Royal Caribbean Bans Smoking on Balconies

[tinkerme1]

Okay, I understand how the smokers and non-smokers "feel about the new policy" and also understand it doesn't make sense to many folks. But, here is the rub for me.......the new smoking policy isn't trying to single out smokers as "bad people" or trying to get smokers to cancel their bookings.

 

The new policy is really all about SAFETY at Sea! Does anyone remember the fire on Princess? Does anyone remember the fire on the Grandeur?? Remember the problems Carnival had not too long ago in their engine rooms? There are many people onboard a cruise ship at sea and fire is something that does considerable damage.

 

I'm not a firefighter, but I can believe that smoking on a balcony can accelerate a fire much quicker when the wind is blowing and the ship is moving. Do you really blame RCCL for going along with "what looks like an industry move to prevent accidents at sea?"

 

If, by moving to NCL or Carnival makes the smokers feel better, just remember you now have a better chance of experiencing a fire onboard!

 

In summation, remember, safety first! I will have a much better vacation knowing that RCI is moving in the right direction to protect its crew and passengers.

[Familygoboston]

Yup, this is true, you probably got lucky that no one nearby called about it. It may be that he was respectful about when others were out and thus avoided raising anyone's ire, but yes, cigars have been restricted for many years! And your attendants don't want to cause you trouble and have you be disappointed!

 

 

Oh wow! Breaking the law, breaking the law. And he's a CPA :D

 

He was always careful about not smoking overly much or often.

 

LOL! My DH is on the town Zoning Board and every time we undertake a project on our summer home in another area, even though we read all the rules and ask the officials, someone comes along later and says we did it improperly...it's hysterical, because he really wants to do the right thing!! Similar to RCL- its the inconsistency in applying rules in these small towns that causes the problem:rolleyes:

 

Hello, fellow "foggy" Jewel traveler!!! :D You pose a good question. As a smoker (who aspires to not be one someday), I can give you my perspective. Where will I go instead? No where. I am perfectly happy with the RCI product, and regardless of smoking policy, I have no desire to take my business elsewhere, simply for the convenience of smoking on my balcony. Am I happy about the new policy? Not really--but it's not a deal breaker for me. I'll simply adjust. There are so many positives to my cruising experiences on RCI, that I'm not feeling compelled to either cancel my cruises, and book a Carnival cruise so I can smoke on my balcony.

 

I do however, respect anyone's decision to cancel, or change cruise lines. For some, it might be a deal breaker--for me, mehhhhh, not so much....:D

Hey, Niks! You are in the clear (or is it in the smoke...lol!;)) for our November cruise! I'm glad you wont be bailing! :D

 

So it sounds like Carnival still allows smoking. So that's an option, as I suppose a land based resort would be outside of the US.

 

I think that smokers moving to interior cabins will be far less than the amount of people who have avoided booking them in the past because of the chance of having a smoker, who will now go for balconies.

[LBcruzman]

My Dec 7 on Oasis will be my last cruise with RCI.

I have a owners suite and 3 balcony rooms.

If I can't smoke on the balcony let someone else take them.

I hope ALL smokers feel the same way.

 

If you go to Royal Caribbean's website right now it shows OS's sold out for the Dec. 7th Oasis sailing. So someone is really going to appreciate you letting that suite go.

[Maryscooking]

I just dropped my Jan. Adventure of the Seas and rebooked on Carnival Valor. The lady at Royal said they are overloaded with people switching cruise lines this morning. I know the ship is not as nice but $400 cheaper per cabin and better location.

 

I think "not as nice" is a big understatement...there is a reason for the $400 price difference. If I was anticipating the Adventure, and got the Valor instead, I know I'd be disappointed.

 

I guess smoking on the balcony must be reeeeeeaaaallly important to you for you to make this switch.

[mom says]

I just dropped my Jan. Adventure of the Seas and rebooked on Carnival Valor. The lady at Royal said they are overloaded with people switching cruise lines this morning. I know the ship is not as nice but $400 cheaper per cabin and better location.

 

My TA experienced much the same thing this morning. He said he was on hold for over 15 minutes before speaking with a rep (something he'd never experienced before) and she told him that she had handled nothing all morning but cancellations and queries about cancellations due to the smoking policy. I think that Carnival, Norwegian, and HAL will all be experiencing a bit of an uptick in their bookings this month.

[teajak]

My Dec 7 on Oasis will be my last cruise with RCI.

I have a owners suite and 3 balcony rooms.

If I can't smoke on the balcony let someone else take them.

I hope ALL smokers feel the same way.

Thank you, we will be happy to take them off your hands, much appreciated. Enjoy Norwegian and Carnival until they change.:D

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Thank you, we will be happy to take them off your hands, much appreciated. Enjoy Norwegian and Carnival until they change.:D

 

exactly :)

[stepmonster]

I agree that it makes absolutely no sense. Good luck filling the smoking side rooms, or enticing people to purchase those discounted guarantee cabins after final payment to fill the ship when they're an excellent chance they'll get stuck on the smoking side...

 

 

it really doesn't have to be the whole side of a ship. even if they picked one deck from mid ship to aft, that might be enough

[bouhunter]

As a former smoker, I think it's hilarious and bizarre that people are cancelling cruises and/or changing rooms. Yes as a smoker some things can be a priority, but to change cruise lines or rooms seems beyond comprehension............:rolleyes:

[Karma5]

I'm happy it happened...........no smoking on balconies...........Great News!!!!!!!!!!!

[thegima]

They should just designate one side of the ship to be smoking and the other non, or specific rooms but not just a blanket policy. However the choice has been made, accept it.

 

A number of people in my family smoked and I couldn't stand it, gives me a wicked headache. So to pay a fairly large sum of money for a vacation and wind up next to someone that sits on their balcony smoking the entire cruise would suck. The smokers shouldn't be treated like criminals because they're not but those of us who don't smoke and are opposed to the smell have dealt with it for quite some time.. now it's your turn.

 

I'm sitting back laughing at all of these people cancelling their cruises, selling their stock, and throwing a big fit, it's quite comical.

[tiessa]

I really think this is what it came down to for RCI. They are really competing with DCL for family cruisers, and with Disney banning balcony smoking, I figured it was just a matter of time before RCI did the same.

 

 

If RCI is competing with DCL then I'll find another cruise lines not because of the smoking but because of all of the kids onboard. Some don't like smoke. I don't like screaming kids running around.

[Dave85]

health hazard for employees, especially the dealers in the casino!

 

I'm glad you mentioned the casino dealers, because I honestly don't know how they put up with it. Sure, some of them are likely smokers themselves and don't care, but the second hand smoke that those folks are subject to night in and night out every day for months on end is incredible and detrimental to their health.

 

As a non-smoker, if I wander into a smokey area onto the ship I can always get up and move somewhere else that isn't smokey... no big deal for me. But those casino dealers are stuck there with smoke blown in their face... I just don't know how they do it. The same could be said for the bartenders I suppose before smoking was mostly abolished at the bars.

 

I'm sure a small percentage of smokers will be angered by my post and not want to hear it (I do believe that many smokers are considerate of non-smokers), but reality is reality.

[tiessa]

I think "not as nice" is a big understatement...there is a reason for the $400 price difference. If I was anticipating the Adventure, and got the Valor instead, I know I'd be disappointed.

 

I guess smoking on the balcony must be reeeeeeaaaallly important to you for you to make this switch.

 

 

It's the posters choice. What difference does it make to you?

 

I've been reading some reviews on the NCL site and it sounds like a lot of them prefer their new ships to a lot fo RCL's ship. There's a ship for everyone out there. Let's hope everyone enjoys their cruises on whichever suits them.

[stepmonster]

Now that Royal Caribbean has banned smoking on balconies it is a done deal. They will not go back and re-open the issue of allowing some balconies, etc.

 

Smokers are a small part of our population and cruisers are a small part of our population, most people have never even cruised before. So smokers who are also cruisers are an even smaller part of our population. I will also venture to say that many of those smoker/cruisers can control themselves and still go on a cruise and live with these new restrictions. Royal hasn't banned smoking yet, they are just restricting it.

 

People canceling their cruises over these new restrictions is a little amusing given that not allowing smoking is surely the "wave" of the future anyway.

 

 

it would be great if not allowing alcohol was the "wave" of the future

[Finbar127]

it would be great if not allowing alcohol was the "wave" of the future

 

Good luck with that. Cruise lines make a nice profit from alcohol sales.

 

 

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[Feelin' Nauti']

Some people just want everything their way. It's the way of the world nowadays. They'll find something else to complain about and hopefully it will hit a few of them!

Wait till they increase the fares :eek::eek::eek::D

[tiessa]

Putting aside everyone's strong feelings on both sides of the smoking policy change, I'm wondering how the balcony smoking ban post 1-1-14 will play out. (Full disclosure: I'm a non-smoker who is pleased with the change but understands that smokers may be upset with the change).

 

For example, if I'm out on my balcony, and I see someone two cabins aft and two decks below who is smoking, and the smell is making it unpleasant for me, I assume that I first shout down to them and politely remind them of the new policy. But let's remember, a small minority of RCCL cruisers actively look at Cruise Critic boards, and many might not know of the new policy. So many smokers might not know of the change. (How often have you read RCCL's policies front-to-back?)

 

Aside from the logistics of "politely shouting" to someone 50 feet away from you, what if they either respond by ignoring you, or with attitude or questioning the new policy? What do you do then? Do you call Guest Services? By the time they send someon te to that stateroom, undoubtedly the smoking will have ended. (And this is assuming you can figure out which stateroom to direct them to). Do those people get a warning? What if they deny they were smoking? And given that the new policy doesn't say anything specifically about being forced off the ship for repeated violations (unless I missed somethinge where that is said), who is to say that someone would ever be kicked off even for verified repeated violations?

 

As I said, I favor the new policy, but it might end up causing a lot of grief, ill-feelings, shouting matches, etc. out on the balconies. I'm guessing we'll see a lot of post-January threads about arguments breaking out over this.

 

 

Even if someone isn't aware of the ban, when they ask for an ashtray they will be told. It's one of the first things I do when I meet my steward.

 

I wouldn't take it upon myself to tell someone. I would call guest relations or the steward and let them take care of it. No matter how nice you try to be, they may take offense. There's no reason to upset them or you. Let the ship personnel handle it.

[Magic Man]

Thank you, we will be happy to take them off your hands, much appreciated. Enjoy Norwegian and Carnival until they change.:D

You have probably never booked an Owners suite in your life. I have on 4 cruises

[jstraw20]

The new policy is really all about SAFETY at Sea!

 

No it's not. It's all about the almighty dollar. No more; no less. RCCL is a business and they wouldn't have made this move if they thought it would negatively impact their bottom line.

 

 

 

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[ptf2009]

I'm happy it happened...........no smoking on balconies...........Great News!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

I am thrilled about this new policy! It is a hela\\alth issue people, plus we non-smokers can't stand the smell and the awful smoke that we have to breathe. Smokers just don't realize how their odor really does offend people. Go RCI!

[Maryscooking]

It's the posters choice. What difference does it make to you?

 

I've been reading some reviews on the NCL site and it sounds like a lot of them prefer their new ships to a lot fo RCL's ship. There's a ship for everyone out there. Let's hope everyone enjoys their cruises on whichever suits them.

 

It makes no difference to me, but I do find it surprising enough to comment on.

 

I have cruised Carnival (both old and new ships) and Royal (Navigator and others), and I would not choose Valor over the Adventure for a $400 price difference. It would not be worth it to me, as the cruising experience would just be too different. Hence my statement that smoking on the balcony must be very important to that poster for them to have made the switch.

 

And I'm interested in trying NCL's newest ships, for the right price. I've been on Carnival Dream, would really like to try the Breeze. Only thing keeping us from booking it is the lack of good evening entertainment on Carnival right now. The right price would probably still get me on board, as there are enough other positives for my family to make up for that. So I am well aware that there is "a ship for everyone."

[niksmom630]

Hey, Niks! You are in the clear (or is it in the smoke...lol!;)) for our November cruise! I'm glad you wont be bailing! :D

 

So it sounds like Carnival still allows smoking. So that's an option, as I suppose a land based resort would be outside of the US.

 

I think that smokers moving to interior cabins will be far less than the amount of people who have avoided booking them in the past because of the chance of having a smoker, who will now go for balconies.

 

Have only been on one other cruise line besides RCI. A single Disney cruise. Have no desire to try Carnival--don't think its the experience I am looking for, and I wouldn't jump ship just to accommodate the few smokes I have out on the balcony.

 

You may be right about the inside cabin comment. The whole concept of moving to an interior room is a non-starter to me. I don't choose a balcony (or higher) because I have (or had) the privilege of smoking on it. I enjoy the view of the water, and the sound of the ocean. I will just now have to schlep up or down a few flights of stairs to accommodate my habit, it I don't kick the habit by next February. :D But yes, I am in the "clear" or in the "smoke", as you put it, for November's cruise.

[tiessa]

It would be an interesting experiment to see how a line having a ship completely non smoking or the other way around might do again. Might be more popular nowadays with all of the interesting and strong opinions. Maybe?http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

 

 

The Renaissance line was all non-smoking and it's not even in business anymore. I think having a ship all one way or the other is just not going to go well for the cruiselines.

[Blue Line]

The best the new policy will do is "keep the honest people honest"...

 

 

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