DCL's Smoking Policy

[Fireplug]

Oh the joys of being judgemental! Doesnt matter if I smoke or not but because I support people being able to enjoy their vacation it means I smoke around my children or in my case grandchildren. And since I dont care about them, I dont care about my neighboring cruisers enjoying their balconies. I certainly hope to be able to bask in the glow of the selfrightous on my next cruise. I will be sure to ask their permission on what to do on the balcony I paid for.

 

 

SQuid

[GBChicinMaine]

Holy self-righteousness, Batman! As a former smoker for nearly 20 years (celebrated smoke free for 1 year on April 3rd!) married to a smoker, I can see both sides of this story. I can. What I can't fathom is the self-righteous crap that seems to be flowing like pool water during rough seas around here!

 

Look, smoking is NOT illegal. Smokers have had to deal with more and more restrictions being handed down to them for the YEARS. Some take it with a grain of salt, others take it kicking and screaming. However, the right to smoke (however wrong it may seem to others) has not yet been taken away. If smokers book balcony rooms and smoking is allowed on those balconies than I think it's unfair to expect that they shouldn't. It's their vacation as well. If smoking is part of their vacation, then they have EVERY right to it.

 

That being said... I was smoke free for the first time on our vacation this past September. I told my husband he stunk regularly LOL and I also asked that he wait until I was done enjoying the balcony until he lit up. Because he's an amazing man, he did. :)

 

In addition? When he noticed that there was a little girl on the other side of our cabin (probably 4 or 5?) he REFUSED to smoke if he knew she was out there.

 

Has anyone ever tried (with a friendly face, a smile and a NON-condescending or angry tone of voice) to say to the smoker beside your balcony, "Hi, I'm your neighbor for the next 3 ( 4, 5, 7) days! I have a HUGE favor to ask. I'm really sensitive (allergic) to cigarette smoke. Would you mind horribly if you checked to see if we were out here before you light up?"

 

It just seems to me that civilized grown ups should be able to speak calmly to each other and work something out. However, I can also tell you, as a former smoker that NOTHING pissed me off more than for non-smokers to treat me as if their rights were stronger, more important, or somehow took precedence over mine.

[princessfan12]

Oh the joys of being judgemental! Doesnt matter if I smoke or not but because I support people being able to enjoy their vacation it means I smoke around my children or in my case grandchildren. And since I dont care about them, I dont care about my neighboring cruisers enjoying their balconies. I certainly hope to be able to bask in the glow of the selfrightous on my next cruise. I will be sure to ask their permission on what to do on the balcony I paid for.

 

 

SQuid

 

What about my right to enjoy my balcony that I paid for, for my vacation? If you want to smoke in some place that has no effect on me or other non-smokers then more power to you but you have an unhealthy habit and/or addiction(I don't mean this offensively, just the truth) so why should others be subjected to that? There are no studies out there that can say for sure that smoking in open spaces causes no harm. In a situation like this, where one's health is potentially at risk there shouldn't even be a question about who's rights trump whom's, it just shouldn't be allowed!

[princessfan12]

 

Has anyone ever tried (with a friendly face, a smile and a NON-condescending or angry tone of voice) to say to the smoker beside your balcony, "Hi, I'm your neighbor for the next 3 ( 4, 5, 7) days! I have a HUGE favor to ask. I'm really sensitive (allergic) to cigarette smoke. Would you mind horribly if you checked to see if we were out here before you light up?"

 

It just seems to me that civilized grown ups should be able to speak calmly to each other and work something out. However, I can also tell you, as a former smoker that NOTHING pissed me off more than for non-smokers to treat me as if their rights were stronger, more important, or somehow took precedence over mine.

 

I leave for a cruise in 2 weeks and hopefully I won't have to deal with smoking however if I do, I will be sure to ask politely if they mind not smoking while we are outside. It's just not always easy though because even though I don't agree that they should be allowed to smoke, my goal is not to take away from other's enjoyment of their vacation. I do believe that non smoker rights more important...sorry my side won't ever give someone cancer.

[Muushka]

Holy self-righteousness, Batman! As a former smoker for nearly 20 years (celebrated smoke free for 1 year on April 3rd!) married to a smoker, I can see both sides of this story. I can. What I can't fathom is the self-righteous crap that seems to be flowing like pool water during rough seas around here!

 

Look, smoking is NOT illegal. Smokers have had to deal with more and more restrictions being handed down to them for the YEARS. Some take it with a grain of salt, others take it kicking and screaming. However, the right to smoke (however wrong it may seem to others) has not yet been taken away. If smokers book balcony rooms and smoking is allowed on those balconies than I think it's unfair to expect that they shouldn't. It's their vacation as well. If smoking is part of their vacation, then they have EVERY right to it.

 

That being said... I was smoke free for the first time on our vacation this past September. I told my husband he stunk regularly LOL and I also asked that he wait until I was done enjoying the balcony until he lit up. Because he's an amazing man, he did. :)

 

In addition? When he noticed that there was a little girl on the other side of our cabin (probably 4 or 5?) he REFUSED to smoke if he knew she was out there.

 

Has anyone ever tried (with a friendly face, a smile and a NON-condescending or angry tone of voice) to say to the smoker beside your balcony, "Hi, I'm your neighbor for the next 3 ( 4, 5, 7) days! I have a HUGE favor to ask. I'm really sensitive (allergic) to cigarette smoke. Would you mind horribly if you checked to see if we were out here before you light up?"

 

It just seems to me that civilized grown ups should be able to speak calmly to each other and work something out. However, I can also tell you, as a former smoker that NOTHING pissed me off more than for non-smokers to treat me as if their rights were stronger, more important, or somehow took precedence over mine.

 

I posed that exact question following our cruise next to the chimneys. I started a thread with that exact scenario.

The thread was closed after about 5 pages. Half the people thought it was a great idea and the other half made it sound like I asked them to throw puppies overboard.

 

This topic sure does bring out the beast in everyone.:(

[GBChicinMaine]

I leave for a cruise in 2 weeks and hopefully I won't have to deal with smoking however if I do, I will be sure to ask politely if they mind not smoking while we are outside. It's just not always easy though because even though I don't agree that they should be allowed to smoke, my goal is not to take away from other's enjoyment of their vacation. I do believe that non smoker rights more important...sorry my side won't ever give someone cancer.

 

You know, it's not worth arguing over it. But, I guarantee, no matter what kind of "friendly face" you may attempt while making the request (if necessary) if your attitude of "my choices are better/more important/somehow supercede yours" will come across and more than likely offend. Don't expect a response you'll find any less offensive.

 

Just saying.

[GBChicinMaine]

This topic sure does bring out the beast in everyone.:(

 

It certainly does...as does any topic where one side feels they somehow have a moral/legal higher ground on which to preach from. :rolleyes:

[Muushka]

It certainly does...as does any topic where one side feels they somehow have a moral/legal higher ground on which to preach from. :rolleyes:

 

Therein lies the problem. People would perceive that if your neighbor is asking you to be considerate, it would be because they think they are better than the smoker because they don't smoke. But in reality, it is someone letting someone else know that because of what they are doing, they cannot enjoy their cruise. For us, it has mothing to do with cancer, secondhand smoke. None of that. Just disdaining the smell of the smoke.

 

Sad really.

 

If I had a neighbor that found something I was doing was infringing on their enjoyment of their cruise, I would want to know. For example, if I didn't bother to use my headphones and just played my music. Nowhere is it written in the rules for cruising that you cannot play music on your balcony. Well, none that I know of. You can be certain that I would hook up those headphones. Or say we were talking way too loud. If my neighbor complained, I would lower our voices.

 

But I am overly sensitive of other people. I would feel so bad if I negativly impacted another person's cruise.

 

It has nothing to do with 'I am better than you because I don't smoke'. It has more to do with common courtesy.

 

Disclaimer: Like I said, we were next to 2 chimneys. If someone went out on the balcony for 1 or 2 cigarettes in the AM and the same in the PM, I would have no problem with that at all. If 2 people. 1 at a time, were able to have smoke waft over to the next balcony for several hours a day, yes, I feel that is not considerate. At all. But that is just me.

[emairs]

I guess that the bottom line here is that DCL continues to allow smoking on balconies.

 

Therefore, smokers have the right to smoke there. They are not breaking any rules.

 

Non smokers need to do their research and be aware of this policy before booking a DCL cruise, and be prepared to have smokers nearby, thus ruining the enjoyment of their balcony.

 

Unfortunately, I did not do this, assuming that DCL, of all cruise lines, would have banned balcony smoking, along with most other major cruise lines.

 

Lesson learned for me. I won't book another DCL cruise until the policy changes.

[GBChicinMaine]

But I am overly sensitive of other people. I would feel so bad if I negativly impacted another person's cruise.

 

It has nothing to do with 'I am better than you because I don't smoke'. It has more to do with common courtesy.

 

Oh Muushka! Wouldn't it be a beautiful world if more people were concerned about common courtesy and fewer were focused on "Ima get mine!" ;)

 

I'm with you. I would be HORRIFIED if I knew that something I was doing or saying was somehow ruining the experience for someone else. I would immediately make changes/adjustments to fix it. However, there are FAR too many people in this world who are too busy watching out for number one and aren't aware of the disturbances they leave in their wake...whether they smoke or not.

 

Okay, I'm going to change out of my Pollyanna dress now. ;)

[bellebud]

So 2 questions for the smokers (or spouses of smokers)...

 

Would it be ok w/ you if DCL (or any cruise line) had a smoking side of the ship, and a non-smoking side, regarding balconies. As someone else posted, they asked and were told by the cruise line that they'd never make someone select a side of the ship for their cabin based on a smoking policy. WHY NOT?? That seems like a win/win to me. Does it seem ok for you? If not, why?

 

Would you be offended if your next door neighbor asked you how long you'd be out there smoking? I don't agree w/ asking a smoker if they'd check first for the neighbors before lighting up - that seems like it's asking too much of the smoker. BUT, if I were next door to you, and was simply trying to plan my afternoon... if I knew you'd be out there smoking for a few hours, I'd not plan on being out on my balcony then, and would go do something else. But if you said you were headed up to the pool (or wherever) in 10 minutes, I'd wait and then go on my balcony when you were done. Is that ok to ask? If it's not ok to ask, is there anything ok to ask?

 

The other night, we were at a get-together, outside on the deck sitting around talking, a smoker came out of the house to have one, was politely standing about 15' from us, but I swear it felt like his smoke was making a direct stream to us (couldn't see it, but was breathing it the whole time). My dd was coughing so I know she 'felt' it too. It was surprising how much I felt his smoke. BTW, we just buried my MIL 2 weeks ago. She was 68 and died of lung cancer.

[Muushka]

So 2 questions for the smokers (or spouses of smokers)...

 

Would it be ok w/ you if DCL (or any cruise line) had a smoking side of the ship, and a non-smoking side, regarding balconies. As someone else posted, they asked and were told by the cruise line that they'd never make someone select a side of the ship for their cabin based on a smoking policy. WHY NOT?? That seems like a win/win to me. Does it seem ok for you? If not, why?

 

Would you be offended if your next door neighbor asked you how long you'd be out there smoking? I don't agree w/ asking a smoker if they'd check first for the neighbors before lighting up - that seems like it's asking too much of the smoker. BUT, if I were next door to you, and was simply trying to plan my afternoon... if I knew you'd be out there smoking for a few hours, I'd not plan on being out on my balcony then, and would go do something else. But if you said you were headed up to the pool (or wherever) in 10 minutes, I'd wait and then go on my balcony when you were done. Is that ok to ask? If it's not ok to ask, is there anything ok to ask?

 

The other night, we were at a get-together, outside on the deck sitting around talking, a smoker came out of the house to have one, was politely standing about 15' from us, but I swear it felt like his smoke was making a direct stream to us (couldn't see it, but was breathing it the whole time). My dd was coughing so I know she 'felt' it too. It was surprising how much I felt his smoke. BTW, we just buried my MIL 2 weeks ago. She was 68 and died of lung cancer.

 

Whatever you do, don't ask these questions over on the RCI board!!!:eek:

 

PS I was the one who questioned the cruise line about making one side of the ship smoking and got a resounding NO!!!

But that was RCI, perhaps someone should ask DCL. Maybe they would be open to it.