Cruise Passenger’s Brilliant Pool Lounger Hack Goes Viral

A desperate traveler on the Celebrity Beyond cruise ship sparked a social media frenzy after smuggling a mannequin on board to save a poolside lounger. The story, first reported by Daily Mail, has passengers both amused and outraged.

On May 12, the resourceful tourist placed a limbless plastic dummy on a sun lounger near the ship’s pool. He drew a mustache on its face, topped it with sunglasses and a cap, then draped it with a towel. The decoy looked convincingly human—until another passenger snapped a photo and posted it to a Facebook group.

“I saw him when I was booking a table and thought he was a real person,” one user wrote. Another joked, “Looks like mannequins need vacations too.” A third added, “I looked at the picture and said to myself, ‘That kid has a mustache.’”

The trick made the passenger an internet celebrity, but it violated Celebrity Cruises’ strict policy against reserving loungers with towels, bags, or any personal items. With over 3,200 people aboard, competition for deck space is fierce.

This isn’t the first lounger war to make headlines. Earlier, a traveler won thousands in compensation after losing his battle for a spot in the sun—proving that when it comes to deck chairs, some guests will go to absurd lengths to claim their territory.