Smoking Restrictions - My View!

[oceanbear]

I thought I’d make one more attempt to explain why we are very happy with the new smoking restrictions. Health issues aside, many of us non-smokers find tobacco smoke offensive. It burns eyes, it irritates nasal passages, it smells bad. On one occasion, we had to occupy a cabin that reeked of smoke and it took 4 days of cleaning and air filtration, and removal of all “soft furnishings” including the mattress to remove the smell. On other occasions, we had to limit our use of a balcony because of nearby smokers. We have had our stomachs upset as we walked through a passageway the reeked of stale smoke. We have had to abandon the casino completely at night because of the overwhelming amount of smoke. On our cruise last week, we even started entering the main dining room on the starboard side and worked our way across to our port side table to avoid the smell of smoke in front of the port entrance. Did smokers do all of the above to annoy us non-smokers? Of course not! I believe they never even noticed it. You may not agree with the following analogy, but it’s like the person who puts on way too much perfume or cologne and minutes later can’t even smell they have it on but everyone else can, or the person that neglects to bathe and is oblivious of their offensive odor. What makes smoke worse is that it travels, it permeates, it transfers to non-smokers clothes and hair. The only time I’ve had perfume smell transfer to me is by hugging the person, but many a time I’ve spent 15 mins in the casino and had my wife noticed the smoke smell on me when I enter our cabin. Now the question is should non-smokers have to endure all this to accommodate smokers? I believe the answer is “no” and I am happy Celebrity agrees.

[Gonzo70]

I thought I’d make one more attempt to explain why we are very happy with the new smoking restrictions. Health issues aside, many of us non-smokers find tobacco smoke offensive. It burns eyes, it irritates nasal passages, it smells bad. On one occasion, we had to occupy a cabin that reeked of smoke and it took 4 days of cleaning and air filtration, and removal of all “soft furnishings” including the mattress to remove the smell. On other occasions, we had to limit our use of a balcony because of nearby smokers. We have had our stomachs upset as we walked through a passageway the reeked of stale smoke. We have had to abandon the casino completely at night because of the overwhelming amount of smoke. On our cruise last week, we even started entering the main dining room on the starboard side and worked our way across to our port side table to avoid the smell of smoke in front of the port entrance. Did smokers do all of the above to annoy us non-smokers? Of course not! I believe they never even noticed it. You may not agree with the following analogy, but it’s like the person who puts on way too much perfume or cologne and minutes later can’t even smell they have it on but everyone else can, or the person that neglects to bathe and is oblivious of their offensive odor. What makes smoke worse is that it travels, it permeates, it transfers to non-smokers clothes and hair. The only time I’ve had perfume smell transfer to me is by hugging the person, but many a time I’ve spent 15 mins in the casino and had my wife noticed the smoke smell on me when I enter our cabin. Now the question is should non-smokers have to endure all this to accommodate smokers? I believe the answer is “no” and I am happy Celebrity agrees.

 

 

Very well spoken. :)

[Gerrym]

I thought I’d make one more attempt to explain why we are very happy with the new smoking restrictions. Health issues aside, many of us non-smokers find tobacco smoke offensive. It burns eyes, it irritates nasal passages, it smells bad. On one occasion, we had to occupy a cabin that reeked of smoke and it took 4 days of cleaning and air filtration, and removal of all “soft furnishings” including the mattress to remove the smell. On other occasions, we had to limit our use of a balcony because of nearby smokers. We have had our stomachs upset as we walked through a passageway the reeked of stale smoke. We have had to abandon the casino completely at night because of the overwhelming amount of smoke. On our cruise last week, we even started entering the main dining room on the starboard side and worked our way across to our port side table to avoid the smell of smoke in front of the port entrance. Did smokers do all of the above to annoy us non-smokers? Of course not! I believe they never even noticed it. You may not agree with the following analogy, but it’s like the person who puts on way too much perfume or cologne and minutes later can’t even smell they have it on but everyone else can, or the person that neglects to bathe and is oblivious of their offensive odor. What makes smoke worse is that it travels, it permeates, it transfers to non-smokers clothes and hair. The only time I’ve had perfume smell transfer to me is by hugging the person, but many a time I’ve spent 15 mins in the casino and had my wife noticed the smoke smell on me when I enter our cabin. Now the question is should non-smokers have to endure all this to accommodate smokers? I believe the answer is “no” and I am happy Celebrity agrees.

 

 

 

Excellent posting, very well put. I wholeheartedly agree.

G

[rmchunter]

The difference now with the new smoking policy is----The smokers get the very small space that was set aside for us non-smokers, and us non-smokers get all the rest of the ship. It's about time. The only cruises we were able to enjoy the whole ship have been on the PARADISE

[DCT61]

ohh.....has the smoking policy changed?

[Drew B]

I will be very interested to hear the reports on the casino once this policy goes into effect. Non-smokers are celebrating as though the casino has been made into a non-smoking venue. That is not the case. Smoking will still be allowed in a section of the casino, and as the OP says, smoke drifts. I wonder if those who are happy about this news will be happy with the reality when and if they are STILL not able to enjoy the casino...

[Hondu]

Celebrity is treating passengers fairly with the implementation of this limited smoking policy. I used to carry and use an odor reducing candle and an iron for pressing. Then I stop because of the policy. But could not comprehend why a lighted torch like a cigarette was permitted. Now I feel much better that all 3 fire hazards are banned in the stateroom.

[runrgrl]

I've only cruised on RCL, but looks like I will be onboard with Celebrity as the small percentage of smokers run over to RCL.

Great news- and it will be fun to try a different cruise line!

[SoCalGal]

I wrote to Celebrity and thanked them for their new smoking policy. While we are planning a cruise on Princess this year we certainly will stay with Celebrity from now on. Let's hope the rest of the cruiselines will follow suit. I remember the uproar from many smokers in California concerning the restriction on smoking in bars, hotels and restaurants. Guess what? In the long run it really didn't hurt business at all. It's so nice to walk into a hotel room that smells clean and fresh. We filled out a survey on our Alaskan cruise in May 2007 asking about smoking policies.....apparently we weren't the only ones that felt smoking should be banned from staterooms and balconies.

[sealover155]

Last summer on Infinity, we were in aft cabin 8185. Next door in the CC handicaped room was a nice couple with their 12 yr. old son. They were delightful but when he was smoking on his balcony, we could not keep our balcony door open or enjoy the balcony. We never said anything as this was his right.

 

As we left our stateroom to disembark at the end of the cruise, we met our stateroom attendant, Marcello, in the hallway and asked if we could take a quick peek as this room is considerably larger than the regular CC rooms. Due to our neighbor's smoking in the room, we simply could not go in - it was overwhelming. I do not consider myself hypersensitive but this was unbelievable. We asked Marcello what he was going to do to prepare the room for the next guest and he said that the only thing he could do was to leave the doors open and just hope for the best. I'm still haunted by the fact that a child was exposed to this environment for 7 days.

 

This scenario is obviously repeated on every cruise. Hopefully smokers will be respectful of the new regulations, as guests of Westin Hotels have adapted to their no smoking policy.

 

Bravo to Celebrity - this is a courageous yet responsible move.

 

Mary Anne

[Drew B]

On ANY issue (smoking, open seating, dress code, # of children, etc.) I don't WANT all of the lines to be the same. The best thing we can hope for is to have a wide variety among the different lines so that we can all choose what is best for us...

[SoCalGal]

On ANY issue (smoking, open seating, dress code, # of children, etc.) I don't WANT all of the lines to be the same. The best thing we can hope for is to have a wide variety among the different lines so that we can all choose what is best for us...

 

I didn't say all the cruiselines should go the way of Celebrity, I just said it would be great if they did. Just as airplanes, airports, buses, trains, sports stadiums, schools, courthouses, malls, grocery stores, offices and all public buildings have banned smoking. It's just a matter of time. Even in Europe the trend is to ban smoking from bars, restaurants, etc...now that is progress. I feel for you smokers, but not at the expense of health concerns. My sister has been fighting lung cancer and COPD for several years due to her smoking habit....it is too bad there weren't more restrictions sooner, perhaps she would have quit before it ruined her health.

[Coco Creek]

On ANY issue (smoking, open seating, dress code, # of children, etc.) I don't WANT all of the lines to be the same. The best thing we can hope for is to have a wide variety among the different lines so that we can all choose what is best for us...

 

Why should we hope that any cruise line permits the #1 health risk to be part of the "variety" cruise lines offer? Smoking presents health hazards to those who smoke and to those around them. Should we have a cruise line for addicts of all types--smoking, crack cocaine, heroin and whatever else is out there as an addiction?

[JCDeck]

I believe "worldwide" there are more lines with the normal, regular, whatever you want to call it smoking policy than there are ones with the "restricted" policy. It's not like there aren't any cruiselines that don't have smoking,and smoking isn't banned on Celebrity. There are PLENTY of choices.

[marle7]

Why should we hope that any cruise line permits the #1 health risk to be part of the "variety" cruise lines offer? Smoking presents health hazards to those who smoke and to those around them. Should we have a cruise line for addicts of all types--smoking, crack cocaine, heroin and whatever else is out there as an addiction?

 

Last time I checked, smoking and drinking were legal addictions (look at all the friends of Bill if you don't think alcohol can be addicting), cocaine and heroin are not. While it won't happen on a cruise ship, don't ever tell Mothers Against Drunk Driving that alcohol won't hurt anyone.

 

Let it go Drew. The fanatics on this board won't be happy until they have everything their own way. But they'd be horrified at picking on any other minority because it wouldn't be politically correct. Since the people on this board are less than 1% of the cruising population, I'm pretty sure the majority of people I meet on my cruises will be much nicer.

[bbro]

As an ex smoker and one of those obnoxious reformed wackos, I still feel for the smokers here. When I did smoke I loved, loved, loved sitting on my balcony in the morning and enjoying a cigarette and a cup of coffee. And if I did still smoke I certainly would change my vacation plans to accomodate my smoking. I can be honest and say that I'm happy my stateroom won't smell like smoke anymore. But I think more facilities should be available to smokers. And I'm not crazy about smoking in a casino, but that sure as hell hasn't stopped me from going to The Bellagio as often as I can!!!

 

I think the non-smokers have had their moment of gloating, in good taste and in bad. Enough already.

[coffeebean]

I've only cruised on RCL, but looks like I will be onboard with Celebrity as the small percentage of smokers run over to RCL.

Great news- and it will be fun to try a different cruise line!

 

I would be with you in a heartbeat if only the dress code weren't so strict. I do not wish to dress formally on formal nights and DH will not bring a jacket on board. We have both been there and done that many times and we now love to cruise casually all the time. There's nothing like sitting down to dinner and not having to wear an underwire bra and strappy shoes to go with my formal attire. DH refuses to wear a suit on a cruise any more and I don't blame him. He wears a suit in his professional life and looks forward to vacation without having dress as he does for work.

[gillianrose]

Last time I checked, smoking and drinking were legal addictions (look at all the friends of Bill if you don't think alcohol can be addicting)

 

Of course alcohol can be addicting, but it is USUALLY not addicting when done in moderation.

 

Most people who drink alcohol in moderation do not become alcoholics, but most people who smoke DO become addicted to nicotine, and the people around the smokers suffer for it.

 

I can sit at a table next to someone who is drinking moderately and have absolutely no ill effect from doing so. If they are drinking moderately, they are not likely to be shouting or behaving obnoxiously. Their alcohol is ingested into THEIR system only, NOT MINE, too.

 

If a single cigarette is smoked nearby, I am affected negatively each and every time, not only for the amount of time that the cigarette is smoked, but for long afterwards as it hangs in the air, onto my clothes, in my hair, and in my lungs.

 

There is a huge difference between "moderate" alcohol intake and smoke.

[gillianrose]

Smoking will still be allowed in a section of the casino, and as the OP says, smoke drifts. I wonder if those who are happy about this news will be happy with the reality when and if they are STILL not able to enjoy the casino...

 

I don't care about the casino so much, and that's because I didn't develop the habit of gambling since the casinos have always been so smoky. However, if I have to walk through a very smoky casino to get somewhere else I want to go (a bad design, in my opinion), then yes, I will be unhappy about it. There ought to be a way (perhaps with glass walls to separate a walkway or the smoking from nonsmoking areas) to ensure that the smoke does not travel far beyond where it originates. I know that HVAC systems can't do the job.

 

New ships should be designed so that no one needs to walk through a casino to get anywhere else. Most of us won't be enticed to play by routing us through the area, anyway. Most people go to casinos by choice, not by happenstance on the way to the theater.

 

I hope that Celebrity finds a way to remedy this situation to everyone's satisfaction.

[Dalmar]

I thought I’d make one more attempt to explain why we are very happy with the new smoking restrictions. Health issues aside, many of us non-smokers find tobacco smoke offensive. It burns eyes, it irritates nasal passages, it smells bad. On one occasion, we had to occupy a cabin that reeked of smoke and it took 4 days of cleaning and air filtration, and removal of all “soft furnishings” including the mattress to remove the smell. On other occasions, we had to limit our use of a balcony because of nearby smokers. We have had our stomachs upset as we walked through a passageway the reeked of stale smoke. We have had to abandon the casino completely at night because of the overwhelming amount of smoke. On our cruise last week, we even started entering the main dining room on the starboard side and worked our way across to our port side table to avoid the smell of smoke in front of the port entrance. Did smokers do all of the above to annoy us non-smokers? Of course not! I believe they never even noticed it. You may not agree with the following analogy, but it’s like the person who puts on way too much perfume or cologne and minutes later can’t even smell they have it on but everyone else can, or the person that neglects to bathe and is oblivious of their offensive odor. What makes smoke worse is that it travels, it permeates, it transfers to non-smokers clothes and hair. The only time I’ve had perfume smell transfer to me is by hugging the person, but many a time I’ve spent 15 mins in the casino and had my wife noticed the smoke smell on me when I enter our cabin. Now the question is should non-smokers have to endure all this to accommodate smokers? I believe the answer is “no” and I am happy Celebrity agrees.

Makes you wonder how we managed to survive back in the 40's, 50's, and 60's when nobody gave smoking or being around smokers a second thought. I never heard of anyone choking, and gagging, and having asthmatic fits at the mere sight of a lit cigarette back then. Things have really changed.

[SoCalGal]

That is the case now. However, if and when SoCalGal gets her way and "the rest of the cruiselines follow suit" that will no longer be true.

 

 

It is not just me that wants this....it is the sign of the times and it is the 21st century not 1940, 1950 or 1960. We do not want to regress and dismiss what we have learned about the ill effects of smoking on the smoker and second hand smoke on the non-smoker. If you look at those movie stars that smoked...many of them died too young...Gary Cooper, lung cancer, Bogie, lung cancer, John Wayne, lung cancer..... And the sad fact is that so many people die each day of lung cancer by living with a smoker. It is NOT a moral issue to me...it is about health. Yes, things have changed for the better in this case.