This Thread Is To Be Used For All Discussions About HAL's On Board Smoking Policies

[Aquahound]

Conflicting reports on this one by those that sail Celebrity! :confused:

 

I can assure you there isn't. RCI, Princess and NCL have them on certain ship classes. But I know for certain Celebrity does not.

 

By the way, HAL does have a smoking lounge on one ship.

Edited December 30, 2015 by Aquahound

[sugcarol]

Cruz Chic you've got the right idea. If HAL eliminates balcony smoking then I will book only Ocean views on all lines including them. Why pay extra for balcony if I can't enjoy it. It's all about choices. My favorite line is Celebrity and I'm Elite with them but they are too restrictive, so I'm currently doing HAL.

[kennicott]

In today's market how many balcony cabins on HAL do you think would have smokers on any given cruise? If not many than it shouldn't bother that many people, if there are a lot then that is the reason HAL keeps permitting it. I believe not that many people are balcony smokers percentage wise.

 

Therein lies the crux of the problem. "How many HAL balcony cabins have smokers on any given cruise?"

 

All things equal, like it used to be where most lines permitted balcony smoking, HAL could probably expect 8% of their balconies to have smokers on them and so could the other lines. 8% of all guests, with demographics like HAL has, can be expected to be smokers.

 

The issue on this thread is, since HAL is the only major that allows balcony smoking anymore, and many smokers have began favoring HAL due restricted balcony smoking on their previous favorite line, how much has HAL balcony smoking "increased" percentage wise?

[Dashwood100]

 

Also, do the math! If there are (just throwing out numbers) 400 balconies onboard and all 20% book one, that is 80 balconies. Regardless of what the anti-smokers think, not all smokers book balconies just as not all non-smokers book balconies. If only 10% book a balcony, that leaves 40 balconies out of 400 who have those on it that smoke. Slim odds of having smokers next to you don't you think!

 

[/b]

 

I have some similar math - I smoke those stinky cigars and I purchase a balcony, in part, to enjoy them on it - in most cases it takes about an hour to 1.5 hours due the deed (dirty deed for some) and I smoke about 3 or 4 --- taking about 6 hours max of the cruise. Therefore my interference with your enjoyment of your balcony would be about 0.04% of the time [counting only 6 days]. So, add it to the odds of only 1 in 10 smokers with balcony's next to yours means that there is plenty of time for your enjoyment.

 

That said --- if the 1 in 10 is chain smoking your enjoyment time will decrease drastically.

 

Even so, if I am curtailing your balcony time please let me know and I am sure we can come to some realistic compromise, were we both can be happy.

[cruz chic]

I have some similar math - I smoke those stinky cigars and I purchase a balcony, in part, to enjoy them on it - in most cases it takes about an hour to 1.5 hours due the deed (dirty deed for some) and I smoke about 3 or 4 --- taking about 6 hours max of the cruise. Therefore my interference with your enjoyment of your balcony would be about 0.04% of the time [counting only 6 days]. So, add it to the odds of only 1 in 10 smokers with balcony's next to yours means that there is plenty of time for your enjoyment.

 

That said --- if the 1 in 10 is chain smoking your enjoyment time will decrease drastically.

 

Even so, if I am curtailing your balcony time please let me know and I am sure we can come to some realistic compromise, were we both can be happy.

 

So you are out for 6 hours. Are those hours from midnight to 6am? Are you say thus per day or per cruise? You are impacting others even if you think you aren't. It is considerate that you are willing to comprise. That is appreciated.

Edited December 30, 2015 by cruz chic

[sail7seas]

Therein lies the crux of the problem. "How many HAL balcony cabins have smokers on any given cruise?"

 

All things equal, like it used to be where most lines permitted balcony smoking, HAL could probably expect 8% of their balconies to have smokers on them and so could the other lines. 8% of all guests, with demographics like HAL has, can be expected to be smokers.

 

The issue on this thread is, since HAL is the only major that allows balcony smoking anymore, and many smokers have began favoring HAL due restricted balcony smoking on their previous favorite line, how much has HAL balcony smoking "increased" percentage wise?

 

The thing is 'all things are not equal' as they may have been in the past.

 

It is HAL that has this so out of date smoking policy. Equality between cruise lines would be if most (many ?) of the others had same policy. However, they do not.

 

[Dashwood100]

So you are out for 6 hours. Are those hours from midnight to 6am? Are you say thus per day or per cruise? You are impacting others even if you think you aren't. It is considerate that you are willing to comprise. That is appreciated.

 

Hi CruzChic:

That would be 6 hours total for the week max. [therefore the acknowledgement of the impact of a more frequent smoker] I also will enjoy a stick or two at the Sea View smoking area which reduces my balcony smoking.

I am not likely awake between the hours of 2-7 AM so if you want to you can cherry pick the "best hours" of the day but that would also apply to non-smokers as well.

I do realize that I can impact others but think about this; on my last cruise I was driven out of the Sea View area [found some good company there, so I came back even without smoking] by the "steel drum lessons;" my ears could not take the loud sounds. I did learn to read the "On Location" better and avoided said area during the lessons. Please note that I did not ask them to relocate or change there time there, I moved. They enjoyed it and it did not take tons of time so I did not think I was inconvenienced very much. Similarly I do not think that I inconvenience others much and I am willing to try to work things out for the pleasure of everyone. Therefore I impact others as I am impacted by others.

Currently HAL has balcony smoking in its policy and it is an important factor in my cruising. I do wish everyone a happy and enjoyable cruise and if I need to arrange my smoking time I am happy to do so. At the same time I would like to use my balcony in accordance with the smoking policy without being flamed by the anti lobby people.

[freestyling]

Don't disagree that as long as it is HALs policy then one can't complain if they are adversely affected by smoke. I only book verandas (3 cruises a yr) and have found the cruises over 17 days have fewer issues for me. I do understand I'm blessed to be retired and able to take these longer cruises. There is no way I would ever ask a fellow cruiser to "adjust" their schedule so I could use balcony. They are not doing anything wrong so it's my issue not there's.

Edited December 31, 2015 by freestyling

[cruz chic]

Hi CruzChic:

That would be 6 hours total for the week max. [therefore the acknowledgement of the impact of a more frequent smoker] I also will enjoy a stick or two at the Sea View smoking area which reduces my balcony smoking.

I am not likely awake between the hours of 2-7 AM so if you want to you can cherry pick the "best hours" of the day but that would also apply to non-smokers as well.

I do realize that I can impact others but think about this; on my last cruise I was driven out of the Sea View area [found some good company there, so I came back even without smoking] by the "steel drum lessons;" my ears could not take the loud sounds. I did learn to read the "On Location" better and avoided said area during the lessons. Please note that I did not ask them to relocate or change there time there, I moved. They enjoyed it and it did not take tons of time so I did not think I was inconvenienced very much. Similarly I do not think that I inconvenience others much and I am willing to try to work things out for the pleasure of everyone. Therefore I impact others as I am impacted by others.

Currently HAL has balcony smoking in its policy and it is an important factor in my cruising. I do wish everyone a happy and enjoyable cruise and if I need to arrange my smoking time I am happy to do so. At the same time I would like to use my balcony in accordance with the smoking policy without being flamed by the anti lobby people.

Ok, I thought you were out there 6 hours a day. That would be a lot! I do realize that smokers are within their rights to smoke on their balcony. That however doesn't mean we have to like or support it. I also wish that smokers would not diminish the effect it has. No one would care if it would stay on the smokers balcony.

[Cruise Junky]

Don't disagree that as long as it is HALs policy then one can't complain if they are adversely affected by smoke. I only book verandas (3 cruises a yr) and have found the cruises over 17 days have fewer issues for me. I do understand I'm blessed to be retired and able to take these longer cruises. There is no way I would ever ask a fellow cruiser to "adjust" their schedule so I could use balcony. They are not doing anything wrong so it's my issue not there's.

 

That's the way I feel too. I will not book HAL knowing the policy and then complain onboard or try to negotiate the use of my balcony, I'll book on another line.

[iriemon]

I read on one of the live posts from the Eurodam that there is no longer smoking in the casino. I know there used to be a couple of nights usually the formal ones that you couldn't smoke but not all the nights. Does anyone know if this is true and whether it is on all the ships?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I read on one of the live posts from the Eurodam that there is no longer smoking in the casino. I know there used to be a couple of nights usually the formal ones that you couldn't smoke but not all the nights. Does anyone know if this is true and whether it is on all the ships?

 

One can only hope, but I doubt it. I think we'd have seen some type of official release with a change like that, but who knows!

 

Tom

Edited December 31, 2015 by Tom-n-Cheryl

[cruz chic]

One can only hope, but I doubt it. I think we'd have seen some type of official release with a change like that, but who knows!

 

Tom

 

It was reported that the Noordam was smoke free in the casino. That was a couple months back. Maybe Hal sees this as a compromise for not getting rid of balcony smoking. Frankly I'd rather they kept the casino smoking and the balconies smoke free. The casino on the eurodam was still smoking in October. This is a recent development.

[Lizzie68]

Didn't someone report there is a smoking lounge on the Noordam now? Somewhere up by the Crows Nest. So perhaps that's why no smoking in the casino.

[kennicott]

The thing is 'all things are not equal' as they may have been in the past.

 

It is HAL that has this so out of date smoking policy. Equality between cruise lines would be if most (many ?) of the others had same policy. However, they do not.

 

 

Geez---You did not even read my post, before posting did you? Nor did you pay any attention to the post I was responding to. What do you think I was saying for crying out loud? "The issue on this thread is, since HAL is the only major that allows balcony smoking anymore, and many smokers have began favoring HAL due restricted balcony smoking on their previous favorite line, how much has HAL balcony smoking "increased" percentage wise?" I give up. Sorry for posting.

Edited December 31, 2015 by kennicott

[ithaca gal]

When I did the Atlantic Coast cruise in October there were NO Ashtrays hanging on the rails on Deck 10 underneath the Retreat Cabana area. I actually posted on the Smoking Areas for that Ship when I came back because I'm so tired of this Cruise Line being called the "Ashtrays of the Seas" when it certainly is not! I will be on Nieuw Amsterdam on the 10th and will verify if the ashtrays are there on that Ship.

 

We walked the entire Ship while on Eurodam and saw no Ashtrays on any rails and the only area that had Smoking was at the Seaview Bar. If they added the Ashtrays back on the rails maybe they did so due to passenger requests?

 

It is interesting that you walked the entire Eurodam in October and saw no ashtrays on the rails. This does not change the fact that they were there on Deck 10 in November.

 

I am waiting for official confirmation that the casino on the newly refurbished Eurodam is non-smoking. It makes sense though. If you just installed new carpeting, would you want it to stink of cigarette smoke in a short time?

[erewhon]

Didn't someone report there is a smoking lounge on the Noordam now? Somewhere up by the Crows Nest. So perhaps that's why no smoking in the casino.

 

The smoking lounge on Noordam is situated in the Oak Room starboard side of the Crows Nest. On embarkation day, a letter in the stateroom from the Captain encouraged smokers to use the Oak Room.

[iriemon]

It was reported that the Noordam was smoke free in the casino. That was a couple months back. Maybe Hal sees this as a compromise for not getting rid of balcony smoking. Frankly I'd rather they kept the casino smoking and the balconies smoke free. The casino on the eurodam was still smoking in October. This is a recent development.

 

Yes I was on it in Dec and it was smoking but that was before dry dock

[Lizzie68]

The smoking lounge on Noordam is situated in the Oak Room starboard side of the Crows Nest. On embarkation day, a letter in the stateroom from the Captain encouraged smokers to use the Oak Room.

 

Thank you, erewhon, I knew I had read that somewhere. Perhaps this is a first step for HAL. One can hope.

[CHOPPERTESTER]

The smoking lounge on Noordam is situated in the Oak Room starboard side of the Crows Nest. On embarkation day, a letter in the stateroom from the Captain encouraged smokers to use the Oak Room.

 

That's because on embarkation day the ship is bunkering and no smoking is permitted outside anywhere until bunkering is completed closer to departure time.

 

The oak room is the only place to go for a smoke until bunkering is completed as the casino and casino bar are closed.

[RuthC]

[quote name='Lizzie68']Thank you, erewhon, I knew I had read that somewhere. Perhaps this is a first step for HAL. One can hope.[/QUOTE]
[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Except that "first step" started years ago when the Vista class ships were first introduced. There was even another inside smoking room near the dining room, where someone could go between courses, should the desire arise. I remember it from the third cruise on the Noordam, and it was gone very shortly thereafter.

Over the years HAL has removed those rooms from the ships, except (so far) the Oak Room from the Noordam.
This is not a move in the right direction.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[OVgirl]

We were on Noordam in 2014 (I know it's not current) and there was no smoking in the Oak Room. Like someone already mentioned, they might just allow smoking for the time they are bunkering fuel.

Hopefully, we'll hear from more people who have been on Noordam, if smoking is allowed there for the duration of a cruise. Edited December 31, 2015 by OVgirl

[RuthC]

[quote name='OVgirl']We were on Noordam in 2014 (I know it's not current) and there was no smoking in the Oak Room.[/QUOTE]
[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Thanks for mentioning that. I [I]thought[/I] I remembered the Oak Room had been taken away from smokers on the Noordam, too.
There aren't a lot of public smoking areas left on the ships.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[ithaca gal]

I just received a message from a friend who works on the Eurodam. There is no smoking in the casino. They said it is so much better now. OK, this is from a non-smoker's perspective but there you have it. I am so happy because the casino workers will now have a much healthier environment. As well the rest of us!

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

[quote name='ithaca gal']I just received a message from a friend who works on the Eurodam. There is no smoking in the casino. They said it is so much better now. OK, this is from a non-smoker's perspective but there you have it. I am so happy because the casino workers will now have a much healthier environment. As well the rest of us![/QUOTE]

That's definitely encouraging news. Let's hope it's part of a trend.

Perhaps HAL is doing it slowly so as not to scare off their smokers, otherwise you'd think this would be news they'd like to tout.

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