Seabourn Updates Smoking Policy, Bans Balcony Smoking

Fabulous News!!!! We will take our first Seabourn crulse on the Encore in January and I was hoping that we would not regret our decision. So happy for us, for all the other passengers, and for the staff in the Observation Bar!

I cannot believe there is such a liberal smoking policy on such a luxury

line. I was all excited to book the 14 day cruise from Montreal to Miami until I heard they allow smoking in so many places, especially balconies!!!

I wish I had read this earlier. I am going to cancel now. Hope my travel agent reads my email before it is too late.

The last two posts completely baffle me.

Thank goodness and finally. We love Seabourn, but after our last cruise next door to a couple we decided that until they changed their policy about smoking on balconies we would not sail with them again. We spent all of our time unable to use a space we had paid for.

I cannot believe there is such a liberal smoking policy on such a luxury

line. I was all excited to book the 14 day cruise from Montreal to Miami until I heard they allow smoking in so many places, especially balconies!!!

 

I wish I had read this earlier. I am going to cancel now. Hope my travel agent reads my email before it is too late.

Seabourn just made more restrictions on smoking so I don't understand why one would cancel. Seabourn is now the same as all the other luxury lines in their smoking policy.

Excellent move. It took longer than it should have given that a fire happened years ago on a Princess ship (which is part of Carnival as is Seabourn).

Very happy to see this.

Keith

Seabourn just made more restrictions on smoking so I don't understand why one would cancel. Seabourn is now the same as all the other luxury lines in their smoking policy.

My guess is that it is because their cruise is before the new smoking rules come in! Although surprised the poster did not find out more about smoking, if it matters so much, before they booked.

Seabourn just made more restrictions on smoking so I don't understand why one would cancel. Seabourn is now the same as all the other luxury lines in their smoking policy.

Unfortunately my travel agent convinced me it would not be an issue. Now I have read more and more reviews about how heavy smoking is on the Seabourn. Many feel the word is out that it is only one of the few lines that allows such a liberal smoking policy.

I booked it without a balcony scared that I would pay the extra money and not even be able to enjoy the balcony. I hated to do this but she convinced me what a great experience Seabourn is and that she had cruised around the world on it and other times and never smelled smoke.

Now I feel she lied to me.

Now I am booked for Canada to Ft. Lauderdale October 21 a month before the changes go in effect so those who booked my cruise probably booked it within the past year. I am sick at my stomach over my decision and I paid in full.

So that is WHY IT IS AN ISSUE. I pretty much have a phobia about cigarette smoke. Never smoked in my life, hated it since a child. Don't have ONE single friend that smokes. I avoid them. So if that

makes me stupid so be it but it makes me happy. Most people here in Miami don't smoke anymore. If they are intelligent they have figured out the consequences. My husband just finished a course of cancer treatment (leukemia not smoking related as he never smoked either) and I saw the effects.

Unfortunately my travel agent convinced me it would not be an issue. Now I have read more and more reviews about how heavy smoking is on the Seabourn. Many feel the word is out that it is only one of the few lines that allows such a liberal smoking policy.

[...]

I booked it without a balcony

First off, smoking is only allowed in certain locations and MOST - while not all - of your fellow pax who do smoke are considerate and tend to sit at the further away locations from non-smokers in the designated sections. How many smokers are on your particular cruise cannot be determined in advance. Some cruises have very few, others have more - but in my experience they are always a small number, usually less than 5% of the pax. You stated you did not book a veranda so you do not need to worry about the people in the suite next to you smoking, and in my 10 cruises on Seabourn only once did I have a smoker next to me. It did not keep me from using my veranda, they were not outside smoking all the time.

Secondly, I am - like many others on this forum - glad to see Seabourn finally restricting smoking on the Veranda and the OB. My next cruise will be interesting as part of it will be under the current policy and then change to the new rules 2/3rd's of the way thru.

Third, while we do not smoke and given the science wonder why people still do, we also understand that it is an addictive habit - like drinking, sky diving, working out, chewing gum, (pick your vice) - everyone has their addictions and we have met more than a few wonderful people on Seabourn who we regularly keep in contact with who happened to be smokers. They would excuse themselves to partake and then rejoin the conversation - and I would not trade their friendships for denying them the opportunity to sail with us.

So kkmiausa - It is quite simple for you to enjoy your cruise and not come into contact with smokers: do not go to the Observation bar after 8 p.m.; do not sit on the starboard side of the Sky Bar; do not sit on the starboard side of the deck out side of Seabourn Square. Seabourn is a great experience, don't get hung up on a perception you have developed from reading a forum where there are multiple threads about the same topic, which now has a resolution that many of us have wanted for years.

This is great news!🎉 Thank you Seabourn👍. Sad that it will not be implemented until after our first cruise next month but we can now consider future cruises where we can enjoy our veranda smoke free.👏

Great news! Now the other lines need to ban smoking in their casinos.

kkmiausa - there are plenty of places on Seabourn where you will encounter absolutely no smoking at all - all the eating areas; the Observation Lounge, all day including afternoon tea, and pre-dinner drinks before 8 p.m. The Square, for coffees, internet, choosing books and reading and chatting to people; the Show Lounge; the Club for pre and post dinner drinks and music; the whole of the pool deck, with loungers in the sun and shade, some comfortable sofas, the bar area and eating area, near the bar, where I often sit to chat or read and have a drink before 12.30 lunch.

Hope this is reassuring - and when you discover how much you like Seabourn, you might have a balcony on your next cruise, with no fear of smokers next door.

We have never encountered more than about 10 smokers on any of our many cruises on Seabourn, and the only place we have been at all bothered is at the Sky Bar - easily avoided now the deck below it is completely smoke free.

Went on my first Seabourne cruise last year and am a non smoker. I too was worried but I can't recall ever seeing a smoker on the ship. I just avoided the obvious places and it was fine. Enjoyed the ship very much

Seems there's some more clarification required from Seabourn. I can't yet here the singing!!

And this is an issue of Seabourn's own making. In the email sent to members announcing the new policy Seabourn states: " Smoking of cigarettes, pipes and cigars is permitted on the open terrace aft of Seabourn Square". No Qualifications. No mention of limiting the area to the "starboard half".

Whilst the Policy statement, which can be accessed from the link in the recently issued email, qualifies the designated area for Deck 7 by limiting it to "the starboard half", this important qualification is not mentioned by Seabourn in their communication to members. So smokers could, not unreasonably, join a cruise in the expectation of using the area as stated by Seabourn in their communication ie the whole of the aft of Deck 7.

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Thank you all for the reassuring responses and for not putting me down for my opinions. I never even thought about this issue before on my other cruises, I guess I just was fortunate. My last cruises were river cruises and I had a balcony and don't even know what the policy was but I was never bothered. Same with

Oceania on the Baltic. I didn't even think about it until I read the reviews here and read the smoking thread. Thank goodness I read it before I booked a balcony.

I would hate to have paid $3500 more and taken the chance I would not be able to use it. I had already told my agent to book it first thing in the morning.

I could not sleep all night afraid she would book one before she read my emails.

At first she lied and told me that I was being silly and they did not allow smoking on balconies. Then when I sent her the posts she said it was disgruntled people posting on cruise critic. Then I read further and found that smoking was allowed INSIDE the Observation Lounge. I am sorry but any room that has had smoking in it always smells stale - I can tell immediately.

How can a few people not know they are ruining it for everyone else?

Then I read there is a place on the 5th floor and another outside the Square. This is very distressing to me. Can I avoid the outside area of the Square? Does it waft into the room when the doors are opened?

I am still going to call Seabourn direct in the morning and sincerely and going to ask if I can delay my cruise until after the smoking ban is in place. I know it will probably not do me any good. I already paid in full. I even contacted my credit card bank hoping they can help me.

I have lost all excitement over this cruise now and expect the worst. But thank you for the assurances you have given me. The only nasty responses I have seen to the smoking threads were from smokers. And I don't compare it to bad perfume. That is a totally different thing and is always their argument.

I am on the New England Canada Maritimes on October 21. Hope to meet some of you there.

Take care.

Mmmm

kkmiausa I wouldn't let the current smoking policy discourage you from cruising on Seabourn.

While I have never smoked I grew up in a family of smokers and I now suffer with Bronchiectatis caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. I am on twice daily medication to help me breathe.

I can smell someone smoking 400 metres away from me upwind on the beach (true).

I have sailed over 200 nights on Seabourn and while the smokers and the current smoking policy annoy me intently, I manage to avoid the smokers.

The ship is pressurized, whenever an outside door is open, air rushes out, smoke cannot come back in. Also the movement of the ship moves the smoke away from the open deck.

It is going to be wonderful to be able to use the Observation Lounge in the evenings soon, unfortunately not before my next cruise on Quest.😜

Then I read there is a place on the 5th floor and another outside the Square. This is very distressing to me. Can I avoid the outside area of the Square? Does it waft into the room when the doors are opened?

On both Level 5 and 7 (Seabourn Square) there are either double doors or they are not near the seating area so no smoke, that I am aware of, can waft into the room the the doors open. I hope this helps a bit. I have a quite a few days on Seabourn and can't remember any smell of smoke in these areas.

Julie

Very good point. Other than in the OB at night, the only place I have ever smelled smoke inside the ship is on deck 5 near the officers offices. But I think that policy of them being able to smoke inside may have changed as it was a couple of years ago.

Why wait?

As others have stated this is likely to allow those who have booked and are not happy with this policy to cancel.

Thank you all for the reassuring responses and for not putting me down for my opinions. I never even thought about this issue before on my other cruises, I guess I just was fortunate. My last cruises were river cruises and I had a balcony and don't even know what the policy was but I was never bothered. Same with

Oceania on the Baltic. I didn't even think about it until I read the reviews here and read the smoking thread. Thank goodness I read it before I booked a balcony.

I would hate to have paid $3500 more and taken the chance I would not be able to use it. I had already told my agent to book it first thing in the morning.

I could not sleep all night afraid she would book one before she read my emails.

 

At first she lied and told me that I was being silly and they did not allow smoking on balconies. Then when I sent her the posts she said it was disgruntled people posting on cruise critic. Then I read further and found that smoking was allowed INSIDE the Observation Lounge. I am sorry but any room that has had smoking in it always smells stale - I can tell immediately.

How can a few people not know they are ruining it for everyone else?

 

Then I read there is a place on the 5th floor and another outside the Square. This is very distressing to me. Can I avoid the outside area of the Square? Does it waft into the room when the doors are opened?

 

I am still going to call Seabourn direct in the morning and sincerely and going to ask if I can delay my cruise until after the smoking ban is in place. I know it will probably not do me any good. I already paid in full. I even contacted my credit card bank hoping they can help me.

 

I have lost all excitement over this cruise now and expect the worst. But thank you for the assurances you have given me. The only nasty responses I have seen to the smoking threads were from smokers. And I don't compare it to bad perfume. That is a totally different thing and is always their argument.

 

I am on the New England Canada Maritimes on October 21. Hope to meet some of you there.

 

Take care.

If smoking is an issue for you and your TA lied to you about Seabourn's smoking situation, you can dispute your charges with your credit card company. While you may not prevail unless you have these lies in writing, you will be in a better negotiating position to have the TA reschedule your booking. Good luck!

Very good point. Other than in the OB at night, the only place I have ever smelled smoke inside the ship is on deck 5 near the officers offices. But I think that policy of them being able to smoke inside may have changed as it was a couple of years ago.

I used to always try and hold my breath going through that passage on deck 5, however I couldn't smell smoke there July '15 on Quest and March this year on Sojourn.

That worst situation now for me is if the person delivering room service reeks of cigarette smoke😡

Thank you all for the reassurance. I hope for the best. Luckily I don't have allergies just a strong aversion to the smell. What bothers me is the agent blatantly lied and told me to stop reading and then assured me only 2 spots on the ship allowed smoking. After I already paid in full she said the observation bar but only after 10 and I would not probably be there. Well it is 8 and I eat dinner late so would most likely enjoy that one for an after dinner drink. I just hope I get lucky. I called Seabourmn and agent said I was in 50 per cent penalty. but I only paid on Friday.

She also told me no smoking on balconies but I had to remind her mine was before the change. I got the same story my agent said - her husband is allergic and they never had a problem or saw smokers lol