Smoking Allowed?

[cruzluvers]

Is cigarette smoking on verandas and in some of the lounges (bars) still allowed?

[rols]

16 minutes ago, cruzluvers said:

Is cigarette smoking on verandas and in some of the lounges (bars) still allowed?

no and no, nor in suites, not even e-cigs. That changed nearly 2 years ago. There are still a couple of places outside you can smoke, but that's it. On our last 18 days I think I smelled smoke exactly one time when I happened to be on the starboard side outside seabourn square because there was a picture I wanted to snap, that being one of the two places you can still smoke. 

For the vast majority of people I'd say that the smoking issue is long in the past. 

 

[markham]

For me, Seabourn has got it right, and it’s just as rols describes. We are on Sojourn now and I have found little second hand smoke and I can easily avoid it when I do find it: outside Seabourn Square, rear, starboard side and starboard side near the Sky Bar.

 

If you are interested in a more “open” smoking policy look at Silversea. They seem to want to hold onto their old ie traditional market of smokers. How else do you explain cigar smoking being allowed poolside at their only outdoor bar and restaurant seating area on the Whisper? On a recent post on the board a presumably devoted passenger informed that that’s the way it is and they - the passengers - like it that way. Imagine that in 2019, but then I guess it works for them...

 

Happy and healthy sailing! 

[wripro]

Silversea is also still holding on to a more rigid dress code. I guess a cigarette is a nice accompaniment to a tie and jacket.

[jdk-atlga]

"Do you expect me to talk?" 

"No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die..."

 

Sorry, but I couldn't resist. One nice things onboard is that you know were the smokers are and, if you don't smoke (like me), you can easily avoid the action.

- jdk

[tv24]

Like Markham, I am very happy the Seabourn finally changed their smoking policy and now allow it at only two places our on the deck, and NOT on stateroom balconies or anywhere inside.

[cruzluvers]

On 5/9/2019 at 6:44 PM, markham said:

For me, Seabourn has got it right, and it’s just as rols describes. We are on Sojourn now and I have found little second hand smoke and I can easily avoid it when I do find it: outside Seabourn Square, rear, starboard side and starboard side near the Sky Bar.

 

If you are interested in a more “open” smoking policy look at Silversea. They seem to want to hold onto their old ie traditional market of smokers. How else do you explain cigar smoking being allowed poolside at their only outdoor bar and restaurant seating area on the Whisper? On a recent post on the board a presumably devoted passenger informed that that’s the way it is and they - the passengers - like it that way. Imagine that in 2019, but then I guess it works for them...

 

Happy and healthy sailing! 

Definitely not interested in a more "open" smoking policy.

[Silver Spectre]

On 5/10/2019 at 5:55 PM, wripro said:

Silversea is also still holding on to a more rigid dress code. I guess a cigarette is a nice accompaniment to a tie and jacket.

Thankfully some of us are keeping up appearances 😎

[offtoalaska]

On 5/10/2019 at 1:46 PM, jdk-atlga said:

"Do you expect me to talk?" 

"No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die..."

 

Sorry, but I couldn't resist. One nice things onboard is that you know were the smokers are and, if you don't smoke (like me), you can easily avoid the action.

- jdk

 

While one may know where the smokers are, it is impossible to avoid them when walking the "promenade areas" on decks five and  nine.  I'm a walker and last month on the Quest there seemed to be either a cigarette or cigar smoker every time I exercised.   The treadmills are an option, but I prefer walking in the fresh sea air which is not so fresh at the mid point of each route.  Just a heads up to those new to Seabourn Quest or her sister ships.  Don't know about Ovation  or the Encore.

[tv24]

On the Quest in November and December, I did some deck walking like offtoalaska, and there were always smokers out on deck.  I did notice the smoke but it did not really disturb my walks.  I guess my sensitivity is limited.

[markham]

If and when one takes the turn near the smokers’s small area  (on decks 5, 7 and 9 starboard, out of doors, of course), why not do what I do? Inhale a few feet away, walk by in the 5 seconds or less it takes to glide by, and then exhale. 

 

On our current Sojourn Alaska cruise there are maybe 7-8 smokers in total at these areas. That’s very manageable for us. Unlike on Silversea, and as I have covered above, these areas on Seabourn ships are not at/near dining areas, and the poolside deck with its bar is totally smoke-free. 

 

I hope this gives cruisers who are new to Seabourn some comfort that the smoking rules and the way it all works may well suit you.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[rols]

5 hours ago, markham said:

On our current Sojourn Alaska cruise there are maybe 7-8 smokers in total at these areas. That’s very manageable for us. Unlike on Silversea, and as I have covered above, these areas on Seabourn ships are not at/near dining areas, and the poolside deck with its bar is totally smoke-free. 

 

I hope this gives cruisers who are new to Seabourn some comfort that the smoking rules and the way it all works may well suit you.

Seabourn has come such a long way and the current rules seem to me at least a fair balance, possibly weighted a little against smokers. Short of banning it entirely or having an enclosed smoking room everyone needs to enter, this gives people conned by the tobacco industry a place to indulge a habit I would think lots of them wish they could break. 

Now contrast this to Seabourn a few years ago where people were allowed to smoke in suites and on balconies as well as more areas around the ship. We had to air one suite out when we checked in because it reeked and I think many of us have been driven off their balcony by smoke blowing across from a suite upwind or moved to another side of the deck to avoid smoke. 

Seabourn used to have one of the worst smoking policies, I'd now say they have one of the better ones. 

Hope you're having a good cruise Markham, I've been looking at the photos SLSD has been posting and the scenery looks like it's getting wonderful. 

[tv24]

I concur with Rols and Markham.  The current Seabourn smoking policy is sensible.  It provides a comfortable place outdoors for smokers to indulge and does not make indoor space unusable for others.  It also improves public safety by avoiding smoker-caused fires.

[brittany12]

Markham and Rols spot on. Seabourn resisted changing its old rules permitting  cancer causing tobacco smoking in the suites and  then finally only on verandas - how annoying that was - until it was just about the last man standing. Lots of objections over the years as other lines switched - including sister Carnival owned lines like Princess. It always found an excuse to say no, claiming it had found the proper balance to appease the smokers and the Asian audience . Finally it cut out crew smoking too, so the hallways outside crew quarters did not stink of this foul and dangerous air. A belated bravo for finally doing the sensible thing. Few designated and isolated  areas today are ok with us.

[Focused1]

4 hours ago, brittany12 said:

Markham and Rols spot on. Seabourn resisted changing its old rules permitting  cancer causing tobacco smoking in the suites and  then finally only on verandas - how annoying that was - until it was just about the last man standing. Lots of objections over the years as other lines switched - including sister Carnival owned lines like Princess. It always found an excuse to say no, claiming it had found the proper balance to appease the smokers and the Asian audience . Finally it cut out crew smoking too, so the hallways outside crew quarters did not stink of this foul and dangerous air. A belated bravo for finally doing the sensible thing. Few designated and isolated  areas today are ok with us.

We stopped sailing on Seabourn in 2012 because of their smoking policy (especially allowing smoking on balconies). Now that they have finally come up to the standard of other lines, we have decided to try them again after mostly sailing on Regent and Silversea since then. Have a British Isles cruise booked on the Ovation in September. So now that they have updated their smoking policy, I do wish they would change their internet policy as compared to the other luxury lines who provide unlimited internet. I was especially dismayed to learn that even in the higher level suites (we are booked in a penthouse spa suite), that unlimited internet is not included. 

[margbem]

A question - we were on the Odyssey a couple of years ago. Our neighbours were a couple of young ladies, French or Belgian, we thought. They smoked on deck 5 next to the forward hot tub (think it's on deck 5) and also on their balcony. At this point (2016) Seabourn's smoking policy had changed to what it is now. Smoking only allowed in certain designated areas.

 

My question is: should I have said something or reported them to staff? I am not one to cause trouble but it did annoy me!

[tv24]

42 minutes ago, margbem said:

A question - we were on the Odyssey a couple of years ago. Our neighbours were a couple of young ladies, French or Belgian, we thought. They smoked on deck 5 next to the forward hot tub (think it's on deck 5) and also on their balcony. At this point (2016) Seabourn's smoking policy had changed to what it is now. Smoking only allowed in certain designated areas.

 

My question is: should I have said something or reported them to staff? I am not one to cause trouble but it did annoy me!

A very sensitive issue area and one that I would have troubled over if I had been in your shoes.  In the end, I probably would have sat with one of the staff in Seabourn Sq. and requested to be anonymous, asking the staff to address this issue from a policy and public safety viewpoint.  Not your job to enforce the rules, but it is all of our responsibilities to be concerned about fire safety and to report problems that the staff may not be aware of.

[brittany12]

Health, safety and comfort for you as a passenger are paramount. If the new Seabourn rules had gone into effect by the time you Margbem sailed in 2016 prohibiting veranda smoking and you were annoyed by smoke from your next door stateroom's veranda, so that you could not enjoy sitting outside on your own, perhaps the people there did not know the new rules. Seabourn did not do the best job in the world communicating its new, changed smoking policy in those days, so perhaps the people next door did not know or maybe just did not care. I think you owe it to yourself and all other passengers to voice a complaint direct with ship top management when it comes to something of this magnitude. Fire at sea is a very grave threat to all,  including the danger   from tossed butts. There are now fines for smoking in prohibited places, and some cruise lines, including Seabourn I believe, reserves the rights to throw off passengers at the next stop under certain circumstances for rules violations, smoking being one of them.

[offtoalaska]

Yes, do not hesitate to go to Seabourn Square in the future should you have any problems. I have found the guest services personnel to be very responsive to issues and concerns that arise.  I had an issue  during our last cruise.  After my discussion with Katrina, I noticed the next day the issue had been addressed.  The concern I had was not related to smoking but improper use of the pool and whirlpools which was creating in my opinion a sanitation issue . During my 46 days on Seabourn during 2019  my experience with guest services  has been nothing but prompt and professional. The staff never made me feel as if I was creating trouble. 

 

 

[margbem]

Thanks! If there is a next time I will certainly address the issue with Seabourn Square. 

[brittany12]

Seabourn Square are some low level administrators who may or may not move this up the chain of command.. My advice would be to go to the Hotel Director or Guest Relations Manager directly if you want real action..