This Thread Is To Be Used For All Discussions About HAL's On Board Smoking Policies

[Fouremco]

Why are they allowing people to smoke electronic cigarettes in staterooms when they are not permitted in other public areas.? These electronic cigarettes still have a smell. We are sailing on the Koningsdam in February. We mostly sail with Celebrity. We sailed a few years ago on the ms new Amsterdam. We saw people smoking in washrooms and reported it. They should only be allowed to use electronic cigarettes in smoking areas only.

HAL's concern from the outset with electronic cigarettes was that passengers and crew alike might confuse someone smoking an e-cig with someone smoking a real one. Thus the only place passengers can smoke them is in public designated smoking area, where it doesn't matter if someone confuses them with real cigarettes, and in the privacy of their cabin, where no one will see them.

 

While you might be able to notice a mild scent while the e-cig is being smoked, there's no lingering odour in the cabin afterwards, so HAL doesn't have to do a post-cruise deep cleaning.

[Cruising-along]

HAL's concern from the outset with electronic cigarettes was that passengers and crew alike might confuse someone smoking an e-cig with someone smoking a real one. Thus the only place passengers can smoke them is in public designated smoking area, where it doesn't matter if someone confuses them with real cigarettes, and in the privacy of their cabin, where no one will see them.

 

While you might be able to notice a mild scent while the e-cig is being smoked, there's no lingering odour in the cabin afterwards, so HAL doesn't have to do a post-cruise deep cleaning.

 

This makes the most sense. When e-cigs first came out, I saw a man in a grocery store hovering over the produce and smoking (I thought). Turns out it was an e-cig. The point is, it just makes sense to not allow it where it could be confused. ;)

[marycruz]

Just wanted to say - God Bless your Parents.... hope I'm like them at that age. Smokin' & Crusin".:cool:

 

I just saw the new policy as we are on Eurodam next year so received an e-mail from HAL regarding the new smoking policy.

 

I shows that Eurodam only now has 1 area by the pool (Sea View bar) for smokers. My question is whether this is a small area where all the smokers are going to be crammed into by the pool bar or is it large enough for all the people who want to smoke?

 

My experience on some other ships has been that when there is only 1 area it becomes a hang out with standing room only and it turns out to be disgusting as they can't empty ash trays every 5 minutes and I've seen folks putting ashes on the floor, food in the ash trays, etc.

[marycruz]

I just saw the new policy as we are on Eurodam next year so received an e-mail from HAL regarding the new smoking policy.

 

I shows that Eurodam only now has 1 area by the pool (Sea View bar) for smokers. My question is whether this is a small area where all the smokers are going to be crammed into by the pool bar or is it large enough for all the people who want to smoke?

 

My experience on some other ships has been that when there is only 1 area it becomes a hang out with standing room only and it turns out to be disgusting as they can't empty ash trays every 5 minutes and I've seen folks putting ashes on the floor, food in the ash trays, etc.

 

Anyone know?

[Charles4515]

Anyone know?

 

 

 

Probably you would get a better answer after the new policy is in place.

 

 

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[OVgirl]

Anyone know?

 

Probably you would get a better answer after the new policy is in place.

 

 

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I'm sure that once this new policy is implemented, the ship will adjust the seating available if needed.

[Fouremco]

Anyone know?

Based on past experience, the area around the bar can become quite crowded, and I can only see that getting worse with the new policy. Given its proximity to the pool, I don't know how much they can expand the smoking area, but I'm sure that HAL will try to find a way to accommodate the smoking clients.

[kazu]

I'm sure that once this new policy is implemented, the ship will adjust the seating available if needed.

 

Based on past experience, the area around the bar can become quite crowded, and I can only see that getting worse with the new policy. Given its proximity to the pool, I don't know how much they can expand the smoking area, but I'm sure that HAL will try to find a way to accommodate the smoking clients.

 

 

Well call me skeptical, but before they implemented this policy they should have made arrangements. HAL took forever to do this and they will probably take forever to allow for a larger or more importantly on bad sea days when decks are closed, an inside area.

 

Like Fourmenco I have seen that area very crowded and not just with smokers. Some people like to sit there that don't smoke.

 

It's great that the policy has been implemented but I hope HAL has the foresight to make sure that everyone will be comfortable.

 

Not to be a negative nilly but the aft pool is going to have more smokers now that people can't use their balconies.

[cbr663]

It will be interesting to see how this policy impacts the ship experience. We have never been negatively impacted by balcony smoking on a HAL ship.

 

Last year we decided to try out Celebrity on sailed on its Reflection. We encountered cigarette smoke much more often on that ship than we had ever experienced on a HAL ship. I do wonder if it was due to it being a new ship for us and we spent considerable time exploring the ship. Who knows? But I do know we encountered cigarette smoke daily while on our cruise, something that has never happened to us on a HAL ship.

[Retiring cajun]

I wouldn't swim in aft pool if that's so close to smoking area

 

 

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[sammiedawg]

It is not rocket science to implement no smoking verandahs.

As I recall some other cruise lines did it on an effective immediately basis.

Entities have been outlawing public smoking for decades. The surgeon general report came out 52 years ago.

Smokers have either quit the habit or adapted to smoking bans when and where they were enacted.

[kennicott]

There have been a number of posts on this thread, over time, pointing to the failure of past smoking prohibitions on cruise lines and ships. Some suggest that the majors have a significant problem of enforcing their no smoking policies, to the point lenient smoking rules might as well be established. This may or may not be “red herring” contentions.

 

In addition to HAL, we have only sailed on Princess and Regent. All I can say is that, based on our 8o days of cruising on five Princess ships and 32 days on two Regent ships, over the last couple of years, we witnessed absolutely no evidence of disregard for smoking rules.

 

One time I was leaning on our Princess balcony railing and definitely smelled cigar smoke. I figured that I would have to eat crow, until I discovered that, since we were in port the ventilation system in the exclusive smoking lounge far below us was allowing some odors to escape.

 

Friends of ours who cruise both Celebrity and Princess tell me that such assertions are wrong about Celebrity. I do recall that NCL was the last of the majors to do away with balcony smoking and for a while some of their faithful smokers rebelled, civil disobedience I guess.

[marycruz]

Thanks for all the responses. I have never been on Eurodam but it sounds like this has been a smoking area all along with a lot of people hanging out there and will become much more crowded with the new policy.

[Hlitner]

I wouldn't swim in aft pool if that's so close to smoking area

 

 

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Not an issue if on the Rotterdam (or one other ship) where HAL has removed the aft pool in favor of a human bird bath.

 

Hank

[Hlitner]

And we will add come comments about other cruise lines (we have cruised on 14 lines) and balcony smoking. DW and moi routinely cruise other lines (and HAL) and, in fact, will be on a Princess cruise next week...and a Celebrity cruise next month. Since we nearly always book a balcony (except on some HAL vessels) we know what we speak! On the other lines (who have all banned balcony smoking years ago) we have had very few issues. On one Princess cruise there was a smoker on a nearby balcony...and they were quickly dealt with after 1 day of violations. We have never had a smoking issue on Celebrity (where we are Elite Plus). If HAL fails to enforce their own policy....they will likely have to deal with their own issues....and give out lots of OBCs for complaints.

 

Hank

[kazu]

I wouldn't swim in aft pool if that's so close to smoking area

 

 

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There is a small area at the aft pool that has always been a smoking section on most ships with the exception of, I believe, the P'dam whose set up is more like Oceania's with a smoking section at one end of the Lido under cover. (P'dam like O does not have a covered Lido pool).

[Hlitner]

There is a small area at the aft pool that has always been a smoking section on most ships with the exception of, I believe, the P'dam whose set up is more like Oceania's with a smoking section at one end of the Lido under cover. (P'dam like O does not have a covered Lido pool).

 

The Prinsendam (our favorite HAL vessel) does have a small aft pool with an adjacent smoking area at and near the Sea View Bar. We have usually managed to find deck chairs that were upwind from the smokers when we wanted to use that deck. The small smoking area near the Lido Pool (mostly covered) has always been a real stink fest (for the lack of a better term). We have spent 200 days on the P'Dam and often went out of our way to avoid that smoking area which can be quite nasty depending on the wind direction. Sometimes their smoke drifts up to the Sports Deck and we have had to move our chairs to find some clean air. But by carefully choosing our spot (we spend a lot of time on deck) we have always found a smoke free area. As to the P'Dam casino, we think it always smells like the inside of a dirty ashtray and go out of our way to avoid walking through that area.

 

Hank

[marycruz]

Not an issue if on the Rotterdam (or one other ship) where HAL has removed the aft pool in favor of a human bird bath.

 

Hank

 

Human bird bath?

[SteveH2508]

Human bird bath?

 

More like human petri dish:eek:.

[kazu]

Human bird bath?

 

Picture huge wading pool with lounge chairs sitting in it ;)

[kazu]

The Prinsendam (our favorite HAL vessel) does have a small aft pool with an adjacent smoking area at and near the Sea View Bar. We have usually managed to find deck chairs that were upwind from the smokers when we wanted to use that deck. The small smoking area near the Lido Pool (mostly covered) has always been a real stink fest (for the lack of a better term). We have spent 200 days on the P'Dam and often went out of our way to avoid that smoking area which can be quite nasty depending on the wind direction. Sometimes their smoke drifts up to the Sports Deck and we have had to move our chairs to find some clean air. But by carefully choosing our spot (we spend a lot of time on deck) we have always found a smoke free area. As to the P'Dam casino, we think it always smells like the inside of a dirty ashtray and go out of our way to avoid walking through that area.

 

Hank

 

Thanks Hank - we only have nearly 90 days on that ship and I never noticed the smoking section at the aft pool. Just the Lido! Yikes!.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Picture huge wading pool with lounge chairs sitting in it ;)

 

Perfect description!

 

I saw it on Veendam when it was brand new. I've also seen the replacement version on Veendam, which looks worse. A raised platform with soaking tubs set into it.

[Hlitner]

Thanks Hank - we only have nearly 90 days on that ship and I never noticed the smoking section at the aft pool. Just the Lido! Yikes!.

 

Funny thing about that aft pool. We once were having drinks in the Crows Nest with some new found friends and DW mentioned we had spent the day in loungers near the aft pool. One of our group was surprised and said they were not even aware there was an aft pool or sun deck (which is why some of the crew tend to hang out on that deck). I then mentioned that you could see the pool from the rear windows in the Lido (Canaletto area). Guess what...they did even realize there was an area behind the Lido! Yes, it is a small ship...but for some folks it is smaller then others :).

 

Hank

[marycruz]

Picture huge wading pool with lounge chairs sitting in it ;)

 

And they smoke in it?

Edited October 20, 2016 by marycruz

[3rdGenCunarder]

And they smoke in it?

 

No, but it's near the Seaview Bar, which is a smoking area. I don't use the pools, and the few times I've been back there (on any HAL ship) I noticed smokers, but not a huge crowd. So unless I walked through the door on that side, the smoke wasn't noticeable. We'll have to see how the numbe rof people and amount of smoke there change when it's the only place to smoke.