Smoking Policy

[Dusty Traveler]

I'm an ex-smoker who also has the misfortune of now being incredibly sensitive to smoke. I try not to be judgemental of people who smoke either because they wish to, or because they cannot help themselves, but it is difficult to be sympathetic when there is so much information out there about the damage smoking does -- not only to the smoker, but those who have to breathe the second-hand smoke. I made a choice, albeit a tough one, to not smoke anymore because of my own health, but that of my son and others around me.

 

That said, let me ask those who smoke what is the best way to ask them not to smoke if their smoke is bothering me. There have been several posters who say they try to be considerate of others, so I can see there is room for dialogue. I generally try to move away from smoke if I can, but sometimes that is not an option, so would be grateful for some input from the smokers on this one. I do not wish to offend, so welcome constructive input!

[Brian131489]

Brian: Is good to know that there are responsible smokers, I'm never rude to smokers, I just avoid venues where smoking is allowed because the smoke makes me sick. The problem with the Oasis is that the smoke from Boleros carries onto the Promenade and I did have a problem with that. As a responsible smoker, do you think that RCCL should plan entertainment family activities on a smoking venue?? Do you think that smokers with infant children are responsible when they take their children to Boleros? or do you think that pregnant women are acting in a responsible way when they go to a place like Boleros on the Oasis? or do you think that there is no problem with having smoke in the Promenade? We will be D+ on our next RCCL and this is the first time that I felt the need to complaint about the smoking. I'm glad I did and I expect everyone that goes to the Oasis and is troubled by the smoke to do the same.

 

In following this post it does sound like RCCL didn't think this all the way through and I do believe that they picked the wrong spot for certain venue(s) where smoking is permitted. I don't think parents with childern should be taking them into those venue(s), lets face it, it is a dirty habit and I know myself I don't smoke around any family members and I will go outside no matter the temp to make sure that they are not subjected to that. I believe the little ones should have the cleanest enviroment that we all can provide no matter what we do. I don't believe that any pregnant women should subjected to that, or should they be smoking while pregnant. I think RCCL made a mistake taking away the cigar lounge, that was a place to go that would take care of the smoke. They do make ventilation systems that can sweep the smoke away in seconds and no smell of the smoke is there, but I guess when you are building a billion dollar ship the little things are over looked. This subject can go either way and I can stand on the fence on it, but I know what i do to be considerate to everyone. Sorry that not everyone thinks the same

[Brian131489]

I'm an ex-smoker who also has the misfortune of now being incredibly sensitive to smoke. I try not to be judgemental of people who smoke either because they wish to, or because they cannot help themselves, but it is difficult to be sympathetic when there is so much information out there about the damage smoking does -- not only to the smoker, but those who have to breathe the second-hand smoke. I made a choice, albeit a tough one, to not smoke anymore because of my own health, but that of my son and others around me.

 

That said, let me ask those who smoke what is the best way to ask them not to smoke if their smoke is bothering me. There have been several posters who say they try to be considerate of others, so I can see there is room for dialogue. I generally try to move away from smoke if I can, but sometimes that is not an option, so would be grateful for some input from the smokers on this one. I do not wish to offend, so welcome constructive input!

 

I guess it would depend on where you are at, while out on a balcony and simple open dialogue to start and then just mention that the smoke bothers you and if at all possible could that per refrain while you are out there or you and your loved ones are out there (that works for me). I guess you would have to truly feel the person out and see how they are acting towards everyone else....

[Brian131489]

As a smoker I do agree that Boleros located along the Promenade is a stupid place to allow smoking and there are other bars that are better suited to allow smoking. The Schooner is in a great location since it is not really a thru way like on other ships, smoking is allowed at the first 2 tables closest to the bar, the seats along the railing overlooking the Promenade and the bar itself. However I do understand that non-smokers who want to play trivia or listen to the piano player should not have to breath my smoke. They need to have a bar that has access to the open decks so that smokers can step outside and have a quick smoke I can live with that.

 

I too am a considerate smoker but some people just know how to push the buttons. A few years back we were on the Majesty, I was sitting at the Schooner bar one evening at 10:30 pm, now keep in mind half the bar is smoking and the other half is non-smoking. This women puts here 5 year old child in the stool next to me and says “Excuse me but I want you to put that cigarette out immediately while my child is here” I said excuse me but this is no place for your underage child to be. She then tells me that I am an A**hole and she will get her husband to come & straighten me out. Ok, bring it on! so I put out the cig and I light up another one, she is now in a rant about inconsiderate smokers and how it is affecting her child’s health. Well I had about enough and I said lady, you bring your kid to a smoking bar late at night and you have a trash mouth on top of that who is the real A**hole here? Never saw her again the rest of the cruise.

Ron :)

 

I hear ya ! A couple of years ago I was on the freedom and I had just got to my room and was waiting for my friends all to make to thier cabins. I went outside on the balcony and was sitting there when I lit up and the gentlemen next to me looked around the balcony divider and no hello, how are, just point blank in a fowl manner asked me if i knew the smoking policy of the cruise line..... My answer was I'm very versed in the policy of the cruise line and I'm well with in my rights to smoke out here... Had he been less abrasive I would have put it out and apologized...

[G'ma]

Doesn't the majority of crew members on ALL ships smoke? The cruise industry is far behind the strides land based companies have made regarding health and wellness issues in the workplace. Maybe when they join the 21st Century, their ships will no longer tolerate smoking. I'd give it another 20 years. :D

 

Please see Post #10......

[G'ma]

We complained and I know that most of our friends did too. I'm also waiting for RCCL online survey to give them my $.02. We were told that RCCL ran out of options for their smoking areas. Central Park can't be a smoking area because it is a fire hazard, the Boardwalk is a family area and having the "jogging track" on deck 5 left them with few options. I still think that they didn't design the area to have good smoke control.

Rob, on the first day of the cruise one of our bags was taken to security because we had a small travel iron and it was considered a fire hazard. If they are so concern about fire hazards why they let people smoke on their balconies? And by the way, every staff member that we talked about this problem told us that they didn't smoke and will love to have a smoke free ship.

 

Some folks won't be happy until the entire world is totally smoke free. Hey, Oasis is huge, find a place where smokers can't light up and hang out there......

 

As for the fire hazard thingie......except for ONE instance, there has been NO fire confirmed as started by a cigarette since 1934 when statistics started being kept.

 

Fires are normally electrical in nature (some caused by travel irons that people will sneak onboard....), or start in the engine room, the galley and some are arson.

 

And, no, the fire on Princess a few years back was never determined to be a cigarette or anything else. They were unable to confirm how it was started....at all.

[G'ma]

The Oasis sails from Florida, an american state. Our last cruise was the IOS, sailing from Southampton and we didnt experienced the smoke problems that we had on the Oasis. The problem with the Oasis is that smoke from Boleros carries onto the Promenade, they didn't design the bar with a good ventilation system. We were told that the decission to make Boleros a smoking area was made after the ship was built.

 

 

Good grief!!! The largest ship in the world, 4/5 times bigger that Titanic....larger than any aircraft carrier ever built, 37 bars and lounges spread over 16 floors and STILL the complaints about smoking.

 

Find a place where smoking isn't permitted.....there are plenty of choices. The world doesn't revolve around the nonsmokers.....they whirl around right along with the rest of us....and there is room for everyone.

[CKforensic]

I hear ya ! A couple of years ago I was on the freedom and I had just got to my room and was waiting for my friends all to make to thier cabins. I went outside on the balcony and was sitting there when I lit up and the gentlemen next to me looked around the balcony divider and no hello, how are, just point blank in a fowl manner asked me if i knew the smoking policy of the cruise line..... My answer was I'm very versed in the policy of the cruise line and I'm well with in my rights to smoke out here... Had he been less abrasive I would have put it out and apologized...

 

I'm not a fan of being down wind of someone smoking but that guy was way out of line. What was his response? You'll need to bring a nice cigar for when someone acts like that again ;)

[Cruzaholic41]

Find a place where smoking isn't permitted.....there are plenty of choices. The world doesn't revolve around the nonsmokers.....they whirl around right along with the rest of us....and there is room for everyone.

 

Just curious...when are you booked on Oasis?

[LLindaC]

It's not smokers, it's the smoke G'ma. On a ship, there's plenty of opportunity to take a smoke outside, just like in a restaurant or business place. I, too, have severe reactions to smoke after having worked as a musician in bars for years. I have lung and respiratory damage and cannot tolerate smoke at all. It's miserable for people like us. It's also highly unfair that any person has to work in secondhand smoke in order to keep a job.

[Brian131489]

I'm not a fan of being down wind of someone smoking but that guy was way out of line. What was his response? You'll need to bring a nice cigar for when someone acts like that again ;)

 

He walked back into his cabin and only once did he return to the balcony and as soon as heard the movement i move ever so gently and sat in a chair right next to the divider and lit up. He soon returned to his room. I know I was wrong, but i had to prove a point.:D

[mariefisher]

When you have a ship that holds 6,000 guests, there has to be some compromise. As far as taking kids to Boleros, never mind the health concerns but do little kids really belong there? Now if they put the bar on The Boardwalk and allowed smoking I could see this being an issue. There is no smoking in Central Park, Boardwalk, The Pub, all dining venues, theaters, balconies facing Boardwalk and Central Park, inside all cabins, and one side of the pool deck. When you compare the small amount of places where you can smoke on such a large ship I feel they did a pretty good job. I do agree they messed up by not having a cigar bar but considering all they did right this is a very small issue to me. I guess most non smokers just want a non smoking ship or they will continue to complain. There has to be a place for smokers to smoke besides the outside decks.

[Brian131489]

When you have a ship that holds 6,000 guests, there has to be some compromise. As far as taking kids to Boleros, never mind the health concerns but do little kids really belong there? Now if they put the bar on The Boardwalk and allowed smoking I could see this being an issue. There is no smoking in Central Park, Boardwalk, The Pub, all dining venues, theaters, balconies facing Boardwalk and Central Park, inside all cabins, and one side of the pool deck. When you compare the small amount of places where you can smoke on such a large ship I feel they did a pretty good job. I do agree they messed up by not having a cigar bar but considering all they did right this is a very small issue to me. I guess most non smokers just want a non smoking ship or they will continue to complain. There has to be a place for smokers to smoke besides the outside decks.

 

I do agree and I will the miss the pub, thats where we would go to hang out at night after we were finished with everything just to relax before returning to the room at night, but sense they don't allow smoking in there I will have to find another venue.

[lauderdalebob]

I smoked cigarettes for over 25 years and now off for 10 but don't really mind cigarette smoke around me unless it's REALLY overwhelming (and I mean like those rooms they used to send you to in the airport for smokers, and I was in there too puffing away too). Dear God, you could hardly see in some of them the smoke was so thick, not to mention the smell, but I digress.

 

It's cigars that I DO have a problem with. Sorry, but I really think all ships if they're going to allow cigars should ONLY allow cigard smoking in designated cigars ROOMS and NOT on open decks or balconies. One of the last cruises I was on someone was puffing away on a stogie up by the pool area and my God the smoke was blowing all over the place. Just awful. Nobody wanted to say anything to him to start something, but that was really bad. Cigarettes, okay, cigars, no, no, no.

[Dusty Traveler]

I guess it would depend on where you are at, while out on a balcony and simple open dialogue to start and then just mention that the smoke bothers you and if at all possible could that per refrain while you are out there or you and your loved ones are out there (that works for me). I guess you would have to truly feel the person out and see how they are acting towards everyone else....

 

Brian, thank you! I have tried this before, as smoke has bothered me before on my balcony. And this was the 4th or 5th time this had happened but with my returning indoors each time. Unlike the rude fellow you encountered, I knocked on the divider first (LOL! What else do you do?) and after basic greetings, asked if they would mind putting out their cigar (ship was in port, so there was no wind to push it away even), and I was rewarded with a hail of obscenities. And it did seem that for the rest of the cruise, this man made a point of coming out and lighting up the moment he heard us outside. I guess this experience has led me to be shy about engaging with a smoker.

[megacruisa]

Hello,

I am not a smoker, however I am truly confused by the responses on this thread. If you are well aware of the smoking policy, and the policy does allow for smoking on your "own" balcony, then why would you have the audacity to ask someone to not smoke on their "own" balcony?.

Each year I do a family group cruise and despite the great rates on Celebrity this Summer,I had to give them serious pause because of their "revised" smoking policy, which does not allow smoking on stateroom balconies. For non-smokers this seems to be an ideal situation but when planning a group, it is a little restrictive.

Of course everyone wants to have a near perfect vacation a smoker or non smoker. Keep in mind that RC unlike NCL, does not allow smoking inside the stateroom, which almost forces the smoker to buy the more expensive stateroom. The Oasis is the worst culprit because a smoker has to buy a "D" balcony which seems to pricing higher than the other balcony types. Not to mention would not be able to take advantage of Guarantee balcony cabin rates.

My recommendation is to avoid smoking areas, and be mindful that if you have a oceanview balcony cabin you run a real risk of having smoking passengers in adjacent balconies, who are relishing the few places left where they can still legally smoke.

This is in no way meant to be a bash on the non-smoker or cheerleading for the smoker merely thought I would point out a few of the obvious.

Non-smoker

Samantha.

[lauderdalebob]

I have to add this one experience I did have with a smoker out on the balcony when the smoke was just lingering in MY balcony when they were all out puffing away. Out came the can of Glade to spray MY balcony. C'mon, have a little courtesy, folks. I really don't mind the cigarette smoke, but cigars - no way. They stink, sorry, they do. I would LOVE to see ships do a balcony cabin one side of the ship smoking, one side not, but I doubt that's ever going to happen.

[G'ma]

It's not smokers, it's the smoke G'ma. On a ship, there's plenty of opportunity to take a smoke outside, just like in a restaurant or business place. I, too, have severe reactions to smoke after having worked as a musician in bars for years. I have lung and respiratory damage and cannot tolerate smoke at all. It's miserable for people like us. It's also highly unfair that any person has to work in secondhand smoke in order to keep a job.

 

Well, here it is. Smoking is a legal activity and the use of tobacco products is not against the law.

 

As long as this remains static, smokers are free to light up anywhere it's permitted.......

 

Those who oppose smoking simply need to get over it and avoid places where smoking is permitted.

 

There are other ships where smoking is severely restricted or prohibited.....

[G'ma]

Just curious...when are you booked on Oasis?

 

The issue is smoking.....not my next cruise.

 

And, frankly, I won't be booking Oasis...not my cup of tea. I prefer cruising.

[WineDown17]

The issue is smoking.....not my next cruise.

 

And' date=' frankly, I won't be booking Oasis...not my cup of tea. I prefer cruising.[/quote']

 

G'ma.. why do you lurk this board? What motivates that you to spend your days disparaging others who have different tastes and interests from you?? Seriously?

 

 

There was a devastating earthquake in Haiti today and people dying of cancer on this board.. and all you can do is make negative remarks about something benign as a cruise ship...

 

Sad.

[drarill]

Not sure why you say that.....our group actually thought that there was too much smoke coming from the bars in the promenade on Oasis at times.

Hello everyone:

We were really upset about the smoke in the Promenade on our Oasis cruise, and although I waited for RCCL's online survey, we never received it. I decided to email Adam Goldstein and tell him how we felt. I started by saying that we will be D+ after our next cruise and we are already booked for the Allure. We loved the Oasis, I just hope that they change their smoking policy on the Allure. I'm not expecting a ban on smoking, I just think that the Promenade should be smoke free. Well, I received a phone call in less than 24 hrs, and I talked to a RCCL about the situation. I told her that I know that many people complained to guests relations on our cruise, but she told me that if they receive many emails about this issue, something could be done.

If you didn't like the smoking policy on the Oasis, please, write to RCCL.

[catlady27]

As a smoker I do agree that Boleros located along the Promenade is a stupid place to allow smoking and there are other bars that are better suited to allow smoking. The Schooner is in a great location since it is not really a thru way like on other ships, smoking is allowed at the first 2 tables closest to the bar, the seats along the railing overlooking the Promenade and the bar itself. However I do understand that non-smokers who want to play trivia or listen to the piano player should not have to breath my smoke. They need to have a bar that has access to the open decks so that smokers can step outside and have a quick smoke I can live with that.

 

I too am a considerate smoker but some people just know how to push the buttons. A few years back we were on the Majesty, I was sitting at the Schooner bar one evening at 10:30 pm, now keep in mind half the bar is smoking and the other half is non-smoking. This women puts here 5 year old child in the stool next to me and says “Excuse me but I want you to put that cigarette out immediately while my child is here” I said excuse me but this is no place for your underage child to be. She then tells me that I am an A**hole and she will get her husband to come & straighten me out. Ok, bring it on! so I put out the cig and I light up another one, she is now in a rant about inconsiderate smokers and how it is affecting her child’s health. Well I had about enough and I said lady, you bring your kid to a smoking bar late at night and you have a trash mouth on top of that who is the real A**hole here? Never saw her again the rest of the cruise.

Ron :)

 

Kudos to you Ron for setting that horrid woman straight. I used to smoke and I smoked quite a bit so I know what it is like to want a cigarette when you are enjoying a drink or after dinner. I would never tell someone or even ask someone to stop smoking because it was bothering me. You take the good with the bad in this life and you have to pick your battles. Smoking is not a big enough issue for me to get my knickers in a bunch over :D I DID have a concern with a smoking area on Deck 17 (wondering if it would permeate the entire deck); however, RCCL has said (as have others on a thread about pipe/cigar smoking) that it is not in an area that would affect the cabins on that deck.

 

So, my advice is "smoke em while ya got em" :D

[catlady27]

Copenhagen, Skoal, RedMan, etc. etc. :) My DH dips Copenhagen and while I am not really fond of the heath ramifications of his doing that, whatryagonnado? :rolleyes:

[Triciabrownbear]

Just slightly off the subject, for those smokers that haven't tried the e-cigarettes, they are quite realistic and there is no smoke, just vapor. They still have nicotine, but no tobacco, no flame, no smoke and virtually no smell. :-)

[catlady27]

Just slightly off the subject, for those smokers that haven't tried the e-cigarettes, they are quite realistic and there is no smoke, just vapor. They still have nicotine, but no tobacco, no flame, no smoke and virtually no smell. :-)

 

LOVE LOVE LOVE your take on life :)