Royal Caribbean Bans Smoking on Balconies

[CI66774]

DH, less than a pack a day. Me none a day. Has nothing to do with the "addiction" part of it. More the intolerance of others. Next step, for all of you out there who have now lost most of your cause, is to demand a fragrance free ship. I know my daughter has allergies to some fragrances (epi-pen type reactions). New soap box to get on and demand that people not be allowed to wear perfumes in the elevators, at shows, MDR etc.

 

I may be wrong (not a chance), but it seems to me smoking (and second hand smoke) kills a heck of a lot more people than Chanel No.5

[jackdiamond]

I may be wrong (not a chance), but it seems to me smoking (and second hand smoke) kills a heck of a lot more people than Chanel No.5

You are correct.

[Tkaklita]

A scary thought walking up to the pool deck at 6:30 in the morning and seeing a group of smokers in there robes, no make-up, hair not done yet getting there morning cig!!!.

 

 

Just wait until the youtube videos start popping up :)

[halos]

Next step, for all of you out there who have now lost most of your cause, is to demand a fragrance free ship.

 

The anger that smokers feel is obviously misdirected.

Their habit. Their problem. Their lives being SO totally controlled by nicotein that they will cancel/drop everything just so they can smoke.

 

All I know is I am thankful as can be to have never picked up a habit that would control my life to such a level as I see with smokers. Canceling a cruise is a small piece of it. Those that smoke with kids....I see it in my own family. Bury the knowledge, don't think about it...just grab that cigarette.

You know it's a bad addiction when you put it before everything else in your life.

[CI66774]

The anger that smokers feel is obviously misdirected.

Their habit. Their problem. Their lives being SO totally controlled by nicotein that they will cancel/drop everything just so they can smoke.

 

All I know is I am thankful as can be to have never picked up a habit that would control my life to such a level as I see with smokers. Canceling a cruise is a small piece of it. Those that smoke with kids....I see it in my own family. Bury the knowledge, don't think about it...just grab that cigarette.

You know it's a bad addiction when you put it before everything else in your life.

 

Amen! I've never puffed on the evil cig. I saw my Dad die from cancer related to his cigar and pipe smoking. I value my life too much to surrender to such a horrible vice.

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

The anger that smokers feel is obviously misdirected.

Their habit. Their problem. Their lives being SO totally controlled by nicotein that they will cancel/drop everything just so they can smoke.

 

All I know is I am thankful as can be to have never picked up a habit that would control my life to such a level as I see with smokers. Canceling a cruise is a small piece of it. Those that smoke with kids....I see it in my own family. Bury the knowledge, don't think about it...just grab that cigarette.

You know it's a bad addiction when you put it before everything else in your life.

 

Great post.

[JillLovesTravel]

I just noticed that there was a survey on CC home page about smoking. Approximately 75% were in favor of a total ban or wanted smoking banned from cabins and balconies. There was 25% that were in favor of smoking or other. I think that pretty much sums things up. Non smokers are the overwhelming majority today and cities, towns, states, et al. are prohibiting smoking in some or all public venues. Pretty much all indoor places except bars and some outdoor places. Companies are allowed not to hire you if you smoke and you are charged more for your healthcare even if you have never filed a claim. It never ceases to amaze me that in our "politically correct" society that the ACLU has not gone to war over such blatant discrimination on the approximately 20% of adults whose happiness and freedoms are being assaulted. I was a 1-2 pack a day smoker for 37 years and I have no desire to be where people are smoking up a cloud and stinking the joint out. I also have cruise buddies that smoke and I understand their displeasure. I hope that none of my buddies bail on cruising

and that they continue sailing RCCL. Cool heads and common sense eventually win out.

 

But they really aren't being discriminated against in the true sense of the word. This is behavioral. No one has to smoke. If you CHOOSE to smoke knowing the consequences of your action then you will suffer the consequences.

 

The consequences being you are not allowed to engage in this behavior in certain places and if you do engage in this behavior you will be charged more for health and life insurance based on actuarial charts. Not to mention the terrible consequence to your own health.

[catwoman1]

Yay!!!!! I remember a few years ago we splurged and booked the Presidential Suite. Every day there would be cigarette butts all over the balcony from the people above us. Very annoying...especially since we are non-smokers.

[reney313]

I get the non smoker and smoker complaints on the balcony cruising. As a smoker, I have cruised mostly in interior or ocean view with my latest (and upcoming) being the only 2 in a Balcony. Needless to say, while that part of the policy does effect me some, it is the least of my concern.

 

I am more concerned with the Oasis/Allure ships. There is no standard outdoor promenade like the others. On the other ships in the fleet, you can get outside to a smoking area easily when in a lounge or walking between venues. You can't do this on Oasis/Allure. Smokers would have to go several floors up and outside, or to the casino. I, like many other smokers, prefer not to smoke in the casino if I'm not playing. It makes it too smoky.

 

I have never cruised X because of their smoking policy. I know that wouldn't be for me. Although they do have a centrally located outdoor deck.

 

When Princess went non smoking on the balconies, they retained the indoor areas to smoke. They also have a smoking lounge (the sports bar) on most of their ships. No one goes in there unless they smoke cigars or cigarettes. If Oasis/Allure had this onboard, I would be fine. They don't. In addition, Princess's policy does allow ecigs.

 

I do hope there is some reconsideration for the large ships of the indoor venues to allow one other place than the casino where you can drink (maybe the nightclub?). I also hope they reconsider the ecig policy, grouping it with cigarettes does not make sense, not to mention difficult to enforce. If they smell anything, it will be a little bit of watermelon flavor from mine, and is much less noticeable than perfume.

 

I do prefer RCI over Princess, I am only making that comparison as many are stating the success of these non smoking polices of the other ships. I think part of their success is the indoor areas (aside from X, of course.)

[babyher]

As you said "Life is full of choices". You choose to allow cigarettes to control yours. addicted or not. Giving up a great cruise line and nearly D+ status for smoking. That's your "choice". Good luck.

 

 

Oh please..... Drunks and Drug addicts cause more havoc and screw up more peoples lives than a cigarette ever will, and people molly coddle them and give them a pass because they have as "sickness"

[teajak]

I agree.:( We only went there on formal nights or during really slow times early in the day. Guess we'll save some money.:D

Agree. We will try early and during the shows but it looks like I will be saving some money if the casino is packed with smokers.:p

[teajak]

Oh please..... Drunks and Drug addicts cause more havoc and screw up more peoples lives than a cigarette ever will, and people molly coddle them and give them a pass because they have as "sickness"

Drunks and addicts screw up their own lives not strangers around them like smokers do. :eek:Can't compare the two.

[JillLovesTravel]

Woke up this morning with a question or two in my head. Since RCL is discouraging/not allowing smoking on the balconies (even e-cigs), does that mean that they will discontinue selling cigarettes on board (and making a profit)? Also how are they going to police all the people who say "screw it" and smoke their e-cigs in their cabins? They leave no residue. Also will they post big signs for smoking areas that say, "Non-smokers enter at your own risk. You do not have the right to venture into a smoking area and make comments and cough and choke and give smokers a dirty look. They belong here and not you"

At any rate, we'll never find out. Dh is smoker, I am not. And yes - we are not cruising in March for his birthday and we are not booking a large, extended family vacation later next summer/fall. Life is full of choices; we choose to book elsewhere (Holland does allow balcony smoking - not just NCL and Carnival) We will start the year off 7 days shy of D+, and will be starting over on another line.

Why so angry at non-smokers? Your DH is controlling all of your behavior because he smokes. Maybe you should turn your anger toward him.

[babyher]

Drunks and addicts screw up their own lives not strangers around them like smokers do. :eek:Can't compare the two.

 

You obviously haven't had one in your family, or have been married to one or have had children by one, or had a loved one killed by one in a car accident.

 

You bet your life you can't compare the two.

[JillLovesTravel]

Freedom is taken away a little at a time until you realize you have lost it. ;)

 

Now so many of us are getting back our freedom back to breathe fresh air on our balcony. The infringement on the air we breathe by smokers is very repressive.

[stepmonster]

I may be wrong (not a chance), but it seems to me smoking (and second hand smoke) kills a heck of a lot more people than Chanel No.5

 

actually, drinking kills a lot more people

maybe we should ban alcohol from everywhere

[JillLovesTravel]

Can't remember any areas off hand ...I guess the sky bar on Oasis Class :confused:

 

Oh just imagine if the weather is bad and the decks are closed....oooh casino here I come....along with hundreds of others.

 

Go ahead, then the people bothered by all the smokers will complain to RCCI and it will hasten the next step, banning smoking in the casino!

[babyher]

actually, drinking kills a lot more people

maybe we should ban alcohol from everywhere

 

 

That will be the day .....That will be the day.

 

You will be cruising on giant sleds instead of ships , because Hell will have done froze over *LOL*

[Elizanessie]

Go ahead, then the people bothered by all the smokers will complain to RCCI and it will hasten the next step, banning smoking in the casino!

 

I cannot see them banning smoking in the casino as RCCL would lose too much money, why do you think they left the Casino for smokers? It wasn't out of kindness...it was for financial reasons.

[Jimbo]

Going to be very hard to enforce this new policy. People are still going to do it. There is no way to stop people from smoking on their balcony if that is really what they want to do.

Camera's looking into each balcony are just not possible, it won't happen. To costly.

[Zigggypup]

Camera's looking into each balcony are just not possible, it won't happen. To costly.

 

It's also an invasion of privacy. That's like putting a camera in someone's cabin. And I consider the balcony to be an extension of my cabin.

[JillLovesTravel]

I cannot see them banning smoking in the casino as RCCL would lose too much money, why do you think they left the Casino for smokers? It wasn't out of kindness...it was for financial reasons.

 

This is exactly how it was done on their sister cruise line Celebrity. Ban the balcony smoking then later ban the casino smoking. I cruise on Royal 3-4 7 night cruises per year. On most nights I go to the casino. Most of the people I encounter who are gambling do not smoke. Some do yes, but most do not.

 

I have never complained to RCI about the smokers in the Casino. Maybe it is time to start. My next cruise is in 6 weeks.

 

This attitude of...if I can't smoke anywhere else then I will go smoke in the casino is not a nice one. If you usually go to the casino to gamble and have the occasional smoke while there then great. But to go to the Casino just to smoke and make life miserable for everyone else? Attitudes like that will ban smoking in the Casino faster than you can light one up!

[Elizanessie]

This attitude of...if I can't smoke anywhere else then I will go smoke in the casino is not a nice one. If you usually go to the casino to gamble and have the occasional smoke while there then great. But to go to the Casino just to smoke and make life miserable for everyone else? Attitudes like that will ban smoking in the Casino faster than you can light one up!

 

RCCL ruled that smokers can smoke in the casino ..they made the rules...I will just follow the rules.

[reney313]

 

This attitude of...if I can't smoke anywhere else then I will go smoke in the casino is not a nice one. If you usually go to the casino to gamble and have the occasional smoke while there then great. But to go to the Casino just to smoke and make life miserable for everyone else? Attitudes like that will ban smoking in the Casino faster than you can light one up!

 

The problem is that the casino is the only indoor alternative. In the past we had a few other bars to go in for a quick cigarette, not to mention ships that have the outdoor promenade. I'm worried about the experience on the Allure where there is not that option. If I'm in a lounge in the promenade, the casino is the closest place to have a cigarette. I don't think it is an attitude of making life miserable for everyone else by going into the casino. As smokers, we've seen places that have gone from several smoking areas to a few....and those few then become extremely smoky vs. how it was prior.

[JillLovesTravel]

RCCL ruled that smokers can smoke in the casino ..they made the rules...I will just follow the rules.

 

Good. You do that. And I will email RCI and complain about smokers in the casino, especially the ones not actively gambling.

 

And as a side note, I will be hoping that you and others will quit smoking, if only for the benefit of your own health and well being.