Will Hal Follow ?

[TedC]

Regent Seven Seas Cruises (formerly Radisson) is banning all smoking in suites and balconies by the end of this year.

 

Do you think HAL will follow suit?

 

Already some Regent cruisers posting on CC Regent board have said they are cancelling cruises and moving to other lines or other forms of travel.

 

I predict that all cruise lines will be having more restrictive smoking policies - and probably sooner rather than later. I also think that most smokers will be able to adjust, just as they did when smoking was banned by airlines.

[bepsf]

HAL just spent millions replacing all the partition walls on their verandahs with non-flammable panels.

 

I doubt that they will ban smoking entirely in the near-term.

[sail7seas]

I agree with Brian. I do not foresee HAL banning smoking on verandas and in cabins in the immediate future. I was aboard Maasdam last summer when they were replacing the non-steel parts to the partitions. They spent considerable labor doing that work on all the ships, all the verandas.

 

Conversations we had while aboard Masdam last week and this did not imply in any way HAL will be banning all smoking.

 

;) Would be fine by me if they did but I'm not counting on it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL has replaced all the partitians between the balconies and I don't see them banning smokers there any time soon either.

[Roz]

You never know. I live in a tobacco state, and starting Oct. 1, you won't be able to smoke in restaurants. Many people thought h*ll would freeze over before TN banned smoking anywhere.

 

Roz

[jhannah]

I also doubt HAL will ban smoking in staterooms and verandahs.

 

It will be interesting to see if RSSC will truly see cancellations and lower booking numbers once they do this. If they do, what do you bet they'll rescind the rule?

[mr green]

The Casino is the one area that I would like to see smoking banned. Corral banned it for one day on our Panama cruise, and as I recall another ship that I was on, it may have been Mercury, had smoking, and non smoking sections in the casino. This worked fairly well, as the venting took most of the smoke out of the 'Non Smoking section'.

 

john

[ANSalberg]

The Casino is the one area that I would like to see smoking banned. Corral banned it for one day on our Panama cruise, and as I recall another ship that I was on, it may have been Mercury, had smoking, and non smoking sections in the casino. This worked fairly well, as the venting took most of the smoke out of the 'Non Smoking section'.

 

john

 

On our recent World Cruise on the "Amsterdam" -the Casino had weekly NON-smoking nights for a few hours; we supported those nights because we appreciated the effort. I remarked to the Manager one evening "We really appreciate this" and his comment was "Then WRITE to Seattle -because EVERY complaint we are getting -and there are a LOT of complainers -is that we PROVIDE one night for non-smokers" We didn't write [ I don't expect HAL to "change" for my wants/dislikes] but I thought it was ironic that the smokers were the MAIN complainers. Come to think -I'm not sure it was even WEEKLY; it could have been every 2 weeks............

Anne

[RuthC]

Smoking is going to remain a hot-button issue as long as it is legal outside our homes.

If HAL prohibits smoking in inside public areas then non-smokers will complain that there's smoke on the verandas and smoke-smell in the cabins. If it's banned in the cabin/verandas then non-smokers will complain of smoke in the inside public areas.

If it's banned aboard ship except for a few outdoor areas smokers will complain that they should have a comfortable area inside in which they can smoke---especially in inclement weather.

I smoked for a whole lot of years and still have empathy for those who want a place they know they can go to smoke without breaking any rules and getting the evil eye.

With the powerful air purification systems available it should be possible for there to be smoking sections inside and out that non-smokers can easily avoid. The only thing necessary is for everyone to agree that co-existance is desirable and to accept the smoking/non-smoking areas.

Bon chance.

[WindyCity]

Hear, Hear RuthC - yours was the most intelligent answer I have ever seen on these boards.

In the Frankfurt airport, they have smoking areas that have a purification filter. There is no smell of smoke in the air. Why can't ships install these?

[iceman93]

HAL won't ban smoking completely immediately; too many people in their key demographic still smoke. But (and not to sound harsh) those folks will be dying off in the next few years and the new, younger clientele who by and large don't smoke will become the more important group to woo. Then it will make financial sense to do so.

[pms4104]

HAL won't ban smoking completely immediately; too many people in their key demographic still smoke. But (and not to sound harsh) those folks will be dying off in the next few years and the new, younger clientele who by and large don't smoke will become the more important group to woo. Then it will make financial sense to do so.

Sorry ... I don't agree with your stereotype of the smoking demographic. Of the many, many, many passengers at ORD who ask me where the airport smoking lounge might be, I'd say about 80 percent are age 40 and under.

[WillieF]

Smoking is going to remain a hot-button issue as long as it is legal outside our homes.

 

Bon chance.

 

Ruth C -

What about inside our homes? - your cabin, regardless of where it is or what you paid, is the 'home' you paid for, for X# of days.

 

Your last sentence says it all - everyone has to agree that co-existence is desirable and accept the smoking/non-smoking areas.

 

Let's add to that, strict enforcement by cruise line Stewards- no exceptions! - Officers, all the way down! to be included.

 

I've watched the 'blind eye' being turned on to accommodate Officers and so-called VIP’s.

 

Like you, I smoked - it's a very tough habit to kick! I have empathy for those working on it - sometimes those two little puffs, in your 'home'/’private space', dulls the urgency! - time taken to get there takes the ‘edge’ off!

 

A non-smoker now, I've never detected smoke smell in a chosen cabin. Balcony smoke depends on how the wind is blowing - short of the neighbor deliberately blowing smoke over the divider or you standing at the rail, I believe it's in the imagination of the (now) fanatical non-smoker! Today’s air purification systems work!

 

It certainly is necessary that everyone accepts co-existence as desirable and is prepared to abide by the Line's regulations (soon to be ENFORCED it’s hoped!) re smoking/non-smoking areas.

[sail7seas]

Camp..... Sadly I observed similar. On Maasdam last two weeks, while we certainly saw some senior folks who smoke, I was sorry to see more than a few twenty something year olds with cigarettes. When the senior set started smoking decades ago, it wasn't as well known exactly HOW dangerous smoking was. No one thought it was good for us but the tobacco execs were still lying in their testimony before Congress.

 

Today, everyone knows how horrible it is to the smoker and those around them. What are these twenty something year olds thinking? Or are they not thinking at all?

 

In any case, IMO there will continue to be smoking permitted in designated areas on HAL ships.

[Roz]

I'm a baby boomer (hate the baby boom moniker, but it's here to stay), and my generation was the first to grow up with all the smoking warnings. Our parents' generation smoked heavily, and unfortunately, the children of the boomers and their grandchildren are smoking. Go figure. I don't get it, but maybe it's a rebellion type of thing.

 

HAL would be OK banning smoking for a while as the boomers are becoming their prime customers, but they would reach a point where it wouldn't make business sense in terms of attracting the next age cohort.

 

Don't know what the answer is. We boomers are going to be saddled with paying for an obese, chain-smoking group of young people who we may outlive.

 

Roz

[iceman93]

Sorry ... I don't agree with your stereotype of the smoking demographic. Of the many, many, many passengers at ORD who ask me where the airport smoking lounge might be, I'd say about 80 percent are age 40 and under.

 

Call it a stereotype if you will, but younger smokers tend to fall into a much lower economic and educational class. They're not exactly your HAL cruisers.

[Roz]

I grew up in a lower middle class family that wasn't very educated, but now I'm a HAL cruiser :D , so the logic doesn't follow. In the US we're free to pursue our educational and economic dreams, and there's upward mobility.

 

Roz

[sail7seas]

Call it a stereotype if you will, but younger smokers tend to fall into a much lower economic and educational class. They're not exactly your HAL cruisers.

 

 

While not a huge number, young smokers were definitely cruising on Maasdam last week. I would say of the roughly 20% - 25% of the guests who smoked on board, at least 10% of them were in the twenty something age range. It makes me sad when I see that. The older folks are going to do what they are going to do but I hate seeing young ones lighting up.

[RuthlessBoss]

While not a huge number, young smokers were definitely cruising on Maasdam last week. I would say of the roughly 20% - 25% of the guests who smoked on board, at least 10% of them were in the twenty something age range. It makes me sad when I see that. The older folks are going to do what they are going to do but I hate seeing young ones lighting up.

I'm an older smoker and also feel sad to see the younger folks light up. We live in a state with inside smoking is banned, but able to live with it when deemed necessary due to the duration being at a restaurant, movie etc. But the cruise ban is not like comparing short term vs. long term for days at a time. Yes, some spots are set aside but it's not relaxing leaving your group to sit and suck down a smoke. But at the same time, it's worse to try to stay with a group having mental and physical withdrawal! I've been a courteous smoker but because of a few rude smokers, I pay the price.

[jhannah]

... I hate seeing young ones lighting up.

I do, too. But if you go to Europe you'll see more and MUCH younger kids smoking than here in the U.S.

[kryos]

Regent Seven Seas Cruises (formerly Radisson) is banning all smoking in suites and balconies by the end of this year.

 

Do you think HAL will follow suit?

I have no doubt HAL will follow suit, as will all the major cruise lines.

 

HAL as recently as this past April revised their onboard smoking policies to make them much more restrictive. Gone is that area under the magronome ... near the Lido Bar ... where there was a smoking section. The casino, on some ships, has gone entirely smoking-free, while on others it is smoke-free on alternating sea days.

 

Unfortunately for us smokers, we are just not very popular these days. There are a lot more of "them" than there are of us, so probably the people cancelling cruises will be more than made up for by people who will book cruises knowing that they will now be able to enjoy their balconies without fear of a smoker "wrecking" things for them.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

The Casino is the one area that I would like to see smoking banned. Corral banned it for one day on our Panama cruise, and as I recall another ship that I was on, it may have been Mercury, had smoking, and non smoking sections in the casino. This worked fairly well, as the venting took most of the smoke out of the 'Non Smoking section'.

On the Veendam last April, there were alternating smoking and non-smoking days in the casino. I think for a total of five sea days, which was about half the sea days of the cruise, the casino was entirely smoke-free, including the casino bar. I can't see how you could make the casino partially smoking and partially non-smoking. It's too small. There would be no way to prevent the smoke from wafting over from the smoking section to the non-smoking one. Land-based casinos can successfully set up a non-smoking section because they are much bigger. Ship casinos don't have that luxury.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

But the cruise ban is not like comparing short term vs. long term for days at a time. Yes, some spots are set aside but it's not relaxing leaving your group to sit and suck down a smoke. But at the same time, it's worse to try to stay with a group having mental and physical withdrawal! I've been a courteous smoker but because of a few rude smokers, I pay the price.

That's my point exactly. People compare cruise ships with airplanes. Why shouldn't cruise ships be smoke-free? Airlines have been that way for years. Well, most airplane flights are relatively short. Sure, you have occasional long flights, and I guess one just has to suffer through them ... but a cruise is something that is a week or more long. Banning smoking on a cruise ship is an entirely different thing than expecting someone to refrain from their habit for the duration of a six or less hours flight.

 

And, as you say, sure the cruise ships will provide an area for smokers ... but if I can't enjoy a cigarette in my cabin, then crusing is no longer enjoyable for me. My cabin is my home for the time I am on the boat. I want to know that if I wake up at 3:00 a.m. and can't sleep, that I can light one up while I perhaps sit at the desk and do some writing. Now you're gonna tell me that I have to get dressed and go wandering a deserted ship in search of a place to light up? No, the day the cruise lines ban smoking in the cabins is the day I will just need to find another outlet for my vacation dollar. While it sure won't be as nice as cruising, I can't imagine there are not some other viable alternatives out there.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[pvlover]

Kyros, sadly for you ( a responsible smoker), but gladly for many,many others that day is close at hand. "There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come".

[Opinions]

HAL won't ban smoking completely immediately; too many people in their key demographic still smoke. But (and not to sound harsh) those folks will be dying off in the next few years and the new, younger clientele who by and large don't smoke will become the more important group to woo. .

 

Every statistic I have ever seen indicates that younger people are more likely to smoke than the elderly...Many of HAL's demographic smoked at one time but in my opinion most have quit...As one of the older generation I find few of my peers still smoke.