I will continue to sail on HAL if balcony smoking is permitted.

[CaveDiving]

...We've taken 15 HAL cruises, and have never been bothered by smoke anywhere on the ship. During this time, I've never heard of any of the passengers complaining either, including many of friends of ours who also do not smoke. The only time I've seen this subject mentioned is on Cruise Critic.

 

I think this is the clearest statement about smoking that I have heard on this board and I agree with it completely.

 

Scott & Karen

[jimmy2x]

We also will continue to sail with HAL as it fits us best among the lines we have been on.

 

For those who continue to write that the balcony smoking issue sends them to non-balcony staterooms, I can only say that every cruise that we have been on appeared to be fully booked in the balcony category.

[Sow There]

We've sailed HAL since 1984 and have never heard anything at anytime where anyone was concerned with smoking on board. Even when the showroom on the old Nieuw Amsterdam was in the center of the ship and passengers had to go thru the showroom to get from aft to forward or vice versa, where I remember there were lots of ashtrays and "smokadors" available, we had no problems.

 

We're both nonsmokers but both of our parents on both sides smoked (not to excess) so I guess being around smokers was not a problem.

 

So my answer is a simple, YES, we'll continue to sail with HAL regardless of what their decision might be regarding a smoking policy.

 

BTW, a couple from Rotterdam, Netherlands that sails with us occasionally will change lines if HAL changes to a no-smoking policy, or so restricts smoking in most venues including verandahs that they can't smoke, they will probably move on and sail on another European cruise line.

[Lizzie68]

No. Given that other cruiselines will discontinue balcony smoking, and given than HAL has lost it's edge and the "Signature of Excellence" - I would go to a cruise line where I can be assured of enjoying my balcony.

[Sow There]

On a point raised in this thread, I agree that this smoking "controversy is jenned up by a relatively small group of CC members who feel strongly about the subject but clearly whose feelings aren't shared my most, or all, other members.

[puli]

No ,we will no longer sail with HAL if they continue to allow smoking on stateroom balconies. We have been cruising with HAL since the early 90's (4 Star Mariners) but recently other cruise lines have caught up and perhaps even surpassed HAL .

[frankc98376]

Smoking won't drive us away- not feeling like we are getting our money's worth will drive us away.

I've actually never heard anyone on board complain about smoking, and I have definitely heard a lot of people complaining about just about everything else- seems that happens a lot in the NL and the Hydrotherapy pool....

Interesting............

[hal lover]

Balcony smoking will not make us go to another cruise line.

[jtl513]

For those who continue to write that the balcony smoking issue sends them to non-balcony staterooms, I can only say that every cruise that we have been on appeared to be fully booked in the balcony category.

So? As long as there is a satisfactory OV available for me I don't care whether the balconies are all full or all empty.

[cruisemom42]

While I don't exclusively sail with HAL, I (a nonsmoker) would continue to cruise with them if smoking on balconies is allowed.

 

It is a non-issue for me.

[Fouremco]

We've already moved to Celebrity, and other than a short Alaska cruise with an OV on the Oosterdam in September, we won't return until there is a change in policy. Our February 2013 collector's cruise with heavy smokers on both sides of our balcony for 21 days was the final straw.

[RuthC]

Yes, I will continue to sail HAL if balcony smoking continues to be allowed, all other things being equal.

 

I have no idea what conclusions can be drawn from the individual, or collective, answers to this, though.

[kjw869]

We've already moved to Celebrity, and other than a short Alaska cruise with an OV on the Oosterdam in September, we won't return until there is a change in policy. Our February 2013 collector's cruise with heavy smokers on both sides of our balcony for 21 days was the final straw.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

We have good friends who have sailed on the Solstice and Constellation and left because of all the unattended kids running amok. Their next cruise was on the Eurodam and they loved it. They just booked a cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam as both are in their 30s and both are non-smokers! They also made the move.

.

It's great we have so many choices!

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-Note 3 using Forums mobile app

[Lizzie68]

Enjoy your cruise.

 

We have good friends who have sailed on the Solstice and Constellation and left because of all the unattended kids running amok. Their next cruise was on the Eurodam and they loved it. They just booked a cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam as both are in their 30s and both are non-smokers! They also made the move.

.

It's great we have so many choices!

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-Note 3 using Forums mobile app

 

 

I am reminded of the number of reports here lately of kids taking over the Lido pool and running amok on HAL ships.;) I think it must happen on all ships from time to time. It's down to the parent, who probably have no loyalties to any cruise line but will book with the 3rd & 4th free sales.

[dangler25]

I will cruise HAL in the future if they continue to allow balcony smoking.

 

Please reply ONLY if you will continue to sail on HAL if smoking is permitted on balconies. No other replies asked. Please respect the statement.

 

Diane

[nschamp]

As non-smokers, we will continue to sail on HAL with its current smoking policy. The current smoking policy has not deterred us

 

I am a firm believer, based on my cruising on HAL ships, that smoking on HAL ships is just an issue for a small number of CC posters only and not an issue for HAL and the vast majority of its passengers. Smoking is a Cruise Critic issue, not a HAL issue. There is a considerable difference between the two.

 

 

Bingo!! Has never bothered us in the least.

[puli]

Please reply ONLY if you will continue to sail on HAL if smoking is permitted on balconies. No other replies asked. Please respect the statement.

 

Diane

 

sorry, I am a little confused...

 

you seem to want only responders who will agree with your statement so you can then report that X number of HAL cruisers are not affected by smoking on balconies???sort of a status quo head count????

 

Are you then planning or asking for a head count of HAL cruisers who would be on the opposite side of this fence????

 

Not clear what your reason/motive for this type of survey???? IMHO this seems to be very biased at best,

[fm6175]

One of the reasons we sail HAL is because we can smoke on our veranda .

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[navybankerteacher]

Bingo!! As I stated on an earlier post, the only time we've heard there is a "problem" with smoking on HAL ships, is on Cruise Critic. When we sail on these ships, that issue has never surfaced while onboard.

 

If something bothered us about a cruise line policy, we'd have sense enough to find another cruise line.

 

There are plenty of non-smokers who do not like breathing other people's smoke but who do not make an "issue" of it. As long as someone is smoking in a permitted area - such as their verandah - I have no right to protest, so I do not. But just because I choose to avoid unjustified confrontation, it does not mean that I have no "problem" with it. Yes, there have been times when a neighbor's smoking has made my verandah unpleasant.

 

So far, I still prefer HAL overall, but would be happier if they did ban verandah smoking.

[sapper1]

There are plenty of non-smokers who do not like breathing other people's smoke but who do not make an "issue" of it. As long as someone is smoking in a permitted area - such as their verandah - I have no right to protest, so I do not. But just because I choose to avoid unjustified confrontation, it does not mean that I have no "problem" with it. Yes, there have been times when a neighbor's smoking has made my verandah unpleasant.

 

So far, I still prefer HAL overall, but would be happier if they did ban verandah smoking.

 

That pretty much sums it up for me too so there is no need for me to add to it.

[donaldsc]

Please reply ONLY if you will continue to sail on HAL if smoking is permitted on balconies. No other replies asked. Please respect the statement.

 

Diane

 

What other limes allow you to smoke on balconies; i.e, where else can you go?

 

DON

[scm1848]

We will no longer sail when we cannot smoke on our balcony!!

[nana541]

Good luck with that!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[kjw869]

There are plenty of non-smokers who do not like breathing other people's smoke but who do not make an "issue" of it. As long as someone is smoking in a permitted area - such as their verandah - I have no right to protest, so I do not. But just because I choose to avoid unjustified confrontation, it does not mean that I have no "problem" with it. Yes, there have been times when a neighbor's smoking has made my verandah unpleasant.

 

So far, I still prefer HAL overall, but would be happier if they did ban verandah smoking.

 

As I stated on the post you quoted me on, I said I've only heard of this "problem" on Cruise Critic, I've never heard of this "issue" on a ship. As of this date, nothing will change that.

 

I do book cruises on HAL knowing full well smokers can be on each side of my balcony. If I did ever have that "problem" and it became unbearable, I would choose a different cruise line.

[CowPrincess]

We will continue to sail on HAL if balcony smoking continues to be allowed.