New HAL smoking policy

[gillianrose]

Me, too! And the smell of cigars somehow does carry a very long way.

 

and for a VERY long time, 40-min to 60-min.

 

If someone wants to smoke at home, fine, or perhaps in a completely enclosed smoking room (ugh), but no where nonsmokers might have to inhale the foul, nauseating odor.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Seeing that's it's OK for cigarette smokers I don't think it's fair to discriminate against cigar smokers when it comes to the outdoors. :rolleyes:

[gillianrose]

Seeing that's it's OK for cigarette smokers I don't think it's fair to discriminate against cigar smokers when it comes to the outdoors. :rolleyes:

 

How about medical marijuana? :rolleyes:

 

I am for banning ALL smoking on balconies, all substances, but I do think cigars are much worse than cigarettes.

[DizzyDallasDi]

Back in the day when smoking was allowed everywhere, one of the attorneys I worked with (large law firm) smoked cigars in his office. :cool: Those of us who have been in the workforce for several decades have experienced pipe, cigar and cigarette smoking by co-workers all around us. It was a normal everyday occurence. We simply accepted it and went about our daily lives without complaining. Let's try to do that on our HAL cruises until they ban it completely. :)

[Charles4515]

Back in the day when smoking was allowed everywhere, one of the attorneys I worked with (large law firm) smoked cigars in his office. :cool: Those of us who have been in the workforce for several decades have experienced pipe, cigar and cigarette smoking by co-workers all around us. It was a normal everyday occurence. We simply accepted it and went about our daily lives without complaining. Let's try to do that on our HAL cruises until they ban it completely. :)

 

Maybe you accepted it. I did not accept it at my workplace and I did complain about it. As did many others. That is how smoking restrictions have been passed. The way to get more smoking restictions on HAL is to complain about it and not accept it!

[DougK]

When they don't sail on HAL? I might look at other boards but wouldn't post if I don't use that line and know little about it currently. I haven't sailed X, NCL, or Carnival in several years and really don't need to say something there, especially negatively.

 

I can't speak for the poster you're referring to, but I wouldn't be surprised if the reason is the same as mine. I don't cruise on HAL anymore, but I would like to. So I check in every now and then to see whether the smoking policy has changed. When HAL bans smoking on balconies I'll book another cruise with them--I prefer some of their itineraries--but in the meantime I'm sticking with Celebrity and Azamara. But it seems quite reasonable to participate in a discussion about the one policy that keeps me from cruising on HAL.

 

Doug

[m steve]

you are correct in sailing X and Azamara. Now you can add Princess to your choices and there's also Oceania and Rgent as options. Many of us are happy with HAL's policy.

[ANSalberg]

"If we see you smoking, we will assume you are on FIRE and take apprpriate action"

That's a sign I see in many places! Conjures up fire hoses in my mind! ;)

[lakeboji]

Okay. They smoke on the verandah. When they throw the butts overboard I want the right to throw their butt overboard too. :D We have had butts drop on us when sitting on our aft balcony. :mad:

[mamaofami]

Just off the Maasdam where the smell of smoke came from the casino into the show lounge every night.

[madelinerose]

....

[1 HappyCruiser]

Just off the Maasdam where the smell of smoke came from the casino into the show lounge every night.

 

But since the show lounge is non smoking the smokes will say you've got nothing to complain about.

[cruiser1812]

Great! Wonderful!

The fire hazard in the staterooms is number 1 for me and this is an improvement. I would prefer no smoking on the balconies, too, but I think this will come eventually. Good for HAL!

 

How many fires do you know of?

[fcorey]

Not for me, it isn't.

 

Princess gave HAL the chance to 'step up to the plate' but they passed.

HAL will have more smokers than ever and they will be in the veranda cabins.

 

 

Is it that big of a deal when the ship is moving at 20+ knots? Most of the time I smell the diesel/oil exhaust more than smoke

[fcorey]

Agreed. The time is coming for those of us who want to breathe clean air and not second hand smoke.

 

then dont go on a cruise ship , do you have any clue at all how many tons/cubic feet of exhaust your average ship produces per hour? get grip people

[fcorey]

I would like if she or someone in position to know would explain why Carnival and Princess banned veranda smoking but HAL did not.

 

Maybe because they are different companies???? just a guess here. There is no central management from CCL. The only thing all companies do together is purchase fuel, provisions, and supplies, otherwise they all run as independent entities

[cruiser1812]

Joanie,

With all due respect as you are a great value add to this board, I take exception to that comparison. My daughter at the age of 3 developed asthma after exposure to cigarette smoke left from a previous smoker in a hotel room. It is a very scary situation when you are on vacation and your child cannot breathe. Thank goodness I also have asthma and had an inhaler for her to use until she could be seen by her doctor. She is also so sensitive to perfume that I can't wear any and have not since she was little (she is now 11). The difference between cigarette smoke and perfume is cigarette smoke is overall much more dangerous to one's health than perfume. A pregnant woman that smokes endangers her unborn baby's health and every puff is less oxygen to the unborn child. That is not true of perfume. And I understand the issues with perfume. As I said, I can't wear any because my daughter is that sensitive. I also have to use laundry detergent without perfumes added. But I don't expect people around me to stop wearing perfume. Cigarettes on the other hand have no benefit to anyone except those addicted to them and are a danger to the health of everyone who is exposed by being forced to breathe the air polluted by the smoke. Again, I am not intending to criticize anyone's choice to smoke but I just do not see perfume scents and second hand smoke as being anywhere in the same category. IMO :)

Diane

 

How long did you stay in that hotel room? I guess I don't know much about diseases, but I have never heard of someone developing asthma from a hotel room.

[fcorey]

There is another way to look at all of this, now the smokers will be paying for the deep cleaning when a smoker leaves a ship and not all the rest of us! If you want to smoke, you pay to have the cabin cleaned, a good business decision.

 

This is very true. Its also another reason they want to eliminate smoking in the room. The cleaning process on turn around day takes too long. It makes it difficult to reduce staff when they have to deep clean rooms after someone was smoking in there. I am a former smoker, havent really smoked a cigarette in 20 years. I do occasionally smoke a cigar, but even then its very rare on a cruise. But nothing sucks more than going into a hotel room or stateroom and getting smacked in the face with that stale smoke smell. I can see why they are doing it. As for the veranda, if a ship is moving I cant see the smoke being that huge of an issue.

[cruiser1812]

I'd rather have the smoking be done inside the cabins and not on the balcony. The smoke from the balcony carries to nearby balconies and often carries to above balconies as well whereas the smoke inside the cabins isn't as intrusive to others during the cruise. And afterwards the cabin can be deep cleaned for the next passengers.

 

Thank you for your reasoned response. At least, you allow for smokers to cruise, and yes, the rooms are well cleaned.

[cruiser1812]

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.

 

 

I LOVED your RANT! Thank goodness, someone had the courage to speak. I actually remember a time when people seemed to get along and get by. In the 80's, those of us who smoked rushed to the airport to get our assignments at the "back of the bus". Some people would "mutter" under their breath as we passed by, but for the most part, no one gave us any thought. In the meantime, the back of the plane was a great and fun place to be...people smoking, playing cards and actually talking. This sure helped pass the time on long flights. Now, we all get to be quiet and fully experience the screaming babies, the awful smell from the loo, the pains in our legs and if you are like me, the depths of one's fear of flying.

I've been on four cruises, two before and two after the current anti-smoking craze. At no time did I hear significant complaining about "smokers". Everyone I met seemed to be having a good time (except the couple whose luggage was lost, and even they perked up when so many of us got involved with their plight).

All this by way of saying, we lived, we traveled,we had fun and we got over the petty nuisances of our day. As a smoker, I try to stay out of other's paths, but I think I should be able to smoke in my hotel room or cabin. A small area on the deck, and "open-air" spaces in cities and towns, is also nice, and then, I can deal with the rest of it. There needs to be give and take here, but what we have is the "tryanny of the majority". I don't like to think where this herd mentality will lead us next...

[cruiser1812]

Phew! I finally made it thru this board, and I need to tell all of you anti-smokers, you have won the day. Of course, HAL will follow suit, and you probably have less than a year to wait. So, quit your griping...

On a positive note, I will no longer be spending inordinate amounts of time trying to find the perfect cruise, and I can unsubscribe from all those cruise vendors. This will clear-up my Inbox considerably.

[m steve]

where my daughter picked up head lice and I've read about bed bugs affecting future guests. Smoking is the least of my worries.

[Charles4515]

where my daughter picked up head lice and I've read about bed bugs affecting future guests. Smoking is the least of my worries.

 

Head lice are spread by close personal contact among children. They are not a major issue on cruise ships. Bed Bugs, there have been very few reports of them on cruise ships. Over 35 cruises and I have never seen head lice or had a bed bug problem. Second hand smoke and Norovirus have been the major health issues I have encountered. That is why both are worries to me and others who cruise. And why they are hot topics.

[Opinions]

Maybe because they are different companies???? just a guess here. There is no central management from CCL. The only thing all companies do together is purchase fuel, provisions, and supplies, otherwise they all run as independent entities

 

Carnival, Princess and HAL are brands of the Carnival Corporation...That is how they are described on the corporation website...I would think that the corporation certainly had a influence on the smoking question...Obviously the Carnival Corporation will monitor how the changes on the various lines effect the bottom line and make adjustments later.

[Charles4515]

Carnival, Princess and HAL are brands of the Carnival Corporation...That is how they are described on the corporation website...I would think that the corporation certainly had a influence on the smoking question...Obviously the Carnival Corporation will monitor how the changes on the various lines effect the bottom line and make adjustments later.

 

I think you are right. I don't think it is a coincidence that the three brands announced their policy changes on the same date.