Perfume, smoking, and cruising

I came to this site tonight to take a look around and maybe have a peek at the photos of the HAL ships that I cherished so much. Working long hours, it is one of the small pleasures that I have in life.

Anyway, long story short, after googling around for Joanie and my most beloved website, I saw something that I found quite disturbing.

To elaborate, I am a medical professional. I just wanted to say that you can be allergic to the smell of perfume. As a matter of fact, to smokers with copd, the smell of perfume, detergent, bleach, cleaning products, and some deodorants can set off an asthmatic like attack. After years and years of smoking, your body chemistry changes and you will actually need the carbon dioxide in your system more than oxygen for the drive to breathe. (there is a long biochemical explanation to this, but that is the gist of the idea).

On a small cruiseship like HAL, smoking is limited to certain sections, but obnoxious perfumes are not. Let's all take the time to be a little more considerate to one another.

Miss you and your site, Joanie.

Lastly, I would like to close with this: Do not judge lest thee be judged (and I am not even religious) Just saying.

I have personal experience with this allergy. My mother suffers from this allergy and it has severely impacted her life. Almost any type of artificial scent can put her into an allergic distressful situation. My Mom experiences two usual reactions: the first is that she experiences a taste of perfume in her mouth, blisters start to form on the inside of her mouth, her sinus immediately clog and her eyes start to water. This experience is only for certain triggers.

Her second reaction is that she stops breathing. She coughs and suddenly stops breathing and her throat and breathing airways immediately closes up. She is immediately in a life threatening situation and has to run away from the environment and seek emergency medical attention.

Her most common triggers are perfume, scented candles, scented skin care products, scented cleaning products, laundry detergents, make up products, hair dye….the list just goes on and on. My Mom cannot fly on an airplane, cruise on a ship, shop in large malls or attend any public gatherings.

Canada has been very adaptive at implementing scent free environments. Many Canadian workplaces have scent free policies and most hospitals in Canada also have scent free policies in place. I wish HAL would make their ships scent free.

But what's an "obnoxious" perfume? One that a specific person finds offensive? I truly feel for people suffering from such problems, but I don't think it's unreasonable to ask where the balance is. Should the personal hygiene choices of 2200 people have to bend to the problems of one or two? Should all nuts and nut products be kept off a ship because someone can't even risk even being in the presence of nut dust? As long as there are formal nights, at least some ladies are going to "dress to the nines" and wear a favorite scent. Are perfumes to be banned and cruise passengers required to only use scent-free products in order to book a cruise? There may be solutions that are reasonable in an office setting where the same people are in close physical proximity for 8-10 hours a day, but in the relatively open and free-flowing environment of a cruise ship, there may be other solutions.

Here in Canada, the issue is covered under Occupational Health and Safety laws as well as protection is provided by the Canadian Human Rights Act. This isn't an issue where someone doesn't like a particular scent - its an issue of life and death. In the workplace, employees who refuse to comply with the regs can face disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

I have to agree. I also hate the smell of heavy scents on men or women, but it is a bit much to expect a whole cruise ship to forgo smelling sweet. I just wish people wouldn't put so much on.

Meds in effect si am praying no major typos here.

I agree that while there are so many of us who are allergic to scents of any kind that it is an unreasonable thought to try and convince people of just how deadly this allergy can be to those of us who have it.

What I do on a cruise is to make sure that I have plenty of medical masks that I can wear whenever I first start to smell a scent. I also make sure that IF I eat in the MDR or another venue on a cruise, to pre arrange with the Matre De or Restaurant manager to sit in an unoccupied area, with my mask at hand when needed.

But for many of my meals, I either use room service or hubby goes and gets me something to eat.

I also arrange before our cruises for the ship to be made aware of my allergies and make sure they do not use cleaning supplies with any scents in my stateroom.

Hard as it is to do, I still cruise and just avoid the places where the scents affect me the most:)

I wish the US would asopt the same pokicy that Canada has for scent free work places.

Joanie

I have a different type of Allergy. I am allergic to all types of spices. And of course meals are prepared with spices.

I go into fits of sneezing and blowing.

And I can't make me and everyone else give up food. I just learn to deal with it.

Several of our close friends are 'scent sensitive' and we are aware of it. For them, it causes discomfort but is not 'life or death'. I got in the habit of using scent free products when I will be with them and now use almost exclusively scent free. So many people are sensitive that DH and I both refrain from potentially impacting others because of products we use.

Thank you for bringing up this topic. I just finished a 21-day Zaandam cruise during which I was overwhelmed more than once by individuals wearing a lot of perfume. It is especially bad in the elevators in the evening on the way to dinner or the show. But I also encountered it during the day when attending a lecture in the lounge where seating was often very full so moving to another seat was not an option. I was once told that older adults often lose much of their sense of smell and therefore are not aware of how strongly they may smell to others (not sure if this is true but it may explain some of the problem).

I would add my vote to ask other passengers to simply forego wearing strong scents (this includes aftershave for the guys) as a courtesy to other passengers or select a lighter scent and use it sparingly please. Thank you.

Kudo’s to the maturity level of those responding to this thread. I expected the OP to be insulted and flamed. I am glad there was none of the “it’s my right” crap.

My wife has allergies to everything – from maple trees to dogs to pollen to perfume. Unfortunately once she catches a whiff of anyone with a heavy chemical odor it isn’t something that she can simply walk away from. The insides of her nose quivers and she sneezes and sneezes and sneezes and sneezes – long after the offending woman (yes.. 99% of the time it is a woman).

She is fortunate in that she isn’t as allergic as some people. If a smell is faint it will often only have a minor effect, yet when someone smells like they bathed in perfume, well that is a different story. It ruins her entire day/evening.

Bottom line people, if you must put perfume on - if you can smell it, it is too strong. A little dab will do ya.

Here in Canada, the issue is covered under Occupational Health and Safety laws as well as protection is provided by the Canadian Human Rights Act. This isn't an issue where someone doesn't like a particular scent - its an issue of life and death. In the workplace, employees who refuse to comply with the regs can face disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

I'm curious to know how this is enforced in public settings. Are people ejected from theatres if someone finds their scent bothers them? What about churches (either what a person might be wearing, or the scent of incense, candles), or stores or hotels or restaurants or other public-but-private places? If a cruise ship is tied-up in Halifax or Quebec City, does the ship fall under those regulations such that scent-wearing people are subject to penalties? As I posted earlier, it is completely understandable to have some degree of policy on this when the same co-workers are in close physical proximity in an office setting all day. It just seems to become trickier "out and about."

I think most people aren't aware on how scent can endanger others. My sister is allergic to many scents, so whenever there is a family meeting, we are all scent free. This often means I forget to dab on some perfume if I go to another type of event as well as it's usually not part of my normal routine. I don't mind, but my MIL once asked me why I never wear my nice perfumes (she's seen the bottles). :D I told her about my forgetfulness and sometimes when I pick her up and I had forgotten I take a little dab of her perfume.

Both my DH and I are sensitive to perfumes. We were in the MDR and had tablemate who must have bathed in her sent as it was very strong. We asked that she not wear so much next time to dinner. However the next night she wore even more. When we asked again, she said she forgot. She forgot 6 of the next seven nights. What it meant was that DH sneezed so much he couldn't taste his food. I do not understand why she couldn't have added her touch of perfume after dinner if she was smelling good for her husband for the evening.

I always figured if you want to smell nice for your sig other then add a touch but when you are dinning, the smell of the food is part of the experience. Do you really want to smell the lady two table over instead of your food?

As to over-perfuming oneself, what happens over time using the same scent, one's sense of smell to that particular perfume tends to diminish, resulting in over-doing the perfume.

This is most likely what makes some people over dose on their favorite scent.

I work for a company where everyone must use unscented products. When a client comes along with perfume, I show them the sign where it says "No perfume" and "unscented products only". Sometimes when a person has been using the same scent, they become immune to it and spray on as much as they can until they smell it. Unfortunately, for some, that means more than a tiny dab, or a quick spritz. To the rest of us, it smells like you poured half the bottle over yourself.

I wretch and gag and choke when (mostly) women walk by me or get on the same elevator. It isn't that I don't like the smell or some perfumes/scents, just a hint is lovely. Using enough to make everyone's eyes water is too much. I am that person sneezing 10 times during dinner because of your overwhelming scent. (My husband almost always counts the number of sneezes.) That is the reason my husband and I need a table for 2. We would love to have a large table, but every woman there, other than myself, is enveloped in scent.

I understand that a signature perfume is a lovely thing. Don't forget that your clothes may have already had a shot or two of your perfume already.

Standing on a balcony on a cruise ship can be the most beautiful thing in the world... until the woman in the cabin next to you comes out with freshly sprayed perfume and the wind is blowing it into your balcony.

For those of you that do have a signature scent, go and smell your jackets or sweaters or your formal tops or dresses after you read this. They have your perfume in the fabric already. Do us all a favour and leave the spray bottles at home for your next cruise.

Ask your husband about your perfume and how much you use. Ask if you use too much. If you think you need to cover yourself in it, wait until you get back to your cabin for the night and go nuts.

I'm curious to know how this is enforced in public settings. Are people ejected from theatres if someone finds their scent bothers them? What about churches (either what a person might be wearing, or the scent of incense, candles), or stores or hotels or restaurants or other public-but-private places? If a cruise ship is tied-up in Halifax or Quebec City, does the ship fall under those regulations such that scent-wearing people are subject to penalties? As I posted earlier, it is completely understandable to have some degree of policy on this when the same co-workers are in close physical proximity in an office setting all day. It just seems to become trickier "out and about."

To be honest, I don't feel it is. There are signs up in hospitals and doctor's offices and it is a no-no for my workplace but I have yet to see someone told to" mind the sign". If anywhere, I would think it would happen in a hospital. But when the Avon orders come in my office reaks because of two women.

I agree some women due over-indulge, but in my office two men with heavy hands with their aftersaves were the largest offenders. Nobody could breathe going past their cublicles. I used to say their aftershave consumed the available oxygen.

I don't believe it is a public policy that all public spaces have to be scent free. So malls, open spaces, movie theatres, resaturants, etc have no policy and I couldn't believe any policy could be enforceable. No regulator would take this on as perfume is a business. How could plicy makes say it is okay to sell cigarettes but not perfume?

Each deserves the sign "use with respect to the discomfort of others".

I'm curious to know how this is enforced in public settings. Are people ejected from theatres if someone finds their scent bothers them? What about churches (either what a person might be wearing, or the scent of incense, candles), or stores or hotels or restaurants or other public-but-private places? If a cruise ship is tied-up in Halifax or Quebec City, does the ship fall under those regulations such that scent-wearing people are subject to penalties? As I posted earlier, it is completely understandable to have some degree of policy on this when the same co-workers are in close physical proximity in an office setting all day. It just seems to become trickier "out and about."

There are usually signs that announce that the area that you are visiting is a scent free zone. Depending upon the area, you may be approached and asked to leave the area. For instance, it would be quite acceptable for a security guard to approach someone wearing scent in a hospital and ask them to leave the hospital. Not all areas have these policies in place, but many common areas do. A lot of hospitals, universities, public schools, health care institutions, government departments and many larger employers have these policies in place.

Many organizations that provide service to the public simply refuse to provide that service until the person seeking the service complies.

From an employer point of view, the employer must take actions against employees who refuse to comply or face allegations from other employees of failing to provide a safe working environment. The usual first step is to counsel the non-complaint employees of the policy and usually request that they go to the washroom and remove the scent or return home to remove the scent. As mentioned earlier, failure to comply usually results in progressive discipline that can lead to termination.

If a ship ties up in a Canadian port, the ship itself is not subject to these polices, but if any passenger were to elect to leave the ship and visit the port, then that passenger is just like any other visitor to that country - he or she is expected to know and comply with the laws of the land. For your own peace of mind, most places that have this policy in place clearly advertise it.

As to over-perfuming oneself' date=' what happens over time using the same scent, one's sense of smell to that particular perfume tends to diminish, resulting in over-doing the perfume.

This is most likely what makes some people over dose on their favorite scent.[/quote']

 

That is usually what happens. You become desensitized to odours when you are exposed to them on a daily basis. That's why in the 50s, 60s, and 70s no one found cigarette smoke offensive. Everyone was smoking and nearly every household had a smoker in it. As a result, we didn't smell the smoke. Our brains blocked it out. Fast forward to today when we are more smoke free homes and more non smokers and when we suddenly find ourselves meeting a smoker, it's akin to smelling the smoke for the first time. And what a smell it is when you have never learned to desensitize yourself to it.

There are usually signs that announce that the area that you are visiting is a scent free zone. Depending upon the area, you may be approached and asked to leave the area. For instance, it would be quite acceptable for a security guard to approach someone wearing scent in a hospital and ask them to leave the hospital. Not all areas have these policies in place, but many common areas do. A lot of hospitals, universities, public schools, health care institutions, government departments and many larger employers have these policies in place.

 

Many organizations that provide service to the public simply refuse to provide that service until the person seeking the service complies.

 

From an employer point of view, the employer must take actions against employees who refuse to comply or face allegations from other employees of failing to provide a safe working environment. The usual first step is to counsel the non-complaint employees of the policy and usually request that they go to the washroom and remove the scent or return home to remove the scent. As mentioned earlier, failure to comply usually results in progressive discipline that can lead to termination.

 

If a ship ties up in a Canadian port, the ship itself is not subject to these polices, but if any passenger were to elect to leave the ship and visit the port, then that passenger is just like any other visitor to that country - he or she is expected to know and comply with the laws of the land. For your own peace of mind, most places that have this policy in place clearly advertise it.

Just curious; who determines what's too much scent? Is there a sniff test or is it I smell a whiff of a scent on you, any scent, and you're in violation of a local ordinance?

Just curious; who determines what's too much scent? Is there a sniff test or is it I smell a whiff of a scent on you, any scent, and you're in violation of a local ordinance?

I do believe the answer to your question is in your avatar.

I do believe the answer to your question is in your avatar.

He wasn't trained to smell perfume odors ;)

He wasn't trained to smell perfume odors ;)

I kinda figured that.....:D

heavens, this whole thing is just byzantine. i mean, what next? the soap you use in the bath/shower -- verboten -- your shampoo -banned -- the mouthwash you use -- banned -- the toothpaste -- offensive -- the deodorant, especially the deodorant -- allergic to many -- peanut dust, smoke of any kind, hair spray, shave cream, lots of medications, especially for the skin, and so forth. one could continue the list ad infititum. where does it all stop, and DON'T SAY 'WITH A BIT OF REASON.' there is NO REASON when these things start. none. so, stay at home, in a sterile environment, shielded from the world with whatever, never go anywhere, and enjoy life. but not with friends, because one of them may have dabbed with chanel or shalimar. or patted on some old spice. lordy, my herbs in the garden have begun to sprout out -- there goes the rosemary. hack, hack.

but i must admit, 'white shoulders' always made me gag; but, then again, maybe it was who was wearing it. lollollol

Just curious; who determines what's too much scent? Is there a sniff test or is it I smell a whiff of a scent on you, any scent, and you're in violation of a local ordinance?

Any scent is too much. The policy is for a scent free working environment.

Just curious; who determines what's too much scent? Is there a sniff test or is it I smell a whiff of a scent on you, any scent, and you're in violation of a local ordinance?

My rule of thumb has always been that if anyone besides your spouse or significant other can smell you, you are either wearing too much perfume/cologne/aftershave or you really need a bath. :p