Smoking: Holland America vs Celebrity

[IRL_Joanie]

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!

 

How about wine instead of the extra butter??

 

 

Joanie

[TedC]

Our last couple of cruises were on Regent - 21 and 28 days. Smoking is very restricted - no smoking in cabin or balcony, only limited designated areas.

 

We still like HAL - especially the wrap-around promenade deck for walking. I wish HAL would eliminate balcony smoking.

 

There are fewer and fewer smokers - one of these years there will be almost none.

[RevNeal]

Our last couple of cruises were on Regent - 21 and 28 days. Smoking is very restricted - no smoking in cabin or balcony, only limited designated areas.

 

Can you give me an example of how limited the smoking areas are on Regent? Is it a smoking room and certain outside deck areas? Is it an area of one of the lounges? Thanks.

[m steve]

You do not want to be with her when she is not smoking. (she tried it for 4 days and I was ready to move out). Now I don't sail Oceania or Regent to to her need for a smoke early or late on the balcony but she doesn't smoke inside the cabin and and rarely smokes if someone else is on an adjoining balcony and not smoking as well. Most of the other balcony cruisers are smokers we have found, especially on the aft. So we will cruise on HAL and Princess and the others who have a problem can choose X or several other lines and we don't demand that they change their policy and we don't want anyone to demand Hal or P to change theirs. There are enough choices for all of us.

[jimmy2x]

You do not want to be with her when she is not smoking. (she tried it for 4 days and I was ready to move out). Now I don't sail Oceania or Regent to to her need for a smoke early or late on the balcony but she doesn't smoke inside the cabin and and rarely smokes if someone else is on an adjoining balcony and not smoking as well. Most of the other balcony cruisers are smokers we have found, especially on the aft. So we will cruise on HAL and Princess and the others who have a problem can choose X or several other lines and we don't demand that they change their policy and we don't want anyone to demand Hal or P to change theirs. There are enough choices for all of us.

 

Way too much common sense here!

[kelmac]

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

 

Hi Joanie,

 

We followed up a really cold and nasty winter with the longest spring ever! Yuck, I really, really hate the wind!

I keep saying -- "maybe next week it will be better"

 

You are right; people change! I'm willing to give up HAL because of the smoking policy (and a couple of other things; another thread), but I'm going to try Cunard, which has about the same policy as HAL -- go figure.:rolleyes::)

After trying Azamara and Oceania, and with Celebrity's smoking policy, I really do like smoke free cabins and balconies!

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

[Assateague Island Princes]

Red or White??? Oh, and I'll bring the chocolate!:p

[fcorey]

Need to be more accurate...

That is 26% and 45% of the cruisers who replied on Cruise Critic, which we all agree only represents 5-10 % of the cruising population.

While interesting, the sample is too small to draw any conclusions.

 

Yes...people that post on CC are the very vocal minority and make up at best 2% of those who cruise...CC has 569,XXX members...last year more than 34 million people cruised. So things that constantly pop up on here as issues may be mere blips on the radar to these companies and lets face it some people take things a little to seriously. Life is short people, enjoy and dont sweat the details

[fcorey]

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.

 

Carnival tried that with one ship and it was a major failure which resulted in them reversing that policy on that vessel. As a former cigarette smoker (way back in college and days in Navy) I can sympathize. I occasionally get a cigar and a cocktail and hang out in the cigar lounge....hell i fell asleep in the one on NCL Pearl...jazz music piped in, nice comfy leather club chairs, cocktail, gentle rocking of the ship... was great.

I have never had a problem with smoke on a ship balcony. Especially while the ship was moving at 20+ knots but thats me, to each his own

[TedC]

Can you give me an example of how limited the smoking areas are on Regent? Is it a smoking room and certain outside deck areas? Is it an area of one of the lounges? Thanks.

 

No smoking in any indoor dining area but allowed in limited section of outdoor pool grills and outdoor pool bar. One lounge is designated for smokers and , depending on the ship, part of another lounge allowed smoking. No pipe smoking on outer decks.

 

Smoking was never even a whiff of a problem for us. The "biggie" was no smoking in cabins or balconies. We didn't notice many smokers because we were never in smoking areas.

[chrispb]

You do not want to be with her when she is not smoking. (she tried it for 4 days and I was ready to move out). Now I don't sail Oceania or Regent to to her need for a smoke early or late on the balcony but she doesn't smoke inside the cabin and and rarely smokes if someone else is on an adjoining balcony and not smoking as well. Most of the other balcony cruisers are smokers we have found, especially on the aft. So we will cruise on HAL and Princess and the others who have a problem can choose X or several other lines and we don't demand that they change their policy and we don't want anyone to demand Hal or P to change theirs. There are enough choices for all of us.

 

Well said.:cool:

[kelmac]

I thought I would "bump" this back to the first page as it is still getting votes.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[RevNeal]

No smoking in any indoor dining area but allowed in limited section of outdoor pool grills and outdoor pool bar. One lounge is designated for smokers and , depending on the ship, part of another lounge allowed smoking. No pipe smoking on outer decks.

 

Smoking was never even a whiff of a problem for us. The "biggie" was no smoking in cabins or balconies. We didn't notice many smokers because we were never in smoking areas.

 

So, with the exception of the restriction of smoking from the cabins and balconies, the policy is similar to HAL's ... No smoking in the dining rooms and in most lounges, with smoking being permitted in one bar, the casino, the outside decks, and depending upon the ship behind to bar in the crows nest. In my opinion these restrictions on HAL are reasonable.

 

My mother would have trouble with not being able to smoke in her cabin, but she would accept the restriction and find ways to adjust to going to the designated lounge/area. Prayerfully, she will one day quit smoking.

[hulamoon]

Rev are you considering a Regent cruise? I hope to hear more.

[RevNeal]

Rev are you considering a Regent cruise? I hope to hear more.

 

Yes, I've researched other cruise Lines for alternatives to HAL. Cunard, Regent, Princess, Crystal ... in the past I've looked at them all. If the RIGHT cruise comes along on one of those Lines I would enjoy trying them out.

 

In the past Regent has offered special cruises to Antarctica on smaller luxury charter ships. If they offer such in the future, I would be tempted.

[hulamoon]

Revneal, I hope the circumstances fall into place for you. When last I checked Regent is the most smoke restrictive on your list.

 

My husband wants to go to Antartica too, I fear I may never thaw out.;)

[GeriatricNurse]

Yes, I've researched other cruise Lines for alternatives to HAL. Cunard, Regent, Princess, Crystal ... in the past I've looked at them all. If the RIGHT cruise comes along on one of those Lines I would enjoy trying them out.

 

In the past Regent has offered special cruises to Antarctica on smaller luxury charter ships. If they offer such in the future, I would be tempted.

 

 

Hey Rev Neal, Celebrity does not seem to be a cruise line that you would consider! Why? I have cruised both X & HAL, & I would be interested to know why you do not appear to like X!:confused:

[spanky11]

Do the cabins smell like old smoke? We are sailing on the volendam to AK in a deluxe verahnda suite with a two year old and my wife is asthmatic so we would obviously prefer the smell of fresh pure ocean air.

 

We're first time cruisers and didn't know about the smoking policy. I guess we just assumed it would be like most hotels in US--therre would be smoking and non-smoking rooms. We didn't really look into it as my parents booked the cruise.

[CtheW0rld]

Do the cabins smell like old smoke? We are sailing on the volendam to AK in a deluxe verahnda suite with a two year old and my wife is asthmatic so we would obviously prefer the smell of fresh pure ocean air.

 

We're first time cruisers and didn't know about the smoking policy. I guess we just assumed it would be like most hotels in US--therre would be smoking and non-smoking rooms. We didn't really look into it as my parents booked the cruise.

 

most people report never having had a problem. others have said they had, but when reported to their steward the problem was taken care of. i have only read one post where the occupant insisted the problem was not taken care of.

[RevNeal]

Hey Rev Neal, Celebrity does not seem to be a cruise line that you would consider! Why? I have cruised both X & HAL, & I would be interested to know why you do not appear to like X!:confused:

 

I have considered Celebrity and would cruise on them if the opportunity came up.

[hulamoon]

Do the cabins smell like old smoke? We are sailing on the volendam to AK in a deluxe verahnda suite with a two year old and my wife is asthmatic so we would obviously prefer the smell of fresh pure ocean air.

 

We're first time cruisers and didn't know about the smoking policy. I guess we just assumed it would be like most hotels in US--therre would be smoking and non-smoking rooms. We didn't really look into it as my parents booked the cruise.

 

It is impossible to guess how much smoke smoker's may or may not produce or what deck or part of the ship may be more difficult to breath in. I wish this were not so, but it is a beloved policy that smokers can smoke in cabins and on balconies. This will sometimes produce heavy visible smoke in hallways. HAL will offer a double cleaning, not sure what that is but it is supposed to get rid of smoke residue. This works for many people. But, you need to be aware that smoke recirculates in the air vents and for the more sensitive your nice cleaned room can have smoke come into the room through the vents or by opening your door while heavy smoke floats in the halls. I have traveled with other passengers who feel that their ship location was better than where I was, and they experienced no problems at all. I keep getting cabins next to heavy smokers, not occasional smokers but chain smokers. I use an emergency inhaler on each cruise and have in a few panicky moments considered sleeping on deck.

 

In my normal life I also need an inhaler but only during firework displays that send many asthmatics here is Hawaii to the hospital. On each 4 of July and New Years I close up my house before dark and turn on all available air filters and air conditioning. But still it manages to come in my house when I let pets out.

 

It was not until I cruised that I realized how smoke sensitive I was. I knew I didn't like it, but didn't realize it could take a few vacation days away. The filters that filter the air do not take out smoke. My best advice if this happens is to leave your room and hang out in the spa or other non smoking location. It has also been suggested that sticking to port intensive HAL cruises is probably a better idea than ones with long sea days.

 

There is also a poster who has a lung issue and she takes some type of filter with her while she cruises.

 

If I were planning a cruise with asthmatic children I would not choose a line that allowed smoking in cabins.

[Juanita462]

Just home from a cruise on the Zaandam - my fourth on that ship and probably my last. The smoke issue was bad in the area from the ocean bar to the piano bar. We have always enjoyed sitting and listening to the dance music and watching the dancers, but not this cruise. The casino is open on that side and the smoke filtered everywhere - many people were bothered by it. The non-smokers asked for one smoke-free night in the casino but were denied.

I guess that's why the piano bar was jammed every night - it was just out of range of the smoke and the Explorer lounge didn't have any music until 9 p.m.

 

It was interesting that they had the fire doors closed between the casino and library - must have been to contain the smoke.

 

There was absolutely no problem in the cabin or corridors in our area for which we were thankful.

[usha]

We're most definitely waiting for HAL to ban smoking in staterooms & on private varandahs before we book any more HAL cruises.

[TahoeTraveler]

We're most definitely waiting for HAL to ban smoking in staterooms & on private varandahs before we book any more HAL cruises.

Ditto. We booked a Baltic cruise during our last HAL cruise, but it will most likely be our last. On our last cruise, when we had problems with our air conditioning and left our door open to get the cooler air from the hallway into our cabin, we were told by the head of engineering that the hallways have no air conditioning of their own...the air in the hallways comes from the cabins nearby. Since we had chain smokers all up and down the hallway near us, our hall smelled of smoke constantly. And thus, so did our cabin (at least, until they could fix our air conditioning, four days into the cruise).

 

We loved the cruise and the service so much that we booked this Baltic cruise while onboard (this was before our air conditioning problems, by the way). But if the smoke is as big an issue on this next cruise as it was on our last one, it will be our last one with HAL.

[m steve]

just go book on X. They gave into your demands and leave HAL alone.