Discuss Implementation of Smoking Policy

[pathi]

9 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

This isn't new.   Since covid the crew has been using the aft section of deck 7 as a smoking area on many of the ships.   On the Ruby in June, this is where the crew smoked.  However, in November they no longer smoked in this area but there was a smoking area for the public on the starboard aft section of deck 7.     

 

On the Sapphire this past Sept they only used this area after 10pm. I was annoyed because I like to have a drink before bed in this spot.

Edited December 16, 2022 by pathi

[memoak]

Just got off the Ruby 3 weeks ago in an aft Vista suite never smelled any smoke on our balcony

[Alberta54]

Thanks for your thoughts. We both did the survey, made the customer service manager on the ship & our Princess planner aware of our unhappiness & dissatisfaction. After 2 1/2 months and follow up by the Princess planner I heard from the customer experience department. I was beyond dissatisfied with her attitude & lack of concern about our complaints with the smoking issue (there were several other issues on the cruise too which she was equally unconcerned about). Being loyal to Princess (almost 30 cruises) & giving them a lot of money over the years, we were stunned at the indifference the rep demonstrated. The customer service manager on board the ship was concerned but said it was a “corporate” decision to open up the aft area for crew smoking. It seems Princess is excelling at making excuses rather than actually listening to passenger concerns.

 

We are aware there has been a smoking area on deck 7 for people to smoke. I just don’t want it inside the ship where thousands of passengers live for the duration of their cruise. I also don’t want it filtering into my balcony which is part of my living space. How Princess makes that happen is their responsibility to figure out. I don’t think that’s too much to ask after paying thousands of dollars for a trip. 

[Guest ldtr]

Just now, Alberta54 said:

Thanks for your thoughts. We both did the survey, made the customer service manager on the ship & our Princess planner aware of our unhappiness & dissatisfaction. After 2 1/2 months and follow up by the Princess planner I heard from the customer experience department. I was beyond dissatisfied with her attitude & lack of concern about our complaints with the smoking issue (there were several other issues on the cruise too which she was equally unconcerned about). Being loyal to Princess (almost 30 cruises) & giving them a lot of money over the years, we were stunned at the indifference the rep demonstrated. The customer service manager on board the ship was concerned but said it was a “corporate” decision to open up the aft area for crew smoking. It seems Princess is excelling at making excuses rather than actually listening to passenger concerns.

 

We are aware there has been a smoking area on deck 7 for people to smoke. I just don’t want it inside the ship where thousands of passengers live for the duration of their cruise. I also don’t want it filtering into my balcony which is part of my living space. How Princess makes that happen is their responsibility to figure out. I don’t think that’s too much to ask after paying thousands of dollars for a trip. 

So you posted about an event over 2 1/2 months ago, making it sound like a new expansion, when it was actually a temporary change made with the restart, that is in process or has already been changed (removed) on Princess ships as operations have returned to normal.

 

The title should actually be that Princess is now eliminating the covid related extra crew smoking areas.

 

From reading your post sounds like you really posted now because you were not happy with their response to your complaint instead of posting when it occured when the information would have been correct, current and of use to other passengers.

Edited December 16, 2022 by ldtr

[mom says]

Hmm. We were on the Nov 28 day cruise on the Crown, and the only smoking area on deck 7 was the very small one on the starboard aft. I saw no expansion of the smoking areas at all. HOWEVER, there were covid isolations happening, and one of the provisions allowed is for isolated smokers to smoke on their balcony. Perhaps this is what the OP experienced.

[Guest ldtr]

Just now, mom says said:

Hmm. We were on the Nov 28 day cruise on the Crown, and the only smoking area on deck 7 was the very small one on the starboard aft. I saw no expansion of the smoking areas at all. HOWEVER, there were covid isolations happening, and one of the provisions allowed is for isolated smokers to smoke on their balcony. Perhaps this is what the OP experienced.

The crew smoking area on the stern on deck 7 on the grand class ships was in place as part of the covid restrictions. It was there when the crew was required to mask. Now that they are no longer required to mask that smoking area has been removed.

 

From the OP own post it was about an event 2 1/2 months ago. Back when crew was required to mask. Outdated info.

Edited December 16, 2022 by ldtr

[rome2009]

Just got off side to side cruises: Sky and Apex. What a difference with no smoking inside on Apex. With Sky, anytime you wandered anywhere near the casino you would be inhaling toxic cigarette fumes. Long time Princess cruisers, first time on Celebrity, and now considering switching brands due to indoor smoking.

[davekathy]

26 minutes ago, rome2009 said:

Just got off side to side cruises: Sky and Apex. What a difference with no smoking inside on Apex. With Sky, anytime you wandered anywhere near the casino you would be inhaling toxic cigarette fumes. Long time Princess cruisers, first time on Celebrity, and now considering switching brands due to indoor smoking.

Agree. Kudos to Celebrity. 

[Coral]

On the Emerald Princess recently, we could walk around the aft area on the Promenade deck. It wasn't blocked off.

[pris993]

9 hours ago, Alberta54 said:

We had the unfortunate experience of having an aft cabin on deck 10 on the Crown. We paid extra for a wake facing cabin to have the view & enjoy the balcony. The moment we stepped out the patio door of our cabin we felt like we were in a chimney filled with smoke…and not just cigarette smoke either! 24 hours a day we were assaulted with a strong smell of smoke. This resulted in being unable to use the balcony we paid to enjoy. Apparently Princess has created a large smoking area for crew that spans at least most of the way across an aft deck on various ships. On the Crown they roped off the entire aft portion of deck 7 for smoking. So not only did we contend with smoke but also could not walk the promenade around the ship anymore (the Crown being an older ship had a promenade deck you could walk laps around- the newer ships don’t have that).  A review on this forum has documented a smoking area across the aft portion on the Discovery Princess Sun deck. I tried to get a response about why smoking had been expanded on ships from a loyalty representative. The only answer I got was “we are trying to find a balance”. Balance for who? Already there are many complaints about half the casino allowing smoking & now Princess has expanded the smoking areas with no regard to how this negatively affects passengers. Seems this is just part of Princess being tone deaf about many concerns that are mounting from passengers.

This is not new, I recall seeing the smoking area walking the promenade deck for years.  Maybe Princess has more crew that smoke.  

[jaycruising]

I did laps on deck 7 of the Crown on our cruise at the beginning of November. There was a really small (one chair) smoking are on deck 7. Was this a recent experience. If not, may want to share the dates. 

[nini]

13 hours ago, ldtr said:

So you posted about an event over 2 1/2 months ago, making it sound like a new expansion, when it was actually a temporary change made with the restart, that is in process or has already been changed (removed) on Princess ships as operations have returned to normal.

 

The title should actually be that Princess is now eliminating the covid related extra crew smoking areas.

 

From reading your post sounds like you really posted now because you were not happy with their response to your complaint instead of posting when it occured when the information would have been correct, current and of use to other passengers.

In mid September, there was still crew smoking on the Promenade- it was blocked off thus prohibiting PAYING passengers to enjoy the full Promenade deck (Grand Princess).

[damiross]

10 hours ago, nini said:

In mid September, there was still crew smoking on the Promenade- it was blocked off thus prohibiting PAYING passengers to enjoy the full Promenade deck (Grand Princess).

Yea, heaven forbid the crew have a place to relax because their job is to serve the paying passengers and never ever have their own life.

[nini]

48 minutes ago, damiross said:

Yea, heaven forbid the crew have a place to relax because their job is to serve the paying passengers and never ever have their own life.

Pre covid, they ABSOLUTELY had a place of their own. It was at the front of the ship, outdoors (fairly close to the crew pool).

I am sorry that you took my comment in a strange way...

 

A bit snarky there???

[jsn55]

11 hours ago, nini said:

In mid September, there was still crew smoking on the Promenade- it was blocked off thus prohibiting PAYING passengers to enjoy the full Promenade deck (Grand Princess).

Of all the places to put a smoking area ... the Promenade?  That's just stupid.  I'm an occasional smoker, and I'd be very uncomfortable having a cigarette where I'm actively annoying people.

[pris993]

11 hours ago, nini said:

In mid September, there was still crew smoking on the Promenade- it was blocked off thus prohibiting PAYING passengers to enjoy the full Promenade deck (Grand Princess).

It may have been blocked because passengers complained.  

[c-boy]

1 hour ago, pris993 said:

It may have been blocked because passengers complained.  

bingo 

[SargassoPirate]

3 hours ago, pris993 said:

It may have been blocked because passengers complained.  

When has passenger complaints ever helped? Passengers have been complaining about chair hogs, over-amplified MUTS shows all day, mobility devices parked in exit corridors overnight, and smoking in the casino among other things.  Ever notice any changes?

 

Right now a handicapped, chain-smoking, chair hog who parks his scooter in your path of exit travel is catered to regardless of the safety, health and convenience of the other passengers. 

[c-boy]

1 hour ago, SargassoPirate said:

When has passenger complaints ever helped? Passengers have been complaining about chair hogs, over-amplified MUTS shows all day, mobility devices parked in exit corridors overnight, and smoking in the casino among other things.  Ever notice any changes?

 

Right now a handicapped, chain-smoking, chair hog who parks his scooter in your path of exit travel is catered to regardless of the safety, health and convenience of the other passengers. 

well I complained, and now they're building the ship of my dreams. 

[nini]

11 hours ago, pris993 said:

It may have been blocked because passengers complained.  

It was blocked to prevent passengers from entering their smoking area.

[jsn55]

9 hours ago, nini said:

It was blocked to prevent passengers from entering their smoking area.

I think the relevant question is why Grand Princess chose the promenade deck for a smoking area.  People like to ... well, they like to promenade ... on that deck to get their exercise.  

[davekathy]

I always thought one side of the Promenade deck is for non smoking and the other side is for smoking. That's how it's handled on Celebrity and RC. 

[memoak]

2 hours ago, jsn55 said:

I think the relevant question is why Grand Princess chose the promenade deck for a smoking area.  People like to ... well, they like to promenade ... on that deck to get their exercise.  

There has always been a smoking area on prom. This may be larger but not entirely new 

[nini]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

There has always been a smoking area on prom. This may be larger but not entirely new 

But it may have been for passengers, not crew. It became for crew during and post- covid.

[Guest ldtr]

On 12/16/2022 at 11:23 PM, nini said:

In mid September, there was still crew smoking on the Promenade- it was blocked off thus prohibiting PAYING passengers to enjoy the full Promenade deck (Grand Princess).

Let's see mid september was 3 months ago   Back when masking for the crew was still in place on some ships. Pretty much removed from all ships once masking was fully removed for crew.

 

There were lots of things under covid protocols that impacted paying passengers.