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

[terrydtx]

3 hours ago, Duane S. said:

Just got home from 9 day on Rotterdam and one of the biggest negatives for the cruise was the smoking in the casino, the smell carried to the BB King Blues club and forward to the world theatre, There is NO reason non smokers should be subjected to secondhand smoke on any ship interior deck, anyone who thinks the smell of smoke  on deck 2 and 3 is minimal or tolerable either has a poor sense of smell, or is or lives with a smoker. HAL needs to ban smoking from the interior of the ship, we passed up on multiple opportunities to play black jack in the casino just because of the atrocious amount of smoke in the room.

 

Ok said my 2 cents.

Exactly like my observations last week on the Koningsdam. i gave HAL my 2 cents worth on the post cruise survey about the casino smoking.

[terrydtx]

3 hours ago, Duane S. said:

Just got home from 9 day on Rotterdam and one of the biggest negatives for the cruise was the smoking in the casino, the smell carried to the BB King Blues club and forward to the world theatre, There is NO reason non smokers should be subjected to secondhand smoke on any ship interior deck, anyone who thinks the smell of smoke  on deck 2 and 3 is minimal or tolerable either has a poor sense of smell, or is or lives with a smoker. HAL needs to ban smoking from the interior of the ship, we passed up on multiple opportunities to play black jack in the casino just because of the atrocious amount of smoke in the room.

 

Ok said my 2 cents.

Exactly like my observations last week on the Koningsdam. i gave HAL my 2 cents worth on the post cruise survey about the casino smoking.

[lakedweller64]

I just got home from the Rotterdam played in the casino every night.I do not smoke but found the casino to be almost smoke free.Smoking was mostly limited to one back corner.I would like to see the casino to go smoke free but it is what it is.

[Duane S.]

13 hours ago, lakedweller64 said:

I just got home from the Rotterdam played in the casino every night.I do not smoke but found the casino to be almost smoke free.Smoking was mostly limited to one back corner.I would like to see the casino to go smoke free but it is what it is.

Not sure what time you were there but literally every time we traveled near or thru the casino there were multiple smokers and the smell carried. It was so bad that on port days, when the casino is closed, they used portable high volume fans and air freshener to try and clear the cigarette smell. I do remember that the smoking was limited to the slot machines/video poker etc. at one point when we walked thru literally every machine next to the craps table had a person smoking a cig., at one point while simply walking thru the main aisle of video poker machines a man purposely blew smoke into our faces. From my experience the smell of smoke carries quite a distance whether there are 2 or 20 smokers, The point is that no passenger on any cruise ship interior space should be subject to second hand smoke, it is unhealthy and violates personal health rights.

If enough passengers complain they will change the policy and yes I made a point to comment on the smoking in the post cruise survey, it is sad that a really nice cruise experience was marred by unavoidable second hand smoke.

[lakedweller64]

We did comment on our survey about smoking in the casino.However if you think it was bad on the Rotterdam you could sail on any other cruise ship or line and it would be much worse.Sailed on the Venezia last month the smoke was so bad like walking through a fire.Maybe that’s why I didn’t think it was bad on the Rotterdam.

[KroozNut]

13 minutes ago, Duane S. said:

The point is that no passenger on any cruise ship interior space should be subject to second hand smoke, it is unhealthy and violates personal health rights.

 

What about the one and only smoking area outside in the Seaview Pool bar area? There are reports of issues with second hand smoke here as well.
Using your same argument above, should this area be banned for smoking too? Based on your comments I will guess that your answer will be yes, which would then point to the ultimate goal for some on here to have smoking banned entirely on all ships.

That will not likely happen in the foreseeable future.

[Duane S.]

4 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

What about the one and only smoking area outside in the Seaview Pool bar area? There are reports of issues with second hand smoke here as well.
Using your same argument above, should this area be banned for smoking too? Based on your comments I will guess that your answer will be yes, which would then point to the ultimate goal for some on here to have smoking banned entirely on all ships.

That will not likely happen in the foreseeable future.

I have been very clear in my comments, I am only concerned about the INTERIOR spaces, we knew that the aft pool area was smoker friendly and were able to avoid it entirely as a passenger is not required to walk thru that area to get to another venue, Smokers need some area to smoke in and the aft pool is a logical and workable choice, plus it is outside so the wind takes care of the problem. So NO I would not be in favor of banning smoking in the aft pool area.

[edgee]

56 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

What about the one and only smoking area outside in the Seaview Pool bar area? There are reports of issues with second hand smoke here as well.
Using your same argument above, should this area be banned for smoking too? Based on your comments I will guess that your answer will be yes, which would then point to the ultimate goal for some on here to have smoking banned entirely on all ships.

That will not likely happen in the foreseeable future.

Not at all analogous. Inside smoking affects more guests in a more intense way. I completely agree with you, however, that further banning of smoking on HAL will likely not happen, especially casino smoking. Cruise line execs feel strongly that gamblers generate more profits  when they are permitted to smoke while playing. HAL has an ongoing test of this theory since most of their older ships do not allow casino smoking. I assume that they must find that smoking casinos generate more revenue per passenger than their non smoking ones.

[lakedweller64]

Casino gambling in older ships versus newer ships is not a valid test.Older ships have very small casinos with older type slot machines and less passengers.I was on the Zaandam last spring and hardly went into the casino.The Rotterdam has a modern casino and a lot more gamblers.I do feel if the casinos were smoke free they would do just as well.people will gamble smoke or no smoke.

 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

18 minutes ago, edgee said:

...Cruise line execs feel strongly that gamblers generate more profits  when they are permitted to smoke while playing. HAL has an ongoing test of this theory since most of their older ships do not allow casino smoking. I assume that they must find that smoking casinos generate more revenue per passenger than their non smoking ones.

 

If they'd just bite the bullet and pull the plug on indoor smoking altogether (where HAL cruisers won't have another ship within the line to jump to), a majority would still find a way to donate $ to the casino despite being restricted exercising their addition. Just like what happened with restaurants, when they all went non-smoking (state by state). You'd hear the occasional grumbling about "I'm never coming back here", only to find that the places were still - for the most part - packed.

 

It's HAL's FOMO on the smoker's $... 

 

Tom

[terrydtx]

31 minutes ago, edgee said:

Not at all analogous. Inside smoking affects more guests in a more intense way. I completely agree with you, however, that further banning of smoking on HAL will likely not happen, especially casino smoking. Cruise line execs feel strongly that gamblers generate more profits  when they are permitted to smoke while playing. HAL has an ongoing test of this theory since most of their older ships do not allow casino smoking. I assume that they must find that smoking casinos generate more revenue per passenger than their non smoking ones.

I believe many smokers spend time in the Casino just so they do not have to go outside to the Seaview pool area to smoke. They can sit there for hours and smoke away and lose money providing HAL with more profits. 

 

I have no problems with allowing smoking on one side of the Seaview pool and bar, as long as the rules are enforced which did not happen on our Koingsdam cruise last week. Even with that I can enjoy the cruise without going to the Seaview pool, but the intrusive smoke from the Casino is disgusting and does effect many from enjoying the forward shops near the casino. When the smoke propagates to the forward stair wells and down to the music walk, it is time to ban all interior smoking. I made this point very clear in my post cruise survey to HAL, but I assume it will fall on deaf ears.

Edited November 16, 2023 by terrydtx

[edgee]

1 hour ago, lakedweller64 said:

Casino gambling in older ships versus newer ships is not a valid test.Older ships have very small casinos with older type slot machines and less passengers.I was on the Zaandam last spring and hardly went into the casino.The Rotterdam has a modern casino and a lot more gamblers.I do feel if the casinos were smoke free they would do just as well.people will gamble smoke or no smoke.

 

AFAIK the Zaandam and Volendam allow smoking in the casino. I am speaking of the larger older ships (Zuiderdam, Westerdam, Noordam, Oosterdam) which have bigger NS casinos.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

3 hours ago, terrydtx said:

... No ship's casino, I have seen, is a purpose-built room that efficiently can extract cigarette smoke from the environment.

 

I've been pleased with the the Carnival Excel class casino. They have one side smoking, one side not (the larger side - go figure 😉 ). They join in the middle at a bar. That bar is pretty smoky, but at least further down, in the non-smoking table section, I can't detect even a whiff of smoke - and I'm pretty sensitive. My wife, a former smoker (now over 35 years "clean") is even more sensitive/vocal, and does not have any issues. If she's happy, I'm happy !!

 

Tom

[39august]

Please advise which ships have smoke free casinos. Looking at trying this cruise line but used to smoke free casinos on Celebrity. 

[CruiserBruce]

A quick search will find many discussions. Or check the smoking thread pinned to the top of this board, where all smoking discussions are supposed to be held. And the quote below is straight from the HAL website. 

[Cruise Suzy]

https://hollandamerica.cruiselines.com/smoking_policies.cfm

 

Smoking Policies

For the comfort of all of our guests, all staterooms (cabins), showrooms and most other indoor areas are designated non-smoking. No smoking of any kind will be permitted on any stateroom verandah.
 
Designated Smoking Areas
Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, Zuiderdam

• Sea View Bar area
• Oak Room (Noordam only, including cigar and pipe smoking)

Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam

• Sea View Bar area
• Casino-smoking is allowed in designated areas for active players only and only when outside of 12NM from the Netherlands

Volendam, Zaandam

• Sea View Bar area
• Casino-smoking is allowed in designated areas for active players only and only when outside of 12NM from the Netherlands
• Sports Deck, outside Crow's Nest

Cigar and pipe smoking is not allowed anywhere inside the ship; it is only permitted on the outside decks where smoking is otherwise allowed.
 
Electronic cigarettes are not permitted in staterooms or in other public areas of the ship other than designated smoking areas.
 
Any guest who smokes inside staterooms or on verandahs in violation of our policy will be charged a US$250 cleaning fee per day of violation and will risk being removed from the ship for repeated violations.

[kirkc]

Unfortunately, the smoke from the casino drifts down the stairway into the Billboard Onboard and Rolling Stone Rock Room venues on the Rotterdam. It can be quite noticeable at times and kept some people from enjoying those spots on our recent cruise.

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, kirkc said:

Unfortunately, the smoke from the casino drifts down the stairway into the Billboard Onboard and Rolling Stone Rock Room venues on the Rotterdam. It can be quite noticeable at times and kept some people from enjoying those spots on our recent cruise.

The idea that smoke can be contained is ludicrous. As is the layout where you have to go through a smoking area to get someplace else like a dining room.

[KroozNut]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

The idea that smoke can be contained is ludicrous.

Isn't Ludacris the name of a famous rapper? 😳

[scooter6139]

32 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

Isn't Ludacris the name of a famous rapper? 😳

"shout out to Ludacris!"  Sorry, the Tony in me came to the surface there. 

 

Carry on.

[Bill B]

13 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

Oak Room (Noordam only, including cigar and pipe smoking)

 

That's out of date. You can no longer smoke in the Oak Room on the Noordam. The only smoking area now is the Seaview Bar aft on Lido deck.

[wbmom1]

I have tried to review these most recent posts and appreciate the information directly from Holland, does anyone know if cigar smoking is permitted as well in the sea view bar area as well?

 

thank you !

[Seasick Sailor]

The guys were outside smoking cigars tonight. (Rotterdam)

[Seasick Sailor]

23 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

The guys were outside smoking cigars tonight. (Rotterdam)

 

Just to repeat again tonight, guys were smoking cigars with no problem. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

On 1/7/2024 at 7:41 PM, Seasick Sailor said:

The guys were outside smoking cigars tonight. (Rotterdam)

 

Do we know if they were ignoring the rules?