aka~pella

We had an overdose of light for sure. I missed seeing the stars.

Me, too! My best friend hugged me the night the moon first appeared. :D

I just did my review.

I'll go read it. Mine is about half-finished b/c I'm a perfectionist like that.

I just got off a 14-day cruise on Koningsdam July 22. By my measure, I found no problems with second hand smoke on Koningsdam in the casino. Maybe a brief smell now and then but nothing to spoil the night about. Come to think of it, I noticed less than a handful of smokers the whole cruise in the casino.

Prior to this cruise, I was so afraid my trip would be ruined after reading some of the posts about Koningsdam smoking policy but my fears were set to rest.

On the balcony, I never smelled anything but God's sweet ocean.

Was on the same cruise. Sadly, we never got to see the midnight sun "setting" as the clouds obscured the view, but there was a whole lotta daytime! And all the smokers stayed in the smoker's area. I know. Kept a good eye on them ~ ;p

A couple of months ago I was told by a HAL rep that smoking would be allowed in Casino on the Nieuw Statendam. Has anyone heard anything different? Very surprised and disappointed as this is a brand new ship. Feeling is they could have smoking policy from the start - less work then implementing no smoking policy later on.

I've heard that NCL splits the casino into two non-smoking and smoking rooms. Hopefully, HAL will follow suit?

Celebrity is the Gold Standard for smoking policies. Even after the latest change, HAL is at the back of the pack.

I wonder whether HAL is thinking ahead to the Millenials? Many younger people are vaping as opposed to smoking. It seems to me that they're trying to create a new image of their brand, especially given the new tech on Koningsdam as well as their music walk.

Nicotine addiction is something that they literally cannot control without a lot of work and going through a process, so they feel victimized and lash out in response

In recent years and especially on this forum where I see so many people complaining about smokers, I feel less victimized than marginalized. And sure, I find it upsetting, especially given that said random people don't know me. They don't know any of the smokers they're shaming, whether they're doing it intentionally or not.

I'll relay some encouragement though: A vacation is the best time to adopt new behaviors. Let's be clear: I am not saying that it is a good time to kick a nicotine addiction. I am an eyewitness to that not working. However, I am also an eyewitness to a vacation successfully helping a nicotine addict kick smoking.

Indeed! I'm sailing with a friend who has proclaimed herself a smoking n*z*. I know her though, so that doesn't bother me. Point being is that I intend to wear a patch every day of the cruise and although I may not be able to quit -- I intend to give it my best.

It's been absolutely proven that prohibiting smoking in the casino will not impact the revenue of the cruiseline. There has been an indoor ban, including the casino, on Celebrity for years and their ships are filled to capacity and the casino is hopping til the wee hours of morning. More crowded than on any HAL ship I've been on. MORE people will use the casino if there is no smoking, not less. The vast majority of people do not smoke and using a casino where smoking is allowed can be a deal breaker. I spend lots of time in the casino on Celebrity ships and a lot less on HAL ships that still allow it.

I'm curious and I'm not trying to burn you here. Has there been an actual study or is your statement a result of your observations?

That sums it up nicely. We lived in Las Vegas for 13 years. Tried to basically stay away from casinos because we knew what the odds of winning are. The times we went, however, the preponderance of gamblers were smoking. Even saw one little old lady wearing an oxygen cannula and smoking a cigarette! Since smokers are gambling with their health/lives, I suppose we can surmise smokers are gamblers!

Good point. Smokers (including myself) are addicts just as non-smokers are reformed addicts. Get an addict into a potentially addictive situation and a decent percentage will embrace it. Addicts spend a great deal of money on their drug of choice, be it smoking, alcohol/drugs or gambling and that's why you have an open door policy for smoking in a casino. :)

Thanks for sharing! We're now even more excited to board Kdam for two weeks next month!

I concur, Lady Arwen. Are you also sailing the voyage of the Midnight Sun?

I noticed that when I booked a specialty dining package (or two) with HAL, it wasn't a great value. Celebrity's specialty dining package very much is. Just fyi

Newer and larger vessels are definitely amazing to travel on, but I still think HAL has some great itineraries, meals and hygiene, even on the smaller older vessels (I just got off of one myself). I know the line is targeting an older demographic than the one I belong to, so don't expect the entertainment to be what I want all the time (though I do play a mean game of Trivia and set my schedule to it!). I will always stay open to cruising on other lines, and I am culinarily-driven (apparently foodie is a bad word on here)

:D I am also a foodie! I wonder how many people have taken into consideration that the larger vessels carry more pathogens than any of HAL's ships, especially a line like Royal Caribbean. I must be getting older (despite my purple hair), as I think RCCL's amusement park ships are gauche as all hell. Those Oasis class ships carry > 6k people, many of whom are families with children. Finally, I've found myself extremely impressed by the itinerary and price of my next trip, 'Voyage of the Midnight Sun' as few lines dare to sail beyond the arctic circle. You need an ice-strengthened hull for that. No real surprise there; HAL has a reputation for being among the most green cruiselines. Anyone remember Crystal Cruises getting a ton of flak for sailing the NorthWest Passage?

I am really fussy with my food so was preparing myself for disappointment but it was unwarranted. Perhaps I lucked out with my ship, or selection of dishes, but there is little bad I can say about the food this past trip (and believe me I do not hold back when I don't like something!). I was also considering trying Celebrity, but have seen many reviews here saying the food had gone downhill. Clearly you don't think so and love the product as a whole. Would you say that's correct? I must say some of their newer ships look like I'd like tthem too (the Lawn Club looks amazing). Thanks for sharing your thoughts, it's always interesting to know what the other cruise lines are doing that is different and gives me a chance to ponder who I might cruise with next time. :confused:

Celebrity is the only line I've sailed on to date and my first cruise was in September of last year, so I can't speak to their food's previous quality. Their new upcoming ship, The Edge, looks as though it'll be nothing short of fabulous! Their food is delicious; and while I've had better in maybe two restaurants, one of those meals was in Mackinaw Island's Grand Hotel, so I believe I know excellence when I taste it. And Celebrity's food (at least in their specialty restaurants, particularly the Tuscan Grille and Murano) is sublime. My foodie daughter agrees. The nonfoodie does, too. I was finally sold on HAL when it won the best cuisine for 2017, here on CruiseCritic. If I were you, I'd try Celebrity at least once. Their service is amazing, and you'll probably very much enjoy their "Silent Disco".

Facts are irrelevant so long as people are happy.

Sorry for not contributing, but ROFL!

So if you sneeze or cough in your hand, then touch an elevator button, hand rail or back of a chair, those germs transferred to your hands won't then transfer to the items you touch?

Well, you're not actually supposed to cough into your hand. These days, it's both recommended by physicians and taught to youngsters to cover your face with your elbow and cough or sneeze into that.

Looks interesting. There was a write up about her in the new 2018-2019 cruise planner.

Allan

Thanks Allan. Do you mean there's a 2018-2019 cruise planner on HAL's website?

That was cool and thank you for posting.

I don't consider that a "rant". I have experienced smoking in the inappropriate places on a ship and I to am allergic. It is my opinion, nothing wrong with what I said and, by the way, I would never "rant" at an individual. I stated my case and that's that. I know many others would say the same thing but won't. You are entitled to do whatever you want but if you get caught it's on you. I repeat, if you do not want to follow the rules, then find another cruise line. You probably won't unless they are from Europe where smoking is widely accepted. Great. That is your prerogative but, as for me, I feel that if these are the rules then obey them. It's that simple.

 

So, if I ranted to the person, I apologize but think about it. Everyone complains about chair hogs and quite a few other annoying situations. Reading in the cafes during peak dining hours, or in Cafe al Bacio during peak hours, or running for the elevators when you see someone in a scooter or wheelchair approaching. These things also affect some cruisers but, it will not stop. No one seems to care and that's just that.

 

Again, I repeat, sorry if I "offended" someone but smoking on a ship is dangerous.

 

Pat C

PatC, whatever your opinion may be, you did rant and by definition, not opinion. The definition of rant[ing] is as follows, "To speak aggressivly about something. or to take your tangent about a subject and talk for a long time in a passionate manner," and, "A rant is an argument that is fueled by passion, not shaped by facts,".

When you ranted, you specifically referred to smoking in your suite, which is why I quoted you in the first place and probably why Silkroad also felt you were addressing me in your original comment.

I'm quoting you now because I find it difficult to believe that you're apologizing to me and it may be that you aren't. Perhaps you're merely defending your position to the community as a whole or apologizing to Silkroad and Last Dance. Either way, it seems both disingenuous and a little insulting. I've quoted you above because you've referred to me personally as "someone" and "the person".

Jennifer

[ . . . ]

BUT, if you were on your balcony or in your suite NOT GOOD. I know I for one, would be reporting it. Yes, you may slam me for it, but fire on a ship is the worst of catastrophies. You are given an area. I don't understand why folks want to abuse rules. ANY rules. Read the fine print, you accept the rules when you sign your ticket but in this day and age that seems to mean nothing.

Sad.

The fire caused by the ships' internal combustion engines (mostly) notwithstanding, OF COURSE fire on a ship can be catastrophic. And I doubt I'm the only smoker who appreciates and enjoys the unrestricted smoking areas on Celebrity ships. They're a wonderful gathering place where, by the end of a cruise, I've not failed to grow close to several new friends. During my last trip, it felt like how I imagine Cheers would.

I'm uncertain how a discussion regarding smoking on Celebrity's Edge turned into smokers = rule breakers. Perhaps I've misinterpreted what you've said?

Jen

Please no smoking at all on the new Edge.

Smokers will book and sail the Celebrity Edge and all the Edge class ships. I tend to book suites and I've smoked on both the Solstice and the Equinox. Or rather, perhaps I should put it this way:

Please no non-smoking at all on the new Edge. :halo: