Will Hal Follow ?

[kryos]

We know it's a horrible habit, but it's also an addiction. We've tried, can't break it yet, and we'll keep trying. But, right now, it's our choice.

I hear that breaking the cigarette habit is much, much more difficult than getting over a cocaine addiction. Wouldn't know for sure as, thank God, I've never had an addiction to cocaine, but that's what my doctor tells me anyway.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

Judy , if you are truly interested in quitting there is a wonder drug just out called Chantix. That is what my Dr prescribed for me and it is a miracle. I have smoked a pack a day for over 40 years and I haven't even wanted one since my quit date. It's good stuff. Pricey, but then so were cigarettes.

That is absolutely amazing.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Deb C.]

Way to go,Trisha and Virgil!! With all that extra money from not buying cigarettes, you can cruise more:eek: (if that is possible with you two!!)

Hope to run into you again some day, some cruise! Take care, stay healthy! :cool: Deb C.

[Denn33]

 

I am somewhat baffled by RSSC's actions here. Maybe there might be some validity to prohibiting smoking on balconies ... the smoke could bother people on adjoining balconies. But why RSSC should restrict people from enjoying a cigarette in the privacy of their stateroom or suite is beyond me.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

Can't smoke bother future passengers in the stateroom? I was at a hotel (a Hilton) recently and they tried to put me in a smoking room, and went on and on about how wonderful their new cleaning products were and how they can really get rid of the smell of smoke now. As soon as we got off the elevator and onto the smoking floor hallway, we were overpowered by the smell, and the room itself, while not as bad, still smelled completely like smoke and we could not stay in the room. As a first-time cruises, I am concerned about my room on the ship not being a smoking room; I cannot remember the last time I stayed in a hotel room that wasn't non-smoking. Now, I would assume a stateroom on a ship shouldn't be nearly as bad as a smoking hotel room--since basically there is one smoking floor if any out of 40 floors in modern hotels, so pretty much each smoking room is constantly smoked in, unlike a room on a cruise ship.

 

Banning smoking altogether also probably saves them a ton in insurance costs, a benefit that wouldn't be achieved by only banning smoking in the public areas.

[zaandam_2]

Hope you've checked out the Grand closely.../quote]

 

the most recent threads have said it it still allowed, but who can say. the policies seem to change dailyand ship to ship. that's very irritating. if they weren't afraid of losing business they would publish and standardize the policies.

 

i learned on carnival that i had to carry an ashtray with me for the same reasons as your friend. even though there were published smoking areas, when the bar/lounge was closed there were not ashtrays available.

 

if princess is too restrictive, this will be my last cruise. there are other ways to see the world.

[Sea King]

 

As I said to you before, I probably won't be that far behind you. I just have to get up the motivation to want to quit.

 

--rita

 

Rita: how about living?

 

need any more motivation than that?

 

no better time than today to stop:)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Kakalina, congratulations! You're more than half way there. As with any addiction, the toughest part is deciding you want to quit. The rest of the road is a lot easier.

 

As you start to feel better and experience the freedom of not being attached to the cigarette pack, you won't even want to go back:D .

 

I gave up smoking at 25 and drinking at 45 .... can't tell you the difference both made in my life ...not to mention the enormous pride you feel for the accomplishment.

 

It's all good.:)

[sail7seas]

I hear that breaking the cigarette habit is much, much more difficult than getting over a cocaine addiction. Wouldn't know for sure as, thank God, I've never had an addiction to cocaine, but that's what my doctor tells me anyway.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

Kryos ..... Literally millions of people have quit smoking. You can, too. But that isn't the point of this thread.

 

I don't think that any cruise line that continues to restrict smoking is going to suffer as badly as some think they will. Sure, they will lose some cruisers but they also may gain some.

 

Whichever of the mass market lines is the first to ban smoking in all but very limited areas, will probably pick up lots of passengers from other lines that have more liberal policies.

 

In a perfect (non-smoking) world, Princess, Celebrity, HAL, RCI etc would ALL put new smoking rules into effect at the same time. That way no one cruise line would suffer any more than the rest. Some smokers will quit cruising all together but they continue to make up a smaller and smaller percentage of the traveling public.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I hear that breaking the cigarette habit is much, much more difficult than getting over a cocaine addiction. Wouldn't know for sure as, thank God, I've never had an addiction to cocaine, but that's what my doctor tells me anyway..............

 

Rita, I had missed this post. And I know it's a little off topic, but this is absolutely inaccurate information.

 

Thankfully, I haven't experienced a cocaine habit either, but I lived in NYC in the 70's and 80's and had many friends addicted to it. I can assure you that giving up smoking doesn't hold a candle to breaking an addiction to cocaine.

 

I can't even begin to understand any doctor who would tell their patients that.

[WELSH WIZARDS]

Thanks for the reasonable post. We are polite smokers. I actually watch the wind direction when I'm on the balcony and butts are never out of place. I have asked balcony neighbors if it bothers them, as I also do in the casino, etc. We NEVER smoke in non smoking areas of the ship or any non smoking land location.

 

We know it's a horrible habit, but it's also an addiction. We've tried, can't break it yet, and we'll keep trying. But, right now, it's our choice.

Judy

I too was a smoker, but gave it up when my son keep waving his hand in my smoke trails. This was way back in 1976. My husband and I also tried quite a few times to give up, but we never stopped trying Everi time you try but fail its one step nearer to the day you suceed.

I had a quote of Isaac Newton, no stranger to attempting and failing , which kept me trying.

"Truth is ever to be found in the simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things."

The simple truth for you, as it was for me and my hubby , is if you want to spend as much time as you can with your family, YOU HAVE TO QUIT

Another quote which my help is.....

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them - every day begin the task anew.

[Gonzo70]

Rita, I had missed this post. And I know it's a little off topic, but this is absolutely inaccurate information.

I can't even begin to understand any doctor who would tell their patients that.

 

Actually a large number of people in the addictions' field believe that nicotine is the most addicitive drug out there. Other highly addicitve drugs include crack cocaine and crystal meth.

[Denn33]

Maybe HAL should convert the "Sports Deck" basketball courts into smoking lounges. I doubt smoke from there would get into anyone's veranda, they could make it pleasant up there (maybe install a small bar, etc), and it's probably normally not utilized all that much for basketball as it.

[peaches from georgia]

Maybe HAL should convert the "Sports Deck" basketball courts into smoking lounges. I doubt smoke from there would get into anyone's veranda,.....

Sounds like a reasonable idea, but when did reason have anything at all to do with this issue. Instead of one or two cabins complaining about smoke from a nearby verandah, there would be all the verandahs on both sides of the ship screaming 'smoke, smoke, smoke' blowing their way off the top off the ship. ;)

[iceman93]

Not to mention people like me who like to play basketball and volleyball up there!

[Marmarjudy]

Judy , if you are truly interested in quitting there is a wonder drug just out called Chantix. That is what my Dr prescribed for me and it is a miracle. I have smoked a pack a day for over 40 years and I haven't even wanted one since my quit date. It's good stuff. Pricey, but then so were cigarettes.

 

 

I have heard of this new drug, and am planning to ask my doctor about it. I am concerned about interactions with the other drugs I take. Cost is not an issue, especially with the cost of the "addiction." Major problem here is that my husband has not yet bought into the idea of quitting.

 

And for those questioning the addiction to nicotine: there is medical proof/studies/whatever that it is comparable to, or worse than, addiction to heroin or other opioids. And nicotine is a legal drug, sold everywhere. Not everyone who smokes is addicted....for some it's just a bad habit, easily stopped like any other bad habit, but for many (like me, an intelligent person) it is a physical addiction. Please don't comment about quitting unless you, yourself, have been there, because you truly don't understand. It is much more than mind over matter, strong will, etc.

 

Judy

[duck tune]

I am sure that HAL will continue to provide smoking and non-smoking areas on all ships because customers from around the world will want to continue to have the option of smoking. I have always been amazed at how every cabin I've ever stayed in on a HAL ship smells so clean and fresh - DH and I have never once noticed cigarette smoke odors.