Smoking: Holland America vs Celebrity

[kakalina]

YYC F/A: There are still hanging ashtrays on the "smoking" side of the decks other than the Lido pool area. The Crow's Nest and the Casino are the only public indoor smoking areas on the S & R class ships.

 

We don't sail on Vistas anymore so I can't speak for them.

[YYC F/A]

YYC F/A: There are still hanging ashtrays on the "smoking" side of the decks other than the Lido pool area. The Crow's Nest and the Casino are the only public indoor smoking areas on the S & R class ships.

 

We don't sail on Vistas anymore so I can't speak for them.

 

Thanks for the info kakalina! I guess they really cut back on the smoking areas! Will let our group members know. I guess the good thing for them is that the LP deck still has designated outside smoking areas for the smokers so if they are at the bars / public rooms it's easy for them to just step outside.

[kelmac]

With over 46% of CC HAL cruisers looking at other lines because of the smoking policy, I'm sure it's just a matter to time before we see a ban on smoking in cabins and balconies.

 

I haven't been on a HAL ship since last summer; does anyone notice an increase in the numbers of smokers as of late? I'm sure that's difficult to gauge?

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[Fontana]

Is HAL now the only cruiseline that allows guests to smoke on their cabin balconies?

[JimVrhovac]

Enjoy Celebrity

 

Jim (without Ruth)

[YYC F/A]

Is HAL now the only cruiseline that allows guests to smoke on their cabin balconies?

 

No. MOST cruise lines still do. Royal Caribbean allows it on balconies (but not in staterooms) which make sense to me. Carnival, NCL and Princess allow smoking on balconies.

 

Celebrity, Azamara and Oceania - plus some of the luxury lines are the notable ones that have very restrictive smoking policies.

[chrispb]

Thanks for the info kakalina! I guess they really cut back on the smoking areas! Will let our group members know. I guess the good thing for them is that the LP deck still has designated outside smoking areas for the smokers so if they are at the bars / public rooms it's easy for them to just step outside.

 

Those hanging ashtrays are kept in the bench seats. They are usually put away when refuelling then I think the crew sometimes forget to put them back out.

[JWJs]

Hi Kel. :) Here's how I just voted:

No, I'm a non-smoker and I have no plans to leave HAL for Celebrity

 

However....I am looking for a Christmas Holiday cruise and will book based on price and itinerary. Smoking policy one way or the other will not be an issue.:)

[kelmac]

Hi Kel. :) Here's how I just voted:

No, I'm a non-smoker and I have no plans to leave HAL for Celebrity

 

However....I am looking for a Christmas Holiday cruise and will book based on price and itinerary. Smoking policy one way or the other will not be an issue.:)

 

Hi Jeanie,

 

Have a wonderful cruise! The amount of smokers on HAL is about the same as Princess, so I don't think you will have a problem. And by the way, I like the food on Holland America a little better than Princess!;):)

We will be on the Queen Mary 2 for next winters holidays.

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[Hlitner]

Is HAL now the only cruiseline that allows guests to smoke on their cabin balconies?

 

As others have said, most lines let you smoke on your balcony. The interesting line is Princess who almost lost a large ship do to a huge balcony fire allegedly started by a cigarette. Did Princess ban smoking on their balconies? NO! But they did spend millions installing smoke alarms and sprinklers on all of their balconies.

 

Hank

[DebEsteb]

I am a smoker. However, I have no problem with cruising on a cruise ship that has limited areas to smoke outside. I don't have to smoke inside. I have cruised Celebrity since the changed their smoking policies. No biggie to me to go up and smoke outside on an upper deck. I have also cruised Holland America. Even though I can smoke in my room, I choose not to. I still go up to the lido to go outside, or will smoke in the casino if I am there.. I do have respect for non smokers. Would I continue to cruise if there were absolutely no smoking allowed on a cruise ship?? Nope!! I would deffinitely not.. Most of a ship is already non smoking. If non smokers don't want to be around smoke, they should stay in the non smoking areas. That's just my opinion..

[DavidPatrick]

I'm planning on living till 110 years of age and working very hard to make it. In November of 1963 I read my first published article in Consumers Reports that told me if I kept smoking and my statistical double quit smoking there was a 55 to 1 chance that I would get Cancer and my stastical double would not. So I can't go on my balcony when my next door smoker comes out to kill himself.:mad:

[westcoastguy]

Cruise companies are slowly changing their policies to smoking.

 

as you seeing more fat Americans and many more with COPD, food ingredients and smoking designations are changing. I applause the change since many adults are getting asthma at an older age.

 

would i switch to a non smoking cruise,, in a heart beat, too many inconsiderate smokers.

[kelmac]

Less than 14% of Celebrity customers are smokers; I wonder if they are switching over to HAL?

Our poll shows Holland America cruisers include about 23% smokers.

[jtl513]

...Cruise Critic, which we all agree only represents 5-10 % of the cruising population.

No "we all" don't. I think it's more like 2%. You're lucky to get 50 people at a M&G on a Vista ship (1900 pax) about half of which will be the spouse/SO of the CC member. Even if there's another 25 CC members aboard traveling secretly, that means there's only about 2.5% at most.

[iancal]

Our last three cruises were HAL, Carnival, and Celebrity. We never had an issue with smoke on any of the cruises-either in the ship or on our balcony. Perhaps we were just lucky. DH is very sensitive to smoke and she is usually the first to notice it.

[Wanderlost]

We love HAL and plan on cruising with them in late August to Canada. But---we would have much preferred to cruise on Celebrity because of their smoking policy and will continue to choose them over HAL whenever possible. HAL is wonderful and would be our line of choice if they would adopt Celebrity's policy. Everyone has the right to choose how they live their lives, we just choose to be smoke free if we are paying for a vacation and have options. :cool:

[Gablin]

Two friends of mine just got off 26 days on Eurodam and found smoking not to be a huge problem. They had a veranda, and only found smoke an issue on the veranda on two evenings. They just went inside and shut the door to avoid it.

 

Neither of them gamble, so the casino was not a huge issue. One preferred not to walk past it or through it, so would go up or down one deck to get to the other end of the ship. The other one tried to walk fast and hold her breath.

 

One reported that she was eating one day outside and a woman was smoking nearby. It was a designated smoking area, so she never took her food there again.

 

They were surveyed and answered that they (of course) would still cruise HAL if smoking were prohibited on balconies and cabins.

 

A funny thing was that one reported smelling a very strong cigar smoke smell in one of the lounges but they discovered that no one was smoking. It was a gentleman in his nice wool blazer which reeked of cigar smoke. So, no damage to their lungs and pity for the smoker who smelled bad.

[m steve]

3 postings and you already want HAL to change their smoking policy for you. How about the thousands who sail HAL w/o a problem? Please enjoy X while we sail HAL ships.

[kelmac]

3 postings and you already want HAL to change their smoking policy for you. How about the thousands who sail HAL w/o a problem? Please enjoy X while we sail HAL ships.

 

I think wonderlost represents a whole B' load of people -- this poll shows 144 out of 313 people may leave HAL (46%) because other cruise lines offer a better smoking policy for their needs.

HAL does offer a great product and great itineraries, but this issue is not going away.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[CtheW0rld]

I think wonderlost represents a whole B' load of people -- this poll shows 144 out of 313 people may leave HAL (46%) because other cruise lines offer a better smoking policy for their needs.

HAL does offer a great product and great itineraries, but this issue is not going away.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

 

i don't think so. the vast majority of posters on the HAL board are loyalists. they never have, nor will cruise with another line. they're just blowing smoke (pun intended).

[IRL_Joanie]

I think wonderlost represents a whole B' load of people -- this poll shows 144 out of 313 people may leave HAL (46%) because other cruise lines offer a better smoking policy for their needs.

HAL does offer a great product and great itineraries, but this issue is not going away.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

 

Kel, How you liking our winds??

 

OK to respond to your last post now.

 

What people say they will do and what they really will do are two totally different things. I know from my own statements!

 

I swore to never post again on an anti-smoking thread, and yes, this is back to one of those, again:eek: And I also swore NEVER ever to get off the ship in Aruba until the murder(s) of Natalie Holloway were brought to justice.

 

Well guess what, I am here today responding to this thread (and yes I voted the day you originally posted the poll) and I got off the ship in February and spent tons of money in Aruba:(

 

Like I said, people may say one thing and yet do another. So polls just like minds, can change in an instant.

 

Oh, and by the way, my hubby is a CC member, but seldom posts, and he is a non smoker. Whither he goest, so goest I, EXCEPT to a non smoking ship!!

 

Joanie

[Assateague Island Princes]

I'm w/you, Joanie!:p

 

And Kel, in the beginning of your thread, you said there was no need to respond w/comments because you didn't want to beat a dead horse with the smoking/non-smoking issue???:rolleyes: Well, too late - horse is deader than a doornail, pinata has split wide open (and I STILL don't have my popcorn w/extra butter!!!!) ;) LOL!

[SailorNYC]

Whether non-smokers do or do not leave (at this point - 45% say they may leave... 32% say they will not), 77% of the poll-respondents claim to be non-smokers. Significant.

 

A different take: just because a non-smoker won't leave HAL does not mean he or she would not be happier if the smoking policy were more non-smoker friendly. It's interesting that this poll shows that over 75% do not smoke. I wonder how these results map to HAL's base? In this small sample, the non-smokers are a more than clear majority.

 

Being a 'live & let live' person, I wish there were a way for smokers to smoke in public settings without the smoke from their cigarettes and cigars affecting non-smokers. Unfortunately, we all know from personal experience and scientific evidence that this is not the case.

 

In the same way that some of the 45% may continue to sail HAL despite the smoking policy.... some of the 32% (upon further consideration or a particularly smokey cruise) may decide to leave HAL. (It's also possible). Finally, the poll says "I am a non-smoker and I have no plans to leave HAL for Celebrity." (Very specific). Perhaps, some of the 32% may leave HAL for Oceania or another line with a more restrictive smoking policy.

 

Thanks for the poll. Very interesting!

[RevNeal]

i don't think so. the vast majority of posters on the HAL board are loyalists. they never have, nor will cruise with another line. they're just blowing smoke (pun intended).

 

I don't believe that anyone where would doubt that I am a HAL loyalist. And, it is true, in keeping with my response to the Poll I can't imagine leaving HAL for Celebrity ... certainly not over the smoking issue. I don't smoke, but I have family members who do and I would miss not being able to cruise with them again due to a more restrictive policy on smoking. However, I wouldn't discontinue cruising HAL over it.

 

IF I were to ever quit HAL, it would be because HAL no longer provides the product I want to buy. As of right now, they still do.