Balcony neighbor horror stories

[yakdaddy42]

Wonder how many cartons of cigarettes a chain smoker has to bring along for a 7-day cruise????

 

The answer to your question is to look no further than the gift shop on board the ship selling them by the carton and at duty free prices.

 

Smoke if you get them.

[avalon007]

To be honest, I would MUCH prefer the open communication. If I am next to you in a balcony and my smoking bothers you, I would want you to say something. I think most of the smokers that would give a mouthful of abuse, would only do so depending on the delivery. (Accusatory, lack of respect for the smoker, etc).

 

I was so worried on our last cruise about the smoking, I couldn't wait to talk to my neighbors and ask them their opinion. The ones on the left smoked too (social smokers) and had no issue. The ones on the right did not smoke, but I think were very happy I talked to them about it. I let them know we didn't chain smoke and would likely be out of our cabin for most of the time, but we would also likely have a morning cigarette, evening cigarette, and the occasional day time ones if we were in our cabin--especially getting ready for dinner. I wanted to make sure they knew no hard feelings if they were out there already to speak up if the smoke was getting in their way. I didn't want to be a peeping Tom so it is hard to tell if someone is out there unless they are making noise. If I heard the door slide open then I would know to wrap it up quickly. I could always "move" to the railing so the smoke would have more of a chance of going "to sea".

 

Again, talking to them with an approach of "how can we make this work so we can both enjoy our balconies?" vs. "your smoke bothers me, cough cough" will generally diffuse any verbal abuse or awkward relationships.

 

 

Wow, can I arrange for you to be my next cruise neighbour!:D

 

I would love it if smoking neighbours approached me in that way as I have one of those noses that just shuts down when I smell smoke. I even get vertigo sometimes from blocked sinuses brought on by a variety of strong smells. It is quite unfortunate that some smokers often poo hoo that some of us are truly affected by smoke & make us out to be nothing more than whingers.

 

I certainly wouldn't push to see ships 100% non smoking as that is unfair, I would however like to see non smoking indoors like we have on Australian cruises.

 

Having smoking on one side of the ship sounds good, but from the cruise lines perspective it could lead to potentially empty cabins if only 20% of passengers smoke & non smokers don't want to book the smoking side if the non smoking is booked out.

 

If I did get up the nerve to approach a heavy smoking neighbour it would be in a very polite way. I'm quite happy to live & let live, I just want to have some time on my balcony smoke free just as much as they would want to enjoy smoking on their balcony.

 

I think everyone has equal rights to enjoy their balcony.

I wish all smokers were like you!

[bigque]

OK, gotta add my 0.02 worth, probably not even worth that much. ;)

 

#1. If I am standing at the railing, please feel free to speak to me. If I am sitting on my balcony, DON"T look around the divider to see me or speak to me. If I'm at the rail,, talk away. My opinion is it a private balcony and what I am doing in my private area is my business. This does not mean I'm not sociable (sp), it means I like my privacy. We own a small mom and pop type of business and provide great service our customers 51 weeks a year. It is our one week to relax and enjoy being by ourselves.

 

#2. Smoking. We are not smokers and do not have a problem with a smoker stepping onto their balcony to burn one occasionally. Unfortunately, my DW has asthma. If this person is a chain smoker, I will knock on their door and ask to discuss the situation. I have found most smokers understand and are sympathetic to others. For the most part, common courtesy goes a long way.

 

#3. Music. Yes, we play music on our balcony, VERY LOW VOLUME. If my neighbor is out on their balcony and I can see them standing at the rail, I will ask them if the music is bothering them. Again, just like smoking, common courtesy. If I am interferring with the quiet enjoyment of another passenger by playing the music, off it goes. Should someone knock on my door and ask to turn it down, by all means, the volume is either lowered or turned off.

 

We are all on vacation, lets all enjoy it. Work together and vacation will be even better and everyone is happy.

 

Tim

So in other words we should just forgo what we like to do on our balcony that we paid do to let the people next door enjoy their balcony that they paid for whenever they come over to complain just to keep the peace..... I don't think so. I paid for mine and you paid for yours so why can't you compromise your time on the balcony rather than me?? ( this is not an attact on you) If smoke bothers you that much (and I don't smoke) then don't go out there or don't get a balcony. People act as though smokers spend their every waking moment of the cruise on their balcony smoking rather than doing other activities. I guess people should start going to their neighbors at the start of the cruise and let them know of their intentions of how they plan to use their balcony and get an approval that it will be ok!

[avalon007]

So in other words we should just forgo what we like to do on our balcony that we paid do to let the people next door enjoy their balcony that they paid for whenever they come over to complain just to keep the peace..... I don't think so. I paid for mine and you paid for yours so why can't you compromise your time on the balcony rather than me?? ( this is not an attact on you) If smoke bothers you that much (and I don't smoke) then don't go out there or don't get a balcony. People act as though smokers spend their every waking moment of the cruise on their balcony smoking rather than doing other activities. I guess people should start going to their neighbors at the start of the cruise and let them know of their intentions of how they plan to use their balcony and get an approval that it will be ok!

 

 

That's a silly reply. As it's the same coin - different side.

 

You are saying why can't passenger A compromise rather than passenger B, but then that just goes around in circles....

 

I believe HB Cruiser was saying lets talk courteously & work out a compromise if a problem arises for either party.

 

What most reasonable people recognise is that we do not live in a bubble, we are all on this planet/ship whatever together & if we ALL bend a little then nobody has to break.:rolleyes:

 

This approach is what keeps most of the world at peace most of the time, the other option leads to discontent & eventually conflict.

[Cruzin RN]

Had a balcony on all our cruises.. Had one bad experience (still a great cruise) and one just kind of annoying.

 

The first was a chain smoking lady and her cigar smoking husband that I think decided to spend all of their time on the balcony.. The first 3 days we would check to see if they were out there before going out. Never got more then a few minutes before they would be back out. I mentioned something to our room steward and he reported them to security. The steward thought they were smoking in the room too.

 

I heard them on day 4 complaining because the got a written letter to stop smoking in the cabin.. Turns out the folks on the other side complained too.

 

Second time we had a nice family with young kids that were constantly looking around the divider to talk. It was ok until they asked us not to drink in front of their kids...

 

Hubby told them don't look then because we are going to enjoy cocktails on our balcony..

 

Dont drink in front of the little peeking toms....HA-Larious!!!!

[JAYRAY1259]

I have gone on quite a few cruises but had a balcony only once. After that I never booked another balcony because I felt that I did not spend much time out there. Well for my birthday in January I have treated myself to a GS. I plan to spend quite a bit of time relaxing in my suite and on the balcony. Recently I was reading a post where someone stated that they stopped booking balcony staterooms because of the nosey neighbors. Is this common? What have your experiences been?

Been on RCCL about 9 times. Only one w/o a balcony. With the exception of one with a family of smokers below us, all were good. One cruise on the Adventure, a group of us started to get to know each other all in the same vicinity. All of the cabins were above/below or left and right of us. It got to be like one of those old Rowan & Martin "Laugh in" shows. People popping in and out, saying funny things. It stopped after about 6PM, so it didn't annoy people. It just started in kind of a spontaneous way. Had a lot of fun with it. By the end of the cruise there was about 10 to 12 cabins involved.

[bigque]

Been on RCCL about 9 times. Only one w/o a balcony. With the exception of one with a family of smokers below us, all were good. One cruise on the Adventure, a group of us started to get to know each other all in the same vicinity. All of the cabins were above/below or left and right of us. It got to be like one of those old Rowan & Martin "Laugh in" shows. People popping in and out, saying funny things. It stopped after about 6PM, so it didn't annoy people. It just started in kind of a spontaneous way. Had a lot of fun with it. By the end of the cruise there was about 10 to 12 cabins involved.

 

That sounds like it was fun! I am sure there was somebody on a balcony somewhere though that didn't like it because your fun was intruding on their peace and quiet! The gall that you would have fun on your balcony!

[WetToes]

Does sound like fun. Would have been nice to have someone at a port record the 'pop ins'.

[bigque]

That's a silly reply. As it's the same coin - different side.

 

You are saying why can't passenger A compromise rather than passenger B, but then that just goes around in circles....

 

I believe HB Cruiser was saying lets talk courteously & work out a compromise if a problem arises for either party.

 

What most reasonable people recognise is that we do not live in a bubble, we are all on this planet/ship whatever together & if we ALL bend a little then nobody has to break.:rolleyes:

 

This approach is what keeps most of the world at peace most of the time, the other option leads to discontent & eventually conflict.

 

No my point is that it appears that the smokers, music players, card players, people that talk above a whisper, etc always should compromise not to do this things on their balconies in order to appease the neighbors who paid for a balcony the same as the forementioned people. In other they have to give up what they like to do so the neighbor can be happy all the time... I don't think so!

[babyher]

No my point is that it appears that the smokers, music players, card players, people that talk above a whisper, etc always should compromise not to do this things on their balconies in order to appease the neighbors who paid for a balcony the same as the forementioned people. In other they have to give up what they like to do so the neighbor can be happy all the time... I don't think so!

 

 

*LIKE*

 

 

I agree. A lot of people board a ship like they are getting on a private yacht . They expect a couple thousand fellow passengers to respect THEIR needs and wishes . Never gonna happen!!!!

 

Granted there are people who are just loud and pushy and disrespectful and there is never an excuse for that.

 

But you can't expect everything to be your way and everyone tip toe around you.

[charmay]

The way i see it.

I am not tip toeing round anyone or making compromises.

I not going to 'ask' my neighbour when i can smoke.

There not going to like the fact i smoke at anytime!

Or will it be ok at 4pm?what no i dont think so.

I am not a chain smoker and we are never go back to the cabin all day.

Plus i heard the man next to us moaning about our smoke last time when we was not even out there!

he knew we had smoked out there ,as soon as he smelt it he presumed it was us.

So you cant win.

[Tucker in Texas]

I am one of those dreaded smokers but try to be considerate. The first morning on the ship, I stepped out about 7:00 a.m. for a smoke with my morning cup of tea. After about four drags, I heard dishes being moved around on the balcony next to me, decided they were eating breakfast out there and they didn't need it flavored with my smoke so I doused my cigarette and went back in. Repeat the next two or three days. Then we were leaving port, and, lo and behold, they were hanging over their balcony cigarette in hand! Enjoyed my morning smoke for the rest of the cruise.

 

Tucker in Texas

[awhcruiser]

Let me know how that works for you.

The way i see it.

I am not tip toeing round anyone or making compromises.

I not going to 'ask' my neighbour when i can smoke.

[reallyitsmema]

The way i see it.

I am not tip toeing round anyone or making compromises.

I not going to 'ask' my neighbour when i can smoke.

There not going to like the fact i smoke at anytime!

Or will it be ok at 4pm?what no i dont think so.

I am not a chain smoker and we are never go back to the cabin all day.

Plus i heard the man next to us moaning about our smoke last time when we was not even out there!

he knew we had smoked out there ,as soon as he smelt it he presumed it was us.

So you cant win.

You must have exceptional hearing.

[CntPAcruiser]

Dont drink in front of the little peeking toms....HA-Larious!!!!

 

On a different website that deals with etiquette questions, there was a post from a lady who was in a public restroom stall and had a small child crawl under the partition and disturb her. You can imagine how upset she was, and yelled at the child to get out. The child's mother actually castigated the lady for being in a state of undress in front of her child!

[charmay]

You must have exceptional hearing.

 

Yes he was shouting to his wife,his wife kept telling him to shut up;)

[debk68]

We just returned from the Allure and the only negative was our neighbors. We were in 11604. Which is an adjoining room. I think that there is not as much of a sound barrier with the door there. We never heard the people on the side with the wall. But the side with the door! They had a 6 month old baby that could only cry, she was our wake up call. Then the second to last night of the cruise, we came in at 1:00 am and the baby was crying and then the husband came home and he and the wife started arguing about gambling, yelling at the top of their lungs! I know exactly how much money he lost at the casino and how long he has had a gambling problem. This carried on until about 3 am all the while the baby is screaming!

And the husband was a smoker, so without fail, we would go out to enjoy the balcony and he would be smoking. Which he is allowed to do.

 

Bottom line, I will always get a balcony, but I will always ask if it is an adjoining stateroom and I will never do that again!

[HB Cruiser]

So in other words we should just forgo what we like to do on our balcony that we paid do to let the people next door enjoy their balcony that they paid for whenever they come over to complain just to keep the peace..... I don't think so. I paid for mine and you paid for yours so why can't you compromise your time on the balcony rather than me?? ( this is not an attact on you) If smoke bothers you that much (and I don't smoke) then don't go out there or don't get a balcony. People act as though smokers spend their every waking moment of the cruise on their balcony smoking rather than doing other activities. I guess people should start going to their neighbors at the start of the cruise and let them know of their intentions of how they plan to use their balcony and get an approval that it will be ok!

 

#1, I did not take your post as an attack.

 

#2, we don't mind smokers next to us, as long as it is not someone that is going to smoke three packs a day and all three are being smoked on the balcony next to ours. As I stated, my wife has asthma and the smoking adversly affects her.

 

If we are out and our neighbor is smoking, we usually will go back in the cabin for a few minutes. When we go back out, on a normal basis, the smoke has cleared anid everything is fine. This is our normal proceedure. If and only if we cannot enjoy our balcony due to the constant smoking will I go to my neighbor.

 

Tim

[WetToes]

We just returned from the Allure and the only negative was our neighbors. We were in 11604. Which is an adjoining room. I think that there is not as much of a sound barrier with the door there. We never heard the people on the side with the wall. But the side with the door! They had a 6 month old baby that could only cry, she was our wake up call. Then the second to last night of the cruise, we came in at 1:00 am and the baby was crying and then the husband came home and he and the wife started arguing about gambling, yelling at the top of their lungs! I know exactly how much money he lost at the casino and how long he has had a gambling problem. This carried on until about 3 am all the while the baby is screaming!

And the husband was a smoker, so without fail, we would go out to enjoy the balcony and he would be smoking. Which he is allowed to do.

 

Bottom line, I will always get a balcony, but I will always ask if it is an adjoining stateroom and I will never do that again!

 

 

From what you describe, I think you would have heard these people whether you had an adjoining cabin or not.

I'm betting the people across the hall heard them. Sad for the baby.

[bigque]

#1, I did not take your post as an attack.

 

#2, we don't mind smokers next to us, as long as it is not someone that is going to smoke three packs a day and all three are being smoked on the balcony next to ours. As I stated, my wife has asthma and the smoking adversly affects her.

 

If we are out and our neighbor is smoking, we usually will go back in the cabin for a few minutes. When we go back out, on a normal basis, the smoke has cleared anid everything is fine. This is our normal proceedure. If and only if we cannot enjoy our balcony due to the constant smoking will I go to my neighbor.

 

Tim

 

I understand! :cool:

[caribbean sailor]

The way i see it.

I am not tip toeing round anyone or making compromises.

I not going to 'ask' my neighbour when i can smoke.

There not going to like the fact i smoke at anytime!

Or will it be ok at 4pm?what no i dont think so.

I am not a chain smoker and we are never go back to the cabin all day.

Plus i heard the man next to us moaning about our smoke last time when we was not even out there!

he knew we had smoked out there ,as soon as he smelt it he presumed it was us.

So you cant win.

 

I agree with you i am a non smoker,we have been on ten Royal Caribbean cruises have never had a problem with someone smoking on their balcony.They paid for their balcony also. They have the right to smoke on their balcony.If you don't like it sail another line.Remember the world was not made just for you.Have a great next cruise enjoy your self,and let other's enjoy their cruise. :)

[grand isle joe]

...ever since they have sold those micro-cameras most people sit back and view their neighbors' balcony from a remote location. Maybe you will get lucky and see yourself on You tube. :eek: Now that I got you paranoid I'm only joshing......10 balconies and never a problem. Go for it!!!!!

[WetToes]

...ever since they have sold those micro-cameras most people sit back and view their neighbors' balcony from a remote location. Maybe you will get lucky and see yourself on You tube. :eek: Now that I got you paranoid I'm only joshing......10 balconies and never a problem. Go for it!!!!!

 

 

Now you've done it ... given the perves (?) ideas. :eek:

[grand isle joe]

Now you've done it ... given the perves (?) ideas. :eek:

 

 

...I don't worry about the "perves" but the NSA!!!!....George Orwell sails........:D;)

[Luvmesomeme]

When I posted this thread I had no idea what would become of it. I have learned a lot about what to do and what not to do:rolleyes:.

 

Now let's see if we can continue on with balcony stories without mentioning the forbidden words (smoke, smokers, cigarettes, cigars, smoking etc). The first one who mentions one of those words needs to pay Tim the 1 million I owe him.:D