Poll: HAL Smoking Survey

[RevNeal]

You might be surprised to know that I am technically a "non-smoker" right now. I've been suffering from the effects of pnemonia, as well as some other health problems, and have had no choice but to give up smoking.

 

I remember you saying, a while back, that you've been recovering from pneumonia, but I didn't realize you were fighting other problems too. I'm very sorry. I pray you recover quickly.

[RevNeal]

I too have a difficult time reading posts in pink or red, and generally skip them. :)

 

If it happens to be something that you really want to read, try highlighting the text with your curser (as if you were going to copy-paste it). That will make it easier to read. It's what I do to read really tiny print as well as print that is in light colors. Not the pink ... I'm not having any trouble reading it today.

[sail7seas]

That's interesting that some people have difficulty with red and pink ... does it also apply to other things such as greeting cards, book covers, signs, etc.? Maybe a topic for another poll?;)

 

 

I don't have any problem with pink and red in my day to day life. Your font and color come across on MY screen very feint in color. Brand new laptop and excellent screen resolution but for whatever reason, your posts are too difficult to read.

 

That't fine. Don't worry about it. I can just 'cruise on by'.

[sail7seas]

If it happens to be something that you really want to read, try highlighting the text with your curser (as if you were going to copy-paste it). That will make it easier to read. It's what I do to read really tiny print as well as print that is in light colors. Not the pink ... I'm not having any trouble reading it today.

 

 

Thanks, Greg. If I remember that method the next time I see one of the feint posts, I'll try it. The chance of my remembering is questionable. :(

[Susan-M]

Brand new laptop and excellent screen resolution but for whatever reason, your posts are too difficult to read.

 

I think you meant Usha's posts. :)

[sail7seas]

Yup....:) I did.

[kryos]

That's interesting that some people have difficulty with red and pink ... does it also apply to other things such as greeting cards, book covers, signs, etc.? Maybe a topic for another poll?;)

It depends on the quality and settings of one's computer monitor.

 

I have difficulties with some things at work. The monitor itself is decent, but I can't alter any settings either in software (network prohibits it) or in hardware (the monitor is behind a large plexiglass barrier). So certain things cause me a problem there ... including certain colors and small text sizes. But here at home I have no problem reading the pink. Just don't give me yellow.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

I remember you saying, a while back, that you've been recovering from pneumonia, but I didn't realize you were fighting other problems too. I'm very sorry. I pray you recover quickly.

 

Thank you, Rev. I can sure use all the prayer I can get ... And ... in the meantime, I've been using all the extra time I have to surf websites and download mp3's ... including some of those on your site, Rev.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Golfette]

How about big, fat, goofy, screaming pink???:D

 

DEEEELICIOUS!!!

[Kane]

Since this poll discussion has taken a segue off the topic into typefaces and colors, it appears most everyone that would vote already has and that it is o.k. to do a "pre-final" analysis.

 

The results of the poll were fascinating to me. When I first saw the poll I had mentally predicted that the non-smokers would really jump on this one. The smoker (by cabin, not individual) totals were orders of magnitude of what I initially thought they would be.

 

Maybe HAL has a larger percentage of smokers (> 25%) than what pundits would like one to believe ... and they feel pretty strongly about this. The other possibility is that there is a higher percentage of smokers utilizing Cruise Critic ... or both.

 

Although we will most likely never know the results of the polls HAL themselves conduct, if they are anything like this one, it would not appear that smoking policies on HAL are likely to change radically from what they are now.

 

In conclusion ... very interesting.

[gillianrose]

Since HAL is doing a smoking survey...

 

WHERE and HOW is HAL conducting a survey?

 

We took a cruise on HAL last August and had really terrible problems with the smoke onboard the Zuiderdam, yet we have not even heard of HAL themselves conducting a survey. I want to participate OFFICIALLY. I have found that it is not very productive to simply tell HAL reservation agents or their supervisors or their supervisor's supervisors or the Mariner folks.

 

I am on the line with HAL right now (again) and am being told there is no such poll or survey. It is very frustrating.

 

I have already stated here on Cruise Critic that I will not ever sail HAL again unless they at least match Celebrity's Oct. 1, 2008 smoking changes. I like HAL very much EXCEPT for the smokiness, especially on the balconies.

 

How can I participate in an official poll?

[marle7]

WHERE and HOW is HAL conducting a survey?

 

We took a cruise on HAL last August and had really terrible problems with the smoke onboard the Zuiderdam, yet we have not even heard of HAL themselves conducting a survey. I want to participate OFFICIALLY. I have found that it is not very productive to simply tell HAL reservation agents or their supervisors or their supervisor's supervisors or the Mariner folks.

 

I am on the line with HAL right now (again) and am being told there is no such poll or survey. It is very frustrating.

 

I have already stated here on Cruise Critic that I will not ever sail HAL again unless they at least match Celebrity's Oct. 1, 2008 smoking changes. I like HAL very much EXCEPT for the smokiness, especially on the balconies.

 

How can I participate in an official poll?

 

We get it already. all over the boards in fact. I believe you have to actually sail on HAL to get one of the questionaires that they've been handing out. Perhaps they weren't handing them out on your cruise, although I'm sure you made your feelings known. Since apparently you won't be sailing on HAL again, you won't be participating, other than to write or call HAL as you have done. Please, enjoy Celebrity.

[sail7seas]

How can I participate in an official poll?

 

Take an HAL cruise. The poll is being distributed aboard the ships.

 

[gillianrose]

I really appreciate that you have set up the poll, Susan. I would have liked to have had another option included which would be:

 

I will ONLY cruise on HAL if smoking is banned in cabins and on balconies.

 

I would have checked that box, and I think that others may have, also.

[Taxguy77]

Great to have this poll. NOTE: More people do NOT smoke than would vote for the total exclusion of smoking, refuting my impression 20 years ago when I quit smoking.

Does HAL allow cigar smoking anywhere on board? A couple of cruises ago I found a bar that sold cigars and allowed people to smoke them. It was a fine bar where I met a very interesting gentleman who enjoyed a fine cigar after dinner. I found the atmostphere to be better (less smokey) than the casino, even though seated with a cigar smoker.

[RuthC]

I really appreciate that you have set up the poll, Susan. I would have liked to have had another option included which would be:

 

I will ONLY cruise on HAL if smoking is banned in cabins and on balconies.

 

This poll was set up to mirror HAL's questionnaire. You are free to set up a different poll with different questions.

[gillianrose]

I believe you have to actually sail on HAL to get one of the questionaires that they've been handing out. Perhaps they weren't handing them out on your cruise, although I'm sure you made your feelings known. Since apparently you won't be sailing on HAL again, you won't be participating, other than to write or call HAL as you have done. Please, enjoy Celebrity.

 

Well, I certainly won't PAY to take the survey, (i.e. take a another cruise on a smoky ship just to participate in the survey), so you are correct, my vote won't count in HAL's official survey.

 

Did I let HAL know while on the ship? Sure, but not in the way you most likely think. I called the Suite line and requested to have our cabin thoroughly cleaned because it reeked of smoke. The very courteous staff came and cleaned it very thoroughly, including removal of all soft goods and intensive cleaning and I was satisfied with their efforts. I didn't write a letter or follow up with the Hotel Director, though I realize now that I should have done so.

 

No one on board could do anything to clean the balcony air, however, and due to an upwind cigar smoker and one or more upwind cigarette smokers who chain-smoked on their balconies during breakfast and lunchtime and every other time, we got very little use of our suite balcony. That's just not right. I don't see how anyone can suggest that it is.

 

So, yes, I will enjoy Celebrity, but I will continue to try to change HAL's smoking policy, because we like HAL very much in other ways and want to see the smoking policy change so that we can sail HAL, too.

[marle7]

And we'd like Celebrity to modify their new rules so we can sail them too. Sometimes you can't have everything you want. I'm sure we'll be quite satisfied with the lines we choose. I hope you are too.

[RuthC]

Does HAL allow cigar smoking anywhere on board?

Yes, but the location will vary depending on the ship.

[gillianrose]

This poll was set up to mirror HAL's questionnaire. You are free to set up a different poll with different questions.

 

Since I never saw HAL's survey, I was not aware of this fact. Thank you for pointing it out to me.

[jtl513]

That's interesting that some people have difficulty with red and pink ... does it also apply to other things such as greeting cards, book covers, signs, etc.? Maybe a topic for another poll?;)

It's not pink and red per se, but those colors on a white background that give me eye strain. Greg's trick of highlighting to invert the colors certainly helps ... but I just generally skip anything posted in pink or red. Or that light yellow-green.

[marle7]

It's not pink and red per se, but those colors on a white background that give me eye strain. Greg's trick of highlighting to invert the colors certainly helps ... but I just generally skip anything posted in pink or red.

 

Me too. It's just eye strain these older eyes don't need. I find that the pink goes blurry on me most of the time. Possibly a good thing.:)

[gillianrose]

And we'd like Celebrity to modify their new rules so we can sail them too. Sometimes you can't have everything you want. I'm sure we'll be quite satisfied with the lines we choose. I hope you are too.

 

I trust that HAL, a company desirous of not only holding onto past loyal customers (including ourselves) but wanting to increase their market share, realizes that smoking cruisers are a dwindling number (as more and more people quit smoking and fewer start the habit) and will come to the conclusion that Celebrity, Oceania, Azamara, Regent, and others have made the correct financial decision and HAL will not want to be left behind and known as "the smokers' cruise line" in the media and among cruisers.

[RuthC]

Greg's trick of highlighting to invert the colors certainly helps ... but I just generally skip anything posted in pink or red.

Me too. It's not important enough to me to go to the trouble to adjust the coloring.

And it's not just the pink---it's some of the other light, pastel colors, too.

[sail7seas]

I'm so glad to hear it isn't only me that can't read that pale pink print. :)

And I agree about the pale green/yellow as well. They're too hard to read.