Vaping in Casino on Equinox

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

3 minutes ago, poffles said:

 

I didn't pick up on this but I'm another regular veranda passenger and you are right that stateroom has NOTHING to do with any of this.  It's about health and finding a fair balance for everyone that spends their hard earned money to cruise and choose to spend it on Celebrity.

 

Exactly. I have never once sailed in a Retreat category (I might have pondered it, but it always comes down to I'd prefer to take more vacations). I'm typically an OV or the lowest category veranda (or a solo IV on Edge) - I'm splurging on Aqua for my upcoming birthday cruise, but it will likely be one and done unless they run another 0% single supplement deal (just missed it on this one so paying double for everything...ugh).

[kleibo]

21 hours ago, paulh84 said:

I’d bet that many vaping in the casino will not be vaping nicotine…enjoy the high seas!

 

The problem with vaping is no one knows what the person is vaping.  You can easily find online how to DIY THC vape, DIY Vape Juice, etc.  Other drugs can be vaped as well.  Celebrity sliding down a slippery slope.

[Silkroad]

4 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Exactly. An unannounced trial beginning immediately where people directly affected on the test sailings have no choice but to sail or lose all their money. So of course the "results" from bookings will show "no effect" - because most people cannot and will not lose the entire cost of a cruise.

True. The “test data” will also be skewed because there hasn’t been time for vapers to learn about the change and book cruises on the test ships. Non-vapers who report “minimal or no effect “ this month won’t have experienced a casino containing a large group (say 50%) of vapers. The flavored vapes are especially noxious.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

8 minutes ago, Silkroad said:

True. The “test data” will also be skewed because there hasn’t been time for vapers to learn about the change and book cruises on the test ships. Non-vapers who report “minimal or no effect “ this month won’t have experienced a casino containing a large group (say 50%) of vapers. The flavored vapes are especially noxious.

Right. Though it seemed the first night @Georgia_Peaches indicated that once word got out, a lot more vapers were in the casino - though apparently not so much yesterday. Of course the signs do NOT indicate that they must be actively gambling to vape - other lines I've been on with a casino which allows smoking make it clear that smokers should be actively gambling, it's not just an indoor smoking lounge. Without requiring vapers to gamble, they could shoot themselves even more in the foot - vapers will flock to the casino for a vaping lounge and not necessarily gamble, and those who would be gambling but don't want to expose themselves to second hand vape will avoid the area.

 

At least those of us against this decision can HOPE that's how it goes down, so X loses even more in the casino and stops this insanity.

Edited July 4, 2023 by WrittenOnYourHeart

[paadan]

I am a long time Celebrity loyalist, over 60 Celebrity cruises. I’ve send the take aways. Lately however I see Celebrity losing their edge in the industry.  I believe now they have come to the end of what’s reasonable. Vaping on board. Celebrity touts our heath, our well being while aboard and on excursions. With that thought in mind, “ The US Surgeon General concluded that aerosol from E-cigarettes can contain harmful substances”. Further links suggests links to chronic lung disease and asthma. Does Celebrity really care about you as a valued guest? The vaping, even as a study, or experiment, by Celebrity is asinine and irresponsible. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

16 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Of course the signs do NOT indicate that they must be actively gambling to vape - other lines I've been on with a casino which allows smoking make it clear that smokers should be actively gambling, it's not just an indoor smoking lounge.

Exactly. Adding to that, they have added 5 or 6 high top cocktail tables in front of the bar to expand the seating. Maybe they’ve been there a while IDK but one of the vapers yesterday was merely watching the slot tournament, not participating. 

[lexmiller]

Email to Celebrity and to Laura Hodges Bethge sent.  I don't know how the corporate command works, what was the chicken and the egg here - if the board decided that Celebrity needed to be cheapened  or if the board said, hey Laura, make us some money and she figured that taking Celebrity out of the Premium cruise category and placing it firmly in the Mass Market cruise category was the way to go.  I can hear the staff over at Regent cheering these decisions that have been made under Laura's watch - redeploying the Beyond within the booking window thereby upsetting thousands of X passengers mainly by not price protecting their cruises, the strange MDR 'test' changes on the Eclipse and now this.  

Edited July 4, 2023 by lexmiller

[39august]

Not requiring vapors to gamble is more insanity. What's more, they will go there to vape when the casino is not open. Thus, the smoking lounge. This is what smokers did when we cruised RCI. Smoke rolled out of the casino all day and night, open or closed. 

[hcat]

10 hours ago, Ellaleah said:

I’m only very slightly impressed with the response because of the extremely poor manner in which our Apex 11/3/24 cruise was canceled.  Nobody knew nothing and it was next to impossible to convince them that the cruise was canceled even after I told them that I got the letter from Celebrity.  That being said, it is sad that they have set my expectations so low.

 

Here is my communication……

terrble policy and answer! I will send in my objections!  What is the best e address.

 

There should be NO VAPING or SMOKING  of any kind, unless in the designated outdoor areas. Even those are hard to avoid walking through sometimes.

 

I doubt the casinos have air purelifiers installed.  They are also  very much in vogue as a health precaution  after the Canada wildfires caused smoke and invisible toxic  particles to invade air we breathe!

 

  My husb smokes cigars. He follows the rules and I live with that but definitely do not need vapors  from vapers!

 

Does anyone remember the short lived incense machines in EDEN?  The stench and smoke clouds were unbearable, caused allergy attacks, lingered on clothing and EDEN furniture  etc.

 

Celebrity seems adrift!

[the penguins]

40 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

Email to Celebrity and to Laura Hodges Bethge sent.  I don't know how the corporate command works, what was the chicken and the egg here - if the board decided that Celebrity needed to be cheapened  or if the board said, hey Laura, make us some money and she figured that taking Celebrity out of the Premium cruise category and placing it firmly in the Mass Market cruise category was the way to go.  I can hear the staff over at Regent cheering these decisions that have been made under Laura's watch - redeploying the Beyond within the booking window thereby upsetting thousands of X passengers mainly by not price protecting their cruises, the strange MDR 'test' changes on the Eclipse and now this.  

I emailed the executive office and received a detailed reply within 24 hours. The salient points in the reply were:

1)Only a trial on Equinox and Eclipse

2)At this time there has been minimal to no impact to our guests experience on board

3)Vaping will only be allowed in certain areas of the casino for casino guests during operating hours only.

4) Cigarettes, pipes and cigars will still be prohibited.

I responded by saying:

1) the long-term affects of vaping are still unknown as are the second hand effects of vape smoke.

2) many people vape with flavoured products and the smell from these is persuade.

3) having to avoid the casino will be disappointing but our health is more important especially as one of us has asthma.

4) any extension of vaping to balconies would result in us looking at other cruise lines.

5) we asked them to record that we are 100% against vaping being permitted in any indoor space on any Celebrity ship at any time.

Everyone must make their own decisions but whatever you views don't just comment or moan on these posts -;tell Celebrity directly - it worked with compolsary AI.

[thebutlerdidit]

1 hour ago, 39august said:

Not requiring vapors to gamble is more insanity. What's more, they will go there to vape when the casino is not open. Thus, the smoking lounge. This is what smokers did when we cruised RCI. Smoke rolled out of the casino all day and night, open or closed. 

I can also see them going to the casino when going to the outdoor smoking areas is problematic - too windy, too rainy, too hot, too cold. Or maybe just a quick pre or post dinner vape, again, avoiding the need to go outside. Maybe sit and vape while they wait for their table to be ready in the MDR.

Edited July 4, 2023 by thebutlerdidit

[thebutlerdidit]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

 

  My husb smokes cigars. He follows the rules and I live with that but definitely do not need vapors  from vapers!

I’m a big fan of how you stated this, and I can see this slogan on protest signs:

No Vapors from Vapers!

No Vapors from Vapers!

[riredsox]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

terrble policy and answer! I will send in my objections!  What is the best e address.

 

There should be NO VAPING or SMOKING  of any kind, unless in the designated outdoor areas. Even those are hard to avoid walking through sometimes.

 

I doubt the casinos have air purelifiers installed.  They are also  very much in vogue as a health precaution  after the Canada wildfires caused smoke and invisible toxic  particles to invade air we breathe!

 

  My husb smokes cigars. He follows the rules and I live with that but definitely do not need vapors  from vapers!

 

Does anyone remember the short lived incense machines in EDEN?  The stench and smoke clouds were unbearable, caused allergy attacks, lingered on clothing and EDEN furniture  etc.

 

Celebrity seems adrift!

I imagine we all got that same answer from the executive offices of Celebrity.  I love how they say there hasn’t been an impact.  Of course they will say that.  

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

28 minutes ago, riredsox said:

I imagine we all got that same answer from the executive offices of Celebrity.  I love how they say there hasn’t been an impact.  Of course they will say that.  

 

Yep. Finally got my reply. Same as above - limited experiment on 2 ships and has had no impact on cruisers. Also claimed that they are required to be actively gambling while doing it - I did reply and say that the signage that has been posted in multiple places on the internet does not indicate that and that first hand reports are of added high top tables where people are sitting and vaping and just watching things in the casino rather than actively gambling.

 

Oh yes. I also asked how they are verifying that people are not vaping THC or other prohibited substances.

Edited July 4, 2023 by WrittenOnYourHeart

[Josie201]

Sent my note this morning, and suggested I was aware of their standard reply so no need to send me the same one ....  I told them I was skeptical that a trial that has only been in place for 2-3 days is already garnering on-board reports from guests that say no problem.  I told them my concerns about increased "sneaking a puff" at other indoor areas, and in fact this already happens.  I asked them if they had some new research that suggested there are newly discovered health benefits of vaping or second hand vape inhaling that led them to come up with this idea that they could share with all of us.  Or perhaps, their research indicates a correlation between vaping/smoking and gambling?   Who knows. 

[JLMcruise]

Just received my phone call from the executive office. The lady was typing as I spoke regarding our objections. I had made a list prior to her calling since I saw so many folks getting phone calls. I quoted the CDC, John Hopkins and the Cleveland Clinic studies. I stated facts then my personal feelings regarding vaping. She stated the feed back is very negative.  I was able expressed all of my concerns even without a morning cup of coffee! The call was about 10 minutes long. She stated the more feed back the better. 

[Orator]

It really doesn't matter what we might think. It's the bottom line that matters. If their action results in increase in revenue it will continue. If reviews decline, it will end with the tag that "we heard you".

[TMLAalum]

I posted my upset on social media along with 266 others.

[zitsky]

8 hours ago, C4HCG said:

Good response Bo as usual.
 

I do think some of the responses here have been personal to Davey, been called a liar amongst other things. This is not me defending vaping, I think it’s an unknown in terms of health risk so this move by Celebrity is reckless to say the least.  But I do feel some responses here have been too personal. Just my view, many will disagree, such is life.  I do hope Davey doesn’t cancel because of this thread and I hope to Celebrity see sense and this idea falls at the first fence.

I asked the poster to share evidence that vaping is safe for people around him.  He declined to do so.

 

I know I joke at times but this is serious.  My dad was a smoker for a while.  I am NOT concerned about hurting the feelings of smokers or vapers.  They should be concerned about MY feelings and my health.

 

I will be on the Eclipse in 6 months and I hope this nonsense is all over.

Edited July 4, 2023 by zitsky

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

4 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I asked the poster to share evidence that vaping is safe for people around him.  He declined to do so.

 

I know I joke at times but this is serious.  My dad was a smoker for a while.  I am NOT concerned about hurting the feelings of smokers or vapers.  They should be concerned about MY feelings and my health.

 

And my comment about lying was referring to ALL vapers who have deluded themselves into thinking it's safe and that the "few" studies are all heavily biased to make it seem like vaping is bad.

 

It may be slightly better than smoking (the jury is still out on that), but it is NOT healthy.

[Dar & Bob]

5 hours ago, lexmiller said:

Email to Celebrity and to Laura Hodges Bethge sent.  I don't know how the corporate command works, what was the chicken and the egg here - if the board decided that Celebrity needed to be cheapened  or if the board said, hey Laura, make us some money and she figured that taking Celebrity out of the Premium cruise category and placing it firmly in the Mass Market cruise category was the way to go.  I can hear the staff over at Regent cheering these decisions that have been made under Laura's watch - redeploying the Beyond within the booking window thereby upsetting thousands of X passengers mainly by not price protecting their cruises, the strange MDR 'test' changes on the Eclipse and now this.  

What address did you use for Laura Hodges Bethge? 

[davekathy]

3 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

What address did you use for Laura Hodges Bethge? 

Not sure about @lexmiller but try this one...lhodges@rccl.com

[dazey]

I have emailed Hodges and received the boilerplate response and have following this since yesterday.  

 

I am still troubled how Celebrity can think this is a good thing to do.  The guests who wish to vape/smoke already have a place to do so and let those who do not wish to do so enjoy the casino.ed. Why go back to a bad thing. Most people who do want to vape or smoke must have adjusted by now to the many places it is not only allowed.

 

 

[PatandStu]

Added my email to executive.  Wonder how much good it will do. 

[RichYak]

What kind of company, in this day and age, relaxes its no smoking policy? I mean, who would even consider this?