The Hated Smoking Question

I have sailed Holland America twice--Westerdam and Noordam--one a 7 day Alaska the other a 10 day Canada/New England. I don't remember cigarette smoking being an issue other than the theater being divided up into smoking/nonsmoking.

Perhaps I am getting worse with age, but I really don't care to be around cigarette smoke. Living in California, cigarette (and the even worse, IMHO, cigar) smokers are relegated outside.

I am trying to decide between the Celebrity Infinity and HAL Veendam South American cruise in Jan/Feb 2011. For the same money as a small balcony stateroom on Celebrity, I can get a Verandah Suite on HAL (but 2 less cruise days.) Also, HAL goes to the Falkland Islands and Celebrity does not. Celebrity has lots more port days, HAL has more cruising around days--which may be a big money saver as you aren't paying for a shore excursion doing the same thing.

BUT--------------------the idea of sharing a balcony or staying in a stateroom that has had people smoking in, is a big turnoff.

What do the non-smokers think? Is it a problem? Do that many people smoke these days? Is there a fumigation of the stateroom when it is turned over? Can you request a no smoking stateroom?

Please help me decide on HAL rather than Celebrity!

Celebrity Cruises

Where to Smoke: The port side of one lounge per ship, a designated slot machine area in each ship's casino, and designated areas on open decks, including the port side of the pool deck and sundecks on each ship, the port side of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Century and on Celebrity's Millennium class of ships, and the port side aft outside of Winter Garden on Celebrity Mercury.

Where NOT to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, show lounges, theaters, and restaurants, as well as the entire starboard side--indoors and outside. Celebrity Solstice's Lawn Club and the Sunset Bar at the Lawn Club do not allow smoking.

Cigars: Cigars are allowed only in designated sections of the open decks.

Holland America Line

Where You Can Smoke: Smoking is permitted in cabins, including cabin balconies, on open decks and in designated areas in most public spaces.

Where You Can't: All restaurants are non-smoking, as is the show lounge during performances.

Happy Holidays and Sailings. :)

"What do the non-smokers think? Some really hate it, some not so much.

Is it a problem? Sounds like for you it is.

Do that many people smoke these days? About 20% of adults.

Is there a fumigation of the stateroom when it is turned over? Yes

Can you request a no smoking stateroom?" No such thing.

Frankly even a cursory search of HAL's website and this board would have provided you answers to all of your questions. I suspect you would be happier on Celebrity.

I'm glad you posted the question. I have exactly the same issue. My best friend and I want to cruise from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso during the winter of 2010/2011.

I have cruised with HAL three times (38 days total) and never before with Celebrity. Other cruises have been on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Victoria Cruises, and Hurtigruten. One of the cruises was on the Carnival Paradise when it was totally nonsmoking. Breathing on that ship was easy!

I would really like to hear from others who are smoke sensitive who have cruised either HAL's Zeendam or Celebrity's Infinity in South America.

HAL's personal bottles of wine policy is a little more favorable, but I can figure out a solution if Celebrity wins the tobacco smoke issue.

I believe it becomes more important in South America as the people from Brazil, Argentina and Chile are likely to include a higher percentage of smokers than would cruisers from the US or Canada.

A balcony cabin for this cruise seems like a wonderful idea, but I would not enjoy it if I had to breathe somebody's tobacco smoke from another balcony, especially on port days.

I really want people's opinions. I really don't remember this as an issue when I cruised with my kids and my father in the 90s on Holland America. But--we didn't have a balcony cabin and my father paid for the cruise, not me. Sounds like smoking is more restrictive now, than back then. Recently, my husband and I have been on the Golden Princess, Carnival Valor, and NCL Pride of Hawaii (?). Smoking not an issue on these cruises and we did have balcony or suite cabins.

But--perhaps the smokers are moving to HAL due to the more liberal smoking policy. People from work that are elite level HAL cruisers are both smokers--so perhaps that is why.

My mother (and father in law) died from a smoking caused lung disease--so I am perhaps more negative about smoking than others. Yes--I know its legal. But after years of breathing second hand smoke, I try to avoid it these days.

The stateroom and the itinerary on HAL is more appealing to me than Celebrity--but the various posts from others on why NOT to cruise HAL (smoking policy) is a concern.

Responses from recent HAL cruisers that don't smoke would be appreciated.

I took a two week cruise with my mother on HAL last year- we had a verandah suite and I don't ever remember smoking or cigars being an issue. Never smelled them on the balcony, never in our room, never smelled them elsewhere. If you like the idea of the HAL cruse, I would not let some smokers deter you; they seemed to be in the minority on our trip.

Here's the deal -- HAL allows smoking in cabins and on verandahs. Smoking is also permitted in select bars, the casino (may be limited to certain nights) and portions of the aft deck and various areas on the promenade deck -- where ashtrays are provided. Apparently, some HAL ships have restricted smoking in bars that others have not. If a smoker on an adjacent balcony is going to ruin your cruise, then I wouldn't take the risk. You have been forewarned so now you can weigh the options.

Or just your comment cards out of of how many cruisers young and old these days globably speakin

After that, you are asking about 50 people among thousands.

Smoking At Sea

Never smoke in an elevator, on stairways, or in corridors. As a rule of thumb, if there's an ashtray at hand, you can smoke; if there's food served nearby, you can't. Pipes, and sometimes cigars, are often restricted to open decks. These are some of the specific dos and don'ts:

Azamara Cruises

Where to Smoke: Small sections for smokers are located on the port side of the Looking Glass Lounge and the forward area of the pool deck on the starboard side.

Where NOT to Smoke: No other areas on the ships allow smoking, including all restaurants, lounges, casinos, cabins and balconies.

Carnival Cruise Lines

Where to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, casinos, and designated areas in lounges and bars.

Where NOT to Smoke: Restaurants, show lounges, and the pool deck on those ships that have "indoor" areas serving food nearby.

Cigars: Cigar smoking is allowed only in cigar lounges and designated areas on open decks.

Celebrity Cruises

Where to Smoke: The port side of one lounge per ship, a designated slot machine area in each ship's casino, and designated areas on open decks, including the port side of the pool deck and sundecks on each ship, the port side of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Century and on Celebrity's Millennium class of ships, and the port side aft outside of Winter Garden on Celebrity Mercury.

Where NOT to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, show lounges, theaters, and restaurants, as well as the entire starboard side--indoors and outside. Celebrity Solstice's Lawn Club and the Sunset Bar at the Lawn Club do not allow smoking.

Cigars: Cigars are allowed only in designated sections of the open decks.

Costa Cruises

Where to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, open decks, and designated smoking areas in public rooms.

Where NOT to Smoke: All restaurants and show lounges.

Cigars: Cigar smoking is allowed only in designated areas, including cigar lounges and on open decks.

Crystal Cruises

Where to Smoke: Cabins and in designated areas of bars, lounges, and open decks.

Where NOT to Smoke: Restaurants, show lounges, and private balconies.

Cigars: Cigars (and pipes) are allowed in the Connoisseur Club and most open decks.

Cunard Line

Where to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, casinos, and in designated smoking sections of some bars and lounges.

Where NOT to Smoke: Show lounges, theaters, the library, and all restaurants.

Cigars: Cigars (and pipes) are permitted in cigar lounges, as well as on designated areas of open decks.

Disney Cruises

Where to Smoke: Cabin balconies and designated starboard-side open deck areas (including near the adults-only pool).

Where NOT to Smoke: All other indoor areas, including cabins, are smoke-free.

Holland America Line

Where to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, casinos, and in designated areas of bars, lounges, and open decks.

Where NOT to Smoke: All restaurants and show lounges.

MSC Cruises

Where to Smoke: In Cigar rooms, casinos, one dedicated lounge, and designated areas on open decks.

Where NOT to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, restaurants, show lounges, and all bars with the exception above.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Where to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, casinos, cigar lounges, and designated areas on open decks.

Where NOT to Smoke: All indoor public areas, with the exceptions noted above, and outdoor food venues.

Oceania Cruises

Where to Smoke: Smoking is permitted only in the aft port side of Horizons, and the starboard forward section of the outdoor Pool Deck.

Where NOT to Smoke: All other areas are smoke-free. This includes all cabins and balconies, restaurants, public rooms, and open decks except for the two designated smoking areas.

Oceania has tightened its smoking regulations with a "zero tolerance" policy, which imposes strict penalties upon those who smoke outside designated areas—up to and including disembarkation from the ship.

Princess Cruises

Where to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, and in designated areas in public rooms and open decks.

Where NOT to Smoke: Show lounges, elevators, dining rooms, and all food service areas. Additionally, "smoke-free nights" are scheduled in the casino.

Cigars: Cigar smoking is allowed only in cigar lounges and on open decks; pipe smoking is allowed on open decks.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Where to Smoke: Smoking is permitted on open decks, in the casino and Connoisseur Club on Seven Seas Mariner, Navigator, and Voyager, and in designated smoking areas in one lounge on each ship.

Where NOT to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, all indoor dining areas, and all public rooms except as noted above.

Cigars: Cigar smoking is permitted in the Connoisseur Club on Seven Seas Mariner, Navigator, and Voyager, and in designated areas of open decks. Pipe smoking is permitted only in the Connoisseur Club on those ships and is prohibited on other ships.

Royal Caribbean

Where to Smoke: Private ocean view balconies, the starboard side of open decks, and in designated smoking areas of certain public rooms.

Where NOT to Smoke: In cabins (passengers who smoke in their cabins will be fined $250), restaurants, show lounges, passageways, the port sides of open decks, and one public lounge on each ship, which is designated non-smoking.

Cigars: Cigar and pipe smoking is only permitted within the cigar lounge. If no cigar lounge exists on the ship, there will be a designated area for pipe and cigar smoking

Seabourn Cruise Line

Where to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, and designated areas of open decks.

Where NOT to Smoke: Restaurants (including outside areas where food is served), lounges, and elevators.

Cigars: Cigar and pipe smoking are allowed only in designated areas on open decks after 9pm.

SeaDream Yacht Club

Where to Smoke: Outdoors on Decks 3, 4 and 6.

Where NOT to Smoke: All indoor spaces, including cabins, and outside on Decks 2 and 5.

Silversea Cruises

Where to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, designated areas of The Bar, aft of the Terrace Café (outside), the casino, and designated areas on open decks.

Where NOT to Smoke: Restaurants, the show lounge, and all other public rooms.

Cigars: Cigar and pipe smoking is permitted in cigar lounges and designated areas on outside decks.

Windstar Cruises

Where to Smoke: Designated areas on outside decks only.

Where NOT to Smoke: All indoor spaces, including cabins.

Cigars: Cigar and pipe smoking are allowed only on designated outside deck areas.

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If it's a toss up between Celebrity and HAL then it's a no brainer. HAL seems to take a far more tolerant attitude towards where smoking is permitted so if this issue is likely to make or break your cruise then pick Celebrity.

It only takes one smoker on your neighboring balcony, side, below or above, to ruin an otherwise perfect trip. Why risk it when there are great choices without the ever present smokers.:mad:

I have sailed Holland America twice--Westerdam and Noordam--one a 7 day Alaska the other a 10 day Canada/New England. I don't remember cigarette smoking being an issue other than the theater being divided up into smoking/nonsmoking.

 

 

BUT--------------------the idea of sharing a balcony or staying in a stateroom that has had people smoking in, is a big turnoff.

 

What do the non-smokers think? Is it a problem? Do that many people smoke these days? Is there a fumigation of the stateroom when it is turned over? Can you request a no smoking stateroom?

 

Please help me decide on HAL rather than Celebrity!

I am a smoker and on Westerdam week of 12/6/09, I was told by my cabin stewards there was NO smoking allowed in the cabin; only on my verandah. Also, smoking on the ship was limited to the Sports Bar, casino, aft pool area (starboard side only) and a part of the observation deck.

TracyE

I am a smoker and on Westerdam week of 12/6/09, I was told by my cabin stewards there was NO smoking allowed in the cabin; only on my verandah. Also, smoking on the ship was limited to the Sports Bar, casino, aft pool area (starboard side only) and a part of the observation deck.

TracyE

Since, you did not include the "Crow's Nest" in your list, has smoking now been eliminated ENTIRELY in the Crow's Nest?

Formally, smoking was permitted on the starboard side in the Crow's Nest, leaving the port side as non smoking!

You will happier on Celebrity. I would not take the risk on a long (and expensive) trip that smokers would be on either side of me or in the cabins right below. Also they will clean the cabin but on our last HAL cruise the cabin reeked ( we would not even unpack), we did get the cabin cleaned--and yes it was just fine but not a good first impression.

That being said we are on a quick 7-day Caribbean on HAL in January--but after our last transatlantic we will book another cruise line for a longer trip. If indeed a new policy is no smoking inside the cabin then it will be an even bigger worry for those of us who love our balconies.

the solution is easy--pick a cruiseline that suits you--you know the smoking policy upfront that should help make your choice easier.

Smokers can be happy with HAL's policy, smoke sensitive people happy on Celebrity.

Since, you did not include the "Crow's Nest" in your list, has smoking now been eliminated ENTIRELY in the Crow's Nest?

Formally, smoking was permitted on the starboard side in the Crow's Nest, leaving the port side as non smoking!

I don't know about ALL ships, but the Zuiderdam Crow's Nest was totally non-smoking this past October.

Chain smoker in adjacent balcony put a damper on our last cruise. As soon as the man lit up, he went into a coughing spell that wouldn't quit -- wonder why -- enphysema I thought! I think his cruising days are numbered.

Anyhow, my sensitivity to cigarette smoke prevented me from spending much time in our balcony. On the first day, my wife asked the man nicely to smoke at the farthest end of his balcony from ours, but that only lasted about 5 minutes. After that, he made a point of always smoking the closest to our balcony. Nicotine must have already impaired his brain.

In Oct on the Zaandam there was a dedicated smoking area in the CN. As far as I know and I have checked with friends on board smoking is still allowed in HAL cabins.

I just checked their website and currently it states that there are no non smoking cabins. I couldn't cut and paste it for some reason.

I am very sensitive to smoke (I have allergies and asthma). I have never had a problem in the cabins. I don't know how they get the smoke out of the upholstery, but somehow they do. I have had problems on my balcony, but not a lot. What's worse is public rooms that separate smoking from non-smoking (as if the smoke will respect the invisible wall that divides us).

That list above was very helpful to me--thanks for it! I think I'll try Celebrity next.

Since, you did not include the "Crow's Nest" in your list, has smoking now been eliminated ENTIRELY in the Crow's Nest?

Formally, smoking was permitted on the starboard side in the Crow's Nest, leaving the port side as non smoking!

Correct no smoking in the Crow's Nest. There was an outdoor area with ashtrays, but I rarely saw anyone out there.

Tracy

As a non-smoker with kids, we were on Eurodam last fall and had a neighbor who smoked on his balcony. We had to leave ours a couple of times, but I would not say it ruined the cruise. The casino and bars are obviously smoke filled so we avoided those areas as much as possible. Theatres and restaurants were smoke free, so that was not a problem. However, we were all set to do Celebrity to Alaska, but with cost and itinerary issues similar to yours, we booked HAL again. I am hoping that we can deal with any smoking issues that come up. We will just have to adjust knowing that our neighbor is not breaking any rules. We made this choice with our eyes wide open.

Why don't the cruise lines allow smoking on portside balconies but not on starboard? Or vice versa?

Seems like that would solve a lots of problems.

It is very annoying when you get a smoker, particularly a cigar smoker, on an upwind balcony.

HWY 101 --- Thank you for the list. I think that we can all see where this is going. I would be very surprised if all smoking had not been eliminated five years (or less) from now. Smoking is getting less and less acceptable in todays society. HAL keeps that smoking survey coming on each cruise and I know that its a hot topic with them. Carnival went smokeless on one ship but finally had to reverse that call (it was too early) but when the time comes I see all lines moving within the same year to eliminate all smoking.

I am just so amazed every time a smoking thread shows up!

If you have looked at the smoking policy of the cruise line you are interested in then that should be all the info you need to make the right decision for you. Just because one person had a wonderful cruise and never smelled smoke does not mean you will have the same. Obviously, the opposite applies as well.

It's as tho we must do this over and over again until people get whatever response they want. I'll bet there are thousands of pages just on smoking yet we revisit it time and time again.

Sorry - I didn't really mean to rant but I truly am amazed by the question being raised again and again and again!

I just hung up the phone with HAL. The HAL employee double checked and yes you can smoke in the cabins and balconies.

Why don't the cruise lines allow smoking on portside balconies but not on starboard? Or vice versa?

 

Seems like that would solve a lots of problems.

 

It is very annoying when you get a smoker, particularly a cigar smoker, on an upwind balcony.

There are not enough smokers left to make that practical.

The latest figures are something like only 20% of adult U.S. population smokes.

They cannot reserve 50% of the verandas for smokers as there could be as little as 10% give or take that want a veranda and that smoke.

There are not enough smokers left to make that practical.

 

The latest figures are something like only 20% of adult U.S. population smokes.

 

They cannot reserve 50% of the verandas for smokers as there could be as little as 10% give or take that want a veranda and that smoke.

Then maybe a certain number of aft cabins on a particular side.

As it stands, the non smoker has no way to ensure a smoke free balcony.