NCL's new non smoking police....$250.00 fine

[time2cruise1]

For all the non smokers out there the cruise line to go on is CELEBRITY they DO NOT allow smoking anywhere inside the ship(including the casino)or on your balcony.Happy cruising to everyone no matter which ship you choose.

 

Exactly why 25% of the adult population will never cruise on Celebrity.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone - Jim

[MrsNancyG]

Hi all, adding my own thoughts into the mix here.

 

I'm Nancy and I am a smoker.

<insert group "helllllllllllo, Nancy" here>

 

First of all I'd like to say that in comparason to some other CC cruiseline message boards which tackled this subject, this is, on the whole, is by far the more even-handed of the groups I've read. I haven't seen too many posts which lead me to believe that on NCL a smoker is treated like a pariah or a second-class citizen by other vacationers. And that is precisely why I've chosen the line to book on. It seems to me the freestyle cruiser is more likely to be a live and let live kinda vacationer.

 

I searched high and low and went to just about every cruiseline site I could find and before even looking at their destinations and whatnot, I checked their smoking policy. Believe me when I tell you, that there are far more cruiselines which drastically limit the smoking aboard their ships than NCL. Beyond that, I used CC posts as a barometer. One cruiseline that I was BRIEFLY booked on had such rabid posts and posters that I knew that every cigarette I had was going to be snickered at and I would find myself on a very expensive vacation in which I'd be made to feel completely uncomfortable. So I cancelled my reservation.

 

This may be short-sighted, but my feeling is this...non-smokers have control over many other cruiselines, their choices seem quite vast. For the smoker, however, not so much. It's my bet that I'm not the only future NCL cruiser who booked their cruise with this consideration in mind. As a matter of fact, I'd be willing to put money on it.

 

So, please, if you see me smoking in a designated area, including my balcony, don't look at me cross-eyed. I will respect you and your rights and hope you will respect me and mine as I follow the smoking rules of the ship.

[emcelh]

Exactly why 25% of the adult population will never cruise on Celebrity.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone - Jim

 

But if they're filling their ships they probably don't care.

[NoahtheRed]

As a cigar smoker, I'm part of an elite group that everyone apparently loves to hate :P Joking aside, I was a bit miffed by the limitations on cigar smoke....but understand the reasoning. I typically try to be as considerate as I can when I light up, but I don't like being told "Yeah, no cigars for you, bucko"....so my view is limitations are fine as long as you give us a place to smoke that's not going to get us a lot of traffic (which in turn gets us a lot of complaints). I don't know which boats have cigar lounges, but they are a godsend.

[Boston RN]

Who said they were kicking anyone off of the ship, they stated there would be a $250 fine. If you paid it they would have no reason to kick you off. Would they?

Actually what I read is the $250 is a cleaning fee, I would assume that means one time charge to clean the fabrics in the cabin....

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

Actually what I read is the $250 is a cleaning fee, I would assume that means one time charge to clean the fabrics in the cabin....

 

You are correct. It is a cleaning charge. Here is the actual smoking language from the NCL website (see the last line):

 

What about smoking on the ship?

 

We want you to be comfortable on board, so public areas throughout all our ships are smoke-free. If you smoke cigarettes, you can do so on your balcony, in the casino or in the Cigar Bar (where available). If you prefer pipes or cigars, you can smoke in the Cigar Bar or designated smoking lounge. Also, you can smoke cigarettes, pipes and cigars outside on open decks (just not around food venues, sports decks, kids’ pool areas and other designated nonsmoking areas). Smoking inside your stateroom will result in a $250 cleaning charge added to your onboard account.

[che5904]

Actually what I read is the $250 is a cleaning fee, I would assume that means one time charge to clean the fabrics in the cabin....

 

You are correct. It is a cleaning charge. Here is the actual smoking language from the NCL website (see the last line):

 

What about smoking on the ship?

 

We want you to be comfortable on board, so public areas throughout all our ships are smoke-free. If you smoke cigarettes, you can do so on your balcony, in the casino or in the Cigar Bar (where available). If you prefer pipes or cigars, you can smoke in the Cigar Bar or designated smoking lounge. Also, you can smoke cigarettes, pipes and cigars outside on open decks (just not around food venues, sports decks, kids’ pool areas and other designated nonsmoking areas). Smoking inside your stateroom will result in a $250 cleaning charge added to your onboard account.

 

Call it what you will, it's probably the only policy that NCL will actually follow through on, since they are not well known for enforcing policies they put in place.

 

There is no way that it would cost NCL $250 for cleaning the cabin.

[sparks1093]

Call it what you will, it's probably the only policy that NCL will actually follow through on, since they are not well known for enforcing policies they put in place.

 

There is no way that it would cost NCL $250 for cleaning the cabin.

 

I would agree, which leads me to believe that the charge is so high to act as a deterrent, which also leads me to believe it may properly be called a "fine";).

[Happy HALer]

I suggest NCL uses smokers to lower the base cruise fare for all. They can confiscate all cigarettes upon embarkation and then require all smokers to buy their smokes on board for $24 a pack. Or, as an option, people can bring their own preferred smokes when they pay the $15 Buttage Fee.:cool:

[che5904]

It has been proven by states and counties that have banned smoking that smokers still frequent the bars and casinos. No profits lost. IL in particular has non smoking casinos that compete directly with IN right across the river and had no ill effects when they went non smoking.

 

Not necessarily so. When this took effect in our area the bars that could survive the change financially noticed a drop in business but not devastating. Unfortunately the ones who could not, went under. We also have casinos up here that are suffering due to the change. Also smokers could still step outside to have their smoke, which took some adapting but was still workable.

 

If a cruiseship went completely no smoking, which is what that post is all about. If the smokers stepped outside the "ship" they would be in the ocean. There is a big difference between waiting an hour to go out for your cigarette and not having one for days because you are "at sea".

[DMH15]

There are a lot of smokers like my SIL who would NEVER smoke indoors anyways. My SIL has never smoked in her home or anyone else's. She always goes outside to her back patio. JMHO that a group of smokers would not have an issue.

[meggie711]

Yeah you've opened up a Can Of worms with this post for sure....

All the Non-Smokers will be posting for sure....:D

 

Although I don't classify myself as a "smoker", I do tend to smoke while on vacations (why, I don't know). However, the idea of someone smoking in the place that I sleep is disgusting. I went to training and had to share a room with a girl one time and she smoked in the room and the bathroom. I don't mind when people smoke as long as they follow the rules for where it is appropriate. It was disgusting and so hard to go to sleep with smoke lingering around me. Just because some people smoke, it doesn't necessarily mean that they want to sleep with it.

[mpk218]

It has been proven by states and counties that have banned smoking that smokers still frequent the bars and casinos. No profits lost. IL in particular has non smoking casinos that compete directly with IN right across the river and had no ill effects when they went non smoking.

 

And Illinois is currently in the process of repealing that casino ban on smoking due to lost revs. ;)

[mpk218]

Food for thought , for what its worth ;)

 

 

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois House voted Tuesday to lift a smoking ban in all of the state’s casinos....

the smoking prohibition has cost the state $800 million in lost casino-tax revenues since the imposition of the ban and has caused East St. Louis, home of the Casino Queen, to lay off municipal workers....

A report by the General Assembly’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability characterized the indoor smoking ban as “the biggest contributor” behind a 28-percent decline in casino revenues since January 2008.

 

That 2010 report also noted casino revenues for Chicago-area casinos dropped by nearly 33 percent since the smoking ban was implemented, while gambling receipts for four neighboring Indiana border casinos fell only .4 percent during that same period.

 

 

 

Smoking bans have universally destroyed the gaming and hospitality industry

[Cash123]

qUOTE"This may be short-sighted, but my feeling is this...non-smokers have control over many other cruiselines, their choices seem quite vast. For the smoker, however, not so much. It's my bet that I'm not the only future NCL cruiser who booked their cruise with this consideration in mind. As a matter of fact, I'd be willing to put money on it.

"

 

We are one of those people who used to cruise with Princess but due to their new policy picked NCL, as you say I bet your not the only one ...

[Hikini]

No matter what the rules or policies are, there will always be people who will try to find a way around them. Dress codes, drinking age, bringing booze on board, smoking, etc.

 

Whatever the policy is, NCL needs to enforce it or face the fact that many people will never pay attention to the rules, because they can get away with breaking them.

[swedish weave]

No matter what the rules or policies are, there will always be people who will try to find a way around them. Dress codes, drinking age, bringing booze on board, smoking, etc.

 

Whatever the policy is, NCL needs to enforce it or face the fact that many people will never pay attention to the rules, because they can get away with breaking them.

 

I don't think the issue is so much about people breaking the rules as it is about whether those people are willing to accept the penalties for breaking the rules.

 

Some smokers may think the $250 penalty is no big deal. Same as booze smugglers who don't mind the bottle being held IF THEY GET CAUGHT!!

 

NCL could easily install smoke detectors in the cabins that are sensitive enough to go off if a smoker lights up.

[che5904]

I don't think the issue is so much about people breaking the rules as it is about whether those people are willing to accept the penalties for breaking the rules.

 

Some smokers may think the $250 penalty is no big deal. Same as booze smugglers who don't mind the bottle being held IF THEY GET CAUGHT!!

 

I can't say I'm happy about this new policy, but we get a balcony cabin anyway so that works for us. So the breaking the rule fine really doesn't affect me as I am a rule follower and if thats the rule they want in place thats fine. If they take it further to include balconies I will just find an alternative vacation.

 

But in response to your post, not much of a penalty for breaking the booze policy though (they remove it from you and give it back at the end of your stay). Not a real deterrent. How much do you want to bet if NCL posed a $250 "fee" for those that smuggled booze to cover the extra staff required to work the naughty room, there would be a far larger screaming on these boards that there is for this.

[TidalTech]

Unfortunately, this is how smokers get a bad reputation. They need to show more consideration and respect for rules, other peoples' property and personal space. There may be a child with allergy problems stay in the cabin after you!

[MKsol]

I will say that I did not take the time to read every post in this thread, so perhaps this was mentioned previously, and if so I apologize.

 

As a former smoker and now an e-cig user I get the point of the policy and I will admit when I smoked I never would have smoked in the cabin, its just too much. I always booked a balcony so I had a place to go and smoke without smelling up the entire cabin.

 

The simply truth is cleaning or no cleaning a smoked up cabin will smell for some time and those who follow will not appreciate the smell. It seems this policy has been enacted in an attempt to accommodate both points of view and to allow everyone to enjoy their cruise in their own way.

 

To ignore the rule, and say its cheaper for me to pay a penalty then book a balcony is short sighted in my humble opinion. Reason being that if that trend were to take root, the next logical step would be, for NCL, to ban smoking all together with the rationale on their side being we tried an accommodation route and it didn't work.

 

In other words, it might be cheaper for you to risk the $250 charge but do not be surprised if and when NCL says no smoking other than on open decks and perhaps the casino.

 

Just some food for thought, and I might also suggest considering an e-cig with does not leave the lingering smell and it simply water vapor, favoring and synthetic nicotine. They actual smell quite nice and many of my non-smoking friends often ask me to blow my vapor in their direction since it smells quite nice. This might be a good option in an interior cabin.

[che5904]

Unfortunately, this is how smokers get a bad reputation. They need to show more consideration and respect for rules, other peoples' property and personal space. There may be a child with allergy problems stay in the cabin after you!

 

I disagree completely with this statement.

 

As well, if you read these boards from prior to the no-smoking in cabin policy you will find very little complaints (even from the most pro-nosmoking groups) about problems in the cabin. NCL did a very good job of omitting any after affects from the previous smoking passengers.

[larry_s_taco]

And Illinois is currently in the process of repealing that casino ban on smoking due to lost revs. ;)

That is really interesting. Indiana, their direct competition is looking at implementing the smoking ban in their casinos.

[elwood_98034]

We had a horrible experience on the Sun a few years ago with a front facing Penthouse suite, but a smoking champion directly below us.

 

We leave on the Jewel in two weeks, and it is my main fear that we will get a cabin down wind from someone going for gold in the lung cancer Olympics. Two of us have severe cigarette smoke allergies.

 

I didn't know that some Lines ban smoking entirely, otherwise we would have 100% gone there. I wish I had done my research - we are now taking a $10,000 gamble, and it is too late to back out.

 

We love Norwegian, but an avid smoker upwind can pretty much destroy your cruise.

 

Smokers portray themselves as victims, as they can't control their needs, but the same argument could be made for rapists and serial killers.

[sdmike]

Smoke is not an allergen. It's an irritant. That's why taking allergy medications can't help the discomfort felt when you're around smokers.

 

So people with "severe smoke allergies" are really just highly irritated by smoke, although the reactions can be similar to an allergy (runny nose, watery eyes, coughing, headache, etc.). Many folks experiencing this will also get a similar reaction from perfumes and other irritants.

 

Just sayin

[Legally Blonde]

Smoking a cigarette is not comparable to rape or murder. I'm not a smoker, but everyone has bad habits... some of us drink too much, most of us eat too much, some blow their money in a casino, some blow smoke and some just blow hot air. When you choose to vacation on a boat with thousands of other people who are all trying to enjoy themselves to the fullest (within the rules), your vacation is what you make of it!