How easy to avoid smoke on Emerald?

[travelloverontario]

Hi,

 

This is not a smoking debate post... but an information gathering post.

 

I am used to sailing on Celebrity, so there is very little smoke, and it is quite easy to avoid it, and of course it is all outside.

 

I have a smoke (cigarette, cigar, campfire) intolerance so try to avoid smoke as much as possible. I also have an aversion to the smell so it is safe to say...I REALLY want to avoid it...lol

 

I won't be using the casino or the nightclubs (unless they have game shows or trivia in that venue). However I do want to be able to get from one area of the ship to another (inside) without having to walk through it or close to it. What areas should I avoid? I have read even the main atrium is often smokey due to drifting from other areas...is this true?

 

I have sailed NCL before (years ago) and really did not enjoy going anywhere near the casino and did what I could to avoid it, but still smelled it in many areas. Way too much smoke for my liking 😞

 

I am considering a solo cruise to Canada/New England in September and the Emerald is SO much cheaper than Celebrity. I am so very tempted, but the biggeat drawback for me is the smokey smell.

 

Does anyone have personal experience and thoughts? I know it largely depends on how many smokers are on board, but generally speaking, how do you find the smoke? And...how easy or hard is it to avoid?  Any cabins or floors I should stay away from so I don't smell it in the hallway or cabin (likkely ocean view)?

 

Thank ypu so much 🙂

[rebeccac]

I can't speak specifically on the Emerald Princess, but in general on Princess ships if you avoid the outdoor smoking area and the casino (which as far as I know is the only indoor smoking now that they are getting rid of Churchill's), you should be good.  I've never known the whole Piazza (atrium) to be smoky, only the area close to the casino should be avoided.  

[mtnesterz]

The coping skill you mention that serve you on land will serve you at sea.  Also, as you may already know but felt no need to mention, drink plenty of water to flush your system and consider carrying an N95 mask with you. There may be times when you need to walk through the Casino, between Passenger Services on deck 7 and the Theater.

Avoid balcony cabins. The crew does nothing to stop people from smoking on their balconies.

[Lady Arwen]

2 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

The coping skill you mention that serve you on land will serve you at sea.  Also, as you may already know but felt no need to mention, drink plenty of water to flush your system and consider carrying an N95 mask with you. There may be times when you need to walk through the Casino, between Passenger Services on deck 7 and the Theater.

Avoid balcony cabins. The crew does nothing to stop people from smoking on their balconies.

Are you telling us that passengers are smoking on their balconies without issue?  Why are they not being reported by their neighbours?  This is very disturbing information.  We will not tolerate balcony smoking!

[Teechur]

6 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

The coping skill you mention that serve you on land will serve you at sea.  Also, as you may already know but felt no need to mention, drink plenty of water to flush your system and consider carrying an N95 mask with you. There may be times when you need to walk through the Casino, between Passenger Services on deck 7 and the Theater.

Avoid balcony cabins. The crew does nothing to stop people from smoking on their balconies.

We book balconies or Mini suites except when there aren't any available and have never sailed in an inside cabin. I've never smelled cigarette smoke from neighboring cabins on Carnival RCCL, NCL, or Princess. Occasionally, a brief whiff of weed. 

[travelloverontario]

Does anyone recall smelling smoke in the theater? According to deck plans, it seems very close to the casino.

Thanks.

[memoak]

The casino area is really the only indoor area on most ships that allow smoking. The Princess Theatre is in 2 levels so best to use the 7th deck to access it and avoid the 6th deck. This is mostly geared to Grand class ships

[mtnesterz]

Error.

Edited March 4 by mtnesterz

[mtnesterz]

38 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

Are you telling us that passengers are smoking on their balconies without issue?  Why are they not being reported by their neighbours?  This is very disturbing information.  We will not tolerate balcony smoking!

Tried to change my wording but too late. Agreeing with the OP that a Ocean View is an option to avoid confrontation, as others have posted their experiences with balcony smokers not receiving support from the crew as they'd wished.  Perhaps you've read those? Of course, with those posts, you wonder what the real story was and about the resolution.

[SCX22]

Port side, aft of the wraparound promenade (just outside the doors leading to the promenade between Club Fusion and the Photo Gallery) is a smoking area.  Hold your breath when there are smokers there and you're doing laps.

[Ellipooh]

I’m manic about cigarette smoke and I have never had a problem on Princess. 

[travelloverontario]

Thank you for the information. Seems like I should be okay if I am careful where I go.

[TAW1963]

On 3/3/2024 at 5:11 PM, mtnesterz said:

Tried to change my wording but too late. Agreeing with the OP that a Ocean View is an option to avoid confrontation, as others have posted their experiences with balcony smokers not receiving support from the crew as they'd wished.  Perhaps you've read those? Of course, with those posts, you wonder what the real story was and about the resolution.

 

On 3/3/2024 at 4:21 PM, mtnesterz said:

The coping skill you mention that serve you on land will serve you at sea.  Also, as you may already know but felt no need to mention, drink plenty of water to flush your system and consider carrying an N95 mask with you. There may be times when you need to walk through the Casino, between Passenger Services on deck 7 and the Theater.

Avoid balcony cabins. The crew does nothing to stop people from smoking on their balconies.

Making a blanket statement like this, "The crew does nothing to stop people from smoking on their balconies," is just not true and can wrongfully mislead readers of this forum.  There have been posts where others did not receive support from the crew for balcony smokers, but these posts do not warrant a blanket statement like you made.  We had an issue with cigar smoking on the balcony of a cabin next door.   This was on the Ruby.  We reported it to guest services and they promptly took care of the problem.  They informed the perpetrators that if they did it again, they would be fined $250 and possibly removed from the ship.  We had no further problems.

[sunviking90]

The casino is VERY smoky and when we were on the Emerald again last September the doors were always open and I could smell the smoke on the left side facing at guest services which is just outside the doors. There were also long lines for lunch in the MDR on sea days that stretched down along the shops to near the casino open doors. We lined up once and then never again because of that. 
I’m not sure if it’s the practice to keep the casino doors open all the time, but in our sailing that seemed to be the case. As long as you avoid that area you’ll be fine. 

[startedwithamouse]

On 3/3/2024 at 3:21 PM, mtnesterz said:

The coping skill you mention that serve you on land will serve you at sea.  Also, as you may already know but felt no need to mention, drink plenty of water to flush your system and consider carrying an N95 mask with you. There may be times when you need to walk through the Casino, between Passenger Services on deck 7 and the Theater.

Avoid balcony cabins. The crew does nothing to stop people from smoking on their balconies.

When?  You never need to walk through this area, one can easily walk through deck 7. 

[Cruise Raider]

We cruised on the Emerald a few months ago and we found it quite easy to avoid the smoke.  
Smoking is allowed in the casino and specific outdoor areas, these will probably be your biggest worry as one of those is on the promenade deck and sometimes people are just too lazy to walk outside to smoke as they can be found in the casino just to have their cigarette, not even gambling.  The casino does have a nonsmoking side, though and it seems to not be too bad over there.  I’ve never smelled smoke in the theater and as others have mentioned, just go in via deck 7 or even through the starboard side of the casino to the theater.  If there are a lot of smokers in the casino, it can sometimes waft into the piazza or by the guest services deck, though.  
I have very rarely experienced smelling any smoke while I’m enjoying my balcony unless it is directly above or below one of those smoking areas and have had no problem while the ship was at sea.  I simply don’t book cabins in those areas.  
 

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, TAW1963 said:

 

Making a blanket statement like this, "The crew does nothing to stop people from smoking on their balconies," is just not true and can wrongfully mislead readers of this forum.  There have been posts where others did not receive support from the crew for balcony smokers, but these posts do not warrant a blanket statement like you made.  We had an issue with cigar smoking on the balcony of a cabin next door.   This was on the Ruby.  We reported it to guest services and they promptly took care of the problem.  They informed the perpetrators that if they did it again, they would be fined $250 and possibly removed from the ship.  We had no further problems.

Agree.  Went to guest services and an officer discussed it with the smoker.  Telling you cabin attendant is not the best way.  Not their job.

I note except for the balcony smoker and a slight whiff in the casino never smelled smoke.  Smokers in the casino save me money as I don't stay there and try to cross above rather than walk thru.

[memoak]

1 hour ago, sunviking90 said:

The casino is VERY smoky and when we were on the Emerald again last September the doors were always open and I could smell the smoke on the left side facing at guest services which is just outside the doors. There were also long lines for lunch in the MDR on sea days that stretched down along the shops to near the casino open doors. We lined up once and then never again because of that. 
I’m not sure if it’s the practice to keep the casino doors open all the time, but in our sailing that seemed to be the case. As long as you avoid that area you’ll be fine. 

As far as I know on non Royal class ships there are no doors it is just a walkway 

[Mangrove Snapper]

On 3/3/2024 at 5:32 PM, travelloverontario said:

I am considering a solo cruise to Canada/New England in September and the Emerald is SO much cheaper than Celebrity. I am so very tempted, but the biggeat drawback for me is the smokey smell.

 

Does anyone have personal experience and thoughts?

 

Thank ypu so much 🙂

 

We took that cruise last year and I can't really remember having any issues with smoke, except smelling it when walking through the casino.  We also don't care to be around smoke and are used to no smoking in the casinos on Celebrity but that cruise had five ports so having casino time wasn't a high priority for us.  Other than the casino, I just don't remember smelling it too much. 

 

We enjoyed that cruise so much we're doing it again this year!  If you take it, I hope you will enjoy it! 

[travelloverontario]

You are all so helpful...thank you!!

 

I figure I can do some avoiding of smokey areas to save myself over $2000.00  !!!!

[Cruise Raider]

21 hours ago, memoak said:

As far as I know on non Royal class ships there are no doors it is just a walkway 

Right!  I have never seen them on the non Royal class ships either.  
The Majestic is the only one I know of with doors into the casino and maybe that door into the nonsmoking casino area on the Royal.