Breakaway Class Smoke Problems

[alwalaska]

Hi! I have a child who is very sensitive to smoke and it triggers her asthma. I've read about lots of problems on the Breakaway and after looking at the deck plans I understand why there are problems.

 

My question is, is this a problem across the Breakaway class of ships, or only some of them.

 

My kids want to do a big ship. I've never been thrilled with what I read about the Epic, so I was looking at one of the newer ships.

[helpmecruise16]

I have sailed the getaway and escape - you definitely smell the smoke when walking through the casino and I smelled it when we ate in the atrium eating area for le bistro. However, I never felt like there was a smoke cloud anywhere, just the smell of it.

 

 

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[beachys]

I am also very sensitive to smoke and have asthma. We did the Getaway. As long as I avoided the smoking areas, I was fine. But people are allowed to smoke at the bar in spice H2O and that bothered my asthma when we hung out on the starboard side. Same with that side of the waterfront.

[alwalaska]

I have sailed the getaway and escape - you definitely smell the smoke when walking through the casino and I smelled it when we ate in the atrium eating area for le bistro. However, I never felt like there was a smoke cloud anywhere, just the smell of it.

 

 

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Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Unfortunately, she starts gasping for air before we can even smell the smoke sometimes. On most ships, we can just avoid the stairs and are immediately around the casino, but with the two deck open area, it makes it harder to avoid. We had the same problem on the Explorer of the Seas, but we wasn't diagnosed at that point, so we couldn't figure out why she was having problems.

[cage keeper]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Unfortunately, she starts gasping for air before we can even smell the smoke sometimes. On most ships, we can just avoid the stairs and are immediately around the casino, but with the two deck open area, it makes it harder to avoid. We had the same problem on the Explorer of the Seas, but we wasn't diagnosed at that point, so we couldn't figure out why she was having problems.

 

 

Hey my cruise friend. How are you. Loved seeing the photos from your last cruise. The smoke is bad if you walk through the casino. I don't remember too much on the decks but breakaway is more open than Explorer. We spent most of our time in either the jazz club or headliners, H20 or one of outside decks and they were ok. Going on Breakaway again in three weeks, I'll make a point to check it out for you. Miss you.

 

Joni & Mark

[alwalaska]

Hey my cruise friend. How are you. Loved seeing the photos from your last cruise. The smoke is bad if you walk through the casino. I don't remember too much on the decks but breakaway is more open than Explorer. We spent most of our time in either the jazz club or headliners, H20 or one of outside decks and they were ok. Going on Breakaway again in three weeks, I'll make a point to check it out for you. Miss you.

 

Joni & Mark

 

 

Hey there. Didn't expect to see you over here on the NCL boards. We are looking for a cruise in May and the kids really want to do a big ship. If we can't find one, maybe we will just have to pick up some missing states like VT for me and CT for Ron and kids and come visit some old cruise buddies. We miss you too!

[BirdTravels]

So,,, on any cruise ship large or small, if you hang in the casino, there will be smoke.

[fshagan]

We haven't been on the -Away ships but what you've heard about the Epic is true for smoke sensitive people. The ship is designed to make it inconvenient to avoid walking through the casino. If you are on the floor below the casino, where the entertainment offerings are, you cannot go from the the bow to the aft of the ship; you must go up a floor and walk through the casino. The midship MDR is located below the casino and open to to it above, so you smell smoke at dinner (there is still the aft MDR which is fine).

 

We ended up going up to the floor above the public spaces, and walking along the cabin corridors on that level, then down to try and avoid the smoke. But you smell it any time you are mid-ship on floors 5, 6 or 7 (if I'm recalling it correctly, and that the casino is on floor 6 or 7).

 

I wouldn't risk it if you want a larger ship. Check out the RC or Carnival ships for the smoke smell issues.

[alwalaska]

So,,, on any cruise ship large or small, if you hang in the casino, there will be smoke.

 

 

Well duh!

 

The problem lies when the smoke from the casino drifts up to the eating areas above or down the hall to the bars farther on that level because of an overly open design. Did you see the post where they said they smelled smoke in the atrium eating area for La Bistro? That isn't even on the same deck as the casino.

[helpmecruise16]

So,,, on any cruise ship large or small, if you hang in the casino, there will be smoke.

 

 

Even if you completely avoided the casino on these ships,

You will still smell the smoke if you go on the deck above or below with the open atrium in the casino. I am not sensitive to it, but it's definitely noticeable. My kids commented every time we walked near there.

 

 

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[PoppyandNana]

So,,, on any cruise ship large or small, if you hang in the casino, there will be smoke.

 

 

Not true. Celebrity does not allow smoking in the casino.

[alwalaska]

We haven't been on the -Away ships but what you've heard about the Epic is true for smoke sensitive people. The ship is designed to make it inconvenient to avoid walking through the casino. If you are on the floor below the casino, where the entertainment offerings are, you cannot go from the the bow to the aft of the ship; you must go up a floor and walk through the casino. The midship MDR is located below the casino and open to to it above, so you smell smoke at dinner (there is still the aft MDR which is fine).

 

We ended up going up to the floor above the public spaces, and walking along the cabin corridors on that level, then down to try and avoid the smoke. But you smell it any time you are mid-ship on floors 5, 6 or 7 (if I'm recalling it correctly, and that the casino is on floor 6 or 7).

 

I wouldn't risk it if you want a larger ship. Check out the RC or Carnival ships for the smoke smell issues.

 

 

Thanks. I think the kids might just have to deal with not going on a big ship. I'm sure they will survive somehow. :D Hubby and I are more small ship kind of people any way.

[Son of a son of a ...]

Yes, this is a recurring complaint. There is a smell of smoke that permeates certain interior public areas. I doubt the smell is toxic as opposed to the wafting particulates in smoke. For example, my jacket smells like diesel exhaust when I get home, but it is not the same as standing in a garage and inhaling the fumes.

 

Maybe Disney.

[cage keeper]

Well duh!

 

The problem lies when the smoke from the casino drifts up to the eating areas above or down the hall to the bars farther on that level because of an overly open design. Did you see the post where they said they smelled smoke in the atrium eating area for La Bistro? That isn't even on the same deck as the casino.

 

 

Ann, a LOT of things that go on on these ships are in the atrium as they do not have a large theater. (BA's theater is quite small) Not that the Atrium is big enough either but is is open to the above decks and casino.

 

Joni

[bltrn]

MSC has a non smoking casino and they are very strict about designated smoking areas.

[SunnyKitty]

we have been on Gateway and I am not thrilled with casino placement. it is in the middle of the deck and you have to walk through it and it does smell.

If you kid is 9 years + - they do tend to have kids club for 9-12 group in Bliss lounge just in the middle of casino.

 

another big smoking place is Sunset bar on waterfront, so half of waterfront smells ( and waterfront is great, I loved it.. quiet, nice chairs.. )

 

as for "big ship" experience.. may be RCL ? Gataway was big, but say compare to Dawn\Gem type of ships it had no much to offer - a little bigger waterslides and ropes course..that is it.

[TrpngBilly]

We were just on the Breakaway and before we cruised I was nervous about the smoke given all that I was reading on the boards here. I was relieved that it wasn't as bad as reported. No doubt that while in the casino there is a smoke environment but I never, not once, got a hint of smoke in O'Sheehan's, the Atrium, Le Bistro, etc. We even ate a few times at Shanghai's, which is right alongside the casino table games and I didn't get any exposure to smoke. I am not a smoker, in fact it disgusts me.

 

I agree that some are more sensitive to smoke than others, but it isn't as bad as many of the posts here describe. IMHO.

 

Well duh!

 

The problem lies when the smoke from the casino drifts up to the eating areas above or down the hall to the bars farther on that level because of an overly open design. Did you see the post where they said they smelled smoke in the atrium eating area for La Bistro? That isn't even on the same deck as the casino.

[alwalaska]

Thank you all for the help and comments. We booked Royal's Anthem. The kids (who are basically adults but still in college ) are thrilled. Supposedly the Casino smoke is more contained on this class of ship. We'll be sure DD carries her rescue inhaler just in case.

 

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[caddykid12]

Hey there. Didn't expect to see you over here on the NCL boards. We are looking for a cruise in May and the kids really want to do a big ship. If we can't find one, maybe we will just have to pick up some missing states like VT for me and CT for Ron and kids and come visit some old cruise buddies. We miss you too!

 

I live in CT. don't stop here. It's a POS state with nothing to do besides high taxes and Lyme Disease. Wouldn't want u to be miserable here. We all are as residents

[cage keeper]

Hi Ann. Glad to hear you booked Anthem. She may be our next ship also. Glad you did not book Breakaway as the smoke last week was really bad. As a former smoker I am the one that defends peoples right to smoke. All ship that I have been on allow smoking in a few designated areas but this ship has way too many. And it reeks. Usually it doesn't bother me but even on deck at H20 it was real bad. Our favorite bar last time was Maultings. This time it was just way smokier. Even in the hallways and yes, even on our balcony. Even found a butt on my balcony someone threw on the third day. Maybe we just had a huge amount of smokers.

[alwalaska]

Hi Ann. Glad to hear you booked Anthem. She may be our next ship also. Glad you did not book Breakaway as the smoke last week was really bad. As a former smoker I am the one that defends peoples right to smoke. All ship that I have been on allow smoking in a few designated areas but this ship has way too many. And it reeks. Usually it doesn't bother me but even on deck at H20 it was real bad. Our favorite bar last time was Maultings. This time it was just way smokier. Even in the hallways and yes, even on our balcony. Even found a butt on my balcony someone threw on the third day. Maybe we just had a huge amount of smokers.

 

Joni,

 

Thanks for the update. Kids decided they wanted to go to an amusement park on the way home, so we are headed by way of Hershey instead of CT. Anthem looks cool. I can't wait for our cruise.

[cage keeper]

Check out Knobles. Much better than Hershey.

 

 

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[cv322]

I have sailed the getaway and escape - you definitely smell the smoke when walking through the casino and I smelled it when we ate in the atrium eating area for le bistro. However, I never felt like there was a smoke cloud anywhere, just the smell of it.

 

 

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Le Bistro is on Deck 6, the casino is on Deck 7 ---and smoke rises---it doesn't drift down. I've never smelled smoke in LeBistro, just sayin' :confused:

[AliceIn]

Le Bistro is on Deck 6, the casino is on Deck 7 ---and smoke rises---it doesn't drift down. I've never smelled smoke in LeBistro, just sayin' :confused:

 

The particles in the smoke definitely do drift down, which is why the carpet in a smoker's house would retain the odor. A friend of mine was a heavy smoker, and when we helped her move, you could see the yellow stains on the walls that extended to the baseboard. You could see the outline of her couch! That was a big eye opener for my friend, and it was what gave her the impetus to quit.

[destiny217]

We have been on away ships and the Anthem. Both good but for way less smoke, Anthem is the way to go.