BristolGolfer Posted March 19, 2015 #1 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Have just returned from a 70 days back-to-back cruise from Cape Town to Singapore on the Sojourn. This is our main complaint: We booked a V2 veranda suite so we could enjoy port day sail in & sail out views without always having to go to the upper decks. The lady next door and upwind of us chained smoked most days from 7am until 6pm and left a pile of butt ends in the ashtray on her balcony table. Of the 70 days we could only enjoy a smoke-free balcony view about 3 times!! We feel cheated that the product we purchased was not the one we should have enjoyed due to the action of one other person. Other passengers also "downwind" were also inconvenienced. Until SB change the smoking policy and let's not hold our breath (no pun intended) here's a suggestion: On every port day there will be a 2 hour before & after balcony non-smoking policy on sail in/out days...to be reported to Guest Services if this is abused. Not a problem on sea days as many like us are out of their suites but really SB this should be changed to no-smoking on ALL balconies NOW as it really is a Health & Safety issue...a fire on board is the last thing that any cruise line wants. Maybe like many airports let smokers have a dedicated room somewhere where they can abuse their lungs and not the lungs of non smokers!! Comments? Regards Vance & Helen - Bristol, UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secoma4 Posted March 19, 2015 #2 Share Posted March 19, 2015 The vast majority of your fellow Seabourn cruisers are going to be with you on this one. Until the matter is properly addressed Seabourn cannot guarantee to provide the quality experience people are paying for - and at a premium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Tothesunset Posted March 19, 2015 #3 Share Posted March 19, 2015 The actions of your fellow passenger were very selfish - but did anyone actually tell her that she was inconveniencing others? She might well have acted differently had she known. Seabourn really need to get their act together and provide a dedicated indoor smoking area such as one finds on Silversea and Regent. While that may not have suited your neighbour on this occasion, it does mean that smokers have no excuse for affecting others; similarly, rabid anti-smokers then need to go way out of their way to be offended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markham Posted March 19, 2015 #4 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I too was on that cruise although only for the last 40 days of Bristol Golfer's longer cruise. As usual I inserted in the post cruise questionnaire the request for No Smoking on verandas and the Observation Bar. How else can one complain about policy?! The answer is to remind Seabourn about health risks, fire risks, what competitors already do and what drives customer satisfaction generally. I did so when I saw John Delaney in December, 2014 - in person. So Seabourn... What's the plan?!? Happy sailing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxburgh Posted March 19, 2015 #5 Share Posted March 19, 2015 We disembarked Sojourn in Hong Kong. There was noticeable smoking in the Observation Lounge (mainly one individual I think) and we could also smell it from time to time on our veranda. As usual, we inserted a comment about stopping smoking on verandas and in the Observation Lounge in our guest survey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgg Posted March 19, 2015 #6 Share Posted March 19, 2015 We're sailing on our first Seabourn cruise in less than a month. We'd avoided Seabourn in the past because of the smoking. However, friends sailed on the Odyssey and reported no problems with smoking - so we went ahead and booked. If we encounter the kind of smoking problem the OP described, this will be our first - and last - Seabourn cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rl787 Posted March 19, 2015 #7 Share Posted March 19, 2015 The OP's suggestion of: On every port day there will be a 2 hour before & after balcony non-smoking policy on sail in/out days...to be reported to Guest Services if this is abused. This to me sounds a good compromise.... I would settle for this. We have always been lucky with smokers but there is always that niggle before we go on every cruise....will we be next to a pair of Puffing Billies.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggywrinkle99 Posted March 19, 2015 #8 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Our otherwise flawless Quest cruise to Norway last July was marred by the Puffing Billies next door and upwind to us. They were out there morning, noon and night, making it very unpleasant and sometimes impossible to enjoy our verandah. Like everyone else, we made our concerns known to the relevant SB managers during and after the cruise, and like everyone else we had the standard "sorry, but it's company policy" response. My own theory as to why it continues to be company policy in the face of what SB's direct competitors allow is that it makes SB an attractive choice for smokers whose options elsewhere are much more limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softsands Posted March 19, 2015 #9 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Have just returned from a 70 days back-to-back cruise from Cape Town to Singapore on the Sojourn. This is our main complaint: We booked a V2 veranda suite so we could enjoy port day sail in & sail out views without always having to go to the upper decks. The lady next door and upwind of us chained smoked most days from 7am until 6pm and left a pile of butt ends in the ashtray on her balcony table. Of the 70 days we could only enjoy a smoke-free balcony view about 3 times!! We feel cheated that the product we purchased was not the one we should have enjoyed due to the action of one other person. Other passengers also "downwind" were also inconvenienced. Until SB change the smoking policy and let's not hold our breath (no pun intended) here's a suggestion: On every port day there will be a 2 hour before & after balcony non-smoking policy on sail in/out days...to be reported to Guest Services if this is abused. Not a problem on sea days as many like us are out of their suites but really SB this should be changed to no-smoking on ALL balconies NOW as it really is a Health & Safety issue...a fire on board is the last thing that any cruise line wants. Maybe like many airports let smokers have a dedicated room somewhere where they can abuse their lungs and not the lungs of non smokers!! Comments? Regards Vance & Helen - Bristol, UK I would be as frustrated as you if that happened to me. Smoking needs to be, once and for all, restricted to specific outside areas of the ship. It is long overdue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted March 20, 2015 #10 Share Posted March 20, 2015 It still amazes me that in the year 2015 that smoking would still be allowed on verandahs. Essentially for most non smokers who are bothered by smoke, if someone is smoking next door on their verandah that they will be bothered and in many cases will not be able to enjoy their verandah. Add to this the risk of fire such as the one that occurred on a Princess Ship a few years ago. If many years ago they could eliminate smoking at Pubs in Dublin, then they can eliminate smoking on the verandahs as most cruise lines have done. Logic tells me to have a few selected locations where smoking is permitted. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capri73 Posted March 20, 2015 #11 Share Posted March 20, 2015 We will be on the SB this May.if someone is smoking next to us it will not be pretty.I respect people but I also demand respect in rerutrn.I have stayed away from SB for this exact reason.I hope our return will not be mistake. SB is such a wonderful line I do not get why they are so obstinate on this issue.Iwill move on if we have an issue..We did have a group from Italy who smoked non stop at the pool bar on the Legend.We were able to stay clear but if they had been on the balcony next to us it would have been a major problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2SailingNomads Posted March 20, 2015 #12 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I think part of this is due to one person who holds the record for days on board and is a chain smoker (I have met her and she is a lovely person albeit one who despite her nice wardrobe smells of smoke) but if you consider how much $ she has and continues to contribute to the bottom line I doubt the official policy will change so long as she is sailing on SB. How many others, despite our anti-smoking diatribes spend 300+ days a year onboard? Wish I could... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markham Posted March 20, 2015 #13 Share Posted March 20, 2015 The long term passenger and elderly lady you may be referring to- with thousands of days- has not been on Seabourn for months. And time has moved on for her and everyone else with it becoming increasingly embarrassing for Seabourn to remain an outlier with veranda smoking and Observation Bar smoking permitted. So we are approaching the second quarter of 2015. Yes, 2015! What other reasons can Seabourn offer for allowing smokers to upset the health conscious? Beats me. Over to Seabourn... Where is a new and more restrictive smoking policy?!? Happy sailing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally_bushy Posted March 20, 2015 #14 Share Posted March 20, 2015 This is the single reason we do not cruise on Seabourn. A smoker may be a loyal customer but that is easily offset by many who would replace those cruise dollars if the smoking policy was changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtlemichael Posted March 20, 2015 #15 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) We are currently on Sojourn in a V2 (we may have yours BristolGolfer!) and have been able fortunately to use the balcony without any problem from smokers. The sea has been so calm and the weather so placid I'm sure we'd notice anyone smoking anywhere up wind of us. I guess it is the luck of the draw. But it should not be the luck of the draw. Both BristolGolfer and we paid for a V2. We both should have the same right to enjoy it unhindered by smoke wafting onto our balcony all with the approval of Seabourn. Edited March 20, 2015 by turtlemichael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellback2014 Posted March 20, 2015 #16 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I'm not a smoker, and have never been bothered by smoke on previous Seabourn cruises, but wonder if it would work if Seabourn designated a few suites near the stern of each ship as smoking suites, with smoking prohibited in all others, including the balconies. Smoking suites would be identified as such on the deck plans. Doing so would certainly add another risk factor to the Guarantee bookings, but it would add a degree of certainty to specific bookings that one would not be too close to smokers. I understand that this is not a perfect solution, but might be better in some respects to the current policy. What think ye? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellback2014 Posted March 20, 2015 #17 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I failed to make clear that my des is that smoking would only be permitted on the balconies of the Smoking Suites. Not inside the suites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marazul Posted March 20, 2015 #18 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I'm not a smoker, and have never been bothered by smoke on previous Seabourn cruises, but wonder if it would work if Seabourn designated a few suites near the stern of each ship as smoking suites, with smoking prohibited in all others, including the balconies. Smoking suites would be identified as such on the deck plans. The only suites at the stern of the ship are the new, pricey spa suites. They get their smoke from the smoke stacks. Good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggywrinkle99 Posted March 20, 2015 #19 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) The doyenne of SB was on our Quest cruise to Norway last July but interestingly she was using an odourless electronic "cigarette" in the Observation Lounge at least. There was one other lady who lit up her noxious real cigarette every evening at 8pm sharp which successfully drove everyone else from the room. We also had a pipe smoker who did stay in the smoking zone on the veranda outside the coffee bar/square but his tobacco was so powerfully strong we could smell it everywhere, especially when it wafted up to the outside dining area on the deck above. I do try not to be too intolerant or "preachy" about smoking generally as it's still perfectly legal and I do understand that some smokers can't quit even if they wanted to, but a ship is such a confined space being shared by so many people I don't see how both groups can happily coexist. We are cruising with SB again next year and as things stand we just have to keep our fingers crossed that we aren't next door to smokers like the last time. A couple of family members are keen to join us but this smoking thing is a deal breaker for them so they won't be going. Edited March 20, 2015 by Baggywrinkle99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softsands Posted March 20, 2015 #20 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I'm not a smoker, and have never been bothered by smoke on previous Seabourn cruises, but wonder if it would work if Seabourn designated a few suites near the stern of each ship as smoking suites, with smoking prohibited in all others, including the balconies. Smoking suites would be identified as such on the deck plans.Doing so would certainly add another risk factor to the Guarantee bookings, but it would add a degree of certainty to specific bookings that one would not be too close to smokers. I understand that this is not a perfect solution, but might be better in some respects to the current policy. What think ye? Similar to non-smoking vs. smoking room floors. Except that most hotels are going the all non-smoking route. So, you need to puff, you put on your woolies and motor on down and out to an outdoor space. Why should a ship be any different? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathy16 Posted March 20, 2015 #21 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I thought SB had implemented a stricter no-smoking policy - that is why I booked a 14 day Med cruise on it. I certainly don't want the enjoyment of my suite/balcony to be marred by smoke. As more and more venues prohibit smoking, it is so much more pleasant. I did see the pictures of the balcony fire on Princess and was horrified!!! I don't want my safety to be jeopardized because of a potential careless smoker. SB should take the initiative to protect their passengers, as most of the other popular cruise lines have done. Doesn't SB care about the well being and comfort of the majority of their passengers???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eager2Travel Posted March 20, 2015 #22 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I would guess that Seabourn is going to do what serves their bottom line. We had a smoker next to us in Antarctica . What he smoked smelled like a cigar even though Seabourn Square assured me that wasn't allowed. It was quite jarring to cruise in these pristine surroundings with a foul smell coming from the balcony next to us. As a matter of fact we had smokers on both sides of us. Sailaway was not the experience I had expected. Smoking on the balcony was our one negative of the experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincslady Posted March 21, 2015 #23 Share Posted March 21, 2015 The principle of an area in suites where balcony smoking would be permitted is great in theory, but I feel sure Seabourn would not be prepared to try to make it work in practice. I wonder how much more restrictive lines such as Regent and Silversea are - I think both have smoking lounges, but do they have outdoor areas also where smoking is allowed? Might the new SB ships have smoking lounges, with no other smoking on board?? Would be good. In the meantime, though we have only once been affected by a smoker on the balcony next door, we choose an A1 suite. Actually more expensive than a guarantee balcony, but the only solution at present to be certain you will not having smoking next door. Also, we did not find the balconies particularly comfortable to sit out on, and the doors very heavy to move. But it would be nice to put your head out to see the view, and get some air - as you could on the little ships! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etual324 Posted March 22, 2015 #24 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Tried to tell Seabourn about Smoking on a verandah is a Safety factor and also to change there policy below copy of email I received Thank you for your recent correspondence with Seabourn Cruise Line. We appreciate your concerns and have made most public areas smoking-free in order to accommodate our guests who do not smoke. The change to our smoking policy is for the comfort of all guests. The new policy is in keeping with the stated preferences of the majority of our guests today. It also aligns with smoking policies prevalent with other cruise operators and the hospitality industry around the globe. Our current policy is designed to best accommodate all guests, including both smokers and non-smokers. Seabourn values your feedback and we appreciate the fact that you have taken the time to let us know how you feel. I will be forwarding your email on to upper management to review for future sailings. Please let us know if you have any further questions. We look forward to welcoming you aboard the Odyssey. Kind Regards, __________ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markham Posted March 22, 2015 #25 Share Posted March 22, 2015 I received the same ridiculous response several months ago to my complaint regarding Seabourn's permissive policy on smoking. Which goes to show that they are still on message, the old message. Why ridiculous? When you see a message about conforming with the "hospitality industry around the globe" you are seeing obfuscation and cynicism. Where in a first class restaurant or bar are you permitted to smoke indoors? And where would someone be allowed to smoke just a couple of meters from you when you are on the veranda you paid a lot of money to enjoy? Smokers are NOT permitted to smoke in any bar such as the Observation Bar and smokers are obliged to remain a few meters AWAY from the entrances of buildings used by the public when they smoke outside. Moving along, I would like to see the data substantiating "the stated preferences of the majority of our guests today", as Seabourn puts it. After all, if it were true in the 1940s when certain medical doctors promoted smoke inhalation as healthy and/or true anytime before the message I received several months ago, I am confident that things are different today. That's because I believe that given a choice virtually everyone would prefer to breath in a smoke free environment. That's today, not 70 years or even seven months ago. I would be happy to supply hospitailty industry data from a few cruise lines competing with Seabourn including lines within Carnival- if that would help clarify matters. I trust that Seabourn will do the right thing by the REAL vast majority of its customers. And not just to attract the disaffected smokers from Silversea who now are barred from smoking indoors and on verandas. Happy sailing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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