This Thread Is To Be Used For All Discussions About HAL's On Board Smoking Policies

[sammiedawg]

Walt, I'm very confused on what is allowed on this forum but for the record I feel it is time for Holland America to get with the rest of society and restrict or outlaw smoking. Why wait until next year.

Sometimes I am embarrassed for those touting the merits, advocating for onboard smoking. Really, in this day and age?

I'm glad the polling threads have been closed.

[sail7seas]

If this is the case why wait over a year? That seems strange. My fear is that now that so many lines have eliminated smoking on balconies that HAL will become a smoking haven.

 

From my conversations it seems like the research and surveying to collect data is more for corporate CYA than anything else. Unless of course that data revealed something wildly different than what they expect it to reveal.

 

There is a faction that feel strongly that the new builds come on line with more restrictive policies already in place.

 

 

 

To say a 'high source', of course, any of us can say. I, too, have had high source tell me smoking would be eliminated on verandahs and that was supposed to be going on a year ago. :rolleyes:

 

CYA research/data. They have collected smoking data for more than a decade when cruise after cruise after cruise we wasted our time completed those smoking surveys they kept handing out. It was to placate people and make us think there was actually going to be something result from it.

 

 

Edited August 10, 2014 by sail7seas

[Sow There]

Walt, I'm very confused on what is allowed on this forum but for the record I feel it is time for Holland America to get with the rest of society and restrict or outlaw smoking. Why wait until next year.

Sometimes I am embarrassed for those touting the merits, advocating for onboard smoking. Really, in this day and age?

I'm glad the polling threads have been closed.

Last I checked, tobacco is still a legal product and smoking is still legal in the USA and most of the rest of the world.

 

That said, I think you must have meant that it's time for Holland America to restrict or prohibit smoking...but other than restrictions, where has society "outlawed" smoking?

 

When I drive on a highway and a diesel truck or bus belching black exhaust passes by, I find that not only very unpleasant but also, based on medical research, it's worse than second hand smoke from a health standpoint.

 

The good news is that HAL has virtually eliminated the drift back of the exhaust created by burning Bunker C oil in its engines so the health of the cruise passengers is not affected.

 

However there are no laws that outlaw exhaust belching trucks or buses, even those operated by local, state or federal government agencies. Why not?

 

Bottom line. I suggest that, if you feel that smoking should be outlawed, the place to start is with your legislators either in Congress or in your state. They are the only people who are able to write laws that outlaw smoking.

 

Unfortunately, with the rapid changes occurring in the area of legalization of marijuana, much of which is consumed by smoking, I am not optimistic that tobacco smoking will be outlawed.

 

We'll see.

[Fouremco]

Last I checked, tobacco is still a legal product and smoking is still legal in the USA and most of the rest of the world.

 

That said, I think you must have meant that it's time for Holland America to restrict or prohibit smoking...but other than restrictions, where has society "outlawed" smoking?

 

When I drive on a highway and a diesel truck or bus belching black exhaust passes by, I find that not only very unpleasant but also, based on medical research, it's worse than second hand smoke from a health standpoint.

 

The good news is that HAL has virtually eliminated the drift back of the exhaust created by burning Bunker C oil in its engines so the health of the cruise passengers is not affected.

 

However there are no laws that outlaw exhaust belching trucks or buses, even those operated by local, state or federal government agencies. Why not?

 

Bottom line. I suggest that, if you feel that smoking should be outlawed, the place to start is with your legislators either in Congress or in your state. They are the only people who are able to write laws that outlaw smoking.

 

Unfortunately, with the rapid changes occurring in the area of legalization of marijuana, much of which is consumed by smoking, I am not optimistic that tobacco smoking will be outlawed.

 

We'll see.

I can't speak for LA or California, but here in Canada, smoking has most certainly been "outlawed" in most provinces and cities. Not a total ban, but from businesses, bars, restaurants, hospitals, government buildings and many, many other locations. Here in Ottawa, all outdoor areas on municipal properties including parks, playgrounds, beaches, sports fields, and outdoor areas around City facilities are smoke free.

 

Smoking has been banned from ferries, trains, buses and planes. I doubt that we'll see a total ban from cruise ships any time soon, nor am I advocating such a move, but I think it's more a question of "when" than of "if". The writing is clearly on the wall, and in spite of it's delay, I think that HAL will follow the lead of other lines in banning smoking on balconies.

[RuthC]

CYA research/data. They have collected smoking data for more than a decade when cruise after cruise after cruise we wasted our time completed those smoking surveys they kept handing out. It was to placate people and make us think there was actually going to be something result from it.

Several cutbacks in designated smoking areas resulted from all those surveys.

Smoking is no longer allowed in the Lido pool bar, the Crows Nest, or other public inside areas besides the casino, only when open and when the smoker is actively gambling. Smoking is no longer allowed in cabins. The separate Oak Rooms were dismantled, and given over to other use. The separate smoking rooms near the dining rooms on the Vista ships were also given over to other uses. Smoking is no longer allowed on the promenade deck (by whatever name) and most outdoor decks.

 

Designated smoking areas have been cut back to two small outside areas (which cannot always be used for smoking), and one part-time inside area, with restricted use.

[Typhoon1]

Sounds good in theory.

 

We'll have to see how well it works out. Hopefully, any stray posts will get moved or deleted.

[Lizzie68]

To say a 'high source', of course, any of us can say. I, too, have had high source tell me smoking would be eliminated on verandahs and that was supposed to be going on a year ago. :rolleyes:

 

CYA research/data. They have collected smoking data for more than a decade when cruise after cruise after cruise we wasted our time completed those smoking surveys they kept handing out. It was to placate people and make us think there was actually going to be something result from it.

 

 

 

It's not too long ago that smoking in the cabin was allowed - now it is not. So I do think they listened and the surveys were not for naught. There have been many changes.

[goleta]

This would be a very foolish decision, IMO, and will fail just as badly as Carnival's decision several years ago to make the Carnival Paradise totally smoke free. Cost them dearly in bookings and in casino revenues. Eventually they reversed their decision and Paradise is now following the standard Carnival smoking policy.

 

We're nearing our 30th year sailing mostly on HAL. Neither of us smoke, never did, but we really never noticed any issues relating to smoking on board whether in the dining room or showroom, let alone adjacent balconies.

 

I'm a CCL shareholder (I'm in it for the OBC but it's always nice to get a dividend) and hope that the folks in Seattle continue to think this thing through carefully.

 

BTW, the hip shooters at RCI keep announcing, then changing and reversing their policies which causes great confusion among even the most loyal RCCL and Celebrity cruisers. That ambivalence, coupled with a few other bonehead decisions like extra loud music piped into previously sedate lounges, have caused them some business.

 

What I like about what you say is that the senior management is moving slowly and carefully and won't go public with their decision until it has been fully made.

 

Business may slow at first but would pick up as time goes by. Smokers will scream and yell for awhile but those addicted to cruising will still cruise in the end. This is my take on it. Smoking has been banned in public areas here in CA for many years and what an outcry when first implemented. Bars and restaurants are alive and well!

Edited August 11, 2014 by goleta

[sammiedawg]

Hotel chains like Marriott have outlawed smoking on the premises. Bars, restaurants, office buildings have outlawed smoking. Some corporations have outlawed smoking even in the parking lot of their premises. Owners of rental property ban smoking in almost half of the apartment complexes in my area. Employers screen prospective hires for smoking and some point blank will not hire a smoker.

As I said before I am embarrassed for those advocating smoking in public places but of course whatever you do in the privacy of home.

Edited August 11, 2014 by sammiedawg

[RuthC]

As I said before I am embarrassed for those advocating smoking in public places but of course whatever you do in the privacy of home.

So, you're advocating for smoking on the ships inside your cabin, and on your own balcony, only? Since while on board, that is "the privacy of home".

[sammiedawg]

We don't own our ship cabin or our hotel room or our rental apartment, we are tenants of someone else's property. The owners have the right to tell us we cannot smoke.

Even in Europe hotel properties are starting to ban smoking.

A local TV Station did a big story on landlords refusing to rent to smokers, close to fifty per cent of large complexes will not rent to smokers and there is language in the lease that they can be evicted, fined and held responsible.

I haven't even mentioned the fire hazard of smoking on board a cruise ship. Princess was one of the first to ban balcony smoking due to fires and they have someone on the bridge watching the balconies for compliance.

[Fouremco]

So, you're advocating for smoking on the ships inside your cabin, and on your own balcony, only? Since while on board, that is "the privacy of home".

The Oxford Dictionary defines home as "The place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household."

 

Student living in a college dorm go "home" for Thanksgiving.

 

If for some reason you were asked by guest relations for your home address, I doubt that you would provide your cabin number.

 

Just saying... :)

[Host Walt]

Recently a poll was taken as to the desirability of having all smoking discussions handled in a single thread. The poll can be found here.The vast majority of the folks endorsed this idea so we did it. The single smoking thread can be accessed by clicking this link: This Thread Is To Be Used For All Discussions About HAL's On Board Smoking Policies

 

Please note that the active thread is "unstuck" so that it will likely fall below page 1 if discussions slow down.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Host Walt

[chrispb]

Business may slow at first but would pick up as time goes by. Smokers will scream and yell for awhile but those addicted to cruising will still cruise in the end. This is my take on it. Smoking has been banned in public areas here in CA for many years and what an outcry when first implemented. Bars and restaurants are alive and well!

 

Here on CC you may find true cruise addicts but the majority of travellers are NOT cruisers. I can count on one hand the number of people I know who have tried a cruise.

 

Why do you think there are frequent price drops? Cruise lines would not drop their prices if they were easily filling their staterooms. There are bigger ships being built and I honestly wonder how they are all going to be sailing at full capacity.

 

Smoking has been banned from public areas in the Western world for a number of years now - it's not just a US thing. Anyway, we had no problems in CA smoking cigarettes:D

[DesertPesce7751]

What's the proper protocol for encouraging smokers not to smoke in places where it isn't allowed, like the Promenade outdoor deck? I like to jog/run (or stroll) out there and, since we don't have a balcony for our next cruise, it will be our only way to get outside without going to the Lido.

[Lizzie68]

What's the proper protocol for encouraging smokers not to smoke in places where it isn't allowed, like the Promenade outdoor deck? I like to jog/run (or stroll) out there and, since we don't have a balcony for our next cruise, it will be our only way to get outside without going to the Lido.

 

Well, if it clearly in an area where it is not allowed, you can politely bring it to their attention. It's quite possible they don't know.

[Fouremco]

What's the proper protocol for encouraging smokers not to smoke in places where it isn't allowed, like the Promenade outdoor deck? I like to jog/run (or stroll) out there and, since we don't have a balcony for our next cruise, it will be our only way to get outside without going to the Lido.

I don't think that there's any proper protocol for this. There are too many variables, and what might work well for some might not work well for others. A polite request with an explanation that they are in a non-smoking area should be the first choice, but if they refuse, then what? If in doubt, speak to a crew member.

[peaches from georgia]

Are the ashtrays still bolted to some of the deck railings? If so, the smoker may have no idea smoking is not allowed there anymore. One sees an ashtray and naturally thinks it is a smoking allowed area. Hard to blame the smoker in that case. :o

[CowPrincess]

What's the proper protocol for encouraging smokers not to smoke in places where it isn't allowed, like the Promenade outdoor deck? I like to jog/run (or stroll) out there and, since we don't have a balcony for our next cruise, it will be our only way to get outside without going to the Lido.

 

Jogging/running is not permitted on the LP deck.

 

As peaches from georgia says, if there is an ashtray on a railing, it makes sense that smokers would consider that a smoking area. I can't see any perfect way of addressing "you can't smoke here" with strangers, other than maybe saying "Is this a smoking area? I didn't think smoking was permitted here".

[DesertPesce7751]

Jogging/running is not permitted on the LP deck.

 

That's interesting...where do they list that rule? We actually just got back from a cruise in which an official running group was running every morning on that deck.

[richwmn]

That's interesting...where do they list that rule? We actually just got back from a cruise in which an official running group was running every morning on that deck.

 

Not sure which ship you were on, but I have been on at least 1 ship of each class over the last 18 months and each had a sign next to a door that listed number of laps for a mile and stated "No Jogging".

 

Some ships have only two signs, one on each side. Some had many and also had "No Jogging" painted on the metal on the stern of the ship.

[DesertPesce7751]

Not sure which ship you were on, but I have been on at least 1 ship of each class over the last 18 months and each had a sign next to a door that listed number of laps for a mile and stated "No Jogging".

 

Some ships have only two signs, one on each side. Some had many and also had "No Jogging" painted on the metal on the stern of the ship.

 

Gotcha :rolleyes: . I guess I'll just power walk then. ;)

[CowPrincess]

Gotcha :rolleyes: . I guess I'll just power walk then. ;)

 

If it is the Statendam you will be on, there are passenger cabins beneath the LP deck. I'm sure you would want to be considerate of your fellow passengers.

[Gypsywych]

I'd be perfectly happy with all cruise ships banning smoking entirely indoors, and leaving smoking permitted on the Lido and private balconies.

[Lizzie68]

Jogging/running is not permitted on the LP deck.

 

As peaches from georgia says, if there is an ashtray on a railing, it makes sense that smokers would consider that a smoking area. I can't see any perfect way of addressing "you can't smoke here" with strangers, other than maybe saying "Is this a smoking area? I didn't think smoking was permitted here".

 

On some ships jogging is permitted on the LP deck - the ones with no cabins underneath. So those do not have the "No Jogging" signs.

 

On my last cruise people were smoking on the LP deck, but were not obtrusive - one guy had his own ashtray next to the lounger.