If you cruised with new smoking policy, what do you think?

[H82seaUgo]

To be honest I will try not to enjoy a cigar on my balcony if I know my neighbor is out as most people don't enjoy the smell of one. I did this before the new smoking policy was announced and will in most cases still try to be nice.

 

if they smell bad, it's time to buy better ones.

[4THELOVEOFBOO]

Carnival new smoking policy The new smoking policy will be rolled out in two stages:

Effective June 15, 2011, cigarette smoking in public areas will be permitted only in Carnival’s dance clubs, designated areas within the casino and casino bar, certain sections on the open decks on all vessels and also in the jazz clubs on 13 Carnival ships. The 13 ships include Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Victory, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Splendor. Cigar smoking will also be permitted in the jazz clubs. On other vessels in the fleet, cigar (and cigarette) smoking will also be permitted in designated areas on deck.

Effective December 1, 2011, smoking will be prohibited in all guest staterooms. Those guests in balcony accommodations will be permitted to smoke cigarettes and cigars outside on the balcony. Spa staterooms, currently featured on Carnival Splendor, Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic, will continue to remain entirely smoke-free, including on the balconies.

 

I gotta say... I am a casual smoker I may have 2-5 cigarettes a day (5 at the most)I actually prefer to some outside (my home and car are smoke free) I don't think that this policy is really that crazy... coming from Canada everything is smoke free now....

[San_Antonio_Ex]

Do you really believe this? I did some searching (albeit not very long), and the highest number I could find was that about 25% of the US population smokes tobacco. By my crude calculations to even have half of a ship be smokers they would have to book cruises at 3 times the rate of non-smokers. I seriously doubt that is the case.

 

 

Well, that's just not right. Go and be all logical on a smoking/antismoking thread. Humph! And to actually do a little research outside of your own personal circle before spouting statistics??? Where is the fun in that? :D

[sail-a-bration]

we lucked into a midship cove because someone canceled the day after they announced the new smoking policy.:D I can't wait to go to the piano bar, we were run off so many times by smokers who would light one and leave it sit in the ash tray 80% of the time because they were either drinking or singing.

[artk]

Yes, I'm a smoker, and was somewhat unhappy to see the new smoking policy announced just after I booked my first cruise on Carnival. Having said that, and as I told my companion, I'll just make the best of it. If I go to a bar/club/casino and want to have a smoke, well, I'll just step outside and have one, and come back when I'm done. Here in NJ, there is no smoking in ANY bars or restaurants... while I did enjoy not having to leave a bar to have a smoke, this will be just like home... except the weather on deck should be better.

[conchead]

Apparently (according to Corporate) the number one alcohol sales entertainment venue is (and has been for years) .... karaoke.

 

(which is nonsmoking) .... so much for the theory that non-smoking venues don't produce....:rolleyes:

 

Maybe everyone has to be drunk to get up there and show

off how good (bad, but they don't know it) they sing

and everyone else has to be drunk just to sit there and listen to it.;)

[cruzdawg69]

This is interesting, to all the non-smokers, if you really want this policy to stick, you better pay up and start buying in the venues. It seems like non-smokers are not doing that and eventually Carnival will re-evalulate their decision to make certain venues smoking again to bring in the dollars. Yes, it's nice to not smell tobacco, however, you have to spend money on the ship as well. It goes both ways. If the non-smokers do not spend their money on the ship but just want to breath fresh air it's not going to cut it with the "beards".

Piano Bar now smoke free.....you bet I'll set and have a drink in there now ! Before I couldn't stand the smoke !

[babies12]

Piano Bar now smoke free.....you bet I'll set and have a drink in there now ! Before I couldn't stand the smoke !

 

Geez relax already, enjoy your smoke free piano bar. Some of you anti-smokers are so over the top LOL.

[Blondie008]

I am really glad they changed the smoking lounge from the piano bar to the jazz lounges. I am not a big fan of piano bars, and much prefer a lounge with live music and dance area... loving it :D Took me while to figure out which lounge on our shop was the smoking lounge, but got it now, and am well pleased! Casino, 70s club, jazz club, = perfect!

[JPH814]

Originally Posted by cruzdawg69

Piano Bar now smoke free.....you bet I'll set and have a drink in there now ! Before I couldn't stand the smoke !

 

Geez relax already, enjoy your smoke free piano bar. Some of you anti-smokers are so over the top LOL.

 

 

Man, if you think this is over the top, you are pretty sensitive

[NCTribeFan]

Wow. Obviously I haven't been around lately! I had no idea the smoking policy had changed.

 

I'm delighted!

 

I loved Glory but hated to even walk through the lounge as we exited the Platinum dining room because of the smoke. DD & I are both asthmatic.

 

It will be interesting to see how the casino is. I rarely go to the shows after dinner - usually just go play the slots for a bit and have a drink. Have occasionally had to leave because I started wheezing due to the smoke.

 

I'm really happy to find out about this. I probably wouldn't have gone near the piano bar. Now, I'll at least check it out.

[sharecruises]

I am a smoker and just returned from the Dream. These are my observations.

Most of the clubs were empty. I never, not once, saw anyone in the Casino/Sports bar area. The Piano bar was empty every night that I passed by...........now, granted, I never went into the Piano bar at any time, so I do not really know how it was later in the evening. The Lanai/smoking area was always packed. We spent most of our evenings at Ocean Plaza listening to the BlackJack Band (absolutely EXCELLENT entertainment) and I used my ecig/vaporer. No one ever said a word to me. The casino we played in every night. It is my understanding that you are not allowed to just "stand/sit and smoke" unless you are playing. Many nights, I would sit and play slots briefly and smoke; but then get tired of playing and wait on DH from the Blackjack tables and continually sat at the same slot machine, smoking, without being told to leave. LIDO DECK - both sides always filled to capacity. Did not see any more folks on one side or the other; but did see lots of smokers filling starboard side lounge chairs and occasionally getting up and walking over to the smoking side to have a cigarette. No smoking at all on Serenity; but I did vape and no one ever said a word to me. Disco - no smoking; but vaped and never a word said. Not crowded in disco at all at midnight.

 

If you have any specific questions - I'd be happy to try and answer.

 

Well that doesn't make much sense....the "Disco" (or dance club) is smoking allowed isn't it?? So you are saying it was "empty" also??

Usually the crowd doesn't start in those clubs till later anyhow....I don't get it??

 

While I would not mind you "vaping" and I don't think most non smokers would mind it. However, I am surprised you flaunted the rules by continually (your words) sitting there smoking without playing the machines

 

As for the Serenity it is always been crowded and always was non smoking since they started them. No change there really

 

Maybe the piano bar got crowded later on..and maybe a lot of non smokers have not realized their new freedoms on board...not everyone reads these boards JMO

[sharecruises]

This is interesting, to all the non-smokers, if you really want this policy to stick, you better pay up and start buying in the venues. It seems like non-smokers are not doing that and eventually Carnival will re-evalulate their decision to make certain venues smoking again to bring in the dollars. Yes, it's nice to not smell tobacco, however, you have to spend money on the ship as well. It goes both ways. If the non-smokers do not spend their money on the ship but just want to breath fresh air it's not going to cut it with the "beards".

 

 

LOL>> there is NO way they are going to make more places smoking

 

If anything, the rules will tighten up more and more as time goes on, that is a given.

[alreadypacked]

Just returned from the Glory. Sports Bar, Piano Bar....EMPTY! Piano Bar had at best 6 - 10 people every night when we were in there or passed by it at various times. The piano player was actually good on this Ship so it wasn't due to anything on his part. We saw him on another Ship this past year and the Piano Bar was packed (but that was when there was smoking).

 

The Jazz Club which is smoking had people every night and was definitely busier than when it was a smoke-free lounge. The smoking side of Lido was busier than the non-smoking side and quite a few of the tables on the Smoking side had non-smokers sitting at them. The lounge chairs were full on the Smoking side and the Non-smoking side had plenty available. Saw no difference in Casino....Smoking tables and machines were busy and Non-Smoking machines had a few people playing and the tables were empty. The Casino Bar which is 1/2 Smoking and 1/2 Non-Smoking was always busy on the Smoking side and the Non-Smoking side was empty except on occasion with one couple now and then.

 

Out of curiosity, who was the piano bar player?

[winddawn]

We were on Legend two weeks ago, and yes it was less smoky and yes the new policy was enforced. I saw casino personnel reminding passengers that smoking in the casino was only allowed if the passenger was playing at a machine designated as a smoking allowed machine. Anyone not playing that was smoking was reminded that it wasn't allowed. It did seem less smoky overall, but the smoke still drove me out of the casino at times.

[sharecruises]

We were on Legend two weeks ago, and yes it was less smoky and yes the new policy was enforced. I saw casino personnel reminding passengers that smoking in the casino was only allowed if the passenger was playing at a machine designated as a smoking allowed machine. Anyone not playing that was smoking was reminded that it wasn't allowed. It did seem less smoky overall, but the smoke still drove me out of the casino at times.

 

Thanks for your report. For me the best news is the Piano Bar...

I look forward to a smoke free piano bar.

[babies12]

Originally Posted by cruzdawg69

Piano Bar now smoke free.....you bet I'll set and have a drink in there now ! Before I couldn't stand the smoke !

 

 

 

 

Man, if you think this is over the top, you are pretty sensitive

 

Dude, you got me all wrong, I'm not even the slightest bit senstive to this subject. If you re-read my post, you would have seen "LOL" at the end. I find all of this quite amusing actually as every time I read a non-smokers post vs. a smokers they tend to get their tighty whities in a bunch and stomp their feet to the floor (the non-smokers). Then they say with earnest "I'm so happy now that I'm going into that that bar and I'm going to sit there and breath fresh air, blah, blah, blah," It's like, whatever, okay, go ahead, good for you, I don't care. Yes, I smoke and yes, I don't care about the changes, it doesn't matter to me, I will go where it's designated and not make a big deal about it. It's the non-smokers who seem to make a big stink (no pun intended :)) about it. Have a good day, I know I will!

[Texarribean Chick]

Well that doesn't make much sense....the "Disco" (or dance club) is smoking allowed isn't it?? So you are saying it was "empty" also??

Usually the crowd doesn't start in those clubs till later anyhow....I don't get it??

 

While I would not mind you "vaping" and I don't think most non smokers would mind it. However, I am surprised you flaunted the rules by continually (your words) sitting there smoking without playing the machines

 

As for the Serenity it is always been crowded and always was non smoking since they started them. No change there really

 

Maybe the piano bar got crowded later on..and maybe a lot of non smokers have not realized their new freedoms on board...not everyone reads these boards JMO

 

No - smoking is not allowed in the disco on the Dream. It is allowed on other ships; but not the Dream, Magic, or new Breeze.

[megansdad1]

I wonder if this will have any positive effects on the spirit class ships as far as attendance goes in the paino bars. The piano bar is in such a terrible location in the ship and it can often be empty

[ccruisequeen]

I hope they change the smoking side of the Inspiration to the Port side--I use a walkier & need to use the starboard walk-way to get to the Casino & theater & hate walking all the way through the smoking section to get to the non smoking side!

[jrdbrn]

But for how long?

 

I guess until the alcohol stopped flowing. :confused:

[idiebabe]

Out of curiosity, who was the piano bar player?

 

Piano player was Doug. Saw him on another ship this past year and we thought he was very good.

 

One other thing that I noticed with the Piano Bar on the Glory there were some kids in there on some of the nights. This was around 10:00 or so. I don't recall in the past seeing kids in the Piano Bars on other cruises especially sitting up at the bar itself. Don't know if that also is a change due to the changes with the smoking policy. Sometimes changes bring other types of change! Our sailing didn't have a lot of kids on it either for a summer cruise...about 800. As I posted originally....Piano Bar wasn't busy at all...about 6 - 10 people and amongst them were some kids.

 

Enjoy your cruise....we had a GREAT time on the Glory!

[idiebabe]

Wow. Obviously I haven't been around lately! I had no idea the smoking policy had changed.

 

I'm delighted!

 

I loved Glory but hated to even walk through the lounge as we exited the Platinum dining room because of the smoke. DD & I are both asthmatic.

 

It will be interesting to see how the casino is. I rarely go to the shows after dinner - usually just go play the slots for a bit and have a drink. Have occasionally had to leave because I started wheezing due to the smoke.

 

I'm really happy to find out about this. I probably wouldn't have gone near the piano bar. Now, I'll at least check it out.

 

We just got off the Glory on July 2nd.

 

We noticed no difference in the Casino on Glory. Casino smoking areas were busy as usual and there were a lot of machines and tables that were smoking and the non-smoking machines had a few people. Smoking tables were busy and non-smoking tables empty. Sports Bar was really dead! Maybe two people at best in there.

 

Disco was packed! Bar Blue (Jazz Lounge) was busy and Piano Bar was empty with a handful of people (including small children). Hope you have the same Piano player as we did because we thought he was very good.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[idiebabe]

We were on Legend two weeks ago, and yes it was less smoky and yes the new policy was enforced. I saw casino personnel reminding passengers that smoking in the casino was only allowed if the passenger was playing at a machine designated as a smoking allowed machine. Anyone not playing that was smoking was reminded that it wasn't allowed. It did seem less smoky overall, but the smoke still drove me out of the casino at times.

 

I didn't see that at all on the Glory except I saw a man asked to put out his cigar. He apologized and said he didn't realize he couldn't smoke it in the casino.

[raylene5]

Years ago, and Florida, when the smoking laws were changed, all the smokers were saying how all the businesses such as restaurants will suffer, because no smokers will go out and eat etc. These comments were everywhere. After a short while, business started to boom, or just the opposite. Why, because the smokers still went out to eat, and many more people started to enjoy going out more also. Everyone adapted.

 

For all the posts on this board, it is obvious who smokes and who does not. The piano bar is empty because of the policy. No one is in the clubs? Carnival is losing money? None of this is true. Yes, some shifting has occurred, but unles you a chain smoker, the policy will not bother you, nor will it be any different from many of the smokers while they are on land.

 

Carnival will not lose money, because the "majority" of people are non-smokers. Yes, that is right. So when a business caters to the majority, profits go up. It's a smart move for Carnival. If this was 10 to 20 years ago, then it would have been a risk, but now, it is the trend, and has already been proven to be a profitable trend.

 

Within the next few short years, a whole new generation of young adults will be forking over their money and that generation has a extremely small percent of smokers. Peer pressure, is anti smoking today for the young adults.

 

Exactly! Arizona banned smoking in all restaurants and bars a couple of years ago and you know what? It hasn't had a negative effect on business at all. Times are changing...smoking is becoming more and more unpopular...thank god. Most of your decent hotel chains are 100% non-smoking and I don't hear them talking about how it's hurt business. Cruise lines will soon follow and ban smoking everywhere except one or two public places outside. Hopefully sooner rather than later.