Smoking on Balconies

We were on Riviera recently and experienced someone on an adjacent balcony smoking. We never did figure out what balcony it came from and nor did the security officers nor cabin staff discover the culprit either. Suffice to say it was a terrible experience to open the sliding doors intending for a leisurely time on the balcony only to have to come inside again. After several days of this we were moved to the other side of the ship. What a hassle! Repack and unpack for a second time.

My question, do you think Oceania should have compensated us? (they refused)

NO

They will usually help you move cabins so not sure what you want compensation for??

Lucky they had a cabin to move you to

JMO

NO

 

They will usually help you move cabins so not sure what you want compensation for??

Lucky they had a cabin to move you to

 

JMO

We expect to be compensated for the loss of use of our balcony for half the cruise.

Lucky they had a spare room to move you to. I do not think compensation is necessary.

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We were on a Grand Voyage for 32 days on the Marina. From day one there was a chain smoker smoking on his/her balcony. Many of us complained numerous times. Finally a security person was sent and confirmed the smoking. Nothing happened. We didn't use the balcony and said that the second 16 day leg of the Grand Voyage would be better since most of the passengers only took the first leg. No such luck. The smoker was still on board. I went down to reception in person and told them how they could now isolate the smoker since there were only 92 passengers continuing on and it was only on the port side. I told them to get the cabins on the port side of the continuing passengers and ask the stewards for those cabins that reeked in smoke. I also reiterated that they have the CD make an announcement about smoking and the ramifications. Never heard from anybody on board even after I asked to speak to the Hotel Manager so I contacted the home office and finally got a response. Lo and behold they located the smoker and the smoking stopped 3/4 into our 32 day voyage. They never offered to move us even on the second leg when many cabins opened up since the voyage was undersold.

The smoker should have been given one warning and then removed from the ship if there were a repeat violation. I guarantee there would not have been any repetitions...

It is not as if anyone can plead ignorance about the smoking rules on Oceania's ships -- they are announced often enough.

It's always disappointing to learn that there is another rude and selfish person on board.

The night before we boarded Marina on April 21st we were in a five star hotel in Lima. (Our tour group upgraded us because of a problem with the prior night's hotel elsewhere.) This is supposed to be a completely non-smoking hotel but when I went upstairs to consult with another couple in our group I could not believe the reek of cigarette smoke in the room. The hotel did move them, but it was impossible to believe that the cleaning crew hadn't noticed that morning.

Mura

The hotel did move them, but it was impossible to believe that the cleaning crew hadn't noticed that morning.

 

Mura

Not if they were smokers too - you get "immune" to the smell.

I can see this happening in the hotel where the "offender" leaves the next morning but not on Oceania - no excuse from staff would be good enough for me for continued violation of the no smoking rule.

I agree - one warning and then off the ship you go for a repeat offense.

True, Paul. I should have thought of that. Smokers never believe us when we tell them we can SMELL the stale smoke in their hair or on their clothing ...

And I'd bounce them off the ship as well. That has happened before, although I'm not sure if it's happened on O. I remember back when Carnival had one totally non-smoking ship and they threw off two families because two 14 year old boys were caught smoking in one of the staterooms.

Mura

I love Oceania. I suppose I'm considered one of the cheerleaders, although I work hard at staying impartial. I'm also very tolerant and somewhat easy to please.

BUT -- if someone was smoking in a prohibited area (and balconies are definitely prohibited), I'd report it and give them a day to correct it. If it wasn't corrected by the second day, I'd first go to the top on board -- the General Manager -- and if that didn't work, I'd go straight to the top at Corporate (and get my TA involved, who knows everyone at Oceania). If the smoker wouldn't stop, I guarantee they'd be kicked off at the next port. It sounds like onboard enforcement has gotten too lax.

last May we smelled smoke in our suite and in the hallway just outside. Our butler had the culprit caught within an hour and we never smelled smoke again.

Years ago we had a similar experience and that time the person supposedly did not know he could not smoke wherever he pleased. They were put offs he ship at the next port.

If it happens to you, don't give up.

It's always disappointing to learn that there is another rude and selfish person on board...

Yeah - all this time I thought I was the only rude and selfish one around but it appears that there are one or two who don't understand that that style of behavior should only be used (sparingly, lest it lose effect) to irritate one or two people who really deserve it, not the entire population.

Having said that, even I only smoke in the "international lounge," starboard on the pool deck. It's actually a great place to meet some pretty interesting fellow passengers and crew members.

Than I for one would NOT categorize you as being "rude and selfish".

I was referring to people who refuse to obey the rules, not people like you who DO.

Am I forgiven?

Mura

After all the back-and-forth about e-cigs, I wonder if Oceania is soft on smoking? Does anybody know if the fabled FDR is a smoker?

I cannot answer that question definitively except to say that I have been in his company on a number of occasions and he has NEVER had a cigarette in his mouth ... or hand.

But I certainly could not assure you that he is NOT a smoker.

Then again, I'd be surprised to learn that he IS.

Mura

A few years ago on Marina we could smell smoke in our room. We called our butler to see if he could smell Ito too and he did. Within minutessecurity was in our room to investigate. They too could smell it. Never knew the outcome but we never smelled smoke again.

On our 2nd regatta cruise I kept saying to DH?.I smell smoke. It w as not until the last night of the cruise we saw the passenger in the next balcony having a puff. I loudly said " honey I know now where the smoke smell is coming from, I guess I'll call security". At that point the door to next balcony slammed. We did not call security, it was our last night but I can assure you the smoker had a more sleepless night. Next time though we will report it.

After all the back-and-forth about e-cigs, I wonder if Oceania is soft on smoking? Does anybody know if the fabled FDR is a smoker?

After all the "back and forth", the final decision was that e-cigs would be treated like any another "smoke", severely restricted. Oceania has had the reputation of being tough on smokers since the beginning, far before most of the other cruise lines, which is one of the major reasons we were attracted to them in 2006. I know the "fabled" FDR, and he stands firmly behind the rules he put in place. In fact, when I said that if I had a problem on board I would go to the "top" in Corporate, I meant FDR, and I know I would get immediate action. In my experience, FDR is not "soft" on anything except the well-being of his guests and his grandchildren.

I'm really sorry to hear that some of the staff has grown lax about enforcement, and I assure you that senior members of the staff are this moment reviewing on which recent cruise Marina sailed a 32 day Grand Voyage, and there will soon be strong messages to the staff reinforcing the message.

I'm reminded of the time someone mentioned worn linens on their cruise, and FDR came on the forum to state that he had sent orders to all the ships to immediately sort through all the linen and discard anything that was the least threadbare.

Many of the regulars on this forum have experienced FDR's "touch" in solving problems.

I love Oceania. I suppose I'm considered one of the cheerleaders, although I work hard at staying impartial. I'm also very tolerant and somewhat easy to please.

 

BUT -- if someone was smoking in a prohibited area (and balconies are definitely prohibited), I'd report it and give them a day to correct it. If it wasn't corrected by the second day, I'd first go to the top on board -- the General Manager -- and if that didn't work, I'd go straight to the top at Corporate (and get my TA involved, who knows everyone at Oceania). If the smoker wouldn't stop, I guarantee they'd be kicked off at the next port. It sounds like onboard enforcement has gotten too lax.

The OP said they could not find out where the smell was coming from, and the security and housekeeping staff could not ether. If there is just a smell coming from a mystery smoker that can not be found what do you suggest be done?

My point is that since we lost the use of the balcony for half the cruise due to some idiot smoking on nearby balcony and forcing us inside, we ought to be compensated in some way. Thanks Oceania. You lost a future customer by your lack of empathy.

Yeah - all this time I thought I was the only rude and selfish one around but it appears that there are one or two who don't understand that that style of behavior should only be used (sparingly, lest it lose effect) to irritate one or two people who really deserve it, not the entire population.

 

Having said that, even I only smoke in the "international lounge," starboard on the pool deck. It's actually a great place to meet some pretty interesting fellow passengers and crew members.

 

Agree... actualy, I found, on my last cruise that the smoking areas where you could always go to meet and converse with some really wonderful , interesting and tolerant people.

On the other hand, I observed some from the "zealots" camp......they seemed a little to tightly wound....they delighted in finding problems with not only smoking, but every other aspect of life, on or off the ship.

ILL TAKE the company of smokers any day of the week.... and I do not smoke

The OP said they could not find out where the smell was coming from, and the security and housekeeping staff could not ether. If there is just a smell coming from a mystery smoker that can not be found what do you suggest be done?

There are two parts to the OP's problem: the smoker's behavior and the OP"s loss of enjoyment of their balcony.

You're right that nothing could be done about the mystery smoker. However, the list of what could be done for the OP is so long, I'm surprised by your post. At minimal cost, Oceania could have ...

... sent a bottle of champagne to their new stateroom or to dinner one or more nights.

... arranged for an extra one or two reservations in one of the specialty restaurants.

... included the OP's stateroom in the list of rooms that get nightly hors d'ouevres.

... if the OP purchased internet use, sweeten the deal or simply offer internet use.

Notice, everything I've listed has minimal impact on Oceania's bottom line. I purposely didn't mention spa treatments or excursions since Oceania is only an agent for the actual provider. I just looked at the Toscanna wine list. Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut costs about $35 retail and Montaudon Brut costs $38 retail. Even those numbers are probably more than Oceania has to pay for those bottles. So, for a cost of less than $50 -- or even less if we're talking about things like extra specialty reservations -- Oceania showed a remarkable lack of imagination and empathy.

Some cruisers would have been satisfied simply to have the smoke problem go away with a change of cabin. But the OP communicated in real time that he/she was still unhappy. This detail is important. The timing should have allowed to Oceania to respond to customer dissatisfaction. Now, Oceania has a situation -- not the actual smoke but the aftermath of the cabin change -- where they allowed a customer to slip away and in a very public way.

In this day of the internet and social media, things that happen to one person get transmitted to a much, much larger audience than ever before.

One additional thing bothers me. Mr Jason Montague has been a role model for how management should handle problems. Our board was filled with distress over the new e-cigarette policy and he responded in a timely and ultimately satisfying way to many of us who wrote him. Between the OP's anecdote and the post about the 32-day Grand Voyage problem, there's a clear disconnect in the way upper management seems to want to handle problems and the way management on each ship seems to handle problems.

My remarks were directed at the post I quoted that thought on board enforcement was lax. I have no comment about how Oceania should of made up for the OP discomfort.

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We also know the "fabled" FDR and strongly agree that he would stand behind the onboard policies 100%. In fact, I would be surprised if someone at corporate has not already contacted the officers on board and discussed this issue with them.

While I do not believe that monetary compensation is necessary in this case, it would be nice for the OP to receive a future cruise credit.

No amount of compensation in any form can make up for the discomfort caused by prohibited smoking. That would almost be an insult; a statement by staff that your problem can be waved away by a bottle of champagne or some hors d'oeuvres -- that you could "enjoy" surrounded by smoke.

Moving to another cabin would not be a solution for me -- not only would someone else's rudeness cause me extra packing and unpacking (staff will move the big stuff, like clothing on hangers, but will not empty drawers, etc), but the problem of the smoker remains to bother others.

Smokers can always be detected and "caught" if onboard staff makes the effort.

As a cigar smoker who cannot stand the smell of cigarettes, I wish they had a Connoisseur Lounge like the Regent ships have...