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

[winged wheel]

I'm booked on the Niew Amsterdam Dec 18th sailing. Curious to see what the truth is. I'm a former 3 pack a day 40 year smoker with almost 3 years of non-smoking bliss under my belt. DW and I booked a verandah, so I'll be interested to see if there is smoke wafting into ours. Will not ruin my cruise if it does as the smell of fresh smoke doesn't make me recoil, as I still work with a lot of smokers and vapers and actually find the huge plumes of vapor more off-putting, but that's me.

I made an oath to myself not to become one of those militant non-smokers once I quit. I think we can all get along with some common sense. I'd be more in favor of making the casino non-smoking as I don not care for that stale smoke/ashtray smell. I'll up-date with the facts once I return.

 

Jim

[CruiserBruce]

I hope that this change puts an end to that ridiculously long HAL Smoking discussion that every comment on HAL Smoking "must" be directed to ?

(who made up that rule ? A smoker for sure )

 

Although we enjoyed HAL , once the other cruise lines upped their restrictions , we jumped ship. Sailing soon on HAL again, sailing from Tampa , our local port .

 

The Moderators made that rule. And that is still the place this question should be asked. I imagine the locations for all the ships will be similar- aft Lido pool, for example.

[serendipity1499]

I hope that this change puts an end to that ridiculously long HAL Smoking discussion that every comment on HAL Smoking "must" be directed to ?

(who made up that rule ? A smoker for sure )

 

Although we enjoyed HAL , once the other cruise lines upped their restrictions , we jumped ship. Sailing soon on HAL again, sailing from Tampa , our local port .

 

I bolded your sentence only because you did not look who was the OP of that thread.. By the way I am a NON SMOKER so you are completely incorrect in your assumption of why that thread was started...

 

The reason "Host Walt", who by the way is a Moderator of this board, started that thread was because every other thread for a whole year was about HAL's policy on Smoking & quite frankly we all got tired of it!

 

This thread will probably be placed into that thread..

[serendipity1499]

Thnaks for the reply , no help in that thread.

 

Call Hal or wait till you board to find out.. Doubt if anyone here will know for sure, unless they are a smoker & on the ship, as the rule takes effect on different dates ..

Edited December 12, 2016 by serendipity1499

[kazu]

HAL's facts page explains the policy very well.

 

Clearly outlined - in effect in 2017 - here's the link

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Shipboard+Life&contentMenu=Onboard+Policies&contentSubMenu=Is+Smoking+Allowed+On+Board?&WT.ac=PopTop_Smoking

[KenNMB]

Jim,

Totally agree; make casino non-smoking except for one-two nights, when we will catch a show, get drunk, or sleep through 'til that great breakfast in the MDR.

See you aboard!

Bon Voyage!

[MCC retired]

Deleted

Edited December 12, 2016 by MCC retired
Deleted

[MCC retired]

I bolded your sentence only because you did not look who was the OP of that thread.. By the way I am a NON SMOKER so you are completely incorrect in your assumption of why that thread was started...

 

 

 

The reason "Host Walt", who by the way is a Moderator of this board, started that thread was because every other thread for a whole year was about HAL's policy on Smoking & quite frankly we all got tired of it!

 

 

 

This thread will probably be placed into that thread..

 

 

Thanks for the correction . That loooooong thread on smoking is just a turn off for finding info .

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[OVgirl]

with the new somking policy effective on cruises as of Jan 7 , does anyone have info on where you will be able to smoke smoke on the Eurodam :)

 

We were on Eurodam this past winter. Only smoking area was port side at the aft lido pool/Seaview Bar. No inside smoking and as of January no smoking on verandas.

[scm1848]

I completed my last survey, following our 21 day Osterdam cruise which ended last Friday. I had always said that when we could no longer smoke on our verandah, we would stop cruising. And so we have. We just became 4 star mariners in August on a 24 day European cruise on the Eurdodam, and received our bronze medals for 100 plus actual sea days, all in Neptune Suites. It shall remain to be seen whether HAL will fill it's verandah staterooms. We have met many smokers who share this feeling.

 

The good news is that, if we wanted, we can now buy a new BMW 700 series every 2 years, for what we were spending on our cruises.

 

Adieu, sweet HAL!!

[Cruise Junky]

I completed my last survey, following our 21 day Osterdam cruise which ended last Friday. I had always said that when we could no longer smoke on our verandah, we would stop cruising. And so we have. We just became 4 star mariners in August on a 24 day European cruise on the Eurdodam, and received our bronze medals for 100 plus actual sea days, all in Neptune Suites. It shall remain to be seen whether HAL will fill it's verandah staterooms. We have met many smokers who share this feeling.

 

The good news is that, if we wanted, we can now buy a new BMW 700 series every 2 years, for what we were spending on our cruises.

 

Adieu, sweet HAL!!

 

I laugh at these posts. You think you're relevant to HAL's bottom line - you're not. You're replaceable by the majority of the population.

[IRL_Joanie]

I completed my last survey, following our 21 day Osterdam cruise which ended last Friday. I had always said that when we could no longer smoke on our verandah, we would stop cruising. And so we have. We just became 4 star mariners in August on a 24 day European cruise on the Eurdodam, and received our bronze medals for 100 plus actual sea days, all in Neptune Suites. It shall remain to be seen whether HAL will fill it's verandah staterooms. We have met many smokers who share this feeling.

 

The good news is that, if we wanted, we can now buy a new BMW 700 series every 2 years, for what we were spending on our cruises.

 

Adieu, sweet HAL!!

 

November 30th In disembarked a cruise ship for the last time also for the new policy.

 

We had 3 cruises booked in 2017 and I cancelled all of mine. Looks like my next cruise will be in an urn as I travel to Ketchikan to have my ashes strewn from the aft of the Aleutian Ballad by hubby and the crew.

 

I will miss all the dear friends that I've met over the years. But, them again, I will not have to take any more tranquilizers to fly or worry about scented products causing me to go into anaphylaxis.

 

It was the best vacations I've ever experienced and will be missed.

 

EDITED: Cruise Junky, you may laugh at us, but we do not count ourselves as relevant to HAL's bottom dollar. We did count ourselves as being loyal to the line and let down by them.

 

Joanie

Edited December 14, 2016 by IRL_Joanie

[cyndibru]

I completed my last survey, following our 21 day Osterdam cruise which ended last Friday. I had always said that when we could no longer smoke on our verandah, we would stop cruising. And so we have. We just became 4 star mariners in August on a 24 day European cruise on the Eurdodam, and received our bronze medals for 100 plus actual sea days, all in Neptune Suites. It shall remain to be seen whether HAL will fill it's verandah staterooms. We have met many smokers who share this feeling.

 

The good news is that, if we wanted, we can now buy a new BMW 700 series every 2 years, for what we were spending on our cruises.

 

Adieu, sweet HAL!!

 

I also completed my survey and share your sentiments. I changed my booked January 2017 cruise to last week (12/4 thru 11) so we could cruise and enjoy it one more time. And we did! I feel for you....we were not yet avid cruisers like you and Joanie and some others who have posted here so I'm sure it's not as hard for us to give up cruising but I'll still miss it. My husband just retired in October so it is only now that we will have time for extended vacations, they just won't be cruises as we had originally been thinking. We previously didn't take longer than 7 day cruises, and were satisfied with balcony cabins. So I'm sure HAL won't miss us, but we will miss HAL. We had a wonderful time on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Since pretty soon it seems the only place to smoke will be outside at the aft seaview bar, I can't imagine many serious smokers will be cruising much longer. I did figure out that I definitely would be miserable if I tried taking a cruise with that as the only smoking option. I wouldn't risk it to spend the money and then be miserably uncomfortable. I was glad to have the smoking option in the casino, but that is already gone on Eurodam and I'm sure will soon follow on the rest. I'm sure HAL will be just fine and the majority of their customers who care about the smoking issue prefer it this way. No hard feelings, its just a business decision. I'm sure some smokers who are ok with being restricted will now try other cruise lines since having the ability to smoke no longer distinguishes HAL from other lines, just as I'm sure some people who preferred HAL but disliked them allowing smoking will come back. For those of us where it's smoking is deal-breaker about cruising in general, there are plenty of other vacation options and I hope to find some we enjoy as much as cruising.

 

I have to say I was seriously surprised while waiting at the airport --I was in the smoking area talking to a couple that appeared to be heavy smokers who I assumed had been on the NA like we had. I was surprised when they said they had just gotten off a Royal Caribbean ship. They said plenty of people smoke on the balconies anyway, the crew just tells you to take a glass of water outside and put them out in that and dispose of them later in trash cans throughout the ship so the butts don't smell up the rooms. Go figure.

[Cruise Junky]

 

EDITED: Cruise Junky, you may laugh at us, but we do not count ourselves as relevant to HAL's bottom dollar. We did count ourselves as being loyal to the line and let down by them.

 

Joanie

 

I said I laugh at the posts, not the person

[blizzardboy]

I completed my last survey, following our 21 day Osterdam cruise which ended last Friday. I had always said that when we could no longer smoke on our verandah, we would stop cruising. And so we have. We just became 4 star mariners in August on a 24 day European cruise on the Eurdodam, and received our bronze medals for 100 plus actual sea days, all in Neptune Suites. It shall remain to be seen whether HAL will fill it's verandah staterooms. We have met many smokers who share this feeling.

 

The good news is that, if we wanted, we can now buy a new BMW 700 series every 2 years, for what we were spending on our cruises.

 

Adieu, sweet HAL!!

If I enjoyed cruising as much as it sounds like you have in the past, I'd go with a nicotine patch, gum, or an e-cig instead of punishing yourself. I said "yourself" as I don't think your leaving will affect HAL. From what I've read on this and other forums, the new policy will bring more new business than it will cost HAL.

I'm a past smoker who was never bothered by others smoking on verandas, but this is the direction hotels, etc., are going, so you need to quit beating your head on the wall or stay home with a bruised forehead.

[bUU]

Loyalty is a measure of how much you stick with something regardless of whether they do as you want, not a measure of how much they have done what you wanted in the past. Buying something because you like it is just called shopping.

[two4me]

Here is MHO.

I am a smoker... (hack, hack,)

I am on the last cruise for smoking on balcony. When I did smoke

there I was always conscious of my neighbours, so maybe late a night

I would and had always requested a spin top ashtray as when the wind

would be blowing I would be crouched down over it so ashes would not

fly. I stop doing that awhile back and just took the time to go up to

smoking section. I have met the most interesting people from all over. I found that more enjoyable. I am slightly shy so when asking to share

a table or ashtray, it starts conversations. Sometimes you meet

people that confirm that it is a small world.

So to all I say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

[Charles4515]

It shall remain to be seen whether HAL will fill it's verandah staterooms. We have met many smokers who share this feeling.

 

 

 

 

They will fill them easily. I would say more easily than before.

 

Also only a few hard core smokers will not book HAL. Most will adjust like they have on the cruise lines that banned balcony smoking before HAL.

 

And the smoking rate for HAL's demographic continues to drop.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited December 14, 2016 by Charles4515

[Charles4515]

November 30th In disembarked a cruise ship for the last time also for the new policy.

 

We had 3 cruises booked in 2017 and I cancelled all of mine. Looks like my next cruise will be in an urn as I travel to Ketchikan to have my ashes strewn from the aft of the Aleutian Ballad by hubby and the crew.

 

I will miss all the dear friends that I've met over the years. But, them again, I will not have to take any more tranquilizers to fly or worry about scented products causing me to go into anaphylaxis.

 

It was the best vacations I've ever experienced and will be missed.

 

EDITED: Cruise Junky, you may laugh at us, but we do not count ourselves as relevant to HAL's bottom dollar. We did count ourselves as being loyal to the line and let down by them.

 

Joanie

 

 

 

What is being laughed at is not you, it is the idea that some have, that not booking because of the balcony smoking ban will negatively effect HAL's bottom line. On the contrary, it is probable they will gain bookings because of the smoking ban.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[sammiedawg]

November 30th In disembarked a cruise ship for the last time also for the new policy.

 

We had 3 cruises booked in 2017 and I cancelled all of mine. Looks like my next cruise will be in an urn as I travel to Ketchikan to have my ashes strewn from the aft of the Aleutian Ballad by hubby and the crew.

 

I will miss all the dear friends that I've met over the years. But, them again, I will not have to take any more tranquilizers to fly or worry about scented products causing me to go into anaphylaxis.

 

It was the best vacations I've ever experienced and will be missed.

 

EDITED: Cruise Junky, you may laugh at us, but we do not count ourselves as relevant to HAL's bottom dollar. We did count ourselves as being loyal to the line and let down by them.

 

Joanie

 

May I ask if your husband is part of the Aleutian Ballad crew? We love the crew so much.

Edited December 14, 2016 by sammiedawg

[Lizzie68]

May I ask if your husband is part of the Aleutian Ballad crew? We love the crew so much.

 

No he isn't. And he has some HAL cruises booked, so would be paying single supplement, therefore the loss to HAL is not so great.

 

Aside from that, agree the crew is awesome.

[sapper1]

No he isn't. And he has some HAL cruises booked, so would be paying single supplement, therefore the loss to HAL is not so great.

 

 

That's an interesting way of looking at it. Sharp thinking. :D

[MCC retired]

They will fill them easily. I would say more easily than before.

 

Also only a few hard core smokers will not book HAL. Most will adjust like they have on the cruise lines that banned balcony smoking before HAL.

 

And the smoking rate for HAL's demographic continues to drop.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

We will be some of those filling those HAL Verandah cabins now .

Perhaps there are many others like us ,that have avoided HAL until now due to the Verandah smoking issues?

[Sailor_Sally]

We will be some of those filling those HAL Verandah cabins now .

Perhaps there are many others like us ,that have avoided HAL until now due to the Verandah smoking issues?

 

I also will be sailing Hal once the smoking is contained . I do not mind the occasional wiff of smoke but I can not imagine being next to a chain smoker for several days .I feel sorry for the die hard smokers but they should understand that there are a lot of people who have severe reactions to their smoking just as Joanie has reactions to perfumes.

[whogo]

Loyalty is a measure of how much you stick with something regardless of whether they do as you want, not a measure of how much they have done what you wanted in the past. Buying something because you like it is just called shopping.

Great post, bUU! Never thought of it that way.