Smoking on Azamara

[azevedan]

I thought I'd post this here (got into the conversation about smoking on another line's forum.)

 

We were recently on the Quest's Panama Canal cruise and had a WONDERFUL time. However, there was one fairly significant issue. Based on what we have experienced on earlier cruises, we limit our cruise line selection to lines with most-restrictive smoking policies. On paper, Azamara has the best, and we had no trouble on our prior Quest cruise. This past one, though...

 

The trouble is, smoke doesn't stay in the smoking section. Cigar smoke especially travels and stinks up a far-wider area. Our recent cruise had one person who smoked a cigar all afternoon long every day (there were several sea days). And it stunk up the pool bar (which is next to the smoking section on deck 9), the starboard side of deck 9, the forward starboard side of decks 10 and 11, and even the forward inside hallways and stairwells for decks 8 and 9. When it's just cigarette smoke, it's easy enough to avoid. When it's cigar smoke, avoiding it means avoiding a large area with desirable locations. It was disappointing that one person was allowed to negatively impact such a large section of the ship. (And yes, I did complain during the cruise (and was told 'there's nothing we can do') and filled out the information on the survey.) Cigar and pipe smoking should be banned, IMHO.

Edited January 30, 2014 by azevedan

[dln929]

I will have to disagree. For as much as I really hate the smell of cigarette smoke, cigar and pipes remind me of my Uncle Joe, and that's a happy childhood memory. I would never consider it a "negative impact." Of course I know this is a very personal opinion and not likely to be shared! Sorry you don't like it. I suppose it's luck of the draw whether or not you get cigar or pipe smokers. We were on the Quest for eight nights and there were only cigarette smokers as far as I could see. I don't know of any cruise lines which allow cigarette smoking but disallow cigars and pipes.

[azevedan]

I will have to disagree. For as much as I really hate the smell of cigarette smoke, cigar and pipes remind me of my Uncle Joe, and that's a happy childhood memory. I would never consider it a "negative impact." Of course I know this is a very personal opinion and not likely to be shared! Sorry you don't like it. I suppose it's luck of the draw whether or not you get cigar or pipe smokers. We were on the Quest for eight nights and there were only cigarette smokers as far as I could see. I don't know of any cruise lines which allow cigarette smoking but disallow cigars and pipes.

 

I'm sure it doesn't bother some people. Unfortunately, for the ones who it does (in my case, beyond the stink, the aromatics give me headaches), you have to limit where you can go on the ship. My point is, there is supposed to be one small smoking area ONLY on Azamara. Easy enough to avoid. That was NOT the case on our cruise (because of the cigar smoke spreading from the smoking section). There was at least 1/2 of outdoor deck 9, a substantial portion of Deck 10, a portion of Deck 11, and indoor areas on Deck 8 and 9 that were 'smoking' (because the cigar smoke could be readily and strongly smelled in those areas.)

And several cruise ships that have several smoking areas limit cigar and pipe smoking to one area (a cigar bar) only. Many restaurants ban cigar and pipe smoking from their smoking areas, as well.

Edited January 30, 2014 by azevedan

[dln929]

Holy cow. That's way too many smoking places. No wonder you were up in arms about it. The only place we ever noticed smoking was in the area to the right of the pool bar, in that small lounge area. There may have been other places but if so the smokers were very discreet. Sorry you were so disturbed. Surely that was unusual to have so many smoking spots?

[azevedan]

Holy cow. That's way too many smoking places. No wonder you were up in arms about it. The only place we ever noticed smoking was in the area to the right of the pool bar, in that small lounge area. There may have been other places but if so the smokers were very discreet. Sorry you were so disturbed. Surely that was unusual to have so many smoking spots?

 

Let me clarify - I put "smoking" in quotes because in all those places, you could clearly smell the cigar. As I said in my first note - smoke doesn't stay only in the smoking section. I edited the other comment to make it clearer.

Edited January 30, 2014 by azevedan

[midwestchick]

The Journey used to have to places to smoke. Maybe they need to reinstate the other one (deck 5 ???) and designate that for cigar smoking and not have the cigar smoke by the pool deck. Personally the cigar smoke makes me sick and when someone sits there and smokes one cigar after another it can get pretty bad.

[midwestchick]

I was incorrect when I posted about smoking on possibly deck 5. :o I still think they should designate an area for cigar smoking only.

Here is the old information.

 

Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest have two designated smoking areas. These areas are located in the aft section of the Looking Glass Lounge on the port side, and on the starboard forward section of the Pool Deck. Smoking areas have signs indicating that smoking is permitted there. All other areas of the ships are non-smoking. This includes Public Rooms, Restaurants, Pool Deck, Staterooms and Suites, Verandas and Halls.

[maryann ns]

The old smoking area in the Looking Glass Lounge was not separated from the lounge. If you entered on the Port side you had to walk right by the area. Having cigar smoke there would be one way a very bad thing.

 

We were never bothered by the smoking area on the pool deck and you can avoid walking there. However, we never noticed the smell of cigars which I agree would not be pleasant at all, so perhaps the policy will need to be looked at.

 

Azamara's smoking policy is an important reason we have sailed with them.

[shedridt]

I'm the worst sort of reformed smoker & even I cannot object to the tiny space allotted to smokers on Journey - on Deck 9...

 

The smoking population on lines like Azamara must be tiny. Az recognizes the need to accommodate on all sides & does it well, I think.

[Duane T]

Thanks for putting the question up here. I was wondering about Azamara's smoking policy as I've been looking at taking an Azamara cruise to the Indian Ocean. My wife also gets a reaction from 2nd hand smoke and, based on the latest medical reports on second hand smoke being hazardous to everyone, we only cruise on ships with the strictest smoking rules.

[shedridt]

Did Azamara pass your very detailed & strict evaluation???? If it did not, I wonder where you will find a home at sea & you might find that there is no place appropriate!

[shedridt]

I hope that my last response did not sound acerbic as I didn't intend it to be. I am very sensitive to smoke too, & if there's a ship that does a smoking policy better than Azamara I'd like to know about it, as they seem to me to confine things very well!

 

As a typical reformed smoker, I gasp when I pass lighted tobacco now, & apologize to the many many people I inconvenienced 30 years ago.....

[dln929]

I'm the worst sort of reformed smoker & even I cannot object to the tiny space allotted to smokers on Journey - on Deck 9...

 

The smoking population on lines like Azamara must be tiny. Az recognizes the need to accommodate on all sides & does it well, I think.

 

I agree. Looking again at the OP's complaint--well, it was just plain bad luck to have an enthusiastic cigar smoker on board. More the exception than the rule I would think.

[midwestchick]

I agree. Looking again at the OP's complaint--well, it was just plain bad luck to have an enthusiastic cigar smoker on board. More the exception than the rule I would think.

 

 

Not on our last cruise....many cigar smokers...and I'm not talking taking a couple puffs and putting them out...they would smoke the WHOLE thing and even light another right after while they read their books on their kindles or whatever readers they had with them.

[shedridt]

If all those cigar puffers were contained to one small area of deck 9, you could certainly avoid them, no??? We non-smokers do need to give up one small space to smokers...& Azamara has made that space pretty convenient for all.....

[excitedofharpenden]

I agree. Looking again at the OP's complaint--well, it was just plain bad luck to have an enthusiastic cigar smoker on board. More the exception than the rule I would think.

Yes, I think it was unlucky. I haven't been bothered there much before on previous Azamara cruises. I will say that I rarely sit by the Pool Bar, but did on a couple of occasions on my last cruise to meet with friends and both times you could smell the cigarette smoke there. No cigar smokers though. I prefer the aft bar where there isn't an issue. On many occasions I have noticed the smell of cigar smoke on the non-smoking side of the Aft Sunset Bar on Celebrity S-Class ships. Cigar smoke is just much stronger and noticeable than cigarette smoke. If it's one of those fat stogies they also last a lot longer than a cigarette before it goes out and you have to light another!

 

Phil

[azevedan]

If all those cigar puffers were contained to one small area of deck 9, you could certainly avoid them, no??? We non-smokers do need to give up one small space to smokers...& Azamara has made that space pretty convenient for all.....

 

That was my whole point (I'm thinking perhaps you didn't read all the comments?) - it was NOT just the small smoking space (which I have no issue with) - it was the fact that cigar smoke spread all over 1/2 of Deck 9, significant portions of Deck 10 and 11, and even the indoor corridors and stairway forward on Decks 8 and 9. QUITE a different thing than 'one small smoking area'. It's like if I blasted music in my cabin at 3 a.m. "Well, I'm only making noise in one small room! (And I find people who like music are in general nicer and more fun!" (:rolleyes: <--sarcasm)) Yes....but the noise can be heard a long way away as well.

 

Listen, I appreciate that people like a good cigar. But I do NOT appreciate the significant, and unexpected (given the smoking restrictions on Azamara) area of the ship that had cigar smoke in it, affecting my enjoyment. Azamara promised one thing and delivered another (on this point).

 

Yes, I loved my cruise! Yes, I will sail Azamara again! But I still think cigars and pipes should be banned if they can't keep the smoke contained. Heck, even mesh curtains around that portion of the deck would probably help!

Edited February 4, 2014 by azevedan

[midwestchick]

If all those cigar puffers were contained to one small area of deck 9, you could certainly avoid them, no??? We non-smokers do need to give up one small space to smokers...& Azamara has made that space pretty convenient for all.....

 

 

It is a place for smokers but the cigars are totally overwhelming and I believe they should have a place but think the cigar smokers should have a certain area like they do on Celebrity.

[Duane T]

That was my whole point (I'm thinking perhaps you didn't read all the comments?) - it was NOT just the small smoking space (which I have no issue with) - it was the fact that cigar smoke spread all over 1/2 of Deck 9, significant portions of Deck 10 and 11, and even the indoor corridors and stairway forward on Decks 8 and 9. QUITE a different thing than 'one small smoking area'. It's like if I blasted music in my cabin at 3 a.m. "Well, I'm only making noise in one small room! (And I find people who like music are in general nicer and more fun!" (:rolleyes: <--sarcasm)) Yes....but the noise can be heard a long way away as well.

 

Listen, I appreciate that people like a good cigar. But I do NOT appreciate the significant, and unexpected (given the smoking restrictions on Azamara) area of the ship that had cigar smoke in it, affecting my enjoyment. Azamara promised one thing and delivered another (on this point).

 

Yes, I loved my cruise! Yes, I will sail Azamara again! But I still think cigars and pipes should be banned if they can't keep the smoke contained. Heck, even mesh curtains around that portion of the deck would probably help!

 

Did you know if the crew/staff were aware of the smoke in common areas and did they attempt to mitigate the smoke in anyway?

 

I had an instance on the Equinox where there was an individual who chose to light up a cigar near the main atrium. I asked him not to smoke but I don't think he spoke English (he just smiled). A crewmember walked by and I pointed out the smoker and she immediately walked over and spoke (in Italian I think) to the individual and put out his cigar. Another individual had a lit cigar on the balcony right next to us (possibly the same fellow) on the Equinox. After I asked him to stop smoking and he continued to smoke, I called the front desk. Less than 5 minutes later, I heard the crew knocking on their door and had a conversation (Italian I think) with the occupants. I never noticed them smoking on their balcony for the rest of the cruise.

 

I know there will always be smoke near the smoking lounge or bar, but if it drifts to the common or non-smoking areas, I expect the crew to address the problem immediately.

[marinaro44]

I know there will always be smoke near the smoking lounge or bar, but if it drifts to the common or non-smoking areas, I expect the crew to address the problem immediately.

Exactly. Better to ask on-board management to address a problem than to complain about it later on Cruise Critic.

[shedridt]

...cough loudly & make great grimaces. Then scowl at the people who have not been able to conquer their dependence on tobacco.

 

This is what I do - it never fails to make me feel superior. Then I keep my inhaler by my side & remember all the people I inconvenienced for so many years when I was a smoker, back when smoking was not a minority event.

 

What can you do? Some people still smoke much as we might wish they wouldn't. Azamara does a better job than most cruise lines do at containing it, short of telling smokers that they are flat not welcome.

[azevedan]

Exactly. Better to ask on-board management to address a problem than to complain about it later on Cruise Critic.

 

Which is why I did talk to Guest Relations - as I mentioned earlier. And was told there was nothing they could do. And yes, I also mentioned it in the comment survey.

 

Thanks SO much for reading thoroughly before commenting on what I did or didn't do. :rolleyes:

Edited February 6, 2014 by azevedan

[midwestchick]

...cough loudly & make great grimaces. Then scowl at the people who have not been able to conquer their dependence on tobacco.

 

This is what I do - it never fails to make me feel superior. Then I keep my inhaler by my side & remember all the people I inconvenienced for so many years when I was a smoker, back when smoking was not a minority event.

 

What can you do? Some people still smoke much as we might wish they wouldn't. Azamara does a better job than most cruise lines do at containing it, short of telling smokers that they are flat not welcome.

 

Oh my :eek:.......I too was a smoker and there may be an occasion on vacation, I may want to cheat once in a while....I think it's the ambiance and a few drinks...always has gone hand in hand for me. But...to scowl at people who cannot conquer something? (SMH):rolleyes: That sounds a little cruel and judgemental to me (I think all the smoking threads eventually turn bitter)...and I don't mean this to sound cruel. My husband hasn't smoked for many, many years but he would never make such a judgemental statement. We still have some friends who smoke and I won't "judge" them or anyone else. They are extremely thoughtful of others who do not smoke.

If smokers are not welcome, the cruise industry is going to lose a LOT of European cruisers, which seem to be a good portion of Azamara cruisers, judging from our last cruise.

Our private driver last year would get out of his car, when we stopped at different places, walk away from us and have a cigarette....we could not smell it when he got back in the car....granted we had at least an hour or so at each stop. DH is SUPER sensitive to the smoke.

I worked in a profession where I could have judged a lot of people for many things....I didn't. I was there to support them and care for them.

Up until this last post, I had been in agreement with you.

[marinaro44]

Which is why I did talk to Guest Relations - as I mentioned earlier. And was told there was nothing they could do. And yes, I also mentioned it in the comment survey.

 

Thanks SO much for reading thoroughly before commenting on what I did or didn't do. :rolleyes:

And if you "read thoroughly" you would have seen that I responded to Duane T's posting and not to yours.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[azevedan]

And if you "read thoroughly" you would have seen that I responded to Duane T's posting and not to yours.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

Yup. DuaneT who quoted mine. Stop being disingenuous. :rolleyes:

 

:p:)