Carnival Shuts Down Request to Charge for Prime Pool Loungers

As chair hogs continue to run rampant on Carnival cruise ships, one guest thought that they may have come up with a solution. Unfortunately, Brand Ambassador John Heald and most of the cruise community did not agree.

The unidentified guest suggested that the cruise line should start charging guests who would like to reserve premium lounge chairs on the pool deck. In their mind, this would be a win-win because cruisers can guarantee chair availability and the cruise line rakes in an even bigger profit.

“I would pay $20 a day to have two reserved lounge chairs in prime areas by the main pool on Carnival. I would not be the only one,” the cruiser wrote to Heald on his Facebook page.

“It could be another revenue stream for you guys. Obviously, few would want to prepay far in advance, but let me reserve two chairs one day in advance on the app and charge it to my folio, and I’d be content,” they continued.

The guest’s proposed system for making this work would be to allow guests to reserve a select number of chairs one day in advance on the HUB App, although they did not give any suggestions for how reservations could be enforced.

Carnival Will Not Begin Charging for Loungers

As interesting as this idea may sound, it will not come to pass on any Carnival ships.

“Before the Glitterknickers brigade and Mr. and Mrs. Cruise Influencer bait their clicks with ‘Heald says Carnival thinks about charging for chairs around the swimming pool’ I didn’t and we are not,” Heald replied.

“While I can never say for sure I doubt this would ever happen,” the brand ambassador added.

For the sake of conversation, Heald asked his followers if they would be interested in a paid reservation system for loungers and received more than 2,000 comments. Many felt that it would be a waste of money or wouldn’t be enforceable, potentially leading to conflicts between passengers.

Others argued that what constitutes a prime lounger is a matter of opinion. What one guest sees as the perfect seat could be subpar to another, leading to disappointment and frustration.

Focusing on Stopping Chair Hogs

In February of 2024, Carnival cracked down on chair hogging with a renewed vigor that still persists today.

A new system was implemented in which crew members watch for unused chairs that have been reserved, and remove items to allow other guests to use the loungers if the original cruiser does not return within 40 minutes.

“Our brilliant crew do a fabulous job in removing articles such as books, bags, clothes, towels and baby yaks from saved seats after a 40-minute period,” Heald noted.

The idea behind this is that inconsiderate guests can’t simply reserve seats all day without using them. And with more loungers being reopened to other passengers, it shouldn’t be too hard to find somewhere to sit.

That said, guests who do have a strong preference about their lounging situation should try to make it up to the pool deck early to get a wider selection of options.

Do Other Cruise Lines Charge for Loungers?

Most of the other mainstream cruise lines do not allow guests to pay to reserve standard pool-side seating as a normal practice, but may charge for access to certain areas onboard.

For example, Norwegian Cruise Line charges for access to the private adults-only “Vibe Beach Club,” which has its own dedicated loungers and hot tubs.

Additionally, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean sometimes charge for use of private cabanas or day beds, which are typically situated in adult-only areas or quieter sections away from the main pool.

Carnival even has private cabana rentals on select ships in the Loft 19 retreat area, which is featured on the Excel-class vessels.

Passengers who are interested in a reservation like this can inquire directly with their cruise line to get the specifics of what is actually offered onboard their ship.