Has smoking on balconies really stopped?

[DKF97]

We last cruised the week before Carnival banned smoking on balconies. For those that have cruised in a balcony since, did you smoke on your balcony anyway? Did your neighbors smoke? I'm just curious if balcony smoking really has stopped.

[MTGreen]

Sorry, non smoker and I hope so.

[Disconnections]

Recent reports indicate this enforcement is powered by guest complaints.

 

Apparently, according to the member who reported it here (sorry whoever it was - I forgot your username), he/she called Guest Services and requested security/enforcement of the policy. Security never came and information later came to prove that the stateroom steward was requested to inspect staterooms in his section to see if anyone in the rooms were smokers.

 

This could lead to those innocent being charged the cleaning fee, as well as stateroom stewards hunting down your cigarettes through your belongings.

[karmgonnagetcha]

I'm hearing reports that balcony smoking is continuing.

 

 

Thank you

[JennyD1]

We are non-smokers. We found cigarette butts and cigar clippings on our aft balcony last month, so I assume the smokers are still smoking. I was worried my room steward would think that we were smoking out there.

[DKF97]

Thanks all, I figured this was the case. I know many smokers would just factor the cleaning fee into their budget and keep on smoking. I was hoping to finally have a cruise where we never get chased off our balcony, but I guess our chances are a least a little better than before.

[Speed.oh]

I was on the Glory in November, and while I cannot comment on smoking on balconies directly, I did notice a huge increase in the amount of smoking/smokers in the casino and other designated smoking areas on the ship. I'm not typically bothered by smoke, but the change from previous cruises was pretty overwhelming; even when outside on the designated smoking deck (I want to say on the starboard side of Panorama deck) it was rather striking.

 

Could have been just a smoke heavy cruise perhaps, but it sure felt like there was a significant amount of cruisers abiding by the new rules.

[cruzysuzy331]

We only cruise aft balconies and have many times. Only had a problem the last time in Dec 13. It wasn't a huge deal but having to go in when you really don't want to is a drag. Pun not intended. Don't let ANYTHING ruin your cruise. You worked hard for it. Move to plan B until plan A is good to go. I wish it wasn't like that but it is.

[JinxyB]

I was on the Breeze over Halloween and neighbors on both sides smoked. I reported it to guest services and one cabin stopped while the other smoked heavily. In general, I always smelled cigarette smoke while out on the balcony- sometimes pot smoke, too.

[Kidsgoneletscruise]

Just off the Breeze and can confirm smoking on the balcony is going on. :eek: ;)

[GottaLuvCruising]

I was on the Breeze over Halloween and neighbors on both sides smoked. I reported it to guest services and one cabin stopped while the other smoked heavily. In general, I always smelled cigarette smoke while out on the balcony- sometimes pot smoke, too.

 

I hope you continued to bring the situation to Guest Services and demanded resolution. I would not put up with that.

[DKF97]

I hope you continued to bring the situation to Guest Services and demanded resolution. I would not put up with that.

Enforcement is the problem, you can call and complain and carnival can slap them with a $250 cleaning fee, but now what? They've already been given the consequences, so nothing to stop them from smoking for the rest of their cruise. Even inside their room, which really worries me. If I got stuck in a cabin that was smoked in on the previous cruise, it would definitely have a huge impact on my vacation.

[Chief93]

On the Valor is December I noticed a very faint smell of smoke once, and on the last night someone close by was smoking a pipe. I don't mind the smell of pipe smoke so it didn't bother me. Had it been cigarette smoke I might have complained, depending on how strong it was. But there would have been no way of figuring out where it was coming from. Also it seemed to me that there was less smoke in the casino and on the ship in general. It was a much younger crowd that usual, maybe that's why.

[labsnabys]

We were just on the Magic over Christmas in a port side balcony. We didn't see or smell anyone smoking on balconies near us. The smoking areas all around the ship were being well-utilized.

[Jamman54]

To answer the OP's original question, without getting into any debates, on my recent Carnival Splendor cruise, EVERYTIME I went on my balcony, I could smell cigarette (or other) smoke.

[wdazew]

We recently were on the sunshine. Not a whiff of smoke and nary a whisper of talking. The balconies aren't selling out either we've noticed on the cruises we are thinking about

[Missileer]

My wife is a smoker and she adhered to the rules. She went to the smoking area on the Lido deck and reports many others did as well.

[PamalaX]

Spent plenty of time in the smoking areas on my recent Conquest cruise. Stayed where I was supposed to even venturing out alone in the wee hours when I could not sleep suffering Fibro pain. Myself and all others staying in our corner which actually became quite social in an odd way. We did just as we were told to and yet I was still basically scolded at least twice by people walking through that area clearly disapproving of any allotted space.

 

Best of all was the one person saying "Now that they are all out here I think I preferred it when they were on they balconies and I didn't have to see them."

[DKF97]

Spent plenty of time in the smoking areas on my recent Conquest cruise. Stayed where I was supposed to even venturing out alone in the wee hours when I could not sleep suffering Fibro pain. Myself and all others staying in our corner which actually became quite social in an odd way. We did just as we were told to and yet I was still basically scolded at least twice by people walking through that area clearly disapproving of any allotted space.

 

Best of all was the one person saying "Now that they are all out here I think I preferred it when they were on they balconies and I didn't have to see them."

Lol you'll have rude people wherever you go. I have nothing rude to say to smokers who are in the designated areas.

[Out to sea!]

We last cruised the week before Carnival banned smoking on balconies. For those that have cruised in a balcony since, did you smoke on your balcony anyway? Did your neighbors smoke? I'm just curious if balcony smoking really has stopped.

 

No, balcony smoking hasn't stopped and never will stop. It's just against the rules to do so now.

[Rob&Bonnie]

We did not see any balcony neighbors smoking on our November cruise. The casino was much more smokey than we've ever seen it though, and the aft pool area was much busier than we've ever seen it.

 

Instead of using the main pool area, it seems that everyone who smoked used the aft pool so they could make the quick trip upstairs for a smoke.

[blyle]

On the Triumph there were signs saying you could only smoke if you were gambling. That is because smokers did not want to go outside and crammed into the casino instead.

[GottaLuvCruising]

Enforcement is the problem, you can call and complain and carnival can slap them with a $250 cleaning fee, but now what? They've already been given the consequences, so nothing to stop them from smoking for the rest of their cruise. Even inside their room, which really worries me. If I got stuck in a cabin that was smoked in on the previous cruise, it would definitely have a huge impact on my vacation.

 

Carnival would then owe restitution to the smoker's neighbors. I'd be at the Purser's desk until this was resolved. Yes, they can enforce it by removing the balcony smokers from the ship.

[beachbum53]

No, balcony smoking hasn't stopped and never will stop. It's just against the rules to do so now.

 

It will most likely be handled the same way as booze smuggling. Some will get caught, some won't.

[hftmrock]

Enforcement is the problem, you can call and complain and carnival can slap them with a $250 cleaning fee, but now what? They've already been given the consequences, so nothing to stop them from smoking for the rest of their cruise. Even inside their room, which really worries me. If I got stuck in a cabin that was smoked in on the previous cruise, it would definitely have a huge impact on my vacation.

 

I know they wont do it but its in the rules that they can remove you from the ship as well as the $250 cleaning fee.

 

its also a bit fuzzy as to the amount of times they can slap someone with the $250 fine. There is nothing stopping carnival from slapping a $250 cleaning fee for EACH incident.

 

As I said, Carnival wont do any of this, but since its in the rules, They can do it and it would certainly cut down on this problem