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Royal Caribbean prohibits smoking on balconies

luvcruisn'

By luvcruisn',
in Holland America Line

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Cindy

Cindy

Posted
Posted

Since I cruise RCI the most frequently of any line (they're an hour from the house:)), I think this is great. I just wish they would have done something with the casino too...it was pretty thick in there on my last RCI cruise. I know it's luck of the draw, but I have never been bothered by smoke on my balcony, whereas I find it can be very pervasive inside and it doesn't seem to ventilate properly.

Only 2 ships will have indoor smoking areas other than the casino...Mariner of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas. Both of those ships are currently based year-round in Asia where I have heard there are more smokers.

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ROBERTEVANOVER

ROBERTEVANOVER

Posted
Posted

I certainly believe everyone has a right to enjoy themselves on a cruise - the problem arises when that enjoyment impacts others.

 

On an NCL cruise we had a balcony neighbor smoke (and cough) so much we could not go onto our balcony. The ship was sold out so we were stuck.

 

Just wondering: does anyone have a HAL contact email or phone number? Perhaps contacting them could help get the policy changed.

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Katie333

Katie333

Posted
Posted

I have cruised in balconies or up on all but my first 2 cruises. I have never had an issue with smoke on my balcony. Maybe it's just that I'm not that sensitive to it - grew up with a smoking father - or that I've had neighbours who either didn't smoke or didn't smoke often.

 

The e-cig is an interesting debate because those don't have the same negative impact that second-hand smoke does.

 

I agree with most of you - like the wine policy, HAL will likely fall in line with the other cruiselines sooner or later. They may hope to capitalize on some smoking cruisers in the near future before making a change.

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Elahrairah

Elahrairah

Posted
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Here's a quick story....

 

I used to be a smoker. 12 years a pack a day. Helped me through college. Then moved to New Orleans where I remember smoking in the Hospital Emergency waiting room (mid 90's). They let everything happen down there.

 

I moved to Southern Calfornia in 2001 and I find harsh rules waiting for me: 1) No smoking inside and 2) No drinking outside. Therefore, there is NO place in California where you can drink AND smoke (unless you want to stand in a pen outside the bar packed in like cattle). No thank you. So I quit smoking. This Thanksgiving will be 12 years smoke free.

 

So I am on this cruise and it hits me like a wall...people are smoking everywhere. It really was awful. I don't preach because I was heavily addictied, but now I hate being anywhere around it (not a week goes by even now when I don't crave a smoke at some point, usually after seeing someone smoke). I hate smelling it and I can smell it hours later.

 

Thankfully I didn't have smoking neighbors so the only place I really suffered was the casino. But yes, the casino did lose some business from me because I didn't want to hang around the smoke all night.

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Irish Eyes Are Sailing

Irish Eyes Are Sailing

Posted
Posted
I certainly believe everyone has a right to enjoy themselves on a cruise - the problem arises when that enjoyment impacts others.

 

On an NCL cruise we had a balcony neighbor smoke (and cough) so much we could not go onto our balcony. The ship was sold out so we were stuck.

 

Just wondering: does anyone have a HAL contact email or phone number? Perhaps contacting them could help get the policy changed.

 

Perhaps Ship's Services can direct you....1-800-541-1576. Good luck.

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Irish Eyes Are Sailing

Irish Eyes Are Sailing

Posted
Posted
Here's a quick story....

 

I used to be a smoker. 12 years a pack a day. Helped me through college. Then moved to New Orleans where I remember smoking in the Hospital Emergency waiting room (mid 90's). They let everything happen down there.

 

I moved to Southern Calfornia in 2001 and I find harsh rules waiting for me: 1) No smoking inside and 2) No drinking outside. Therefore, there is NO place in California where you can drink AND smoke (unless you want to stand in a pen outside the bar packed in like cattle). No thank you. So I quit smoking. This Thanksgiving will be 12 years smoke free.

 

So I am on this cruise and it hits me like a wall...people are smoking everywhere. It really was awful. I don't preach because I was heavily addictied, but now I hate being anywhere around it (not a week goes by even now when I don't crave a smoke at some point, usually after seeing someone smoke). I hate smelling it and I can smell it hours later.

 

Thankfully I didn't have smoking neighbors so the only place I really suffered was the casino. But yes, the casino did lose some business from me because I didn't want to hang around the smoke all night.

 

I identify with your story.....I was a 1 and 1/2 to 2 pack a day smoker for 24 years. Quit 20 years ago....Thank God. I also Thank God I don't gamble, because I can't stand the smoke in the casinos. I actually can develop a sinus infection from cigarette smoke (I was plagued with them when I smoked) so I try to avoid smoky areas at all costs. I don't want to get sick from it, especially on vacation.

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Ship's Wake

Ship's Wake

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One would think they are calculating how many verandah non-smoking cruisers they are losing vs how many verandah smoking cruisers they are gaining. Follow the money.....

 

 

I don't think they have a way of tracking this information.

 

Have you ever been asked/polled/surveyed by HAL whether you smoke or not? I know I haven't.

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cruz chic

cruz chic

Posted
Posted
I don't think they have a way of tracking this information.

 

Have you ever been asked/polled/surveyed by HAL whether you smoke or not? I know I haven't.

 

I believe one of the questions they had on the smoking survey years ago was do you smoke? So yes, I've been asked.

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sail7seas

sail7seas

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I don't think they have a way of tracking this information.

 

Have you ever been asked/polled/surveyed by HAL whether you smoke or not? I know I haven't.

 

 

Yes.

HAL handed out a four or five question poll for years included in the end of cruise survey. One of the questions was "Do you smoke". They did that survey for probably 3-4 years.

 

For the most part, they really didn't need to ask as stewards always added smokers' cabin numbers to a list each cruise so they knew in which cabin guests were smoking. I imagine that was a safety issue in terms of fire? Maybe?

 

For Carnival Family of Ships, they could track if verandah guests moved from their former cruise line such as Princess to HAL and then saw there were ashtrays on their verandah on HAl ships. I wouldn't guess if they go to the trouble of tracking but it is possible for some of that to happen.

 

 

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RJ2002

RJ2002

Posted
Posted

When I saw this thread, it prompted me to send HAL an email expressing my HOPE that they will also adopt this policy.

 

I encourage others who feel this way to do the same. There is a email link under the "Contact Us" section of the HAL website.

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frankc98376

frankc98376

Posted
Posted
One would think they are calculating how many verandah non-smoking cruisers they are losing vs how many verandah smoking cruisers they are gaining. Follow the money.....

 

 

And casino research shows that smokers tend to be heavier drinkers; more money at the bars. Hence we have smoky casinos. Smokers drink more; those that drink more gamble more........

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FunForUs

FunForUs

Posted
Posted

Aside from being exposed to the the varying effects of second hand smoke, I believe that smoking on the verandas can be a safety issue.

 

Possibly, some of HAL's projected revenue loss would be offset my lower insurance rates? I don't really know how that works but just a thought.

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Ship's Wake

Ship's Wake

Posted
Posted
Aside from being exposed to the the varying effects of second hand smoke, I believe that smoking on the verandas can be a safety issue.

 

Possibly, some of HAL's projected revenue loss would be offset my lower insurance rates? I don't really know how that works but just a thought.

 

fire1.jpg

 

I'm sure we have many here who remember the Star Princess fire in 2006 that was started by a careless smoker.

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kakalina

kakalina

Posted
Posted
fire1.jpg

 

I'm sure we have many here who remember the Star Princess fire in 2006 that was started by a careless smoker.

 

 

It has still never been determined that a cigarette caused that fire. Here is a link to the government report on that fire

http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/star%20princess.pdf.

 

It may have been a discarded cigarette but they do not know for certain.

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