Smoking policy

[Louise34]

Can anyone who has sailed MSC to the Caribbean please tell me what the smoking policy is? I am extremely bothered by smoke, and hopefully there are smoke-free areas. Thanks

[Janan]

I'm going to sail on the orchestra next april. so while checking the website I found this:

 

Q:New Smoking Policy on board !

A:MSC Cruises has introduced throughout its fleet a “Clean Air” policy, which will allow both smokers and non-smokers to enjoy their holidays on board in mutual respect.

After the introduction of the ‘Clean Air’ policy, the trials of the extensive smoke-free zones have received general approval of passengers.

We have eliminated smoking in all areas where non-smokers and smokers would have shared the same spaces.

We assigned a few rooms where smokers are welcome, but the majority of indoor spaces are now non-smoking.

On all MSC vessels, smoking is therefore only allowed indoors in the Cigar Rooms, the Casinos and in one dedicated lounge. Passengers can also smoke outside, on one side of the sun deck, but no smoking is allowed in cabins or on balcony cabins.

The rest of the ships is therefore totally smoke-free, for the benefit of non-smokers.

Thanks to the Clean Air Policy, MSC Cruises has therefore managed to satisfy both smokers and non-smokers by having a 90% smoke-free ship.

I hope this helps

 

Andy

[Louise34]

Thanks so much for that info. I am especially surprised to see that balcony smoking is prohibited. (and thats a good thing!) Not so on other lines. Really anxious to experience MSC, as it can be fun to try something new and exciting.... Joan

[Janan]

Definitley agree about the new and exciting....when is your cruise? Ours is in April '09 on the orchestra and I am definitley psyched!

 

Andy

[Louise34]

We are sailing March 14, 2009. Seems like a long way off, but it will give us loads of fun reading the info from those who sail the Orchestra before we do. More and more people are interested in this line, so glad we got on the bandwagon early, and got great prices...

[Janan]

Well Your sailing about a month before I am so I guess you'll have to tell me all about it:D I hope you have a great cruise!

 

Andy

[deepwaters]

We did a 20 day cruise to the Caribbean on the Lirica. The smoking policy is a joke! Their daily activity sheet tells you where you can smoke, but they don't enforce any of their policies. The 6th deck which is the only main deck to walk through the ship forward to aft, reeks of smoke! The casino is located on this deck and you have to hold your breath just to walk past it. The 5th deck has several bars that allow smoking and of course you have to walk past those to get to one of the restaurants, the reception desk and various other desks. There is no smoking on the port side, but they do not enforce this, and even provide ashtrays on that side.

Our cabin which was on the 10th deck, we we're constantly smelling smoke in our room. The aft decks, which are listed as non-smoking areas, ashtrays are also provided and of course people smoke there and every time the door is opened smoke goes down the hall.

We complained about their no smoking policy but they said they couldn't do anything about it!

So if you're irritated by smoke, this is not the ship for you! We will never sail on an MSC ship again, this being just one of our complaints about this ship line! Good Luck

[Louise34]

Ohh no! The previously posted rules seemed to solve the smoking policy, but...unless it is enforced they are useless. We are on the 11th deck, portside balcony cabin. We always are concerned in a balcony cabin, but have been very lucky most times to be next to non-smokers. Well, we will just have to hope for the best. Being the Orchestra will be in the Caribbean with a probable majority of non-europeans, less smoking may happen. Sure do hope so. If not, I plan to be challenging MSC to enforce their rules....I believe smokers have the same rights as non-smokers, but the rules should be followed by all.

[American-in-Belgium]

We just got off the Orchestra yesterday. In the public areas, the smoking rules were mostly followed. I did see a guy sneaking a smoke in the luke-warm tub area. If I didn't need to get out of the luke-warm tub into the cold air, I would have reported him.

 

Editted to add: some of the bars and always the casino allow smoking. You must plan your route to avoid these. If on a ship like Orchestra, go to deck 6 when moving to the theatre to avoid the casino. A part of the pool deck allows smoking.

 

We observed people smoking on their balconies routinely, although it is not allowed. I think people view that as "their space" and will do what they choose.

[macruise]

We found that the no-smoking policy wasn't enforced, but I can't imagine wasting staff time sniffing out staterooms. There was one stateroom on our deck that emitted vast amounts of smoke on a regular basis.

On our first night in the Broadway Theatre, the smoke wafted in from the Lord Nelson Pub, a designated smoking lounge.

In retrospect, other than these two incidents, we didn't notice an excessive amount of smoking outside of the designated areas. There are always people who feel that the rules don't apply to them, so they smoke in their staterooms. Maybe they don't read or speak any of the five languages that Lirica uses.

 

macruise

[macruise]

Forgot to mention that there was an ashtray in our bathroom. This certainly sends a missed message. If you hadn't read the policies, you might assume that smoking in the bathroom of the stateroom is ok.

 

macruise

[Louise34]

Along with the bedspread, a bathroom ashtray will be among the first things I will have removed from the stateroom. Perhaps by the time we sail on the Orchestra in the Caribbean they will have ironed out the smoking rules.