Discarded Cigarette starts fire today on Dawn Princess

[riclop]

In my not so humble opinion;), smoking shouldn't be allowed on the ship, period. If one needed a quick fix, they're more than welcome to light up in the space provided - about 5 feet off either the port or starboard sides of the ship.:)

 

Totally agree with you.

[satxdiver]

Quite right. My point was that a broom was used rather than a vacuum cleaner, which would imply a hard surface like a crew stair, rather than a carpeted passenger stair.

 

A part of the promenade is usually designated a smoking area so one would use a broom to clean up any mess on the floor. Once done the broom is probably stored in an area not available to pax like a stairwell (they use every available space on a ship). So a conclusion that the fire was the fault of a crew member may or may not be true.

 

On the issue of prohibiting crew from smoking it is not unreasonable for a cruise line to prohibit crew from smoking any more than a US company to prohibit smoking on their property (quite a few do this). The crew could then smoke in port once off the ship. I have no idea whether crew is allowed to smoke on the ship and if they have designated smoking areas.

[GUT2407]

Funny really. No irons. No kettles. No candles in he restaurants ven. Fire risks you see.

 

But cigarettes and open flames to light them are fine.

[caribill]

On the issue of prohibiting crew from smoking it is not unreasonable for a cruise line to prohibit crew from smoking any more than a US company to prohibit smoking on their property (quite a few do this). The crew could then smoke in port once off the ship. I have no idea whether crew is allowed to smoke on the ship and if they have designated smoking areas.

 

Very few of the crew are allowed to get off in ports.

 

In addition, most smokers are "hooked" and cannot go up to seven or eight days without a smoke.

[shredie]

Don't we already have a smoking sermons thread up there in the stickies?

[elliair]

A part of the promenade is usually designated a smoking area so one would use a broom to clean up any mess on the floor. Once done the broom is probably stored in an area not available to pax like a stairwell (they use every available space on a ship). So a conclusion that the fire was the fault of a crew member may or may not be true.

 

On the issue of prohibiting crew from smoking it is not unreasonable for a cruise line to prohibit crew from smoking any more than a US company to prohibit smoking on their property (quite a few do this). The crew could then smoke in port once off the ship. I have no idea whether crew is allowed to smoke on the ship and if they have designated smoking areas.

 

There's cigarette dispensers there. I've never seen anyone throw a cigarette onto the deck on the Promenade deck. I've never seen any crew member out there sweeping. I believe smokers on the Promenade are respectful of the rules and dispense of their habit accordingly.

[Keith1010]

Sorry to hear this.

 

Keith

[hansi]

In my not so humble opinion;), smoking shouldn't be allowed on the ship, period. If one needed a quick fix, they're more than welcome to light up in the space provided - about 5 feet off either the port or starboard sides of the ship.:)

 

 

Agreed!

[hansi]

If you are going to ban smoking on ships then you will need a whole new crew - 80% of all crew I know are smokers

 

I'm sure there are lots of non smokers who would replace them. It's not so long ago that they stopped smoking on aircraft, whey can't they do the same on ships?

[crochetcruise]

In my not so humble opinion;), smoking shouldn't be allowed on the ship, period. If one needed a quick fix, they're more than welcome to light up in the space provided - about 5 feet off either the port or starboard sides of the ship.:)

 

Hear, Hear!

 

I'm a Fireman's daughter, and I've seen the devastation of a house-abandoned, and used as a Training Exercise by the Fire Brigade with the delighted co-operation of the property owner, he'd actually ASKED the Fire Chief if the crew could burn the house down as a Training Exercise. It suited everyone, so arrangements were made. New equipment being tested by the firemen, help in demolishing the property for the owner.

 

Mum and I walked down-2 blocks from our home-quite a number of people were gathered to watch in the "roped off" area, and comments were made when Mum and I were called to come closer to the house by the Fire Chief. They didn't know Dad WANTED me to experience the heat of a house fire under controlled conditions with the intention of "scaring" me off smoking! It jolly well WORKED too! We were invited back the next day by the property owner so I could SEE for myself the devastation a fire could cause. Even one that was consciously lit and carefully controlled by the Fire Brigade, still destroyed the old house completely.

[chengkp75]

A part of the promenade is usually designated a smoking area so one would use a broom to clean up any mess on the floor. Once done the broom is probably stored in an area not available to pax like a stairwell (they use every available space on a ship). So a conclusion that the fire was the fault of a crew member may or may not be true.

 

On the issue of prohibiting crew from smoking it is not unreasonable for a cruise line to prohibit crew from smoking any more than a US company to prohibit smoking on their property (quite a few do this). The crew could then smoke in port once off the ship. I have no idea whether crew is allowed to smoke on the ship and if they have designated smoking areas.

 

I'm not saying it was crew's fault, or that passengers are not to blame, just pointing out that most of the information points me to believe it was in a crew area.

 

The big difference between banning crew from smoking, and a US company banning smoking on their property is this: the crew lives there. Ships are one of the few instances where you work and live in the same location, and banning smoking on the ship would be banning smoking on the crew's off time. And again, any US legal precedent for banning smoking in work places or housing would not apply on the ship.

 

I would also say that in 40 years at sea, cigarettes are probably the least common cause of fires onboard ships, in my experience.

Edited April 6, 2016 by chengkp75

[IsanTom]

I think smoking will eventually be banned, but there are a lot of smokers still in Europe.

[pablo222]

I am very allergic to cigarette smoke. Last year on my first cruise, I just avoided the 'approved smoking areas'. But if there are areas where crew can smoke that might allow smoke to drift into cabins, I could be in trouble. We are in E601(Obstructed OV), Ruby Princess going to Alaska 5/8. Does anyone know if that cabin might be near where crew could be smoking?

 

On grand class ships, the crew smoking area/bar/recreation area

is on deck 8, forward of passenger area. (Opposite end of the ship

from where you will be.)

 

There is also a crew stairwell there, and people have reported

smelling cigarettes near some of the other forward crew areas.

 

If you walk around on the 'upper promenade' all the way forward,

and the lighting is right, you can see into crew area. Sometimes

the door to the crew gym is propped open to let in some fresh air...

[floridalover5623]

I think smoking will eventually be banned, but there are a lot of smokers still in Europe.

 

They've already limited the smoking areas to a minimum & probably cut profits by doing so. I seriously doubt if they want to antagonize the smokers any more since 1/3 of the American families have a smoker, especially the older generation.

[shredie]

They've already limited the smoking areas to a minimum & probably cut profits by doing so. I seriously doubt if they want to antagonize the smokers any more since 1/3 of the American families have a smoker, especially the older generation.

 

What is the size of the smoking section on Royal/Regal as opposed to--oh, I don't know--the Emerald, maybe? :p

[iceleven]

They've already limited the smoking areas to a minimum & probably cut profits by doing so. I seriously doubt if they want to antagonize the smokers any more since 1/3 of the American families have a smoker, especially the older generation.

 

Maybe if they live in Kentucky or West Virginia but I doubt your statistics are accurate anywhere else in the states. It's closer to 17% nation-wide who remain smokers today. In fact it really does depend on where you live, your education, your age, and your sex. I live on the west coast and I can honestly say I don't know anyone who still smokes. It's an extremely rare occurrence that I get a whiff of tobacco smoke. Now the other kind of smoke is entirely a different matter...if you catch my drift. (And no, I don't smoke either) :D

[LMaxwell]

They've already limited the smoking areas to a minimum & probably cut profits by doing so. I seriously doubt if they want to antagonize the smokers any more since 1/3 of the American families have a smoker, especially the older generation.

 

That sounds wildly inaccurate to me.

[Treven]

Maybe if they live in Kentucky or West Virginia but I doubt your statistics are accurate anywhere else in the states. It's closer to 17% nation-wide who remain smokers today. In fact it really does depend on where you live, your education, your age, and your sex. I live on the west coast and I can honestly say I don't know anyone who still smokes. It's an extremely rare occurrence that I get a whiff of tobacco smoke. Now the other kind of smoke is entirely a different matter...if you catch my drift. (And no, I don't smoke either) :D

Also from the Left Coast and a Sr. Citizen (male), I think the majority of smokers, at least here in Sacramento, are teens. They think it's "cool" to smoke - just like I did when I was 16 or so.

[LMaxwell]

Also from the Left Coast and a Sr. Citizen (male), I think the majority of smokers, at least here in Sacramento, are teens. They think it's "cool" to smoke - just like I did when I was 16 or so.

 

Teenage smoking rate nationally is about 8%. Total smoking rate nationally is around 17%.

 

The point of my original post was careless discarding of cigarettes can be very dangerous on a ship.

[floridalover5623]

That sounds wildly inaccurate to me.

 

They might be old statistics but it's still a loss of business that Princess would rather keep.

" The percentage of U.S. adults who smoke cigarettes was 17.8 percent in 2013, a drop from 20.9 percent in 2005, and the lowest rate of smoking since researchers began tracking this figure in 1965, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."

 

Close enough ?

[LMaxwell]

Well that cut that in half quickly.

 

The demographic of Princess cruisers is probably among the more educated and affluent where smoking rates are even lower than the statistical average.

 

I'm surprised they allow cigarette smoking in Churchills cigar clubs. Real cigar bars would not allow cigarette smoke. Then again on Royal and Regal Churchills had the ambiance of a broom closet.

[damiross]

Companies do not have to hire people who smoke on their own time which so far is legal.

And wrong. What a person legally does on her/his/its free time (i.e. non-working hours) is not the company's concern.

[damiross]

Well that cut that in half quickly.

 

The demographic of Princess cruisers is probably among the more educated and affluent where smoking rates are even lower than the statistical average.

 

I'm surprised they allow cigarette smoking in Churchills cigar clubs. Real cigar bars would not allow cigarette smoke. Then again on Royal and Regal Churchills had the ambiance of a broom closet.

I saw only one cigar smoker in the cigar lounge on the Princess last week. All the others were cigarette smokers, including several officers.

[damiross]

I think smoking will eventually be banned, but there are a lot of smokers still in Europe.

That's doubtful (the banning part) because if there's something the government really loves it's "sin" taxes.

 

Those of you out there should go up to a smoker and thank him/her/it. He/she/it pays a lot of taxes for the habit.

[shredie]

That's doubtful (the banning part) because if there's something the government really loves it's "sin" taxes.

 

Those of you out there should go up to a smoker and thank him/her/it. He/she/it pays a lot of taxes for the habit.

 

LOL. That is the truth. When those taxes dry up, they'll be coming after your donuts. :D