Revised Smoking Policy

[mariner]

Good point. That was my feeling as well.

[lincslady]

I am rather sad and confused to find that CCL now have a proper smoking rule on Cunard, but not on Seabourn? I agree that the new rules could make it worse on SB than before. Please, Mr. Meadows, be a bit more positive.

[Jay23]

P&O are also banning smoking on balconies from next year.

[Keith1010]

I said this earlier but to me it is very logical to eliminate smoking from verandahs because if you don't like smoking and someone is smoking next to you on their verandah you will not be able to enjoy yours plus there is the safety issue.

 

Keith

[commodoredave]

I said this earlier but to me it is very logical to eliminate smoking from verandahs because if you don't like smoking and someone is smoking next to you on their verandah you will not be able to enjoy yours plus there is the safety issue.

 

Keith

 

I agree. And the safety issue should not be minimized. I am surprised that this is not yet a bigger issue with marine insurance companies.

[markham]

That's a most compelling point and I trust Seabourn understands it.

I have to think that Seabourn will ban smoking on verandahs and the Observation Bar in time, with a notice 6 months before it takes effect as Seabourn did with this measure. The risk to Seabourn until such a ban takes place is that people will not use their balconies when their neighbors smoke and that would encourage resentment. After all, you are paying for a balcony and expect to enjoy it. Let's see what happens

 

Happy sailing!

[wripro]

Markham,

 

I agree that it's only a matter of time before smoking is banned on verandahs and the Observation Lounge. When you look at the evolution of the smoking policy you see that smoking areas have steadily declined over the years. When I first started sailing one could smoke in the restaurant in one section.

[commodoredave]

Yes, Seabourn's smoking policy will continue to evolve. In the meantime, I wonder if the current more liberal smoking policy will lure more smokers away from other cruise lines that have brought in more restrictions. Maybe that is CCL's strategy for Seabourn.

[CraftyEC]

This is a step in the right direction, but it's a pretty small step!

 

I agree with most posters that smoking on verandas should be banned as soon as possible - and CCL have set a precedent with their new Cunard policy. Why are they lagging behind for Seabourn? They must be aware of a loyal cohort of committed smokers, not just one frequent passenger. The safety issue is a big factor, as well as inconvenience to non-smokers. The issue of smoking in the Observation Lounge is one which causes great annoyance. Surely there could be some way of making an air-conditioned sealed space?. I have seen this on other (CCL - Princess and Cunard) ships, but not all. On Grand Princess there is a 'sports' bar (ironically) where smoking is allowed and a whole section of that deck is polluted, as all the smokers congregate there (it was a cool cruise, so not so many out on deck.) So, Seabourn are a luxury line, and wish to provide a luxury environment for all their passengers, smokers (minority) and non-smokers (majority) - they need to step more than a little further up to the mark on this one!

[MrsWaldo]

TBH,

 

I would prefer no balcony and in room only. At least I have some hope of using my outside area.

 

Well actually I'd prefer a glass jar for smokers or one rear deck area dedicated

[Prunella1]

TBH,

 

I would prefer no balcony and in room only. At least I have some hope of using my outside area.

 

Well actually I'd prefer a glass jar for smokers or one rear deck area dedicated

 

I agree, with nearly two hundred days on Seabourn we have never smelled smoke in our suite, but can imagine what it would be like if the wind is in the wrong direction and you have a smoker on his balcony next door. Also same applies on deck we have been bothered by smokers at the sky bar several times, let them puff away in their suites so they are no bother to any one else, then fumigate thoroughly before the next occupants board and on deck dedicate an area at the stern of the ship between the funnels so all the smoke can combine!

[commodoredave]

I agree, with nearly two hundred days on Seabourn we have never smelled smoke in our suite, but can imagine what it would be like if the wind is in the wrong direction and you have a smoker on his balcony next door. Also same applies on deck we have been bothered by smokers at the sky bar several times, let them puff away in their suites so they are no bother to any one else, then fumigate thoroughly before the next occupants board and on deck dedicate an area at the stern of the ship between the funnels so all the smoke can combine!

s

 

The issue may be cost. It costs money for a crew member to fumigate a cabin, while it costs nothing to let pax smoke on balconies. It's usually about money.

[wripro]

Until a fire results from someone smoking on a verandah and their insurance premiums skyrocket.

[Richie2pies]

Until a fire results from someone smoking on a verandah and their insurance premiums skyrocket.

 

 

How many years has it been?

[markham]

Princess Cruises, Star Princess, 2006. Look at the photos and you will see

the devastation to several cabins.

 

Happy (and safe) Cruising!

[zich6]

I said this earlier but to me it is very logical to eliminate smoking from verandahs because if you don't like smoking and someone is smoking next to you on their verandah you will not be able to enjoy yours plus there is the safety issue.

 

Keith

 

Keith, we put the veranda safety issue clearly to bed in the infamous deleted thread, so give it a rest.

[markham]

After all the dialogue about Seabourn's smoking policy and the recent Baychilla review of his recent Oceania cruise (very revealing, by the way), I googled the O smoking policy.

 

What is it? Even they ban smoking on verandas. Sounds good to me!

 

Happy sailing!

[Emperor Norton]

After all the dialogue about Seabourn's smoking policy and the recent Baychilla review of his recent Oceania cruise (very revealing, by the way), I googled the O smoking policy.

 

What is it? Even they ban smoking on verandas. Sounds good to me!

 

Happy sailing!

 

The smoking policy on O was fairly restrictive, forward starboard side of the pool deck (sometimes smoke would blow into the bar :(). Otherwise the semi-fishbowl in the horizons lounge. The wee issue there is that the fishbowl wasn't fully enclosed so when people were smoking the fumes would waft down the nearby stairwell and elevator shaft lending a certain odor to the next few floors down. There were a few people on the ship who complained about a man wandering all over the ship with a lit cigar - I never personally saw it but could smell where he had been.

[rallydave]

One comment missing is the relationship between Seaborn and HAL and the similarities of the smoking policies. We unfortunately did the HAL World Cruise this year and were surprised to find out during our cruise that Stein Kruse who was on board for held a meeting where he stated that he not only is President of HAL, he is Chairman of Seabourn and the two lines have an almost identical smoking policy with both allowing smoking on the Veranda and HAL allowing cigars on the Verandas which for one segment kept us off our Veranda due to a cigar smoker in proximity. We are hopeful that reciprocity is in the works for frequent travelers on both lines so we can take our status and cruise Seabourn after smoking is further restricted.

 

Mr. Kraus lost any credibility with us when during a reception for Mariners, we were served Sparkling Wine when the invitations stated Champagne while Stein's wife and others from the home office and high ranking staff were drinking Dom Peignoir and no doubt about the Dom as the bottles were on the tables and we could see the labels.

 

So, the luxury Seabourn is being run by a mainstream Chairman. Not the best for either cruise line.

[markham]

My teeth are grinding and I was not even there. The HAL management "team" was supremely arrogant drinking champagne while serving an obviously cheaper alternative to the guests at what was, after all, a champagne party. I don't think Seabourn Club members would have tolerated that for a minute and I am talking about what would have been said to the "team" at the party.

 

Happy Sailing (and not on HAL)!

[zich6]

That's like inviting guests to your home and serving them hot dogs while you dine on Beef Wellington (a nod to our like-minded British friends).

 

What on earth were they thinking?

[MrsWaldo]

It can be equally as awkward for the invited guests who are drinking the premium.. especially if your friends are not (there would have been staff members who felt awkward/like they lost credibility)

[zich6]

It can be equally as awkward for the invited guests who are drinking the premium.. especially if your friends are not (there would have been staff members who felt awkward/like they lost credibility)

 

You're right of course, but why have different beverages at all? If they couldn't afford DP for everyone, then don't serve it at all.

[rallydave]

You're right of course, but why have different beverages at all? If they couldn't afford DP for everyone, then don't serve it at all.

 

My sentiments exactly. They many times said they were providing Champagne but, always served Sparkling wine which was false advertising and a lie for that matter. The wine stewards (no Sommelier) even offered the cheap sparkling wine saying it was Champagne.

 

While that was an issue, the whole cruise for which we paid a premium was fraught with issues ranging from safety to lack of communications, the main point of my post is if a person like Stein is running both lines and does such a poor job with HAL which used to be better, how can he run a Luxury line like Seabourn?? Makes us think twice or more about cruising Seabourn even if we got our over 200 nites transferred to the Seabourn line??

[zich6]

It's my experience that the culture of an organization flows from the top down. Further, managers tend to repeat their last job, especially if they were rewarded for it.

 

Only time will tell if SB will be HAL'ed.