Viking - smoking

I understand that smoking is not permitted indoors. Is there, generally, a lot of smoking on deck? Thanks.

I have been 5 river cruises including Viking, and there is very little smoking even up on deck. Up on deck there is a designated smoking area not close to where most people hang out where you will find crew and a few passengers smoking. When you are docked in town, many smokers will get off the boat and have a cigarette outside. Also, when the boat is sailing, it is usually very windy and cold up on deck, and only the most avid smoker will go up there. What I'm trying to say is that if you are sensitive to cigarette smoke, it usually is not a major problem except on rare occasions on an excursion where someone might light up, but even then, you can walk away..

Thanks for you reply.

I understand that smoking is not permitted indoors. Is there, generally, a lot of smoking on deck? Thanks.

I have to very, very strongly disagree with the other poster on this thread. We just completed the Rhine Getaway in April and the amount of smoking was surprising. We had a group aboard, 4 to 8 at any time, who chain-smoked cigars. I am not talking about one or two cigars after a meal. I am literally talking about chain-smoking from after breakfast until after dinner and could see some light a new cigar before they finished the old one. They set up midship and also at the front and the only time they did not have a cigar in their hand was when they had a cigarette in their hand. During the highlight of the trip, viewing the castles while cruising the river, I counted 13 people set up in the center of the deck – the men smoking cigars and the women smoking cigarettes - plus another group forward and another group aft. I did see one gentleman discreetly smoking at the back of the sun deck and I wondered why he was being polite when two or three dozen other smokers had no clue. To tell you what type of passengers we are on Viking, the “walking” track on deck has 10 floor-standing ashtrays around it. I once tried to get some exercise by walking on deck and the most I was ever able to manage was 29 smoke-free steps.

While we were in town, we joked that the Viking Idi was easy to locate as it sent up smoke signals during the day. If you missed the smoke signals, we joked that we could find the ship by the smell, as a mass of cigar smokers can smell a lot like a trash fire. The down side of all the smoking was during the tours. Because of the smoking on the tours, we would go to visit a cathedral and would come back smelling like we went to a bar. I should know, as I worked my way through undergrad working in a bar. We would sometimes have to store our jackets on the balcony after our tours, as they were too smoky to leave in the room.

By way of warning, the second deck of the river ship has a covered smoking area midship. It is always in use by at least 3 people on each side. If you have a balcony cabin, make sure it is well away from midship or you will not be able to use the balcony unless you like cigarette smoke. We were on the third deck, 6 rooms from midship and had a difficult time with the cigarette smoke.

The average age on our Rhine Getaway river cruise was about 75 and I was a little surprised by the smoking. None of the seniors I know smoke. A Viking River cruise is very nice if you are a chain-smoker. It is pretty challenging if you try to avoid second-hand smoke. Be warned.

Okay I admit to being a pariah, but if anyone lite up anywhere other than the one designated area on a Scenic cruise they were very politely told where to go. There is no way I would lite up and upset any of my fellow passengers. Last year I asked if I could use my electronic cigarette inside and they had to get back to head office, the answer was no. We have noticed that mainland Europe in some cases does not follow the no smoking indoors rules as we do in the UK and I fully agree with this edict, I don't see why I should inflict my addiction on others and upset their holiday.

CA

By way of warning, the second deck of the river ship has a covered smoking area midship. It is always in use by at least 3 people on each side. If you have a balcony cabin, make sure it is well away from midship or you will not be able to use the balcony unless you like cigarette smoke. We were on the third deck, 6 rooms from midship and had a difficult time with the cigarette smoke.

This is not the case according to the Viking FAQ.

Are the ships nonsmoking? Are there smoking areas?

 

All Viking ship interiors, staterooms and verandas are nonsmoking; this policy also applies to e-cigarettes. Each ship has an outdoor smoking area, generally on the Sun Deck.

 

 

 

By way of warning, the second deck of the river ship has a covered smoking area midship. It is always in use by at least 3 people on each side.

I've never seen the small side areas midship used as a smoking area or seen any indication that it's allowed. According to Viking, the only smoking allowed is on the top deck and that's the only place I've ever seen any. Maybe no-one challenged these people about smoking there so the crew let it go.

jimbob2 was very unlucky and it must have spoiled an otherwise enjoyable holiday.

I loath being in the company of smokers and on the Viking cruises I have been on there have been no issues. Very few smoked, you might get the odd one who lit up off the boat in town on a guided walk but as we all had the Quiet Vox we could move away.

I wasn't discomforted on the upper deck anytime either.

Smoking wasn't an issue for me.

But I'm tempting fate maybe as perhaps jimbob2's smoking party have booked on my next cruise ....

jimbo2, I think you were on a 'smoking' cruise [emoji15]. We've done 5, soon to be 6 Viking cruises and have never noticed a smoking issue, if it was truly bothersome I'd have talked with the PD or someone of authority on the ship and asked that they enforce the smoking to one area only as stated by Viking.

We don't like being in smoking areas and find it much more prevalent in Europe, tho it is changing there also. However it hasn't been an issue on Viking or any other river cruise company we've traveled with.

I've never seen the small side areas midship used as a smoking area or seen any indication that it's allowed. According to Viking, the only smoking allowed is on the top deck and that's the only place I've ever seen any. Maybe no-one challenged these people about smoking there so the crew let it go.

Hmmm… Interesting. This covered area, next to the outside stairs on the second deck, has free-standing ashtrays and was always well used during our Rhine Getaway river cruise – from the first night to the last morning. It always had about 3 to 6 people on both the starboard and port side. Usually, the cigar smokers took over the starboard side and the cigarette smokers had the port. Some of the crew used it at times. Since those large doors are automatic, and that area is well travelled, the cigar and cigarette smoke would be pulled into the ship. My wife reminded me that we had several people smoking on their verandas also.

What really bugged me is that Viking should have taken it upon themselves to arrange at least one non-smoking tour each day. It appears people are randomly assigned to tours, which evenly distributed the smokers among all tours. My wife says she estimates about 60 of the 180 passengers were heavy smokers on our cruise. Ironically, the only non-smoking tour we had was the pub crawl in Cologne. That tour has small groups of 8 to 10 and the non-smokers quickly segregated themselves. Since indoor smoking is not allowed in Cologne, the pub crawl was the only non-smoking tour of the week! By the way, the pub crawl is much lower key than it sounds. We had a great guide, and learned as much about local culture and traditions as we learned about Kolsch beer.

Since I have been in Europe several times before, the last time 3 years ago, I knew I would have to up my tolerance for public smoking. Ironically, some of the towns we visited (Rudesheim, Heidelberg, Strasbourg, Koblenz) seemed practically smoke free at least until the Viking Idi showed up. Most of the time, the Viking tourists were the only folks I saw smoking in public. Did I feel like an ugly American!

I don’t expect a smoke free ship and I don’t begrudge anyone the pleasure of enjoying a celebratory cigar after dinner. However, smoking occupied every outdoor space without exception. I am very curious about the Viking Ocean Cruises and the only thing that makes me hesitate is my previous experience with my fellow Viking passengers and smoking. I am leaning toward Oceana for that reason.

We've done 4 Viking cruises (Rhine, Danube, Main, Danube) and we've encountered very few smokers or cigar smokers. They are intermittent and not bothersome. My BIGGER aggravation are all the smokers in Europe. It's amazing to me how many people smoke, how many bars and restaurants till permit smoking and in Germany, I was floored by they cigarette machines at child-eye level without any method to prevent young people from buying them.

Not all of Europe .... UK has no smoking in enclosed public places, including pubs. Much nicer. France has tough no-smoking rules, you can enjoy a meal and a drink indoors now.

We were going to go to Las Vegas with our friends till they found that smoking was allowed in casinos.

We've done 4 Viking cruises (Rhine, Danube, Main, Danube) and we've encountered very few smokers or cigar smokers. They are intermittent and not bothersome. My BIGGER aggravation are all the smokers in Europe. It's amazing to me how many people smoke, how many bars and restaurants till permit smoking and in Germany, I was floored by they cigarette machines at child-eye level without any method to prevent young people from buying them.

It might not have been obvious to you, but German law now requires cigarette vending machines to need a driving licence or bank card inserted in a slot before it will dispense, so that would stop minors.

It is also now illegal to smoke in most enclosed public spaces in Germany, with some bars and restaurants allowed to have separately enclosed smoking rooms. (dependent on the state, and also often on teh size of the establishment).

This is still not the case in Austria though, where smoking is still normally permitted in most bars and restaurants :(

Restaurants have to have non-smoking areas, but there is no requirement for those areas to be separately enclosed, so smoke is likley to drift from the smoking areas.

We did have one time on our Viking cruise that we were bothered by the cigar smokers. We were trying to sit in the library area and they were right outside and every time the doors opened the smoke would come in. That is the only time we noticed them. It is also the only time we sat in the library.

We also noticed a lot of smokers outdoors in Paris. It did make sitting outside at cafes unpleasant at times. It's hard to remember that 30 years we weren't bothered by people smoking. Remember when the back of the planes were smoking? So much has changed.

Thank god! [emoji6]

sometimes. even if it really feel like to smoke

It might not have been obvious to you, but German law now requires cigarette vending machines to need a driving licence or bank card inserted in a slot before it will dispense, so that would stop minors.

 

It is also now illegal to smoke in most enclosed public spaces in Germany, with some bars and restaurants allowed to have separately enclosed smoking rooms. (dependent on the state, and also often on teh size of the establishment).

 

This is still not the case in Austria though, where smoking is still normally permitted in most bars and restaurants :(

Restaurants have to have non-smoking areas, but there is no requirement for those areas to be separately enclosed, so smoke is likley to drift from the smoking areas.

;) a no smoking area in a restaurant is like a no peeing area in a pool :rolleyes:

I am very curious about the Viking Ocean Cruises and the only thing that makes me hesitate is my previous experience with my fellow Viking passengers and smoking. I am leaning toward Oceana for that reason.

Jimbob,

I'm very sorry to hear about your experience with your Viking river cruise. Your and your wife's exposure to both cigarette and cigar smoke was inexcusable and should not have been tolerated. We have been on 4 Viking river cruises and on the Viking Star and have not have had even close to an experience such as yours.

Here is the policy on the Viking Star as regards smoking, and I believe they would gladly enforce it :

All Viking ship interiors, staterooms and balconies are nonsmoking except for the designated outdoor smoking area on the starboard side of Deck 8. Smoking restrictions also apply to e-cigarettes

Becki

Viking may say there is only smoking on the Sun Deck but that was not the case on our recent Rhine Getaway. On the top deck of cabins (one deck below the Sun Deck) on each side midship was a designated smoking area that on our cruise was used constantly by passengers and staff-usually no more than three at a time though. The problem was that it was right near the library where the wifi reception was the best and right near the stairs to the main deck and dining area so anytime anyone walked by (which was always) the automatic doors opened and the smoking area was right there so the smoke came into the area. It constantly smelled like cigarette smoke.

I will say that the smokers were polite but to go to the Sun Deck, we had to go through the smoking area. There was no avoiding the smell of smoke. Using the lounge area on our deck was not possible unless we wanted to be in a somewhat smoking area. We didn't have a lot of smokers on the cruise but enough that it was noticeable.

I really hate the smell of cigarette smoke and was surprised at how much there was on our cruise. I didn't like the smell of cigarette smoke in the ports and cities we went to but that is the culture of where we were so so be it.

Anyways a long winded answer to the question...

When the smoking area has not been as described by Viking, has anyone complained about it while on-board?

According to the Viking website under the FAQ section, the smoking policy is as follows:

All Viking ship interiors, staterooms and verandas are nonsmoking; this policy also applies to e-cigarettes. Each ship has an outdoor smoking area, generally on the Sun Deck.

In my opinion, this is vague and leaves open the possibility of having the smoking area in the side areas off of the atrium. I suspect this occurs often when the sun deck has to be closed. It also doesn't specify where the area will be on the sun deck. I have little tolerance for second-hand smoke in this day and time. I am fine with personal choice as long as I don't have to smell it. I will be complaining if this is an issue on my upcoming trip.

According to the Viking website under the FAQ section, the smoking policy is as follows:

 

All Viking ship interiors, staterooms and verandas are nonsmoking; this policy also applies to e-cigarettes. Each ship has an outdoor smoking area, generally on the Sun Deck.

 

In my opinion, this is vague and leaves open the possibility of having the smoking area in the side areas off of the atrium. I suspect this occurs often when the sun deck has to be closed. It also doesn't specify where the area will be on the sun deck. I have little tolerance for second-hand smoke in this day and time. I am fine with personal choice as long as I don't have to smell it. I will be complaining if this is an issue on my upcoming trip.

On our April Rhine Getaway, there was a smoking area on the sun deck and a smoking area on each side of the atrium on the deck by the library. Also we had great weather (We were so fortunate) so the Sun Deck was always open.