JulieAF

the only problem with this is that no rights were taken away. A rule from a cruise ship was altered. This is a bit over the top.

 

maybe there should be one more thing on here

 

Dont like the non-smoking balcony rule? Don't book that cuiseline

best post ever!!!!

I am not sure if you are the second person or you are the same person who commented on Nicotine still being in e cigs but I will ask you this as I am curious. How is anyone who is smoking an ecig that does not contain tar affect your health? I am asking because I am truly curious as I have always thought that the tar, and other things are what is harmful to smokers and those around smoke and thought that the nicotine only affected the person smoking.

My mom is one of those who will walk over to me in a designated smoking area and sit down and wave her hand and cover her mouth (which drives me nuts but she's my mom so I just tell her I'll be over there to sit with her in a little bit) but in the car or in a hotel room she is not in the least bit bothered by my ecig mine is cinnamon and is vapor not like one of those that the end lights up it has a small button I push to get the vapor. I am just wondering why nicotine is brought up with ecigs??

 

As to the smoking ban on balconies well I don't like it but I"ll deal with it by not paying more for a balcony and just getting an inside cabin and save money.

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/vapor-e-cigs-nicotine-toxins-tobacco-study-article-1.1565760

Secondhand vapor from e-cigarettes contains nicotine but not other toxins: study

 

"What we found is that non-users of e-cigarettes might be exposed to nicotine but not to many toxicants when they are in close proximity to e-cigarette users," said Goniewicz.

 

"It is currently very hard to predict what would be the health impact of such exposure," he added.

There's free wifi at the Public Library in Hamilton. (I sat right outside on a bench.) I used WhatsApp and was able to text and send voice texts quickly & easily...free. Not a phone conversation, but real-time communication with no charges.

Actually smokers do have the same options everyone else has :rolleyes:. Nothing is stopping you from going anywhere on the ship, just like anyone else. You have the option to go whereever you want. We all have the same options there. There are just certain things we all can't do in certain areas. There are certain areas for you to play basketball, swim, play on a slot machine, and many other activities you choose to partake in. While the cruiselines limit where you can do these activities, you do have the choice to do them in their designated areas. Just like smoking.

 

Smoking is an activity option that you choose to do. Your option to smoke has not been taken away, the cruiseline has just limited the areas where it can be done. It is still your choice/option to smoke or not. You have not lost the use of your balcony. It is still there for you to use the same way everyone else does. You just are not allowed to smoke there... nor is anyone else.

Simple, isn't it?

Don't be that impressed. He invited the rest of us to dinner!

Awesome!! Enjoy your dinner. Lol. Too bad you won't be able to relax with a cigarette on your balcony afterwards. :p. ;) :D

You can choose to wake up with your coffee in your jammies and robe (or whatever) on your balcony. I can not. It feels like this - have you ever been a houseguest who typically wakes up with coffee? Gotta have coffee, even before a shower. Wasn't it kind of a pain that when you woke up you had to make yourself some degree of presentable before showing yourself in the kitchen to have/make coffee? I'm even talking about family situations. I don't feel comfortable showing up in the kitchen of my sister in law's house in my nightshirt even though I'm pretty sure my brother in law has seen a lot more and a lot more better looking. I really don't want to pay 5K to not be able to enjoy my vacation this way.

I understand, but no one's health/well-being is affected if I sit on my balcony in my jammies.

Color me impressed!

I just received a voicemail from Mr. Sheehan's office. It was in response to my email. I never gave them my cellphone number, so they must have looked me up by name!! They wanted to thank me for my positive feedback about the policy change, and for being a loyal NCL passenger.

:)

Maybe it's time to have smoking & non-smoking ships. So many major hotel chains have gone totally non-smoking, however smokers can easily find hotels that allow it.

All Disney resorts forbid it completely (and they do not suffer from any boycotting), yet there are hundreds of other hotels that allow it.

I don't want to be stuck on a floating city on long sea days, with my expectation of fresh air in debate anymore.

You said it all in one line......why allow the minority with an addiction to impinge on the majority!!!!

I agree..... that was the single most accurate statement/question in this whole megathread.

Can we smoke and get away with it on the balcony? Has anyone tried on other cruises? I'm not proud to be a smoker for sure - but it is my vacation, I'd like just this one vice

If someone complains, you will have to pay a $250 fine and possibly be removed from the ship, according to the new regulations. Passengers sitting on adjacent balconies do not have to be "nosey neighbors" to smell the smoke. They can just be sitting or sleeping on their own balcony. That's the issue. They don't have to peek around the divider to have smoke come onto their balcony. The unscented/unflavored ecigs should not be noticeable.

This thread absolutely intrigues me. Here in Aus we always think the US are so ahead, but here with the smoking issue you are so behind. Smoking has been banned in public places, casinos for ages. No business has been lost because the majority of non smokers returned and guess what- the smokers who were not going to come anymore, did come back. Businesses worried, but no revenue was lost. As a country we had to address the issue do to a worker with lung cancer suing an employee. So it is also a health and safety issue. Employees have to work in smoke free environments. Cruise ships haven't had smoking on balconies since at least 2009, unsure of beginning date, but I did do a cruise around then and that was the norm. Nobody worries about whether people will follow the law/rule or not we just do it. It is accepted. After all why allow for the minority with an addiction that impinges on the majority. E cigs are not allowed here as they have not been proven safe. And coming from a region that does not have them I can definitely smell them when I've travelled in Europe. So I wouldn't be balcony snooping, my nose would have sussed them out. So I guess with the smoking issue we are ahead! I do feel sorry for smokers though because in so many ways your addiction impacts on your lifestyle and it can't be easy to give up something you've done for so long. I know I would not get to travel so extensively if I smoked as long flights would be so hard.

 

 

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I enjoyed reading your sensible post. Thanks.

I called NCL today to express my appreciation for changing their policy, so we may now enjoy our balcony cabins.

I encourage others who are pleased with the new fresh air policy to do the same. As the majority, our concerns were heard. Remain the squeaky wheel!!

I am also writing to Mr. Sheehan to praise his sensibility.

Back in 1991, one casino on the strip -- the Silver City Casino -- went 100% smoke-free. If I recall correctly, the smoke-free rule lasted less than 1 year. The revenue drop was huge. No casino has tried it since, but there are a number of smoke-free areas within the large casinos there. Obviously, they have much more real estate than a cruise ship does, so revenue drops in those areas have a significantly lower impact on the bottom line...

I believe times have changed a lot since then. Like the former 100% smoke-free Carnival Paradise many years ago, they were ahead of their time. If tried again now, with so many more former & non-smokers, I believe it would be a different story.

Do people still protest smoking bans ay bars and restaurants? Or do you just go smoke in a designated area?

 

Do people protest going to their friends homes if they can't smoke in the living room? Or do you just wait until you are outside?

 

Do people protest airlines because they can't smoke on a plane anymore? Or do they just deal with it until for their relatively short flight duration?

 

The big fuss being made will go away. People will accept it and deal with it, and perhaps everyone will be better off for it.

Agreed. Not "perhaps".....surely & definitely.

I like the idea but personally I would never do that because I don't like drama. I prefer getting the policy changed. Which is what has happened.

 

Now I can book balconies on NCL. I had an outside booked last December on Breakaway because I didn't want to book one with the possibility of second hand smoke. I ended up with a balcony anyway with a free upgrade. Guess balconies were not in high demand, maybe because of passengers like me hesitant to book them because of the then second hand smoke policy.

 

Unfortunatly because of the design of Breakaway with the casino being in the center of the public areas, second hand smoke was a problem on that ship in the public areas around the casino. Smoking in the casino needs to be banned.

In May, I got a balcony (also Breakaway)cheaper than any ocean view as well.

The stench by 6,7,8 was appalling. I hope they eventually ban smoking in the casinos too.

Bravo. This is one of those issues where most will have strong opinions on both sides of this issue. I grew up with 2 smoking parents (who both died of lung cancer, BTW). After getting out of that environment, I have become very sensitive to cigarette smoke. I am not exaggerating, when someone lights one up in the vehicle in front of me in traffic, I can smell it. Yes I know, ridiculous. Anyway, I am thrilled with the policy, as I did have a previous cruise I enjoyed less because of my neighbors' cigarette smoking. What you did was give them a taste of their own medicine. I rather enjoyed your post!:D

Thanks. :)

I am also extremely sensitive to, and therefore extremely intolerant of smoke. This new ban will allow us to enjoy our cruises and balconies in the future.

Please be sure to write your thoughts & appreciation to management next time you cruise. That goes for all of us who feel SOOO appreciative of NCL and other lines. Keep writing how much the ban means to you.

Remain the squeaky wheel! ;)

There is scientific evidence that second hand smoke is dangerous and cruise staff are subjected to it far worse than passengers. I'm an ex smoker but my addiction was so long ago it barely matters. I'm a liberal person but after watching my beloved brother pass from smoking related lung cancer, I advocate for educating smokers about their addiction and ensuring they know where to get help to kick their habit. That said, I truly believe that smokers think they choose to smoke but only their first cigarette was a choice - the rest due to addiction. And the right they think they have to smoke does not extend to infiltrating my personal space when they exhale the smoke's toxins. I do not envy the cruise industry about this issue. Trying to keep every one happy is not possible and I suspect some smokers were in fact using the ocean as their personal ashtray. I have seen cigarette butts when looking over board on a cruise ship. This is certainly a volatile issue with strong feelings on both sides. I feel badly for those who are addicted to the toxic nicotine in cigarettes. But I confess that I feel for those of us who are affected by smokers around us.

Thank you for this thoughtful post.

I am very sorry about your brother. My mom (cruise partner) died two years ago from COPD, due to many years of smoking. Senseless and preventable tragedies.

I hope the cruise lines will closely monitor the smoking areas to ensure safety for all passengers & crew.

For those who laughed at the notion that NCL may be changing the smoking policy because of constant complaints from non-smoking passengers, that is exactly why Carnival did it. Why wouldn't NCL's reason be the same? I found nothing in any article about insurance policies or sprinkler systems or other reasons stated in this thread.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/cruiselog/2014/07/09/carnival-bans-smoking-on-balconies/12400429/

Cruise passengers requested the tougher smoking rules, the line said.

 

"In response to the preferences of a majority of our guests, effective October 9, 2014, Carnival Cruise Lines will no longer allow smoking on stateroom balconies fleetwide," the line said in a statement to USA TODAY.

To the poster who stated that Revel Atlantic City was going under because they didn't allow smoking....please do some research before making claims like that.

snip....The most immediate and powerful reason Atlantic City's casinos are struggling is because of a glut of casino sin nearby states. Since late 2006, when the first casino opened in neighboring Pennsylvania,Atlantic City's casino revenue has fallen from $5.2 billion to $2.86 billion last year. Casinos have now popped up all around New Jersey; in New York, a Manhattan casino could open before the end of the decade.

 

The casinos failed for years to plan for the day when they wouldn't be the only game in town. For decades, they were content to offer gambling — and little else. It wasn't until the Borgata entered the market in 2003 that Atlantic City realized the need to diversify the experience their customers could receive. That drive to offer spas, gourmet restaurants, upscale shopping and hip nightclubs — now underway with a fierce urgency — comes at a time when most people in the region live within an hour of a casino, lessening the need to drive to Atlantic City.

 

Companies took on mountains of debt to buy or expand casinos in Atlantic City. That wasn't so much of a problem when revenues kept increasing, but when competition and the Great Recession hit with a one-two punch, the debt became crippling. That led to layoffs, delayed new investments and some maintenance. Caesars Entertainment, which is closing the Showboat, has among the highest debt levels in the industry and has been trying to improve its balance sheet by closing some properties. /snip

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/07/21/bad-bet-atlantic-city-future-looks-bleak-thanks-to-glut-casinos/

Thank you - its an awesome feeling -

People say quitting smoking makes you miserable - I found it one of the happiest times of my life. I would wake up every morning - and think "WOW = I dont smoke!"

I still think its amazing!!:D

I SO get it!!! It has been almost 23 years since I quit... but still, to this day, I say "Thank You God, for helping me quit" when I see a smoker. My annual cruise is a reminder of the life I will enjoy for a longer time, and the funds I will enjoy more of. :)

I never thought I would quit smoking. For nearly 30 years - I smoked, laterally I was on nearly 50 a day - I convinced myself as they were low doze nicotine they were "safe". (0.1mg Nic + 1mg tar) . My daughter prayed I would stop. I cry now with shame when I think of her as a little girl covering her nose and mouth with her sleeve to shield herself.

In my day - I was handed a cigarette when I turned 18. It was like a growing up ritual - Smoking was everywhere. In planes trains buses - I remember my first office being a cloud of black smoke.

I never thought I would quit.

Two years ago - I was on a cruise - Costa (Im Gold Pearl with Costa) - and this ship was sooooooo smokey - the air con wasnt drawing it - and I remember being in the lounge thinking "I cannot deal with this smoke".. On the way home - we transited through Schipol airport. In Schipol there is a "cage" - a glass smoking room. You can take drinks in there etc. I was in there - and I kept thinking about the people around me. I was looking at drunken men who had foul language - they were horrible - I then thought about the smoke that had been in their bodies - going into mine - It made me feel sick to the stomach. That was the big start for me.

I had never ever tried to quit before. The fear of quitting alone makes people think it cannot be done.

I had ecigs at home - but at the time hadnt used them. I also had nicotine patches.

I got up one morning - and watched this video. For anyone reading this - who knows - one of you might want to quit. IF you do - then prepare yourself first with whatever nicotine therapy you want to use - - then - choose a quiet moment and watch this little ten minute film. Its not hypnosis. It is a little psychology - from a Doctor - and for me - it did the trick - he was right - it took me ten minutes to quit a 30 year habit. I watched that video - and to this day - I have never smoked again.

I worked with my local pharmacist. I was on ecigs AND patches. I still enjoy my ecig - albeit now I use zero nicotine menthol shisha -

Dont be afraid to quit - the fear I think makes you think you cannot do it. YOU CAN!!!

The money I saved from quitting I am investing back into my health. I initially put on weight. I now have a personal trainer twice per week and I am trying to not only lose weight but week by week, month by month - I am improving my lung function - I can only pray I can repair some of the damage I have done.

I do think its crazy to put people who use ecigs back into smoking areas. Why not designate VAPING areas then? Vapers dont want to be amongst smoke again - vapour is not smoke. For those who are newly quit - its very hard to be back in the corner again - and combined with alcohol and vacation - temptation to start again would be so easy. I cannot see why, if cruiselines want to alienate ecigs - that they cannot then make designated vaping -

Anyway - I know thousands read these forums without posting - and if one person quits from watching this wee video - my post will have been worth it - SO - if that is YOU - dont watch it yet - Save it for later. Prepare your nicotine therapy cupboard - and then - prepare to quit in the next ten minutes - There is no selling - no hypnosis - just a very very clever man. For me - who was on at least two packs a day, I watched this - howled my eyes out - and never ever smoked again. I had two cigarettes wrapped that week in cling film - I carried those with me "just in case" - to this day I still have them - as a reminder to me. And I never - smoked again.

Its THAT simple!:) Good luck!

Blondie-

Thank you for taking the time to write your post. I hope that if someone reads it and watches that video clip, they may consider quitting. Congratulations to you!

I call BS right along with you. Have had dinner with Officers twice in the past year and the subject was never brought then or at any other times we were talking with the FO or HD. Nice try Julie.....possibly some will believe you but not many! :rolleyes:

It's the truth. There's no reason on earth to lie about something like that. (Maybe he was forthright about asking and taking notes, due to the department he works in.)

I call BS, Julie. I have had dinner with many ships' personnel and a topic of this nature would never be brought up by them. There is too much of a chance of pissing someone off and they would never take that chance.

 

Good try though.

Not BS at all, Oh Crusader for The Rights of Smokers, (even though you don't smoke!!) ;) ;) ;) ;)

I have his name and his email address. He actually emailed me photos from our dinner! :) If they had private messages on here, I'd send it to you so you could write and ask him.