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

[RuthC]

Ruth, it's fairly hard to figure out where another smoking space could be found. You've often said smokers need an indoor space, and I don't disagree, but where would that be?

That's a valid question, and one I don't readily have an answer for. I am sure there are people who specialize in designing just that very thing, though. I am also sure that it would vary on the different classes of ships.

 

The Vista ships started out with two indoor smoking rooms. One was converted to other use almost immediately, while the Oak Room lasted longer on the ships. Alas, those are also gone. That convinces me that HAL is not supportive of the idea of making the Casino a smoke-free area, while still making provision for smokers. Until HAL makes that commitment, the controversy will continue.

[ILgirl]

We are considering our first HAL cruise. We cruised previously on Princess (when you could smoke on your balcony) and then tried Celebrity for the last four cruises. Celebrity has some very restrictive smoking policies. I smoke cigarettes and my husband cigars. The change in smoking rules on Princess did not drive us from the line but rather we just wanted a change. We were able to adapt to the smoking areas on Celebrity with no problem. If we do take this HAL cruise, it will be great to smoke on our balcony again. When we sailed Princess, we put a letter in each of our neighbors' mailbox asking if smoke bothered them. If it did, we would try and not smoke when they were on the balcony. It seems like on a 10 night cruise we would have plenty of time to have a smoke on our balcony when others were not using theirs. Do you think this approach is a good one? Again, we are potential HAL newbies.

[sail7seas]

Having become disgusted with HAL's unwillingness to join the majority of cruise lines and maintains a policy which subjects us to second hand smoke, I am looking forward to being on a ship where I don't have to keep my fingers crossed I won't have a chain smoker beside me. It is NOT the only reason I booked a different cruise line, not by any stretch, but it is a very positive feature I know I'll enjoy.

 

HAL should know even their very most loyal guests (and there are not many more loyal than me) are willing to sail elsewhere with allowed verandah smoking being A reason if not ALL of the reason.

 

Edited April 1, 2015 by sail7seas

[corkpopr]

yes, and if they stop smoking on the balconies, we will never sail with them again!

[cruisersMandW]

We are considering our first HAL cruise. We cruised previously on Princess (when you could smoke on your balcony) and then tried Celebrity for the last four cruises. Celebrity has some very restrictive smoking policies. I smoke cigarettes and my husband cigars. The change in smoking rules on Princess did not drive us from the line but rather we just wanted a change. We were able to adapt to the smoking areas on Celebrity with no problem. If we do take this HAL cruise, it will be great to smoke on our balcony again. When we sailed Princess, we put a letter in each of our neighbors' mailbox asking if smoke bothered them. If it did, we would try and not smoke when they were on the balcony. It seems like on a 10 night cruise we would have plenty of time to have a smoke on our balcony when others were not using theirs. Do you think this approach is a good one? Again, we are potential HAL newbies.

 

I, for one love your thoughtfulness. Hope to travel with you someday. Enjoy your first HAL cruise

[mjjden]

I personally would rather have a smoker on the next balcony than smoking in the casino. We don't smoke although my husband used to, but the smoke at least dissipates. We have had smokers next, above, below, and have rarely had to leave our balcony. Now we are not allergic to smoke. Maybe we have had considerate smokers or the wind was blowing away from us.

 

We do avoid even walking through the casino, will go up a floor across and then down stairs to avoid the smoky casino. The smell is there all the time.

[CRUZBUDS]

yes, and if they stop smoking on the balconies, we will never sail with them again!

 

 

The question is when they ban balcony smoking, not if :)

[wavesoffun]

The question is when they ban balcony smoking, not if :)

 

Hopefully by the time my cruise comes up next year!😀

[Wakepatrol]

All K-9 dogs are avid smokers, especially at airports. They need enhanced sniffers to find any illegal contraband.

[AV8rix]

....if and when I receive a response I'll post it here.

 

Why us?

ALL of the other cruise lines have made some sort of announcement in national media when revising their smoking policy – generally some statement regarding “customer feedback”. HAL has so far refused to publicly defend its decision to be known as the most smoking-permissive mainstream line.

And yet that decision makes no sense at all. HAL’s traditional core demographic is not an industry secret. Yet the published CDC statistic with respect to age-related incidence of smoking shows that the >65 age group is the LOWEST in the United States (8.8%, which is less than half of the percentage of smokers in Carnival’s core age demographic).

I wish that HAL would at least agree to disclose HOW it happened. Was it a unilateral decision of the board of the parent CCL? Or the board of HAL? Was it something that was perhaps proposed at a meeting of shareholders?

After two more cruises I’ll be moving over to X (Celebrity), as the policy of that line is that there is no smoking permitted at ANY indoor venue on ANY ship. Or maybe I’ll just skip my planned farewell trip on Statendam, as it’s not booked yet.

Thanks in advance for any substantive answers that you choose to provide.

Note to the individual who opens this letter: The answer to all of these questions is WAY above your pay grade, so don’t insult me with some form-letter response.

[Blue Mudshark]

Note to the individual who opens this letter: The answer to all of these questions is WAY above your pay grade, so don’t insult me with some form-letter response.

I suspect that insulting the person who opens the letter like that will actually increase your chances of getting a form letter in response.

[Lizzie68]

What a shame you added that last paragraph.:( Until then, it was a decent letter.

[Mrdillion]

Having become disgusted with HAL's unwillingness to join the majority of cruise lines and maintains a policy which subjects us to second hand smoke, I am looking forward to being on a ship where I don't have to keep my fingers crossed I won't have a chain smoker beside me. It is NOT the only reason I booked a different cruise line, not by any stretch, but it is a very positive feature I know I'll enjoy.

 

HAL should know even their very most loyal guests (and there are not many more loyal than me) are willing to sail elsewhere with allowed verandah smoking being A reason if not ALL of the reason.

 

 

HAL has many Loyal Guests that are still sailing with them and are non-smokers as I am but have no problem with their Smoking Rules.

 

When I see some say they will no longer cruise HAL because of the Balcony Smoking it appears that doesn't seem to be the real reason for their decision. Many who repeatedly post stating this on this thread are also posting how they are no longer happy about many things with HAL but yet put the balcony smoking as their main reason. Some have not sailed on HAL in years and have no clue how limited the smoking has become on HAL's Ships.

 

OP stated she saw smoking on NCL's Balconies even after the Ban. Cruz Chic has stated (as has others) she experienced balcony smoking on Princess. These people who are still smoking on Celebrity, Princess, NCL are those that are LOYAL to their lines and not jumping over to HAL.

 

Hope you have a wonderful Cruise!

 

The question is when they ban balcony smoking, not if :)

 

No disrespect intended but I don't quite understand why you repeatedly post on a HAL thread when your Cruise History reads that you have only sailed HAL a few times and not for quite sometime! Except for the Balcony Smoking you have no first hand experience how restricted Smoking is on HAL Ships.

 

I see you are booked on Carnival Miracle. In case you're not aware the Miracle has a very liberal Smoking Policy (compared to HAL's) especially in the Casino that actually allows smoking at the Bar and tables in the bar area there and also on Lido Deck forward there is smoking. Disco also allows smoking. Also, lots of reported smoking on the balconies going on and that is by those who are doing it.

 

The Miracle is a wonderful Ship. Enjoy your Cruise!

[CRUZBUDS]

 

No disrespect intended but I don't quite understand why you repeatedly post on a HAL thread when your Cruise History reads that you have only sailed HAL a few times and not for quite sometime! Except for the Balcony Smoking you have no first hand experience how restricted Smoking is on HAL Ships.

 

I see you are booked on Carnival Miracle. In case you're not aware the Miracle has a very liberal Smoking Policy (compared to HAL's) especially in the Casino that actually allows smoking at the Bar and tables in the bar area there and also on Lido Deck forward there is smoking. Disco also allows smoking. Also, lots of reported smoking on the balconies going on and that is by those who are doing it.

 

The Miracle is a wonderful Ship. Enjoy your Cruise!

 

Thank you for you interest and best wishes. :)

 

We only have 43 days on HAL, not much compared to many folks, but I think it's enough to have an opinion. Our last HAL cruise was just under three years ago. I've never commented on HAL's smoking areas, other than balcony smoking, I don't think there has been any changes in the balcony policy, has there?

 

We are looking forward to our non-smoking balcony on the Carnival Miracle, and we will avoid the other smoking areas. We don't do the "fake cough" thing.

 

We are cruising on the Miracle for two reason, though I don't think we need one. We have friends we're sailing with that are huge Carnival fans and it's sailing from the west coast. It's only fair to sail Carnival with them, since they've sailed HAL with us.

 

We've been very happy with HAL, and have no other meaningful complaints.

 

We'll be retiring soon and for a decade or so, our "retirement cruise" has been HAL for a 30 day R/T south seas. We'll have to make other plans, if HAL hasn't joined the rest of the industry by then. I stand by my last comment, I believe it is when they change, not if. :)

[midwest 852]

HAL has many Loyal Guests that are still sailing with them and are non-smokers as I am but have no problem with their Smoking Rules.

 

When I see some say they will no longer cruise HAL because of the Balcony Smoking it appears that doesn't seem to be the real reason for their decision. Many who repeatedly post stating this on this thread are also posting how they are no longer happy about many things with HAL but yet put the balcony smoking as their main reason. Some have not sailed on HAL in years and have no clue how limited the smoking has become on HAL's Ships.

 

OP stated she saw smoking on NCL's Balconies even after the Ban. Cruz Chic has stated (as has others) she experienced balcony smoking on Princess. These people who are still smoking on Celebrity, Princess, NCL are those that are LOYAL to their lines and not jumping over to HAL.

 

 

Hope you have a wonderful Cruise!

 

 

 

No disrespect intended but I don't quite understand why you repeatedly post on a HAL thread when your Cruise History reads that you have only sailed HAL a few times and not for quite sometime! Except for the Balcony Smoking you have no first hand experience how restricted Smoking is on HAL Ships.

 

I see you are booked on Carnival Miracle. In case you're not aware the Miracle has a very liberal Smoking Policy (compared to HAL's) especially in the Casino that actually allows smoking at the Bar and tables in the bar area there and also on Lido Deck forward there is smoking. Disco also allows smoking. Also, lots of reported smoking on the balconies going on and that is by those who are doing it.

 

The Miracle is a wonderful Ship. Enjoy your Cruise!

 

 

mrdillion very well said agree completely

[kennicott]

When I see some say they will no longer cruise HAL because of the Balcony Smoking it appears that doesn't seem to be the real reason for their decision. Many who repeatedly post stating this on this thread are also posting how they are no longer happy about many things with HAL but yet put the balcony smoking as their main reason. Some have not sailed on HAL in years and have no clue how limited the smoking has become on HAL's Ships.

 

No disrespect intended but I don't quite understand why you repeatedly post on a HAL thread when your Cruise History reads that you have only sailed HAL a few times and not for quite sometime! Except for the Balcony Smoking you have no first hand experience how restricted Smoking is on HAL Ships.

 

I don't know anyone who is 100% satisfied with every aspect of a particular cruise, ship or line and voice their displeasure over such from time to time. When one single issue is egregious enough to push them over the line, so far that they discontinue sailing with that company, it is probably a mistake to speculate there were multiple reasons of dissatisfaction for their detachment.

 

We continue to read here that smoking violations are rampant throughout the industry, particularly on those lines with the most restrictive non-smoking policies. I have a difficult time buying into that but then we only cruise on three. For instance, NCL was cited as an example, where someone observed smoking taking place on over 50% of the balconies they could see. But on scrutiny, if that did take place, it occurred just a few months after the NCL new non-balcony-smoking policy went into effect. Hardly a note-worthy example of flagrant abuse.

 

There also has been insinuations that HAL has some of the most restrictive smoking rules going. Last time we were on HAL was about this time last year for 32 days. I didn't have a problem with smokers then but my wife did in the casino. It appeared to me that there were just as many places to smoke, plus more, on HAL then as there is on Princess and Regent. I am concerned today though because of HAL having the only balcony smoking going and obviously that is attracting smokers from other lines. All one has to do is read posts right here for verification.

 

This is what the current issue of Berlitz has to say on the subject: "HAL has established smoking and no-smoking areas throughout its ships, but there are many more smokers than you might expect, depending on ship and itinerary."

 

I do agree however that HAL should have an exclusive smoking lounge similar to "Churchill's" or the "Connoisseur Club" found respectively on Princess and Regent. Maybe reduce smoking elsewhere on board.

[sail7seas]

HAL has many Loyal Guests that are still sailing with them and are non-smokers as I am but have no problem with their Smoking Rules.

 

When I see some say they will no longer cruise HAL because of the Balcony Smoking it appears that doesn't seem to be the real reason for their decision. Many who repeatedly post stating this on this thread are also posting how they are no longer happy about many things with HAL but yet put the balcony smoking as their main reason. Some have not sailed on HAL in years and have no clue how limited the smoking has become on HAL's Ships.

 

OP stated she saw smoking on NCL's Balconies even after the Ban. Cruz Chic has stated (as has others) she experienced balcony smoking on Princess. These people who are still smoking on Celebrity, Princess, NCL are those that are LOYAL to their lines and not jumping over to HAL.

 

Hope you have a wonderful Cruise!

 

 

 

No disrespect intended but I don't quite understand why you repeatedly post on a HAL thread when your Cruise History reads that you have only sailed HAL a few times and not for quite sometime! Except for the Balcony Smoking you have no first hand experience how restricted Smoking is on HAL Ships.

 

I see you are booked on Carnival Miracle. In case you're not aware the Miracle has a very liberal Smoking Policy (compared to HAL's) especially in the Casino that actually allows smoking at the Bar and tables in the bar area there and also on Lido Deck forward there is smoking. Disco also allows smoking. Also, lots of reported smoking on the balconies going on and that is by those who are doing it.

 

The Miracle is a wonderful Ship. Enjoy your Cruise!

 

 

 

Seeing you quoted me, I'd like to clarify something you implied I said. I never said I will never sail HAL again because of their smoking policy. I said I am sailing another cruise line as my first cruise after having lost my DH this past year. We cruised HAL over 80 cruises and it is too hard for me to think of cruising a ship where we have sailed together, probably a number of times. I am sailing another cruise line to ease my way back to sailing AND because it will be very important for me to be sure I won't have to fight smokers in order to use my verandah on that first cruise. I will need that space for private time and to escape when I have a sad moment which is sure to happen.

 

I do not like HAL's smoking policy and remain very verbal about it.

However, I do hope I will again sail with HAL. That is my cruise line of choice and I am tremendously loyal to them.

 

 

Edited April 4, 2015 by sail7seas

[boating girl]

If it really is true, that smokers have a heightened sense of smell, then why on earth do they seem totally unaware of how much they, their breath and their clothes smell????

 

Anyone with a heightened sense of smell would be horrified at how much they stink like a dirty old ashtray.

 

I agree with you. I met the nicest man recently and immediately thought how I would like to have him for a friend but, although he was well groomed, he had an extremely strong smoke odor and bad smokers' breath. I don't think I could tolerate the odors.

[AllenF]

I enjoy a good cigar and we have an aft balcony but I usually do not smoke there.

 

On Celebrity there is a dedicated spot on the top deck to smoke cigars.

 

Does HAL have this too?

[taxmantoo]

i enjoy a good cigar and we have an aft balcony but i usually do not smoke there.

 

On celebrity there is a dedicated spot on the top deck to smoke cigars.

 

Does hal have this too?

 

yes

[kennicott]

I enjoy a good cigar and we have an aft balcony but I usually do not smoke there.

 

On Celebrity there is a dedicated spot on the top deck to smoke cigars.

 

Does HAL have this too?

 

YES----

 

"Holland America Line Smoking Policy does not allow cigar and pipe smoking anywhere inside the ship; it is only permitted on the outside decks where smoking is otherwise allowed and on STATEROOM VERANDAHS."

 

"Even some cruise lines that no longer have cigar bars per se may make some concessions to the culture. Holland America Line, for instance, has cigars for sale at its open-air Seaview Bars, located Lido deck aft. Smokers can puff with views of their ship's wake."

 

http://experience.usatoday.com/cruise/story/best-of-cruising/2013/11/16/best-cigar-bars-on-cruise-ships/3613997/

 

Holland America Line Smoking Policy---Updated April 2015.

For the comfort of all of guests, all staterooms (cabins), showrooms and most other indoor areas are designated non-smoking. While smoking is not permitted in staterooms, Holland America Line Smoking Policy does allow guests to smoke on stateroom verandahs. Smoking is also permitted on certain other designated, outside decks. The designated smoking areas for all ships are as follows unless otherwise noted.

 

Stateroom verandahs

Casino (Active players only)

Seaview Bar

Outside Decks

Sports Deck

Observation Deck (ms Prinsendam, ms Eurodam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Noordam, ms Oosterdam, ms Westerdam, and ms Zuiderdam only)

 

Holland America Line Smoking Policy does not allow cigar and pipe smoking anywhere inside the ship; it is only permitted on the outside decks where smoking is otherwise allowed and on stateroom verandahs. Electronic cigarettes are permitted in staterooms but not in other public areas of the ship other than on outside decks designated as smoking areas.

 

Any guest who smokes inside staterooms in violation of the Holland America Line Smoking Policy will be charged a US$250 cleaning fee per day of violation. Last Updated : Apr 2015

[taxmantoo]

YES----

 

"Holland America Line Smoking Policy does not allow cigar and pipe smoking anywhere inside the ship; it is only permitted on the outside decks where smoking is otherwise allowed and on STATEROOM VERANDAHS."

 

"Even some cruise lines that no longer have cigar bars per se may make some concessions to the culture. Holland America Line, for instance, has cigars for sale at its open-air Seaview Bars, located Lido deck aft. Smokers can puff with views of their ship's wake."

 

http://experience.usatoday.com/cruise/story/best-of-cruising/2013/11/16/best-cigar-bars-on-cruise-ships/3613997/

 

Holland America Line Smoking Policy---Updated April 2015.

For the comfort of all of guests, all staterooms (cabins), showrooms and most other indoor areas are designated non-smoking. While smoking is not permitted in staterooms, Holland America Line Smoking Policy does allow guests to smoke on stateroom verandahs. Smoking is also permitted on certain other designated, outside decks. The designated smoking areas for all ships are as follows unless otherwise noted.

 

Stateroom verandahs

Casino (Active players only)

Seaview Bar

Outside Decks

Sports Deck

Observation Deck (ms Prinsendam, ms Eurodam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Noordam, ms Oosterdam, ms Westerdam, and ms Zuiderdam only)

 

Holland America Line Smoking Policy does not allow cigar and pipe smoking anywhere inside the ship; it is only permitted on the outside decks where smoking is otherwise allowed and on stateroom verandahs. Electronic cigarettes are permitted in staterooms but not in other public areas of the ship other than on outside decks designated as smoking areas.

 

Any guest who smokes inside staterooms in violation of the Holland America Line Smoking Policy will be charged a US$250 cleaning fee per day of violation. Last Updated : Apr 2015

 

Not quite the update most of us were waiting for :( Maybe the next one ;)

[Curly-Q]

YES----

 

"Holland America Line Smoking Policy does not allow cigar and pipe smoking anywhere inside the ship; it is only permitted on the outside decks where smoking is otherwise allowed and on STATEROOM VERANDAHS."

 

"Even some cruise lines that no longer have cigar bars per se may make some concessions to the culture. Holland America Line, for instance, has cigars for sale at its open-air Seaview Bars, located Lido deck aft. Smokers can puff with views of their ship's wake."

 

http://experience.usatoday.com/cruise/story/best-of-cruising/2013/11/16/best-cigar-bars-on-cruise-ships/3613997/

 

Holland America Line Smoking Policy---Updated April 2015.

For the comfort of all of guests, all staterooms (cabins), showrooms and most other indoor areas are designated non-smoking. While smoking is not permitted in staterooms, Holland America Line Smoking Policy does allow guests to smoke on stateroom verandahs. Smoking is also permitted on certain other designated, outside decks. The designated smoking areas for all ships are as follows unless otherwise noted.

 

Stateroom verandahs

Casino (Active players only)

Seaview Bar

Outside Decks

Sports Deck

Observation Deck (ms Prinsendam, ms Eurodam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Noordam, ms Oosterdam, ms Westerdam, and ms Zuiderdam only)

 

Holland America Line Smoking Policy does not allow cigar and pipe smoking anywhere inside the ship; it is only permitted on the outside decks where smoking is otherwise allowed and on stateroom verandahs. Electronic cigarettes are permitted in staterooms but not in other public areas of the ship other than on outside decks designated as smoking areas.

 

Any guest who smokes inside staterooms in violation of the Holland America Line Smoking Policy will be charged a US$250 cleaning fee per day of violation. Last Updated : Apr 2015

 

 

 

Thank you for posting HAL's most recent smoking policy. I wanted to try HAL because I really like some of their itineraries, but their smoking policy--specifically allowing smoking on cabin verandas--is why I won't sail with them. I can avoid the ship's smoking areas, but I don't want to avoid my own veranda. If I wasn't allergic to cigarette smoke, it wouldn't be too big a deal. I'll keep checking periodically to see if HAL initiates any further veranda smoking restrictions.

[Danni3ll3]

Dumb question here but are there any outside spaces where smoking is not allowed? I haven't been on a HAL ship yet so the way I read the policy is that it is allowed on all outside spaces including the promenade. If that is the case, my plan to walk for exercise might have to be modified. I do not enjoy walking through cigarette smoke and cigars even less.

[kennicott]

Dumb question here but are there any outside spaces where smoking is not allowed? I haven't been on a HAL ship yet so the way I read the policy is that it is allowed on all outside spaces including the promenade. If that is the case, my plan to walk for exercise might have to be modified. I do not enjoy walking through cigarette smoke and cigars even less.

 

 

 

I wouldn't worry about that Danni--There are no-smoking restrictions on most of the public deck areas--some of the posters here even try to make out that HAL is the most limited of the cruise lines for smokers. I have never seen any evidence of that in our almost 300 days sailing with HAL though. In my opinion, their smoking areas are about par with Regent and Princess, with two big exceptions:

 

#1--They are about the only line still going that allows balcony smoking. Matter of fact, that is what creates so much attention to this thread.

 

#2-- HAL does not have exclusive smoking lounges similar to "Churchill's" or the "Connoisseur Club" found respectively on Princess and Regent. This circumstance probably adds to increased smoking on the balconies and other designated smoking areas on HAL ships, for instance, in the casino.