Our smokey smelling cabin

[Borrego]

If you find the smell of smoke so onerous, why would you book a Princess cruise? We've been on Princess several times and never had a problem with the smell of smoke. Of course, we don't go out of our way to find things to complain about. Book a Celebrity cruise and avoid the smoker, if that's such a big issue for you. As an added bonus, you'll save about 23% as Celebrity has more trouble filling their ships since changing their smoking policy.

[chil-laxin]

If you find the smell of smoke so onerous, why would you book a Princess cruise? We've been on Princess several times and never had a problem with the smell of smoke. Of course, we don't go out of our way to find things to complain about. Book a Celebrity cruise and avoid the smoker, if that's such a big issue for you. As an added bonus, you'll save about 23% as Celebrity has more trouble filling their ships since changing their smoking policy.

 

 

Being a non-smoker who can handle some smoke smell... and having family members that either 1 are smokers or 2 are so sensitive to it they are very sick from too much of it...non smokers in my opinion should be able to book a room freely on any ship. We prefer Princess food, staff, price etc but b/c I don't smoke I should suck it up and go on RCCL etc?:confused:

Princess really should allow only balcony smoking, or do have a better room sw/out plan for those rooms that essentially are smoked out by a passenger. Also, I do not feel smokers should have to go to crazy places on the ship to smoke b/c that is a little much.

In all Princess is a large corporation and there should be some planning. As I said I can handle some smell and have never had an issue but if my room was as bad as the OP :eek: I would have been very upset and feel my point totally valid and would have expected them to be on top of fixing it.

[Katie333]

Blech! I'm a non-smoker but DH likes to enjoy cigars while we cruise. With that said, he is not into smoking them in the cabin. That smell just permeates everything from the draperies, to the linens and carpet.

 

We always have balconies or above, and I think that's why we have never noticed this issue. I wouldn't stand for an obnoxious smell, but I think there is realistically only so much that can be done about it. Fresh air from the balcony door does help.

[ladyvet]

We have an Alaskan cruise booked on the Sapphire for this July. We have cruised with Disney, Royal Caribbean and Carnival and never had a problem with a smoky room or smokers around us.

 

We have booked an aft OS, but I'm thinking about cancelling. It really would ruin a cruise for me if the problem is that bad. I'm not a complainer, but we only get one vacation a year. Does Celebrity go to Alaska?

 

Beth

[Whoo]

We have an Alaskan cruise booked on the Sapphire for this July. We have cruised with Disney, Royal Caribbean and Carnival and never had a problem with a smoky room or smokers around us.

 

We have booked an aft OS, but I'm thinking about cancelling. It really would ruin a cruise for me if the problem is that bad. I'm not a complainer, but we only get one vacation a year. Does Celebrity go to Alaska?

 

Beth

 

I have been on 7 Princess cruises, and have never been bothered by smoking - whether in the cabin, balcony, or public areas. I would venture to guess that this was an unusual problem. Anything can happen - but I wouldn't cancel your upcoming cruise because of this issue.

[Happy ks]

We went on our first Princess cruise last week and I was worried about the smoking thing since we were booked into an inside cabin. Fortunately, it did not reek of smoke and there were no smokers around us. We did walk through another deck to see where our next location was and only passed one cabin (mini suite) that you could tell there were smokers in there. I felt sorry for the surrounding cabins, as the smell doesn't know to stay in the cabin.

 

The only thing I would have done differently than the OP is that I would contact the housekeeping department myself, not leave it to the PSD. After having worked in the hotel industry years ago, each department has its own manager and the PSD (or front desk at a hotel) will only make the same phone call you do. Department heads will respond to a customer complain quicker and with more zeal if they are called directly. If you can't locate the number on your cabin phone, call the Hotel Director or the operator and ask for the Head of Housekeeping. One reason the problem wasn't dealt with quickly is that the cabin stewards are busy working with luggage delivery at embarkation and we don't generally see them until later in the day.

 

I realize the majority of people don't know this bit of information, after all the customer service desk is the only visible link we see. But try it in the future, it can be a whole lot more effective. PSD or Customer Service is really there for the financial end of the hotel business, they are not in charge of housekeeping or maintenance.

 

Hotel Director is the top of the heap, Head of Housekeeping is one of the major managers under the Hotel Director. The people at the PSD are not managers and can only relate information. If a cabin steward is not doing their job, the Head of Housekeeping won't know it until contacted.

[jaxw17]

We are new to princess but have cruised 3 times before. I have just read these posts and I am now really really worried. I could not stay in a cabin where someone has been smoking. I was a heavy smoker until 9 years ago so understand that if you are a smoker you want to enjoy this on holiday. The world has changed though and smokers are used to having to go to smoke in certain places.

If the cabin smelled of smoke it would make me sick and ruin the holiday. We could not get a balcony we were told that the ship was full.

Having said that we have had a problem on holiday in hotels with people smoking on their balcony and it drifting over.

:eek::(

[PescadoAmarillo]

Thank you all for your responses. Ironically, I did not know that there was a current thread addressing this same issue until after I posted mine. I have meant to do a thread on this since we returned home a week earlier, but have been understandingly buried by being away for 7 weeks and the holidays. When our beloved Broncos began yesterday's game so badly, I thought it was a good time to pull away from the TV and get it done.

 

For those who wondered why I cleaned as I did...what was our option? To leave the cruise in the first port? Would insurance have covered that cost? Additionally, we were booked on B2B cruises...we were in that cabin for 20 nights. If we had left midway through cruise #1, should we have returned home, or decamped to Fort Lauderdale and tried again on cruise #2? I guess I feel that, if I had not cleaned, someone might have suggested (and I might have thought) that maybe we could have done more to resolve the situation.

 

As for escalating the issue again and again...while we were doing this, while we were not unpacked, our cruise was totally disrupted. Instead of having a positive cruise experience, ours was quite negative as long as this situation was unresolved. I wanted that to end, and so tried to do what I could to have that happen. Also, we were in the first days of 50 nights (5 cruises) on the Emerald this winter. I truly did not want to be branded difficult, or demanding. Maybe this would not have bothered others, but it would have bothered me. As some who know me have kindly noted, I am not a complainer and don't care to be labeled one. I certainly don't go out of my way to find things to complain about.

 

For those who say they've been on X number of Princess cruises and never had this issue...there were our 17th and 18th Princess cruises, and we had never had this issue either. Does this mean that no one had ever smoked in a cabin before we cruised in it? Of course not. It means that either the smoking was held to a reasonable amount, or that the cabin was thoroughly cleaned before we entered it.

 

For those who say we should only book balconies...we've had balcony cabins on 3 of our Princess cruises, and each time found the experience marred a bit by cigarette smoke. Instead of stomping our feet and besmearching all cigarette smokers, we instead choose to book only inside cabins. No sense in paying extra and finding the balcony unusable for portions of each day.

 

We are long time Celebrity, as well as Princess cruisers. For those who advise that we should only book Celebrity, are you suggesting that Princess is unable and unwilling to provide a clean cabin for its passengers, and if we want to be guaranteed one, we must choose Celebrity? I really don't think that's an image Princess wants to portray. And since there truly is an additional cost in cleaning a cabin after it has been smoked in, why shouldn't the smoker pay that cost?

 

As to how much the cabin had been smoked in...we are convinced it was inhabited by two smokers or one person who truly chain smoked. There was a permanent burn mark on the edge of the bathroom sink, indicating the bathroom was smoked in, and the smell of the shower curtain certainly supports that. While the closets obviously weren't smoked in, they held the clothes of smokers, and the doors kept that smell contained. Even the life vests took on the odor, and still smell that way, as they were not replaced.

 

It's a mystery as to who stuck the dryer sheets in the air vent, but, obviously, this issue was not ours alone.

 

No one is blaming the smoker in question here, the issue is that if Princess chooses to have a policy where any cabin can be in effect smoking or non smoking, they either need to have a system in place to turn a smoking room into a non-smoking room, or permanently designate rooms of each type. If they cannot do so, then they should re-examine the policy.

 

In short, I don't care if the person in the cabin before me chain smoked the entire trip, as long as I get a clean room when I arrive.

Thank you for summarizing my thoughts so clearly. I am not, and have never been anti-smoker. I simply believe that I should be able to count on a clean, odor-free cabin...at least until my DH moves in.;) And, in case others encounter this same issue (and it's an issue in several cabins every single cruise, we were told), at least now they might have some information about "what happens (or doesn't happen) next".

[nfcu]

By effectively banning smoking in just about all of the public rooms, the cruise lines are driving the smokers into their cabins and balconies. I agree with others on this board who advocate returning some of the bars and lounges to smoking areas, but of course, the zealots would never accept that either.

[gertz]

It's your prerogative to disagree with my thought that Princess owes them anything for the OPs situation. If a passenger has to clean their cabin to make it habitable when Princess doesn't do it, then why should the OP not be entitled to be reimbursed for doing it.

 

I was actually agreeing with you.:)

 

To condense what I was implying. There is no practical solution to this other than to ban smoking which I have long been in favor of. Also smoking only on balconies does not solve much of anything, just open the passageway door and see.

[skh716]

Ok this worries me because we will be on the Ruby in 3 weeks. My 5-year old has bad asthma and a smokey room would NOT be good for that. I know the ship is not smoke free but am obviously not bringing him into the casino and other areas that tend to be smokey but sleeping in a room that reeks of smoke would definitely be a bad situation. Nothing I can do now but hopefully Princess would be able to do something to rememdy this IF our cabin is smokey. Hopefully we just won't have this issue since we have never in the past. One more thing to worry an already worried mom....

 

Anyone else have a similar situation? (and yes, I already travel with sterioids for him and a portable nebulizer with all the appropriate medicines).

[Loonbeam]

Again, I wouldn't worry too much. Princess seems quite capable of dealing with most cases of prior smokers, it seems to be the extreme cases (chain smokers or multiple heavy smokers in the same room) is where there can be an issue. So, the odds are in your favor to not have a problem.

 

Side note, for all the people who say book Celebrity? I've gotten numerous reports of people still sneaking smokes on balconies that have drifted down to other rooms, which never surprised me.

 

Ok this worries me because we will be on the Ruby in 3 weeks. My 5-year old has bad asthma and a smokey room would NOT be good for that. I know the ship is not smoke free but am obviously not bringing him into the casino and other areas that tend to be smokey but sleeping in a room that reeks of smoke would definitely be a bad situation. Nothing I can do now but hopefully Princess would be able to do something to rememdy this IF our cabin is smokey. Hopefully we just won't have this issue since we have never in the past. One more thing to worry an already worried mom....

 

Anyone else have a similar situation? (and yes, I already travel with sterioids for him and a portable nebulizer with all the appropriate medicines).

[gingera]

We love Princess and just became platnium. On our Dec 8 cruise to Hawaii we had a cigar smoker next to us! The first afternoon the smell in our cabin was overwhelming and my husband called personal relations. They were understanding but not forthcoming with any solution. The next morning we woke to the overwhelming odor and he called again. The rep said they would check into it. They talked to our neighbor who said he would smoke on the balcony. An officer came to check things out and said they would deoderize the

cabin and hallway but I'm sensitive to odors and asked they not spray the cabin.

Our neighbor continued to smoke on the balcony which was awful since we paid for a Caribe balcony which was almost useless because of the smell. The policy in the patter is conflicting vs smoking in cabins. If the ship wasn't full I didn't want to move since I picked our cabin for the location and balcony. It was the only negative on a fantastic cruise but it was a big one! In all my visits to CC I don't ever remember a thread about smoking???????? Princess has to do something about this! I understand smoking is not allowed on Celebrity. Karen

 

 

I sympathize with you in regards to the cigar odor. It triggers headaches & bronchospasms with me. Normally, I can just move to evade the smoke on land, but when it is in close proximity such as a next door cabin on ship, it can make it a miserable time....I love Princess and I would hate to think I have to go to another cruise line.

[gingera]

The issue is that since Princess DOES allow it, they should have processes in place to make sure someone's cabin isn't unusable. I'm not against smoking but rather against ruining my cruise. And having a cabin reeking of smoke would ruin my cruise. It would literally make me ill. As long as Princess allows it, it's not the smoker's fault; it's Princess'.

 

 

Yes, Pam, well said....I see it as a health and safety issue. When smoking affects other people's health is when there needs to be a plan in place for the people affected.

[chrispb]

By effectively banning smoking in just about all of the public rooms, the cruise lines are driving the smokers into their cabins and balconies. I agree with others on this board who advocate returning some of the bars and lounges to smoking areas, but of course, the zealots would never accept that either.

Well said, I was just about to post exactly the same comment. About the only indoor area that smoking is allowed is the Casino. I don't gamble and it is difficult to socialise with friends. Not all cruises are heading to warm, dry climates so as I've paid the same as non-smokers for a cruise why shouldn't I have somewhere dry and warm to sit and enjoy a cigarette? If it only leaves the stateroom, then so be it.

Non-smokers have more cruiselines to choose from than us smokers.

[PescadoAmarillo]

As long as Princess doesn't get overwhelming complaints against smoking they'll never change.

Again, it's not the smoking (or the smokers...please note I haven't attacked ANYONE in this thread, although I opened myself up to attack, as I knew I would). It's the fact that all of us should enter our cabins the first day to find them clean and free from offensive odors. I would have been just as unhappy if the lingering smell was from __________ (choose one: sewage, perfume, food). But the fact of the matter is that, of all of those, cigarette smoke is the hardest to eradicate as it clings to every surface in the form of nicotine.

 

Interestingly, we had just finished a HAL cruise, and there was an addendum to their survey addressing this very issue. It went somewhere along the lines of:

1.) Do you or does anyone in your party smoke?

2.) Would you be more or less likely to cruise HAL if smoking was prohibited in the staterooms and on balconies?

 

If HAL goes the way of Celebrity, Princess will become the smokers' cruise line of choice. I would hope that they would put in place cleaning procedures to ensure that cabins are thoroughly cleaned between cruises. And I would also hope that they don't charge ME for the cost of doing that.

[Astro Flyer]

It's your prerogative to disagree with my thought that Princess owes them anything for the OPs situation. If a passenger has to clean their cabin to make it habitable when Princess doesn't do it, then why should the OP not be entitled to be reimbursed for doing it.

 

I was actually agreeing with you.:)

 

To condense what I was implying. There is no practical solution to this other than to ban smoking which I have long been in favor of. Also smoking only on balconies does not solve much of anything, just open the passageway door and see.

 

OPPS...sorry about misreading your post. :o

[Astro Flyer]

Again, it's not the smoking (or the smokers...please note I haven't attacked ANYONE in this thread, although I opened myself up to attack, as I knew I would). It's the fact that all of us should enter our cabins the first day to find them clean and free from offensive odors. I would have been just as unhappy if the lingering smell was from __________ (choose one: sewage, perfume, food). But the fact of the matter is that, of all of those, cigarette smoke is the hardest to eradicate as it clings to every surface in the form of nicotine.

 

Interestingly, we had just finished a HAL cruise, and there was an addendum to their survey addressing this very issue. It went somewhere along the lines of:

1.) Do you or does anyone in your party smoke?

2.) Would you be more or less likely to cruise HAL if smoking was prohibited in the staterooms and on balconies?

 

If HAL goes the way of Celebrity, Princess will become the smokers' cruise line of choice. I would hope that they would put in place cleaning procedures to ensure that cabins are thoroughly cleaned between cruises. And I would also hope that they don't charge ME for the cost of doing that.

I attempted to restate the fact that your post wasn't another smoking debate but about the condition of your cabin. Unfortunately it was a reply to someone turning it into a smoking arguement & our comments were removed.

 

So thanks for restating the subject of your excellent thread & hopefully it will continue on the issue about who is responsible for leaving a cabin in an unusable condition for any reason.

[RDC1]

Considering that a substantial number of the cruise lines are owned by one of two different companies (Carnival which owns AIDA, Carnival, Costa, Ibero, Ocean Village, P&O, Princess, HAL, Cunard and Seaborn), (Royal Caribbean which owns Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Azmara) the policies about smoking tend to align with the parent company. Those owned by Royal Caribbean tend to have more restricitive smoking policies and do not allow smoking in the staterooms, whereas those owned by Carnival tend to go in the opposite direction.

 

on NCL smoking is allowed in the staterooms.

 

On Crystal Pipes and Cigars cannot be smoked in the staterooms, and on some ships they have banned smoking on the vernada's. They seem to be moving in the direction of tightening.

 

On Oceania smoking is forbidden in all staterooms and vernada's according to their faq on their web site.

 

On Fred Olsen smoking is not allowed inside staterooms, but is allowed on Veranda's

 

On Regent smoking is prohibited in all suites, staterooms and balconies.

 

So it is not just Celebrity that has the no smoking in stateroom policy.

 

I, for one, will be taking my future vacations and dollars to a cruise line with a non-smoking inside staterooms policy. I currently have one remaining booking on Princess. That will be my last one.

[Richie2pies]

>>>>Interestingly, we had just finished a HAL cruise, and there was an addendum to their survey addressing this very issue. It went somewhere along the lines of:

1.) Do you or does anyone in your party smoke?

2.) Would you be more or less likely to cruise HAL if smoking was prohibited in the staterooms and on balconies?

 

If HAL goes the way of Celebrity, Princess will become the smokers' cruise line of choice. I would hope that they would put in place cleaning procedures to ensure that cabins are thoroughly cleaned between cruises. And I would also hope that they don't charge ME for the cost of doing that.<<<<<

 

 

HAL has done that survey for years. They are not about to change. All it does is give anti-smokers the impression they are thinking of change and are concerned. After years of this survey, if they were going to change, wouldn't they have done it by now?

[RDC1]

When did Cunard start tightening their smoking policy? Their faq implies that smoking is not allowed inside the staterooms, but does not explicitly say that. If it does then it will be interesting if you see it carry over into any other Carnival owned lines. Cunard indicated that they made the change in response to customer surveys.

[Spender Nui]

And for those who think that Princess SHOULD allow smoking in balconies. I have only one thing to show you:

 

 

Interesting ... We all remember that. You'd think Priincess would be at the forefront for NO SMOKING!

[moniquet]

Did they ever find the culprit?

[flamomo]

Apparently not, AND it was not confirmed that smoking was absolutely the cause of that fire ........ just presumed that it was likely the cause.

[iancal]

For us, it was easier to switch to Celebrity as our favored cruise line. Why take a chance with your vacation.