Poolside chair hogs have been a huge issue on cruises for decades. But annoying cases and sneakier tactics began to surge during the post-pandemic travel boom (2022-2023). Finally, in late 2025, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) outshone the Royal Caribbean for taking its chair-hogging ban to the next level.
Now, NCL is once again in the spotlight, praised for an even stricter crackdown on chair hogs using stickers. It is also reported that crew members are more hands-on in enforcing the cruise’s policy this time. Here’s how NCL is putting other major cruise liners’ chair-hogging rules to shame.
Norwegian Cruise Line Praised For “Actually Enforcing” Chair-Hogging Ban Using Stickers
Norwegian Cruise Line is being praised for “actually enforcing” its chair-hogging ban on pool decks, according to @unrealcruises‘ Instagram post two weeks ago. This is due to the reportedly stricter actions of crew members aboard the Norwegian Escape: “actively” using stickers to mark unoccupied chairs and removing towels and personal items from seats that are left unattended.
“Passengers reported that crew members began marking reserved chairs with stickers at approximately 10 a.m.,” said the Instagram page. “If the chairs were not occupied an hour later, crew members removed items so other guests could use the space. The enforcement has received overwhelmingly positive reactions from cruisers.”
Last year, crew members on the Norwegian Viva ship were only seen placing time-stamp stickers on guests’ chairs to determine how long they had been unattended. But they had not been spotted taking away the items left to “save” those seats yet.
What Passengers Are Saying About NCL’s Strict Crackdown On Chair-Hogging
Passengers thought such “warnings” were enough at the time. Now, NCL guests are commending NCL’s latest efforts, with one writing in the Instagram post’s comments that there is “peace at last.” However, there are still those who have doubts about NCL’s enforcement of the chair-hogging ban.
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– “Hopefully all cruise lines will ENFORCE these rules.” |
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– “All cruise lines should!! the sad thing is it’s the as—–s that do it, have no common courtesy at all! It’s a stretch, but if people would just be courteous, you wouldn’t have the situation. You’re not gonna be sitting in the chair for half hour. Take your stuff with you be respectful. It’s bad enough on a normal day who needs the s–t on vacation.” |
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– “Either your butt is there or not your chair simple.” |
NCL’s Guest Conduct Policy states that pool, deck, and theater chairs may not be reserved. Chair-hogging falls under “discourteous and disruptive behavior,” alongside the also prohibited topless sunbathing. While other major cruise liners have established their own regulations for chair hogs, passengers often find their implementation weaker or more inconsistent than NCL’s.
What Other Major Cruise Liners Are Doing About Chair Hogs On Pool Decks
NCL’s recent crackdown on chair-hogging sparked comparisons with other major cruise liners’ regulations. Like NCL, Royal Caribbean lists its no-seat-reservation rule in its FAQs, confirming that the crew will also remove any belongings from a pool chair that has been left unattended for over 30 minutes. However, someone commented on the Instagram post about NCL’s ramped-up restrictions on chair-hogging that it felt like Royal Caribbean “makes guests enforce their policy,” leading to confrontations.
“Pool deck chairs are only available on a first come, first served basis and cannot be reserved,” says the information on Royal Caribbean’s website. “We want to ensure that all guests have a great time at the pool. If a pool chair is left unattended for more than 30 minutes with no signs of any guests returning, our crew will remove any belongings and place them in the lost and found.”
In 2025, the Carnival Cruise Line introduced a new chair-hogging approach: leaving a notice or a note card on the chair, and once 40 minutes have passed, the items will be removed from the chair. Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Virgin Voyages all have 30-to-40-minute grace periods for item removals from unattended chairs as well.
MSC Cruises, on the other hand, requests guests not to leave their personal items unattended on seats in an attempt to “reserve” them. Overall, cruisers point to NCL as the only one that seems to take their anti-chair-hogging rules seriously. In that case, most passengers have to rely on their own techniques to avoid any tensions over deck loungers.
How To Deal With Poolside Chair Hogs On Your Cruise
When dealing with a chair hog on your cruise, it is highly recommended that you avoid direct conflict with the guest and locate a pool attendant or deck supervisor to enforce the rule instead. Inform them once someone’s belongings have been left unattended beyond the grace period. Do not handle these items yourself, and wait for the crew to clear the chair for you.
You could also schedule your poolside hang during the days when the ship is docked in port, when the decks are likely to have smaller crowds, as many passengers disembark for shore trips. If sea days are a more ideal pool time for you, consider buying premium casitas or loungers to avoid any stress.
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