New HAL smoking policy

[cruisin'girl]

No, outside away from other people as I said in my post. That means not on the Veranda as it effects other people.

I would be interested in where you think this outside area should be. Aft Lido deck makes sense to me, but I have read complaints from those with verandahs below that area that smoke from the upper deck, instead of blowing up and out away from the moving ship with the wind as I would assume, blows downward and then turns and blows into their balconies. Not sure how that happens, but there have been posts that the aft Lido deck is not acceptable, so where do you suggest smoking should be allowed outdoors that will not "affect other people"?

[gillianrose]

Smokers often suggest "aft cabins" or "aft lido deck" or "outside at the pool bar" and such things because those are all very desirable places to hang out on the ship! Therefore, these are the last places I think that smoking should be tolerated, since the vast majority of people are not smokers and don't want to smell any smoke.

 

Therefore, I suggest the very top of the ship, perhaps near the... smokestack.

[C Cruise Dude]

Direct from HAL's website... here's the WHOLE policy

 

For the comfort of all of our guests, based on an increased desire expressed by the majority of our guests, we are changing our smoking policy as of January 15, 2012.

Presently, all indoor areas are designated non-smoking with the exception of:

 

• Casino
  
• Northern Lights Disco (ms Eurodam, ms Oosterdam, ms Noordam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Westerdam & ms Zuiderdam only)
  
• Seaview Bar (except ms Maasdam, ms Ryndam & ms Statendam)
  
• Sports Bar
  
• Crow's Nest (except ms Eurodam, ms Oosterdam, ms Noordam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Westerdam & ms Zuiderdam)
  

 

 

All showrooms are nonsmoking during performances.

There are selected areas of the outside decks where smoking is allowable. Cigar and pipe smoking is only permitted on the outside decks.

Our ships do not currently have "nonsmoking" staterooms; however, all rooms are thoroughly cleaned after each cruise to assure the comfort of our guests

 

 

For all cruises departing on or after January 15, 2012

All staterooms will be non-smoking areas, in addition to the other areas that were already defined as non-smoking. Smoking will continue to be permitted outside on stateroom verandahs. There are designated areas available for smoking both inside the ships and on outside decks as detailed above.

 

I am a non smoker. If I had to encounter second hand smoke, I would prefer that of a pipe than that of cigarettes or a cigar. Anyone know why pipes are prohibited?

[JsueMore]

I am thrilled that Carnival Corporation is taking a stand on smoking. I hope it will extend to all interior areas. My last cruise on the on Hal I could not stand to be in the casino. No one was smoking except for two people, the bar area and furniture reeked from old smoke.

As an Insurance Broker rates for people who smoke is sky high, and I do not want to have 2nd hand smoke on my vacation, because I do not smoke and it is a proven health hazard.

There is a reason for non smoking states, high health insurance rates for smokers, and no smoking on plane and airports. Especially on a cruise ship the smoke in the interiors has no place to go except in the lungs of fellow passengers and on the walls and furniture. Also the fire hazard alone of people smoking in cabins and the closed interiors is an accident waiting to happen.

Hopefully Carnival Corporation will continue to see the light and continue to advance non smoking measures on their fleets.

[kakalina]

Spelling erros aside,

does anyone remember this lady about whom I'm referring?

I have no clue what her posting name is.

 

 

She posted as HALpr with some funny markings I can't make with my keyboard .

[brutus11]

Shame on you HAL. Your boardroom did not get this right. You were going in the right direction but made one big Bo Bo when you did not include balconies. Effective 2012 we will cruise only with Princess. We will miss you.

[1 HappyCruiser]

It could be that HAL though they'd pick up some of the people from Princess. It does strike me as strange but I'm also happy that Princess will be more restricted since I have my cruise credits with them. For once I made a right decision.

With the way the smoking restrictions have been progressing it probably won't be very long before the balconies are included in the ban.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I've just gotten caught up with the pages of judgmental, offensive, nasty, critical, holier than thou posts since my last and I know I should just hit the little red 'x' and exit CC for as long as possible.

 

But I just can't. What is the matter with everyone? I hate the smell of cigarette smoke and become ill when a cigar is within 1/2 mile of me, but that's just too bad for me! I don't understand why people can't just steer clear of a deck left available for smokers. And unless it's a cigar, I think it's a stretch to be so affected by smoke on a nearby balcony. I'm not saying it never happens if you have someone who just smokes continuously, but that simply can't be the case on every single cruise.

 

Smoking is a addiction and it's very hard to stop. There but for the grace of God and acute bronchitis go I. I'm not sure I could have stopped if I hadn't been ill. And it's easy to understand why smokers would get defensive with some of the nasty condescending comments made here on this thread.

 

Give it a rest. If you don't want to have smoking on balconies, cruise on another cruise line. Contrary to what some say, HAL does not hold exclusive rights to the best cruise experience. Don't believe everything you read especially from those who haven't cruised anything but HAL for years. They don't know what they're missing.

 

HAL is trying to accommodate everyone with their new policy. It might not fit your needs exclusively, but you can't please everyone all the time. So if it's not good enough, move on. There are a lot of choices out there. But get off the backs of the smokers in this forum. They have a habit they either can't break or for some reason don't want to break ... doesn't make them 2nd class citizens, doesn't make them uneducated or poor. Young people still take up smoking in droves so it's not just old people who didn't know any better when they started.

 

They smoke. They didn't kill anyone or rob a bank. Some very good friends of mine smoke and some are right here on this forum. So give it a rest and let up on your fellow man for heaven's sake. It's a tough world out there and there's lots more to worry about than whether a wisp of smoke might make its way past you on your balcony.

 

Sorry for the rant, but this is just crazy ... and just plain mean. We're better than that ... at least I hope we are.

[Woe is me]

Way to go Heather! ;)

[DugboatLarry]

just a guess, but probably because the kush is so good in Vancouver, BC imo..:)

[Toad]

I've just gotten caught up with the pages of judgmental, offensive, nasty, critical, holier than thou posts since my last and I know I should just hit the little red 'x' and exit CC for as long as possible.

 

But I just can't. What is the matter with everyone? I hate the smell of cigarette smoke and become ill when a cigar is within 1/2 mile of me, but that's just too bad for me! I don't understand why people can't just steer clear of a deck left available for smokers. And unless it's a cigar, I think it's a stretch to be so affected by smoke on a nearby balcony. I'm not saying it never happens if you have someone who just smokes continuously, but that simply can't be the case on every single cruise.

 

Smoking is a addiction and it's very hard to stop. There but for the grace of God and acute bronchitis go I. I'm not sure I could have stopped if I hadn't been ill. And it's easy to understand why smokers would get defensive with some of the nasty condescending comments made here on this threa

 

Give it a rest. If you don't want to have smoking on balconies, cruise on another cruise line. Contrary to what some say, HAL does not hold exclusive rights to the best cruise experience. Don't believe everything you read especially from those who haven't cruised anything but HAL for years. They don't know what they're missing.

 

HAL is trying to accommodate everyone with their new policy. It might not fit your needs exclusively, but you can't please everyone all the time. So if it's not good enough, move on. There are a lot of choices out there. But get off the backs of the smokers in this forum. They have a habit they either can't break or for some reason don't want to break ... doesn't make them 2nd class citizens, doesn't make them uneducated or poor. Young people still take up smoking in droves so it's not just old people who didn't know any better when they started.

 

They smoke. They didn't kill anyone or rob a bank. Some very good friends of mine smoke and some are right here on this forum. So give it a rest and let up on your fellow man for heaven's sake. It's a tough world out there and there's lots more to worry about than whether a wisp of smoke might make its way past you on your balcony.

 

Sorry for the rant, but this is just crazy ... and just plain mean. We're better than that ... at least I hope we are.

 

Just want to make sure that this lady has the last and most REASONABLE word!

[1 HappyCruiser]

I really feel sorry for the people who have sailed HAL for years & see what the other cruise lines have recently done to curb the situation. Sure the smokers have deserve a right to their habit but not at the expense of all the non smokers around them. The only solution is to continue to complain as often & loudly as possible and hopefully the cruise line will come around & ban smoking on all balconies as did Princess and Celebrity.

[DugboatLarry]

complain.. and change nothing.... there are many choices and many free , crusaders that . welll.. just complain.. imo.. pick another choice and stop trying to change the World with one tweet.. er:D

[jimmy2x]

I've just gotten caught up with the pages of judgmental, offensive, nasty, critical, holier than thou posts since my last and I know I should just hit the little red 'x' and exit CC for as long as possible.

 

But I just can't. What is the matter with everyone? I hate the smell of cigarette smoke and become ill when a cigar is within 1/2 mile of me, but that's just too bad for me! I don't understand why people can't just steer clear of a deck left available for smokers. And unless it's a cigar, I think it's a stretch to be so affected by smoke on a nearby balcony. I'm not saying it never happens if you have someone who just smokes continuously, but that simply can't be the case on every single cruise.

 

Smoking is a addiction and it's very hard to stop. There but for the grace of God and acute bronchitis go I. I'm not sure I could have stopped if I hadn't been ill. And it's easy to understand why smokers would get defensive with some of the nasty condescending comments made here on this thread.

 

Give it a rest. If you don't want to have smoking on balconies, cruise on another cruise line. Contrary to what some say, HAL does not hold exclusive rights to the best cruise experience. Don't believe everything you read especially from those who haven't cruised anything but HAL for years. They don't know what they're missing.

 

HAL is trying to accommodate everyone with their new policy. It might not fit your needs exclusively, but you can't please everyone all the time. So if it's not good enough, move on. There are a lot of choices out there. But get off the backs of the smokers in this forum. They have a habit they either can't break or for some reason don't want to break ... doesn't make them 2nd class citizens, doesn't make them uneducated or poor. Young people still take up smoking in droves so it's not just old people who didn't know any better when they started.

 

They smoke. They didn't kill anyone or rob a bank. Some very good friends of mine smoke and some are right here on this forum. So give it a rest and let up on your fellow man for heaven's sake. It's a tough world out there and there's lots more to worry about than whether a wisp of smoke might make its way past you on your balcony.

 

Sorry for the rant, but this is just crazy ... and just plain mean. We're better than that ... at least I hope we are.

 

Thank you Heather. I am also a quitter (thanks to e-cigs), but some of the people who post here are just out of control. There is one person who has posted 20x on this thread alone!

[Cruise Junky]

Hopefully I will not p_ss off some of you loyal HAL cruisers but we are amongst the "loyal" “pom-pom waving” Princess cruisers who are switching to HAL. We have 23 Princess cruises under our belts and as a result receive many great Elite perks and some extra OBCs. But as a result of their new smoking policy we are having our TA cancel out next Princess booking and we will be doing a 14 day cruise on HAL. We don't smoke real cigs much as we are switching to e-cigs and have never smoked in our staterooms. But the attitude demonstrated by Princess blatantly putting us in an undesirable minority who don’t deserve to have “usable primary living space” has really angered us. While we will be giving up the perks and benefits we have earned by exclusively sailing with them all these years it is the only way we can voice our objection and displeasure with the new policy.

 

If any of you find yourselves next to us on a cruise and find our smoking to be an annoyance please just politely ask us to refrain while you are on your veranda and will be most happy to accommodate you.

 

With luck we can all learn to happily co-exist without denying anyone their rights.

 

 

I know you're a loyal Princess cruiser, but to put another spin on it, I'm not sure Princess did anything blatantly... I think at least one of the Carnival brands had to go toe to toe with Celebrity on their smoking policy. It was never going to be Carnival but Princess seems to be the better fit. Celebrity were winning far too much of the non-smoking business. It makes perfect business sense for either HAL or Princess to take on that role.

[erewhon]

Just had my first and last trip on a HAL ship. Silly me got a balcony, not realising that there is anywhere left in the world where smokers are allowed to inflict their nauseous habits on to others. I mean, this is where I sleep and relax for 20 days and nights, wouldn't you think my $700 a night would buy me clean air?

 

Didn't spoil my trip entirely as I went to see the other side of the world, and I saw it. But there was nowhere on the ship where I could get away from the stench of cigarette smoke. Except in my room, with balcony door firmly shut. The cig butts on our balcony each morning was also a less than pretty sight. :(

 

Now, to start my research on a smoke free cabin and balcony cruise line .......

 

sophienfred,

So sorry that you were unable to use your balcony. Extremely disappointing after that long flight to reach the ship.

For our first cruise, we too were unaware of HAL's archaic smoking policy.

The NZ HAL agent did not warn us.

 

We really enjoy the big balcony and the Deluxe Suite amenities, but smoke free balconies on Princess are sounding very appealing.

[MrsMuir]

After being away from the board for awhile, I was elated to see the news of the smoking policy change. Then deflated when I saw that verandahs are not off-limits to smoking. Fortunately we book very early and try to get as far forward as possible in a verandah stateroom to avoid balcony smokers. There have been occasions on every cruise when we had to go inside to avoid the smoke, however.

 

My sister and her chain-smoking husband will probably switch from Princess to HAL so he can smoke on their balcony. I'll make sure we're upwind.

 

HAL, if you've been reading this marathon thread, I hope it doesn't take as long to ban smoking on balconies as it did to ban smoking in staterooms. I'll reserve judgment until our next cruise (April), but right now I'm very disappointed that the policy may well attract more smokers to HAL.

 

Mrs Muir

[DizzyDallasDi]

Hopefully I will not p_ss off some of you loyal HAL cruisers but we are amongst the "loyal" “pom-pom waving” Princess cruisers who are switching to HAL. We have 23 Princess cruises under our belts and as a result receive many great Elite perks and some extra OBCs. But as a result of their new smoking policy we are having our TA cancel out next Princess booking and we will be doing a 14 day cruise on HAL. We don't smoke real cigs much as we are switching to e-cigs and have never smoked in our staterooms. But the attitude demonstrated by Princess blatantly putting us in an undesirable minority who don’t deserve to have “usable primary living space” has really angered us. While we will be giving up the perks and benefits we have earned by exclusively sailing with them all these years it is the only way we can voice our objection and displeasure with the new policy.

 

If any of you find yourselves next to us on a cruise and find our smoking to be an annoyance please just politely ask us to refrain while you are on your veranda and will be most happy to accommodate you.

 

With luck we can all learn to happily co-exist without denying anyone their rights.

 

I'm thinking you shouldn't have any problem at all smoking your e-cigs in a HAL room because there would be no residual tobacco smell. You can switch to 'real' ciggies on the balcony. Or not, if the e-cigs are doing the trick and you're not craving a real one, go ahead and smoke the e-cig on the balcony too....the neighbors should have no complaints nor be irritated because you wouldn't be emitting smoke, just water vapor, which doesn't "stink" and is not harmful to either the 'vaper' nor the people sitting nearby.

 

I hope the cruise lines revise their smoking policies to include the e-cigs and allowing them in all cabines and balconies, bars, outdoor areas, etc. (basically any venue where food is not served and the threater --- those could cause an uproar due to lack of education.)

 

I believe the e-cig could be the product that brings all the non-smokers and smokers together in a kum ba yah moment of peace and happiness. :)

[sophienfred]

sophienfred,

So sorry that you were unable to use your balcony. Extremely disappointing after that long flight to reach the ship.

For our first cruise, we too were unaware of HAL's archaic smoking policy.

The NZ HAL agent did not warn us.

 

We really enjoy the big balcony and the Deluxe Suite amenities, but smoke free balconies on Princess are sounding very appealing.

Thanks Erewhon. Our TA didn't warn us either and it was interesting that when I told her today how disappointed we were she professed to be very surprised. Come on ... I don't think so, I thought to myself. I bet many people have had a moan about it. But hey, she was selling a package and she wasn't about to put people off was she? ;-)

 

I was unfortunate to contract viral bronchitis on my long journey to Rome and spent 10 days unwell with four visits to the doctor on the ship. Just bad luck of course, but the resulting asthma (which I don't suffer from) and the need for inhalers and a $50 spacer was, I believe, the direct result of the smoke drifting into our cabin every time we opened our door. Plus walking down the corridors and passing a stateroom where the door just opened was enough to knock you out with the smell. ( And if there's another way to get to the library and internet lounge except through the casino I didn't work it out.)

I'd swear sometimes that whole parties of people were just waiting for our door to crack open before they lit up entire packets of cigarettes and cigars but I wasn't well and maybe a little paranoia was kicking in....?

 

Smokers have the right to smoke but non- smokers have the right to not breathe that smoke in their private space. Is anything more private than a stateroom on a ship?

 

I filled out HAL's questionaire at the end and I told them exactly why I wouldn't be sailing with them again.

[erewhon]

sophienfred,

 

Sorry that you suffered the viral bronchitis, not a good way to start your cruise.

 

We do have another cruise booked with HAL, have added facemasks to my packing list:)

What was your favourite European Port of call?

[sophienfred]

sophienfred,

 

Sorry that you suffered the viral bronchitis, not a good way to start your cruise.

 

We do have another cruise booked with HAL, have added facemasks to my packing list:)

What was your favourite European Port of call?

Erewhon

 

Facemasks ... very good lol Where are you bound?

 

Favourite ports of call ... gosh there were so many marvellous places!!

Taormina in sicily was beautiful. A gorgeous village built into the mountains with amazing little shops and the views! I can't say enough about this place, I just wish we'd had longer to visit. Castelmola was on the way and the highest point to see surrounds.

 

Other than that I have to say Barcelona was so amazing I could stay there for weeks. We did a 6 hour tour of the Gaudi buldings and of course the church and park. And oh, the tapas ..

 

Our tour of Nice, St Paul and Eze via the Monte Carlo Port was most memorable.

 

And at Naples we went with friends on a tour to visit Pompeii (needed a whole day, was total chaos trying to see it and understand the directions in the head sets in 2 hours ... we gave up and just wandered) then on to the Amalfi Coast to Positano which was THE most incredible cliffside village you could imagine, like a fairy tale with the most gorgeous little streets and shops all winding down to the beach at the bottom.

 

Oh look! Now I've done a sort of review, and on the wrong thread! Oh well, better than continuing to be negative re the smoking :-) I've had my rant on that anyway now.

 

Let me know where you're off to Erewhon. You seem to travel lots, you lucky thing.

[1 HappyCruiser]

complain.. and change nothing.... there are many choices and many free , crusaders that . welll.. just complain.. imo.. pick another choice and stop trying to change the World with one tweet.. er:D

 

Complaining only lets them know how their customers feel, sit back and say nothing and not a thing will ever change. Look what it did for Princess cruise line. :)

[chrispb]

I've just gotten caught up with the pages of judgmental, offensive, nasty, critical, holier than thou posts since my last and I know I should just hit the little red 'x' and exit CC for as long as possible.

 

But I just can't. What is the matter with everyone? I hate the smell of cigarette smoke and become ill when a cigar is within 1/2 mile of me, but that's just too bad for me! I don't understand why people can't just steer clear of a deck left available for smokers. And unless it's a cigar, I think it's a stretch to be so affected by smoke on a nearby balcony. I'm not saying it never happens if you have someone who just smokes continuously, but that simply can't be the case on every single cruise.

 

Smoking is a addiction and it's very hard to stop. There but for the grace of God and acute bronchitis go I. I'm not sure I could have stopped if I hadn't been ill. And it's easy to understand why smokers would get defensive with some of the nasty condescending comments made here on this thread.

 

Give it a rest. If you don't want to have smoking on balconies, cruise on another cruise line. Contrary to what some say, HAL does not hold exclusive rights to the best cruise experience. Don't believe everything you read especially from those who haven't cruised anything but HAL for years. They don't know what they're missing.

 

HAL is trying to accommodate everyone with their new policy. It might not fit your needs exclusively, but you can't please everyone all the time. So if it's not good enough, move on. There are a lot of choices out there. But get off the backs of the smokers in this forum. They have a habit they either can't break or for some reason don't want to break ... doesn't make them 2nd class citizens, doesn't make them uneducated or poor. Young people still take up smoking in droves so it's not just old people who didn't know any better when they started.

 

They smoke. They didn't kill anyone or rob a bank. Some very good friends of mine smoke and some are right here on this forum. So give it a rest and let up on your fellow man for heaven's sake. It's a tough world out there and there's lots more to worry about than whether a wisp of smoke might make its way past you on your balcony.

 

Sorry for the rant, but this is just crazy ... and just plain mean. We're better than that ... at least I hope we are.

 

Well said, the voice of reason at last.

Many cruisers ask why they should give up their "perks". As a smoker, if I was unable to smoke then I'd give up any perks that I may have - well worth it in my opinion. Just goes to show the smoking doesn't bother some people as much as they say it does.;)

[schoolinmy3]

Thanks Erewhon. Our TA didn't warn us either and it was interesting that when I told her today how disappointed we were she professed to be very surprised. Come on ... I don't think so, I thought to myself. I bet many people have had a moan about it. But hey, she was selling a package and she wasn't about to put people off was she? ;-)

 

I was unfortunate to contract viral bronchitis on my long journey to Rome and spent 10 days unwell with four visits to the doctor on the ship. Just bad luck of course, but the resulting asthma (which I don't suffer from) and the need for inhalers and a $50 spacer was, I believe, the direct result of the smoke drifting into our cabin every time we opened our door.

I filled out HAL's questionaire at the end and I told them exactly why I wouldn't be sailing with them again.

 

We were on the cruise with you and I am sorry you had to suffer being ill like that. My daughter at the age of 3 had a similar experience during a vacation to Disney. We stayed in a timeshare condo where someone had smoked previously. From that lingering smoke odor she became increasingly ill the week we stayed there. Since I have asthma I finally resorted to letting her use my inhaler. Since then she has been on singular and inhalers and cannot tolerate cigarette smoke. My son and I also had a balcony VA just under the aft pool area. Fortunately no one smoked near us the entire cruise and I could use the balcony every day. So sorry you had to deal with bronchitis - not fun I know. I used to get it all the time but for me advair has been a "wonder drug"

Diane

[rafinmd]

Well said, the voice of reason at last.

Many cruisers ask why they should give up their "perks". As a smoker, if I was unable to smoke then I'd give up any perks that I may have - well worth it in my opinion. Just goes to show the smoking doesn't bother some people as much as they say it does.;)

 

Really for HeatherInFlorida but also for jimmy2x and chrispb, I second your comment's about Heather's post. I pretty much gave up on this thread some time ago as the passions got out of control, but Heather, you're spot on and I'm glad others have recognized it.

 

Roy