Smoking in cabins on balconies, irrespective of cruise line.

[Whitemarsh]

Diane, The casinos are now run by a concession. Cunard doesn't care if they make money or not. There are no more drinkers/smokers/late night gamblers because the venues close down early. I really don't think that there is a whole new group of spenders who are getting up early. Cunard seems to be catering more to families with kids traveling for free on the QM2 for the European trips for the last few years. Obviously they are making money.

 

This has been the kindest smoking thread of all and for once, people actually respect both sides. Personally, if someone is out on the balcony next to us...we always ask. We've always had kind neighbors who told us that if it bothers them, they would let us know. :)

 

Why do you think this is?

[nfcu]

Cunard casinos aren't really a "consession", per se, as they are operated by Ocean Player's Club, which is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, and they run the casinos on all Carnival owned ships. So Carnival (Cunard) really does care if the casinos make money.

[brigittetom]

Cunard casinos aren't really a "consession", per se, as they are operated by Ocean Player's Club, which is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, and they run the casinos on all Carnival owned ships. So Carnival (Cunard) really does care if the casinos make money.

 

Then I'm mistaken. We were told the casino was taken over by a concession a few years ago. Obviously I didn't bother to get more facts. The casino has been run totallly differently for the last few years and it just doesn't seem as if they put in much effort to promote it.

 

Whitemarsh, I don't know. I just assumed that Cunard decided to cater to a more docile crowd because it's easier and they still have no problem filling their ships with people who are happy with things the way they are now. On the bright side, we all have a choice and could move on to other lines.....but for me, there is still no other ship that compares to the QM2 experience. In May we did a 14 day crossing on RCL. We had a perfect trip with outstanding service, very good food, late night activities, and I still had the feeling that the real trip would be the crossing home on the QM2. Go figure. I met the FOD group in the Commodore and they invited me to all their functions which included the disco so I did get a good night life on that trip. Apparently the key is not to expect Cunard to provide you with fun, you have to make your own.

 

My comment about wine sippers, sleepers, and readers came across as rude. It wasn't meant that way because we always meet truly nice people on the ship and we have mostly been lucky to have exceptionally nice people at the dinner table who provide us with better company than us. :)

[sea-fisher]

National statistics indicate that 20% of the age group "60 years or older" in the UK smoke, a parallel could probably be made to Cunard's UK client base. When are Cunard going to wake up to the fact that 20% of their customers occupying balconies who smoke are affecting 80% of their customers occupying balconies that do not smoke?

We have just returned from a fantastic cruise to Iceland on the Queen Elizabeth, everything was almost perfect including the weather in Iceland (22 degrees centigrade). Unfortunately our cruise was spoilt by chain smokers in the cabin next to us and others around us. The corridors also smelled of smoke in this part of the ship. My wife and I were unable to use our balcony because of the fresh/stale smell of cigarette smoke that lingered outside the balcony door. It did not matter whether it was 7.00am in the morning, if we wanted to eat breakfast prior to a trip onshore, or at any time throughout the day up to midnight the smell was always present. Even if we opened our balcony door for a moment smoke would funnel into the room and contaminate the cabin space.

We spoke to the Purser's office very early in the cruise to try to change cabins; this proved a non starter as the ship was full. We spoke to the Hotel Manager on the QE and lodged constructive criticism of Cunard's policy. She was sympathetic but could not offer any solution as it was Cunard's Policy to allow smoking from balconies. This fact is hidden in the small print in Cunard's brochures which we failed to spot prior to booking.

We have cruised on Celebrity ships four times previously and had wonderful smoke free cruises on our balconies each time, we have had two cruises on Cunard ships. You can guess who we will be cruising with next time. I hope you read this post "Cunard” because we are just two of the 80% of your guests who do not smoke who will be avoiding booking with you again until you change your smoking policy. Congratulations to Celebrity for listening to the majority rather than the minority.

[pepperrn]

National statistics ... ... the minority.

Welcome to the Cunard Board, with your first post, sea-fisher.

 

So how was your cruise? Enjoy the public rooms? The entertainment? The Speakers? The food? The service? The sports deck? The formal atmosphere? The Theatre? Meet any interesting fellow passengers? How were your ports of call? What did you think of the ship and its décor? You say it was a "fantastic cruise" & "everything was almost perfect", please share your experiences.

 

QE is a lovely ship, second only to QM2 IMHO.

I'd love to read more about your time on board her, and the ports you visited, thank you.

 

You might want to start a new thread with a review of your voyage, that would be nice to read.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you. :)

[MsDeva]

Welcome to the Cunard Board, with your first post, sea-fisher.

 

So how was your cruise? Enjoy the public rooms? The entertainment? The Speakers? The food? The service? The sports deck? The formal atmosphere? The Theatre? Meet any interesting fellow passengers? How were your ports of call? What did you think of the ship and its décor? You say it was a "fantastic cruise" & "everything was almost perfect", please share your experiences.

 

QE is a lovely ship, second only to QM2 IMHO.

I'd love to read more about your time on board her, and the ports you visited, thank you.

 

You might want to start a new thread with a review of your voyage, that would be nice to read.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you. :)

 

Excellent response Pepper.

[pepperrn]

Excellent response Pepper.

Thank you.

[balf]

[quote name=pepperrn;

 

You might want to start a new thread with a review of your voyage' date=' that would be nice to read.

 

)[/quote]

 

This does sound like " we don't appreciate complaining posts about Cunard, particularly from first time posters"

 

If you look at the responses for a recent voyage review (32) and compare with this one (106and counting) you can see so few bother.

 

107 thank yous would have been nice.

 

David.

[BlueRiband]

This does sound like " we don't appreciate complaining posts about Cunard, particularly from first time posters"...

 

Pretty much how I regard "hit and run" first timers. I can only speculate that after an unpleasant cruise they complain to friends who in turn tell them about this board. They then come here to vent. Since their voyage is over there is scarcely anything one can do about the past.

 

... Even if we opened our balcony door for a moment smoke would funnel into the room and contaminate the cabin space... it was Cunard's Policy to allow smoking from balconies. This fact is hidden in the small print in Cunard's brochures which we failed to spot prior to booking.

 

Sea-fisher did say that they had a wonderful time on the QE except, according to them, for the smoking. However if they are so sensitive to smoke that opening the balcony door for a moment can "contaminate the cabin space" then this is something they should have checked before booking. (They make it sound like their balcony was next to the funnel!) Asking their TA, or typing in a search Cunard + smoking was all it would take. With four previous Celebrity cruises under their belt they are not newbies. Their mistake was assuming that if Celebrity ships are entirely smoke free then all ships must also be smoke free. In any case their problem is solved as they have already said they will only book Celebrity from now on.

[pepperrn]

This does sound like " we don't appreciate complaining posts about Cunard, particularly from first time posters"

Is that how you read it?...

...You say it was a "fantastic cruise" & "everything was almost perfect", please share your experiences... I'd love to read more about your time on board her, and the ports you visited, thank you. You might want to start a new thread with a review of your voyage, that would be nice to read. Looking forward to hearing from you. :)

’cus that’s not how I wrote it. Best wishes.

[fantasy51]

When Pepper first posted I read it through twice to be sure how he meant it, and I took it as a positive encouragement to the poster to write more - to join in on the board and tell us what was so good.

 

As for the smoking part of sea-fisher's post, we all have a right to vent if we want to. Lots of people vent on this board. Let's not put a new poster off contributing by criticising his first post!

[pepperrn]

Let's not put a new poster off contributing by criticising his first post!

Which I was very careful not to do. I did not mention any "complaint" by sea-fisher once. I avoided the negatives and concentrated on the positives, as sea-fisher had a "fantastic cruise" & "everything was almost perfect". I was, I hoped, welcoming sea-fisher to the Cunard board and encouraging them to post again.

All best wishes.

[fantasy51]

Which I was very careful not to do. I did not mention any "complaint" by sea-fisher once. I avoided the negatives and concentrated on the positives, as sea-fisher had a "fantastic cruise" & "everything was almost perfect". I was, I hoped, welcoming sea-fisher to the Cunard board and encouraging them to post again.

All best wishes.

 

That's what I thought you were doing too!

 

My comment (the one you quoted) was directed at the others. You know who you are! ;)

[Whitemarsh]

Is that how you read it?...’cus that’s not how I wrote it. Best wishes.

 

I didn't read it that way either pepper, I thought yours was a good response. Thank you for your contribution, you do make this place more enjoyable to be around.

[seasidegal]

I didn't read it that way either pepper, I thought yours was a good response. Thank you for your contribution, you do make this place more enjoyable to be around.

 

I agree! Thank you, Whitemarsh, for pointing out the obvious.:)

 

Pepper, thank you for:

 

1. Always being polite

2. Very helpful

3. Your vast knowledge of the Queens (especially one Queen;)

4. Your excellent amazing photos!

 

I would go on but don't want you to get 'big headed'!:eek::D:D

 

best regards,

seasidegal

[Whitemarsh]

 

Pepper, thank you for:

 

1. Always being polite

2. Very helpful

3. Your vast knowledge of the Queens (especially one Queen;)

4. Your excellent amazing photos!

 

 

best regards,

seasidegal

 

Couldn't agree more.

[pepperrn]

I didn't read it that way either pepper, I thought yours was a good response. Thank you for your contribution, you do make this place more enjoyable to be around.

:o Thank you... :o .

As do you, Whitemarsh. I hope that one day our paths will cross on board QM2, it would great to meet you :) .

Please keep posting your pictures!

Thank you again :o , sincere best wishes.

[pepperrn]

I agree! Thank you, Whitemarsh, for pointing out the obvious. Pepper, thank you for: 1. Always being polite 2. Very helpful 3. Your vast knowledge of the Queens (especially one Queen 4. Your excellent amazing photos! I would go on but don't want you to get 'big headed'! best regards, seasidegal

Seasidegal... thank you :o . Your post means so much to me; so very, very kind of you :o .

(Ladies and gentlemen, I had the honour to meet Mr and Mrs seasidegal recently; a wonderful couple, warm, generous and such fun to be around. I know they intend to sail regularly on QM2 in the future (;)), I hope you all have the pleasure of meeting them, as I did, and taking away some fantastic memories of great friends).

Thank you again :o :) .

[pepperrn]

Couldn't agree more.

:o :) thank you.

[Whitemarsh]

:o Thank you... :o .

As do you, Whitemarsh. I hope that one day our paths will cross on board QM2, it would great to meet you :) .

Please keep posting your pictures!

Thank you again :o , sincere best wishes.

 

Thanks Pepper, yes it would be fun. It's nice to put a face to a name and say hello.

 

Oh, and I won't stop posting pictures. Don't you worry about that. :D

[sea-fisher]

Wow some response to my maiden post, it just goes to show how this topic is of interest to cruisers. That was the whole point of my first post, not to ruffle the feathers of "smokers" or to make a "hit and run" post to complain as suggested. I thought the idea of a forum was to inform other cruisers of your own cruise experience so that other people can decide whether the cruise company is for them or not.

 

Just to recap, overall we had a fantastic cruise on QE to Iceland except for the issue of our neighbours chain smoking on adjacent balconies. Yes we have cruised on the Queen Victoria with no problems back in 2009. No it does not say in the Cunard brochure that you may not be able to use your balcony if you happen to be next to chain smokers who are upwind/downwind or above or below you. Yes we were naive to think it would not be a problem (even if we had read Cunards's smoking policy before we booked.)

 

Is it so wrong to inform others who may be considering spending £6000 on a future cruise with Cunard that the balcony option may not be unusable or unsuitable if you are unlucky enough to be situated next to chain smokers.The point I am making is Cunard's current policy of allowing smoking on balconies did unfortunately spoil our cruise and will influence our decision to book with Cunard again. I believe 80% of Cunard's customers are non smokers and 20% are smokers. Cunard's smoking policy does not reflect this fact in my opinion.

 

If you haven't read the following post by Peter Shanks President and Managing Director of Cunard already you should do, I wish I had before I booked. (It is published on this site if you wish to check)

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

17th February 2013

Smoking is a tricky subject. It is fact these days around the world that whether you are in a hotel, restaurant or bar - smoking is no longer allowed. We reflect that on our ships. We withdrew smoking from cabins a few years ago - we still allow smoking on balconies at this point. A number of cruise lines are now reviewing this and I think that over time all lines will move to stop smoking on balconies and only allow in designated outside areas. We will continue to review it. We make an exception on Queen Mary 2 in allowing smoking on the upper level of the G32 Night Club - the reason for that is that often on a crossing it is simply too windy to go out on the balcony. In the next refit of the ship we will look at this again - and if we maintain smoking in that area we will most likley have it as a separate area. We have to follow the trends across the world on smoking and making sure that we have as healthy an environment for our guests as we can. I know that our guests who do smoke may not like this - but it is not something that the cruise lines can be singled out for - it is part of every day life now. Peter

__________________

Peter Shanks

President and Managing Director

Cunard Line

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[BlueRiband]

Welcome back sea-fisher. You just found out that smoking (and the dress code) are the two most active topics in the Cunard forum.

 

In NYC even outdoor smoking has become more restricted e.g., no smoking directly in front of building, no smoking in city parks or beaches, etc. One can walk over to an area where is is allowed. On a ship however there are limited places one can go. If somebody is not going to hike down to the aft end of the ship for a 2AM cigarette I'd rather have them smoke on their balcony and not in their cabin, hall, or stairwell. Smokers have seen more restrictions and those restrictions are never good enough. Part of your reply stated, "...it does not say in the Cunard brochure that you may not be able to use your balcony if you happen to be next to chain smokers..." QM2 allows smoking on the sheltered end of the promenande deck. It would not surprise me if somebody has already complained, "It does not state that joggers must pass through clouds of smoke from chain smokers."

 

Why doesn't Cunard go entirely smoke free? They might alienate a good percentage of their current passengers. And they may find it near impossible to recruit crew members. Many crew members, and world voyage passengers, come from countries where there are few if any restrictions on smoking.

 

I'm a non-smoker who has changed my attitude where I believe that our NY restrictions on outdoor smoking are ridiculous and full of hippocracy. Cigarettes should be illegal if they are that dangerous but our local governments love the tax revenue they collect from tobacco.

 

Your choice of words indicates that you are in the "zero tolerance" camp. For you only a completely non-smoking ship will do and I'm glad you have that choice available to you. (If or when medical marijuana becomes widely legal just imagine the forthcoming "pot threads" pitting those who can't stand it vs. those who must medicate their pain.)

[sea-fisher]

BlueRiband, I am not in the zero tolerance camp and do not wish to see a blanket ban on smoking for crew or passengers. Clearly after reading these threads there are many different levels of attitude and tolerance towards smoking. If Cunard allocated 20% of their cabins or whatever they consider the correct percentage for smokers (to include smoking on balconies) either on one side of the ship preferably towards the rear, or just on one side of the ship and published this allocation clearly in their brochures, it would allow non -smokers the choice to either avoid them completely by booking cabins furthest away or not so far away according to their tolerance of second hand smoke. Surely this is common sense. Again I would reiterate we are talking about catering for the minority in a world already changing its attitude towards the dangers of smoking.

If Celebrity can adopt a no smoking policy on their balconies and still fill their ships as they always do, with many more ships than the "Cunard only" brand I don't think Cunard need worry about loss of bookings.

[paulista1950]

who said that we shouldn't complain about rules we accepted (smoking in the balconies) it seems to me some people are missing one important point.

 

 

"Cigarettes should be illegal if they are that dangerous but our local governments love the tax revenue they collect from tobacco. "

Many things are dangerous and are not illegal (motorcycle racing, mountain climbing, etc) BUT there isn't such things as second hand racing our climbing.

That's all what matters here.

Btw, yes, governments all over the world love taxes.:D

[balf]

Thank you Sea Fisher for your follow up post. You had a genuine issue in regard to the way the smoking policy affected you on your cruise. Good on you for highlighting it.

 

Change is coming I believe, though slowly, and for what it is worth my forecast is that Cunard will eventually ban smoking on balconies. That's not to say that there will not be smoking on balconies: they will be just as lax on this as they are on dress code and smoking in cabins now. Mustn't upset the clients.

 

If all cruise lines ban or seriously restrict smoking where will smokers go cruising? Thankful it's not our decision to make, we just vote with our feet.

 

David.