Smoking policy

[bluegirlum]

As a smoker, I agree with this fully. Since they changed the policy and we can no longer smoke in the cabin (which I understand), we have only the smoking venues around the ship and our balcony in which to indulge our habit. We've tried to be sensitive to our neighbors, though, since they absolutely can't get away from us when we're out on the balcony unless they go inside and close the door. We always talk to them beforehand or as soon as we can to let them know the situation...and tell them that we'll call out (which is annoying, I'm sure but it beats the alternative) when we come out on the balcony to smoke. If they're out there, we go somewhere else (unless we're in our pajamas :o). We've been lucky so far in that it's worked and that our neighbors don't spend huge amounts of time out on their balconies (and have been very gracious to us as well)...but I'm sure that we eventually will be right next to somebody who is out there all the time, doesn't want to go inside for 5 minutes and we won't be able to smoke. If one side of the ship is smoking, then it'll protect the folks who don't want to be subject to it second-hand and we won't have to feel guilty every time we smoke.

 

I'm not a smoker, but BF is. He's very polite about it and if the smoke is bothering you, and you ask him to move/stop, he will. I don't love that he smokes, but he does, and there's nothing I can do about it.

 

My question is: how do you decide which side of the ship is smoking and which isn't? When we sail out of Miami, we like to be on the port side so we can have our own little sailaway party on our balcony. Why should we be stuck on starboard if BF wants to do something that is totally legal? What if I want an aft balcony? Yes, he can go to one of a few other places on board to smoke, but many people put a lot of time into picking their cabin placement, and I don't think it's fair to tell me or anyone else that because I'm with someone who smokes, I am restricted from half the cabins on the ship.

 

Life is about choices. If your priority is to not be around smoke, you have many more options than those who would like to smoke. If you prefer a certain ship, then maybe you have to put up with smoke. Figure out what's important to you and go from there. Don't try to regulate other people's life choices.

[mjldvlks]

The most common-sense, non-hysterical, easily implementable ideas stated on any "smoking" thread. Would that RCI would listen!!! It would be SO EASY to make the cabins on one side of the ship non-smoking and the other side smoking, and have people book accordingly. This would make everyone, if not happy, at least happier. . . .

 

It would work like a charm if the number of smokers and non-smokers turned out to be precisely the number of balcony cabins on the respective sides of the ship and smokers happen to unanimously prefer one side of the ship and non-smoker happen to unanimously prefer the other. Otherwise someone is going to get stuck on the wrong side of the ship and we will have the same threads we have now.

Edited November 1, 2010 by mjldvlks

[tuff2]

I'm not a smoker, but BF is. He's very polite about it and if the smoke is bothering you, and you ask him to move/stop, he will. I don't love that he smokes, but he does, and there's nothing I can do about it.

 

My question is: how do you decide which side of the ship is smoking and which isn't? When we sail out of Miami, we like to be on the port side so we can have our own little sailaway party on our balcony. Why should we be stuck on starboard if BF wants to do something that is totally legal? What if I want an aft balcony? Yes, he can go to one of a few other places on board to smoke, but many people put a lot of time into picking their cabin placement, and I don't think it's fair to tell me or anyone else that because I'm with someone who smokes, I am restricted from half the cabins on the ship.

Life is about choices. If your priority is to not be arond smoke, you have many more options than those who would like to smoke. If you prefer a certain ship, then maybe you have to put up with smoke. Figure out what's important to you and go from there. Don't try to regulate other people's life choices.

 

The solution may be put the non-smokers on the front half of the ship and the smokers on the back half. This way the smoke won't drift into the non-smoker area unless the ship is sailing backwards.

[Eng23]

The idea of making one side of the ship smoking and the other side non smoking would be a start. We have seen that once this is suggested someone will say that is also not fair because I only want to be on a certain side of the ship and if you are a smoker and the side you want is non smoking, well you folks see where that argument will go. How about this, since it has been mentioned that what we do is all about choice then make half the ships in the fleet smoking and the other half non smoking. This way if you smoke you will choose the smoking ships, if you do not smoke you will choose a non smoking ship. If you smoke and choose a non smoking ship you have no one to blame but yourself because you made the "choice" to go on a no smoking ship and vice versa for a non smoker who chooses to go on a ship that is a smoking ship.

[teajak]

I'm not a smoker, but BF is. He's very polite about it and if the smoke is bothering you, and you ask him to move/stop, he will. I don't love that he smokes, but he does, and there's nothing I can do about it.

 

My question is: how do you decide which side of the ship is smoking and which isn't? When we sail out of Miami, we like to be on the port side so we can have our own little sailaway party on our balcony. Why should we be stuck on starboard if BF wants to do something that is totally legal? What if I want an aft balcony? Yes, he can go to one of a few other places on board to smoke, but many people put a lot of time into picking their cabin placement, and I don't think it's fair to tell me or anyone else that because I'm with someone who smokes, I am restricted from half the cabins on the ship.

 

Life is about choices. If your priority is to not be around smoke, you have many more options than those who would like to smoke. If you prefer a certain ship, then maybe you have to put up with smoke. Figure out what's important to you and go from there. Don't try to regulate other people's life choices.

The statistics show that smoking is not a life choice but a death choice, to each his own.:eek:

[yogimax]

I don't love that he smokes, but he does, and there's nothing I can do about it.

 

 

Actually there is.

 

You can encourage him (without nagging) to give up smoking on the basis that you love him and want him to be around as long as possible.

 

You can then support his decision to stop with positive enouragement.

 

If you are a person of faith, you can pray for him as well.

 

So yes, there is much that you can do.

[celle]

Actually there is.

 

You can encourage him (without nagging) to give up smoking on the basis that you love him and want him to be around as long as possible.

 

You can then support his decision to stop with positive enouragement.

 

If you are a person of faith, you can pray for him as well.

 

So yes, there is much that you can do.

 

Actually, the poster you replied to is correct. There is nothing you can do to get someone to give up smoking. They have to do it themselves.

 

I have been married to a smoker for 39 years. He has been going to give up smoking ever since I met him. He has heard all the arguments, read all the literature, knows the dangers etc.

 

He has tried nicotine replacement patches, tablets, chewing gum, had support from groups and doctors, and even had hypnosis and acupuncture.

 

I have pleaded, nagged, encouraged, threatened, all to no avail. He did actually give up smoking for a whole year, but was still chewing the nicorette gum. He thought he had smoking beaten, and then had one cigarette in the car one day. Within a week, he was back to full-on smoking!

 

I have banned smoking from the house and the car, and threatened to throw him overboard if he ever smokes on a ship,except in designated smoking places.

 

Nothing works. He's still a smoker and is always going to give up "soon".

[bluegirlum]

The statistics show that smoking is not a life choice but a death choice, to each his own.:eek:

 

Do you ever go out in the sun without sunscreen? To me, that is a death choice. But to each their own. :eek:

 

BF has already cut down significantly on how much he smokes, mainly because there are few places he actually can smoke anymore. He knows it's bad, but from what I understand, it's pretty hard to quit.

 

What's not hard is realizing that there are a lot more options out there for people who don't smoke. I appreciate everyone's suggestions, but if I want help on how to get him to quit, I'll contact a doctor, not a cruise board.

[BillOh]

This thread gets repeated quite a bit and each time I usually mention that I am a non smoker who easily gets annoyed by other people' smoking and have worked on groups to ban smoking in many places, like the state of Ohio. That said, I've had so little problem with this on Royal ships (only been on ones departing the US. ) I've never not been able to enjoy my balcony and the few times on the pool deck someone has lit up next to me and I realized that I was on the wrong side of the ship and had been there an hour or more before I noticed. Other than the Casino, its almost a non-issue. The only time it was an issue the smokers were in a designated area. We were on Navigator, our first cruise with my sister and her husband. On formal night we wanted to get our picture (all 4) taken at one particular station that had a nice backdrop that we knew my mother would like most. The smoke from the nearby Champagne bar was overbearing (between first and 2nd seating)

[ncb106]

the idea of making one side of the ship smoking and the other side non smoking would be a start. We have seen that once this is suggested someone will say that is also not fair because i only want to be on a certain side of the ship and if you are a smoker and the side you want is non smoking, well you folks see where that argument will go. How about this, since it has been mentioned that what we do is all about choice then make half the ships in the fleet smoking and the other half non smoking. This way if you smoke you will choose the smoking ships, if you do not smoke you will choose a non smoking ship. If you smoke and choose a non smoking ship you have no one to blame but yourself because you made the "choice" to go on a no smoking ship and vice versa for a non smoker who chooses to go on a ship that is a smoking ship.

thank you at least you understand that what i been trying to say portside smoking and starboard side smoking thats very fair but the non smokers dont understand that,it like they want the whole ship for them,smokers pays the same thing as a non smoking guest,now celebrity could go non smoking becouse its a cruise for older people 40 and up it not a party cruise line thats why rccl put celebrity balcony non smoking becouse it not a part cruise line like rccl,as i spoke to the hotel director on the freedom he said balcony will always be smoking so non smokers just has to handle it or go to celebrity

[chrispb]

Just back from the Vision and the only indoor smoking area was in the Casino or the library (which converted to a cigar room after 9 pm).

 

While I was happy with the outdoor smoking areas provided, I do feel that RCI need to look again at their smoking policy and provide an indoor seating area where people can smoke and chat with a drink when the weather is bad without affecting non-smokers enjoyment.

 

Perhaps somewhere like the Viking Crown Lounge which is well away from other areas of the ship.

[celle]

Just back from the Vision and the only indoor smoking area was in the Casino or the library (which converted to a cigar room after 9 pm).

 

While I was happy with the outdoor smoking areas provided, I do feel that RCI need to look again at their smoking policy and provide an indoor seating area where people can smoke and chat with a drink when the weather is bad without affecting non-smokers enjoyment.

 

Perhaps somewhere like the Viking Crown Lounge which is well away from other areas of the ship.

 

 

No, please not the Viking Crown Lounge! That's my favourite quiet place for sitting and reading and looking at the view.

Edited November 1, 2010 by celle

[wingatesl]

It is a fact of life that you will have to at some point tolerate being around a smoker. Lots of people are easily annoyed by many things. Strong perfume, bad driving, lazy teachers, government funded health care, etc. The only thing to do is suck it up. If it within someone's rights to do it, chances are they will. If you harrass them about it, maybe they will try to annoy you even more. There is nothing fair about someone walking into a bar that is wafting smoke and then whining about it. Maybe it is a smoking bar, because that is the smokers' favorite bar. As for the balconies, it is shared space. Instead of being confrontational or complaining about being "offended", why not work out a compromise? You want to complain about cigarette smoke? why not complain about the soot and smoke coming out of the big stack that is pushing the ship. Far more carcinogens there.

[sandinmypants]

Just back from the Vision and the only indoor smoking area was in the Casino or the library (which converted to a cigar room after 9 pm).

 

 

Wow, that sounds wonderful! We sail on the Serenade in just a few days, and I'm so afraid that we won't be able to enjoy the music venues because of second-hand smoke issues.... :( We don't gamble, so having smokers in the casino doesn't matter - and the library - no biggie. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have any balcony-smokers adjacent to us.

[BillOh]

It is a fact of life that you will have to at some point tolerate being around a smoker.

 

I'm not willing to concede that as a fact. Smoking is definitely on the decline everywhere, though in some places not nearly as it is in the US, but eventually I think it will be a rarity and its provides absolutely no positive value outside of a perceived one from addicts. Its gone from common when I was born in the 50s to a far smaller percentage today.

[teajak]

I'm not willing to concede that as a fact. Smoking is definitely on the decline everywhere, though in some places not nearly as it is in the US, but eventually I think it will be a rarity and its provides absolutely no positive value outside of a perceived one from addicts. Its gone from common when I was born in the 50s to a far smaller percentage today.

Well said. It is a drug addiction and should be treated the same way as heroin or cocaine. The only difference is H&C affect the person indulging in it but smoke affects everyone around it.

[wingatesl]

I'm not willing to concede that as a fact. Smoking is definitely on the decline everywhere, though in some places not nearly as it is in the US, but eventually I think it will be a rarity and its provides absolutely no positive value outside of a perceived one from addicts. Its gone from common when I was born in the 50s to a far smaller percentage today.

Until that day, it is a risk you will have to take.

[bigque]

Wow, that sounds wonderful! We sail on the Serenade in just a few days, and I'm so afraid that we won't be able to enjoy the music venues because of second-hand smoke issues.... :( We don't gamble, so having smokers in the casino doesn't matter - and the library - no biggie. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have any balcony-smokers adjacent to us.

 

Sailed on the Serenade on 10/10/10 and found smoking not to be that big of a problem. The 5th deck starboard side was designated for smoking, so you don't want to walk that area too often, even though I never saw more than 2 or 3 people there at any time. The Sky Bar above the pool deck is a smoking area, so if on the pool deck use the Pool Bar rather than the Sky Bar. Avoid the Sports Bar leading into one of the entrances to the Casino (Real heavy smoke going on thru there, the most I smelt on the ship). There are music venues that are non smoking. The library was right outside our stateroom (9580 - balcony) and there was no smoking allowed there as it is not an enclosed area opened facing the centrum area. If anybody was smoking next to, below or above us on the balcony I never smelt the smoke and we ate breakfast there each morning. As a matter of fact I never smelt smoke or saw anyone smoking while at sea, in port, day or night and I could see a lot of balcony's from my vantage point on the hump!

 

Here is my review I just did of the cruise:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1297487

Edited November 2, 2010 by bigque

[The Flying Pirate]

There is no smoking in the cabins of Royal Caribbean ships -- a big plus -- and no smoking in most public areas (the casino is an exception). I did not like the fact that Royal permits smoking on the deck where the running track is located on the Freedom. You can smoke outdoors one on side of the deck.

 

Yes I agree having to breath second hand smoke while running is really annoying!

[jimmy2x]

To the lady with the smoking BF and to any long-time smokers who WANT to give up tobacco, I strongly encourage you to look into e-cigarettes. This from a former 50 year smoker who has been able to make the switch easily. No more second-hand smoke issues, no more hand-waving, no more smelly clothes.

 

Frankly, I would never have believed it possible. The best place to start is

 

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/

 

I'll check back too try and help with any questions. It DOES work.

[slyster]

I used to be a smoker and I think to myself how lucky I was to be able to smoke in a lot of places on the cruise ships. At home, i don't get as many choices: restaurants, bars...you have to smoke outside.

 

I think the problem is when you take a closed area and split it in half....like the casino. There's no way that the smoke doesn't go to other areas of the casino. In that case, it makes no sense. I would rather see them set up a smoking room in the casino...a closed room....play cards, have some slots...

 

I bet smokers would either hang out in that room....or go play in the non smoking casino and then go into the room to smoke.

 

For many, it's the smell and drifting smoke....I like the idea of having cabins on one side of the ship for smokers and non smokers on the other side. Or some aft cabins for smoking.

 

Let smokers smoke on the deck....in smoking rooms....in their "smoking" cabins....

 

I support a smoker's right to smoke, but also a non smoker's right to breathe in clean air.

[bluegirlum]

To the lady with the smoking BF and to any long-time smokers who WANT to give up tobacco, I strongly encourage you to look into e-cigarettes. This from a former 50 year smoker who has been able to make the switch easily. No more second-hand smoke issues, no more hand-waving, no more smelly clothes.

 

Frankly, I would never have believed it possible. The best place to start is

 

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/

 

I'll check back too try and help with any questions. It DOES work.

 

I would be that "lady" (I think ;), and actually, BF has thought about looking in to the e-cigarettes. They sound really interesting and I have heard good things about them. Thanks for the suggestion. I would love for him to switch to them if he needs his nicotine fix.

 

I encourage those of you who are so anti-smoking to think about how much time you spend in the sun before you get too high and mighty. If you are out there sunning yourself and trying to get tan, IMO you have no right to complain about anyone blowing smoke your way. The sunburns that I got when I was little are going to be the end of me, not BF's smoke.

Edited November 3, 2010 by bluegirlum

[mjldvlks]

. . . .I encourage those of you who are so anti-smoking to think about how much time you spend in the sun before you get too high and mighty. If you are out there sunning yourself and trying to get tan, IMO you have no right to complain about anyone blowing smoke your way. . . .

 

As soon as my spending time in the sun forces you to absorb more rays, your argument will have some credibility.

Edited November 3, 2010 by mjldvlks

[bluegirlum]

As soon as my spending time in the sun forces you to absorb more rays, your argument will have some credibility.

 

The fact is, how can people who knowingly go out in the sun and absorb cancerous rays possibly complain about second hand smoke causing them health problems? That's just absurd. I would just encourage people to look at their own habits. If you're out frying yourself in the sun, and you think that someone smoking on an adjacent balcony is going to cause you a problem, you might want to rethink that. Yes, you can complain that you're annoyed by the smoke, but other than that, you can't argue anything else.

Edited November 3, 2010 by bluegirlum

[mjldvlks]

The fact is, how can people who knowingly go out in the sun and absorb cancerous rays possibly complain about second hand smoke causing them health problems? That's just absurd. I would just encourage people to look at their own habits. If you're out frying yourself in the sun, and you think that someone smoking on an adjacent balcony is going to cause you a problem, you might want to rethink that. Yes, you can complain that you're annoyed by the smoke, but other than that, you can't argue anything else.

 

There are plenty of studies that show second hand smoke is harmful. You can reject those studies if you want, I won't argue with you. But, you still have not demonstrated how my going out in the sun with no sunscreen increases your exposure to the sun. Until you do your argument doesn't make a lick of sense.