Working out the "smoking thing"

[cavecreekguy]

It is a money issue.

 

But there will be a point in time when being know as the 'smokers cruise line" will hurt their business in the longer term-well after they have adopted a more enlightened policy.

 

My children are grown up. But if they were young, why on earth would I choose to bring my children on a cruise line with this type of a smoking policy when there are other, equally good cruise lines, who have a policy that reflects the message that I want my children to have? The bottom line is I would not. And I have no doubt that some TA's are making this clear to their clients and their potential clients.

 

I'm sorry, but since when is HAL the "smoker's cruise line"?

 

I may be mistaken, but my understanding is that smoking isn't allowed in cabins. I remember when it was - on HAL and other cruise lines. And smoking is not allowed in most public areas. It's allowed outside on the Lido deck on the starboard side I think. And in the casino, if you're playing.

 

How is this the "smoker's cruise line"? A "smoker's cruise line" would allow smoking in cabins and in all lounges. And probably in a specified section of the dining room.

[sail7seas]

Yes, I agree.

 

HAL is being called the 'smokers' cruise line'.

Many of us have heard that reference as well as "Ashtray of the Seas". :eek:

 

Edited May 17, 2014 by sail7seas

[cyae1]

HAL lets smokers smoke on their balcony. After being so excited by my upsell to a verandah, I was so disappointed when my neighbours on either side of me were smokers. Nothing like going out on your balcony wanting to take in the whiff of fresh Alaska air to be met with smoke. Worst thing was when one wasn't smoking the other was. All smoking should be on the outside lido deck no matter if u have a balcony or not.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[iancal]

The first time we heard it was from a TA.

 

Have you been in a HAL casino lately?

Edited May 17, 2014 by iancal

[cyae1]

Yes HAL casino on the Zaandam allows smoking

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[sherilyn70]

This is SO sad to read.

How is it possible so many young people can be this stupid?

 

They're young, stupid and rebelling. It starts with drinking and then they smoke, like many young drinkers do. The action of getting drunk and smoking seems to go hand in hand for some reason. It's the same reason we also have a heroin problem now in Ohio.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[PatriciaF]

I've never smoked and my adult kids haven't either--they knew they would die from smoking as their mother would strangle them to death as they both watched their grandmother die from the health consequences of smoking.

 

We are doing a HAL cruise for the itinerary--and we do have a balcony cabin but I think the weather in the Baltics in late May/early June may reduce the time we are on the balcony.

 

But, I would rather be on Princess or Celebrity where passengers aren't allowed to smoke on their balconies.

 

I do know couples that smoke and only sail HAL due to its more liberal smoking policy.

 

I know it is legal and heavily taxed in many states, but it is a health issue for smokers and their families that have to breathe the second hand smoke. I have COPD due to my mother's smoking!

[mollyeilis]

HAL lets smokers smoke on their balcony. After being so excited by my upsell to a verandah, I was so disappointed when my neighbours on either side of me were smokers. Nothing like going out on your balcony wanting to take in the whiff of fresh Alaska air to be met with smoke. Worst thing was when one wasn't smoking the other was. All smoking should be on the outside lido deck no matter if u have a balcony or not.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I just learned this today. Offered a cruise to mother in law and a friend. MIL had previously said she was afraid of balconies then said she wanted one. Figured the friend talked her into it, which was annoying enough. Today when picking up MIL from the cruise and hearing her cough, she told me that the friend used the balcony for smoking nearly constantly. So not only did the friend talk her into asking for a verandah (already annoying because I thought it was MIL's own change of opinion until I'd booked and paid in full) but it was solely so the friend, who got a free cruise except for tips for both, could smoke.

 

I had no idea. We cruise royal and Disney, and neither allows smoking on balconies anymore.

 

Forgive any typos. I'm on my mobile and am finding it hard to fix things.

[Lizzie68]

They're young, stupid and rebelling. It starts with drinking and then they smoke, like many young drinkers do. The action of getting drunk and smoking seems to go hand in hand for some reason. It's the same reason we also have a heroin problem now in Ohio.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

Fortunately, they are the minority. My grandkids are 20 and 22 - yes they drink, they abhor smoking and have never done drugs.

[juiceless]

Fortunately' date=' they are the minority. My grandkids are 20 and 22 - yes they drink, they abhor smoking and have never done drugs.[/quote']

 

You keep believing that...

[jtl513]

We cruise royal and Disney, and neither allows smoking on balconies anymore.

Maybe it isn't allowed, but we had smokers near us on the Disney Dream. We couldn't exactly tell where, but think it was a deck below and slightly forward of us.

[runnergirl71]

Maybe it isn't allowed, but we had smokers near us on the Disney Dream. We couldn't exactly tell where, but think it was a deck below and slightly forward of us.

 

Before or after November 2013? The ban went into effect in November.

[donaldsc]

OK, I don't mean to start another smoking, flame-throwing thread. I just have a proposal to make.

 

As smokers, we always book a room on port side, since the Seaview Bar is on the starboard side. That way, we have the option of viewing the best scenery, either from our balcony or on the Lido deck aft and starboard. Perhaps if non-smokers did the reverse, i.e., booking a starboard cabin, then going to the Lido deck when the scenery is better on the port side, we could all help mitigate the smoking issues. We also book as far back on the ship as we can. Non-smokers could book more forward.

 

I know no one will ever be happy with every situation. This is just my little peace offering to the world of smokers and non-smokers. Hope it helps.

 

This data is from the CDC

 

"An estimated 42.1 million people, or 18.1% of all adults (aged 18 years or older), in the United States smoke cigarettes.1 Cigarette smoking is more common among men (20.5%) than women (15.8%).1"

 

If this data is correct, you are asking for 50% of the cabins assigned to smokers when your group comprises on 18.1% (and dying off rapidly because of smoking related illnesses) of the cabins.

 

No way am I giving up my rightful 39.9% of the cabins to a bunch of smokers.

 

DON

[Lizzie68]

You keep believing that...

 

Jealous? Never mind.

[scm1848]

I am the original poster. I wasn't asking for 50/50 on all cabins on a ship. I was merely making what I thought was a little peace offering for a way to mitigate the hate that this issue seems to perpetuate.

 

My husband and I are 65 and 70, eat healthy, work out, take no prescriptions, and are in excellent health. We smoke. No, we don't do drugs, although in Ohio our smoking and wine drinking would apparently lead to heroin usage??!!

 

We HATE fat people and tattoos!!! There, I've said it. Would I say it to some one who was fat or tattooed, or heaven help us, both?? No way. Why are my eyes (having to look at fat and tattoos) worth less than someone's nose??!!

 

I say all this somewhat in the vein of pointing out how ridiculous it is when we try to control and judge others and their lives. We used to live in a civilized and polite society. I have tried to bite my tongue when others comment on my smoking. I will no longer do that if the person talking to me is overweight. None of us live in glass houses.

 

Can't we all please tone it down, be considerate as possible, and learn to live together?

 

Thanks Ellie and Sam for the only kinds thoughts I received.

[POA1]

Can't we all please tone it down, be considerate as possible, and learn to live together?

 

I have to give you credit for trying to propose a solution. If I understood you correctly, you were proposing something akin to the designated smoking rooms or smoking floors that they used to / still have in certain hotels.

 

For the record, I'm not a smoker nor have I ever been one. We also haven't ever been bothered by smoke on our balcony. Maybe we're just lucky. Beats me.

[OCruisers]

No matter how anything - even well intended -- involving smoking comes up it always ends up being POPCORN time. :o

LuLu

[sherilyn70]

My husband and I are 65 and 70, eat healthy, work out, take no prescriptions, and are in excellent health. We smoke. No, we don't do drugs, although in Ohio our smoking and wine drinking would apparently lead to heroin usage??!!

Nope, we were talking about youth that were just starting it up. Not existing smokers. Unless you're smoking to be rebels and not because it's a hard to break habit.

 

I say all this somewhat in the vein of pointing out how ridiculous it is when we try to control and judge others and their lives. We used to live in a civilized and polite society. I have tried to bite my tongue when others comment on my smoking. I will no longer do that if the person talking to me is overweight. None of us live in glass houses.

The only flaw in that comparison is that the person who is fat has no direct impact on you (unless they sit on you) while a smoker generates air pollution that the others near them are forced to intake. Smokers need a solution that they can stick to where non smokers are not affected. I don't mind e-cigs for this reason.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Edited May 18, 2014 by sherilyn70

[1of4]

OK, I don't mean to start another smoking, flame-throwing thread. I just have a proposal to make.

 

As smokers, we always book a room on port side, since the Seaview Bar is on the starboard side. That way, we have the option of viewing the best scenery, either from our balcony or on the Lido deck aft and starboard. Perhaps if non-smokers did the reverse, i.e., booking a starboard cabin, then going to the Lido deck when the scenery is better on the port side, we could all help mitigate the smoking issues. We also book as far back on the ship as we can. Non-smokers could book more forward.

 

I avoided reading this thread until Sunday morning; curiosity finally got the better of me.

 

I thank the OP for trying to figure out a workable solution to this age-old debate.

 

But as a family that books one of the few quad cabins abord HAL ships, if we want a balcony near the aft then it has to be on port side. We have no choice as the other quad cabins with balconies are near the bow. Suites don't work as the beds for 3rd and 4th is a sofa bed which doesn't work, even if the money did. But the suites are too expensive for us.

 

So port side it is, on 4th deck. Since I am a non smoker and I spent my childhood pleading with my mother to quit, I am not too chuffed about smokers heading to the only area on the ship where we can choose if we want a balcony. But I do appreciate the thought behind the idea.

[catl331]

Before or after November 2013? The ban went into effect in November.

Nov 7 to 10, 2013 (I'm jtl513's DW) Edited May 18, 2014 by catl331

[tip]

The only flaw in that comparison is that the person who is fat has no direct impact on you (unless they sit on you) while a smoker generates air pollution that the others near them are forced to intake.

 

Point well taken.

[1of4]

We HATE fat people and tattoos!!! There, I've said it. Would I say it to some one who was fat or tattooed, or heaven help us, both?? No way. Why are my eyes (having to look at fat and tattoos) worth less than someone's nose??!!

 

I say all this somewhat in the vein of pointing out how ridiculous it is when we try to control and judge others and their lives. We used to live in a civilized and polite society. I have tried to bite my tongue when others comment on my smoking. I will no longer do that if the person talking to me is overweight. None of us live in glass houses.

.

 

Bolding mine.

 

Well I applauded your efforts until this statement.

 

You have a CHOICE to smoke. Some people (and yes I said some, not all) people have no choice to be overweight. When given the choice of taking medication to save your life, or putting on weight, silly me chose the medication.

 

I have had the displeasure of being in hearing range of people with a similar viewpoint to yours. Ignorance is bliss.

 

Sorry to offend your eyes. But your smoking affects my health but the look of me does not do the same to you. And yes, I have first had experience as my own mother contributed to her husband of over 50 years death by her thoughtless smoking. She thought she was only hurting herself. WRONG. She learned the hard way and quit too late for my dad who was a non smoker.

 

You have a choice too...stay home and not have your eyes offended by the look of others.

[cruiseing marly]

I'm glad to say on the 22 day Med cruise on the Noordam that smoking and smoke were not an issue . Only once on our balcony did we smell smoke on our balcony on the sail away from Venice.In the casino the smoking tables were empty. The slots had a few smoker.Five years ago there were at least ten times the amount of smokers on our Med cruise and lots of Europeans this time almost no Europeans.Not sure if this is the norm but it sure works for me.

[SeaBands]

and will go out on the balcony for a short smoke then come back in. Liked to smoke in the casino bar while I played. Now has to sit at a machine and use up my quarters when she could be spending money in the bar. I don't smell the smoke while on the balcony across from her. I do smell perfume from other balconies and in the halls.

[runnergirl71]

Nov 7 to 10, 2013 (I'm jtl513's DW)

 

 

That was just before - pretty sure it was November 15 that it went into effect. (Please note, I'm not denying your experience. I'm just stating that at the time, smoking on balconies WAS "legal" on DCL. The change happened mid-November 2013.)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited May 18, 2014 by runnergirl71