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

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I say give the smokers a place they can smoke. Have a smoking lounge with ventilation for them. If you drive them away they make take their friends and family away too.

 

I can still vividly recall the threats from smokers when restaurants started going totally smoke free. Seems in the end they still go out and eat. Once all/most lines wise up to the coming reality, smokers will either make do or stay home.

 

Still, I agree that there should be a place or two onboard where they can get their fix without impacting non-smokers. Might I suggest that any staff they have serving those areas also be smokers !

 

Tom

[kennicott]

IStill, I agree that there should be a place or two onboard where they can get their fix without impacting non-smokers. Might I suggest that any staff they have serving those areas also be smokers !

 

Tom

 

I do agree that HAL should have an exclusive smoking lounge similar to "Churchill's" or the "Connoisseur Club" found respectively on Princess and Regent. I am of the opinion that will reduce smoking elsewhere on board. Of course, with HAL being the only one of the majors allowing balcony smoking, particularly cigar smoking, it makes their on board smoking debacle even more acute, particularly for those of us who always book balconies and long voyages. Therefore, we will continue not to book HAL anymore until they change (In fact we have canceled two HAL cruises and rebooked with Princess which amounts to over 60 days sailing with HAL).

 

As an example of how effective smoking lounges are, one of my brother-in-laws is a chain smoker. He always liked HAL since he could smoke on the balcony, but recently he cruised on Regent and loved their "Connoisseur Club" which made his wife, who abhors his balcony smoking habit, very happy.

 

There also has been some red-herring insinuations that HAL has some of the most restrictive smoking rules going. Last time we were on HAL was last year. I didn't have a problem with smokers then but my wife did in the casino. It appeared to me that if you exclude the smoking lounges there were just as many places to smoke on HAL as there is on Princess and Regent, if you don't even factor in all the balconies. Today though it is worse, since HAL has the only balcony smoking going among the majors obviously that is attracting smokers from other lines. All one has to do is read posts right here for verification.

 

This is what the current issue of Berlitz has to say on the subject: "HAL has established smoking and no-smoking areas throughout its ships, but there are many more smokers than you might expect, depending on ship and itinerary."

 

Regarding definition of "Majors", I have always regarded majors as the big boys, global in scale, as defined by Berlitz among others. Majors---Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, HAL, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International----That is 10 but I would consider two more by adding the not so global AIDA Cruises and Star Cruises. There are a number of these smaller outfits who still allow some balcony smoking when compared to the major's new policies. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Saga and Seabourn are examples, but I notice even some of those draw the line on cigars, not HAL though. Here is a good link to many company relevant smoking policies. http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=225

 

 

Once again, here is HAL's:

Where You Can Smoke: Smoking is permitted on cabin balconies (not inside the cabins), open decks, the casino and Seaview Bar. E-cigarettes can be smoked inside the cabins, but not in other designated areas throughout the ship.

Where You Can't: All cabins (with the exception of balconies), restaurants and most indoor areas (including showrooms) are non-smoking.

Cigar and Pipe Smoking: Cigar and pipe smoking is prohibited inside; it is only allowed on outside decks and on cabin balconies.

[RuthC]

I do agree that HAL should have an exclusive smoking lounge similar to "Churchill's" or the "Connoisseur Club" found respectively on Princess and Regent. I am of the opinion that will reduce smoking elsewhere on board. Once again, here is HAL's:

Where You Can Smoke: Smoking is permitted on cabin balconies (not inside the cabins), open decks, the casino and Seaview Bar. E-cigarettes can be smoked inside the cabins, but not in other designated areas throughout the ship.

It's too bad there wasn't an outcry from non-smokers when the few exclusive smoking rooms on HAL ships were eliminated. Perhaps that would have made a difference.

But there was only silence on that issue posted here.

 

Where You Can't: All cabins (with the exception of balconies), restaurants and most indoor areas (including showrooms) are non-smoking.

Cigar and Pipe Smoking: Cigar and pipe smoking is prohibited inside; it is only allowed on outside decks and on cabin balconies.

To be fair and accurate, there is a list under "open decks" where smoking is allowed. Not all "outside decks" allow smoking.

[Fouremco]

I do agree that HAL should have an exclusive smoking lounge similar to "Churchill's" or the "Connoisseur Club" found respectively on Princess and Regent. I am of the opinion that will reduce smoking elsewhere on board.

 

As an example of how effective smoking lounges are, one of my brother-in-laws is a chain smoker. He always liked HAL since he could smoke on the balcony, but recently he cruised on Regent and loved their "Connoisseur Club" which made his wife, who abhors his balcony smoking habit, very happy.

This suggestion has been made multiple times on this board, but a common refrain from smokers has been "Why should I have to leave my cabin to go elsewhere on the ship when I can just step out on my balcony?" Often accompanied by a statement of how they like one as they roll out of bed in the morning or with their breakfast or last thing before going to bed or... or... or... You get the picture.

 

Your brother-in-law appears to be an exception, although his wife obviously had a strong influence there!

[momatibm]

My DH never smoked a cigar until a Maasdam cruise in 2000 -- they had cigars under the stars. He only smokes them occaisonally outside...will notdo it in a 'smoking room'. He always goes to the designated area on the aft deck. I think once in over 200 days onboard he smoked one on the balcony -- it was raining and the balcony was on the side of the ship that was lea of the wind. He has no problem being in the aft after 10pm.

[waASPCrusier]

Maybe a sign that here are less smokers on board than we are led to believe on this thread ???

Whenever a change is made that affects wine drinkers, dress codes, the size of lobster tails, the firmness of the pillows, the hamburger sauce, etc , we certainly hear about here. ;)

 

 

The comment was about non-smokers....not smokers.... :rolleyes:

 

It's too bad there wasn't an outcry from non-smokers when the few exclusive smoking rooms on HAL ships were eliminated. Perhaps that would have made a difference.

But there was only silence on that issue posted here.

[sammiedawg]

It's too bad there wasn't an outcry from non-smokers when the few exclusive smoking rooms on HAL ships were eliminated. Perhaps that would have made a difference.

But there was only silence on that issue posted here.

 

 

To be fair and accurate, there is a list under "open decks" where smoking is allowed. Not all "outside decks" allow smoking.

 

The "open deck" langauge on the web site is open to interpretation and the bullet point locations are not always enforced. I complained last year when I saw and smelled smoking on the Prinsendam promenade and the smoking boxes were hanging on the rails. More than once we saw ship employees take these boxes to be emptied I was told the promenade is an allowed open deck area equipped with smoking boxes in place.

 

Why would smokers cry out in sadness when smoking rooms are eliminated? I don't remember if I was even aware of it. I purposely avoided reading smoking threads and the old smoking polls. Somehow I got sucked into this one a year ago.

We owned an extensive income property business, you cannot imagine the damage smoking causes to property. Handymen trying to rehab a unit occupied by smokers would literally scrape thick layers of nicotine off walls, carpets would have to be ripped out. Deep cleanings and wall washings would be repeated over and over. Holland America would have faced the same issues in their smoking rooms. Smoking is a filthy dirty habit.

Edited August 20, 2015 by sammiedawg

[cruz chic]

The "open deck" langauge on the web site is open to interpretation and the bullet point locations are not always enforced. I complained last year when I saw and smelled smoking on the Prinsendam promenade and the smoking boxes were hanging on the rails. More than once we saw ship employees take these boxes to be emptied I was told the promenade is an allowed open deck area equipped with smoking boxes in place.

 

Why would smokers cry out in sadness when smoking rooms are eliminated? I don't remember if I was even aware of it. I purposely avoided reading smoking threads and the old smoking polls. Somehow I got sucked into this one a year ago.

We owned an extensive income property business, you cannot imagine the damage smoking causes to property. Handymen trying to rehab a unit occupied by smokers would literally scrape thick layers of nicotine off walls, carpets would have to be ripped out. Deep cleanings and wall washings would be repeated over and over. Holland America would have faced the same issues in their smoking rooms. Smoking is a filthy dirty habit.

 

I assume you mean why would non smokers cry. If that's the case I totally agree with you. While I believe there should be an indoor space if balcony smoking is eliminated It isn't right now so it's a moot point to me.

[RuthC]

Why would smokers cry out in sadness when smoking rooms are eliminated?

Not sadness. Protest.

To keep the smoking areas in places there was no reason for non-smokers to go. The Oak Rooms accomplished that. Had they remained, there would be a good argument to eliminate the Casino as a smoking area (people do post laments that smoking is allowed there). Have one or two separate smoking rooms on the ship and there's a good argument to eliminate balcony smoking.

 

Why would non-smokers "cry" out? Because it would be in their best interest to. Smokers aren't the enemy; HAL's smoking policy is.

[sammiedawg]

I assume you mean why would non smokers cry. If that's the case I totally agree with you. While I believe there should be an indoor space if balcony smoking is eliminated It isn't right now so it's a moot point to me.

 

Thanks, I meant non smokers and I didn't get my typing error corrected in the editing window of time.

[sammiedawg]

Not sadness. Protest.

To keep the smoking areas in places there was no reason for non-smokers to go. The Oak Rooms accomplished that. Had they remained, there would be a good argument to eliminate the Casino as a smoking area (people do post laments that smoking is allowed there). Have one or two separate smoking rooms on the ship and there's a good argument to eliminate balcony smoking.

 

Why would non-smokers "cry" out? Because it would be in their best interest to. Smokers aren't the enemy; HAL's smoking policy is.

 

I remember walking by the Oak rooms and the smoke odors reeked in the hallways.

As a non smoker I will not protest any policy change limiting smoking in any venue, whether on cruise ships or in land based establishments. I am very honest about my abhorrence of all things smoking. 21st century laws agree with me.

Edited August 20, 2015 by sammiedawg

[sail7seas]

RuthC

Not sadness. Protest.

To keep the smoking areas in places there was no reason for non-smokers to go. The Oak Rooms accomplished that. Had they remained, there would be a good argument to eliminate the Casino as a smoking area (people do post laments that smoking is allowed there). Have one or two separate smoking rooms on the ship and there's a good argument to eliminate balcony smoking.

 

Why would non-smokers "cry" out? Because it would be in their best interest to. Smokers aren't the enemy; HAL's smoking policy is.

 

 

I wasn't aware the "S" and "R" class ships ever had Oak Rooms. The first I knew about that location was Noordam's Dedication. Prior to that we had sailed Zuiderdam 6 cruises and never noticed an Oak Room on her.

Edited August 20, 2015 by sail7seas

[RuthC]

I wasn't aware the "S" and "R" class ships ever had Oak Rooms.

No one said they did.

The Oak Room on the Prinsendam isn't a smoking room, either.

[sail7seas]

Without an Oak Room on the "S" and "R" or Prinsendam, it would be less than half the fleet that even had an Oak Room. I really do not recall Zuiderdam having one. Did she?

[kennicott]

It's too bad there wasn't an outcry from non-smokers when the few exclusive smoking rooms on HAL ships were eliminated. Perhaps that would have made a difference.

But there was only silence on that issue posted here.

 

 

To be fair and accurate, there is a list under "open decks" where smoking is allowed. Not all "outside decks" allow smoking.

 

Yes, I agree, articulation regarding some of these smoking rules leaves a lot to interpretation and conjecture. I'm not going to get into the editing game on any of these though. I will say this about C.C.'s list, they do a pretty good job of keeping it up to date compared to others, pertinent threads on other forums are often dated and inaccurate, creating a lot of misleading impression.

 

The Celebrity rules seem to be fairly easy to understand, except they got rid of the Galaxy and Mercury six years ago, haw. To wit: "Where You Can Smoke: Cigarette smoking is only permitted in designated indoor and outdoor areas. Examples include the port side of the pool deck and sundecks on each ship; the port side of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Century and on Celebrity's Millennium class of ships; and the port side, aft, outside of Winter Garden on Celebrity Galaxy and Celebrity Mercury.

 

Where You Can't: Smoking is prohibited in cabins and on balconies. Also, smoking is not permitted in any dining venue, casino, theater, hallway, elevator or corridor. On Celebrity's Solstice class, the Lawn Club and the Sunset Bar at the Lawn Club don't allow smoking.

 

Cigar and Pipe Smoking: Cigar and pipe smoking is allowed only in specially designated sections of the open decks."

 

When did HAL get rid of their Smoking Lounges? I wasn't even aware they had them. But that doesn't mean anything, it seemed like just a few years everyone was smoking everywhere on board.

 

We were on the Prinsendam for almost three months in 2008. That was the first time I ever encountered a situation where smokers caused a great deal of heartburn and dissatisfaction. The best dance floor on the ship had a small bar, where they allowed smoking but no one smoked there, hardly. Since we danced a lot in those days we were often there before dinner, quite a few single ladies also liked to dance so the ship provided three escorts for them. It was toward the last few weeks of the voyage that a group of hard core smokers, who had been frequenting the open air lido deck area, gravitated into the dance area. It was pretty bad, some of the women were downright angry. One well-heeled lady, we had become friends with, even talked directly with the captain about it, to no avail.

 

Would have been nice if they had a quality smoking lounge for those dudes then, maybe they did.

[Cruizer Bill]

Maybe a sign that here are less smokers on board than we are led to believe on this thread ???

Whenever a change is made that affects wine drinkers, dress codes, the size of lobster tails, the firmness of the pillows, the hamburger sauce, etc , we certainly hear about here. ;)

 

Remember the long, passionate threads about eliminating trays in the Lido? Wow, they went on a LONG time!:p

[sail7seas]

Remember the long, passionate threads about eliminating trays in the Lido? Wow, they went on a LONG time!:p

 

HAL made trays go away. :D

 

Why can't they make smoke on verandahs go away? :confused:

Well, the point is they 'can' but doesn't seem they ever will. :(

 

[cruisemom42]

Without an Oak Room on the "S" and "R" or Prinsendam, it would be less than half the fleet that even had an Oak Room. I really do not recall Zuiderdam having one. Did she?

 

Yes, Zuiderdam had an Oak Room.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=793741

[kennicott]

HAL made trays go away. :D

 

Why can't they make smoke on verandahs go away? :confused:

Well, the point is they 'can' but doesn't seem they ever will. :(

 

 

Isn't that the truth. Seems like just yesterday Stein Kruse decided HAL should get away from their long time unique service feature of allowing guests to bring on board their own wine, free of charge and hassle. Instead, Kruse decided to go with the flow of all other major lines and slapped on a per-bottle charge, one even higher than his sister lines do. That caused much consternation.

 

So now with the smoking issue, the reverse is true, Kruse has decided to buck common wisdom of other major lines which severely restrict smoking on board their vessels by allowing HAL to become a leader in lenient on board smoking experiences.

 

Go figure.

[Fouremco]

Isn't that the truth. Seems like just yesterday Stein Kruse decided HAL should get away from their long time unique service feature of allowing guests to bring on board their own wine, free of charge and hassle. Instead, Kruse decided to go with the flow of all other major lines and slapped on a per-bottle charge, one even higher than his sister lines do. That caused much consternation.

 

So now with the smoking issue, the reverse is true, Kruse has decided to buck common wisdom of other major lines which severely restrict smoking on board their vessels by allowing HAL to become a leader in lenient on board smoking experiences.

 

Go figure.

Might I propose that we reverse these practices and allow wine to be brought aboard freely but charge $18 for each pack of cigarettes after the first free one? :)

[Sonora5]

It seems like HAL could at least limit smoking to balconies on one side of the ship. Wouldn't that give some relief to both camps? Or maybe just aft of a cerrtain point?

 

I do dearly wish all the smokers would quit. Mr. S is a former smoker who now has end stage COPD. It is terrifying when he gets an exacerbation and has difficulty breathing. I hate to see anyone else suffer from this.

 

Due to his illness, we will not be able to use our balcony if there are contiguous smokers.

[cruz chic]

Might I propose that we reverse these practices and allow wine to be brought aboard freely but charge $18 for each pack of cigarettes after the first free one? :)

 

Now that's a great idea :D.

[cruz chic]

It seems like HAL could at least limit smoking to balconies on one side of the ship. Wouldn't that give some relief to both camps? Or maybe just aft of a cerrtain point?

 

I do dearly wish all the smokers would quit. Mr. S is a former smoker who now has end stage COPD. It is terrifying when he gets an exacerbation and has difficulty breathing. I hate to see anyone else suffer from this.

 

Due to his illness, we will not be able to use our balcony if there are contiguous smokers.

 

That has been brought up may, many times. That might work if 50% smoked.

[sail7seas]

If that would work, they (probably many) cruise lines would have done that long ago.

Not enough adult North Americans still smoking. While certainly many nationalities sail the ships but the majority of HAL's guests are from No. America but for when the ship is 'down under'.

[corkpopr]

well, 22% of adults would be the largest minority group in the world. just sailed the Prinsendam & Westerdam recently and smoking was not a problem.