Has HAL's smoking policy changed?

I have read various reviews and threads in which posters are stating that on some ships there is no smoking in the Casino, Sport's Bar, Lido pool area, etc.

I'm wondering if anyone knows exactly what the policy is now and if this change is fleetwide, or just being tested on certain ships, or if in fact the policy has changed and become permanent.

Anymore, it seems each time we board a ship, we don't know what to expect. :confused:

I haven't heard of any change. IIRC, there are some times they make the casino smoke-free for a certain period of time. That's all I know of.

I've read here on CC that there has been a change in smoking policy on Noordam with more to come perhaps.

IIRC, posters have said there is no smoking permitted at Lido Pool at all. No longer the small area of tables where smoking was designated okay.

Also, the Casino has gone smoke free.

Smoking is still permitted in cabins and I think there are still smoking sections in most lounges.

I seem to recall them saying that Sports Bar is now or is soon to be non-smoking.

Someone please correct me if I've gotten it wrong.

Was on the Westerdam last week. there was smoking in some of the lounges but not all.

one side of the lido (but twice i saw non smokers sitting there, which is fine, but they were complaining about the smoke).

We were on b2b and once each week there was a non smoking night in the casino (which was significantly quieter)

One thing i have to admit that isn't fair to the non smokers, is if you exit the theatre from the 2nd floor, you have to exit through the casino. If you're very sensitive to smoke you might want to exit from the 3rd floor.

There were permanent ashtrays on the railings of both sides of the promenade.

The astrays in some of the lounges (mostly northern lights and the casino) were removed most of the time and you had to go searching or ask for one.

If you exit the theatre on Deck 2 of a Vista Ship, you are not required to pass through the Casino. You can walk up to Deck 3 (or take the elevator), go outside on the Promenade Deck, with loads of fresh air and beautiful sea views, you can go anywhere on the ship. Isn't that why we take cruises - for fresh sea air and beautiful ocean views?

Not necessarily in the evening, when dressed in high heels, our hair styled for formal evening.......not all ladies wish to go out on deck when dressed for the evening have their hair all blown. ;) Or to walk on a possibly wet teak deck in high heeled strappy sandals.

I understand you are offering an alternative but that is not one that works for all of us. :D

As an ex-smoker in progress, it would seem the casinos are the latest ``experiment.''

The smoking areas in the lounges and bars have been shrinking, probablly proportionally to liquor sales!

Hi Mariner,

?? or shrinking in proportion to the number of people who still smoke???

Came off the Noordam about 3 weeks ago. Two nights at the casino were non smoking. However, on those nights the casino was very empty. Also, during this cruise, there was still smoking at the Sports Bar, so it became pretty crowded. There was smoking alowed in a corner of the Crows Nest Lounge and at the bar and also at the aft pool on one side. No smoking at the mid pool area. Smoking was still allowed in your cabin. However, from what I have read on these boards, things have changed.

Same thing with the Volendam, they had 2 nights in the casino which was non smoking. Which was fine with me. I smoke, but just went into the casino bar and had a cigarette no big deal, the non smokers should enjoy a night as well. And I must say it did not smell like smoke! Don't know how the did it!

I understand from a friend playing on the Veendam that there is no longer smoking in the piano bar...casino one or two nights a week.

As always port (or starboard) side is still smoking on deck. As are all the lounges in the appropriate areas. Also cabins are still smoking.

And please folks...just answering a question from the OP....

This is not a smoking nonsmoking issue.

WE ALL HAVE SEEN ENOUGH OF THEM ON THEES BOARDS...

LIKE 15 A WEEK...LOL

Was on the Westerdam last week.

Enchanted:

Non smoking question. We will be on the Westerdam in 3 weeks. How was your experience? Was the food good in the Vista Dining Room for dinner? We will be traveling with two Crystal Line Cruisers so I was just wondering.

Tom

I understand from a friend playing on the Veendam that there is no longer smoking in the piano bar...

That actually is fair on the S-class ships as they are a small, confined room. I realize that only one section of the "cloverleaf" (for want of a better description) was smoking, but it drifted to non-smoking sections before the ventilation system could do it's job.

On the S-class ships the combination Sports/Casino Bar is about what, five steps away? As long as smoking remains allowed there it should be an agreeable arrangement.

I can understand no smoking in the Piano Bar - it is after all, a pretty confined space........ and I guess I can live with a non smoking Casino - experience tells me that my 'smoke' just burns away while I'm concentrating on placing bets!! :D

I can understand no smoking in the Piano Bar - it is after all, a pretty confined space........ and I guess I can live with a non smoking Casino - experience tells me that my 'smoke' just burns away while I'm concentrating on placing bets!! :D

The casino is nonsmoking only "one" night....

I have read various reviews and threads in which posters are stating that on some ships there is no smoking in the Casino, Sport's Bar, Lido pool area, etc.

I just got off of the Amsterdam on the 30th of October and the smoking policy there hadn't changed at all. You could still smoke in sections of the lounges, one side of the Lido pool, and the casino. I do believe, however, that on certain days ... for certain time periods ... the casino was non-smoking.

Of course, smoking was still permitted in the cabins.

Blue skies ...

--rita

I did recall seeing some postings from the last cruise regarding this.

They were considered "experiments" of some sort. But my talk with the HM yielded other info. Something about the Turkish carpet shop (in the ex - smoking room off the Explorers Lounge) being phased out by next year, and the space being once again allocated to the smokers.

He never mentioned that the casino and Sports Bar would be permanently made non-smoking. (Unless he lied to me ... :rolleyes: )

Just got off the Ryndam 14 day. There were at least 2 non smoking nights in the casino. And on the Lido pool deck a large service closet and the band area now separates the portside smoking section from the non smoking section preventing the smoking section from oozing itself into the non-smoking section. (And allowing non smokers on that side to not have to smell the second hand smoke) The casino bar was still smoking - it is now impossible to to a quick check of a sports score on the small tvs without inhaling a lungful of smoke.

Enchanted:

 

Non smoking question. We will be on the Westerdam in 3 weeks. How was your experience? Was the food good in the Vista Dining Room for dinner? We will be traveling with two Crystal Line Cruisers so I was just wondering.

 

Tom

Tom, I posted my dining and service experience the other day.

Here is the link- http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=445183

Some people agreed with my comments, others felt the service and food was excellent. Overall we had a very good trip.

Hope this helps,

Maxine

Also, if you're into the Hydro pool and Thermal suite- here's a more positive link i posted for that-

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=445902

And please folks...just answering a question from the OP....

This is not a smoking nonsmoking issue.

 

WE ALL HAVE SEEN ENOUGH OF THEM ON THEES BOARDS...

LIKE 15 A WEEK...LOL

I'd like to know if you have any success regarding that request.

My review has been bombarded by a few anti-smoking Brownshirts, and they still persist.

:rolleyes:

Recent cruises on Volendam.

Smoking at both pools in certain areas, smoking in all the bars in certain areas, smoking in the casino.

There were a couple of evenings on the Volendam when smoking was not allowed in the casino. But it was too late -- they were on sea days and the casino opened early in the day and the vents weren't powerful enough to get out the left-over smoke.

From what I am learning most of the smoking changes have only been on the Noordam...particularly the one regarding the Lido. I am lead to believe this may be a decision made on board by the Captain and HM and not a Corporate decision or it would be on the others ships as well.

As far as the no-smoking in the Casino on the Noordam this is supposed to be just a trial period of three cruises...we'll see.

I just got off the Noordam on the 25th. I am a non-smoker but can tell you that there was smoking at the Lido Bar. I do not utilize the casino so I can't comment on that but there was smoking in the sports bar. I passed that at daily when I was taking my daily walk to see what was on the dinner menu at the Vista. Hope this helps.

Pattie, NJ

The casino is nonsmoking only "one" night....

Just off the Noordam... No smoking ANYTIME in the casino. Adjacent Sports Bar allows smoking.