Official : Celebrity Revamps Smoking Policy Effective 10/1/08

[AllieInMD]

RCCL went non smoking in staterooms, but you can still smoke on balconies. It's the only reason really I paid premium for a suite on Majesty next January, I smoke cigs and my bf smokes 1 cigar a day on vacation.

 

The anti-smoking ****'s will rejoice - just another violation of smoker's rights - next thing you know you won't be able to smoke in your own home. People really need to get over the idea that THEY own the entire atmosphere. Smokers had to learn that - it's time the non-smokers learn it too. I don't have a problem with them having their slice of atmosphere that is smoke free, but I want my slice where I'm free to smoke. Outdoors is outdoors - nobody owns the atmosphere! I'm a polite smoker, but I have a right to smoke - it's a legal indulgence - like their glass of wine or 20 martinis. At least tobacco isn't mind altering. When was last time you heard about someone causing a fatal wreck cuz they were smoking tobacco? Or there was a tobacco fueled bar fight? Or drowned in their own vomit because they had too much tobacco?

 

And when are they going to crack down about people who drown themselves in perfume and cologne? I'm chemically sensitive - some of these people you can smell at 50 ft. Last time I looked (about a year ago), 70% of asthma attacks are triggered by exposure to perfume. 70%! of immediate life-threatening medical emergencies.

 

Which is more dangerous to the public in a public space? Outdoor diluted exposure to smoke 30 days a year on cruises or a 70% chance that your tablemate's perfume will kill you with an asthma attack today?

 

Think I'm gonna start up that cause here in Maryland where they outlawed smoking pretty much everywhere.

 

 

Its a shame, we really liked X...it was our cruiseline of choice. I guess this is the end of our funtimes with Celebrity. Hopefully we will like one of the other lines that allow stateroom smoking as much as we enjoyed all of our Celebrity Trips. :( :( :(

[AllieInMD]

Do you wear perfume? scented lotion? have scented laundry detergent or dryer fabric sheets? Don't you know how much you smell? Did you know that you can kill someone TODAY immediately if they have asthma?

 

YES! YES! YES! Why wait till Oct??? Port side on only ONE lounge? SWEET!! Do it now!

At least our next two cruises are after the start date.

I just think if people are not going be smart and do whatever it takes to kick their addiction, the rest of us shouldn't have to suffer. Don't they realize how much they smell? If they choose to switch lines, so be it. Go pollute somewhere else. :D

[Saveapenny]

One of the hardest things to quit smoking is being around smokers

We had both planned to quit after out 2 holidays that are comming up

1 cruise on the Summit and then 1 land holiday in Santorini which is a very hard place not to smoke if you have recently quit as most of Greece still smoke heavily.

With the last holiday being in June we will then have 4 clear months before our next cruise in October. So even being a smoker at present X will be back on our list of the October cruise and as a plus with maybe a lot of other Europeans canceling cabins might be cheap or better located :D

Mandy

[Steph27]

After suffering and choking on our balcony due to our neighbor's smoke on Constellation and Century this is very welcome news! I booked the Solstice for 2009 and was considering not selecting a balcony due to the possibility of smoke coming from next door. I decided to choose the balcony figuring I could always change it later. Now I don't have to!!! I should add that not only was there smoke on the balcony during our Century cruise in November 2007 but the smoke even came thru the wall into our cabin. I was fed up so I left the cabin to calm down and went to the Cova Cafe. Well guess what? More smoking! (I know I should have just gone to the bar) It was just a horrible few days. In the past I sailed Celebrity Concierge Class and if they could have promised no smoking nearby that would have been a real perk worth paying for. This news is very exciting!!

[LKN-NC]

Great news! The timing could have been better, unfotunately we will be on the last 'smoking' cruise on Century. Wish this started 2 days earlier!

[C 2 C]

I should add that not only was there smoke on the balcony during our Century cruise in November 2007 but the smoke even came thru the wall into our cabin.

 

We had the same experience in February. Smokers do not realize (or care) that the air that seems to smell so sweet to them is not contained in their allotted space but pollutes the air of their neighbors.

[Saveapenny]

I dont think there is any need for this thread to start becoming a slanging match against smokers/non smokers again

[Hflors]

Does this mean that Celebrity will stop selling the GIANT cartons of Cigarettes in their shops! Or will they "store" them until the last evening and deliver them to your cabin?

 

I do not smoke and have not for many years, but I am just wondering if the people who are so happy about this would be just as happy if Celebrity decided to stop allowing people to bring personal cameras, how about if third and forth passengers had to start paying full fee, or how about not allowing sounivers from shore to be brought back on the ship, or maybe passengers could only disembark at each stop if they took a ship's tour. Would the same people be talking about how happy they are, and how wonderful it is?

 

Just remember when you are happy about someone's elses rights being infringed on that someone someday maybe you!

 

I think there is room on this world (and aboard cruise ships) for all of us.

 

I am putting on my flame retardent suit right now!

[ward10]

I am just wondering if the people who are so happy about this would be just as happy if Celebrity decided to stop allowing people to bring personal cameras

 

I'm not sure I've heard of passive photography affecting someone else's health.

 

I'm sure the dealers and staff in the casino will appreciate the cleaner air.

[Drew B]

I have to respectfully disagree with you, Drew. Celebrity started a pilot program of the highly restrictive smoking on Summit's casino last year. I spoke at length with both the casino manager and the head pit boss and they both said that if X saw an appreciable decline in revenue in the casino, they would not implement the policy fleet wide. On that Summit cruise, 14 day Panama Canal, the casino was packed, you couldn't get a seat at tables and they didn't seem to be hurt by the new policy. And, they did enforce this with signs all over the casino, and staff nicely reminding the patrons of this new policy. I play the tables and every single dealer said they loved the new policy---many said that the smoke did bother them and it was nice to work without someone blowing smoke in their face. When we sailed on Constellation in early January, of course they didn't have the same policy as Summit. When I spoke to those staff members, they all said that the policy was working very well on Summit and they predicted that it would be fleet wide in the near future. The pit boss, Jacqui, said that Summit actually saw an increase in revenue in the casino in the months the policy was in effect. So it does appear that with their test ship, the restrictive smoking policy didn't affect the bottom line. And, you could not smell smoke drifting over from the bank of machines where smoking was allowed, unless you were sitting right there.

 

I have no doubt that the dealers appreciate the change. As a smoker, I always stand at a table when I smoke, hold the cigarette away from the table, and blow my smoke up and away from the dealers. I actually get angry at those who blow it right into their faces...

 

You may be right about the revenue. I think that the short-term Summit results could be a fluke -- people reacting to the novelty of a smoke-free casino. Only time will tell if the business will sustain, long-term without smokers. If so, then X has definitely made the right decision. If not, I'm guessing they will modify the policy and add back at least some smoking tables (perhaps one smoking pit and one non-smoking pit).

 

Meanwhile, I don't begrudge the non-smokers their victory, even if it means I end up cruising elsewhere. Who knows. If other lines follow suit, I may not be able to smoke in ANY ships' casinos. At that point, I doubt I would give up cruising, so I'd just come back to X and just take frequent cigarette breaks (either outside or in the smoking section of the slots) or just forego gambling altogether (at which point, Disney or NCL America might get some of my business. I've always wanted to try both, but the lack of a casino ruined it for me.)...

[C 2 C]

I'm sure there is a lock being readied for this thread. There are just too many people, on either side of this argument, who have been flamed in the past and are now jumping for joy or throwing tantrums.

To me this has nothing to with personal rights but about actions taken by one person that negatively affects the well being of another. It is impossible to contain exhaled air only in the personal space of the smoker. As soon as it enters the personal space of another, their rights have been impacted. Perhaps there should be a new slogan: "Smokers of the World Unite"; start a new cruiseline that prohibits people from butting out. Based on certain posts, 80% of the ship will be a casino and the most profitable ship afloat.:cool:

[FinelyCruising]

I suspect that more would utilize the casino as a result of the policy, and I imagine this might well be the first time and the only place that X really enforces it's policy. They will get assaulted in the casino up front and center...possibly with a gang mentality if they don't enforce it on the spot after this.

 

For the cabins, while inside them, who will know. On the balconies if someone does complain, and X does knock on the door, then for sure smoking will be inside the cabin only after that by that smoking passenger.

 

It's a tough topic for sure.

[Host Joe]

I could not be happier with this, my congratulations to Celebrity for making this move! :D

[marle7]

I have no doubt that the dealers appreciate the change. As a smoker, I always stand at a table when I smoke, hold the cigarette away from the table, and blow my smoke up and away from the dealers. I actually get angry at those who blow it right into their faces...

 

You may be right about the revenue. I think that the short-term Summit results could be a fluke -- people reacting to the novelty of a smoke-free casino. Only time will tell if the business will sustain, long-term without smokers. If so, then X has definitely made the right decision. If not, I'm guessing they will modify the policy and add back at least some smoking tables (perhaps one smoking pit and one non-smoking pit).

 

Meanwhile, I don't begrudge the non-smokers their victory, even if it means I end up cruising elsewhere. Who knows. If other lines follow suit, I may not be able to smoke in ANY ships' casinos. At that point, I doubt I would give up cruising, so I'd just come back to X and just take frequent cigarette breaks (either outside or in the smoking section of the slots) or just forego gambling altogether (at which point, Disney or NCL America might get some of my business. I've always wanted to try both, but the lack of a casino ruined it for me.)...

 

I have rebooked two of my three cruises on Cunard. If the rest of the lines follow suit, I will stop cruising. I may have to put up with it where I live and work, but I don't where I will be spending thousands of dollars on a vacation by choice. There are lots of other options out there..

 

I am happy for the non smokers who will now be able to cruise smoke free. I don't have to.

[marle7]

 

For the cabins, while inside them, who will know. On the balconies if someone does complain, and X does knock on the door, then for sure smoking will be inside the cabin only after that by that smoking passenger.

 

It's a tough topic for sure.

 

Of course they will know if you smoke in your cabin. The cabin steward is in there at least twice a day and they have supervisors above them that come in to check their work. It's pretty obvious to a non smoker if there's been smoke in the cabin.

[FinelyCruising]

Of course they will know if you smoke in your cabin. The cabin steward is in there at least twice a day and they have supervisors above them that come in to check their work. It's pretty obvious to a non smoker if there's been smoke in the cabin.

 

The cabin stewards will not say a word, nor will anyone else above them. You can bet on it.

[raudacruise]

I'll be very surprised if Celebrity can sustain the in-cabin/balcony smoking ban. As pointed out, only 20% of the US population smokes (depending on which study you look at). Demographics might say something like only 10% of those that might consider cruising smoke. But then there is the situation where one spouse smokes the other doesn't.

 

It really doesn't matter, its very bottom line. Celebrity (and RCL) has decided to narrow its market at the same time its in a big ship building mode. This new policy is not going to enhance their revenue stream to pay for all of this, quite the opposite.

 

Everyone, be honest with yourselves. Carnival tried this with one ship and had disastorous results.

 

As an ex-smoker, I really don't care. My problem with Celebrity is their apparent cost-cutting on maintenance on the existing fleet to pay for the new ships. If they start losing revenue, where is the next cost cut going to come from?

[marle7]

The cabin stewards will not say a word, nor will anyone else above them. You can bet on it.

 

I really hate to disagree with you, but on a recent Explorer cruise, I was dutifully smoking only on my balcony as per the rules. About 4 nights into the cruise, my son received a letter and a lecture from the housekeeping supervisor who told him to tell his parents that smoking was not allowed in the cabin. (We were not in the cabin at the time). This supervisor "thought" she smelled a "bit" of smoke in our cabin. She had not checked with our cabin steward, nor did she bother to contact us directly to even ask us about it. Needless to say, since I had not been smoking in the cabin, I took that one all the way up the chain of command, not only for the insult but for involving my son. RC offered us a really good future cruise credit which we declined, and a formal written apology.

 

So I'd take your bet.

[Kathie44]

I have mild asthma that is not aggravated by detergents or lotions. I seldom wear perfume and never one that is strong. I hate plug-in continuous room fresheners. Exposure to tobacco smoke flares up my asthma after a short time, almost as bad as my cat allergy.

On our MR cruise on Mercury in Jan. '07 we sat at dinner with 4 people who smoked like chimneys and even sometimes went out for a smoke and came back before dinner was over. They all smelled like ashtrays.

Smokers lose their sense of smell which is why they have no clue that others can smell them. It permeates their clothes, hair and skin--ugh.

It also affects other family members. I had a 2nd grade student once who smelled so bad from her mother's second-hand smoke (from the car ride to school) that other kids complained about having to sit next to her and it almost gagged me, too. It was even sadder when the mother developed chronic emphysema and was on oxygen before age 40.

Banning smoking from all but one lounge will be a big help. I predict that this new policy will be a big hit and the casinos will not suffer. If a smoker can't sit for a couple of hours at the tables or sleep overnight without having withdrawal, he/she is dire need of help.

[marle7]

If a smoker can't sit for a couple of hours at the tables or sleep overnight without having withdrawal, he/she is dire need of help.

 

It's not that we can't, but that why should we, on a vacation that we paid thousands of dollars for? You're all quite welcome to your non smoking ships. I've said this before. I don't begrudge you them. I simply choose to therefore spend my dollars elsewhere.

[moondoggie]

After ten years of sailing, we will now consider a balcony cabin. In the past we have refused to pay for a balcony, knowing that chances were very good that we would be inundated with desperate smokers around us. Kudos to Celebrity!

[FinelyCruising]

I really hate to disagree with you, but on a recent Explorer cruise, I was dutifully smoking only on my balcony as per the rules. About 4 nights into the cruise, my son received a letter and a lecture from the housekeeping supervisor who told him to tell his parents that smoking was not allowed in the cabin. (We were not in the cabin at the time). This supervisor "thought" she smelled a "bit" of smoke in our cabin. She had not checked with our cabin steward, nor did she bother to contact us directly to even ask us about it. Needless to say, since I had not been smoking in the cabin, I took that one all the way up the chain of command, not only for the insult but for involving my son. RC offered us a really good future cruise credit which we declined, and a formal written apology.

 

So I'd take your bet.

 

Well then you would win. How old is your son, it seems quite off to me for the cruiseline to ask a kid tell his parents this....does your son smoke? Sounds like someone was telling on someone as I predicted will happen on X, but you were on the balcony. This new rule says no smoking out there....

 

So how well were the stewards tipped after that debacle??? That's my point.

[FinelyCruising]

After ten years of sailing, we will now consider a balcony cabin. In the past we have refused to pay for a balcony, knowing that chances were very good that we would be inundated with desperate smokers around us. Kudos to Celebrity!

 

There have been smoking sides of the ship and its cabins and non smoking sides of the ship and its cabins. Did you know that you could have selected a balcony on the non-smoking side the whole time?

[FinelyCruising]

It's not that we can't, but that why should we, on a vacation that we paid thousands of dollars for? You're all quite welcome to your non smoking ships. I've said this before. I don't begrudge you them. I simply choose to therefore spend my dollars elsewhere.

 

I think smoking areas are amenities of individualism and should be protected as such.

 

I don't smoke, but I run real estate and recognize that others do smoke and I go as far as to select specific locations to set aside with creature comforts to recognize that smokers are people too.

[DrKoob]

I'll be very surprised if Celebrity can sustain the in-cabin/balcony smoking ban. As pointed out, only 20% of the US population smokes (depending on which study you look at). Demographics might say something like only 10% of those that might consider cruising smoke. But then there is the situation where one spouse smokes the other doesn't.

 

It really doesn't matter, its very bottom line. Celebrity (and RCL) has decided to narrow its market at the same time its in a big ship building mode. This new policy is not going to enhance their revenue stream to pay for all of this, quite the opposite.

 

Everyone, be honest with yourselves. Carnival tried this with one ship and had disastorous results.

 

As an ex-smoker, I really don't care. My problem with Celebrity is their apparent cost-cutting on maintenance on the existing fleet to pay for the new ships. If they start losing revenue, where is the next cost cut going to come from?

 

Sorry, your argument that this will "narrow its market" doesn't fly. Here in the state of Washington smoking was banned in almost every public indoor area two years ago. Thousands of bar and restaurant owners said they would be out of business in no time. In reality, two years later--bars and restaurants who said they would be out of business are thriving. I think that this move will make X grow. I am betting that there are plenty of cruisers on Princess, Costa and HAL alone who may switch because like the majority of non-smokers who have posted on this thread, they are sick of smoke.

 

We had a horrible time in the tiny Martini Bar on Century last November and all I can say today is HALLELUJAH!!!