my3sonsnj

Can anyone that has been to Bermuda on multiple occasions share their favorite "to do" activity/excursion? We are going with a group of friends and half of them have been to Bermuda more than once while the other half have never been to Bermuda. I would like to be able to suggest a variety of things we can do together or separately.

Thanks so much!

Can anyone tell me an approximate amount of money in casino play needed at either Cesears or onboard to achieve free cruises? Just curious.....

5 hours ago, Dawnya00 said:

My question, does that mean that the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label is not included in that 40% off discount if purchased by the bottle.

The markup on the champagne is crazy. I don’t have the premium package but plan to bring a couple of bottles of Veuve Cliquot  (or similar) on my next cruise because even with a corkage fee it will be less than half the price of buying a bottle onboard.

10 hours ago, GamblingHabit said:

The chairs, which are more like stools but with a small back, are bar height.  There are NO opening windows.  Just one door in and out.  It gets pretty thick with smoke when there are several smokers in this glass box.

The one thing I noticed was that the ventilation system in this area was not nearly as robust as it should have been.

The other interesting thing is that Deck 8 is a deck that people walk outside on to get to bars and restaurants.  I'm not sure that the non-smokers enjoyed walking past the smoking box on their way to dinner or for drinks.  There were also balcony cabins directly above the smoking room.  Our cabin was 3 decks directly above it.

I'm not certain that NCL put a lot of thought into the size and location of their smoking area on this ship.  But at this point I don't see them relocating to another area or to another deck.  The Encore doesn't have the open areas on the back of the ship like others in their fleet.

Thanks so much for the additional details. I thought the design of the outdoor pool deck smokers box on the Breakaway/Getaway worked well, if not the location. I wish NCL could have used that design in H2O and aft waterfront to give a reasonable amount of covered outdoor space without totally enclosing the area.

28 minutes ago, GamblingHabit said:

I was on the NCL Encore's 2nd sailing on December 8th.  I think this was mentioned before but the only smoking areas are in an enclosed area of the casino (when the casino is open and you are actively gambling) and on Deck 8 Aft (portside) which is also an enclosed smoking area.  The area on Deck 8 measures 8 feet wide by 50 feet long (approximately).  There is only one door that opens to this area. This is not the door that shows the arrow in a previous posting picture.  There were so many smokers on this cruise that there wasn't enough room in the smoking room for everyone.  Especially when the casino was closed.  The smokers spilled out onto the deck outside of the smoking room.  I witnessed a couple of people with walkers and scooters that couldn't get into the smoking room - there was no room for their walkers or scooters to get through the tables, chairs and people.

Once again the Cigar Lounge on the Encore is huge with nice furnishings in it.  I don't get it.  The cigarette smokers out weigh the cigar smokers but the cigar smokers have the biggest and best accommodations.

Thank you for the updated photos. Those “chairs” look more like stools to me. Are they chair height, counter height or bar height? Also, it appears there aren’t any windows that can be opened? Just curious 😊  I agree that their seems to be a disparity in accommodations.

5 hours ago, Red-Sol said:

Hi Jeanette,

 

Which ship is this?

Hi Joe,

I am pretty sure they are photos from the Encore but I am not positive since I did not take them  

I do prefer covered outdoor designated smoking areas that can be used in all weather conditions. It looks like that is the intent on the Encore. However, bar stool seating is not very comfortable, especially compared to the cigar lounge seating, which is the only thing that would work in the area pictured.

I need deck chairs or those cushioned chairs they use on the waterfront, lol!

6 hours ago, jaja said:

An update for the GEM.

 

NO cigarette smoking in cigar bar. NO smoking outside on deck 7. Only smoking areas are casino when open and gambling and Bali Hai Deck 13.

This did present some serious  problems on Dec. 13th cruise when casino was closed AND deck 13 closed due to weather conditions.  Leaving zero locations for smokers.  Not sure NCL has thought this through . 

Thank you for the update! I have made the change to the spreadsheet:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IwhHuxFGVf8GRxIe1V30Bj0elmkPLRuQUxOpmI8LiFE/edit?usp=sharing

On 10/31/2019 at 7:48 PM, HarbM said:

On 8/12/2019 at 9:27 PM, GamblingHabit said:

Just putting out comparison pictures from this thread on how NCL accommodates cigar smokers versus cigarette smokers on their newest ships. Seems equitable to me 🙄

3 hours ago, Vertigirl99 said:

Hey y'all.  I found this, sort of by accident. Ignoring the date of the question posed (2011!)  The answer is updated with all the newer ships for NCL:

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq%23smoking?cid=PS_TSI_GENERIC_GEN_GOO-g_LEN_SRH___aud-790538556959:dsa-112401137825&kwid=9017494&anchor=NA&gclid=CjwKCAiAis3vBRBdEiwAHXB29NcVroighurEUQtvo914AftLdbjxi_q0uhlxmYPcUoptgBMhcOJ3GxoC5yAQAvD_BwE

 

You have to parse every word regarding indoor and outdoor, but it's...VERY INTERESTING  Esp. in regard to the casino. Almost gives the appearance that on Bliss, Joy and Encore you can smoke in the enclosed area and not be actively gambling.

Great find, that page must have been updated recently. I had the link to that page on the 2nd page of my spreadsheet all along but I hadn’t looked at it recently.
 

Looks like NCL is finally doing their job and this thread will become obsolete. 👍

23 hours ago, funtocruiselm said:

To all cruise lines:

 

Each cruise line should post the locations of indoor and outdoor smoking areas for smokers and non-smokers so everyone knows where to go and can decide where they want their cabin and non-smokers can avoid these areas.  Please list the information on your website.

 

There are more cigarette smokers than cigar smokers and we deserve a comfortable place indoors, not just the casino when there is bad weather.  There should be an indoor cigarette smoking room for  smokers on each ship with seating for 20 and at least 3 outdoor areas on different levels with seating for 30. We want to enjoy our vacation and we don't want to stand by a smoking pole in freezing rainy weather or hot sun!  Smoking areas need cover and seating.

 

It would also be great to make the small plastic flip covered ashtrays available for each person so we can pick one up on our way into the smoking area and then we can dump it and put it back on the counter on our way out.  The smoking poles tend to not work that great.

 

I hope the cruise lines read these posts and prepare for smokers better.

Well stated and I totally agree that the lack of communication and adequate accommodations results in the unnecessary diminishment of people's enjoyment of their vacation, both smokers and non-smokers. 

Honestly I don't really care about indoor spaces because I haven't smoked indoors in decades, except in casinos. However, having a choice of covered/enclosed outdoor spaces with a sufficient number of comfortable seating options (not bar stools) is becoming more and more of a priority to me as I get older.

Just made the updates to the spreadsheet.

Thank you to everyone helping to keep the data current since NCL refuses to do this!

Unofficial NCL Designated Smoking Areas by Ship

Just a reminder to everyone, I am trying to keep this thread data based so that I don’t have to weed through discussions/comments in order to find information that updates the spreadsheet.

I really appreciate cooperation with the goal! 

 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IwhHuxFGVf8GRxIe1V30Bj0elmkPLRuQUxOpmI8LiFE/htmlview#gid=0

4 hours ago, jnqsmith said:

I just read on another thread that deck 6 on the Sun is all non smoking now and that there is only 1 outdoor area now and it’s been moved to Champs. We will be on this Saturday and I will verify. 

Looking forward to your contribution to our crowd sourced document and thank you!

On 8/29/2019 at 9:11 AM, coriemarie said:

 

I suppose my main concern here would be - how big is the single 'smoking room'?

 

If an estimated 15% of the population smokes, and the capacity of the ship is 4000 people, that is around 600 possible smokers on the ship.

 

But that is just my observation.

Exactly, this calculation is on the 2nd page of the spreadsheet. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IwhHuxFGVf8GRxIe1V30Bj0elmkPLRuQUxOpmI8LiFE/edit?usp=sharing

On 8/28/2019 at 6:54 PM, NewbieCruiser1231 said:

Just sent a message asking information on where to smoke on Norwegian Encore.  Norwegian replied that there will be 2 places …(1) Humidor (no cigarettes, no vaping); (2) Smoking room portside on Deck 8.  There will be 3 smokers in our group....one place indoors for the whole ship??????  

Thank you for this information. I have put it in the spreadsheet as tentative 

On 8/27/2019 at 6:11 PM, Amadawn1 said:

Carnival does have ships home ported in NY.  Currently the Sunrise is home ported there.  I also found out the refurbished Radiance (currently the Victory) will be porting there in 2020.  There are also some cruises on the Legend scheduled from NY next year.  Also the Carnival Pride is home ported in Baltimore.  I've not cruised out of either of those ports before, but I am guessing that it may be a seasonal issue and they are not there year round?

True, Carnival does have ships sailing out of NY/NJ seasonally but there isn't one that is homeported in NY/NJ year round like RCCL & NCL. I like the 14 or more day cruises out of NY after the holidays (during the coldest months of the year) to warm weather    

RCCL  always seems to offer fewer days on their cruises compared to NCL's to the same destinations, so I have pretty much ruled them out, even if they were better at providing accommodations for smokers. Maybe if other cruiselines see the popularity of these cruise, some will jump on board to compete with equal or better offerings? Otherwise, I may have to start putting my vacation money into land vacations instead, lol.

15 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Serious question...Has anyone contacted NCL and directed them towards the OP's spreadsheet? NCL was supposedly going to update the website and the spreadsheet could help since the OP has done most of the work.

As the author of the spreadsheet, I know that I have sent it to the executive level guest relations person at least five times, maybe more. I don’t know if anyone else has done the same.

On 8/23/2019 at 7:04 PM, Amadawn1 said:

Yes, they are serious on their fines/possible removal from the ship.  But since they offer decent designated areas, it makes it much easier to have a quick smoke with coffee in the AM or a last one before heading back to the stateroom to call it a day. BTW, on the Freedom on an early rainy at sea morning, they put ashtrays out on the casino bar (casino and casino bar were closed) and folks were having a cup from the coffee bar there with a morning smoke. 

I wish Carnival had a ship home ported in NY/NJ since that is where I always cruise from. I would change cruise lines in a heartbeat if that were the case, even though I am only 2 cruises away from Platinum Plus on NCL. I have obviously been pretty loyal but I am thinking it is time to change my loyalties, lol.

On 8/23/2019 at 5:51 PM, Amadawn1 said:

Thank you, my3sonsnj for creating and updating your spreadsheet.  I last cruised NCL in early 2018.  I was shocked to see the changes to the designated areas since then.  I had seen a review of the Bliss and it looked like a great ship....until I saw only one designated area.  We can't afford the Haven and are not really gamblers.  My husband would never agree to sail on this ship.  We jumped back and forth between lines when the balconies became off limits.  The last was HA.  Now they only have one area on each ship (a second, small area on their larger ships).  So for now, we're pretty happy sailing the FUN ships.  We are treated well, and they keep the designated areas fairly clean.  There is also shade and protection from the elements to be had.  I am trying to attach their current policy across their fleet.  They also don't deviate from their website posted policy.  Thank you again for the spreadsheet!

 

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3490

Thanks for the comments! The lack of communication compared to Carnival is why I started the spreadsheet, lol.

And yes, it appears that Carnival has a much better grasp of policy, i.e. the company's laws, along with understanding the need to be current and detailed in expections if they want compliance. 

NCL has a laissez-faire attitude regarding policy, probably because they have the wrong person in charge of it and accept internal non-compliance and/or interpretation of written policy. It is a shame that they expect their customers to comply with something they are so unwilling to put sufficient effort into communicating.

Just speaking as someone that served on a company policy committee for over a decade and chaired it for 4 years, lol. It is kind of my thing ;-) 

11 hours ago, DCP said:

We were on the Bliss in April, and they strictly enforce the cigar only rule in the Humidor lounge. Reason being, that is the ONLY place cigars are allowed. They are not permitted to smoke cigars anywhere else on the ship. Hubby is a cigar smoker that has never complained about the cigarette smoking, so he could have cared less. But be forewarned, they will make you leave the Humidor if you're smoking a cigarette. Side note - they had to use the area in Spice for a private event, and they allowed the cigarette smokers in the Humidor during that time frame. They came in and acted like it was the cigar smokers that kept them from using the room and were acting like childish teenagers....they literally were saying HAHAHA - we're ALLOWED TO SMOKE in here so there! (they actually said just that!)  I agree with the above poster - LET THEM KNOW YOU'RE NOT HAPPY THAT THERE IS NO SPACE FOR SMOKERS!! The cruise fare is the same for smokers as it is for non smokers. Let them know that they need to accommodate the smokers too! (and I am NOT a smoker, never have been, it just pisses me off that those who are get treated like 2nd class citizens on the ships!)

 

Thank you for your comment. I totally agree with you that intolerance is insidious.

It seems like we are seeing it more and more. I just read an article about an HOA preventing a veteran from flying a flag outside his home. Really?? 

I don't understand how we became a society of pick & choose what you tolerate/accommodate.

On 8/11/2019 at 10:39 PM, GamblingHabit said:

I just got off of the NCL Joy. There is no cigarette smoking allowed in the Cigar Lounge. NCL has signs up in the Cigar Lounge that say “Cigarette Smoking Is Prohibited”.

There is a glass enclosed area in the casino to smoke and one small area within Spice H2O - deck 17 Aft. The Spice H2O area measures about 8 feet by 25 feet and has 18 chairs. There is no cover when it rains.

When the casino is closed you can’t smoke in the casino area.

My cabin was in the very front of the ship. Right under the bridge. It was a great cabin but I counted 800 steps to get from my cabin to the back of the ship (where the smoking area was). I got lots of exercise during the week but probably wouldn’t make that mistake again.

Another thing that smokers should be aware of is that Icy Straits Point is a non smoking tourist area. They allow smoking only where there is a yellow butt bucket. I counted 3 as I wandered all over the area.

I’m on a cruise in December on the Encore. Does anyone have any information about smoking areas on that ship?

Finally!!! Thanks so much for this information on the Joy. I have added your information to the spreadsheet.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IwhHuxFGVf8GRxIe1V30Bj0elmkPLRuQUxOpmI8LiFE/edit?usp=sharing

Do you happen to know if the Haven had a designated smoking area similar to the other Breakaway/Breakaway Plus category ships?

11 hours ago, 20YearsBetweenCruises said:

 I'm new to this, but if you like AFT cabins, that is where the upgrades matter. They told me you can go from an O1 to a B1 (B1 is aft).   You can always cash your points in for $300, but seems like using it to upgrade is the way to make more use of your points.    

Funny because I was told nothing in the oceanview category could be upgraded to an aft balcony. I was told I would get a BA - midship balcony from the O1.

My experience today . . . I have booked 3 cruises (2 on the Breakaway & 1 on the Bliss) in a Family Balcony and have been able to use 10,000 points to upgrade into an Aft Facing Balcony. Today I called the Worldpoints Dept just to verify it was the same on the Getaway prior to booking. I am being told that even if I booked a large balcony or spa balcony and used my Worldpoints, I would get a midship -BA- balcony (i.e. a downgrade for my points)????

What is that all about? 

The last cruise that I booked was about 14 months ago which I will be taking in January. Has the Worldpoints program made major changes with the end result being the points are worthless? 

Thanks for the update on the Dawn!

Still looking for information on Joy ❕ ???

Unofficial NCL Designated Smoking Areas