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DCL's Smoking Policy


emairs

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My husband and I disembarked the Fantasy this morning.

The heavy smoking on several balconies near us had a negative impact on our enjoyment of the cruise, as we like to spend a lot of time on the balcony. We were really looking forward to sailing on this beautiful new ship and had no idea that a cruise line catering to children would continue to allow this, when all other lines that we sail, such as Celebrity, Oceania, Princess, banned smoking on balconies several years ago. Guess I should have done my homework.

Smoking is not allowed on balconies at Disney resorts, so it puzzles me that DCL does not follow suit.

Anyway, I complained to Guest Services and they said that they would pass it along. Perhaps some day the policy will change if enough people complain.

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Princess's policy banning smoking on balconies AND in cabins went into effect just this January, but it was definitely the right decision. DCL will change their smoking policy when enough people complain about it and/or take their business elsewhere.

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Of all the cruise lines we've sailed we've had our worst problems with smoking on DCL. This is exactly the opposite of what one would expect. But we've had heavy smokers on adjacent balconies several times and one interior cabin we booked was filled with smoke every night while we slept. It was so strong that it woke us up each night.

 

We won't stop sailing DCL but it does baffle me that we keep hitting heavy smokers there. I guess its just the luck of the draw and we have bad DCL smoke-luck. No offense intended to the smokers in the world. We just aren't smokers and we try to politely keep our distance.

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I do not understand this policy. At all.

 

We did our first 2 cruises on DCL. No problem, no smoking neighbors. I thought the smoke interfering with a cruise was an urban legend.

 

Then we switched to Celebrity, great no-smoking policy.

 

Then we did an RCI and like the OP, the chimney next door, who smoked close to 24 hours a day (OK, I am exagerating, but that is what it seemed) just about ruined our cruise experience.

 

But honestly, I cannot for the life of me figure out why these so called "family cruise lines" allow smoking on the balconies???????

 

We have one booked for 6/2013 (with a bunch of family) and I will call DCL to verify that this is still their policy and I will let my feelings be known.

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I do not understand this policy. At all.

 

We did our first 2 cruises on DCL. No problem, no smoking neighbors. I thought the smoke interfering with a cruise was an urban legend.

 

Then we switched to Celebrity, great no-smoking policy.

 

Then we did an RCI and like the OP, the chimney next door, who smoked close to 24 hours a day (OK, I am exagerating, but that is what it seemed) just about ruined our cruise experience.

 

But honestly, I cannot for the life of me figure out why these so called "family cruise lines" allow smoking on the balconies???????

 

We have one booked for 6/2013 (with a bunch of family) and I will call DCL to verify that this is still their policy and I will let my feelings be known.

 

I imagine that it's a business decision. Ban smoking and lose the smokers, allow smoking and lose some non-smokers.

Carnival tried a completely smoke-free ship. The Paradise was built by non-smokers and had huge no smoking symbols on her sides. Anyone cought smoking would be fined and put ashore. It was a bust. They eventually relaxed the smoking rules.

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Twice we had a verhanda and twice we had cigar smokers in the area of our room. They weren't even next door to us. We hardly ever got to use the verhanda. The small was coming into our room on the second cruise with the door shut. DCL provided us with an air purifier for the lenght of the cruise. That saved us or my DS and I would have gotten sick everytime we were in the room.

 

I hope one day DCL follows the lead like other ships and WDW resorts. Until then I will not spend the money for a verhanda.

 

I also don't understand why the new ships have a cigar bar and sell cigars? Do they really make that much money off of them to have a space for them? I just don't get this.

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I imagine that it's a business decision. Ban smoking and lose the smokers, allow smoking and lose some non-smokers.

Carnival tried a completely smoke-free ship. The Paradise was built by non-smokers and had huge no smoking symbols on her sides. Anyone cought smoking would be fined and put ashore. It was a bust. They eventually relaxed the smoking rules.

 

There's quite a difference between a smoke-free ship and smoke-free verandahs. Celebrity doesn't appear to have suffered due to their their policy.

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I am not a smoker and I really do not like the smell, but what really bothers me is the extent that non-smokers put up a fuss about people smoking in areas that they are permitted to smoke.

 

My big curiosity is how anyone survived the 50's and 60's when smoking was so prevalent.

 

Now a whiff of smoke, while outside, on a veranda no less......will ruin someones cruise. If also cracks me up that one group of people will pay significant money to purchase a cigar and another group cannot possibly be on the same ship while the cigar is being smoked.

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I am not a smoker and I really do not like the smell, but what really bothers me is the extent that non-smokers put up a fuss about people smoking in areas that they are permitted to smoke.

 

My big curiosity is how anyone survived the 50's and 60's when smoking was so prevalent.

 

Now a whiff of smoke, while outside, on a veranda no less......will ruin someones cruise. If also cracks me up that one group of people will pay significant money to purchase a cigar and another group cannot possibly be on the same ship while the cigar is being smoked.

 

Honestly, I never made one comment on one single smoking thread until I experienced first hand what it was like being next door to people who smoked pretty much every time I was out on the balcony. You really do need to experience it to understand how foul it is. Yes, they are allowed to smoke there, but sadly, their smoke did impact our cruise.

 

When recently on a Celebrity cruise we had to walk through one of the very few smoking areas of the ship. I never said one word. I appreciated these people following the rules and they don't deserve any more scorn. When we would move over to a side of the ship for less sun and smoke came our way, we simply moved. They had every right to be out there smoking.

 

I did survive in the 60s, but did I appreciate smokers smoke in my air space? No I did not.

Was I paying close to $650 A DAY (the price of our DCL cruise) to be around smoke? No I was not.

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My wife & I are ex-smokers. We have been on 3 Disney Cruises while we still smoked. Our daughter is in a wheelchair so we have always had a H/C balcony cabin in the very stern of the ship. I don't think our smoking ever bothered anyone. I think one of the reasons Disney still allows smoking on balconys is because parents may be spending alot more time in their cabins with small children napping.

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I am not a smoker and I really do not like the smell, but what really bothers me is the extent that non-smokers put up a fuss about people smoking in areas that they are permitted to smoke.

 

Now a whiff of smoke, while outside, on a veranda no less......will ruin someones cruise. If also cracks me up that one group of people will pay significant money to purchase a cigar and another group cannot possibly be on the same ship while the cigar is being smoked.

 

Once you experience this, you willl understand how unpleasant it is, especially if your balcony is downwind from the smokers, like ours. One fellow always leaned over the railing while smoking, making it even worse.

 

We paid a significant amount for this balcony cabin, and expected to be able to sit out there and enjoy it.

 

The Fantasy has a lovely lovely smoking area, with comfortable chairs, so smokers would still be accommodated if DCL came to their senses and changed the policy.

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In my opinion what lacks here on both sides is consideration..........

 

It seems everyone is so intolarant of cigarette smoking with all the non-smoking ads it's the "correct" thing to do. They are outside with ship which is moving, how much smoke is REALLY blowing at them. Cigarette smokers paid as much as they did to be on the cruise, do they have a right to enjoy it too?

 

Should people be required to leave their cologue and perfume home, don't just love the person who pours the whole bottle on and you smell them coming a mile away?

 

Does the "non" smoker enjoy that wonderful smell of a new car? Well, there is many more cancer dangers in that oder of plastic then a whiff of passing cigarette smoke! Or how about being behind a car that spewing smoke? Guess what your breathing now!

Ever think about what your breathing in a stinky public bathroom? Know those wonderful hand dryers...do you see any "fresh" air hooked to them? No, they re-cycle the germ filled air....I could go on,on

 

We can NOT live in bubble! Not if you really want to enjoy life.

 

We all must learn that everyone has rights weither you agree with them or not....

 

Most cigarette smokers I've met try to be considerate, there is always the exception.

 

Too many of our freedoms are becoming regulated; do you really want more because someone does something you don't agree with? I for one do not!

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I imagine that it's a business decision. Ban smoking and lose the smokers, allow smoking and lose some non-smokers.

Carnival tried a completely smoke-free ship. The Paradise was built by non-smokers and had huge no smoking symbols on her sides. Anyone cought smoking would be fined and put ashore. It was a bust. They eventually relaxed the smoking rules.

 

Of all cruise lines, I can't imagine this to be true. Disney definitely has their niche and people will not stop cruising DCL because of it. I agree that it can be a problem for some, luckily we've not had this problem.....

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Most cigarette smokers I've met try to be considerate, there is always the exception.

Yup. And the inconsiderate ones were next door to me. Yes they had every right to do what they were doing. But I agree, most are very considerate.

 

Too many of our freedoms are becoming regulated; do you really want more because someone does something you don't agree with? I for one do not!

 

If you are talking in a society situation, I would say AMEN.

 

We are talking about a cruise line, a totally different animal. And it is not that I don't agree with smoking, hey, I'm a libertarian, I would be the last person to tell you not to smoke. But when your rights infringe on mine, my inability to enjoy our veranda, I disagree.

 

What if someone like DCL made a rule about smoking on the balcony. How about limited hours?

Say 1 hour in the am, afternoon and evening?

I would happily stay off of my balcony for a few hours to give someone the ability to smoke in their PS's!

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I use to smoke so many years ago and very grateful I don't smoke anymore. I always cruise with rooms that have balconies as I love to sit out in the early morning and also at night to have a drink after the days events. I have always been disgusted with the cigar smokers and unfortunately had been at a balcony next to them. If people insist on smoking (and I believe they have the right to smoke until their lungs dry up if that is what they wish), there should be one or two designated areas on the ship that is enclosed for their smoking pleasure). That way everyone is happy. I would never tell anyone to put their cigarette out just because I don't smoke anymore but I don't like to have to avoid my balcony just because someone likes to blow smoke my way. And yes, even though you are outside on the balcony, passengers smoke does blow your way and hovers around.

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Well...I am a smoker (yes I know)...and as someone who's cruised on Disney and a couple of RCL ships..I have a thought on this.

 

I actually think the problem of smoking on Disney verandas may be because of the sheer LACK of smoking areas on the rest of the ships.

 

Take Disney...during the day there are only TWO places on the entire Disney Fantasy you can smoke....and both are very inconvenient. So..if you're a smoker...are you really going to make the hike all the way up to the top deck...or just smoke on your balcony?

 

On the Freedom and Monarch...there are several places both outside AND inside where you can smoke. I would be much more likely to just smoke there before I went back to my cabin. On Disney...you really don't have that option.

 

I get it...Disneys ships are full of kids and having a ton of smoking areas may not make sense...but at the same time I think the verandas are the place many are turning.

 

That being said I always try and be considerate of my neighbors...but I know many others are not.

 

Anyway just my two cents. I'm sure some will disagree.

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I'm not a smoker. But if someone wants to smoke, who am I to judge?. I've had cruise neighbors that smoked, and those that don't. I don't let the smoke ruin my cruise. Smoke doesn't stay THAT long on veranda. And on DCL, smoking areas are not in places I have to go thru [because of transporting DS].

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I will never understand why nonsmokers think I paid for a balcony and I can't use because of the smokers next door. If the cruise lines ban smoking on balconies smokers lose out. Non smokers have run smokers out of just about everywhere. Leave them alone if they are outside. They paid for their balcony and want to use just as you did and do. I don't understand the whole entitlement attitude this society of ours has adopted.

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I will never understand why nonsmokers think I paid for a balcony and I can't use because of the smokers next door. If the cruise lines ban smoking on balconies smokers lose out. Non smokers have run smokers out of just about everywhere. Leave them alone if they are outside. They paid for their balcony and want to use just as you did and do. I don't understand the whole entitlement attitude this society of ours has adopted.

 

I don't know how you can say that it is an entilement issue. It is a health issue, due to the dangers of second hand smoke.

We didn't have any children on this cruise, but wanted to try out the new ship.

Our first granchild is due this year, and we would love to return with him/her in four or five years. That won't happen unless the smoking policy changes. In the meantime, we have several cruises booked on lines that don't allow smoking, and we will be able to enjoy the balconies without worrying about smokers.

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The reason so many people smoke on their verandahs on DCL is that during the day time there are just 2 smoking areas on board and they are always crowded. It is not always convenient to walk all the way forward and up 7 decks from your stateroom that has a beautiful verandah that you paid for too.. Not to mention the non-smokers that walk through "choking" when it is a 30 square foot area they could easily avoid. I can avoid the dirty looks from my verandah.

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There's quite a difference between a smoke-free ship and smoke-free verandahs. Celebrity doesn't appear to have suffered due to their their policy.

 

It's a great leap in the same direction. Do you upset the smokers and ban smoking on verandahs to please the non-smokers? Which is the better business decision?

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I don't know how you can say that it is an entilement issue. It is a health issue, due to the dangers of second hand smoke.

We didn't have any children on this cruise, but wanted to try out the new ship.

Our first granchild is due this year, and we would love to return with him/her in four or five years. That won't happen unless the smoking policy changes. In the meantime, we have several cruises booked on lines that don't allow smoking, and we will be able to enjoy the balconies without worrying about smokers.

 

Problem solved.

Vote with your wallet.

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I don't believe I have any "entitlement", no more than anyone else but when I come into my room from some where else on the ship and I can smell cigar smoke INSIDE my room from the room next door, should I sleep in the hallway so that I don't feel a sense of entitlement and offend the smoker who paid the same amount for his room. Heven forbid! My family I guess just needs to suck it up and enjoy the aroma of a good cigar

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I don't believe I have any "entitlement", no more than anyone else but when I come into my room from some where else on the ship and I can smell cigar smoke INSIDE my room from the room next door, should I sleep in the hallway so that I don't feel a sense of entitlement and offend the smoker who paid the same amount for his room. Heven forbid! My family I guess just needs to suck it up and enjoy the aroma of a good cigar

 

A smoker's right to smoke ends where a non smoker's right to fresh air begins.

That being said, if someone's smoke is infiltrating your stateroom then you absolutely have the right to clean air. The verandah is more complicated. It's outdoors so a logical place to smoke. On the other hand, the outdoor smoke can ruin the enjoyment of the varandah for non-smokers. On the other hand, you don't have to go out on the verandah, on the other hand you paid extra for the verandah...

Let's move smokers to the after cabins only.

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