Single Smoking Thread (Use for all smoking discussions on HAL) )

[KroozNut]

9 hours ago, OmarOak said:

I'm done here.

 

👍✋

[pilot]

On the Nieuw Statendam and just called Guest Services for the second time this week about the guy in the balcony next door smoking. They thanked me and said they would take care of it. I didn’t approach him, but loudly stated “No Smoking on Balconies “. 
 

It is hard to believe that he thought we couldn’t smell the smoke. 

[DivotMaker]

11 minutes ago, pilot said:

On the Nieuw Statendam and just called Guest Services for the second time this week about the guy in the balcony next door smoking. They thanked me and said they would take care of it. I didn’t approach him, but loudly stated “No Smoking on Balconies “. 
 

It is hard to believe that he thought we couldn’t smell the smoke. 

 

Get your ice bucket fill it with water, and toss the water over the divider between your balconies.  When he complains, just tell him you thought he was on fire.

[pilot]

28 minutes ago, DivotMaker said:

 

Get your ice bucket fill it with water, and toss the water over the divider between your balconies.  When he complains, just tell him you thought he was on fire.

That’s a great idea. I wish I would have thought of that at the time. 👍

[ThePenguin1]

Serious question to do with corona virus,  If confined to your room for 2 weeks would they let you smoke on your balcony?  I could not go 2 weeks without a smoke.  Perhaps the rules would be relaxed if quarantined inside your cabin? Anybody onboard know?

Edited February 6, 2020 by ThePenguin1

[Tom47]

14 minutes ago, ThePenguin1 said:

Serious question to do with corona virus,  If confined to your room for 2 weeks would they let you smoke on your balcony?  I could not go 2 weeks without a smoke.  Perhaps the rules would be relaxed if quarantined inside your cabin? Anybody onboard know?

I don't know, but you could bring nicotine gum.

[DivotMaker]

42 minutes ago, ThePenguin1 said:

Serious question to do with corona virus,  If confined to your room for 2 weeks would they let you smoke on your balcony?  I could not go 2 weeks without a smoke.  Perhaps the rules would be relaxed if quarantined inside your cabin? Anybody onboard know?

According to the Princess board, Japanese officials are not allowing smoking anywhere on the ship.

[AV8rix]

10 hours ago, DivotMaker said:

According to the Princess board, Japanese officials are not allowing smoking anywhere on the ship.

And that might be a blessing.  IMO two weeks without would probably be a "cure" (for the habit).  Although it only took me two days.

 

And before I get flamed on this contentious thread, note that I stated IMO and probably in the second sentence.

[RuthC]

11 hours ago, ThePenguin1 said:

Serious question to do with corona virus,  If confined to your room for 2 weeks would they let you smoke on your balcony?  I could not go 2 weeks without a smoke.  Perhaps the rules would be relaxed if quarantined inside your cabin? Anybody onboard know?

Oh, dear! I hadn't even thought of that instance! How awful for the passengers to have to go cold turkey under such trying circumstances. 

[fabuloso]

On 1/30/2020 at 4:53 AM, NCTribeFan said:

Haven't sailed HAL in a couple of years and came here to see what the latest is on smoking and now I'll have to backtrack a few pages to get to the actual info about smoking on the ships!  Thanks for making a very long thread even longer by throwing in a climate change debate! 🙄

 

As a former smoker, I'm one of those who is hyper-sensitive to the smell.  And too much smoke (like in the casinos on Carnival ships) makes my asthma kick in.  Not to mention making my clothes, and therefore my cabin, reek of the stale-smoke stench.

 

It's the defensive attitude of the smokers that turns every smoking thread into arguments.  Yes, it's legal to smoke.  Yes, some smokers are courteous.  Many are not.  When you sit at a non-smoking slot machine in a casino and the smokers surround you, both playing next to you or standing behind you ignoring the rules (because most ship crew will NOT say anything to them), then having non-smoking sections is pretty pointless.

 

I'm not sure why having non-smoking casinos would stop smokers from gambling.  You can go take a smoke break at any time.  Do you refuse to eat because restaurants are non-smoking?  Do you refuse to work because an office building is non-smoking?

 

FWIW, I'll be on Zaandam.  Was really hoping casino would be totally non-smoking but I guess not.  First time I sailed her, I don't recall the casino be terribly smoky.  Hope that's still the case.

 

I find in this thread, both smokers and non smokers to be defensive about this issue.  I think the cruise lines do the best they can to find a compromise to meet the needs of both groups.  However, you will never make everyone happy......

 

Health issues are important and I feel for the passengers who suffer.  What I find interesting about the health aspect is how smoking is a huge target, but fragrance is not.  If you Google "asthma/perfume" or "perfume/allergy/irritant" you would wonder why fragrances are allowed on cruise ships.  Many people are affected, particularly people with asthma, but we dont think twice about what our shampoo, body wash, body lotion, perfume, etc. are doing to them and their health in our quest to smell like a flower garden.  Or whatever smell that Axe stuff is supposed to be!

 

 

 

 

 

[cruise kitty]

Hi all, hoping I can get my question answered without stirring up drama...

 

We'll be on the Koningsdam in November,  does the casino have any smoke free nights?   Also, is smoking allowed throughout the casino, or is it confined to one area?

 

thanks in advance :)

[*Miss G*]

37 minutes ago, cruise kitty said:

Hi all, hoping I can get my question answered without stirring up drama...

 

We'll be on the Koningsdam in November,  does the casino have any smoke free nights?   Also, is smoking allowed throughout the casino, or is it confined to one area?

 

thanks in advance 🙂

 

Yes, they do have smoke-free nights and, yes, they do have designated smoking zones.

[cruise kitty]

@Miss G thank you :)

[kootz]

Smoking area question. We have not sailed Holland for many years. I am seeing talk of Seaview area’s.  Are they inside?  Outside? If outside, are they covered areas?   Don’t bash me. Yes I occasionally still have a cigarette but prefer to do it outside out of the sun. No interest in smoking in the casino.

[HELENPSL]

30 minutes ago, kootz said:

Smoking area question. We have not sailed Holland for many years. I am seeing talk of Seaview area’s.  Are they inside?  Outside? If outside, are they covered areas?   Don’t bash me. Yes I occasionally still have a cigarette but prefer to do it outside out of the sun. No interest in smoking in the casino.

The outside smoking area is located at the area out back of the lido and is a covered area with tables.

Helen

[lyndarra]

I have recently returned from a cruise on Maasdam and was surprised to find there was smoking allowed in the casino.

I hate cigarette smoke as, for the last forty years, I have suffered from an ailment brought about by passive smoking when working in an office environment before it was totally banned.

The casino on Maasdam is on deck 8 portside just before entering the dining upper room. This was forcing diners heading for the dining room to move through the starboard side shopping area, which is alongside the casino, to avoid the smell and smoke. Smoke and smell drifts over to the shops so it is not pleasant being affronted by this on your way to dinner.

It has been a long time since I encountered inside smoking on a cruise ship sailing in Australian and New Zealand waters.

I sometimes wonder if more people would gamble if there weren't smokers in casinos.

[smi889]

Just got off the Statendam. Smoking at the Seaview Bar, Lido aft and Casino except for one day. Casino was well ventilated and didn't smell of heavy smoke.

[wwcruisers]

9 hours ago, lyndarra said:

 

I sometimes wonder if more people would gamble if there weren't smokers in casinos.

 

Well, the casinos on X have always been smoke-free (along with the rest of the interior spaces and balconies) -- and they seem to be doing a pretty good business. Sadly, I 'm not much of a gambler, so a smoke-free casino is pretty much wasted on me. But, generally speaking, I won't even set foot in a casino where smoking is permitted. On our last RC cruise (Independence), there was some activity afternoon, that blocked passage on the Grand Promenade. So, we ended up walking through the casino, on another floor. Even moving as quickly as possible through that space, I could still smell cigarette smoke on my clothes (and hair) for the rest of the day.😝

[HamOp]

56 minutes ago, wwcruisers said:

 

Well, the casinos on X have always been smoke-free (along with the rest of the interior spaces and balconies) -- and they seem to be doing a pretty good business. Sadly, I 'm not much of a gambler, so a smoke-free casino is pretty much wasted on me. But, generally speaking, I won't even set foot in a casino where smoking is permitted. On our last RC cruise (Independence), there was some activity afternoon, that blocked passage on the Grand Promenade. So, we ended up walking through the casino, on another floor. Even moving as quickly as possible through that space, I could still smell cigarette smoke on my clothes (and hair) for the rest of the day.😝

HAL's decision to allow smoking in the casinos is based upon one thing - Money!

HAL knows the older demographic that is the main client, will spend money on drinks and will feed the slots and table games, and still many of them smoke.

Some day smoking will be not allowed in the casino, but not till the bean-counters say more money can be made with smoke free. Yes X may do good business with smoke free, but the demographic I suspect is vastly different.

 

[Tom47]

X made its casinos no smoking about 12 years ago.  About 2 yrs prior, it prohibited smoking on balconies.  RCI followed X on balconies a couple of years later, but not casinos.

[lyndarra]

4 hours ago, Tom47 said:

X made its casinos no smoking about 12 years ago.  About 2 yrs prior, it prohibited smoking on balconies.  RCI followed X on balconies a couple of years later, but not casinos.

X's smoking policy is one reason why I like cruising with them. However I also like cruising with HAL and my most recent cruise on HAL almost has me at the point of considering it my preferred it over X (due to better service and dining). They are so close (IMO) that HAL allowing smoking inside, could be the decider as to whether I continue to cruise with them.

Some would argue that HAL have done the numbers and that smoking gamblers are a good source of revenue.

My take is that HAL's policy could be turning away many cruisers who would go with other brands. Would that not be a greater loss to them than a few smoking gamblers? I say "few" because the casinos I have seen where smoking is permitted have never been close to what one would call crowded.

Having said that, my next cruise is on Westerdam in June so I will have an opportunity  to see then how HAL's policy works for that ship.

[Tom47]

39 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

X's smoking policy is one reason why I like cruising with them. However I also like cruising with HAL and my most recent cruise on HAL almost has me at the point of considering it my preferred it over X (due to better service and dining). They are so close (IMO) that HAL allowing smoking inside, could be the decider as to whether I continue to cruise with them.

Some would argue that HAL have done the numbers and that smoking gamblers are a good source of revenue.

My take is that HAL's policy could be turning away many cruisers who would go with other brands. Would that not be a greater loss to them than a few smoking gamblers? I say "few" because the casinos I have seen where smoking is permitted have never been close to what one would call crowded.

Having said that, my next cruise is on Westerdam in June so I will have an opportunity  to see then how HAL's policy works for that ship.

I have never cruised on HAL, but 8 times on X,   4 times on Azamara and once on RCI.  I'm considering HAL,  but don't like their smoking policies.

[HELENPSL]

1 hour ago, Tom47 said:

I have never cruised on HAL, but 8 times on X,   4 times on Azamara and once on RCI.  I'm considering HAL,  but don't like their smoking policies.

You could go on one of HAL’s 5 ships where they do not allow smoking in the casino.

[Tom47]

26 minutes ago, HELENPSL said:

You could go on one of HAL’s 5 ships where they do not allow smoking in the casino.

We choose based on itinerary and that may not work.

[KroozNut]

18 minutes ago, Tom47 said:

We choose based on itinerary and that may not work.

 

It's really not THAT difficult matching up an itinerary that you like with a non-smoking in the casino HAL ship. There are lots and lots of choices.