Smoking: Holland America vs Celebrity

Would you consider leaving HAL because of their smoking policies? Celebrity changed their policy and no longer allows smoking in cabins, balconies, casino and most areas of the ship. Holland America still allows smoking in cabins, balconies, casino and many areas of the ship.

You need not respond to this poll. Just looking for numbers! -- not trying to bring out that old dead horse so we can play verbal pinata.

Enjoy!

Kel:)

I would consider switching to Celebrity as I have asthma. That is IF smoking is an issue on our next cruise. It was NOT an issue on our first cruise to Alaska on the Westerdam, I was only slightly annoyed when a neighbor was smoking on his balcony. Certainly not bothered enough by that experience to leave HAL. I was looking at itineraries and for our next cruise (hopefully) we would be taking the Eurodam to Canada/New England and Celebrity does not currently have a matching itinerary sailing out of NYC. So, assuming our upcoming cruise is as fantastic as our first one we would not be switching cruiselines for the Canada/New England itinerary. If itineraries were equal I would definitely go for the non-smoking cruise.;)

diane

I would consider switching to Celebrity as I have asthma. That is IF smoking is an issue on our next cruise. It was NOT an issue on our first cruise to Alaska on the Westerdam, I was only slightly annoyed when a neighbor was smoking on his balcony. Certainly not bothered enough by that experience to leave HAL. I was looking at itineraries and for our next cruise (hopefully) we would be taking the Eurodam to Canada/New England and Celebrity does not currently have a matching itinerary sailing out of NYC. So, assuming our upcoming cruise is as fantastic as our first one we would not be switching cruiselines for the Canada/New England itinerary. If itineraries were equal I would definitely go for the non-smoking cruise.;)

diane

Hi diane,

I was wondering if people from Celebrity, who smoke, are moving over to Holland America, thus, increasing the number of smokers onboard? My last cruise with HAL was the Maasdam in Canada/New England -- only a few issues with smokers on that cruise.

Enjoy!

Kel:)

My choice was not listed. I will continue cruising HAL if they continue moving to less and less smoking and if the amount of smoke we smell continues to decrease. If they stop moving towards no smoking or they start getting more smokers, we will quit cruising HAL. We will also leave HAL if smoking on any HAL cruise ruins a cruise experience for us. Also, if most other cruiselines go non-smoking, we'll sail with one of those.

This was one situation that I had not even thought of until just a couple of days before leaving I found your board here I saw someone post a comment that it was not a problem but was bracing myself for one....and there was NONE:)

I can think only of one really minor instance where it bothered me but that was in the Casino so it was big enough to go elsewhere....and I fully expected it there anyways.

... I was wondering if people from Celebrity, who smoke, are moving over to Holland America, thus, increasing the number of smokers onboard?...

I would imagine that smokers who have decided to move from Celebrity are being disbursed among several lines, including but not exclusive to, HAL.

We actually had a problem with the question because we do not choose our cruise line based on loyalty. We have managed to cruise on 12 different cruise lines (more then 50 ships) including HA and Celebrity. We make our cruise decisions based on several factors including itinerary, cost, ship, etc. To be honest, we love the variety that we find by switching cruise lines. Regarding smoking, we are non-smokers and that is a factor in our decision-making, but not a deal breaker. Our next cruise is a 42 day on HA (next month) so we do like HA. On the other hand, I do not spend one cent in the casino since I have no desire to enter a smoke-chamber to gamble. On ships where they have no-smoking nights in the casino (Celebrity is one that does this) we do enjoy gambling. We have no problem with smokers who follow the rules, but we do choose to avoid them whenever possible. As an ex smoker I always liked the saying that "kissing a smoker is like licking a dirty ashtray" and chose to quit smoking so as not to subject my mate to that experience.

Hank

I'd stick around HAL! I don't smoke, never have, but ciggie/cigar/pipe smoke has never bothered me on the dam ships

I have asthma and I would stick with HAL. I have been impressed with the air quality in the casinos on the HAL ships, the `O` in particular. I also had smokers on either side of our verandah cabin and the smoke odor was minimal IMO. YMMV.

Rich

I'm a nonsmoker (never smoker), but have to say truthfully I've never been bothered by smoke on a cruise.

I can't really pick a category as I wouldn't really be "leaving" HAL for another line -- since my last HAL cruise was several years back and my next isn't until September. However, I can truthfully say that smoking has not, as of yet, played any role in my decision of what cruise line to sail with. Itinerary is #1 for me, a cruise with decent enough food, service, and entertainment is #2, and affordability #3.

i have asthma and i would stick with hal. I have been impressed with the air quality in the casinos on the hal ships, the `o` in particular. I also had smokers on either side of our verandah cabin and the smoke odor was minimal imo. Ymmv.

 

 

Rich

wtgd!:)

my choice wan't listed:

i won't cruise with X because of their smoking policy

I have casted my vote!!

I would imagine that smokers who have decided to move from Celebrity are being disbursed among several lines, including but not exclusive to, HAL.

Good point Marsha! I used the switch from Celebrity to HAL, as they are both classified as "Premium" cruise lines. Many people consider them more alike than different. We use to alternate between Holland America and Celebrity.

Other than Celebrity, you would have to choose Azamara or Oceania to get a similar smoking policy. People moving from Celebrity could select Princess, Cunard, Carnival, NCL, Costa, MSC, as they all have similar smoking policies.

Enjoy!

Kel:)

Good point Marsha! I used the switch from Celebrity to HAL, as they are both classified as "Premium" cruise lines. Many people consider them more alike than different. We use to alternate between Holland America and Celebrity.

Other than Celebrity, you would have to choose Azamara or Oceania to get a similar smoking policy. People moving from Celebrity could select Princess, Cunard, Carnival, NCL, Costa, MSC, as they all have similar smoking policies.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

acutually, cunard has changed to a much stricter policy of late. i'm pretty sure MSC doesn't allow smoking in the cabins anymore, either.

my choice wan't listed:

 

i won't cruise with X because of their smoking policy

Same here. :)

You missed one!!! :eek:

" I'm a non-smoker and have gone to Celebrity BECAUSE of it's clean air policies. :D Smell you all later! :p "

I wonder how many of the bad reviews that have been given to Celebrity recently came from angry smokers? :rolleyes::p

Another smoking thread...:(

Just recently got off of one the "dam" ship's and as a smoker who always stays in the smoking permitted area's, I'm here to tell you that it is VERY limited.

Only in the evening in the casino, could you possibly smoke. On the walkaround deck, only on the back did I ever see an ashtray. At the sea pool there was only five table's with ashtray's. In stateroom smoking and balcony stateroom's, I NEVER smelt the linger of cigarette smoke. I smoke but I do have a keen sense of smell to cigarette smoke and as I would walk the different stateroom decks, the smell was not detected by me.

Just for the record, I'm truly hoping to quit this habit that is hurting my health. I hope to be smoke free by the time of my next HAL cruise. However, I do support smoker's rights as long as it is done in designated area's only.

My desired wish is that everyone follow the smoking policy setforth by HAL and other cruise line's. :)

Another smoking thread...:(

Just recently got off of one the "dam" ship's and as a smoker who always stays in the smoking permitted area's, I'm here to tell you that it is VERY limited.

Only in the evening in the casino, could you possibly smoke. On the walkaround deck, only on the back did I ever see an ashtray. At the sea pool there was only five table's with ashtray's. In stateroom smoking and balcony stateroom's, I NEVER smelt the linger of cigarette smoke. I smoke but I do have a keen sense of smell to cigarette smoke and as I would walk the different stateroom decks, the smell was not detected by me.

Just for the record, I'm truly hoping to quit this habit that is hurting my health. I hope to be smoke free by the time of my next HAL cruise. However, I do support smoker's rights as long as it is done in designated area's only.

My desired wish is that everyone follow the smoking policy setforth by HAL and other cruise line's. :)

Good for you H L,

It will be interesting to see what your thoughts are after you detox off of nicotine. Ex-smokers experience a hyper sense of taste and smell -- and usually become hyper-sensitive to smoke and the presence of smokers.

Good luck on your quest!

Kel:)

acutually, cunard has changed to a much stricter policy of late. i'm pretty sure MSC doesn't allow smoking in the cabins anymore, either.

I thought you could smoke in your cabin and balcony on Cunard?

Enjoy!

Kel:)

Interesting question, given that, on our recent cruise on Noordam, we got a separate questionaire at the end of the cruise regarding smoking. One of the questions asked whether we would leave HAL if they banned smoking.

We don't smoke and I really hate being around smoke, but didn't notice any on our cruise, except, of course, in the casino, which we don't frequent anyway. [You do have to pass through it to get anywhere on the second deck.] Anytime we were in the Crow's Nest and went by the smoking room near there, it was usually empty. A couple of times, people were sitting in there, not smoking, and had opened the doors to the deck.

Personally, I would love it if they would ban smoking altogether, but it would affect my choosing to cruise with HAL. We sailed on the Paradise when it was a non-smoking ship and it was great not to have any smoke, especially as our kids were along.

I thought you could smoke in your cabin and balcony on Cunard?

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

yes, the cabins and balcony are stil smoke-em zones. aside from that, however, all inside areas are non-smoking with the exception of the cigar bar (no doubt there will be people complaining about that, though, too).

I have yet to sail on HAL, but my one and only cruise on Carnival was a disappointment from the amount of stale smoke every single day in the hallways, casino,piano bar...terrible..

If I find the same with HAL I will switch to celebrity...I am just starting my cruising life so my loyalties are not yet with any one...but the one that will win is the one with the strictest smoking policies..specifically in the cabin..I think that is just crazy..The people in the next cabin to me were chain smokers, and we had to put those febreeze sheets in the vents every day...

It did not spoil my cruise experience as I am back, but it did stink. It would be no different to me to go to a hotel room and smell smoke I would ask to change rooms to a no smoking floor..can't do that on a ship..So if it bothers me on HAL again (smoking in the cabins that is) I will go to a cruise line that does not allow it..

I agree about the casino, keep smoking in there, it saves me a fortune..!

If I find the same with HAL I will switch to celebrity...I am just starting my cruising life so my loyalties are not yet with any one...but the one that will win is the one with the strictest smoking policies..specifically in the cabin..I think that is just crazy..The people in the next cabin to me were chain smokers, and we had to put those febreeze sheets in the vents every day...

As an ex-smoker, I really don't mind the actual smell of the smoke itself as its wafting around, its that stale smell when you walk into a hotel room or somewhere where there has been heavy smoking that I dislike.

So I am just hoping our cabin smells fresh on our upcoming HAL cruise, and I will be just fine.

I just got off Volendam and vowed to never sail HAL again until they prohibit smoking in the cabin areas. It took three days, multiple visits to staff, long distance phone calls, etc. to get my cabin changed because heavy smoker across the hall polluted all the cabins around him. I do not mind if ship's have controlled smoking areas such as those on Azamara or Oceania or Celebrity. Those limited smoking areas are easy to avoid if you have allergies or asthma or just simply want to breath clean air, but you cannot avoid your cabin or the hallways leading to it.

In our case we did not switch to Celebrity but cancelled our November HAL cruise and booked with Oceania instead.