Smoking Policies: How would accommodate everyone?

[Bishopcfd]

Greetings,

 

Would you change the smoking policies? If so, how?

 

I am a non smoking. I HATE cigarette smoke along with cigar smoke. If I had my way, I would ban it altogether. The smoke is the main reason behind my thoughts regarding this but it is also some of the attitudes of the smokers. Someone mentioned in a different post that they are fun people. Maybe so but some are rude. Here is an example. My wife and I go into a bar that is empty. A person comes in, sits down next to us and lights up (had the rest of the bar to themselves) and proceeds to blow the smoke in our direction. Almost like he or she is trying to entice us into an argument. I am on vacation and I do not wish to fight. It is not like they are even trying to make friends or conversation. This has happened several times on several different cruise ships. I just can't stand it. At times, it seems smokers don't realize that their smoke bothers others and they just don't care.

 

With this said, smokers have their rights also for this habit they enjoy. Here is some of my ideas. Maybe they are in place already, maybe not.

 

1). If the ship has an aft pool and sun deck, let that be the smoking area in the pool area. With the ship moving forward and all of the smokers at the rear, the smoke will go away from the ship only bothering the smokers on board in that area.

 

2). If a cruise ship did not have an aft pool, then either port or starboard side pool areas of the ship would be non smoking along with the bar area that serves that pool. Adults only pool area would follow the same policy.

 

3). They should not allow smoking inside anywhere along with no smoking on balconies. This is a safety concern (re: a Princess cruise a couple of years ago). If not this, no smoking in the public bathrooms, staterooms, balconies, hallways (anywhere on ship) and dining venues

 

4). Create smoking and non smoking bars and lounges. I prefer to have a cocktail without someones smoke. Then going to dinner smelling like smoke.

 

5). A non smoking section in the casino with a seperate entrance so non smokers would not have to walk through the smoke

 

These are just some thoughts. Good, bad, indifferent I am hopeful that cruise line folsk will read this, similar to what happens at flyetalk.com.

[cv322]

Most of those suggestions are already in place, with the exception of separate casino entrance. And I frankly am skeptical about the scenario about the lone smoker walking into the bar & purposefully blowing smoke in your face. I've never known a smoker to do that.

 

I'll go get the popcorn now.

[cruisemom42]

Most ships now only have a few designated bars where smokers can light up. Isn't it possible that you and your wife walked into one and sat in the midst of the smoking section? Hence, the smoker probably thought you were a fellow smoker who just happened not to be indulging at the moment....

 

As other posters pointed out, most ships have rules in place regarding where smokers can light up, both inside and outside. For the record, I am not a smoker, but it always surprises me how much energy is put into this debate. If someone thinks smoking is so awful, then put your efforts into lobbying the government to have it banned altogether. Then everyone would have to comply....

[sail7seas]

DH and I also enjoy sitting at the bar rather than at a cocktail table. We are non-smokers but aware that if a lounge is going to allow smoking anywhere it is going to be at the bar. If a smoker comes in and sits beside us with their cigarette, it is up to us to move. (S)he is in the correct place, we are not.

 

That being said, I understand exactly what you are saying. If there are 10 empty stools at the bar, why did they have to sit right beside you and light up. Couldn't they have sat a few stools away?

 

As to aft pool being for smokers...... We love aft pool on HAL ships. That is one of the most enjoyable parts of our days on Caribbean cruises, to sit at those lovely open to the air and sun pools. Why should we be forced to the megradome covered pool or have ALL the ship's smokers congreted at aft pool? At least if they are spread between the pools, no non-smoker has to suffer ALL the smokers surrounding them.

 

I do not believe any mass market cruise line is going to please everyone with this issue. But I do think they are trying and there have been major improvements for us non-smokers in recent years and there are more changes coming.

 

[BeachBumMama]

 

Cruise lines try to accommodate ALL, as it should be.

I've never seen anything wrong with the way things are now. And some lines are changing EVEN MORE to favor the non-smoker. There are more non-smoking places than smoking places. Aren't you satisfied with that?:rolleyes: If you must have the whole ship to yourself I believe Oceana now offers completely smoke-free. That might be an option.

 

And I can't really believe that on several occasions on several cruises, a smoker has come in, sat next to you, and lit up a cigarette just to entice an argument. Obviously it was a smoking bar, they were where they were supposed to be. Your option as a non-smoker was 10 other bars compared to the one bar the smoker has. You probably could have gotten up and gone to a non-smoking bar if you HATE smoking as you said. Why would you go there in the first place and subject yourself to a smoking bar and then complain about it?:confused: :rolleyes:

[kitty9]

What you want sounds like what they will be offering starting October 1 on Celebrity. No smoking in cabins or balcony, smoking outside on one side of the ship at the pools, one small area in the casino for smoking and no smoking at the table games, smoking in one part of the bars and lounges and no smoking in the theater or dining room.

 

I don't think a ship can be all things to everyone. You're going to have the smokers complain (and some have on Celebrity, going so far as to cancel their cruises) and you'll have the non smokers complaining. You can't make it perfect for everyone. I have asthma and allergies and I find I have to stay away from a lot of places on ships, so I'm looking forward to Celebrity's new policies.

[Leonid]

What you suggested is in place,and more, on Oceania . The only place one can smoke is a small, section on the pool deck Starboard side forward, commonly referred to as the pariah pit. The only other place one can smoke is in the forward lounge on Deck 9 (small section on the port side in the read corner.) Other than those two places, NOTHING. After the Princess fire, Oceania got even more strict on smoking, informing pax. that they would be put off the ship at their expense if the smoking policy was violated.

Would not surprise me if Oceania went totally non smoking. Ships have been sailing pretty full and have not seen too many smokers.

[shark_bait]

Most of those suggestions are already in place, with the exception of separate casino entrance. And I frankly am skeptical about the scenario about the lone smoker walking into the bar & purposefully blowing smoke in your face. I've never known a smoker to do that.

 

I'll go get the popcorn now.

 

Yep, especially several different times on several diffirent ships.:rolleyes:

 

My popcorn is buttered and ready to go.

[serene56]

lets not stop at cigerette smoke-- what about perfume and after shave cologne.

 

My SO smokes-- and only smokes in designated areas. His pet peeve is when he is sitting in the designated area and a non smoke comes and sits in his smoking place and complians the whole time about the smell.

 

In Disney there is designated areas to smoke-- a lady came over and sat down with her kids and started handing out baggies for lunch and asked the nice lady who ws smoking her cigerette to please put it out. She was nice about it but the smoking lady pointed to the sign and told her this is the area she can smoke and she has the rest of the park to eat in.

 

How many times do non smokers realize they went into a smoking territory?

[CruisnGram]

How about a small, poorly lit space, down by the engine room, with a vent pipe that leads directly into the exhaust manifold? :p

 

I don't care about seeing smoking, I care about smelling and breathing it. A small room, with no flammable materials, and good ventilation would do... Smoking, IMO, is akin to assault and battery, only with no actual verbal threat, or "physical" contact.

 

So stay out of the smoking areas. Real simple I'd think.

[Leonid]

Like your style! DW & I agree totally.

[CruisnGram]

Like your style! DW & I agree totally.

 

You really should check out Celebrity then. I hear they have a lot of cabins that have become available recently. :D

[Scooter-n-GB]

Like your style! DW & I agree totally.

 

There are more non-smokers than the others, I would hope we are not a vocal minority, Leonid! Thanks for the support. :)

[CruisnGram]

Yeah, nice try! I don't wander into the smoking areas, EVER! It is a matter of smokers staying in their areas. Smoke where you are allowed, is all I ask. To date, I have not observed the smoking rules adhered to, or enforced on any cruise.

 

And you have EVERY right to feel that way. Anyone who is rude enough to light up a cigarette where they shouldn't is wrong, wrong, wrong. Smokers should light up ONLY in designated areas. Period. No discussion.

 

I have no intention of changing cruise lines or choosing based on this criteria alone.

 

Good for you. Why should you be forced out? However, if your line of choice is not enforcing the smoking rules, you really should complain. It's not fair to non smokers to have to deal with cigarette smoke in non smoking areas.

 

BUT, I will not be silent on this issue. My Dad died as a result of years of ingoring the evidence, I REFUSE to be silent!~!

 

You shouldn't have to be silent. However, it's also not your place to chastize others who are adults and choose to utilizie a perfectly legal product. As long as they are not infringing on your rights too.

[BeachBumMama]

I don't wander into the smoking areas, EVER! It is a matter of smokers staying in their areas. Smoke where you are allowed, is all I ask. To date, I have not observed the smoking rules adhered to, or enforced on any cruise.

Nice try... I'm sorry, I find it hard to believe you are wandering around a cruise ship for 7 days and the smoking rules aren't adhered to. Did it happen once? Twice? I'm not going to say it doesn't happen, some people either don't know exactly where the smoking is allowed and have to be told. Or granted, there are rude and inconsiderate smokers, but the majority of them aren't.

 

Because there are hardly any indoor public lounges etc. that you can smoke in I'm assuming you might have encountered this outdoors. Most smokers who don't know just think that because its outdoors it is allowed, it's a natural assumption. Until they realize otherwise.

 

So, nice try on your part, but you having never seen the smoking rules adhered to or enforced in all your cruises, I'm having a hard time believing. How many cruises have you been on that have had smokers all over the place in non-smoking areas? And on Princess? Again, highly doubtful.

 

There are more non-smokers than the others, I would hope we are not a vocal minority, Leonid! Thanks for the support. :)

And there are far more non-smoking places to accommodate you than there are smoking places for smokers. And all should be able to enjoy their vacation in peace without someone like you wanting to shove them down in a room on the bottom of the boat.

 

For the record, I'm not a smoker. I'm an ex-smoker, so maybe that's why I have a little more compassion and understanding for those who smoke. And I would think that with your father dying you too would have a little compassion and understanding for a smoker, realizing that it is a hard habit to overcome. You say your father died because of years of ignoring the evidence. He didn't ignore it, like everyone else (smokers and non-smokers) I'm sure he knew the risk he was taking but took that risk anyway. He was a human with an addiction. It doesn't mean people like him or any other smoker deserves to be put in the bottom barrels of a ship with a ventilation system.

 

I'm sorry for your loss. I too have been there with a loved one. But whatever one decides to do, smoke or not smoke, they still deserve their own space.

[Bishopcfd]

Please do not question as to whether I am telling the truth. It has happened several times and on several cruise ships. It sucks being a non smoker. We do stay in the non smoking section, which at times abuts the smoking area. My wife and I have walked in, sat down in the non smoking section only to have a smoker come in and sit next to us (in the smoking section) and light up. If the bar or lounge was crowded fine but when there is NO ONE ELSE in the bar other than my wife and I why does this smoker have to sit next to us? As for blowing it in our faces maybe it wasn't directed intentionally towrds us but why blow it out of that side of their mouths towards us, why not the other side of their mouths? I can't ask him or her to put it out. They have their rights and they are in their section. That would be totally rude on my part.

 

Some of you folks say I as a non smoker should move or leave that bar? What if it is a specialty bar (re: martini bar, piano bar, etc). I think the smoker should move if he or she came in after us. It just seems to me that the smokers like to light up alot because of all of the restrictions back in their home states or countries. I think the cruise lines should enforce the smoking rules and maybe put more smoke eaters in the areas that are reserved for smokers. Or maybe have three areas within a lounge if possible: non smoking, smoking and an area in between. Yes, that area in between would be non smoking but at least in would provide somewhat of a buffer.

 

As for the safety issue, YOU ARE WRONG. Smoking materials cause a majority of fires in the U.S. I am not saying within the cruise ship industry because I do not know those stats. It is bad enough that arson is a leading cause of fires on cruise ships according to you. Smoking can be controlled within staterooms and if that saves one life, that is a great thing.

[LHP]

Oceania may be the cruise line for you. No smoking in the cabins or on the balconies. They only allow smoking in two areas and from what I have read both areas are very small. One outside, one inside.

 

I have encountered both polite smokers and rude smokers on all of our cruises. Fortunately, the polite smokers have out numbered the ignorant ones. But it does seem like you have that one or two on every cruise that are somehow convinced the rules don't apply to them. They leave their cabin doors open to flood the hallways with smoke (no smoke allowed in the hallways according to the Capers)....they constantly walk through no smoking areas with a lit cigarette....and they will be the first to on these boards and raise cane when Carnival follows RCCL in adding more restrictions...when they have no one but themselves to blame.

 

IMHO, polite smokers should be the first to police their rude "brothers" so that they privileges (and it is a privilege...not a right) are not reduced.

[CruisnGram]

As for the safety issue, YOU ARE WRONG. Smoking materials cause a majority of fires in the U.S. I am not saying within the cruise ship industry because I do not know those stats. It is bad enough that arson is a leading cause of fires on cruise ships according to you. Smoking can be controlled within staterooms and if that saves one life, that is a great thing.

 

No you are WRONG. We are talking about cruise ships, NOT fires in general. Comparing fires on land to fires at sea is apples and oranges.

 

As stated previously, there are many more fires from engine rooms, galley's, and arson, but you still use fires as a reason to ban smoking in cabins. Your point is that if one life is saved by banning smoking in cabins, it is worth doing, so would you be in favor of making all railings on a cruise ship 20 foot high solid walls so no one could jump or fall overboard? Afterall, it would save more lives then one. There are many, many more deaths on cruise ships from people going overboard then fires by smoking (or any other fire for that matter). So building that 20 foot wall would be a great thing as it would save many lives right?

[sail7seas]

Watching Regis and Kelly now and I heard Regis say all smoking will be banned in New Jersey Casinos. If it is true, it is another step in ultimately ending smoking in all public places in the U.S. That trend has to follow to the ships. It is unavoidable that day will come sooner rather than later. The argument that smokers spend more in Casinos doesn't seem to be true ENOUGH to not deter banning it.

[cruzfreak]

Greetings,

 

Would you change the smoking policies? If so, how?

 

I am a non smoking. I HATE cigarette smoke along with cigar smoke. If I had my way, I would ban it altogether. The smoke is the main reason behind my thoughts regarding this but it is also some of the attitudes of the smokers. Someone mentioned in a different post that they are fun people. Maybe so but some are rude. Here is an example. My wife and I go into a bar that is empty. A person comes in, sits down next to us and lights up (had the rest of the bar to themselves) and proceeds to blow the smoke in our direction. Almost like he or she is trying to entice us into an argument. I am on vacation and I do not wish to fight. It is not like they are even trying to make friends or conversation. This has happened several times on several different cruise ships. I just can't stand it. At times, it seems smokers don't realize that their smoke bothers others and they just don't care.

 

With this said, smokers have their rights also for this habit they enjoy. Here is some of my ideas. Maybe they are in place already, maybe not.

 

Totally hate the smoking on all ships, especially on RCCL... The gagging and coughing i had to endure during this ship Mariner of the Seas recently almost made me go to the emergency room there. The casinos we could not attend I had to go through it a few times to enter the other side of the building. the clubes Lions Den i could not go to cause of the smoke. the place was very intensive during the evening when there was alot of smokers. I could not enjoy my 5.00 slots because of this, so i spent my money on gifts.

 

I feel that RCCL needs to have other areas of smokers area. Not in the casino. I have asthma and i can hardly breathe with the filtered air in the ships... I had a headache all through out the ship until we stopped to port, in each country.

 

After visiting the ports and back on the ship i had the headaches again. and had trouble breathing again. I felt that this is in not too considerate to the employees and not too considerate to those who have to go on the ships. How would you like it if someone smoked dope on the ship all the time. THE SECOND HAND SMOKE CAUSES MORE PROBLEMS, AND ALOT OF LAWSUITS WILL BE PENDING IF SOMEONE DID GET SICK DIRECTLY FROM YOUR CRUISE LINE!!:confused:

 

So what do you all intend to do about it? Nothing I guess:mad:

Well I would agree with the first poster that the smoking is terrible on all ships, it should be banned to one area enclosed with a door so they can all die together!!:D

 

Why is it that anytime someone doesn't like something, a lawsuit is brought into the conversation:confused:.

 

I see a lot of people get sick while on cruiselines, like for instance, NOROVIRUS.:eek: Do you see any lawsuits pending for that?

[sail7seas]

I see a lot of people get sick while on cruiselines, like for instance, NOROVIRUS. Do you see any lawsuits pending for that?

 

Actually, I would be shocked if there were not some suits by people who contracted NoroVirus aboard a ship. :eek:

 

All one needs to do to bring suit is file a complaint and plunk down the filing fee. Voila...... a suit has been brought. Doesn't mean it will be won!

 

[lvtotrvl1]

Wow..I think it's been a week since the all beloved smoking thread begins again:eek: ..Wonder if anyone has changed thier mind since the last one?