Vaping in Casino on Equinox

[ohiopops4]

Thank you for providing the email address for the executive office some pages back.  I did email them my disappointment and displeasure with the new "test" policy.  I advised that if the policy was changed to allow vaping in the casinos, we'd be looking for a new cruise line.  They sent back a prompt but "canned" reply thanking us for the feedback.  

 

We've been on one Holland America cruise.   We found that they allow smoking in "designated areas" in the casino.  We went to the casino on the first night and never went back.  There was no escaping the smoke.  It was our first and last Holland America cruise.  Otherwise, we loved their "Club Orange" experience, the service, food and the Music Walk.  Smoking was a deal breaker.  

[zitsky]

38 minutes ago, clojacks said:

I guess I don't view that as "redefining mainstream". I view it more as broadening their current demographic. I guess I couldn't fault any cruiseline for broadening their current demo, but the slippery slope is to do it without alienating a significant portion of their predominating demo.

“Broadening?”

 

Let’s say you like to vape or smoke in the casino or on the ship?  I don’t.  Which of us should compromise?

[C4HCG]

36 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Broadening or changing?  I view it as changing.

 

The more mature demographic seeks a more upscale cruise.

 

There is a reason I switched from Royal.  If Celebrity is the new Royal then it is time to switch to a better line.

Aren’t broadening and changing basically the same thing, they definitely have the same result.

 

And you are not correct by any stretch of the imagination when you state the more mature demographic seeks a more upscale cruise, some do no doubt but not all.

[kathynorth]

18 hours ago, clojacks said:

And a younger demo isn't going to happen overnight. I just think the cancelling cruises etc because of a decision that might not see any actual onboard impact for a few year is throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

I’ve worked in a large public school district for the past 35 years. We are seeing children as young as 10 vaping. Vaping is a public health crisis that is about to explode. It may take years to see the detrimental effects, but surely they will come. If this test is in response to $ then canceling cruises will also get the attention of the number crunchers. Shame on Celebrity for their contribution to this health crisis.

[the penguins]

7 minutes ago, kathynorth said:

I’ve worked in a large public school district for the past 35 years. We are seeing children as young as 10 vaping. Vaping is a public health crisis that is about to explode. It may take years to see the detrimental effects, but surely they will come. If this test is in response to $ then canceling cruises will also get the attention of the number crunchers. Shame on Celebrity for their contribution to this health crisis.

I love this and many of the other comments posted on this thread.

I just hope that all the posters are making the same points direct to X.

[davekathy]

We won't cancel or stop cruising with Celebrity over vaping or smoking(which I believe is next) in the casino. I believe the hand writing is on the walls that it's going to happen. We aren't gamblers so we always avoid the casino but our concern now is the stench flowing out into other surrounding venues like it does on RC and Princess ships. For what it's worth we will kick and scream about it in all our PCSs. I've Emailed the executive office and spoke (follow up phone call) with someone from that office and voiced my disapproval of the hairbrained notion of making the casino a vaping lounge that at times allows gambling. Off my soapbox and now let the chips fall where they may. 

[C4HCG]

18 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Celebrity is going for a much younger demographic.  They just added waterslides a couple of weeks ago.  Hamburgers in the MDR a month ago, etc, etc.   They seem to be competing with Royal which does have a younger  demographic.

I missed that - which ship(s) now have water slides on them?

[clojacks]

On recent pages, NCL, Holland, Royal and Princess have all been attacked over their smoking policy's. So, those of you who are beating the leave Celebrity drum, where do you go? I hate smoke, but not enough to entirely quit an activity I love because there is no other option in cruise lines in my price range. I'll just do my best to avoid it on board, while realizing there may be times I can't be in the area on board I would prefer to be. 

[capsplace]

18 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

I missed that - which ship(s) now have water slides on them?

Might be a reference to Coco Cay.

[phoenix_dream]

17 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

I think that they had a market niche that caused most of us loyal cruisers to just book the next cruise without question while on board.  I am not sure that is the case anymore as the differences between the other mass market lines have been minimized.

 

Only time will tell.

 

If they are marketing towards Royal cruisers where does Royal get their replacements from?  Still the same company.

That is an interesting point about Royal, which I have wondered myself.  At some point the limit of number of potential passengers will be reached.  And Royal is soon coming out with the largest monstrosity at sea (my opinion).  How do they intend to fill all their ships with all those available berths when they are attempting to move some of them to Celebrity?? 

 

I am not a CEO, president, nor marketing executive.  But it seems to me that it would make common sense for Celebrity to market towards 40year old+ with grown (or older) children.  That would seem a logical progression to me - bring your young kids to Royal, and when your kids are in college or older and may or may not even want to travel with you, join the Celebrity crowd.  That allows those of us loyalists to still enjoy our experience and also allows Celebrity to broaden their demographic as we Boomers eventually cease being able to cruise.  Win-win.  But much of what they are doing (and vaping I think is the strongest example) seems to be directed towards the 20-30 year old crowd.  I personally think it is a big mistake.  Those of us in the 50+ group still have many, many (hopefully!!) more years to crusie and would like to continue to do so on Celebrity.  Why make changes that will drive us away?!?!?

[MamaFej]

5 hours ago, clojacks said:

Unless I am missing something, aren't all 3 of those still significantly more than Celebrity IF you are comparing apples to apples? For us, Celebrity is affordable to regularly sail with their worts and all. The other 3 would be a once to treat ourselves before we are done sailing type experience. I guess what I haven't seen anywhere in this thread, or I have missed it, is WHO out of the mainstream, non-premium lines, doesn't allow either

smoking or vaping somewhere designated on board, or doesn't allow it in the casino's...which appears to be the area of concern for a number of posters?

 

I may have mentioned earlier, I am a non-smoker, and one of my happiest memories in adulthood was when it was banned in bars where I lived when younger. 

They're not significantly more expensive for my apples to apples, which might be different from yours. For example, I haven't compared them for Caribbean itineraries, which I've never done. I'm not currently looking at Alaska again, but I do know that Celebrity is offering some great rates there this summer. I have cruised to 6 continents, and cruised by Africa: pointing, gazing longingly, and saying, "So close!!"  I look forward to getting my feet on the ground in several African countries in 2025, including cruise and land time. 

 

We have discovered that we really enjoy small ship cruising, in part because we get to smaller ports, we get "up the river and into town," and they have significantly more overnights and long days in port, among other reasons. The four small ship lines we have tried do not allow smoking or vaping indoors. 

 

For us, crusing is a wonderful way to get to magnificent, interesting places. Destinations are primary, food and ambiance are also important. Entertainment is less important. For many people, the ship is the destination, and they often repeat regions, such as the Mexican Riviera and Caribbean. No one way of cruising is inherently better or worse than another, just as Granny Smiths are not inherently better or worse than Galas. 

 

YMMV

Edited July 16, 2023 by MamaFej

[C4HCG]

1 hour ago, capsplace said:

Might be a reference to Coco Cay.

If so quite an exaggeration given vast majority of Celebrity cruises don’t go there!

[bnurick]

1 hour ago, clojacks said:

On recent pages, NCL, Holland, Royal and Princess have all been attacked over their smoking policy's. So, those of you who are beating the leave Celebrity drum, where do you go? I hate smoke, but not enough to entirely quit an activity I love because there is no other option in cruise lines in my price range. I'll just do my best to avoid it on board, while realizing there may be times I can't be in the area on board I would prefer to be. 

I have my 11th DCL cruise in September and will be my Wife's 25th. It’s changed a lot over the years.  Just did Alaska on the Wonder in June.  I called The Retreat and advised I would rebook.  I do play craps every night, but I can do without as I have asthma.

[davekathy]

12 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

If so quite an exaggeration given vast majority of Celebrity cruises don’t go there!

Agree, and nothing to do with any of the Celebrity ships. 

[NMTraveller]

3 hours ago, C4HCG said:

I missed that - which ship(s) now have water slides on them?

Did I say the waterslides were on the ships?  You DO have a bad habit of misquoting me.  Here are the kiddie cruises that you can cruise on:

 

Cruises to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas | Celebrity Cruises

 

The Beyond and Reflection.

The waterpark experience is for kids and teenagers.  

 

Do you doubt that there will be a bunch of kids on these cruises?

 

You can read recent posts about Kids in the Solarium...

 

 

Edited July 16, 2023 by NMTraveller

[NMTraveller]

58 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

If so quite an exaggeration given vast majority of Celebrity cruises don’t go there!

Perhaps if you did not misquote me it would not be that much of an exaggeration to you.

[C4HCG]

7 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Perhaps if you did not misquote me it would not be that much of an exaggeration to you.

Not getting further embroiled in this with you, going off topic on a thread that has a far more important topic to debate.  

Edited July 16, 2023 by C4HCG

[NMTraveller]

1 minute ago, C4HCG said:

Not getting embroiled in this with you, going off topic on a thread that has a far more important topic to debate.  

Do you not think that vapers are of a younger generation?

[C4HCG]

3 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Do you not think that vapers are of a younger generation?

I was discussing water slides on ships with you, not vaping. Read back through the exchanges before you wrongly accuse of misquoting. I have offered no opinion on how old vapers are.

[Tyler414]

28 pages about Celebrity testing vaping in the casino on 2 ships. 🤦‍♂️

[WNCtourist]

4 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

28 pages about Celebrity testing vaping in the casino on 2 ships. 🤦‍♂️

Because it's not a "test" to those who booked the 2 ships for a smokefree casino -- it's a reality. Celebrity is making a very significant eight week change without any prior notice to passengers. And people are expressing their disgust.

[NMTraveller]

14 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

I was discussing water slides on ships with you, not vaping. Read back through the exchanges before you wrongly accuse of misquoting. I have offered no opinion on how old vapers are.

It was part of a more general discussion that Celebrity is targeting a younger demographic.

 

I am still waiting for you to show me where I said that Celebrity SHIPS had waterslides.   Which ships?

Edited July 16, 2023 by NMTraveller

[C4HCG]

22 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Celebrity is going for a much younger demographic.  They just added waterslides a couple of weeks ago

This is where you said it. Any reasonable person would understand that to mean they have added to water slides to ships. I would never read it and think, oh, they have started visiting islands that have water slides and doubt anyone else would. They already visit destinations with water parks, what’s the big deal about one more.

Edited July 16, 2023 by C4HCG

[Tyler414]

8 minutes ago, WNCtourist said:

Because it's not a "test" to those who booked the 2 ships for a smokefree casino -- it's a reality. Celebrity is making a very significant eight week change without any prior notice to passengers. And people are expressing their disgust.

Smoking is not permitted in the casino. 

[NMTraveller]

9 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

This is where you said it. Any reasonable person would understand that to mean they have added to water slides to ships. I would never read it and think, oh, they have started visiting islands that have water slides and doubt anyone else would. They already visit destinations with water parks, what’s the big deal about one more.

As a water park destination ...  No reference to being on the ship.  There was a lengthy discussion on Perfect Day and a bunch of people's cruises getting cancelled to go to a water park with water slides.  

 

I also believe in that thread that you said that you like water parks.  Well there you go.  You have found your line.  My best wishes.

Edited July 16, 2023 by NMTraveller