Norwegian Cruise Line Bans Smoking on Balconies

[JulieAF]

I was on the Breakaway in May and was selected to have dinner with an officer. During dinner, he asked all of us to be totally honest and give our opinion of all departments and our general thoughts on that cruise as well. He had a pad & pen and took notes!

 

Officers have a rotating schedule to dine with passengers weekly to socialize while getting feedback. This officer said that the smoking issue is the number one complaint they hear during their weekly meals with guests. All six of us said that the neighbors' smoking was preventing us from enjoying time on our balconies.

 

This officer stated that he smokes, but understands it bothers so many people.

 

I would think that the sheer quantity of complaints may have led to this policy change.

[Beaver1975]

I call BS, Julie. I have had dinner with many ships' personnel and a topic of this nature would never be brought up by them. There is too much of a chance of pissing someone off and they would never take that chance.

 

Good try though.

[JulieAF]

I call BS, Julie. I have had dinner with many ships' personnel and a topic of this nature would never be brought up by them. There is too much of a chance of pissing someone off and they would never take that chance.

 

Good try though.

 

Not BS at all, Oh Crusader for The Rights of Smokers, (even though you don't smoke!!) ;) ;) ;) ;)

 

I have his name and his email address. He actually emailed me photos from our dinner! :) If they had private messages on here, I'd send it to you so you could write and ask him.

[peg013]

I call BS, Julie. I have had dinner with many ships' personnel and a topic of this nature would never be brought up by them. There is too much of a chance of pissing someone off and they would never take that chance.

 

Good try though.

 

I call BS right along with you. Have had dinner with Officers twice in the past year and the subject was never brought then or at any other times we were talking with the FO or HD. Nice try Julie.....possibly some will believe you but not many! :rolleyes:

[Cruzaholic41]

Actually I hope you are correct and that it is all because if pax complaints

 

I am no fan of big government interference either but am intuitive enough to consider it a real possibility

 

However it makes me sort if giddy if the real truth is that complaints from non smoking pax is why all the smoking changes

 

I guess those pax complained to both Ncl and ccl then? And both cruiselines changed policy a week apart?

 

Hmmm. Now this is where I start to think there are other issues in play

 

The analytical skeptic in me I guess. Lol

 

Let's put it this way. I'm part owner of a company that services the cruise industry. I have sat in the front office conference rooms of all 3 of the big boys - Carnival Corp, RCCL, and NCL. I get to hear little things here and there, and of course, when out to lunch, I get to hear the ins and outs of the industry.

 

Think back a little ways. Who were the first 2 big lines to restrict smoking? It was 2 competitors - one under the Carnival umbrella and one under the RCCL umbrella (Princess and Celebrity). Now, CCL and NCL are doing it at the same time. That's because those 2 lines are in direct competition.

[JulieAF]

I call BS right along with you. Have had dinner with Officers twice in the past year and the subject was never brought then or at any other times we were talking with the FO or HD. Nice try Julie.....possibly some will believe you but not many! :rolleyes:

 

It's the truth. There's no reason on earth to lie about something like that. (Maybe he was forthright about asking and taking notes, due to the department he works in.)

Edited July 21, 2014 by JulieAF

[CasinoCruzGirl]

Gosh there is so much hostility. Where is the compassion for others? I smoked for 20 years & it was very hard to quit. Most people who smoke want to quit & are continuously trying to do so. The judgement from those who probably have never smoked is just awful and harsh. this 'we won' stuff I have read is beyond childish!

 

I must comment on what I have found. During the 16 cruises I have taken where smoking was allowed on balconies, I never actually smelt smoke ever on my balcony. However on the Royal cruise we just did in June on the Freedom I found myself & my children having to walk through clouds of smoke when on the lido deck going aft to the buffet area. yes, only one side allows smoking but I often found ourselves walking down that side.

 

In the end market forces will prevail though. If cruise lines cannot fill their cabins & loose revenue they will look at their policy & adjust it if they think the non smoking on balconies has caused this.

 

No matter the policy, let's be courteous to one another & every non smoker should be offering encouragement to all smokers to give up.

 

 

 

This is the best post in this entire thread. Thank you thank you.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

Where are some of you getting this idea the new smoking policy is due to insurance? Is that some sort of conspiracy theory you came up with to make an excuse for your beloved cruise line telling you smoking is no longer allowed on balconies? Cruise ships are insured by a consortium of insurers, and most lines/ships use the same underwriters. If insurance or SOLAS had anything to do with this, the policy would have been industry wide, and at the same time. To think the root cause is any other reason than passenger complaints is foolish.

 

This is because of smokers who cannot act decently in a public setting. Some smokers are courteous, but most aren't. An example - the last suite I stayed in had a surround sound stereo. I really wanted to crank it up and jam to some music but did I? No. because I knew it might bother the neighbors. But when it comes to smokers, all too often, I've had my breakfast ruined because neighbors are too discourteous to check their surroundings before lighting up.

 

And this thread is the epitome of those people. Some of you, especially those few of you who appear to have been on this thread all day yesterday, including one of you who I don't believe for one second is a non smoker, are exactly why this new policy is going into place. If you were the courteous type, you would be pissed off at those who ruined it for you, not those who are celebrating the new policy. But you're not, and you can only blame yourselves.

 

Please don't say "most" smokers are not courteous" that's not a fair statement. It would be like me saying "most" non smokers are whiners. Which I don't CC is a small community compared to the amount of people who actually cruise. It's statements like that comment you made about "most" smokers being rude that get people upset.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

I call BS, Julie. I have had dinner with many ships' personnel and a topic of this nature would never be brought up by them. There is too much of a chance of pissing someone off and they would never take that chance.

 

Good try though.

 

 

Exactly. Lol Maybe she wants to take credit for the balcony smoking ban??? Never know.

[Aquahound]

Where are some of you getting this idea the new smoking policy is due to insurance? Is that some sort of conspiracy theory you came up with to make an excuse for your beloved cruise line telling you smoking is no longer allowed on balconies? Cruise ships are insured by a consortium of insurers, and most lines/ships use the same underwriters. If insurance or SOLAS had anything to do with this, the policy would have been industry wide, and at the same time. To think the root cause is any other reason than passenger complaints is foolish.

 

This is because of smokers who cannot act decently in a public setting. Some smokers are courteous, but most aren't. An example - the last suite I stayed in had a surround sound stereo. I really wanted to crank it up and jam to some music but did I? No. because I knew it might bother the neighbors. But when it comes to smokers, all too often, I've had my breakfast ruined because neighbors are too discourteous to check their surroundings before lighting up.

 

And this thread is the epitome of those people. Some of you, especially those few of you who appear to have been on this thread all day yesterday, including one of you who I don't believe for one second is a non smoker, are exactly why this new policy is going into place. If you were the courteous type, you would be pissed off at those who ruined it for you, not those who are celebrating the new policy. But you're not, and you can only blame yourselves.

 

Excellent post. I agree 100%...especially the parts I highlighted.

[negc]

...

I must comment on what I have found. During the 16 cruises I have taken where smoking was allowed on balconies, I never actually smelt smoke ever on my balcony. However on the Royal cruise we just did in June on the Freedom I found myself & my children having to walk through clouds of smoke when on the lido deck going aft to the buffet area. yes, only one side allows smoking but I often found ourselves walking down that side.

 

....

 

I think that if I walked down the smoking side of the lido deck once and found it irritating, I'd remember and wouldn't make the same mistake a second time.

[sjbdtz]

Several people have mentioned that they are trying to quit / planning on trying to quit.

 

I quit a 20 year pack-a-day habit about 13 years ago. I found that bearing these thoughts in mind helped. Hopefully it will help somebody else.

 

 

1. A craving lasts about 10 minutes. Sit & clench your teeth, or go clean the bathtub, or something...that lasts about 10 minutes. The craving will pass.

 

2. The addiction part is resolved within 72 hours. After 72 hours the last remaining nicotine has left your body and you are now only dealing with habit.

 

3. New habits can be formed within 30 days of consistent application. I tried keeping pre-cut & washed sticks of celery around. When I wanted a cigarette, I changed my mouth-taste by eating a celery. Bonus: celery has negative calories. It takes more energy to chew & digest, than the celery contains.

 

4. Try brushing your teeth when you have a craving. The mint flavor changes mouth-taste also, and helps distract your mind from what you wanted.

 

5. Try taking your caffeine in the form of tea (if you typically drink coffee). Much of our smoking association is flavor-based, which is why it's associated with booze, coffee, post-meal

 

6. Try to quit with a buddy. You'll be able to share / commiserate on the inevitable moodiness, gassiness, and other body changes as you break the old habit & form new ones. I used an online bulletin board much like CC when I quit, called quitstop.org but I think it has either changed name or gone away. But finding community support can be very helpful.

 

 

In my case, the local health agency had a draw for a set of his/hers Gucci watches, for anybody who quit for the month of March 2011 - and could have somebody else attest to it.

 

So on Feb 28th at 10 p.m. I put out my last cigarette, and haven't touched one since. No patches, drugs, or electronic devices.

 

I did make the mistake of substituting Twizzlers. Don't do that. They're really calorific. I later switched to the celery, but wish I'd done it earlier.

 

 

And, to keep this on NCL topic, I agree with others that the day is probably coming where they go smoke-free - maintenance will be cheaper, it will be easier to retain staff, there will be less risk from the insurance perspective, etc.

 

 

Good luck in your quits!

 

Stephen

 

P.S. If you try to quit & it doesn't stick....remember that the average smoker needs to try 7 times before they stay quit. I was on my 4th attempt when my desire to obtain a prize (reward) helped motivate me to see it through.

 

Setting yourself a reward for milestones is a very good way to convince your brain to go along with your desire. :)

 

 

.

[kjbacon]

I want to piggy back on these comments about quitting smoking since they are such great advice! I put my last cigarette out at 3:00pm on November 2, 2012 after 40 years of addiction. I lost count of how many times I tried, so like the above poster said, keep trying and keep trying again! And I'll add, you didn't fail if your attempt doesn't hold, you succeeded in trying something that many won't even try. It's true about association and the 10 minutes too ... water is great for that because your mind does not associate the two so go swimming, hop in the shower, wash some delicate sweaters by hand, water the garden, give your pup a bath, or as the other poster mentioned brush your teeth! You can do it and the reward cannot be described; it's the best feeling in the world!

[graphicguy]

I agree with most. This is a decision based on how NCL perceives their competition trying to "one up" them. At the end of the day, it's about dollars and cents. If this hurts the cruise line, it will be re-adjusted.

 

Not going to get into if it's right, wrong or indifferent. I'm a non-smoker. But, I do remember a time when restaurants, bars, offices allowed smoking. I do not want to go back to those times.

 

However, it does bother me when little by little, personal choices are taken away. I know I have some habits that are probably not good for me. But, I choose get to choose them. That trumps everything else.

 

It's NCL's ship, however. They can do whatever they want. I don't think any amount of complaining, by one side or the other is going to rate a decision one way or the other. Whatever study NCL made must have shown an insignificant impact on their bottom line. If that changes, expect the policy to change.

 

Until then, I expect that this is sort of a test, for all the cruise lines. I had read that 20% of cruisers smoke. That's a pretty significant number. If they affect revenues, there may be some tweaking.

 

I know others bemoan the e-digs, vapers or whatever they call the electronic devices I'm starting to see more and more of. Maybe this is the compromise. I will say that those things don't have any odor at all, at least none that I can detect. I'm OK with people using them. I know there are gums, patches and pills that have nicotine in them. I view the e-digs the same way as the nicotine gums/patches and pills.

 

All that said, I've done more than a few cruises. I've never had any issues with smokers. There were a couple of occasions that my balcony cabin neighbor was smoking. In truth, it didn't last long, and in the spirit of cooperation and compromise, we sort of worked out a schedule that didn't inconvenience either of us (or at least not me) without saying a word. When I went out and s/he was smoking, I would see how long it took to dissipate and either sit out, or go in if it lingered. Conversely, if my neighbors saw I was out, they asked if I'd mind if they smoked.

 

Whatever side you fall on, a little compromise goes a long way.

[NLH Arizona]

I know others bemoan the e-digs, vapers or whatever they call the electronic devices I'm starting to see more and more of. Maybe this is the compromise. I will say that those things don't have any odor at all, at least none that I can detect. I'm OK with people using them. I know there are gums, patches and pills that have nicotine in them. I view the e-digs the same way as the nicotine gums/patches and pills.

 

I've got no problem with unflavored/no odor e-cigarettes, but, yes, there are some that smell really, really bad. I sat next to a woman smoking one of these in Las Vegas...the smell was unbearable. But, as long as there is no flavor or smell, I've got no problem with them.

[RDC1]

I've got no problem with unflavored/no odor e-cigarettes, but, yes, there are some that smell really, really bad. I sat next to a woman smoking one of these in Las Vegas...the smell was unbearable. But, as long as there is no flavor or smell, I've got no problem with them.

 

With e-cigs outdoors is probably not an issue, indoors they still have a second hand impact with Nicotine and particulates.

[graphicguy]

I've got no problem with unflavored/no odor e-cigarettes, but, yes, there are some that smell really, really bad. I sat next to a woman smoking one of these in Las Vegas...the smell was unbearable. But, as long as there is no flavor or smell, I've got no problem with them.

 

I hear you. I have yet to see anyone with the ecig thing that actually caused any odor. But, I've read something along the lines of them being capable of emitting different smells.....kind of like cheap perfume or cologne.

 

I'm OK with them. Again, I consider them a workable compromise.

 

Probably would move away (far away) from anyone using one that emitted an objectionable odor, just like I would someone with a heavy dose of perfume/cologne.

[halos]

. If insurance or SOLAS had anything to do with this, the policy would have been industry wide, and at the same time. To think the root cause is any other reason than passenger complaints is foolish.

 

.

 

Not necessarily...They may have given them a date in which they needed to comply and that date may have been a year (or more) off. RCI decided to comply right away, CCL and NCL put it off.

[sammee]

Not necessarily...They may have given them a date in which they needed to comply and that date may have been a year (or more) off. RCI decided to comply right away, CCL and NCL put it off.

 

While it's possible that's insurance is the reason, why wouldn't they come clean in the announcements. The cruiseline themselves would take less bashing.

[RDC1]

Not necessarily...They may have given them a date in which they needed to comply and that date may have been a year (or more) off. RCI decided to comply right away, CCL and NCL put it off.

 

This is not being driven by a SOLAS or insurance change. If there was such a change you can rest assured that it would be considered to be material and the cruise line companies would have to present it in the 10Q or 10K filings. There is nothing on it in any cruise line filings, there is nothing about it in on the SOLAS web site, including their working group session notes or regulation changes. There is nothing about it anywhere in any financial discussions about the cruise lines.

 

The rumor about SOLAS or insurance started with someone posting about a possible reason, not any kind of fact, just supposition.

 

The cruise lines did this for competitive reasons.

[Macadian]

Could that its far better from a PR point of view to state the decision was in the best interests from a health perspective an consideration for clients, rather than a decision forced upon them by changes in fire regulation's./insurance requirements.

[NLH Arizona]

I hear you. I have yet to see anyone with the ecig thing that actually caused any odor. But, I've read something along the lines of them being capable of emitting different smells.....kind of like cheap perfume or cologne.

 

I'm OK with them. Again, I consider them a workable compromise.

 

Probably would move away (far away) from anyone using one that emitted an objectionable odor, just like I would someone with a heavy dose of perfume/cologne.

Well the odor from the e-cigarette I encountered, was awful, I'd take a heavy dose of any kind of perfume or cologne over it any day. I shouldn't have to move away from my balcony because someone is smoking a flavored e-cigarette since it was against the rules, but if they were smoking an unfalvored one, I wouldn't have an issue with it. Nor would I have an issue with someone with heavy perfume or cologne, because, after all, it is not against any rule to bath in it, even if it is offensive to others.

[RDC1]

For those that think it was due to regulation or insurance reasons find just one factual post anywhere describing those changes. All of these cruise lines are publicly traded companies. The scope makes the information material (must be disclosed). In this day of the Internet find even one post to support your claim.

[graphicguy]

Well the odor from the e-cigarette I encountered, was awful, I'd take a heavy dose of any kind of perfume or cologne over it any day. I shouldn't have to move away from my balcony because someone is smoking a flavored e-cigarette since it was against the rules, but if they were smoking an unfalvored one, I wouldn't have an issue with it. Nor would I have an issue with someone with heavy perfume or cologne, because, after all, it is not against any rule to bath in it, even if it is offensive to others.

 

Sounds (smells?) like the person using it didn't have too keen of a sense of smell. I'm sure, from your description, not a good encounter.

 

Talking to my son, who works at a University, I guess these electronic things are pretty popular at the college. But, he said they have all sorts of stuff people inhale with them....not the least of which is hash oil in addition to flavored and unflavored nicotine. The only ones I've encountered are the ones with no smell to them. If I hadn't talked to my son or seen it myself, I wouldn't have known what they were doing.

[Aquahound]

Not necessarily...They may have given them a date in which they needed to comply and that date may have been a year (or more) off. RCI decided to comply right away, CCL and NCL put it off.

 

In that case, it would be a lot easier to find. I did a little searching and I didn't find anything to support it. I found a loose reference to new exterior fire suppression systems, but nothing about smoking.