So RSSC does in fact, Allow Smoking ? Non smoking ships a Myth

[Jaffa]

I'm confused,

Many here, have stated that RSSC now has a total ship wide no smoking policy.

But it seems by the below quote from another thread, that this is not in fact true and that, SMOKING is PERMITED in certain areas, similar to the other Lux lines.

 

Can anybody elaborate with what exactly is true.

Is RSSC a totally non smoking environment cruise or not??

 

 

"Mark T...since you are on the Regent board, are you aware that Regent permits smoking in designated areas of the pool bar, lounges and decks? It's hardly all or none as some would like. I have not sailed Seaborne so am unfamiliar w. their policies. I have sailed Crystal and do not find the exposure to smoke significantly different from Regent."

"PaulaJK"

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1145991&page=3

post 59

[OrpingtonT]

The smoking policy of Regent is laid out on their web site for all to see. I don't recall anyone saying that there is a "total ship wide no smoking policy"

 

 

Q: What is your smoking policy?

A: In light of continuing legislative changes in smoking policies around the world as well as the comfort, health and safety of our guests and crew, both in terms of the proven dangers of second hand smoke and the fire hazard that smoking presents, smoking is prohibited in all suites, staterooms and balconies fleet-wide.

In addition, cigarette smoking is not permitted in any enclosed dining areas, whether it be the ships' main dining rooms or the alternate dining venues. Cigarette smoking is only permitted in designated areas of the outdoor Pool Grills. Other than open deck areas, the following are the only public rooms or areas where cigarette smoking is now permitted:

Seven Seas Voyager: Connoisseur Club, Casino, Voyager Lounge (designated area), Horizon Lounge (outside area only), Pool Bar

Seven Seas Mariner: Connoisseur Club, Casino, Horizon Lounge (outside area only), Stars Nightclub (designated area), Pool Bar

Seven Seas Navigator: Connoisseur Club, Casino, Stars Lounge (designated area), Galileo's (outside area only), Pool Bar

Paul Gauguin: La Palette (outside area only), Le Grill (designated area), Pool Bar

 

Pipe smoking is only permitted in the Connoisseur Club aboard Seven Seas Voyager, Mariner and Navigator. Pipe smoking in open deck areas is considered an extreme fire hazard and is not permitted. Cigar smoking is only permitted in the Connoisseur Club aboard Seven Seas Voyager, Mariner and Navigator, and in the designated area of the Pool Bar area aboard all four vessels. Failure to comply with this ban will result in guests being asked to leave the ship at their expense, without refund or credit for the unused portion of their cruise

[Gardendog]

Just the facts please. Despite the fact that the title of this post was rather inflammatory and I try to avoid those I will try to answer the question.

 

Regent is NOT a totally smoke free cruise. I have read CC for years, almost daily, and have never seen anyone post that. I might be mistaken.

 

A few years back Regent changed policy and it was no longer permitted to smoke in your cabins or on the balconies. This led to a big uproar on CC and several pax changed cruise line.

 

The following areas were smoking permitted on the Navigator:

 

One side of Star's lounge (which is the small lounge just outside the Seven Seas Lounge, better known as the theater perhaps), The pool bar (which is in one small corner on the pool deck), outside of Galileo's (which is the lounge where there is dancing and music before dinner and after the show usually), and then the special smoke room that I don't know the name of, and would not enter.

 

I avoid smoke and for me just going through the Star's lounge to the show was enough. I cannot stand smoke.

 

There is VERY little smoking on the Regent, so it did not bother me. If you are a smoker, there are areas where you can smoke in peace. I think Regent did a good job for all, but then I'm not a smoker.

[WesW]

A signficant difference for us when it comes to the luxury line smoking policy is whether

the line allows you to smoke in your suite and or veranda. Believe at this time Regent

is the only lux line that prohibits smoking in your suite.

[Jaffa]

Thankyou for the clarification.

I understand this much better now.

[UUNetBill]

As a former cigarette smoker, I don't enjoy the smell of stale smoke, nor can I stand secondhand smoke. That said, I DO enjoy a good cigar at times. I appreciate the fact that I can sit indoors in the Connoisseur Club and enjoy a nice Cuban while I'm on vacation. I try to refrain from smoking on the pool deck because even though it's allowed, there are just a few too many people (most probably non-smokers) milling around. I've been 'smoked out' at the pool bar before, and I don't want to subject others to that, even with a nice cigar.

 

But even though I have the occasional cigar on board, I can honestly say I've never been run out of anywhere (except maybe the lounge) by other smokers. Most common areas and all of the suites are clean and fresh, no smoke issues at all that I can detect.

 

I don't think you'll find any lines that completely ban smoking, at least in the immediate future. And as long as it's well-controlled, I don't think they need to.

 

Just my thoughts.

[Travelcat2]

This thread was a bit surprising as Regent has never advertised itself as smoke-free. The fact that there is no smoking in suites or balconies makes it stand out (in a good way) from other luxury lines.

[ededmd]

Again, doesn't it all come down to market competitiveness and positioning?

 

It was a calculated decision to move to nonsmoking suites / balconies. Regent knew they would lose a certain number / percentage of their formerly loyal cruisers and turn off a number / percentage of new cruisers.

 

But, their data must have shown their niche positioning as unique in the category would gain loyalty (to the extreme) from some repeat cruisers as well as attract new business to exceed other options and compensate for the losses.

 

There is a whole business science of decision analysis and very cool software programs like Crystal Ball ($1000 per unfortunately) to make / support these very types of decisions.

 

I know for me, it was one of the key factors in choosing Regent over some of the other lines. It is nice that every one can find options that work for them - both the passengers and the businesses.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I too will reiterate that Regent has never advertised itself as completely smoke-free, nor has anybody on these boards claimed that.

[gillianrose]

As a former cigarette smoker, I don't enjoy the smell of stale smoke, nor can I stand secondhand smoke. That said, I DO enjoy a good cigar at times. I appreciate the fact that I can sit indoors in the Connoisseur Club and enjoy a nice Cuban while I'm on vacation. I try to refrain from smoking on the pool deck because even though it's allowed, there are just a few too many people (most probably non-smokers) milling around. I've been 'smoked out' at the pool bar before, and I don't want to subject others to that, even with a nice cigar.

 

I very much appreciate that you refrain from smoking a cigar on the pool deck. You are a very considerate person!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Just as an aside, even walking by the Connoisseur Lounge on Voyager was fairly sickening. It has become a real smoker's precinct. The Voyager Lounge is fairly unusable at times as well, since it is small, and has a smoking section at the back.

[JPR]

It is quite easy to get around the ship without walking close enough to the door of the Connoisseur Club to take in the smell of smoke to any significant degree, and there are plenty of non-smoking bar areas.

 

Just curious: Is it your position that this tiny issue is justification for banning smoking totally on the Voyager? If so, the next proposed ban will be perfume, the smell of meat cooking, etc.

Why shouldn't cigar smokers have this one, relatively tiny place to enjoy their cigars?

(Note that I personally smoke maybe one cigar during a cruise, so it would have little personal impact on me if a total ban were imposed. And I'm all in favor of banning smoking in cabins, on balconies, etc., where second-hand smoke is a real issue. But I'm quite troubled by oversensitive and self-centered/self-righteous attitudes of some non-smokers.)

[Travelcat2]

I am not against smoking areas on Regent -- they could, however, contain the smoke a bit better than they do. The smoke from the Voyager Lounge definitely wafts up to the internet area -- particularly at night when the lounge is full.

 

Perfume, cooking smells, etc. is what smokers tend to bring up as an argument. . . . to me it's a bit funny. It is a heck of a lot easier to give up perfume than to give up smoking.

[smilingcruiser]

We, personally, would like to see smoking banne4d from the pool bars. Smokers camp out there for the entire day, making it difficult to even walk up and order a drink. It is even unpleasant to walk past those areas.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

It is quite easy to get around the ship without walking close enough to the door of the Connoisseur Club to take in the smell of smoke to any significant degree, and there are plenty of non-smoking bar areas.

 

Just curious: Is it your position that this tiny issue is justification for banning smoking totally on the Voyager? If so, the next proposed ban will be perfume, the smell of meat cooking, etc.

Why shouldn't cigar smokers have this one, relatively tiny place to enjoy their cigars?

 

No, that's not my position. But it is true that the smoke drifts out thru the closed doors into the hall, and I think they need better ventilation systems, both there and especially in the Voyager lounge.

[Dolebludger]

While Regent is not a totally non-smoking ship, the official policy severely limits the areas onboard where one can smoke. One need only read these boards to know that there have been a number of people who have switched to Regent because of its relatively smoke-free status. Conversely, a number have switched away from Regent for the same reason. (Personally, I don't smoke and I don't care either way!) The folks in Charge of Regent obviously considered this, and believed that there would be a net gain in bookings with the more restrictive smoking policy. Like Regent's recent decision against formal nights, the smoking policy was also a business decision, and that's OK.

[cruzndiz]

Smokers camp out there for the entire day, making it difficult to even walk up and order a drink.

 

Then don't!

 

I don't think there are any shortage of pool deck waiters who will bring whatever you would like right over to your lounger, thereby enabling you to avoid even the hint of cigarette smoke. And if you would rather order your own... I seem to recall a number of OTHER bars you could just walk right up to

[Mark_T]

Then don't!

 

I don't think there are any shortage of pool deck waiters who will bring whatever you would like right over to your lounger, thereby enabling you to avoid even the hint of cigarette smoke.

 

Personally I don't see why the waiters or bar staff should be subjected to the smoke either.

 

I'm not the type of person who'd send someone else to work in an environment that I wouldn't personally tolerate myself.

 

I know this is an emotive topic but I think we are witnessing the last gasp of the 'freedom' to smoke in public areas and if we look back in 5 years time we'll be amazed at how 'liberal' the smoking policies were back then :)

[Wendy The Wanderer]

We, personally, would like to see smoking banne4d from the pool bars. Smokers camp out there for the entire day, making it difficult to even walk up and order a drink. It is even unpleasant to walk past those areas.

 

When last on Voyager in December, the smokers were confined to the back side of the bar, by the outside of the ship. Nobody smoked along the inside side of the bar, or the middle, facing towards the pool. I found that second-hand smoke was not a problem. This was a great improvement over the Navigator pool bar in 2006, which was completely dominated by smokers.