Smoking Policy (More...)

[ZZ Mom]

We have gone round and round on this subject with HA and attached is the latest correspondence.

 

FYI, we did book our cruise on a different line but would sail again on HA if and when the policy changes.

 

Regards, Jane

doc20131114095630.pdf

[frankc98376]

Please not another long drawn out smoking thread.... (I'm not a smoker)

Also, not about to open an unknown PDF file- they often disguise viruses

[ZZ Mom]

Please not another long drawn out smoking thread.... (I'm not a smoker)

Also, not about to open an unknown PDF file- they often disguise viruses

 

Just a letter from Christine Ferris, Senior Advisor, Office of the President.

Nothing to discuss really and you certainly do not have to open it.

Rgrds, Jane

[iancal]

It is just another form letter.

 

This is not rocket science. If you do not like the policy on HAL, or any other cruise line for that matter, simply do not book with them. They are hardly going to change their policy because of your decision.

 

Like all cruise lines, they do surveys on regular basis and make policy decisions based on those results.

[startwin]

I gather that you had some issues on a cruise that you had completed - is that correct? Sounds like there's no meeting of the minds, and she does make it clear this is the last letter on the topic.

[celle]

So, like many others, this OP doesn't like HAL's smoking policy?

 

But why on earth start yet another thread about it?

[Fouremco]

So, like many others, this OP doesn't like HAL's smoking policy?

 

But why on earth start yet another thread about it?

It was the OP's first post, so she may not be aware of the board's long history of smoking policy threads. Let's give her the benefit of the doubt and a warm welcome to CC.

 

With luck, this thread will simply wither and die quickly.

 

[ZZ Mom]

It was the OP's first post, so she may not be aware of the board's long history of smoking policy threads. Let's give her the benefit of the doubt and a warm welcome to CC.

 

With luck, this thread will simply wither and die quickly.

 

Thank you. I really meant no harm.

[RJ2002]

Thank you. I really meant no harm.

 

Of course you didn't. Welcome to Cruise Critic. Don't be afraid to post again. :)

[KirkNC]

We have gone round and round on this subject with HA and attached is the latest correspondence.

 

FYI, we did book our cruise on a different line but would sail again on HA if and when the policy changes.

 

Regards, Jane

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic! You are not going to change the policy, even though I wish you luck so it is best just to move on.

[celle]

It was the OP's first post, so she may not be aware of the board's long history of smoking policy threads. Let's give her the benefit of the doubt and a warm welcome to CC.

 

With luck, this thread will simply wither and die quickly.

 

OK. I stand corrected and I apologise to the OP. (welcome!)

 

It's just that, immediately before I posted, the other thread was just 2 threads above the OP's thread.

[innlady1]

Christine Ferris is a busy bee, isn't she? The smoking thread, the wine threads...you name it...she responds to it.

[pms4104]

Christine Ferris is a busy bee, isn't she? The smoking thread, the wine threads...you name it...she responds to it.

I wonder if she is one or many people ... decades ago I worked at a health insurance company, and we referred to the department that handled non-group/individual policyholders as the Jim Strong Department. There were only males in that office, and they all answered the phone as "Jim Strong, how may I help you?" Callers felt that they had Jim Strong's personal attention on their issue ... I wonder if something similar goes on at HAL?

[flhawkeye]

I, like many of you, are so weary of the smoking posts and debate! It really comes down to this in my mind.....go elsewhere if you do not like the smoking policy of HAL. Which, by the way, I find very reasonable and rational. Go to the many, many other cruise lines which have far more prohibitive smoking policies. Enjoy your smoke free balcony and never have to obsess about whether or not your vacation will be ruined by a smoker in the next cabin, the next deck, the deck two floors up, the aft balcony, the lido deck, the dock, the private island 200 miles away........

 

Why do I care about this? Because I am a very considerate smoker who books only Neptune or Pinnacle suites on HAL. I truly appreciate their reasonable policies. I am soon to be four star mariner and had 3 future cruises booked in either Neptune or Pinnacle Suites. I have never sailed in anything less on HAL and have never paid for or had a complimentary upgrade.

 

I just booked the Pinnacle suite for a 12 day Australia/New Zealand cruise. Not a small price. I was so angry about the change in wine policy for those of us who love to bring our own wines onboard. While it is still a huge disappointment to me, and I cancelled a HAL cruise to sail the NCL Breakaway in October, I will sail my 2 booked cruises and enjoy a HAL cruise in the Pinnacle Suite. HOWEVER, if the smoking on verandah policy changes then I will take my significant cruise dollars over to NCL exclusively.

 

I hope that HAL monitors these boards. I do know that NCL does so. Hopefully this thread can be closed, but I had to weigh in as I am so tired of this debate!

[YubaSutter]

We have gone round and round on this subject with HA and attached is the latest correspondence.

 

FYI, we did book our cruise on a different line but would sail again on HA if and when the policy changes.

 

Regards, Jane

 

 

Don't hold your breath waiting for a change in policy. (Pun intended)

[CRUZBUDS]

[cruz chic]

I, like many of you, are so weary of the smoking posts and debate! It really comes down to this in my mind.....go elsewhere if you do not like the smoking policy of HAL. Which, by the way, I find very reasonable and rational. Go to the many, many other cruise lines which have far more prohibitive smoking policies. Enjoy your smoke free balcony and never have to obsess about whether or not your vacation will be ruined by a smoker in the next cabin, the next deck, the deck two floors up, the aft balcony, the lido deck, the dock, the private island 200 miles away........

 

Why do I care about this? Because I am a very considerate smoker who books only Neptune or Pinnacle suites on HAL. I truly appreciate their reasonable policies. I am soon to be four star mariner and had 3 future cruises booked in either Neptune or Pinnacle Suites. I have never sailed in anything less on HAL and have never paid for or had a complimentary upgrade.

 

I just booked the Pinnacle suite for a 12 day Australia/New Zealand cruise. Not a small price. I was so angry about the change in wine policy for those of us who love to bring our own wines onboard. While it is still a huge disappointment to me, and I cancelled a HAL cruise to sail the NCL Breakaway in October, I will sail my 2 booked cruises and enjoy a HAL cruise in the Pinnacle Suite. HOWEVER, if the smoking on verandah policy changes then I will take my significant cruise dollars over to NCL exclusively.

 

I hope that HAL monitors these boards. I do know that NCL does so. Hopefully this thread can be closed, but I had to weigh in as I am so tired of this debate!

Good to hear you are a considerate smoker. Many are not. If we all thought like this, there would likely still be smoking in the workplace, theaters etc. I'm sure you would not like it if people told you to go to an all inclusive where you could smoke all day and night. Please have some consideration for others and the fact they like HAL. After all, according to you, you are a considerate smoker.

[taxmantoo]

Why do I care about this? Because I am a very considerate smoker who books only Neptune or Pinnacle suites on HAL. I truly appreciate their reasonable policies. I am soon to be four star mariner and had 3 future cruises booked in either Neptune or Pinnacle Suites. I have never sailed in anything less on HAL and have never paid for or had a complimentary upgrade.

 

I don't think I have ever met a smoker who considers himself/herself "inconsiderate" :rolleyes: As far as I am concerned, the minute I can smell your smoke I no longer consider you very considerate!

[Fouremco]

I, like many of you, are so weary of the smoking posts and debate! It really comes down to this in my mind.....go elsewhere if you do not like the smoking policy of HAL. Which, by the way, I find very reasonable and rational. Go to the many, many other cruise lines which have far more prohibitive smoking policies. Enjoy your smoke free balcony and never have to obsess about whether or not your vacation will be ruined by a smoker in the next cabin, the next deck, the deck two floors up, the aft balcony, the lido deck, the dock, the private island 200 miles away........

 

Why do I care about this? Because I am a very considerate smoker who books only Neptune or Pinnacle suites on HAL. I truly appreciate their reasonable policies. I am soon to be four star mariner and had 3 future cruises booked in either Neptune or Pinnacle Suites. I have never sailed in anything less on HAL and have never paid for or had a complimentary upgrade.

 

I just booked the Pinnacle suite for a 12 day Australia/New Zealand cruise. Not a small price. I was so angry about the change in wine policy for those of us who love to bring our own wines onboard. While it is still a huge disappointment to me, and I cancelled a HAL cruise to sail the NCL Breakaway in October, I will sail my 2 booked cruises and enjoy a HAL cruise in the Pinnacle Suite. HOWEVER, if the smoking on verandah policy changes then I will take my significant cruise dollars over to NCL exclusively.

 

I hope that HAL monitors these boards. I do know that NCL does so. Hopefully this thread can be closed, but I had to weigh in as I am so tired of this debate!

So, because it favours your lifestyle, you assess HAL's smoking policy as being "very reasonable and rational." Yet when the same policy makers introduce a policy which circumscribes your lifestyle, you become incensed. As both policies are driven by the same imperative, HAL's bottom line, a more objective assessment might suggest that the two are equally reasonable and rational.

 

[zone8grandma]

I am also new to this board, so the "smoking" threads are not old to me.

 

My husband and I are planning our first Alaskan cruise next summer. Since it's our first, we have no biases towards (or against) any of the companies. I looked at the companies that have Alaskan cruises and went through a process of elimination.

 

Seven Seas Navigator - no balcony

 

Radiance of the Seas - good itinerary for us, but carries 2500 passengers (toooo big)

 

Celebrity Millennium - doesn't go to Glacier Bay and carries 2000 passengers

 

Princess - only does RT trips from Seattle. Doesn't permit time to explore on land

 

Statendum (HAL) - good itinerary, goes to Glacier Bay carries 1200 passengers.

 

Soooo, the only boat that meets our criteria (not too big, starts in Seward, goes to Glacier Bay, and has balcony cabins) is the one that has a liberal smoking policy.... Hence our delimna....

 

We're considering booking the Statendum and getting a cabin as far forward as possible. Is that a reasonable approach?

Edited November 15, 2013 by zone8grandma

[jtl513]

We're considering booking the Statendum and getting a cabin as far forward as possible. Is that a reasonable approach?

Possibly ... but on a recent cruise we had a smoker below us that we could smell whenever the ship was docked or moving slowly.

[chrispb]

I don't think I have ever met a smoker who considers himself/herself "inconsiderate" :rolleyes: As far as I am concerned, the minute I can smell your smoke I no longer consider you very considerate!

 

Wot?!? Soooo, if you walk past the smoking area where I've just had a cigarette and you can smell it then that would make me inconsiderate?

[gf]

The majority of cabins on Regent Seven Seas Navigator have balconies; very nice ship and fewer than 500 pax.

[taxmantoo]

Wot?!? Soooo, if you walk past the smoking area where I've just had a cigarette and you can smell it then that would make me inconsiderate?

 

Until such time as HAL decides to totally eliminate these areas, we simply avoid them. Consider your "considerate" nature intact for now ;)

[zone8grandma]

The majority of cabins on Regent Seven Seas Navigator have balconies; very nice ship and fewer than 500 pax.

 

Georgeous ship! Unfortunately the itinerary doesn't include Glacier Bay. Also the fare of $6700pp apparently includes "free air" which I can't use as we live a 3 hr drive from Vancouver. (One way air from Anchorage to Seattle is only $382.)

 

But am making a note of this line for future reference... The price (although spendy) seems to include a lot more than on other lines... Thanks!