Were you bothered by second hand smoke in your balcony?

[CruisinNole]

Yes and by the nasty cigarette butts that we would find on our balcony every day. Obviously, a lot of smokers don't use ashtrays.

[moojar]

Slight exageration I think, if I woke up in a smoke filled room, I would be out of the cabin fast, and be listening for the sound of the ocean from the safety of a lifeboat.

 

I'd rather you there than at my dinner table. :D

[ChipA]

That is why we keep making the recommendation on the survey card to provide one side of the ship that is "no smoking" including the balcony.

 

 

Yes I have made that suggestion several times. They do not read the survey cards. I asked them to contact me on the survey card and never heard from anyone. If it works on the open decks why not on the balconies.

 

We were on the hump and two cabins forward smoked a lot because they would bring 2 other couples traveling with them to their room to smoke. We have had a balcony on 3 other cruises with no problem. They were within their rights and the rules.

[koolforkatz]

We've had several balconies and I guess we've been lucky. Never had a problem with smoke drifting our way at all or butts on the balcony.

[Aquahound]

Yes I have made that suggestion several times.

 

Logistically, how could they make that work? How would RCI ensure that only non-smokers book one side of the ship and smokers book the other? In some way, they would have to designate the one side as "smoking rooms" (or smoking balconies) in order to ensure it. That desigation would prevent non-smokers, which is the majority, from booking that side.

 

It's all or nothing on the balconies.

[RayJacki]

I thought my TA told me that after October 2008, RCCL was no longer allowing smoking on ANY balconies and charging a $250 cleaning fee for anyone that did smoke on their balcony.

Did they try that but find it unenforceable or am I just misinformed?

[ChipLondon]

I'd rather you there than at my dinner table. :D

 

 

Sorry I don't remember being rude to you, but I must have been for you to pass such a comment, so for whatever I said I apologise.

[Aquahound]

I thought my TA told me that after October 2008, RCCL was no longer allowing smoking on ANY balconies and charging a $250 cleaning fee for anyone that did smoke on their balcony.

 

Did they try that but find it unenforceable or am I just misinformed?

 

You may be thinking of Celebrity, which is an RCCL line. They do enforce it and it is working.

[publicpersona]

I'm not sure how sympathetic I can be with those who leave their balcony doors open "all the time" and smoke gets in. However..

 

One of life's grandest pleasures for us on a cruise is room service breakfast on the balcony. More than once, this experience was ruined because someone right underneath us or beside us lit up a cig, sending us scurrying back into the room.

 

I don't wish to deny anyone else's vices as they choose to practice them, but when they interfere with someone else's pleasures, it has gone too far.

[cruisldy]

I thought my TA told me that after October 2008, RCCL was no longer allowing smoking on ANY balconies and charging a $250 cleaning fee for anyone that did smoke on their balcony.

 

Did they try that but find it unenforceable or am I just misinformed?

 

Your TA could be referring to the new, not yet in service, Oasis class Boardwalk balconies. This is what I found on the Royal Caribbean Web sight.

 

"Effective January 2008, smoking is only permitted in designated areas and outdoors on the Starboard side of the ship (contact the Guest Services for details). Smoking is not permitted in any dining venue, theater, hallway or corridor. Smoking is not permitted inside any stateroom or on Oasis class Boardwalk or Central Park private balconies, however, it is permitted on private ocean view balconies of balcony/suite staterooms. A $250 penalty will be applied to the SeaPass for guests found smoking in staterooms or on the private balconies in Boardwalk and Central Park onboard Oasis class ships. Pipe & cigar smoking is only permitted within the Cigar lounge. If no Cigar lounge exists on the ship, there will be a designated area for pipe & cigar smoking, you will find out the location once onboard. Cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco must be properly disposed of and never thrown overboard. A guest must be at least 18 years of age to purchase, possess or use tobacco onboard."

[yogimax]

The simple answer to the question is yes - and it is annoying.

[Redheada]

My very first JS was on the Freedom last December and we had the WORST neighbors. Not only did they smoke pretty much the entire cruise all through the night but the man smoked cigars as well and hacked so loud all the time I am sure every single room in the vicinity heard him (at 3am in the morning). Although I think they have ashtrays every morning there were butts and ashes all over our balcony probably from the wind blowing it over. And to top it off they also left their TV blaring the map channel (classical music) every night even after complaints.

 

I am a very laid back ex smoker and it rarely bothers me but it very much bothered me this trip and it definitely effected our enjoyment of having our first suite as well as my review of the cruise.

 

This is why I believe the type of room you have really has no bearing on whether you have a good time or not. But the location and people around you much do.....

[camofwilliamsburg]

When we did LOS we could not spend a total of even 5 min outside on our balcony. It was that bad with smokers all around us. At night, we could not even leave the door open to hear the ocean since the smoking at night drifted in. Since then, we have done inside cabins and have doubled the amount of cruises taken each year...so I guess I should say THANKS to the smokers. I thought I could never enjoy a cruise in an inside cabin. I can..we just walk around the open decks before going to our cabin.

[cafediem]

Yes. It's awful - lovely fresh ocean air, then the awful stench of cigarette smoke.

I didn't know Celebrity was completely non-smoking - will have to investigate it for our next cruise. There is no reason why non-smoking cabins would not work - they work quite well in hotels after all. Designate one side as non-smoking, ask people if they want a non-smoking stateroom, and when that side is full, let people know that they will be on the smoking side... you'd find out what the demand was for smoking and non-smoking staterooms and could better meet customer demand.

Fortunately we are near the front of the ship this year, so while moving have a lower probability of being bothered by smoke. Fingers crossed.

[mistyflannigan]

I am horribly allergic to cigarette smoke and suffered severe asthma attacks as a child. When my father quit smoking when I was 12, my asthma improved. When I was a child, adults could pretty much smoke where ever they pleased, causing much me much disability. We booked a balcony cabin and all I can do is hope the neighbor is a non-smoker. California has one of the lowest smoking rates in the nation, but I realize other states and countries have a much higher rate of smoking and a higher tolerance of it. I do remember on our first trip to Alaska, our outdoor time watching the calving glaciers was ruined by an old lady (now probably dead) with a cigarette.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

YES! I have bad allergies and any smoke makes it worse.

 

Catch 22.......

Its a shame we book balconies to enjoy breakfast, sunsets, or just relax and then we are limited to the use because of smoke. They have their right to smoke out there, but it takes away my right to enjoy our balcony smoke free.

 

I am happy that RC made the casinos non smoking on formal nights.

 

***

[awsum9]

Yes, bothered big time on last cruise with smoking on balcony.............oopps, that was me !!!!!!

[alphakitty]

I thought my TA told me that after October 2008, RCCL was no longer allowing smoking on ANY balconies and charging a $250 cleaning fee for anyone that did smoke on their balcony.

 

Did they try that but find it unenforceable or am I just misinformed?

 

Your TA was probably referring to the ban on smoking in cabins (which some will argue has forced even more to book and smoke on balconies, thus increasing the problem), ....that is where the $250 cleaning fee is assessed. It is for anyone who smokes in their cabin.

 

To the OP's question: I quit smoking October 18, 2008 yay me! :) On our last cruise I did notice smoking though I never had before when I smoked :) It didn't really bother me though....I just moved inside for a bit....no problem.

[billscruiser]

We love a balcony room and have had several cruises that we have been very inconvienced by smokers next door or below us. The cigar smokers are really offensive. I used to wait and wait and wait for him to finish his cigar so we could go back out on to the balcony. It must take an hour to smoke a cigar. Probably more economical in the long run than cigarettes now days. We are ex-smokers and don't avoid places with smoking, but being awakened by the smell of smoke AND NO WE DO NOT KEEP OUR DOOR OPEN :eek::eek: is upsetting. We just started cruising RCCL and apparently really got spoiled by Celebrity. No wondering if our neighbor would be a smoker there and yes we will sail Celebrity again in the future.

 

Back in the "old" days on some of the older cruise lines, they did have "smoking" sides of the ship. Of course, that was back when you could smoke in your room as well. I believe the "starboard side" was the smoking side. To this day, I gravitate to booking a room on the port side. I guess old habits die hard.

 

Our children and friends smoke, just not in our home. I truly feel for the smokers, at least in the US. Some other countries are more liberal but possibly not as healthy both physically and ecologically.

 

I love to cruise, will it stop me no, is there one place better than the other? I believe it is the luck of the reservation.:o

[cx7owner]

We have as well. Our first and only balcony cabin. And it was on a transatlantic with lots of sea days. We really felt like the extra money we spent was wasted by a couple's disgusting habit.

[G'ma]

Were you bothered by second hand cigarette smoke on your balcony?

 

Wondering if some balcony locations are more susceptible to cigarette smoke drifting into their balcony?

 

Not at all....but, that third-hand smoke wafting from ashore while docked is dreadful........makes everything reek; positively reek......:cool:

[CruiseAwayWithMe]

So, does Royal Caribbean still allow smoking outside on their balconies? It wasn't a problem on Mariner of the Seas last July 2008. Celebrity Solstice had a very strict smoking policy, which I liked. I'm a non-smoker.

[yogimax]

So, does Royal Caribbean still allow smoking outside on their balconies? It wasn't a problem on Mariner of the Seas last July 2008. Celebrity Solstice had a very strict smoking policy, which I liked. I'm a non-smoker.

 

On Celebrity, it's a total no-no on balconies. Let's hope that policy is soon extended to RCCL, where it is still allowed (but not in the cabins themselves).

[klingoncruiser]

I don't think I can remember a cruise that this did not come up. It is more of one luck. Is the person next door a chimney or the one two doors up. One day.......:rolleyes

 

After the nasty fire on the Princess ship a few years ago caused by a thoughtless smoker and what turned out to dangerous balcony furniture, perhaps this "right" will finally go away.

[tally10]

Yes, we have had a balcony that we could not enjoy several times. One time on the Constellation several years ago, we were next door to a suite and the gentleman smoked cigars non stop. On the Carnival Freedom, we had a chain smoking cigarette lover last October and DH could not enjoy sitting on the balcony. Every time DH went out on the balcony, these people appeared and lit up. Carnival has a very liberal smoking policy and we could not say anything but we felt we wasted money on a balcony we could not enjoy. This was during the day and evening (not night). So, I guess you take your chances if they allow balcony smoking.