Question about cigarette smoke

[gunnercade]

We are sailing for our first cruise in May. We booked with HAL. They do not have non-smoking cabins, but they guaranteed that cabins are 'thoroughly cleaned' and that no cigarette smoke will linger. I can live with (some) smoke, but my husband reacts badly to exposure, especially several nights. Has anyone had any problem with lingering smoke from a cabin? Thanks for your feedback.

[sparky-elpaso]

Just returned from the Caribbean on the HAL Westerdam. I don't think I ever noticed the smell of smoke anywhere on the ship.

[cb at sea]

I don't know WHAT they do, but there will be no residual smoke odor in your cabin.

[gunnercade]

Thanks! That's a big relief.

[Bill S]

We are non-smokers who have cruised on HAL quite a few times. We have never detected any left-over smoke odor in our cabin. HAL does a great job of removing any smoke odor in the cabins. Have a great cruise! :)

[Essiesmom]

Unfortunately, if there is a heavy smoker on your corridor, you will smell it as you walk past. But when that guest leaves, they have a thingy that looks like a vacuum cleaner that they leave in there that does something with ozone to get read of the smell. EM

[CALMOM]

I'm not sure how HAL or any cruise line could guarantee your cabin will not smell like smoke. However, they do an amazing job with reducing the smoke smell. If you DH reacts that badly to smoke smell, no just smoke, then I would suggest that you cruise with Celebrity or one of the luxury cruise lines that have very strict smoking policies. The fare will be significantly higher for the luxury cruise lines but if your DH health depends on it, then it would be worth the money. You just can't put a price on your health.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We cruise a lot on HAL.

One time when we entered our cabin we could smell stake smoke. We reported it to our cabin steward -- he came with a special machine and thoroughly recleaned our cabin. No more problem.

[moniquet]

What is it with all these smoking threads, they appear every few days:( If it is all that important to you choose a cruise with stricter non-smoking policies.

[flamomo]

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"What is it with all these smoking threads, they appear every few days."

 

Agreed! They usually start out with a poster asking a legitimate question, but within a few posts also often deteriorate into opposing views of smoking that can get contentious and ugly.

 

It seems a shame that the original question can't just be answered, and then the topic let go. Too many seem to take pleasure in stirring things up.

[sail7seas]

We thankfully have never had a cabin which had stale smoke stench on HAL and on Westerdam was no where bothered by smoke.

 

Not the same on Eurodam. Our cabin was fine but smokers on both the abutting verandas chased us inside for almost the whole second week of our b-to-b's. they smoked just about non-stop and we had almost no use of our veranda. It was awful.

 

[ailuro]

You might want to Google "tobacco-specific nitrosamines" to see why you might want to keep your husband away from any soft furnishings and fabrics which will not be washed between customers - for example chair/sofa might benefit from havign a towel draped over them if he wants to sit on them wearing shorts.;)

[Dr. Jack Daniels]

What is it with all these smoking threads, they appear every few days:( If it is all that important to you choose a cruise with stricter non-smoking policies.

 

Here is my advice. When you see a thread with "smoking" in the title........

 

 

DONT CLICK ON IT

Problem solved;)

[Toddy709]

Here is my advice. When you see a thread with "smoking" in the title........

 

 

DONT CLICK ON IT

 

Problem solved;)

 

I love a doctor with common sense!:D

[schoolinmy3]

Just returned from the Caribbean on the HAL Westerdam. I don't think I ever noticed the smell of smoke anywhere on the ship.

 

We also were on the Westerdam and even though I have asthma, did not have issues with smoke in the stateroom at all. Did have a neighbor smoking on his verandah. Fortunately he seemed to be only out there for his morning coffee. :p I did not notice any smoke anywhere else and never went into the casinos or bars so that was not an issue for us.

diane

[yarramar]

but my husband reacts badly to exposure, especially several nights. Has anyone had any problem with lingering smoke from a cabin? Thanks for your feedback.

 

Then don't risk cruising on this line and find a line that has strict smoking policies. The cabin may be fine but if, by chance you have a neighboring cabin (like we did) where they spend every waking minute smoking you will find smoke coming in every time you try to get some "fresh air".

 

This will ruin your cruise experience and you may not get the pleasure that comes from being out in the clean fresh air that only sea travel can give you

[beachchick]

What is it with all these smoking threads, they appear every few days:( If it is all that important to you choose a cruise with stricter non-smoking policies.

 

They're only asking about how well the cabins are cleaned in regards to lingering/remaining smoke and smoke smells between cruises. They're not asking the cruise line to change it's policies or ragging on smokers.

 

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"What is it with all these smoking threads, they appear every few days."

 

Agreed! They usually start out with a poster asking a legitimate question, but within a few posts also often deteriorate into opposing views of smoking that can get contentious and ugly.

 

It seems a shame that the original question can't just be answered, and then the topic let go. Too many seem to take pleasure in stirring things up.

 

Um, seems to me that you are the first one to start this thread down that path. Not one previous post has been contentious or ugly. They have been specific about experiences (generally along the lines of "they do a great job getting the smoke and smoke smells out between cruises"). So what exactly is your problem with this thread?

 

gunnercade asked that "legitimate" question; others answered it; you and moniquet did not, but brought up how these thread can get nasty--even though this one had not and did not.

 

Kind of odd, IMO.

 

 

gunnercade: We quit smoking long ago; my DH (dear hubby) has allergy- and infection-triggered asthma and is now sensitive to all smoke (cigarette, cigar, wood stove, campfire--doesn't matter, so we are careful). We have never had the least problem with lingering smoke in cruise cabins.

 

Do be mindful on the balcony, if applicable. I don't know HAL's policy, but many crusie lines do allow cigarette (and sometimes cigar and pipe) smoking on balconies. Most the time, it's simple enough to simply not be on the balcony if the smoke drifts into yours (generally noticeable in port, but not so much at sea). Sadly, what sail7seas experience ced ome have experienced does happen. Some, not all, smokers can be approached with a polite and non-confrontational, "Could we kind of coordinate some times for us to be on the balcony when you are not smoking; we know it's perfectly within your right to say no, but we would be very appreciative...etc." Some here have reported success, but sometimes the reaction is not so great. Over the years, a few members here have said that if anyone ever had the nerve to bring it up, they would say, "Hell no! We will smoke as much as we want, how dare you ask..." and then have gone on to say that they'd smoke even more just to bother the neighbors who brought it up. However, I believe that is not typical. Nearly all smokers I've encountered on cruises have been meticulous about smoking only in smoking areas and understand that it can bother neighboring balconies, depending on wind and so forth.

 

And to answer your actual question: They use a super powerful ozone machine thingie that removes nearly all of the residual smokiness if the passenger before you was a smoker. It can also remove the damp, humid "musty" smells if there are any.

 

beachchick

p.s. to sail7seas: I have to admit that what happened to you is something we've feared. I'm sorry that you weren't able to enjoy your balcony. We too would find that an awful situation and a real disappointment.

[flamomo]

Ummmm...... Beachchick ........... just stating facts, based on having read a number of previous smoking threads, in response to someone else's post. NOT "starting" anything.

 

Please don't get judgemental and turn nothing into something.

[Dr. Jack Daniels]

Please don't get judgemental and turn nothing into something.

 

That apparently is your job. :rolleyes:

[Hlitner]

Wow! There are sure some thin skins when this topic comes up in the forums. The OP posted an absolutely reasonable question and deserves good answers, not smitty comments. There are some folks who are allergic to smoke (I took enough of them the ER in my old paramedic days) which can trigger nasty (and sometimes life threatening) asthma attacks. Smoking policies vary among the various cruise lines (we have been on more then 50 different ships of 11 cruise lines) and there never are guarantees of a totally smoke-free environment. We have never had an issue with our cabin, but have been in situations where somebody in another cabin will smoke like a chimney and leave their door propped open to make sure everyone knows it! Our biggest problem is on balcony cabins if we get unlucky and have a heavy smoker in a nearby upwind cabin (not much you can do about it). Most ships have a pretty tough no-smoking policy is public rooms, with the casino being one major exception. On deck most ships have a policy where smokers are supposed to stay on one side of the ship and most folks (not all) seem to comply with the rule.

 

Hank

[kelmac]

We are sailing for our first cruise in May. We booked with HAL. They do not have non-smoking cabins, but they guaranteed that cabins are 'thoroughly cleaned' and that no cigarette smoke will linger. I can live with (some) smoke, but my husband reacts badly to exposure, especially several nights. Has anyone had any problem with lingering smoke from a cabin? Thanks for your feedback.

 

We've only had one cabin that really reeked of smoke, but like Krazy Kurzers, a crew of three showed up and spent a couple of hours cleaning everything. They said there was a single person with mobility issues that rarely left the cabin and chain smoked the entire cruise. They steam cleaned the carpet, washed the walls and ceiling, and brought in new bedspread. They did a great job, except for the inside of the closets; we had to leave them open for the first 48 hours to get the smell out.

 

Oceania, Azamara and Celebrity cruise lines have new restrictive rules concerning smoking. No smoking in cabins, balconies and about 95% of the ship. The smoking policy of Celebrity may be pushing more cruisers (that smoke) over to Holland America?? The opposite is true for us.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[moniquet]

A quicksearch will show more than twenty similar threads...same question, same ****:(

[SantaFeFan]

The smoking policy of Celebrity may be pushing more cruisers (that smoke) over to Holland America?? :)

 

Celebrity reports they have gained more customers than they have lost, so it appears that is countered by an upsurge of people choosing Celebrity because of the smoking policy. That includes my wife and I, and at least five other couples we know, most from Princess.

[flamomo]

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Quote:

Originally Posted by flamomo

Please don't get judgemental and turn nothing into something.

 

That apparently is your job.

 

Oh, for Pete's sake! Talk about overreacting.

The response was not directed to you, "Dr. Jack".

Enough already!

[kelmac]

Celebrity reports they have gained more customers than they have lost, so it appears that is countered by an upsurge of people choosing Celebrity because of the smoking policy. That includes my wife and I, and at least five other couples we know, most from Princess.

 

There are a couple of things HAL needs to change before we do a revisit!!

For a while there, we were alternating between HAL and Celebrity. After our Solstice cruise and our last cruise with Oceania (both with restrictive smoking policies) we can't see going back.(to Holland America)

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)