Cigar Smoking on Balcony on Eclipse 3/3/2012?

I was in cabin 9266 and the cabin next to me (9268) was smoking a cigar and it was blowing into my room everyday. What should I have done? I told the purser's desk and they didn't believe me. They finally agreed to give us $50 after going through like 3 head managers. I had an excellent cruise though. Any questions?

The first time we told a head guy on the ship and he said he would take care of it right away. Our whole entire room smelled like a cigar for at least 4 hours. Second, we told the purser and they said they would take care of it. Then, two nights ago I smelt a cigar and they rang his room and he said he wasn't smoking.

In the elite sky lounge, they let in people in shorts and a tee shirt. They didn't deny a lot of people.

We had excellent service. Last night they let us into the dining room at 7 pm!!!

I don't think that there is anything else you could have done.

I was in cabin 9266 and the cabin next to me (9268) was smoking a cigar and it was blowing into my room everyday. What should I have done? I told the purser's desk and they didn't believe me. They finally agreed to give us $50 after going through like 3 head managers. I had an excellent cruise though. Any questions?

 

The first time we told a head guy on the ship and he said he would take care of it right away. Our whole entire room smelled like a cigar for at least 4 hours. Second, we told the purser and they said they would take care of it. Then, two nights ago I smelt a cigar and they rang his room and he said he wasn't smoking.

 

We had excellent service. Last night they let us into the dining room at 7 pm!!!

You have every right to complain and if you don't get satisfaction keep going higher. I would send an email to the President of Celebrity. I also hope you mentioned it on your guest survey...

You have every right to complain and if you don't get satisfaction keep going higher. I would send an email to the President of Celebrity. I also hope you mentioned it on your guest survey...

I didn't fill out of the guest survey.... A cigar and cigarette butt in an ash tray sat on the next door balcony for 3 days straight. Why would the room Stuart not check? I think they don't want to be deducted tips. I have to say though that 95 percent of the people on board were excellent. It was only one purser and the guy next door.

I just got home in Michigan about 2 minutes ago. It didn't ruin my cruise, but it is the main reason I took the cruise for the smoke free atmosphere.

I saw dress code not enforced and noticed them cheapening their food down further. While I do get excellent perks on Celebrity, I want to try Allure next time. I took Celebrity as I had a better price and the perks. Allure is more expensive.

I would have insisted on the issue being resolved. On my cruise on Millennium last month before sail-a-way some jerk was puffing on a cigar in the balcony next door to mine. First we called guest relations and they said they would take action, but did not seem to actually do anything after ten minutes had passed. At that point we went down to guest relations and spoke with a representative there who handled it; she called the offending party and allowed us to listen in as she admonished that there were reports they had been smoking on the balcony and that there would be "serious consequences" if it happened again. She then gave us her business card and told us to call her right away if it happened again; fortunately that nipped the problem in the bud and there were no repeat infractions.

Had she not proactively done something, I would have asked to speak to the Guest Relations Manager and if the problem still continued I would have asked to speak with the Hotel Director. I definitely also would mention it both in my coment card as well as a follow up e-mail to Celebrity once I returned had it not been resolved quickly and efficiently.

If Celebrity is not swift and decisive in handling these infractions, it just encourages more people to disregard the company policy. Many people sail on Celebrity in part because of their non-smoker friendly policy, so Celebrity needs to ensure company policy is being adhere to.

I didn't fill out of the guest survey.... A cigar and cigarette butt in an ash tray sat on the next door balcony for 3 days straight. Why would the room Stuart not check? I think they don't want to be deducted tips. I have to say though that 95 percent of the people on board were excellent. It was only one purser and the guy next door.

 

I just got home in Michigan about 2 minutes ago. It didn't ruin my cruise, but it is the main reason I took the cruise for the smoke free atmosphere.

 

I saw dress code not enforced and noticed them cheapening their food down further.

Yeah, it is a sticky situation for the room stewards since they potentially can be stiffed if they confront people breaking the smoking policy. Guest Relations and/or Security are the best people to inform, unless you have built a relationship with another senior officer - then letting them know is an option as well.

I would have insisted on the issue being resolved. On my cruise on Millennium last month before sail-a-way some jerk was puffing on a cigar in the balcony next door to mine. First we called guest relations and they said they would take action, but did not seem to actually do anything after ten minutes had passed. At that point we went down to guest relations and spoke with a representative there who handled it; she called the offending party and allowed us to listen in as she admonished that there were reports they had been smoking on the balcony and that there would be "serious consequences" if it happened again. She then gave us her business card and told us to call her right away if it happened again; fortunately that nipped the problem in the bud and there were no repeat infractions.

 

Had she not proactively done something, I would have asked to speak to the Guest Relations Manager and if the problem still continued I would have asked to speak with the Hotel Director. I definitely also would mention it both in my coment card as well as a follow up e-mail to Celebrity once I returned had it not been resolved quickly and efficiently.

 

If Celebrity is not swift and decisive in handling these infractions, it just encourages more people to disregard the company policy. Many people sail on Celebrity in part because of their non-smoker friendly policy, so Celebrity needs to ensure company policy is being adhere to.

The guest relations officer that I talked to didn't believe me and kept trying to say we were imaging it. They called up to his room and asked if he was smoking as he said no. Same thing happened, they said they would talk to them and send the head house keeper up but it kept consisting the whole week. We smelt it again too and they gave us the card and told us to call guest relations if it happened and we did. She said we made it up. In fact, we take Celebrity to have non-smoking policy. I could of and would have taken the Allure or Epic. :)

I understand they don't want to confront the guest head on, but I can't believe no one else would complain. Nothing happened. He smoked all week.

We let the senior officer know the first day and he said it was resolved, but it continued. Our whole family is a non smoker and they informed us that he didn't know..... I'm sure. I picked the location too on here and was sure I was not by a smoking section.

I know that I got unlucky to be placed next to an avid cigar smoking and I knew it was never going to stop. I can't believe he booked it and brought an ash tray to his balcony!

Did you consider snapping a picture of your neighbor smoking on the balcony?

Did you consider snapping a picture of your neighbor smoking on the balcony?

Yes, I didn't though. I know I should have. I didn't want to fight with him though. I never encountered this problem on any Celebrity ship before so it was new to me. There is really nothing I can do then, right? Is that what you are saying? It didn't ruin my cruise but it kind of disappointed me as I love Celebrity.

Would I sail them again? Yes, but I'm not sure I could take a balcony again to chance it. He acted like he didn't know and thought smoking was allowed on the balcony. If it was a cigarette, maybe but he had both on his balcony. There is only one area on the ship that allows it too and I saw him smoking it in the cigarette section. They caught him red handed once and he made up some major excuse.

Yes, I didn't though. I know I should have. I didn't want to fight with him though. I never encountered this problem on any Celebrity ship before so it was new to me. There is really nothing I can do then, right? Is that what you are saying? It didn't ruin my cruise but it kind of disappointed me as I love Celebrity.

 

Would I sail them again? Yes, but I'm not sure I could take a balcony again to chance it. He acted like he didn't know and thought smoking was allowed on the balcony. If it was a cigarette, maybe but he had both on his balcony. There is only one area on the ship that allows it too and I saw him smoking it in the cigarette section. They caught him red handed once and he made up some major excuse.

I am so sorry that you had this experience.

If it had been me, after the difficulty with the staffer who appeared not to believe me, I would have asked to speak to the Hotel Director directly.

Celebrity's track record, at least as reported on these boards, seems to be pretty good about dealing with the smoking issue.

I encourage you to write a letter and send it by mail to Dan Hanrahan. One of the other current threads has the address and explains why a postal letter might be the route to go.

I am so sorry that you had this experience.

 

If it had been me, after the difficulty with the staffer who appeared not to believe me, I would have asked to speak to the Hotel Director directly.

 

Celebrity's track record, at least as reported on these boards, seems to be pretty good about dealing with the smoking issue.

 

I encourage you to write a letter and send it by mail to Dan Hanrahan. One of the other current threads has the address and explains why a postal letter might be the route to go.

Here is the postal address

Sent letter to

Daniel J. Hanrahan

President & CEO, Celebrity Cruises

1050 Caribbean Way

Miami, Fl 33132

 

I received a telephone call back from someone saying they were from his office. They addressed all the issues in my letter

Yes, I didn't though. I know I should have. I didn't want to fight with him though. I never encountered this problem on any Celebrity ship before so it was new to me. There is really nothing I can do then, right? Is that what you are saying? It didn't ruin my cruise but it kind of disappointed me as I love Celebrity.

 

Would I sail them again? Yes, but I'm not sure I could take a balcony again to chance it. He acted like he didn't know and thought smoking was allowed on the balcony. If it was a cigarette, maybe but he had both on his balcony. There is only one area on the ship that allows it too and I saw him smoking it in the cigarette section. They caught him red handed once and he made up some major excuse.

I don't believe that they didn't go to the videotape as there are cameras looking out on all the balconies...Something like this almost makes me believe that someone got paid off or the person in that cabin was related to someone high up on the ship, I saw that happen once with some suites...

I don't believe that they didn't go to the videotape as there are cameras looking out on all the balconies...Something like this almost makes me believe that someone got paid off or the person in that cabin was related to someone high up on the ship, I saw that happen once with some suites...

It is my understanding that the cameras are pointed along the length of the railings, and not onto the balconies themselves. Someone sitting would not be seen. They would only be visible if actually leaning on the railing.

If what you describe is indeed accurate, it would be extremely difficult to monitor hundreds of cameras for hundreds of balconies. And, it would be an intrusion on privacy since a camera pointed towards the balcony might also be able to see into the cabin, especially at night with the interior lights on.

I have never seen a camera housing anywhere near any of the balconies I have spent time on.

I am so sorry that you had this experience.

 

If it had been me, after the difficulty with the staffer who appeared not to believe me, I would have asked to speak to the Hotel Director directly.

 

Celebrity's track record, at least as reported on these boards, seems to be pretty good about dealing with the smoking issue.

 

I encourage you to write a letter and send it by mail to Dan Hanrahan. One of the other current threads has the address and explains why a postal letter might be the route to go.

Thank you. Can I please have the specific thread? It's worth a try. :) He also couldn't speak english. The guy who was smoking the cigar.

It is my understanding that the cameras are pointed along the length of the railings, and not onto the balconies themselves. Someone sitting would not be seen. They would only be visible if actually leaning on the railing.

 

If what you describe is indeed accurate, it would be extremely difficult to monitor hundreds of cameras for hundreds of balconies. And, it would be an intrusion on privacy since a camera pointed towards the balcony might also be able to see into the cabin, especially at night with the interior lights on.

 

I have never seen a camera housing anywhere near any of the balconies I have spent time on.

Only commenting on the cameras as most of the jumpers off the ship in the past few years have been pin pointed as jumpers from the cameras and apparently they can go to a specific balcony. Your point about not looking into the balcony is possible true, I don't know either way however there is an intrusion of privacy but nothing you can do about it. No law against it as they are not governed by US law. I also seem to remember a previous poster on the smoking issue saying they did catch someone through the cameras.

Thank you. Can I please have the specific thread? It's worth a try. :) He also couldn't speak english. The guy who was smoking the cigar.

Here is the thread. It is a short discussion.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1591047

The guy smoking the cigar spoke English well enough to answer the phone and say he wasn't smoking :D.

Only commenting on the cameras as most of the jumpers off the ship in the past few years have been pin pointed as jumpers from the cameras and apparently they can go to a specific balcony. Your point about not looking into the balcony is possible true, I don't know either way however there is an intrusion of privacy but nothing you can do about it. No law against it as they are not governed by US law. I also seem to remember a previous poster on the smoking issue saying they did catch someone through the cameras.

I am also not an expert. Only reporting that I have never noticed a camera housing near any of the balconies I have been on. As to seeing jumpers, a well placed camera looking down the side of the ship would see someone, and if of adequate resolution, give a good sense of how far down the ship's side the jumper was. This without ever looking directly onto a balcony. As to catching a smoker by use of a camera, if the perp were leaning on the railing while smoking, the perp could be visible to one of these same cameras.

As to the intrusion of privacy, I would think that would be a situation the cruise lines would want to stay away from as far as possible. If it became known that cameras were placed so passengers could be monitored while siting on their balconies, or worse, inside their cabins at night while the curtains were open, the cruise lines would be embroiled in a monumental PR disaster. People don't take well to being watched during private moments inside their supposedly private rooms, and if lawsuits would not be a deterrent, extremely negative PR would.

I myself would not be kind in my response if I discovered that the crew was able to watch as my wife and I dressed for an activity. I would not sit still and let it go.

Another thought - many jumpers have been reported to leap off the ship from open, public areas where cameras are also monitoring, and where there is no expectation of privacy.

I am also not an expert. Only reporting that I have never noticed a camera housing near any of the balconies I have been on. As to seeing jumpers, a well placed camera looking down the side of the ship would see someone, and if of adequate resolution, give a good sense of how far down the ship's side the jumper was. This without ever looking directly onto a balcony.

 

As to the intrusion of privacy, I would think that would be a situation the cruise lines would want to stay away from as far as possible. If it became known that cameras were placed so passengers could be monitored while siting on their balconies, or worse, inside their cabins at night while the curtains were open, the cruise lines would be embroiled in a monumental PR disaster. People don't take well to being watched during private moments inside their supposedly private rooms, and if lawsuits would not be a deterrent, extremely negative PR would.

 

I myself would not be kind in my response if I discovered that the crew was able to watch as my wife and I dressed for an activity. I would not sit still and let it go.

 

Another thought - many jumpers have been reported to leap off the ship from open, public areas, where cameras are also monitoring, and where there is no expectation of privacy.

I agree it would be a PR debacle. Here's a good website on the jumpers, just scroll down to each individual incident. Its interesting to see these incidents. I wonder how much control they have over the direction of the cameras and the zoom..

http://www.cruisejunkie.com/Overboard.html

I would recommend that you follow up by letter, and that if you didn't fill out your guest survey and still have it, that you fill it out and mail it in.

They state in the daily on the Eclipse that anyone caught smoking in the room or on the balcony is to be fine $250 and put off at the next port.

The only thing I can imagine you could have done would be to have called when you smelled the smoking and insisted that security be sent NOW to investigate the matter. I like the idea of snapping a photo to show as proof.

I'm very sorry this problem occurred. Like you, I sail Celebrity because of the strict no smoking policy.

I would have been livid if someone had been smoking a cigar on the balcony next to mine. I cannot abide the smell of cigar smoke. I would have been in the face of guest relations, security, the hotel director, whoever it took to resolve the issue.

Since you are now off the ship, I strongly urge you to send a letter to Mr. Hanrahan and to tell him how unresponsive to your complaints guest relations was.

I am also not an expert. Only reporting that I have never noticed a camera housing near any of the balconies I have been on. As to seeing jumpers, a well placed camera looking down the side of the ship would see someone, and if of adequate resolution, give a good sense of how far down the ship's side the jumper was. This without ever looking directly onto a balcony. As to catching a smoker by use of a camera, if the perp were leaning on the railing while smoking, the perp could be visible to one of these same cameras.

 

As to the intrusion of privacy, I would think that would be a situation the cruise lines would want to stay away from as far as possible. If it became known that cameras were placed so passengers could be monitored while siting on their balconies, or worse, inside their cabins at night while the curtains were open, the cruise lines would be embroiled in a monumental PR disaster. People don't take well to being watched during private moments inside their supposedly private rooms, and if lawsuits would not be a deterrent, extremely negative PR would.

 

I myself would not be kind in my response if I discovered that the crew was able to watch as my wife and I dressed for an activity. I would not sit still and let it go.

 

Another thought - many jumpers have been reported to leap off the ship from open, public areas where cameras are also monitoring, and where there is no expectation of privacy.

We were in 1552 on Solstice, the first cabin on the hump with the extra large balcony. There was a camera attached to the wall of our balcony looking down the length of all the cabins on the indented part--I have no idea how much of our deep balcony they could see, but it was obvious that anything occurring along the railings would be visible.

I would have been livid if someone had been smoking a cigar on the balcony next to mine. I cannot abide the smell of cigar smoke. I would have been in the face of guest relations, security, the hotel director, whoever it took to resolve the issue.

 

Since you are now off the ship, I strongly urge you to send a letter to Mr. Hanrahan and to tell him how unresponsive to your complaints guest relations was.

I am sorry to hear about your experience. My wife and I sail with Celebrity because of the strict no smoking policy. I would also encourage you to send a letter so management can ear how your complaints fell on deaf ears.

Cigars are great. They should let you smoke on YOUR balcony.

Also, how was it getting in your room? Did you leave your door open all day? :confused:

Cigars are great. They should let you smoke on YOUR balcony.

 

Also, how was it getting in your room? Did you leave your door open all day? :confused: