Lack of Policy Enforcement

[nomo4iz]

We recently returned from our very first cruise, a trip to Alaska on the Millenium. It was a lovely experience in just about every way, but we were truly disappointed with Celebrity's lack of policy enforcement. After much research, we chose Celebrity in order to have a full luxury cruise ship experience in a largely smoke free environment. Celebrity seemed to be the only cruise line that met these needs for us.

 

I'm sorry to say that Celebrity did nothing to enforce policy violations, even when they occurred directly in front of employees. Our neighbors in a Royal Suite smoked cigars on their balcony during the entire cruise. If they were warned or fined after complaints, then they chose to continue to disregard the policy and pay the fine. Perhaps they could well afford it, who knows.

 

In any case, it was unfortunately not the only smoking violation we witnessed. Many a smoker had cigarette and lighter in hand in public area doorways. It was a bit chilly outside in Alaska, and they were trying to keep one foot inside and stay warm while they smoked. This was done in direct view of employees on numerous occasions, and we never witnessed any attempt to enforce the smoking policies. We were also unaware that the Cosmos Lounge allowed smoking, so we were forced to avoid that area entirely, despite the fact that many of the more interesting activities took place there.

 

When we tried to enjoy the adult atmosphere of the T-pool, it was overrun with young children playing in front of the "No one under 18 allowed" sign. Again, not only were employees present, but management as well, and nothing was done. We had sunny days all the way to Ketchikan and beyond, and outside pool was open and apparently heated as well, so it was not as if the children had no other place to swim.

 

We did not book a cruise to constantly police other passengers for rule violations -- we expected Celebrity to enforce their advertised policies. Sadly, this was not the case on the Millenium, and it unfortunately marred a long anticipated vacation experience. I don't think we will cruise Celebrity again unless it becomes entirely smoke free. We met a couple from London while on a boat tour in Seward, and they said they had switched to Regency for the exact same reasons -- lack of enforcement on Celebrity, particularly with smoking. That seems like something that Celebrity could easily remedy rather than lose customers, doesn't it?

[Dena]

This is bad news. I hope it is not the norm. We have left Princess because of smoking on the balcony and are planning our first Celebrity cruise to the Caribbean. We will avoid booking a cabin next door to a suite since it appears there are special rules when it comes to smoking for the suite passengers. Maybe Alaska is worse because of the weather. Anyway, DH is in not interested in Alaska yet since we see enough snow and ice as it is. I tend to agree, but I expect we will get there one day.

[Jade13]

but we were truly disappointed with Celebrity's lack of policy enforcement. After much research, we chose Celebrity in order to have a full luxury cruise ship experience

 

Celebrity is mass market and not a luxury cruise line. It is a step above other mass market lines such as NCL or Carnival.

 

I am surprised to hear about the smoking. We were on HAL this month and although they allow smoking didn't see any except for the US customs officials that came onboard at the end.

[runnerandme]

How terrible. I hope you write a letter to Celebrity and let them know this is going on. I don't care how much someone pays for a cabin, they should not have been allowed to smoke cigars on the balcony.

 

 

 

 

Connie

[Jade13]

Also, did you call regarding the smokers on the balcony?

[JanineM]

Did you complain about the smokers on the balcony? It's been my experience that they are really quick to act - and fine - those who smoke where it is prohibited.

[cruise crazed]

Sorry to hear about your recent experience. We sailed on the Summit las month and I did not observe anyone smoking outside of the desiganated areas.

 

Many of us sail on Celebrity because of the more stringent smoking policy, I hope your expereince is not an indication of what is to come.

[BonnieVA]

The smoking issue really bothers me. It's one thing I also love about X & helps me in deciding on cruises. When I was on the Mercury in January there was a definite cigarette smell down the hall from me coming from one of the cabins daily but nothing was done then either even when I told crew about it. Looking back I should have complained at the desk & written a follow-up letter.

[riandei]

I hope that your experience is the exception not the rule...we have enjoyed celebrity in the past but the new smoking policy was a factor in choosing a cruise over a land vacation this year

[greeneg]

You should have said something to Guest Relations, at the time you noticed either problem. On the one occasion that we have had to do that the response was almost instantaneous and the problem did not reoccur. I think that you experience is atypical, and I agree that it is not your responsibility to police the ship, I do think that it is appropriate for you to call attention to problems and issues that you see.

 

I consider that protecting my vacation and don't hesitate to make that call.

[librarylady19]

So sorry to hear of this unacceptable situation. I also cruise on Celebrity due to the restrictive smoking policy even though I would like to try some of the other lines, I know that the prevalence of smoking would seriously undermine my enjoyment of the vacation.

I think it is time that this issue is addressed directly with Celebrity. Obviously, dealing with Guest Relations on your cruise is the only way to try to remedy the situation as it happens. However, I believe that Celebrity needs to make it a corporate policy to enforce their own rules - from the top down.

Hosts - what's the best way to get Celebrity's attention? I think a letter sent en mass to the CEO (similar to letter campaigns to politiicians) might be worth a try.

[Sally Forth]

Celebrity is mass market and not a luxury cruise line. It is a step above other mass market lines such as NCL or Carnival.

 

I am surprised to hear about the smoking. We were on HAL this month and although they allow smoking didn't see any except for the US customs officials that came onboard at the end.

 

What? They were smoking on the job? That is worse than passengers smoking.

 

Viv

[teajak]

Please let us know if you called guest relations every time it happened. We called when on the Solstice and they were at our door for more information within 5 minutes. If you didn't report it at the time they can now only investigate after the fact.

[dkjretired]

This is bad news. I hope it is not the norm. We have left Princess because of smoking on the balcony and are planning our first Celebrity cruise to the Caribbean. We will avoid booking a cabin next door to a suite since it appears there are special rules when it comes to smoking for the suite passengers. Maybe Alaska is worse because of the weather. Anyway, DH is in not interested in Alaska yet since we see enough snow and ice as it is. I tend to agree, but I expect we will get there one day.

 

Dena:

 

You may have hit the nail on the head with your comment about special rules. I have seen numerous reports over the years about special treatment given to those in high-end suites. This has included obnoxious drunken behavior, all night parties, etc. Occasionally it has been reported that they are occupied by family members of top stockholders. This does not make it right but often the cruise line is put in a bad position. The reports that I think most of us have seen are that they get on the smoking pretty quickly and these incidents would be the exception rather than the rule.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

You should have said something to Guest Relations, at the time you noticed either problem. On the one occasion that we have had to do that the response was almost instantaneous and the problem did not reoccur. I think that you experience is atypical, and I agree that it is not your responsibility to police the ship, I do think that it is appropriate for you to call attention to problems and issues that you see.

 

I consider that protecting my vacation and don't hesitate to make that call.

 

Well said, Greeneg. Couldn't agree more. While I sympathize with the OP's reluctance to police fellow passengers I am with Greeneg on speaking up to protect the vacation we paid for--one with as close to zero smoke as we can get AND the one that is "sold" to us by Celebrity. I think it is up to all of us to report smoking issues promptly, and we must be able to depend on the cruise line staff to enforce their own policies.

 

On our one Equinox cruise we had zero issues with smoking, but if we had encountered smoking, I would have been on the phone or at the Guest Relations desk nonstop until the smoking ceased.

 

And, I couldn't care less if it is minus 40 outside...that's the deal when you go to Alaska. Same thing with high wind and rain in other areas....smoking is outside except for the one designated bar. If smokers don't like dealing with the elements they need to pick another cruise line. There are many to pick from; there is no need to thoughtlessly pollute the air on Celebrity ships when so many of us have specifically chosen Celebrity for the chance to sail in a clean(er) air environment.

[d4m]

I, for one, would think twice about me ever shooting off a letter to Celebrity Corporate without personally witnessing specific instances of violations. We seem to be dealing with a very small percentage of violations and while it may be uncomfortable to think that one's vacation may be interrupted by something (a vice0 one doesn't like, I would not put myself in the position of campaigning about a violation I personally did not witness nor was subjected to. To me, each traveler who is faced with this needs to react according to procedure as there are steps which must be taken, in order, to have grievances heard and addressed. To understand another's experience is understandable but to react globally to a minority's infraction would never be dealt with any more seriously in this situation than a handful of passengers' reactions to a violation in the sharing drink packages policy.

 

I would always contact guest relations with a problem and go up the chain of command if nothing was addressed.

[greeneg]

The problem with writing a letter after the fact is that essentially you have denied the Cruise Line the opportunity to deal with the problem at the point of maximum impact. IF Guest Relations ignores the issue or is unable to resolve it, then a letter is very appropriate and should be written. BUT, the best and least invasive solution to any problem usually occurs when it is dealt with at the lowest possible level at which it can be resolved.

 

You do have to give the Ship a chance to solve its own issues at its own level. Otherwise, both the ship's people and the offending guest are not going to learn the "right" thing and will most likely create another issue for someone else down the road.

 

If you see a problem, you should call attention to it, that way everyone pretty much benefits.

[Woobstr112G]

Well said, Greeneg. Couldn't agree more. While I sympathize with the OP's reluctance to police fellow passengers I am with Greeneg on speaking up to protect the vacation we paid for--one with as close to zero smoke as we can get AND the one that is "sold" to us by Celebrity. I think it is up to all of us to report smoking issues promptly, and we must be able to depend on the cruise line staff to enforce their own policies.

 

On our one Equinox cruise we had zero issues with smoking, but if we had encountered smoking, I would have been on the phone or at the Guest Relations desk nonstop until the smoking ceased.

 

And, I couldn't care less if it is minus 40 outside...that's the deal when you go to Alaska. Same thing with high wind and rain in other areas....smoking is outside except for the one designated bar. If smokers don't like dealing with the elements they need to pick another cruise line. There are many to pick from; there is no need to thoughtlessly pollute the air on Celebrity ships when so many of us have specifically chosen Celebrity for the chance to sail in a clean(er) air environment.

 

I agree. I would also be on the phone with guest relations as soon as I smelled the cigarette smoke.....:):):)

 

Bob

[amanda blake]

no one under 18 should be in the tpool...inform immediately...

 

we had a big problem with babies in diapers in the hot tub..

 

informed immediately....the parents and babes were removed...but then the Htub was closed down...

 

rules must be inforced..they are there for a reason...I hope you wrote that in your comments card at the end...or beginning...only that can ever improve the situation...

 

writing here only alerts all of us to pitch in and help celebrity be vigilant..

[CLEMM]

What am I missing? The OP said she wasn't sure if they were warned or fined after complaints because they continued to smoke. Since she indicated there were complaints I don't know why everyone is saying that Celebrity should have been given a chance to do something. I guess he/she could have kept calling, but that would certainly grow tiresome if it had already been done and nothing improved.

[jagoffee]

We met a couple from London while on a boat tour in Seward, and they said they had switched to Regency for the exact same reasons -- lack of enforcement on Celebrity, particularly with smoking. That seems like something that Celebrity could easily remedy rather than lose customers, doesn't it?

 

I would never attempt to defend the violators of the policy. Sorry about your poor experience. I am sure that you complained and I am disappointed to hear that Celebrity did not respond appropriately.

 

You might want to check out the Regency policy, I am not an expert, but their policy seems less restricted than the Celebrity policy. For instance allowing smoking in the Casino. The last time I was on Celebrity, they did not allow smoking in the Casino. Oceania has a very restrictive policy. Perhaps the most restrictive in the industry?

 

If I was you, I would not give up on Celebrity. I have not had the same experience as you. Perhaps you just had a bad experience that is not likely to be repeated.

[greeneg]

Unless I misunderstood, the OPs did not, themselves, actually ask Guest Relations to address the problem. I think that that should have been their first step, not writing a letter to the Home Office.

[CLEMM]

Unless I misunderstood, the OPs did not, themselves, actually ask Guest Relations to address the problem. I think that that should have been their first step, not writing a letter to the Home Office.

 

 

Well I guess I interpret it differently. The OP said there were complaints so I assumed they had made the complaint otherwise how would they know? If, on the other hand, they knew that their neighbors had made the complaint I don't see what the difference is. If you know a complaint was made then you have the expectation that the problem will be taken care of.

[bulldog2]

Just curios, how do all of you function in the real world? Live in a bubble? I hope you all are as determined to rid the world of all air polluntants...

[cruie4ever]

We sailed the Millennium to Seward Alaska this past May & we did not see or smell cigaretts through out the ship . As a ex smoker cigarett smoke really bothers me so I avoid it at cost .

 

BTW I also swam in the adults only pool & there were no children present .