Star Bar and much of pool deck ruined by cigar smoke on Legend

Caution, cigar, pipe, and cigarette smoking is allowed in the port half of the Star Bar The wind blows the smoke all over the bar area and even down to the pool deck. And there are cigar smokers there from sun-up to late at night. We could never use the Star Bar or pool area (which was a big selling point to us). This was on the Best of the ABCs on Legend. Policy applies to Pride and Breeze, not sure about the sailing ships.

We talked to the beverage service manager and he said there was nothing he could do, said it was corporate policy.

The on-line faq just says that smoking "is only permited in certain areas on out door decks." Only the in-cabin information book spells out the policy in detail.

So, unless you either like to stay indoors the whole cruise or love breathing someone elses' foul cigar smoke, look elsewhere for a cruise. We won't be back on Windstar until they modernize their smoking policy.

We had the same thing happen on an Azamara cruise, which has one of the most restrictive smoking policies. The problem is when cigar smokers are on board. Cigar smoke is very pungent and travels. And this particulat smoker was in that outdoor spot smoking around the clock. Seriously...it was like he took this cruise simply to smoke cigars. :mad: So, unfortunately, it's the luck of the draw getting one (or more) of them on your cruise. There should be a dedicated smoking room, separately vented, and smoking allowed nowhere else.

I have awful smoke allergies and I am pretty sure on the Surf you are only allowed to smoke a cigar on the very top deck where there is a semi cigar/smoking room there is also a small bar there. Cigarettes you can smoke on one side of the open Compass Rose. I complained once on the Surf about a cigar smoker and he was promptly told where to go. All cigarette smoke is a grim oder

and it is sad people feel they have the right to impose this on other people but then too it is an addiction. I was happy WS acted so promptly because cigar smoke is the worst. Happy Fresh Air Sailing.

I think the problem is that smokers find a place to smoke and unless there is a designated outdoor space, they will smoke in their cabins which puts us all in danger. My father smoked cigars so it's actually a comforting smell for me but I totally understand that others find it repugnant. My husband smokes cigars onboard but is super mindful of others and generally one cigar per cruise. I'm an ex cigarette smoker and can't stand the smell. We have been on Surf, Legend, and Spirit and only at Compass Rose on Surf did it ever bother me. QM2 has a cigar room for smokers but it's 100 times bigger than any of the WS ships. Florida has no smoking indoors so we cannot sit out on a patio to eat without sucking in smoke; not to mention people with their dogs who are probably treated better than their children. Sorry you cruise was ruined. I just move to a different part of the ship and enjoy the gorgeous water and have another glass of wine.

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"I just move to a different part of the ship and enjoy the gorgeous water and have another glass of wine."

What a ridiculous comment. We shouldn't have to disrupt our vacation to accomodate idiot smokers. Windstar should make their smoking policy very clear in their on-line materials. While allowing even cigarettes at the Star Bar is bad enough, most other lines highly restrict where cigars and pipes can be used.

It is unfortunate that your cruised was "ruined." I've read through your post history, though, both here and on the Seabourn board. It is my impression that you were predisposed to find something to ruin the cruise.

Here is one quote from another board:

"I will be able to report on the Legend by mid-March. We snagged a sale on the far southern Caribbean cruise, for only $1,900 pp (after originally paying $2,400) Expectations are low..."

I would like to hear from someone else on this sailing as to whether the cigar smoker was there from "sun-up to late at night."

Windstar managed to fall below my low expectations. My expectations were set low by all the negative Legend reviews up to the date of that post.

And while you are asking other pax about the cigar smoke, also ask them about the air conditioning being out all night in a tropical environment, with zip communication from the bridge or crew, and no offers to distribute fans, replenish ice, etc. Housekeeping kept saying it would be fixed in an hour and then quickly stopped answering the phone. No sleep was possible that night. They did offer a $100 per person credit to everybody to make up for it.... A generator failure on an old ship I can understand, and even tolerate, but no communication from the officers or crew, and no attempt at amelioration, is inexcusable.

And the list of issues goes on, and if I thought it would help Windstar (owned by Xanterra) improve I would list them. But the vibe on the ship tells me it won't, so I won't bother.

We've sailed Regent, SeaDream, Seabourn, and Celebrity Xpedition. They are all way better than Legend. We only took the cruise for the itinerary. Its a shame really, because the crew was generally very nice and the food better than expected. The standard cabins are fairly nice, and the common indoor areas are pleasant. The issue is poor on and off ship management. Plus the ship needs a more extensive overhaul.

There are many alternatives out there.

(And I never said our cruise was ruined, that was sb44, I said the Star Bar and much of the pool deck were ruined. And that was shorthand to keep the thread title short.)

I was on the Pride earlier this year and I must admit I enjoyed a cigar during the cruise. The allowed smoking area is as restricted as possible without not allowing any smoking at all. On our cruise three or four tables had ash trays and at no point were there more than two smokers at any one time, always cigarettes, and any smokers at all were rare.

I appreciate that cigar smoke can be annoying to some but to state that cigar smoking went on from sun up to sun down and was so pervasive as to make the pool deck uninhabitable is a bit of a stretch, maybe more than a bit.

We were on the Breeze, not Pride. That's another story.

Oh the poor Pride. Has anyone heard how that's going? We look at cruising as a total new adventure each time we board. We don't expect perfection so we are never disappointed. DH and I are glass half full people; never half empty. As a matter of fact our cup overflows with the privilege of having the health and financial means to travel. Boarding something that floats with 200 or 300 people that we don't know is pure excitement. Some are wonderful and some we run from after one negative lunch or dinner. We have 3 more Windstar cruises booked in the next 6 months and couldn't be more excited.

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And we have been on everything from Cunard to Holland America, Carnival, RCL, even the old Windjammers, etc. and prefer Windstar by far.

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Oh the poor Pride. Has anyone heard how that's going? QUOTE]

 

Star Pride was in dry dock as of last week in the Bahamas. Look at the instagram page of Capt Kate Mccue (Celebrity Summit). You will see Star Pride in there.

 

https://www.instagram.com/captainkatemccue/

Thanks. Hope she's going to be back cruising soon.

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Oh the poor Pride. Has anyone heard how that's going? QUOTE]

 

Star Pride was in dry dock as of last week in the Bahamas. Look at the instagram page of Capt Kate Mccue (Celebrity Summit). You will see Star Pride in there.

 

https://www.instagram.com/captainkatemccue/

...but to state that cigar smoking went on from sun up to sun down and was so pervasive as to make the pool deck uninhabitable is a bit of a stretch, maybe more than a bit.

What seems to me a bit of a stretch is you assuming someone is incorrect when you weren't there. :rolleyes:

I was *also* not on the OP's cruise; but, on the Azamara cruise I referenced, the lone cigar smoker was there: when I went up to run on the track or in the gym in the early morning; when we returned from excursions during the day and went up to the pool bar or grill; and late in the evening when we would go up on the top decks for the views. So there is at least one person in the world smoking cigars as "around the clock" as was observable without stalking. The smoke got so strong, you could smell it indoors on that end's stairway between decks. Oh, yes, and more than half the pool deck had the pervasive smell...I wouldn't have been able to hang out there (we generally go on the front top deck where it's less crowded).

Oh the poor Pride. Has anyone heard how that's going? QUOTE]

 

Star Pride was in dry dock as of last week in the Bahamas. Look at the instagram page of Capt Kate Mccue (Celebrity Summit). You will see Star Pride in there.

 

https://www.instagram.com/captainkatemccue/

 

A chance to remind everyone that there is a "sticky" on the status of the Pride at the top of this board.

Well I guess there are just some circumstances where a frequent cigar smoker or smokers, and someone who is hyper sensitive to cigar smoke happen to be on the same mid size cruise ship at the same time. It is unfortunate, but as a cigar smoker I would suggest that the two parties talk to see if some accommodation can be made. Cruises are too special to be ruined by such a situation.

Well I guess there are just some circumstances where a frequent cigar smoker or smokers, and someone who is hyper sensitive to cigar smoke...

Spoken as a smoker. Smoke stinks...you don't have to be "hypersensitive". One person impacts many, to varying degrees.

When you smoke, the smoke doesn't stay contained to your area. It spreads. You are negatively affecting many others (as I said, to varying degrees). People will avoid the area and thus miss out on some things they were looking forward to. Most will deal. But don't fool yourself into thinking that you're not bothering people. You are.

Thanks Azevadan!

I looked up the smoking policy of SeaDream and it is worse than Windstar, you can basically smoke anything anywhere on outside decks, except during outdoor meal times. But yet we have never encountered any smoking issues on Seadream. But this may make me reconsider any new cruises with them. On SeaDream, its all about hanging out on deck.

You know you can do private yacht charters. You may want to look into them. Some of the prices aren't bad for what you get and no worries about other passengers.

That's not a bad idea!

But honestly, we have not had smoking issues on cruises before this Legend experience (well, apart from smoke on a Seabourn Odyssey balcony from the balconies forward of ours). The Legend cruise opened our eyes as to what can happen. We'll move smoking policy higher up the list of considerations when chosing our next cruise.

We're just off the Breeze and had no problem with smoke at all. There was usually a fairly brisk wind that might have helped, but there was often a smoker or two by the Pool bar, and they caused no issues whatsoever.

Windstar managed to fall below my low expectations. My expectations were set low by all the negative Legend reviews up to the date of that post.

 

And while you are asking other pax about the cigar smoke, also ask them about the air conditioning being out all night in a tropical environment, with zip communication from the bridge or crew, and no offers to distribute fans, replenish ice, etc. Housekeeping kept saying it would be fixed in an hour and then quickly stopped answering the phone. No sleep was possible that night. They did offer a $100 per person credit to everybody to make up for it.... A generator failure on an old ship I can understand, and even tolerate, but no communication from the officers or crew, and no attempt at amelioration, is inexcusable.

 

And the list of issues goes on, and if I thought it would help Windstar (owned by Xanterra) improve I would list them. But the vibe on the ship tells me it won't, so I won't bother.

 

We've sailed Regent, SeaDream, Seabourn, and Celebrity Xpedition. They are all way better than Legend. We only took the cruise for the itinerary. Its a shame really, because the crew was generally very nice and the food better than expected. The standard cabins are fairly nice, and the common indoor areas are pleasant. The issue is poor on and off ship management. Plus the ship needs a more extensive overhaul.

 

There are many alternatives out there.

 

(And I never said our cruise was ruined, that was sb44, I said the Star Bar and much of the pool deck were ruined. And that was shorthand to keep the thread title short.)

Odd, as Seabourn had the same policy on the Legend/Pride/Spirit. Smoking on the port side of the bar.

If a smoker is sitting upwind or forward of a person that finds smoking offensive the smoker is being inconsiderate and frankly a jerk by not trying to accommodate fellow passengers that find smoking offensive.

To be considerate to his fellow passengers a smoker should move aft and to the lee side of the ship while smoking. The whole issue hinges on people being considerate - both the smoker as well as the non smoker. Demands are usually ignored [if no rules are being broken]. Suggestions, on the other hand, are usually listened to if offered in a pleasant manor. Making smoking available on one side of a ship is stupid as wind doesn't stay on just one side.

I smoked for many years and quit several years ago but never has a smoker ruined any social gathering for me. When I was a smoker and if I was asked to try to keep my smoke from bothering someone I always tried to accommodate that request.

On the Star Breeze, Legend and Pride smoking and vaping is confined to a handful of tables on the port side, Deck 8 (also referred to as the Sun Deck) forward outside by the Star Bar. It’s open to the sky, and though the area is sheltered from the apparent wind generated by the ship’s forward motion by the structure housing the Yacht Club, lift to decks below and bath rooms, the wind quite effectively prevents smoke from circulating to other areas in back and starboard of the Star Bar other than a couple of tables directly behind the smoking area, and certainly protects the pools area on the next lower Deck 7 / Bridge Deck. This may not work as well when in port or at anchor if in very still air, but normally whilst moving or at anchor in any breeze it works effectively.

There are occasional “Cigars under the stars” events after dinner in the same area by the Star Bar if the weather is cooperative. Most passengers at that point might be in the Compass Rose, Yacht Club or Lounge if not in their personal spaces.

If I recall correctly, there’s a smoking spot aft of the Lounge as well, but I don’t hang out there.

Smoking is not allowed in any inside space, including in the suites or using the French balcony area of the balcony suites.

Reporting smoking outside of the areas it is allowed will result in passengers being contacted by officers. I have heard of one couple evicted from the ship for refusing to abide by the ship’s smoking policies, and when those of us occupying the Brudge Suites on Wind Surf were inconvenienced by smokers who set up their own improvised smoking area outside were asked in no uncertain terms to desist. They did.

I’ve been cruising since the 1950s (Ile de France, Queen Elizabeth my earlier cruises, many others since including 33 Wind Star cruises), and as a onetime smoker and recent smoking cessation expert training medical professionals, cessation leaders, etc. I’m fairly experienced in cruising, Windstar Cruises and smoking issues. Not anything there to brag about, but it seems necessary with a couple of members here to state relevant experience. ;)

As they say in Newfoundland, “Long may yer big jib draw!" (“May your sails always catch wind!”) If you’re on Wind Surf transatlantic crossing this November, see you there.