Smoking Policy on HAL?

[readyforcruising]

We are 3 couples considering a Panama cruise in November on a HAL ship. Can anyone tell me what the smoking policy is on board. I know that RCCL and Celebrity have tightened up theirs and I was wondering if HAL had followed suit (We are hoping so as none of us are smokers). Do they have smoking allowed on one side of the ship, but not on the other? And what about in the bars?

[Assateague Island Princes]

Smoking permitted in cabins and on balconies and designated areas on open decks. Also permitted in the casino (most of the time anyway) and in a few bars. Search these threads, someone has a link to a website showing all cruiseline's smoking policies....but I can't remember what it is - sorry!

[kakalina]

There is a large smoking section in the Crows Nest, there is a smaller smoking section in the Ocean Bar, there is no smoking in the piano bar and sometimes the sports bar depending on the ship. Most casinos have both smoking and smoke free nights during the cruise. Outside anywhere is fair game as HAL doesn't seem to designate "sides" for smokers. In cabins and on balconies is allowed as previously stated.

That said however, HAL has an amazing record for cleaning up the smoke smells with no lingering effects in the cabins. The Crows Nest is so large and well laid out that the smoking smells from the smoking section don't really affect the non smoking section. We have never found it a problem. There might be a slight smell in the halls near a smokers cabin but not much and it didn't bother me.

[haligonian37]

Here's a link to HAL's official policy as per their website:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/ShipboardLife.action?contentMenu=Onboard%20Policie s&contentSubMenu=Smoking

[fatcat04]

Having just been on what I would consider a very smoky cruise (the rather surly balcony guests below us smoked like chimneys and loudly projected their morning phlegm from the balcony into the sea every bright morning with running commentary I might add... joy), I am hoping our upcoming HAL cruise will be more smoke and surliness free. :D:p

[caltnl]

We were on the Westerdam Panama Canal almost three years ago. The next stateroom toward the bow from us had multiple smokers. Most unpleasant when you want to have a nice room service breakfast on the veranda.

At time rendered the veranda unusable an I am a former smoker that it usually does not bother me.

[Ilandguy]

I like what RCL does it has one side of the ship non smoking.
My 1st cruise was with HAL. I am trying them out again on a 5 day NorthWest cruise in May & hope that smoking wont be an issue:confused:

[Beebob1]

From a smoker, we don't have many places to smoke but are grateful that HAL does provide areas.

[eh2zed]

O boy, another smoking thread! Get me some popcorn:D:D

[brucory]

Having just been on what I would consider a very smoky cruise (the rather surly balcony guests below us smoked like chimneys and loudly projected their morning phlegm from the balcony into the sea every bright morning with running commentary I might add... joy), I am hoping our upcoming HAL cruise will be more smoke and surliness free. :D:p

That phlegm thing is gross!!! We had a guy a floor above us and a little forward on the last cruise. He enjoyed "ashing" his cigarette over the side. It seemed to love landing on our balcony. I made a point of checking he wasnt up there puffing away before I stood close to the edge. It is frustrating to have to put a coaster on top of your drink to avoid unwanted ashy cocktails...

:(:(:(

[solocanadian]

Smoking permitted in cabins and on balconies and designated areas on open decks. Also permitted in the casino (most of the time anyway) and in a few bars. Search these threads, someone has a link to a website showing all cruiseline's smoking policies....but I can't remember what it is - sorry!
There is NO SMOKING allowed on the decks anymore. All the ashtrays have been romoved. Howeveer there is a very small smoking section by the aft pool and that's it. Gail

[DizzyDallasDi]

There is NO SMOKING allowed on the decks anymore. All the ashtrays have been romoved. Howeveer there is a very small smoking section by the aft pool and that's it. Gail

Really? In Nov. on the Eurodam there were ashtrays on the promenade deck.

[innlady1]

HAL is trying to get a handle on how people feel about smoking. At the end of each of our b2b's, we were given a survey to complete.... basically, would we still cruise on HAL if they went smoke free.

[fann1sh]

Readyforcruising, I'm someone who has severe medical issues with smoke (all kinds - not just tobacco) and smoke residue.

HAL does an amazing job making sure your cabin is worry (and smoke) free.

Your steward will have used an industrial spray, possibly a heavy duty ionizer, before you board. Once, my cabin steward missed the smoke smell (he was a smoker himself) and took care of it as soon as I drew it to his attention. He asked me to leave the room while the ionizer did its job. He checked with me the next morning, and I told him it was "OK". I could live with the remaining residue, not much. Even though I didn't ask him to, he then shampooed all the soft furnishings. That made the room amazingly clean, just like a non-smoking room.

I find the casino a "no fly zone", but that just saves me money. :D Sometimes the bar I pick is too smoky, so I move on to another.

If I can live with the smoking aboard - anyone can.

I have no problem with smokers having their own safe havens, too. HAL smokers are (with only rare exceptions) the most considerate afloat, only smoking where it's allowed. That makes my life pleasant, as I know where to avoid.

[geoherb]

We were on a Celebrity ship in December--after the new smoking policy went into effect. It wasn't enforced as rigorously as I would have liked.

On our only HAL cruise, which was back in 2005, we were not bothered by smoke except it kept me away from the casino--which is probably a good thing. That was until the last morning, when a woman decided to smoke in the lounge where we were waiting to disembark. They had cleared the room of all the ashtrays--which should have given her a clue that smoking wasn't allowed there at that time. But she reached over the bar to grab a saucer and used that. I asked her not to, but she kept right at it.

[lorekauf]

Really? In Nov. on the Eurodam there were ashtrays on the promenade deck.
There was also plenty of people smoking on the outside decks on the Statendam in Nov.08.

[lettienets]

There is NO SMOKING allowed on the decks anymore. All the ashtrays have been romoved. Howeveer there is a very small smoking section by the aft pool and that's it. Gail
On the Jan 20 day Noordam I saw ashtays on the Promenade deck.

[pipedreams62]

This Guy never even used an ashtray


http://pipedreams62.eaph2.com/share/afunstuff/smoking20smokingsmall1.jpg

[singlecruiser70]

There was also plenty of people smoking on the outside decks on the Statendam in Nov.08.
Being a smoker myself, I have a personal rule to always be aft on the ship before lighting up. If HAL would make the smoking areas only aft, then they would get some idea of the smoker to non-smoker ratio and expand or shrink the smokers area. Always aft on the ship. I do not smoke in my stateroom reguardless on the class of room. Even no smoke on balcony unless the balcony in on the aft of the boat.
Dick

[kakalina]

There is NO SMOKING allowed on the decks anymore. All the ashtrays have been romoved. Howeveer there is a very small smoking section by the aft pool and that's it. Gail


NOT TRUE! :eek: We recently disembarked our HAL cruise and there was smoking allowed outside everywhere except the Lido deck forward under the magrodome.

[bellebaby]

Having just been on what I would consider a very smoky cruise (the rather surly balcony guests below us smoked like chimneys and loudly projected their morning phlegm from the balcony into the sea every bright morning with running commentary I might add... joy), I am hoping our upcoming HAL cruise will be more smoke and surliness free. :D:p

Our next door neighbors on our May, 2008 Westerdam sailing had the same routine... even when we were cruising Glacier Bay. It was quite disgusting. We used the verandah sparingly.

B

[geshaw30]

Our next door neighbors on our May, 2008 Westerdam sailing had the same routine... even when we were cruising Glacier Bay. It was quite disgusting. We used the verandah sparingly.
B

Same story here but only it happened to us on the Noordam back in October. Husband/wife Olympic smoking team on the upwind veranda next to us. Him with foot long cigars and her multi-pack cigs.

I had a rant in my review...... http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=48304
...but in the end I suppose it solved nothing. I just keep hope that someday the "rules" will eventually change

[Bobs cruising]

Having just been on what I would consider a very smoky cruise (the rather surly balcony guests below us smoked like chimneys and loudly projected their morning phlegm from the balcony into the sea every bright morning with running commentary I might add... joy), I am hoping our upcoming HAL cruise will be more smoke and surliness free. :D:p

I am in full agreement to the above statement, too many smokers do not fully understand how bad their second hand smoke and the habits that seem to come with smoking, those being ashes, butts and phlegm plus coughing everywhere.
Not wanting to get embroiled in a smoking vs non smoking thread, I just want to say that I have had these surly guests next to my Deluxe Veranda Suites that I paid a lot of money for much too often. There are plenty of places to smoke on board why do the cabin or balcony have to be included.
I realize there are smokers that do not fit into the above category, to them I ask, continue to do your best to help make the above mentioned the exception.
Cary and George good review and the rant was right on, sorry that you had that expeirence and had to include it.

[GeriatricNurse]

Same story here but only it happened to us on the Noordam back in October. Husband/wife Olympic smoking team on the upwind veranda next to us. Him with foot long cigars and her multi-pack cigs.

I had a rant in my review...... http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=48304
...but in the end I suppose it solved nothing. I just keep hope that someday the "rules" will eventually change



Hopefully, like Celebrity and even better (and more restrictive), Oceania!!!

[fann1sh]

I still think HAL smokers are among the most considerate at sea. As for balcony smoking....

....on one cruise, my next door neighbor was a cigar smoker. On the first day, he spent a LOT of time on the verandah, a lit stogie in his hand. I edged out and greeted him, intending to try to find out what his preferred hours were for enjoying a cigar. Before I could work my way around to the topic, he confided he was enjoying a chance to smoke, as his wife wouldn't allow it in the cabin....or in their house....or her car....or his car, because sometimes she used it and HATED if it stank...or - etc., etc.

Then she started shrieking at him about something from inside the cabin, and he blushed and excused himself. Then she started shrieking even louder because he forgot to extinguish the cigar before coming back in the cabin.

The poor man spent most of his cruise smoking cigars on the balcony. While that meant I didn't get to spend time out there, I felt more sorry for him than myself. Those cigar sessions were the only peace he got!

[newmexicoNita]

I am in full agreement to the above statement, too many smokers do not fully understand how bad their second hand smoke and the habits that seem to come with smoking, those being ashes, butts and phlegm plus coughing everywhere.
Not wanting to get embroiled in a smoking vs non smoking thread, I just want to say that I have had these surly guests next to my Deluxe Veranda Suites that I paid a lot of money for much too often. There are plenty of places to smoke on board why do the cabin or balcony have to be included.
I realize there are smokers that do not fit into the above category, to them I ask, continue to do your best to help make the above mentioned the exception.
Cary and George good review and the rant was right on, sorry that you had that expeirence and had to include it.
Bob, you have gotten embroiled in it. I think most smokers do understand, but they have rights as well. When will non smokers realize this? You paid a premium for your "Deluxe" Veranda, so did the people next to you..There are places where non smoking should be unacceptable, but the balcony is not one of them..

Nita

[sail7seas]

Nita.... when something a person does exempts another person from being able to enjoy what they paid money to have and enjoy, there can be no understanding of the rights of the offender.

The non-offender sees it as someone doing something to disturb others gets to enjoy the veranda while ther person who does nothing to bother others does not get to use his veranda.

That's the 'rub' of it.

If there is a smoker next to me, I cannot use my balcony and, of course, I don't like it. Who would? Why could anyone imagine I would like that scenario? Would they if the table was turned?

HAL has taken their survery at cruise end for so many months now it is becoming a joke IMO I see it as a delay tactic to put off tightening their restrictions. They have gotten overwhelming responses to limit smoking more on the ships. If only 20% of the population of U.S. now smokes, is it conceivable they have a large number promoting permissiveness in smoking policy? We all know that is not the case.

HAL....... get off your duff and act! Please. Some of us are really sick of this smoke issue and very soon, HAL will become known as the smokers' cruise line. That's a great reputation to work on earning. :rolleyes:

[marle7]

HAL....... get off your duff and act! Please. Some of us are really sick of this smoke issue and very soon, HAL will become known as the smokers' cruise line. That's a great reputation to work on earning. :rolleyes:



And some of us aren't.

I would not sail with HAL if they took smoking away on both balconies and cabins Pick one, I don't care which one, but don't take both. I don't have to cruise, sail in suites and give them several thousand dollars each time I do. Do you really think in this economy they want to annoy a percentage of their passenger base? I'd simply stop cruising, and so would many others. It will come one day, but we aren't there yet.

It's been generally agreed that HAL cleans their cabins exceptionally well from any smoke, so it should be a non issue on this board, but it keeps coming up every few months.

[RevNeal]

Then she started shrieking at him about something from inside the cabin, and he blushed and excused himself. Then she started shrieking even louder because he forgot to extinguish the cigar before coming back in the cabin.

May I recommend martial counseling for them both, anger management for her, and a gold star for you? :)

[RevNeal]

There are places where non smoking should be unacceptable, but the balcony is not one of them.

Was that a Freudian slip? ;)

[cruiseing marly]

I dont have a problem with cabin smokeing it is not in my air space and the cabin stewards do a great job of cleaning the air. However on a balcony it is in my air space that i paid alot of money for.

[eh2zed]

Nita.... when something a person does exempts another person from being able to enjoy what they paid money to have and enjoy, there can be no understanding of the rights of the offender.

The non-offender sees it as someone doing something to disturb others gets to enjoy the veranda while ther person who does nothing to bother others does not get to use his veranda.

That's the 'rub' of it.

If there is a smoker next to me, I cannot use my balcony and, of course, I don't like it. Who would? Why could anyone imagine I would like that scenario? Would they if the table was turned?

HAL has taken their survery at cruise end for so many months now it is becoming a joke IMO I see it as a delay tactic to put off tightening their restrictions. They have gotten overwhelming responses to limit smoking more on the ships. If only 20% of the population of U.S. now smokes, is it conceivable they have a large number promoting permissiveness in smoking policy? We all know that is not the case.

HAL....... get off your duff and act! Please. Some of us are really sick of this smoke issue and very soon, HAL will become known as the smokers' cruise line. That's a great reputation to work on earning. :rolleyes:










I agree with you Sail that HAL has been doing the survey long enough. Originally I thought it was a clever marketing tool to extract specific info from their sailing demographic. Now the longer the new policy lingers the more I feel they are using it as a delaying tactic.

[Nutrioso]

On our cruise last November, I happened to be chatting with the hotel manager (can't remember his name) and during the conversation I asked him what HAL was finding out from the smoking questionaires. He responded with a question: "what percentage of HAL cruisers do you think are smokers?" I went with the answer that reflected the percentage of US smokers at large: 20-23%. He smiled and replied that HAL passengers over the previous six months only amounted to 5% and that HAL was considering reducing, but not eliminating smoking areas to reflect that amount. I was quite surprised at the low percentage. HAL passengers, apparently, do not correspond to the national smoking averages. Interesting. ---- Penny

[eh2zed]

On our cruise last November, I happened to be chatting with the hotel manager (can't remember his name) and during the conversation I asked him what HAL was finding out from the smoking questionaires. He responded with a question: "what percentage of HAL cruisers do you think are smokers?" I went with the answer that reflected the percentage of US smokers at large: 20-23%. He smiled and replied that HAL passengers over the previous six months only amounted to 5% and that HAL was considering reducing, but not eliminating smoking areas to reflect that amount. I was quite surprised at the low percentage. HAL passengers, apparently, do not correspond to the national smoking averages. Interesting. ---- Penny
While 5% does seem low I am not at all surprised by it being considerably lower than the national average. There are unfortunately some significant socio economic and cultural skews in the national average that are not well represented in cruising demographics.

[Bobs cruising]

Bob, you have gotten embroiled in it. I think most smokers do understand, but they have rights as well. When will non smokers realize this? You paid a premium for your "Deluxe" Veranda, so did the people next to you..There are places where non smoking should be unacceptable, but the balcony is not one of them..

Nita

Nita, what you seem to miss is that smokers do not have any more rights than non smokers. A smoker next to me or being "surly" is infringing in my right to breath clean air. Conversely I am not infringing their right to cruise and breath because I am not doing anything to them. Simply stated they are doing to me but I am not doing to them. That is what most smokers have a hard time understanding. Again I am not against people smoking as long as it is not near anyone that is offended.

[Bobs cruising]

Nita.... when something a person does exempts another person from being able to enjoy what they paid money to have and enjoy, there can be no understanding of the rights of the offender.

The non-offender sees it as someone doing something to disturb others gets to enjoy the veranda while ther person who does nothing to bother others does not get to use his veranda.

That's the 'rub' of it.

If there is a smoker next to me, I cannot use my balcony and, of course, I don't like it. Who would? Why could anyone imagine I would like that scenario? Would they if the table was turned?

HAL has taken their survery at cruise end for so many months now it is becoming a joke IMO I see it as a delay tactic to put off tightening their restrictions. They have gotten overwhelming responses to limit smoking more on the ships. If only 20% of the population of U.S. now smokes, is it conceivable they have a large number promoting permissiveness in smoking policy? We all know that is not the case.

HAL....... get off your duff and act! Please. Some of us are really sick of this smoke issue and very soon, HAL will become known as the smokers' cruise line. That's a great reputation to work on earning. :rolleyes:

Sail--as usual you have hit the nail right on the head. It is up to HAL to "get off their duff and act" before they loose more of their majority of cruisers, that being non- smokers.
Celebrity found that out and did something about it.

Nutriso--That 5% number sounds about right to me. That is below the average because HAL cruisers are more upscale, older (lots of former smokers who have found their way) and more educated than some of the other cruise lines I have been on. I have been on just about every cruise line out there, I am a senior citizen sailing since 1982, sailing 5 to 6 cruises a year, every year.:)

[sail7seas]

And some of us aren't.

It's been generally agreed that HAL cleans their cabins exceptionally well from any smoke, so it should be a non issue on this board, but it keeps coming up every few months.

Is is NOT a non-issue when smoke wafts to our veranda and we have to leave it because the smell is disgusting to us.

Smokers cannot know how unpleasant that smell is because they don't smell it the way the non-smoker does. They don't find it offensive, obviously, or they wouldn't be smoking.

Don't begin to try to tell me the wind blows the smoke away and it can't linger and it can't annoy because I know it has and does bother us. We had to leave our veranda every afternoon sailaway of our Canada/New England cruise in August as there were two non-stop smokers on the deck below us puffing away and their smoke drifted up to us every afternoon.

Maybe some smoker thinks it's okay the smoker gets to stay out there, enjoy sailaway and their nasty activity forces others (US) to have to leave and not be able to enjoy sailaway. PLEASE do not think of telling me I exaggerate the misery of that lousy smoke drifting up to us every afternoon. It was intolerable.

Neither of us could stand the stink.
The smoker got to stay.
The non-smoker had to leave.

Anyone able to defend that as okay?

Frankly, if some smokers leave, okay,,,,,, go.

There are far more non-smokers who are getting fed up with the stink and unpleasantness of being around it and we, too, can make the same threat and take our same multiple thousands and threaten loss of business. There are 80% non-smokers and 20% smokers.
Ever hear of majority?

Those of us who live in smoke free cities/regions/states are so unaccustomed to being exposed to it in public at home we have lost all ability to tolerate it. I am never exposed to cigarette smoke at home and only encounter it now on the ships. When you live most of the year away from it, you become expectant and demanding it be that way everywhere. More cities and states are adopting strict smoking restrictions and thankfully smokers will soon have few places in public they can bother others. Can't happen soon enough for those of us who suffer it.

[jtl513]

I dont have a problem with cabin smokeing it is not in my air space ... Oh, but it does get distributed to your air space through the HVAC.

[GeriatricNurse]

Oh, but it does get distributed to your air space through the HVAC.

And out into the corridors so one has to "walk the gauntlet" through a stinking, petrid smell of smoke!!!

[Sow There]

OK, folks, let's think this issue through.

Smoking has existed for a very long time. Until relatively recently there were few, if any, limitations on smoking. There were smoking cars on trains and smoking sections on airplanes, open smoking in restaurants, no restrictions on cruise ships, etc., etc.

You would think that those who objected to smoking 20 years ago would have been a whole lot more justified than those who object to smoking today, when even entire towns are now statutorily "smoke free." But nope. The smoker is now relegated to standing outdoors in the rain at least 25 feet from a public entrance to a building, no longer allowed to smoke even in a separate smoking room in a bar or restaurant, or in some cases, even in their own home.

Holland America has smoking policies that are well known and publicly advertised. Whether one is in agreement that the policy is appropriate is a matter of opinion. But the policy is the policy.

So if the publicly advertised policy permits a passenger to smoke on his/her balcony, then how can that passenger be chastised for smoking on his/her balcony?

Similarly, if a non-smoker doesn't like a person smoking on a balcony even though smoking is totally legal and permitted, it's the non-smoker's responsibility to either relocate to a non-smoking area or to "grin and bear it." Castigating the smoker who is playing totally by the rules is not appropriate under any circumstances.

(Just FYI, I'm a non-smoker but have spent many hours on planes and trains where smoking was permitted and somehow I have survived just fine. And, by the way, I appreciate my fellow citizens who smoke because they are paying a whole bunch of taxes that I don't have to pay to support a wide range of governmental social projects here in California. I wonder how those projects will be funded if smoking were outlawed totally?)

[jtl513]

And out into the corridors so one has to "walk the gauntlet" through a stinking, petrid smell of smoke!!!As I said in reply to your other post to that effect: in nine HAL cruises I have never experienced bad smoke in any hallways.

[GeriatricNurse]

As I said in reply to your other post to that effect: in nine HAL cruises I have never experienced bad smoke in any hallways.[/size]


Well John, you should have lived on A Deck on the Ryndam on our recent 30-Day Hawaii, French Polynesia Islands, Marquesas Islands Cruise and you would have come to a different conclusion!!!

[jtl513]

Well John, you should have lived on A Deck on the Ryndam on our recent 30-Day Hawaii, French Polynesia Islands, Marquesas Islands Cruise and you would have come to a different conclusion!!!Okay, but your hyperbole makes it sound as if it is a major problem in every hallway of every cruise ... and that is simply not true.

[cruiseing marly]

Oh, but it does get distributed to your air space through the HVAC.
I dont like walking with smoke in the coridors,but i have not noticed it right in our room with the door closed. But less smoking on the ships would be desireable.

[sail7seas]

OK, folks, let's think this issue through.

Smoking has existed for a very long time. Until relatively recently there were few, if any, limitations on smoking. There were smoking cars on trains and smoking sections on airplanes, open smoking in restaurants, no restrictions on cruise ships, etc., etc.

You would think that those who objected to smoking 20 years ago would have been a whole lot more justified than those who object to smoking today, when even entire towns are now statutorily "smoke free." But nope. The smoker is now relegated to standing outdoors in the rain at least 25 feet from a public entrance to a building, no longer allowed to smoke even in a separate smoking room in a bar or restaurant, or in some cases, even in their own home.

Holland America has smoking policies that are well known and publicly advertised. Whether one is in agreement that the policy is appropriate is a matter of opinion. But the policy is the policy.

So if the publicly advertised policy permits a passenger to smoke on his/her balcony, then how can that passenger be chastised for smoking on his/her balcony?

Similarly, if a non-smoker doesn't like a person smoking on a balcony even though smoking is totally legal and permitted, it's the non-smoker's responsibility to either relocate to a non-smoking area or to "grin and bear it." Castigating the smoker who is playing totally by the rules is not appropriate under any circumstances.

(Just FYI, I'm a non-smoker but have spent many hours on planes and trains where smoking was permitted and somehow I have survived just fine. And, by the way, I appreciate my fellow citizens who smoke because they are paying a whole bunch of taxes that I don't have to pay to support a wide range of governmental social projects here in California. I wonder how those projects will be funded if smoking were outlawed totally?)


Those of us who are sick of it and want smoking restricted further can try hard to have those policies changed. Silence on our part conveys the message all is well. Smoking on verandahs is not fine by me.....no longer. Not when I have to go in because the smokers want to stay out and smoke.


If you want something changed, you have to make it known.

I am doing my very best to be as vocal as possible that I would like the smoking restrictions tightened.