Single Smoking Thread (Use for all smoking discussions on HAL) )

[Rubyfisch]

4 hours ago, no-name-at-all said:

Is anyone on the Volendam now?  If so, could you check if they are allowing smoking in the casino?  I have been told multiple times that they no longer allow it, but the HAL website has not been changed.  It still says it does.

 

Thanks!!!!

Bonita

It was allowed in May. It was quite annoying that the casino was effectively open to Mix, so it was pretty smokey. It was one of a couple of things we didn't like about Volendam.

[no-name-at-all]

5 minutes ago, Rubyfisch said:

It was allowed in May. It was quite annoying that the casino was effectively open to Mix, so it was pretty smokey. It was one of a couple of things we didn't like about Volendam. 

Not good news. Thanks for letting me know, Rubyfisch.  I am hoping the policy has changed since May.  Has anyone been on the Volendam more recently?

[terrydtx]

5 hours ago, no-name-at-all said:

Is anyone on the Volendam now?  If so, could you check if they are allowing smoking in the casino?  I have been told multiple times that they no longer allow it, but the HAL website has not been changed.  It still says it does.

 

Thanks!!!!

Bonita

I was on the Volendam in August and they did allow smoking in the casino and the smoke permeated up the forward stairwells to deck 5 and 6.

[no-name-at-all]

Just now, terrydtx said:

I was on the Volendam in August and they did allow smoking in the casino and the smoke permeated up the forward stairwells to deck 5 and 6.

Now I'm really not happy!  I have a letter dated June 11, 2024 stating that there is no indoor smoking on the Volendam or Zaandam. Hearing that in August there was still smoking in the casino is surely contradicting that letter!  I'll have to call HAL again.  We are scheduled to go on the 2026 World Cruise which will be on the Volendam.  If there is smoking in the casino, we will sadly cancel.

[Rubyfisch]

1 hour ago, no-name-at-all said:

Now I'm really not happy!  I have a letter dated June 11, 2024 stating that there is no indoor smoking on the Volendam or Zaandam. Hearing that in August there was still smoking in the casino is surely contradicting that letter!  I'll have to call HAL again.  We are scheduled to go on the 2026 World Cruise which will be on the Volendam.  If there is smoking in the casino, we will sadly cancel.

Can you report back what you find out, if you don't mind?

[KroozNut]

1 hour ago, no-name-at-all said:

We are scheduled to go on the 2026 World Cruise which will be on the Volendam.  If there is smoking in the casino, we will sadly cancel.

Wow... really? 🤨

[terrydtx]

10 hours ago, no-name-at-all said:

Now I'm really not happy!  I have a letter dated June 11, 2024 stating that there is no indoor smoking on the Volendam or Zaandam. Hearing that in August there was still smoking in the casino is surely contradicting that letter!  I'll have to call HAL again.  We are scheduled to go on the 2026 World Cruise which will be on the Volendam.  If there is smoking in the casino, we will sadly cancel.

Not sure who issued that letter but, this is from the HAL website Q&A about smoking:

 

 

Edited 21 hours ago by terrydtx

[no-name-at-all]

25 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Not sure who issued that letter but, this is from the HAL website Q&A about smoking:

 

 

I know that is what is on the website and hasn’t changed, but I was sent an email from their so called "internal encyclopedia ".  Each time I called and asked for the website to be updated, I was told they were working on it.  I will let everyone know what I find out with my next call.  

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, no-name-at-all said:

I know that is what is on the website and hasn’t changed, but I was sent an email from their so called "internal encyclopedia ".  Each time I called and asked for the website to be updated, I was told they were working on it.  I will let everyone know what I find out with my next call.  

I also hope the smoking in the casino does change, we will be on the N. Statendam in 2026 and would like to be on a smoking free cruise. However, it would not cause us to cancel if it doesn't, we seldom if ever use the casino. My big problem is like on the Volendam the smoke from the casino propagates to other interior parts of the ship including the stairwells.

[Rubyfisch]

28 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I also hope the smoking in the casino does change, we will be on the N. Statendam in 2026 and would like to be on a smoking free cruise. However, it would not cause us to cancel if it doesn't, we seldom if ever use the casino. My big problem is like on the Volendam the smoke from the casino propagates to other interior parts of the ship including the stairwells.

It's really a terrible layout to allow smoking in. I've been on several Royal Caribbean ships (all of which allow smoking in the casino). There tends to be a fairly noticeable amount of smoke in the casino, but because of the location and layout, it doesn't really seep into other areas. Volendam is so open and yet small, so there is nothing to stop it. I haven't been on the Pinnacle ships, but I've come to understand that their design is at least better than Volendam in this respect.

 

I personally wish all ships would be non-smoking indoors, but I also understand there are real monetary consequences to that. But if ships are going to have smoking, some better design would go a long way.