I'm an avid cruiser and this is how to win the onboard sunbed wars - including a controversial towel hack
The sunrise rush for a lounger can make or break a cruise holiday day...those who get unlucky risk perching in an uncomfortable spot or getting a bed with a dismal view.
One serial cruise fan has shared their top tips for winning the sun lounger wars on P&O's Arvia on T ikTok - including a controversial hack for guaranteeing your place in the sun.
@solotravel1974 posted a clip of five ways to 'beat the crowds and actually enjoy your sea day' on the popular holiday liner.
The ship launched in 2022 and is described as ideal for 'families, couples and newcomers'; it boasts swim-up bars, infinity pools and the retractable SkyDome - but it can be elbows at dawn when it comes to getting a prime spot.
The footage shared by @solotravel1974 showed just how busy the ship can get at peak times, with dozens of people sharing a deck space filled cheek-by-jowl with loungers.
The first piece of advice, particularly applicable to 'sea days and school holidays' is to turn on your heel and avoid the most popular areas, including the pools, Deck 16 and the SkyDome area, which 'get packed by 9am'.
The avid cruise holiday fan said many people still used the tried-and-tested sun lounger method of leaving their towels and then disappearing 'for hours' before arriving back in the afternoon to enjoy the best time of the day.
Plenty, they added, simply ignore signs onboard that say items will be removed if no-one returns to the lounger within 30 minutes to free them up for someone else.
However, the one piece of advice that might put you on a one-way path to some holiday friction is: 'Don't be afraid to move towels' or ask staff members to do it for you.
They captioned the video: 'If it's clearly been hours and no-one's returned...you can speak to a crew member. Sun bed hogging is against the rules - even if no-one enforces it.'
Seeking out the ship's lesser known spots, including smaller sun lounger areas on Deck 8, are also suggested as a wise idea for those seeking a little peace and quiet, and likewise with Deck 19, which is often overlooked, the video reports.
Other tips included booking The Retreat, an adult-only area of the ship that has fancier loungers in a shaded spot - but warned that bookings can happen up to a year in advance, so tourists need to plan well to secure a bed.
And, if you really can't beat 'em, then the advice is to 'Join the early risers club. Some cruisers are up at 6am with towels in hand.'
The video's crowded scenes evoked a strong response from those who watched it, with one person saying: 'My idea of hell, trapped at sea with others in close proximity.'
Another recounted their own experiences on the ship, saying: 'We were on Arvia at Christmas in the Caribbean; people were up at 5am bagging sunbeds - arguments everywhere - never ever again!'
Can't beat 'em? Then joining the dawn sun bed hoggers brigade at 9am is still an option, says @solotravel1974
Others said they hadn't seen the sun bed rush described in the clip, with a cruise tourist saying: 'We were on Arvia at Christmas in the Caribbean people were up at 5am bagging sunbeds - arguments everywhere - never ever again!'
Earlier this week, Carnival Cruise Line issued a warning to passengers taking part in an unsafe balcony trend on its cruise ships.
An image of a couple relaxing on a mattress on their cruise ship balcony recently went viral. The pair appeared to have dragged their bedding out on to the balcony so they could read their books outside.
In another incident, Sarah Goodwin filmed herself dragging her mattress out to the balcony and told other cruisers they would 'not regret it'.
But other passengers were less than impressed by Goodwin's behaviour with one person saying in a cruise group: 'That is a big no no. I find it incredibly disrespectful.'
Another person added: 'You will [regret it] when your mattress is covered in salt and moist from the humid air and I bet the cruise company don't like that much either for those reasons.'
And now Carnival Cruise Line's ambassador John Heald has explained what the brand really thinks of mattress balconies.
In a social media post the ambassador warned: 'That is not allowed for safety reasons, cleanliness reasons, for all sorts of reasons.
'You cannot take your mattress and put it on your balcony. Don't do it. Just don't.'
John Heald said that passengers are not allowed to take their mattress out on to their cabin balcony
John also addressed a few other passenger queries about cruise ship balconies. The ambassador said that some guests had written to him to complain about other passengers sleeping with their balcony door open.
The complaining guests had argued that it was 'selfish' as it stopped the air conditioning running in other cabins.
But John said that's simply a rumour and sleeping with an open balcony door won't affect the air conditioning.
'Some people have said that passengers who leave the balcony door of their cabin open that it is selfish because it turns the air conditioning off for other cabins in that area,' said John.
'That is not true. Regardless of those who say it is, I have confirmed with the highest level, the chief engineers on the ships, and they confirm it only turns off the air conditioning in your cabin and does not affect those around you.'
However, the ambassador did warn guests to be careful of a few things if they want to sleep with the balcony door open.
Cruise balcony doors are liable to slam due to the wind out at sea. John urged passengers to 'watch their hands' when they operate the door and also asked passengers not to let the door slam as it may disturb their neighbours.
The ambassador asked passengers to 'please be gracious and think of others' and advised them to keep an object in the door opening to prevent in slamming.
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