Discovery 2 - smoking areas

[CC1979]

Hi I've just returned from a week on the Explorer and loved the cruise life so much (first timer) that I've booked another trip with Marella next year, only it's on the Discovery 2 next time. Can any smokers/vapers advise where the smoking areas are please and what they are like? What I mean by that is, on the Explorer the smoking areas were the aft deck behind the pub, and on the deck above the pool, both with drinks service. From a short video I saw on YouTube it looks like the smoking areas on D2 are kind of 'nothing' areas, out of the way. Grateful for any info, thanks 😊 

[Manchester is blue]

The last time I was on D2,.. about 12 months ago, the smoking area was a small section, forward, on the wrap around deck. It was next to a door, and had some wooden tables and a few chairs scattered around.

[ButterSpoon]

Just got back from a week on D2. The smoking areas were the starboard side of both the promenade deck (on deck 4) and the pool deck. We're non-smokers but love to spend a lot of time louging around on whichever side of prom deck faces into the port, so we were among the smokers a lot of the time (if any other non-smokers are worried about this, it wasn't an issue at all and there were plenty other non-smokers out there too).

As the previous post says there are some tables and chairs outside the main doors, it seemed like there was always quite a party atmosphere out there especially later in the cruise as all the smokers got to know each other. But the smoking area extends the whole length of the promenade on that side. There's also a drinks service although it seemed more frequent and attentive some days than others.

Can't give as much detail on the pool deck smoking area as we're not really pool deck people, but I did read its existence in the cruise news! I believe it's where all the tables and chairs are, in the partially covered bit over by the windows.

Hope that helps!

[CC1979]

Thanks so much for your reply Butterspoon, that's extremely helpful! Great to hear first hand experience from someone who has travelled recently. My main concern was the smoking areas were a bit isolated or out of the way, but that doesn't sound like the case. I cruise solo so really appreciated the chance to chat to others while sitting having a drink and a smoke in the evenings on the Explorer. Thanks again, you've put my mind at rest now 😊