Do you smoke?

[Fishon28]

Cruising has always been popular with the smokers so these numbers maybe a little higher than average.

 

I'm going to guess that cruise lines like Carnival that cater to lower-class through middle-class will have more smokers due to general ignorance towards smoking health issues.

[melodystrother]

It is my understanding that Carnival is not saying that the cruise population as a whole is only 10% smokers....

 

I believe this 10% actually refers to the number of people who smoke in their cabin.

 

Of all my friends and family that smoke...only ONE does it in their house or in their cabin.

Who in the flip cares what the percentages are and whether it is a true fact or not.. A policy change is a policy change and is up to any company that feels a need to make a change to do so ... It is not against the law. Deal with it... Geesh!!@! stop whinnning... MORE important things going on in the world.

[Philly Steve]

I voted "no" in the poll since I switched to e-cigs over 2 years ago and haven't had a cigarette since.:D

 

Way to go! :cool:

[Cruzaholic41]

I think the 10% number for smokers on Carnival ships is wrong, also.

 

I agree. Aside from my one Costa cruise, CCL ships, in my experience, have consistently had the most smokers on board. It's one of the reasons they are not at the top of my preference list.

[mzloolue]

In my own family and close friends crew there are 16 people who cruise.

Of that 15, one currently smokes.

And she does not smoke in the cabin as her partner does not smoke.

 

I'm thinking that we are close to typical for a group that is not from a tobacco state.

[elcuchio24]

Well, the reality is that Carnival targets people at the lower end of that level of financial prosperity, so based on what you said, it wouldn't be surprising if there are more smokers on a Carnival cruise than on any other cruise line.

 

I hate to burst your bubble, but anyone who cruises often on ANY line is in the upper third of the country as a whole. You don't have a grip on the reality of most people in this country. Do you know that the average family income in this country is 42k a year? That's the MIDDLE income. So half the households in the country make LESS than that. You think that strata of our society are big cruisers?

[m-coons]

Give me a break!....as a reformed smoker I'm highly sensitive to cig smoke now but you can barely catch a whiff if someone is smoking on their balcony. I guarantee it's in no way polluting the air you're breathing as the ship sails along at 24 knots...get real!

 

Then you think you're more sensitive to smoke than you really are. I can definitely tell when someone on an adjacent balcony lights up, and yes, it does bother me enough to go inside. They're perfectly within their rights to smoke on the balcony, but don't say that you can barely catch a whiff of it and it's not polluting your air. If you can smell it, it's polluting your air...

Again, not the smoker's fault...they're doing what's allowed.

[halos]

Give me a break!....as a reformed smoker I'm highly sensitive to cig smoke now but you can barely catch a whiff if someone is smoking on their balcony. I guarantee it's in no way polluting the air you're breathing as the ship sails along at 24 knots...get real!

Then you think you're more sensitive to smoke than you really are. I can definitely tell when someone on an adjacent balcony lights up, and yes, it does bother me enough to go inside. They're perfectly within their rights to smoke on the balcony, but don't say that you can barely catch a whiff of it and it's not polluting your air. If you can smell it, it's polluting your air...

Again, not the smoker's fault...they're doing what's allowed.

 

My feelings as well. I respect the areas allotted to smokers but really get annoyed at the denial or failure in honesty. I don't care how fast the ship is moving, the odor is there.

When I enter the mall here through the section where smokers take their breaks, even if no one is currently out there smoking, the odor hits you like a wall. It does not dissipate easily at all.

 

And again, if you are on your balcony next to me and you are out there smoking, I will happily go inside and allow you that time because I do understand your space to smoke is very, very limited. BUT don't deny that it leaves it's mark. OWN it for goodness sake. People who protest and act like they leave no odor, or don't carry it on themselves just make themselves look even further foolish.

 

Popsec, I do congratulate you on quitting though :) Everyone I know who has said it was the hardest thing they have ever done in their lives and for some even after years, the urge is still there.

[JChurchill471]

My friend used to have a large poster on her bedroom door. It was a poster of a pig with a cigarette in it's mouth.

 

The caption read: "SMOKING STINKS! IF YOU SMOKE, YOU STINK!"

[celticd1]

My friend used to have a large poster on her bedroom door. It was a poster of a pig with a cigarette in it's mouth.

 

The caption read: "SMOKING STINKS! IF YOU SMOKE, YOU STINK!"

 

Ah, classy friend.

 

;)

[TomAndJane]

Doesn't the 90% vs. 10% represent only those that returned the surveys? How many of you return surveys on every cruise? I sure haven't... I didn't read all the posts so if someone else already state this, I apologize.

[Warm Breezes]

Still holding around 35%. Me thinks that Carnival's numbers are way off.

 

I agree with the previous poster about a higher percentage of smokers shopping at Wal-Mart. :D

 

I don't think Carnival's numbers are way off when you consider all the children who are missing from this poll. I voted non-smoking but when we sail it is 4 non-smokers not just my 1.

[bguppies]

I don't think Carnival's numbers are way off when you consider all the children who are missing from this poll. I voted non-smoking but when we sail it is 4 non-smokers not just my 1.

 

Carnival's numbers are way off, as usual. (same as their percentages of how many people want anytime dining. I have yet to see a review where anybody got it after boarding. Every cruise we go on, there is a long line of people wanting to switch to anytime, yet there are no spots left.)

 

They probably took a random sampling of a couple hundred surveys and extrapolated that count into only 10% of their passengers smoke.:rolleyes:

 

I think the 33-35% count in this poll is about right on the money.....

 

Our group that we travel with off and on, has 4 smokers and 5 non-smokers, yet I am the only one to vote in here?!?!?!

 

What is the point you are trying to make?

 

Bill

[Warm Breezes]

Carnival's numbers are way off, as usual. (same as their percentages of how many people want anytime dining. I have yet to see a review where anybody got it after boarding. Every cruise we go on, there is a long line of people wanting to switch to anytime, yet there are no spots left.)

 

They probably took a random sampling of a couple hundred surveys and extrapolated that count into only 10% of their passengers smoke.:rolleyes:

 

I think the 33-35% count in this poll is about right on the money.....

 

Our group that we travel with off and on, has 4 smokers and 5 non-smokers, yet I am the only one to vote in here?!?!?!

 

What is the point you are trying to make?

 

Bill

 

KIDS are missing from this poll...that is a large percentage of the cruising population who are non-smokers who are missing...that alone would put this poll's numbers much closer to Carnivals.

[Crazy4Koko]

In 2009, I met a group on Cruise Critic who became my cruising family.... Other than a connection thru our roll call, we were about as random a group as you could get..

 

 

Now, our group of 20, which includes 4 children, will be cruising in 2012...minus the kids.

 

But, of this 'random group'.. there is only ONE smoker ....

 

so, I would have to think that Carnival's numbers are pretty on the mark.

[MissDiva1]

KIDS are missing from this poll...that is a large percentage of the cruising population who are non-smokers who are missing...that alone would put this poll's numbers much closer to Carnivals.

 

 

Yes but some kids have smoking parents even though the kids are non smoking.......

The poll is not even close IMO....

[christyran1228]

Give me a break!....as a reformed smoker I'm highly sensitive to cig smoke now but you can barely catch a whiff if someone is smoking on their balcony. I guarantee it's in no way polluting the air you're breathing as the ship sails along at 24 knots...get real!

 

 

 

 

 

I smoked for 25+ years, and will be 4 years smoke-free next month.

 

I can smell cigarette smoke from 1000 yards away. I blame it on the Chantix. lol

[bguppies]

KIDS are missing from this poll...that is a large percentage of the cruising population who are non-smokers who are missing...that alone would put this poll's numbers much closer to Carnivals.

 

Not every cruise is full of kids.

 

We cruise in September and January every year, to avoid alot of kids.

(generally 100-150 max on every cruise we have been on, out of 2,000+ pax, a very small percentage)

 

So OUR cruise experience during those times reflects that Carnival's numbers are off. (I'm sure it might be closer to 10% in mid-July, versus, September/October, January/February)

 

Just as I'm sure cruises from California, have a much lower percentage of smokers than a cruise from Jax or PC or Miami.

 

Bill

[halos]

Does it really matter if the percentages are off?? CCL is doing what is being done all over, everywhere. This shouldn't be such a big shock to anyone.

 

I don't agree with those numbers either, but I look forward to the day when they are accurate for goodness sake. When that day comes people SHOULD want to celebrate it.

[MissDiva1]

Does it really matter if the percentages are off?? CCL is doing what is being done all over, everywhere. This shouldn't be such a big shock to anyone.

 

I don't agree with those numbers either, but I look forward to the day when they are accurate for goodness sake. When that day comes people SHOULD want to celebrate it.

 

 

Then they should just implement the change........why put up the results of a silly poll?

[halos]

Then they should just implement the change........why put up the results of a silly poll?

 

LOL...Miss D, you expect way too much commonsense/business sense and intelligence from this line. :p

[comxkid]

There is no way that this poll accurately reflects Carnival's customer base.

 

As a point of reference, Kentucky leads the nation in highest percentage of smokers at 27.5% (followed by West Virginia at 26.8%, Tennessee at 26.1%, and Oklahoma at 26.0%).

 

Utah leads the nation in lowest percentage of smokers at 10.4% (followed by California at 14.7%, Idaho at 17.4%, and Connecticut at 18.0%).

 

Your average cruiser is better educated and more weathy than the average American, and as statistically proven, the percentages for smoking decrease as education and wealth increases.

 

With the national average being 20% and assuming Carnival includes children in their sample, 10% is reasonable.

[T. Advisor King]

I hate to burst your bubble, but anyone who cruises often on ANY line is in the upper third of the country as a whole. You don't have a grip on the reality of most people in this country. Do you know that the average family income in this country is 42k a year? That's the MIDDLE income. So half the households in the country make LESS than that. You think that strata of our society are big cruisers?

 

I think you're confusing "average" with "median". The median is the number compared to which half are above and half are below. The average is the sum of all the amounts, divided by the number of them.

 

Consider the numbers 21, 26, 29, 32, 34, 40, 42, 69 and 85. The average of those numbers is 42. But the middle number (half are above and half are below) is 34. Think of those as income levels in thousands of dollars. The average will always be higher than the median (I.e., the middle number) because the average is skewed by a small numer of high income households.

[pnjkeith]

My friend used to have a large poster on her bedroom door. It was a poster of a pig with a cigarette in it's mouth.

 

The caption read: "SMOKING STINKS! IF YOU SMOKE, YOU STINK!"

 

Yep, I would brag about that! :rolleyes:

[richkinkade]

As for the 90%. Who knows for sure but I would think that 90% is not a representation of the number of people that smoke but rather the number of people that consider themselves non-smokers. If a person smokes one cigarette or cigar on a cruise are they a smoker? I think so but they might not.

I know several people who smoke a couple of cigarettes a month and they consider themselves non-smokers. If they were asked if they were a smoker they would say no.

The widely cited statistics from CDC actually account for this. They ask the question two ways, and neither asks the person responding to decide if he's a smoker or not. They ask both "Have you smoked in the past week?" and "Have you smoked in the past year." The answers have been fairly consistent for some time. For question #1 (past week) a little under 20% of US adults answer yes. For question #2 (past year) a little over 20% of US adults answer yes.

"In 2009, the percentage of adults aged 18 years and over who were current smokers was 20.6% (95% confidence interval = 19.83%-21.27%), which was not significantly different from the 2008 estimate of 20.5%.

• The annual prevalence of current smoking among U.S. adults generally declined from 24.7% in 1997 to 20.6% in 2009."

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/earlyrelease201006.pdf#page=52

 

NOTES: Current smokers were defined as those who had smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and now smoke every day or some days.

 

This is a good survey with a large sample size, so these figures are generally accepted as accurate. Roughly one in Five US adults smokes.

 

Is the the claim that 90% of Carnival cruisers are non-smokers accurate? It's at least reasonable. First, some percentage are children, and very few of them would be smokers, but then again, I doubt that many children would fill out surveys either.

Second, as noted elsewhere, smoking rates decrease with income and, although you don't have to be wealthy to cruise on Carnival regularly, you can't be flat broke either.

Third, is the 90% figure consistent with other data? Celebrity did a survey before announcing its most recent smoking restrictions (which are much more restrictive than Carnival's) and came up with an even lower figure, somewhere around 5%. This was before they enacted the smoking restrictions, not after.

Carnival is in the business of pleasing its customers, and managment isn't stupid. They know how many people will order lobster on elegant night and how many will order roast beef, and how much of each they will eat. My guess is that they do a fairly good job of knowing their customers.

Given all that, I'm pretty sure the 90% nonsmoker figure is real.