Yes....Oceania Excursions are smoker friendly😩

[smj]

I did not realize but people can smoke on an Oceania excursion. We got the package which included 4 excursions. We are now on the cruise doing the excursions and finding that people do smoke on the tours. Destination services has confirmed that smoking is allowed everywhere except on buses. I know I should have read the codditions and it is my fault for not doing so. I just don't want anyone else to be confused. There will probably be no more Oceania excursions for us.

[pete_coach]

Not defending smoking but I would think that the laws and rules of the port or country you are in would apply to smoking.

Not sure why this would be a surprise? Oceania (and other cruise lines) use local guides and services.

You cannot blame Oceania for the laws in a country.

Edited January 20, 2017 by pete_coach

[Paulchili]

I did not realize but people can smoke on an Oceania excursion. We got the package which included 4 excursions. We are now on the cruise doing the excursions and finding that people do smoke on the tours. Destination services has confirmed that smoking is allowed everywhere except on buses. I know I should have read the codditions and it is my fault for not doing so. I just don't want anyone else to be confused. There will probably be no more Oceania excursions for us.

 

Do you mean like outside while walking on the street or visiting sites?

Oceania people will not be the only ones smoking there - especially if you are in Asia.

As far as restaurants - if included on the tour - this would depend on the policy of the restaurant and would have nothing to do with Oceania.

I really do not understand your point at all and how this is under the control of the cruise line - which, BTW, DOES allow smoking on the ship itself in smoking areas (did you know that?).

As long as there is no smoking on buses, which is a closed environment, I am not sure how you would be affected by smoking in public places or avoid smoking on private tours in the same areas.

[ORV]

FWIW, Celebrity states on their website that all tours are non smoking.

[LHT28]

FWIW, Celebrity states on their website that all tours are non smoking.

 

How does that work??

Do they only go to places where there in no smoking? walk in areas where people do not smoke ?

[Paulchili]

How does that work??

Do they only go to places where there in no smoking? walk in areas where people do not smoke ?

 

Exactly.

For example when you do a city tour in Mazatlan, where you walk downtown and then go to see the cliff divers, nobody is allowed to smoke in the streets or while you wait for the divers to catch just the right wave (which can take 10 minutes and people are scattered all around the area)?

It sounds good on paper but I can't see X guaranteeing or enforcing no smoking.

FWIW, our guide there smoked every time we got off the bus - how would X enforce that?

I think X probably means no smoking on the buses?

Edited January 21, 2017 by Paulchili

[Cruseforme]

FWIW, Celebrity states on their website that all tours are non smoking.

 

How it works on Celebrity, is their "Cruisetour" land portions (i.e., Alaska etc), are all non smoking, meaning they book non smoking rooms, non smoking busses, etc. this does not mean you cannot smoke, it means that in their venue or transportation you cannot smoke. You may still come in contact somewhere on your land tour with smoke (outside hotel, outside bus on street, if it is allowed...etc). IMHO, there is no cruise line that can guarantee that you will not come across smoking somewhere on your tour, and to think that is unrealistic.

[pete_coach]

How it works on Celebrity, is their "Cruisetour" land portions (i.e., Alaska etc), are all non smoking, meaning they book non smoking rooms, non smoking busses, etc. this does not mean you cannot smoke, it means that in their venue or transportation you cannot smoke. You may still come in contact somewhere on your land tour with smoke (outside hotel, outside bus on street, if it is allowed...etc). IMHO, there is no cruise line that can guarantee that you will not come across smoking somewhere on your tour, and to think that is unrealistic.

I have been on a number of Celebrity excursions and the smoking policy is very much whatever the rules are in the area.

In Europe, there was smoking everywhere. In South America there was smoking everywhere. I cannot remember (or did not pay attention) to some of the Caribbean Islands we visited but there certainly was smoking on the beaches. I do know that I was surprised to see smoking sections in some restaurants in the Caribbean (St Martin, I think). I even recall a person smoking on one of the open tour buses. We asked them to stop and they did, but i don't think it was banned.

Even Celebrity has covered and uncovered smoking areas.

[smj]

Just to clarify my original post, I am not blaming Oceania nor anyone other than myself. I did not read the terms. I just wanted to post as an FYI. I do have a concern that an asthmatic might be on a tour with several smokers. There would be 25 people huddled around the tour guide smoking. Smoking would trigger an attack. The rescue inhaler could be empty or left on the ship and the patient (perhaps a child) might die.

I have been with Oceania to Europe, Asia, South America and Australia and not experienced this situation before. I am not asthma. I was meary inconvienced due to a lack of planning on my part.

We love Oceania and will continue to cruise with them. We simply will consider the excursion choice more carefully.

[tropicalkerry2002]

I do agree this is inappropriate and thoughtless. If people are on their own exploring, that is different. If there was a smoker in the huddle around the speaking tour guide, I would expect the guide to ask him to distance himself, if the smoker doesn't have the decency to.

Edited January 21, 2017 by tropicalkerry2002

[pinkpanther52]

I do agree this is inappropriate and thoughtless. If people are on their own exploring, that is different. If there was a smoker in the huddle around the speaking tour guide, I would expect the guide to ask him to distance himself, if the smoker doesn't have the decency to.

 

Or perhaps if you don't like it you could distance yourself!

[StarFlyr]

Don't understand what all the fuss is about not smoking. Every cruise ship I've been on has some area outside that allows smoking (Oceania included). I've NEVER been on ANY bus tour where someone smoked on the bus.

 

I'm a former smoker (22 years now) and the smell of smoke is unpleasant to be sure. I don't think smokers understand the stink. Their clothes are full of it.

 

I can almost guarantee that ANY tour unless it's in the middle of some dessert will have local smokers around plus the tour customers smokers grabbing a "hit' as soon as their feet hit the pavement (sand).

[Paulchili]

Don't understand what all the fuss is about not smoking. Every cruise ship I've been on has some area outside that allows smoking (Oceania included). I've NEVER been on ANY bus tour where someone smoked on the bus.

 

I'm a former smoker (22 years now) and the smell of smoke is unpleasant to be sure. I don't think smokers understand the stink. Their clothes are full of it.

 

I can almost guarantee that ANY tour unless it's in the middle of some dessert will have local smokers around plus the tour customers smokers grabbing a "hit' as soon as their feet hit the pavement (sand).

 

+1

I agree.