Single Smoking Thread (Use for all smoking discussions on HAL) )

[Toad]

Omg, pleeeeeease let’s not start this again! I agree with Kazu, there is a thread for this.  I quit doing CC for a while because of all the negativity, snarky remarks, and entitlements expressed by both sides on this issue a few years ago.   I am sure it has been asked and answered above.  
 

I read CC to plan my cruises, read about changes in HAL policies, and to live vicariously thru others cruise experience. 

[Mary229]

8 hours ago, Toad said:

Omg, pleeeeeease let’s not start this again! I agree with Kazu, there is a thread for this.  I quit doing CC for a while because of all the negativity, snarky remarks, and entitlements expressed by both sides on this issue a few years ago.   I am sure it has been asked and answered above.  
 

I read CC to plan my cruises, read about changes in HAL policies, and to live vicariously thru others cruise experience. 

This is the thread😉. I did not note any snarky remarks in the current discussion 

[Ipeeinthepools]

8 hours ago, Toad said:

Omg, pleeeeeease let’s not start this again! I agree with Kazu, there is a thread for this.  I quit doing CC for a while because of all the negativity, snarky remarks, and entitlements expressed by both sides on this issue a few years ago.   I am sure it has been asked and answered above.  
 

I read CC to plan my cruises, read about changes in HAL policies, and to live vicariously thru others cruise experience. 

 

This is the thread for all smoking discussions on HAL.   Not trying to be snarky, but if you don't like the issues discussed on this thread, just stop following this thread.  It's a one-click solution to the problem.  However if there is a change to HAL policies on smoking, this is the place you will read about it.

[0106]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

This is the thread

 

1 hour ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

This is the thread

FYI- Post #923-926 were appropriately moved by the moderators to this thread. It was previously a posted as its own thread on the general HAL forum. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, 0106 said:

 

FYI- Post #923-926 were appropriately moved by the moderators to this thread. It was previously a posted as its own thread on the general HAL forum. 

 

Thanks for the clarification, I'm not sure how anyone would know that unless they were following both threads.  In any case, welcome to the new posters to the smoking thread.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

If this topic was on the Carnival board (it has been, many times) it wouldn't have made it 5 days, let alone 5 years. 

 

I'm happy to see that this thread is allowed to continue (and to continue providing useful information) with tempered moderation - CHEERS!

 

Tom

[Toad]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

This is the thread😉. I did not note any snarky remarks in the current discussion 

It was moved here by admin, it was originally on the main page see Ruth C. And kudzu remarks.  That was the reason for my comments.😉

[JesterWA]

This thread has just come to my attention, and as an upcoming first-timer with HAL I'm a tad worried... we are booked in BB guarantee on Zaandam which I now understand is directly below the aft smoking area. Are we likely to get smoke on our balcony? My companion is a chronic asthmatic so this is quite a potential problem for us 😕 

[Mazah]

We were on the Koningsdam in 2016 and smoke from the casino came down the open staircase into the music venue below.  Is this still a problem?  Thank you. 

[CruiserBruce]

The "Sticky" from the top of the board:

 

 

[Blackduck59]

I abandoned this thread some time ago when one of the HAL sage advisors on here said I was whining. At the time I hadn't sailed on a cruise line that allowed smoking indoors. We just finished our first HAL cruise, it was Zaandam. I can report we often smelled smoke in the stair and elevator lobby on deck 6 and also in areas adjacent to the casino. It was annoying.

[Fouremco]

3 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

I abandoned this thread some time ago when one of the HAL sage advisors on here said I was whining. At the time I hadn't sailed on a cruise line that allowed smoking indoors. We just finished our first HAL cruise, it was Zaandam. I can report we often smelled smoke in the stair and elevator lobby on deck 6 and also in areas adjacent to the casino. It was annoying.

Back about 10 years ago we stopped sailing on HAL because they continued to allow smoking on the balconies, long after other lines had banned it. We eventually returned when HAL finally took that step, but I'd dearly love to see an all-inclusive non-smoking policy within the ship.

[markwfpb]

Throughout our 17 day Panama Canal cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam, there was a guy a few balconies below ours that smoked day and night. I complained to our cabin steward, concierge (we were in a Neptune suite) and guest services. They all seemed to take it very seriously, but in the end there was no resolution. I think the guy was truly addicted. When we were in line at Half Moon Cay for our excursion, he was (the only one) smoking away seemingly unaware of everyone around him. Sad.

[Blackduck59]

36 minutes ago, markwfpb said:

Throughout our 17 day Panama Canal cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam, there was a guy a few balconies below ours that smoked day and night. I complained to our cabin steward, concierge (we were in a Neptune suite) and guest services. They all seemed to take it very seriously, but in the end there was no resolution. I think the guy was truly addicted. When we were in line at Half Moon Cay for our excursion, he was (the only one) smoking away seemingly unaware of everyone around him. Sad.

Unfortunately his "addiction" endangered the ship and he should have been removed from the ship at the next port. Just punted without compensation, screw him.

[House_Atreides]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

Unfortunately his "addiction" endangered the ship and he should have been removed from the ship at the next port. Just punted without compensation, screw him.

I’m a smoker…but balcony smoking scares the hell out of me!  I used to cheat to be honest, but after my son’s house burned down, it freaks me out.

Why people can’t go to the smoking areas is way above my pay grade.  I purposely book a cabin close to the designated area, as I’m partially disabled.  If I can get there, anybody can.

[House_Atreides]

From a smoker, I’m so sorry you experienced this behavior.

 

We aren’t all like this!

[markwfpb]

 

2 hours ago, House_Atreides said:

From a smoker, I’m so sorry you experienced this behavior.

 

We aren’t all like this!

 

Yep, I get it. I've had many friends over the years who smoke (and three who have sadly died from cancer years later - ugh). I'm not against smoking areas on ships at all. But when people don't follow the rules, that's the problem, of course.

I simply don't understand HAL's policy on enforcing the rules. Like I said, the people I reported it to were somewhat appalled that it was even happening. But it seemed like it was up to that cabin's steward to enforce the rules (that's who guest services called, at least) but maybe I'm wrong. Shouldn't it be escalated to Security rather than a lowly steward working for tips? There were several times when a pack of Marlboros (and a yellow pack his wife smokes) were on the balcony table during the day. And to clarify, the smoke was very noticeable even though it was a few balconies below and forward. I'm not highly sensitive to smoke - but our balcony seemed to be in the perfect draft for the smoke. I was told other people had reported it as well, for what it's worth.

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by markwfpb
clarity

[mightycruisequeen]

18 hours ago, markwfpb said:

 

 

Yep, I get it. I've had many friends over the years who smoke (and three who have sadly died from cancer years later - ugh). I'm not against smoking areas on ships at all. But when people don't follow the rules, that's the problem, of course.

I simply don't understand HAL's policy on enforcing the rules. Like I said, the people I reported it to were somewhat appalled that it was even happening. But it seemed like it was up to that cabin's steward to enforce the rules (that's who guest services called, at least) but maybe I'm wrong. Shouldn't it be escalated to Security rather than a lowly steward working for tips? There were several times when a pack of Marlboros (and a yellow pack his wife smokes) were on the balcony table during the day. And to clarify, the smoke was very noticeable even though it was a few balconies below and forward. I'm not highly sensitive to smoke - but our balcony seemed to be in the perfect draft for the smoke. I was told other people had reported it as well, for what it's worth.

 

I totally agree that security should be the ones to deal with smoking scofflaws, not the cabin stewards.  Also, yes, put the onus on the individuals who are disregarding the rules, not the person who reports them!  We rarely even book balconies, since we don't care to have the aggravation of just what you described.

[Ipeeinthepools]

3 hours ago, mightycruisequeen said:

I totally agree that security should be the ones to deal with smoking scofflaws, not the cabin stewards.  Also, yes, put the onus on the individuals who are disregarding the rules, not the person who reports them!  We rarely even book balconies, since we don't care to have the aggravation of just what you described.

 

On the Rotterdam, Guest services passed the ball to the cabin steward supervisor to investigate.

[Vol fan]

We are looking at an Australian/New Zealand cruise on the Noordam and want a balcony cabin. Does anyone know which side of the ship (port or starboard) the smoking side is on the outside decks?  I want to make sure we are not on the side where smoke can drift up or down from that area. Thanks for your help. 
 

We have never been on HAL before so I’m not familiar with their rules. 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Vol fan

[Blackduck59]

The smoking pit is starboard aft on all HAL ships.

[Vol fan]

4 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

The smoking pit is starboard aft on all HAL ships.

Thank you. 

[Cruise Suzy]

17 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

The smoking pit is starboard aft on all HAL ships.

on the Lido Deck by the Seaview Pool

[Susanmaz]

Smoking was port side on the Kdam last November 

[0106]

@Susanmaz On the Kdam, the smoking area is by the Seaview Bar which is on the starboard side of the ship on the Lido deck.  This is the smoking area on all HAL ships.