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

Host Walt

By Host Walt,
in Holland America Line

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Sharkerella

Sharkerella

Posted
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My thought would be that over a dozen have taken up smoking to calm their nerves over this subject! And they ALL booked verandahs!;)

 

I have slogged through probably half these pages (it's a slow Sunday) and yours is the BEST quote I have seen. I stuck through to the end because I was hoping there was going to be a surprise ending to the story but it ended up on vaping after bashing anyone who dared to wear perfume or even scented soap (probably done so they didn't have to smell the smoke on the verandahs). This is my first cruise with HAL and we booked quickly because of the unique agenda that we wanted. And unfortunately we did not do our research beforehand on the verandah smoking policy. But we have made this mistake before with Crystal when they allowed smoking in the cabins. I worried beforehand but the cabin smelled great. But I did sympathize with the staff who had to subject themselves to the stench coming out of the smoker rooms where they probably had occupants with back to backs or round the world trips. We always get verandahs and love to be out on them for sail aways and sailing into ports. I will wait to see how bad the HAL smoking policy effects our trip. I am hoping it won't matter because we are going to cold weather ports in Norway and Iceland and I can't see how anyone would spend 24X7 on a cold verandah smoking. But in my experience in non-smoking California, smokers have a higher tolerance for weather as they are forced to stand outside to continue their habit. I am not unproud to say I am a faux cougher and hand waiver, so I am hoping to have no smoking neighbors or at least smokers with a sense of humor. I will keep mine intact as I will be self-medicating with a glass of wine so I promise to only whine if my wine is corked.

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cruiseing marly

cruiseing marly

Posted
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You will most likely not be to bothered by smoke on the balcony I haven't noticed more smoking on HAL . Despite smokers claiming there flocking to HAL for the right to smoke on the balcony . Less and less people are smoking all the time . Smokers don't like to admit it but they are a eventually going to be extinct ! The last cruise we were on there was smoking on the balcony next to us once petty sure it was there children when the parents were out . I don't think it's fare to any employees to subjected to smoke while working I'm sure it won't be long when a law suit puts an end to this ! Balcony smoking will end soon enough as it's a large fire risk ! That will also be ended in the courts if the cruise line don't make policy changes .

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cruz chic

cruz chic

Posted
Posted
You will most likely not be to bothered by smoke on the balcony I haven't noticed more smoking on HAL . Despite smokers claiming there flocking to HAL for the right to smoke on the balcony . Less and less people are smoking all the time . Smokers don't like to admit it but they are a eventually going to be extinct ! The last cruise we were on there was smoking on the balcony next to us once petty sure it was there children when the parents were out . I don't think it's fare to any employees to subjected to smoke while working I'm sure it won't be long when a law suit puts an end to this ! Balcony smoking will end soon enough as it's a large fire risk ! That will also be ended in the courts if the cruise line don't make policy changes .

 

There was a poster on this thread quite recently that said they are only cruising Hal because of their smoking policy. The poster said they will be gone if there is a policy change. While it may be true that every smoker is not flocking to Hal some clearly are.

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cruiseing marly

cruiseing marly

Posted
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There was a poster on this thread quite recently that said they are only cruising Hal because of their smoking policy. The poster said they will be gone if there is a policy change. While it may be true that every smoker is not flocking to Hal some clearly are.

 

 

I would be very surprised if balcony smoking was still allowed in 2016 .

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Sharkerella

Sharkerella

Posted
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You will most likely not be to bothered by smoke on the balcony I haven't noticed more smoking on HAL . Despite smokers claiming there flocking to HAL for the right to smoke on the balcony . Less and less people are smoking all the time . Smokers don't like to admit it but they are a eventually going to be extinct ! The last cruise we were on there was smoking on the balcony next to us once petty sure it was there children when the parents were out . I don't think it's fare to any employees to subjected to smoke while working I'm sure it won't be long when a law suit puts an end to this ! Balcony smoking will end soon enough as it's a large fire risk ! That will also be ended in the courts if the cruise line don't make policy changes .

 

You are right about it being a fire hazard. I can't bring an iron on board to iron my clothes but someone next to me can be lighting a fire.

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Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

Posted
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Whenever I see another HAL cheerleader say something like "you will not be bothered by smoke" I just shake my head. Personally, I cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke and go to lengths to avoid it. When we cruise on HAL (we have about 350 days on this line) we often do not book a balcony because we do not want to take the chance. But sometimes we do book balconies and just pray :). Sometimes it is fine, and other times it is awful (with our balcony being unusable much of the time).

 

So here is the truth of the matter. If you book a balcony it is like rolling the dice on a craps table. Maybe you will have no problems, maybe you will be surrounded by cigar smokers, and most likely you will just have to accept that there are times you will not be able to use your balcony. In our worst situation we were never able to enjoy breakfast on our balcony (and this cruise was over 30 days) because we were surrounded by cigarette smokers all of whom seemed to live on their balcony during the morning.

 

Hank

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Fouremco

Fouremco

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I would be very surprised if balcony smoking was still allowed in 2016 .

 

From your mouth to Hal's ears. I thought it would be stopped by now. im losing faith.

Back last summer, before Host Walt created this thread and when new (anti)smoking threads started weekly, one of the other lines announced that it was stopping smoking on its balconies. There were masses of posts saying that HAL absolutely had to follow suit, with many predictions of a policy change in late 2014 or early 2015 at the latest. Cruiseing Marly, be prepared to be surprised!

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cruiseing marly

cruiseing marly

Posted
Posted
Whenever I see another HAL cheerleader say something like "you will not be bothered by smoke" I just shake my head. Personally, I cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke and go to lengths to avoid it. When we cruise on HAL (we have about 350 days on this line) we often do not book a balcony because we do not want to take the chance. But sometimes we do book balconies and just pray :). Sometimes it is fine, and other times it is awful (with our balcony being unusable much of the time).

 

 

 

So here is the truth of the matter. If you book a balcony it is like rolling the dice on a craps table. Maybe you will have no problems, maybe you will be surrounded by cigar smokers, and most likely you will just have to accept that there are times you will not be able to use your balcony. In our worst situation we were never able to enjoy breakfast on our balcony (and this cruise was over 30 days) because we were surrounded by cigarette smokers all of whom seemed to live on their balcony during the morning.

 

 

 

Hank

 

 

It's not that I don't think I might be bothered smoke because if it happens I definitely would !! But I do believe there are people saying that only cruising HAL to smoke that are just pro smoking lobbying ! If you don't like a cruise line why would you cruise it unless you were a total idiot ! Otherwise I would see more smokers on HAL . The only thing I don't under stand is why they don't have to put non smoking signs on all the balconies when bunkering ! Also why the didn't stop people from smoking in the casino while closed and probably less than thirty feet from the bunkering even if it's inside !

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cruz chic

cruz chic

Posted
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It's not that I don't think I might be bothered smoke because if it happens I definitely would !! But I do believe there are people saying that only cruising HAL to smoke that are just pro smoking lobbying ! If you don't like a cruise line why would you cruise it unless you were a total idiot ! Otherwise I would see more smokers on HAL . The only thing I don't under stand is why they don't have to put non smoking signs on all the balconies when bunkering ! Also why the didn't stop people from smoking in the casino while closed and probably less than thirty feet from the bunkering even if it's inside !

 

Look at post 2070. That poster says that they only cruise Hal so they can smoke. It's the posters least favorite cruise line. I won't make a comment on their intelligence.

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Fouremco

Fouremco

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Look at post 2070. That poster says that they only cruise Hal so they can smoke. It's the posters least favorite cruise line. I won't make a comment on their intelligence.

 

Or look at 2078:

 

HAL is my last choice cruiseline.

 

But' date=' now that they are the only line that allows balcony smoking, that's where I go. I enjoy having a smoke on my own private balcony, rather than running all over the ship to find a smoking area.

 

Seabourn also allows smoking, but the solo cost is prohibitive. So, HAL it is.

 

I am forced to cruise a line I actively dislike, why is is so hard for you nonsmoking HAL fans to choose from dozens of other lines available to you?[/quote']

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cruiseing marly

cruiseing marly

Posted
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Back last summer, before Host Walt created this thread and when new (anti)smoking threads started weekly, one of the other lines announced that it was stopping smoking on its balconies. There were masses of posts saying that HAL absolutely had to follow suit, with many predictions of a policy change in late 2014 or early 2015 at the latest. Cruiseing Marly, be prepared to be surprised!

 

Hopefully your wrong i'm booked on the Koningdam next Sept, i for one would be happy if they have disallowed by then. This will be 16 months between Hal cruises . Going on the Pride of America july 25th 3rd time on ncl . Not my first choice except i love the ports ! Same reason Hal is my first choice most of the time . If you want good ports other than Hal you end up paying to much !

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Fouremco

Fouremco

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Hopefully your wrong i'm booked on the Koningdam next Sept, i for one would be happy if they have disallowed by then. This will be 16 months between Hal cruises . Going on the Pride of America july 25th 3rd time on ncl . Not my first choice except i love the ports ! Same reason Hal is my first choice most of the time . If you want good ports other than Hal you end up paying to much !

We are also booked on the Koningsdam, for next November, and would like to think there will be a policy change before then, but we certainly aren't counting on it. We've found that aft cabins reduce the effect of smoke from nearby balconies and we book accordingly.

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