New HAL smoking policy

[Assateague Island Princes]

No flames from me, kazu. Agree totally. I'm a casual smoker as well - never in the stateroom, and my favorite spot is the aft Lido just like you. Its a step in the right direction for you non-smokers, and I too agree it will happen eventually that smoking will not be allowed on verandahs. Patience.

[Woe is me]

The problem with your logic is that the smoke on balconies isn't limited from the one next door only. I've had major problems from balconies above & below as well.

 

Amazing, I thought smoke went up, not down!:confused:

[MsSteinrunner]

By banning smoking in staterooms, HAL reduces the amount of cleaning/maintenance sometimes needed on those cabins. True, the balconies have to be cleaned, but balcony furniture does not retain odors like the cabin interiors. By still allowing smoking on the balconies, they might be seeking to retain/increase their numbers of Asian and European cruisers.

 

About those questionnaires, I recently participated in a focus group while on a HAL ship, and this was the statistic presented: 82% non-smokers, 18% smokers. It was pointed out that American cruisers had a percentage higher than 82% for non-smokers, and the percentage of smokers trended higher than 18% in European and Asian markets.

[Silverback969]

My wife and I have cruised since 1993, on 7 different cruise lines. Until our last cruise (Celebrity), HAL had been our undisputed favorite. Celebrity earned LOTS of points with us because of their smoking policy (smoking permitted ONLY in certain outside areas, not in cabins, nor on balconies/verandahs). Verandahs are pretty much our favorite accommodations, but they can be pretty much spoiled by smokers upwind (or above, or below--yes, smoke DOES blow both up and down).

 

We've been looking at HAL cruises for later this year. I'm not sure what we'll be doing now, but we'll probably be looking at the lines with the most restrictive smoking policies. I truly hope HAL follows Celebrity's smoking policy soon. I've enjoyed HAL very much for a good number of years, and I'd like to continue cruising with them far into the future, without the annoyance and health hazards of second-hand smoke.

[Glacier Park]

Gunther1,

Thank you for posting this news.

We are very disappointed that HAL will continue to allow smoking on balconies.

 

We agree. We appreciate the comments of you considerate smokers, and if everyone was like you, there would be no problem, but our experience, especially in Europe, is that there are many who frequently smoke on the verandahs and, for non-smokers, it sometimes makes your verandah unusable. If smoking is going to be allowed on verandahs, we wonder why it is not limited to one side (or the back) of the ship. In that way, non-smokers who book early could at least be assured of getting a verandah away from the smoke.

[Toad]

"We are on vacation and will enjoy it no matter how young or old the other paxs are!

 

I don't mind old, nor do I mind young as long as everyone respects everyone else, and appreciates the differences we will have a good time. "

 

 

This is a quote of my answer from the "Age Post", however I could expand it to be included here. Old, young, smoker or not same rules apply in order for me to enjoy my cruise. I do get a bit nuts about some of the intolersnce I read about on these boards, no matter what the intolerance is for........

[Boytjie]

More likely two years but banning smoking on balconies is coming.

 

I agree. It's a matter of time.

[LVSue]

Wow! I’ve been trying to take in thiis thread. I have always tried to avoid smoking on balconies for the very reason Sail cited, but now it appears that I am being forced out there. And so will I go.

 

I love the Sea View bar because we can have a drink and smoke and we opt for that even on two-for-one nights in the Ocean Bar (probably better for me anyway). And, like AIP, I’ve done the aft Lido on early mornings.

 

Personally, I think the new policy hurts the non-smoking passengers more than the smokers (due to balcony smoke). But, as some have pointed out, HAL benefits by not having to deep-clean the rooms and all the room accoutrements probably last longer, plus no fire hazard. If I were a company, I’d probably go for that money-saving idea. But when the balconies go, I’ll go, too.

 

I just hope this doesn’t start a feud amongst all of us who love HAL and have been able to live together till now.

[CtheW0rld]

I agree. It's a matter of time.

 

it has been 5 or 6 years since the last major change, so i wouldn't suggest holding your breath. or hold it - up to you.

[lettienets]

CCL stock dropped 3% today...

So did the rest of the market and more.

[1 HappyCruiser]

and heavy dousing of perfume or cologne pervades the entire elevator and the stairwell;)

 

Although it's annoying at times I can avoid most people with heavy perfume & it's also not health affecting unless you include nausea.

Amazing, I thought smoke went up, not down!:confused:

 

When the ship is in port the air currents carry the smoke in various directions and it always seems to come in my direction, but I no longer have to concern myself about it since we sail Princess and no longer have any problems. We'll be sending over many of our smokers to HAL.

[Boytjie]

it has been 5 or 6 years since the last major change, so i wouldn't suggest holding your breath. or hold it - up to you.

 

Not holding my breath, but patiently waiting. It will happen eventually ;)

[goodearth]

Back to the NEW policy for smoke free cabins!! Hallelujah!! Happy Dance!!

No headache's ............. Yippeeeeeee!! :D

[picture]

This is wonderful news. We have a cruise booked for mid 2012 and now I am looking forward to it more than ever. The smoking in the room policy had both myself and

my DH worried as we are non smokers.

[intandemNV]

HAL is my favorite cruise line but I will most likely look at Princess first since I will be able to enjoy my balcony smoke free. Happy about the cabins though!

[Jade13]

Just got this from a friend of mine that works for HAL:

 

This just in:

 

In keeping with the majority of guest preferences today, Holland America Line has announced a change to the shipboard smoking policy on its fleet of 15 ships. In addition to those public areas of the ships that are already non-smoking, all stateroom interiors will now also be non-smoking. This change is effective for sailings departing on or after January 15, 2012.

 

For those guests who wish to smoke, there will continue to be designated areas available for this both inside and on outside decks. In addition, smoking is permitted on stateroom verandahs. As is already the case, cigar and pipe smoking is not allowed inside.

 

The new policy is being communicated to travel sellers as well as guests booked on sailings departing January 15, 2012 or later and will be posted on www.hollandamerica.com. Updated smoking policies also are being announced concurrently by Carnival Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises, though policy changes differ by cruise line.

 

Finally

[ariawoman]

I saw this on the Carnival board

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1430290

 

Good, that guy selling so much might drop the price to where i can afford 100 shares and finally get some OBC lol

[IRL_Joanie]

The problem with your logic is that the smoke on balconies isn't limited from the one next door only. I've had major problems from balconies above & below as well.

My logic is that my smoke wafts by your ose quickly, unfortunately your scented products do not waft by me that quickly and I am prone to hospitalization because of it:( I'd rather suffer from a slpit second of cigarette smoke than a week in the hospital fighting for my life!

 

Keep in mind that the cost to non smokers is going to raise the cost of your cruising in the long run, just as it has for Health Care.

 

Joanie

[IRL_Joanie]

If you look up "red herring", I'll bet that post shows up again and again...:rolleyes:

It is Not a red herring it is a fact!! I am severly allergic to scents and it can and has hospitalized me. I tend to avoid the problem by staying in my stateroom and on my verandah. Do you? No you go out and invade my space with sccents. I pay for my cruise just as you do yours, and yet I cannot enjoy all of the venues that you do because of what you call a red herring:(

 

So sad that some will not see the light of others medical issues with what they do. They see only a chance at a health risk causing them injusry and not their own:(

 

Do you call peanut allergies a red herring?? One of my neighbors is so allergic to peanuts that he cannot even be in close proximity (speaking to them in a chat situation) if they have eaten peanuts. It sends him into severe anaphalactic shock. Is this a red herring??

 

Joanie

[sail7seas]

My logic is that my smoke wafts by your ose quickly, unfortunately your scented products do not waft y me that quickly and I am prone to hospitalization because of it I'd rather suffer from a slpit second of cigarette smoke than a week in the hospital fighting for my life!

 

Keep in mind that the cost to non smokers is going to raise the cost of your cruising in the long run, just as it has for Health Care.

 

Joanie

 

 

 

Joanie,

 

Many of us wear and use only unscented products. I am one of them.

 

[schoolinmy3]

My logic is that my smoke wafts by your ose quickly, unfortunately your scented products do not waft y me that quickly and I am prone to hospitalization because of it:( I'd rather suffer from a slpit second of cigarette smoke than a week in the hospital fighting for my life!

 

Keep in mind that the cost to non smokers is going to raise the cost of your cruising in the long run, just as it has for Health Care.

 

Joanie

 

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

[pms4104]

I wonder if HAL will continue the end-of-cruise smoking questionaire - if there are more smokers on HAL as a result of this change, won't it skew the results of that survey? OTOH, maybe they've already decided to make the rest of the change and are, as Hondu says, implementing the new policy in baby steps.

Well, maybe HAL is going to print up new questionaires ...

 

1 - Are you a smoker?

2 - Do you book suites, verandahs, insides, oceanviews? (circle one)

3 - If you are a smoker and typically book staterooms with verandahs, would you continue to sail with HAL if smoking were banned on verandahs?

4 - If you are a nonsmoker and typically book inside or oceanview cabins, would you be more apt to book verandah staterooms if smoking were prohibited on verandahs?

[IRL_Joanie]

Joanie,

 

Many of us wear and use only unscented products. I am one of them.

 

 

You are in the vast minority. How many times have you sat, stood or been near a person whao has literally bathed in scented products? It is basically in everything today and so many people use it so heavily that it lingers for a long time.

 

I even tried using a mask on my last cruise so that I could view the Cantares perform. No dice, had to leave after 5 minutes. Was so bad that the crew was ready to call the medical team in. I had to use my oxygen for the first time before bed time.

 

Joanie

[fann1sh]

Fragrance and other chemicals can cause just as severe symptoms as cigarette smoke, folks. People most commonly affected have asthma, reactive airway disease, vaso-motor rhinitis.

 

Fragrance is one of my many triggers for vaso-motor rhinitis.

 

Most fragrances aren't allergens which create histamines, so reactions aren't usually true allergies. (Sorry, Joanie. But, it's the same deal as people reacting to smoke, but not being allergic to it. It still quacks, waddles, and swims like an allergy. It's still serious, waaay more than a minor inconvenience.)

 

OTOH, if you're allergic to roses, that's an allergen, and you'll be allergic to rose perfume.

[IRL_Joanie]

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

Diane, I respect you also and find it hard to argue with you. But as a person with severe allergies to scents, it is different than a sensitivity, unfortunately. I also have inhalers, but once inhaled the perfume does damage to my aveoli (lining of the lungs) and I go into resperatory distress. Same as an asthmatic but more deadly and much quicker.

 

I am not taking asthma lightly, please understand that, but death by perfume is not my idea of a pleasant way to go on my cruise:(

 

Joanie