Update on the new Seabourn smoking policy: Live from Quest

As we are ending this cruise, the first of Quest with the new smoking policy, I want to update everyone about the impact it has had.

There is no smoking permitted in the Observation Bar at all before 20:00 and even then it is now restricted to the port side side (away from the pianist too.) On the few occasions I have visited late no one was smoking after 20:00.

There is no smoke smell in the corridors since smoking in the cabins is now banned.

While smoking is permitted near the Sky Bar (outside) on the starboard side as usual, no pipe or cigar smoking is permitted there. I have seen some who flout the rules and hope that Seabourn clamps down. Their website states this is only permitted onboard behind the Square on the open deck where there are 3 ash trays and the starboard side of the outdoors deck of deck 5.

I expect and hope that in time Seabourn will finally ban all smoking indoors.

Happy cruising!

Thanks for the info Markham - I am sure your considerable input plus that of others into the smoking situation has helped to achieve this success.

How is/was your cruise otherwise? It would be good to get a report when you have time.

can you clear that up. Prev.post quoted from SB smoking policy.

If so, STILL a problem to me.

I m one of the few who REALLY want to take another,and thinking about it,but THIS is a real drawback.:mad:

I wonder if the crew smoking policy has changed, as in certain areas of the Odyssey, including some corridors, the smell of smoke was unpleasant.

I am indeed happy to respond to your questions.

The food and especially the standard wines have been excellent relative to other crossings and cruises. And the restrictions on smoking most satisfactory; I don't know about crew areas but I have not detected smoke outside crew offices on deck 5 as in years past and I guess I was lucky about no smoke near our balcony.

My negatives are about the lack of investment in some areas of entertainment. Here we are with 9 consecutive sea days and no watercolor class. The lectures were flat e.g. one was about the Titanic whereas we had a distinguished geographer and a sociologist on our Barcelona to Rio crossing. Surely a theme developed by experts would have worked this time too.

The weather cooperated with little rain and bad seas. We had useful briefings by Capt Geir Arne and also his blog's charts were helpful. Fingers and teoRS were always crossed- as per his instructions.

The ship is full and service gracious, generous and friendly. So as par for the course we have a spare open onboard booking as well as a future cruise on Quest booked.

Happy sailing!

Thanks for the update, Markham. I know how important the smoking issue is to you and I am glad it seems to have been handled to your satisfaction.

near HIS balcony seems a real luck of the draw,NO??

Would I just be UNLUCKY if my expensive cruise and cabin were filled with smoke if someone near mine was doing what cruiseline authorizes??

I know this subject has been dicussed to death,but policy STILL NOT IN LINE with many other luxury lines.

Sad,but true.:(

You know... I want to be fair and the more information that there is out there makes for more informed customers and suppliers...

In the case of Quest now, there are diversions such as Trivia and Bridge available daily. But about the lectures and lecturers... Tomorrow is a talk about Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu? We are sailing between Florida and Spain with many passengers staying on through Athens. Incredible. An art class would make fill a big void for many, just as it does on the World Cruise when there is similar camaraderie as in a transatlantic and several consecutive sea days across the big oceans.

And about smoking, I think we are in a good place. No smoke in corridors or in cabins that I know of. Seabourn will fine people who disobey these specific rules. Yes, I hold my breath alongside those tables at the outdoors Sky Bar starboard side. And I don't really know what's what at the indoors Observation Bar after 20:00. Let's hope for the sake of bar staff, the pianist and the ship's passengers that people will take their smoke outside until such time as Seabourn does the right thing for the sake of non-smokers. Thanks, Wripro, for your personal support about an issue of personal and particular concern to me given certain painful circumstances. Health is all-important!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy sailing!

I don t think "we re in a good place"as you say re this problem.

My above concerns are still valid.

Smoking need s to be banned from all parts of cabin,and that certainly inc.the balcony.

Enough said,dont want to beat a dead horse,as they say.:(

The one issue I've found with the new smoking policy on the little sisters (aside from a vast amount of smokers) is that the crew area still emits some fairly foul odors. I'm not sure if passengers on the Odyssey Class experience this smell but on the little ones Im still finding it bad.

Thanks for the update Markham. This is an improvement, but I still can't believe that they allow smoking in the Observation Bar at all. I know of many smoke-sensitive guests who have felt that they were excluded from the Observation Bar, a lovely space, due to the smoke.

May I add to markham's comments? We too have just disembarked from the Quest's transatlantic crossing. We had no problem with smoking except for the Observation Bar to which we went every evening after the show. The Club was too noisy for us. The music was great, but we couldn't hold a conversation. Some evenings the OB was a little smoky, other evenings it was horrendous. The young lady server told us how much she hated it and that the pianist loathed it. She told us good news however. She said that by this time next year there will be no smoking in the Observation Bar.

will in also be banned from BALCONY??

If so, will HAPPILY go ahead and book for next year.

Any ideas about that too??

Other than that,LOVED my cruise on Sojourn and would LOVE to go on her again,or others.:)

Patnlcc,

This is good news indeed about the Observation Bar. Let's hope the ban on smoking is announced soon with an effective date so everyone knows what to expect.

I have a 2015 cruise booked for February. Smart health-related policies are the general public's best friend. As Capt Geir-Arne likes to say (and I like to repeat), I am keeping my fingers and toeRS crossed!

Happy sailing!

Am thinking me must have met you on board, Markham. This was our first Seabourn after a number of Silversea cruises and we just loved it.

Patnlcc,

Yes, maybe we met. I spent preprandials most evenings starting at 18:00 at the Observation Bar. On formal nights I wore 3 Seabourn recognition badges on my dinner jacket breast pocket. Does this help?

Glad to learn of your enthusiasm for Seabourn, too. I only know Cunard Line but I am so satisfied with Seabourn, particularly their terrific staff and the simplicity and delivery of their product, that I consider Seabourn my second home.

Happy sailing!

My team won the trivia!

Congratulations on your Trivia win!

Unfortunately, we would not have met there since I don't play.

Happy sailing!

Pleased to hear about the Observation Bar - but - why is it all done so piecemeal? Maybe studying reactions? It would have been so much better all done at one fell swoop.

Let's just be grateful it's being done at all. Piecemeal is better than nothing!

With so many cruise lines banning smoking almost everywhere on board apart from a few, small outside areas I wonder if Seabourn is hoping to attract smokers, ie customers, by allowing them more opportunities to indulge their habit? From a business point of view it probably makes sense.

I'm not a rabid anti-smoker but admit I would probably avoid using a bar/lounge if it was very smoky but I guess that's the luck of the draw. Ditto balcony smoking which has ruined at least one previous cruise (not Seabourn). We are taking our first SB cruise in July so it will be interesting to see what happens. I doubt the smoking issue will be a deal breaker to be honest but it clearly is for others. I guess SB has to decide if appealing to smoker refugees from other lines makes a bigger difference to the bottom line than losing the non-smokers who go elsewhere.

I cannot imagine what would oblige Seabourn to continue allowing smoking in the Observation Bar. Attracting smokers from other lines is a business case but a weak one when you set it out against the numbers of passengers and crew who expect to be in a smoke-free environment- for obvious reasons. It's also a cynical argument and to my mind shameful.

But anyway, we are where we are. I am hopeful that this silly policy will be terminated in the very near future. Seabourn does not need this bad publicity as a trade off for catering to a few smokers. The price Seabourn pays is in distracting and upsetting those who are using the space before 20:00.

About smoking on balconies, I hope that Seabourn sees sense and follows other cruise lines which deal with the practice. If it's banned on other luxury lines ban it on Seabourn. There are designated smoking areas at the rear of the ships.

Happy sailing!

This is one of those areas where Seabourn's hype of luxury, luxury simply does not make sense. How can a smokey lounge be luxurious, except to a handful of smokers?

I agree with everything you say. I was playing devil's advocate! We are very much looking forward to our first SB cruise and hope the smoking issue won't make it our last.

It's great to have consensus among like-minded people about the new Seabourn smoking policy!

For years people were ignoring the (smelly) silverback gorilla in the Observation Lounge. Not anymore. Everyone knows the solution... He just needs to be taken outside after 20:00 to do his business. I am sure when he settles into the new routine he will be more agreeable- from a distance.

Happy sailing!