using the deck chairs. If a Carnival "pool monitor" notices a chair has been unoccupied for a while they will place a notice on the chair. That notice tells the chair's "occupant" that the use of the chairs is limited.

The time the notice was left is written on the sticker that is left on the chair. If the chair remains unoccupied and time expires the belongings are removed from the chair and taken to the towel hut on the ship's pool deck.

What is the Response to the Pool Deck Chair Policy?

Carnival and Royal Caribbean both have a stated policy about pool deck chairs. That policy up until recently has not been enforced too stringently. However, based on response most cruisers seem to like the idea of "booting the entitled".  Most commenters on the Carnival Ambassador's Facebook Page applauded the move. Hopefully, the enforcement of the new policy won't lead to any onboard incidents. You know they serve alcohol, a lot of alcohol, on those ships and sometimes, well you know.