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

[martinchem]

Smoke if you must just stay away from me!

[nursebubba]

This just amazea me. I grew up with smoking all my life. Then I had a child with terrible asthma. I had to watch year after year them have to stick needles in him for IVs just so he could breath. Smoke is a given. We all know how bad it is for all of us. Even if we would go into a public restroom where a woman had used hairspray or sat near perfume in an airplane he would have an awful attack. I don't usually respond on these posts but I just wanted, even if briefly to bring it back to who it hurts the most.

[cathhduh]

I usually don't post to much on here. I ask a question or two. Love reading all of peoples posts and reviews.

 

But, this just kind of popped into my head. When I originally booked my cruise ( we always book inside because we like to spend our money on other things) I didn't know that NCL had changed their smoking policy. Thanks to cruisecritic I found out. So I started looking at changing my booking to a balcony. When I received the quote for the balcony upgrade, I figured it was not worth over $700.00 to be able to walk out onto a balcony to smoke. I would just go to an outside deck.

 

But on another thread, I saw this $250.00 fine. So I wondered to myself....how many people will still smoke in their cabin and pay $250.00.

 

This is the only reason I started this thread. Just out of curiosity. Plus it is very interesting to read peoples thoughts. I knew starting this thread it would get heated.

 

People HATE smoke. Non smokers have rights. Smokers want some rights also. Smoking is LEGAL but yet you can't smoke. Smokers can smoke on their balcony, but then someone complains that it is traveling to their balcony. Not allowed to smoke in your cabin where it WON'T bother anyone else.

 

Anyways...I really don't want to start a huge fight between smokers and non smokers. I just had a little thought in my head ( smoke in cabin and pay a fine) and was wondering if anyone has done it or thinking about doing it. I NEVER said this was my intentions. I am always the one that is AFRAID to break rules.

 

I am NOT hoping this thread vanishes. It is quite interesting to read peoples thoughts.

 

it absolutely will bother other people, my brother has asthma, luckily not as bad as many other people, but you have to figure that second hand smoke will make it through the air conditioning vents and such and make it into the hallways-rooms next to you, what if your neighbor is a 6 year old kid with severe asthma!

i understand you have an addiction- but there are places where you can smoke, and there are places where you cant smoke! just trying to make people see both sides! :)

[WolfpackFan]

And if all the people with BO and stinky feet would stay at the back of the ship, and the people who had caeser salad for lunch go to the front of the ship........ You know, if it's not one thing, it will be another. Can't we just all get along?! :confused:

 

Actually no, we can't. Not as long as I have to breath someone else's second hand smoke and I seem to have no choice but to move. I had no idea that NCL's official policy was to allow smoking on the open decks wherever people want. I thought they were restricted to just one side of the ship. That explains why the fellow two weeks ago felt okay lighting up right next to me. I moved to get away from him. This conversation has been very interesting to me. I had previously planned on us taking the Gem to NE in 2013, but I think now I will switch back to Princess. I don't remember people smoking as much on Princess. And the bad thing is I really love everything else about NCL. But the smoking two weeks ago bothered me that much.

[dread_pirate]

Most hotels have gone totally non-smoking. Not on balconies, not in public areas inside, and only in designated areas outside.

 

Why should NCL (or any ship) be different? They're actually more lenient than other places. And yes, there is an "outdoors" on ships - the decks with designated smoking areas. It doesn't matter if it's raining or nasty; you'd have to go out at a hotel, so go out on a ship.

 

I'm not a rabid anti-smoker - smoke if you must. However, I expect everyone to follow the rules that NCL or any other line have propagated. I'll stay out of your smoking areas if you'll leave your cigarettes in your smoking areas (or unlit in non-smoking areas). Then we can all "get along."

[NLH Arizona]

My thought when we first booked this cruise (a LONG time ago), since Hubby and I are both smokers, was that if we had neighbors on their balconies we could step inside to smoke. Since when we booked, the staterooms all allowed smoking, and I read here on CC that balcony smoking often could detract from others' balcony enjoyment.

 

Now we won't have the option to be quite so considerate to our balcony neighbors. :o

 

Oh well, at least we had the foresight to book a balcony. And we'll be ON A CRUISE...finally. :D

You are more than welcome to be my neighbor. I don't like the smell of smoke, so I have purchased a small travel fan so the smoke won't travel towards my balcony. If you don't mind my fan, I won't mind you smoke.

[che5904]

Most hotels have gone totally non-smoking. Not on balconies, not in public areas inside, and only in designated areas outside.

 

Why should NCL (or any ship) be different? They're actually more lenient than other places. And yes, there is an "outdoors" on ships - the decks with designated smoking areas. It doesn't matter if it's raining or nasty; you'd have to go out at a hotel, so go out on a ship.

 

I'm not a rabid anti-smoker - smoke if you must. However, I expect everyone to follow the rules that NCL or any other line have propagated. I'll stay out of your smoking areas if you'll leave your cigarettes in your smoking areas (or unlit in non-smoking areas). Then we can all "get along."

 

I've actually had no issue with finding a hotel that still has smoking rooms no matter where I've had to travel to. So your argument doesn't hold much.

 

I'm not a rule breaker so I have not problem following any of NCL or any other company's rules.

[che5904]

You are more than welcome to be my neighbor. I don't like the smell of smoke, so I have purchased a small travel fan so the smoke won't travel towards my balcony. If you don't mind my fan, I won't mind you smoke.

 

:D Great attitude

[emcelh]

Actually no, we can't. Not as long as I have to breath someone else's second hand smoke and I seem to have no choice but to move. I had no idea that NCL's official policy was to allow smoking on the open decks wherever people want. I thought they were restricted to just one side of the ship. That explains why the fellow two weeks ago felt okay lighting up right next to me. I moved to get away from him. This conversation has been very interesting to me. I had previously planned on us taking the Gem to NE in 2013, but I think now I will switch back to Princess. I don't remember people smoking as much on Princess. And the bad thing is I really love everything else about NCL. But the smoking two weeks ago bothered me that much.

 

They must have changed policy because I remember smoking being restricted to one side of the ship, not that everyone respected it.

[che5904]

They must have changed policy because I remember smoking being restricted to one side of the ship, not that everyone respected it.

 

Perhaps if the poster could not tell which side was smoking and which wasn't. Maybe the problem wasn't in the passengers that were not adhering to rules but in the lack of signage.

 

As I stated earlier that on the Star there were signs on the pillars that smokers could smoke there, but the other side only had little signs in the center of tables that had a no smoking sign on them. So if some inconsiderate person set the ashtray over the sign, the innocent (trying to smoke in the right place) wouldn't see it.

 

I also had a dispute on another thread with a poster who swears there were no signs on the dawn in 2009 and I swear their was. I actually had a photo from the dawn (the one posted earlier in this thread) that showed the smoking section to prove 1/2 of my point, unfortunately because I wasn't in the no smoking section I didn't have a photo of the tiny sign on the no smoking tables.

 

I think NCL should do a little better at posting designated and undesignated areas.

[sdmike]

Always a fun topic. Next person to open a smoking thread should be flogged. :D

 

As a non-smoker living in California I've been very spoiled. It's very hard for smokers to find a place to practice their habit, and quite frankly it's fine with me. I will certainly respect a smoker's right to smoke in a designated area. I'll move somewhere else. However, the problem with smoke is that it doesn't read signs. It tends to permeate everywhere. On our last cruise we got into an elevator with a person that smelled so much like smoke that it literally made my eyes water. Walking down a reeking hallway isn't pleasant either.

 

I'll defend anyone's right to smoke, just don't include me in it. As stated by someone earlier, a little consideration goes a long way for both parties.

[kirsty_r]

I've actually had no issue with finding a hotel that still has smoking rooms no matter where I've had to travel to. So your argument doesn't hold much.

 

I'm not a rule breaker so I have not problem following any of NCL or any other company's rules.

 

There's not many smoker friendly hotel rooms left in the UK now.

 

I'm on the fence on this one, as long as the rules are kept to I don't mind, It would annoy me if there was someone smoking in a smoke free part of the ship.

 

Time will tell if NCL enforce this 'cleaning fee'

[che5904]

There's not many smoker friendly hotel rooms left in the UK now.

 

I'm on the fence on this one, as long as the rules are kept to I don't mind, It would annoy me if there was someone smoking in a smoke free part of the ship.

 

Time will tell if NCL enforce this 'cleaning fee'

 

Well good thing for me that I have no intention of going to the U.K.

[SteveH2508]

Most hotels have gone totally non-smoking. Not on balconies, not in public areas inside, and only in designated areas outside.

 

Why should NCL (or any ship) be different? They're actually more lenient than other places. And yes, there is an "outdoors" on ships - the decks with designated smoking areas. It doesn't matter if it's raining or nasty; you'd have to go out at a hotel, so go out on a ship.

 

I'm not a rabid anti-smoker - smoke if you must. However, I expect everyone to follow the rules that NCL or any other line have propagated. I'll stay out of your smoking areas if you'll leave your cigarettes in your smoking areas (or unlit in non-smoking areas). Then we can all "get along."

 

As a smoker I generally agree with this post.

 

For those who make comparisons between cruise ships and hotels there is an essential difference - you can always take a walk away from the hotel for a smoke - on a cruise ship you cannot.

 

I will follow the rules the cruise line sets - in return I will not tolerate some anti-smoker whinging when I smoke where I am allowed to. I can smoke in maybe 20% of the ship (a generous estimate) - if you don't like it use the other 80%.

[tommy2811]

Boy this is so simple. and I am a smoker. if your in a non smoking room DONT SMOKE. find where you can smoke and smoke. thats what i do. I never light up by people anyway. Ill walk and stand alone and do my thing. its that simple.

 

 

respect non smokers and they will respect you.!!:)

[SteveH2508]

Boy this is so simple. and I am a smoker. if your in a non smoking room DONT SMOKE. find where you can smoke and smoke. thats what i do. I never light up by people anyway. Ill walk and stand alone and do my thing. its that simple.

 

 

respect non smokers and they will respect you.!!:)

 

Yes it is simple. However some of the NS types seem to be trying to complicate the issue. ;)

[che5904]

As a smoker I generally agree with this post.

 

For those who make comparisons between cruise ships and hotels there is an essential difference - you can always take a walk away from the hotel for a smoke - on a cruise ship you cannot.

 

I will follow the rules the cruise line sets - in return I will not tolerate some anti-smoker whinging when I smoke where I am allowed to. I can smoke in maybe 20% of the ship (a generous estimate) - if you don't like it use the other 80%.

 

Actually you are right, it is a very generous estimate. Back when this was first announced it was coming in, I did some calculatons and using the Star, I believe at that time it worked out to be about 4%.

 

Think about it. The ship is approx. 965' long x 125'. The smoking areas on the first 4 decks is the casino and one side of the promenade deck. The next 6 decks have balconies, 1/2 of the pool deck and the tiers leading up to the bow on deck 13. Which figured out to approx 4%. Now you have to consider that you personally don't have that much, because you can only smoke on your own balcony not all of the balconies.

[monicajay]

How will they decide if you smoked in your cabin?

 

Last week on the Star I was in Cabin 9710. I chose it because it was a downwind (further aft) than a handicap cabin, thinking I have seen less handicap smokers I thought it would be a good choice. Not the case, both passengers (appeared very able bodied -but that is for another thread) smoked often. The smell not only wafted onto our balcony but drifted into our cabin if the door was open.

 

We arrived back from a shore excursion and our cabin stunk of smoke from earlier that morning when the balcony door was open.

 

As an x-smoker of 15 years, I don't even mind the smell BUT I certainly don't want to worry about being charged when it was from somebody else's smoking.

[HppyCamper]

OK, I'm not getting this. I don't understand the argument.

 

I am a 60yr old ex smoker who has asthma. I really try to avoid smoke if possible. A few weeks ago on our cruise on the Dawn neither I nor my wife had any problems. Well, honestly my wife couldn't stay in the casino very long. Otherwise we were fine. We knew ahead of time the casino was a smoking venue so we knew to expect that.

 

I really do not want anyone smoking in a cabin on a ship. It is REALLY hard to get rid of that residue. However, I do not have a problem with having areas were people can smoke while on board. I felt as a non-smoker that the ratio on the Dawn was fine. I would love to have a non smoking casino but I understand why it is not. I would suggest greater ventilation on the Breakaway in the casino area then you would have more non-smokers gambling. Have they done this on the Epic?

 

I want to support my and others rights to a healthy environment. I am not ready to cast smokers in the role of lepers.

[che5904]

How will they decide if you smoked in your cabin?

 

Last week on the Star I was in Cabin 9710. I chose it because it was a downwind (further aft) than a handicap cabin, thinking I have seen less handicap smokers I thought it would be a good choice. Not the case, both passengers (appeared very able bodied -but that is for another thread) smoked often. The smell not only wafted onto our balcony but drifted into our cabin if the door was open.

 

We arrived back from a shore excursion and our cabin stunk of smoke from earlier that morning when the balcony door was open.

 

As an x-smoker of 15 years, I don't even mind the smell BUT I certainly don't want to worry about being charged when it was from somebody else's smoking.

 

So I have to ask, were you approached at all and asked about whether you smoked in your cabin? Did NCL try and charge you the cleaning amount?

[cocheese]

You are more than welcome to be my neighbor. I don't like the smell of smoke, so I have purchased a small travel fan so the smoke won't travel towards my balcony. If you don't mind my fan, I won't mind you smoke.

 

I am a smoker and if you were my neighbor and pulled a battery operated fan out and politely told me why I would offer to buy your batteries.

[che5904]

OK, I'm not getting this. I don't understand the argument.

 

I am a 60yr old ex smoker who has asthma. I really try to avoid smoke if possible. A few weeks ago on our cruise on the Dawn neither I nor my wife had any problems. Well, honestly my wife couldn't stay in the casino very long. Otherwise we were fine. We knew ahead of time the casino was a smoking venue so we knew to expect that.

 

I really do not want anyone smoking in a cabin on a ship. It is REALLY hard to get rid of that residue. However, I do not have a problem with having areas were people can smoke while on board. I felt as a non-smoker that the ratio on the Dawn was fine. I would love to have a non smoking casino but I understand why it is not. I would suggest greater ventilation on the Breakaway in the casino area then you would have more non-smokers gambling. Have they done this on the Epic?

.

 

I've never been on the Epic but to my understanding it does have slot machines in a non-smoking venue on the ship.

 

I want to support my and others rights to a healthy environment. I am not ready to cast smokers in the role of lepers.

 

Thank you for that

[NLH Arizona]

I am a smoker and if you were my neighbor and pulled a battery operated fan out and politely told me why I would offer to buy your batteries.

Thank you very much, but for my cruise next month, I'll have enough to last the whole week. You know, it is always better if you come prepared. I hope, if smokers are next to me, they are as understanding as you are. There is always a way to work things out, sometimes it just takes some thinking.

[cruizecrazygramma]

That is not what it says in the official policy I pasted above. It is not a FINE but rather a cleaning charge that they would only need to do once.

 

 

Whether the $250 charge is a "fine" or "cleaning fee" is irrevelant. The bottom line is that you will pay the charge for smoking in your cabin.

[HppyCamper]

I've never been on the Epic but to my understanding it does have slot machines in a non-smoking venue on the ship.

 

 

Thank you for that

 

You are welcome and thank you back for that info on the Epic. We have to all try to get along while thinking of each other's well being, right? Most smokers I have had the pleasure of meeting have been very courteous.

 

If we treat each other with respect everything will be fine. That actually goes for most everything in life. ;)