Reserving Deck Chairs on Cruises? Cruise Line Takes Action

May 26, 2026, 12:42 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

On a cruise ship, it’s much like at a hotel pool: In the morning, numerous sun loungers are already “reserved” with towels, even though no one is sitting on them. For vacationers who arrive at the pool area ready to lounge but find no available spots, this is understandably frustrating. This behavior is not only undesirable at many cruise lines but is also prohibited according to their house rules. However, enforcement has often been lacking. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is now among the first to take a tougher stance.

Reserving Loungers on a Cruise? Prohibited but Common

For years, there have been regular disputes over blocked sun loungers on the pool decks of cruise ships. Many passengers reserve spots early in the morning with towels, bags, or books and are often not seen for hours. Guests who come to the pool later and would also like to lie down often find no available space. This behavior is not considered courteous. A look at the usage and conduct rules of, for example, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) shows that reserving loungers is officially not allowed. Neither pool loungers nor deck or theater chairs may be reserved.

NCL no longer wants to leave it to the passengers’ manners. Those who have already adhered to the ban are pleased with the stricter enforcement.

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How NCL’s First Ships Are Tackling Lounger Reservers

According to an Instagram post by the travel company Unreal Cruises, several cruise passengers report that the first ships of the line–particularly the Norwegian Escape, part of the NCL fleet–are now actively monitoring which loungers are actually being used. Unattended spots are marked by staff with stickers or a time stamp. If the lounger remains empty, the crew removes towels and personal items after about 30 to 40 minutes, allowing other guests to use the space.

In the comments under the Instagram post, there is much support for the tougher approach, which many passengers have apparently long demanded. At the same time, it becomes clear that not all ships in the NCL fleet are equally consistent. One person reports that during a 16-day cruise on the Norwegian Sun, they “never once” found a free lounger by the pool. The loungers were blocked by towels from early morning until late at night.

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Potential Issues with Stricter Enforcement

Other cruise lines have similar measures. Royal Caribbean, for example, allows the removal of personal items from unattended loungers if they are not used for more than 30 minutes, according to its rules. In practice, however, this sometimes leads to problems. According to one passenger, the crew sometimes leaves the enforcement of the rules to the guests themselves, which can lead to conflicts between passengers. Overall, the situation on the pool decks is described by some as unsatisfactory and poorly regulated.

Carnival Cruise Line reportedly also uses notices on reserved loungers. Other providers like Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, or Virgin Voyages also work with time limits of about 30 to 40 minutes.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TRAVELBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@travelbook.de.