How smokey is Costa in the Caribbean?

[VABeach]

I just booked my first cruise on Costa for a Caribbean Christmas cruise. I guess I've been on so many cruises that I didn't realize the smoking policy would be any different than what I am used to with other lines.

 

I really like the itenerary, but now I'm wondering if I should make a change to a Carnival ship while the prices are still similar?

 

Just how bad is it? In the dinning room? I can tollerate some smoke, but wouldn't want to spend a week in a cloud either. Are the ships well ventilated? :(

[joetrizeo]

let put a stop to this rumor once and for all.

 

the smoking policy isnt majorly different than any other line.

 

there is no smoking in the theaters and dinning areas.

 

it's been discussed many many many times and many many many times people return saying the same thing...

 

'oh my it was not as bad as i thought...'

'yea, the only smokey places were the lounges and casino...'

 

from my experience on costa, carnival and royal caribbean...the difference in smoke was indistinguishable...

[racingraysswimmom]

Thank you Joe...........thought of saying the same thing. Did not notice any difference between the different cruise lines.

[VABeach]

Well that really helps to put my mind to rest. Thank you! :)

[njs]

Never noticed any difference between Costa and Carnival smoke-wise. And I have one teen who is sensitive to it, and he never had a problem

[danceman]

let put a stop to this rumor once and for all.

 

the smoking policy isnt majorly different than any other line.

 

there is no smoking in the theaters and dinning areas.

 

it's been discussed many many many times and many many many times people return saying the same thing...

 

'oh my it was not as bad as i thought...'

'yea, the only smokey places were the lounges and casino...'

 

from my experience on costa, carnival and royal caribbean...the difference in smoke was indistinguishable...

 

You're joking! Ive just come off Costa Serena in the Med and ive never experienced anything like it for smoke on a ship! There were smokers in the lounges everywhere and also lots by the pools. I havnt done enough Carnival cruises to compare but ive done plenty of Royal Caribbean and its nowhere near as bad for smokers. I think that a lot of this may be atributed to the Italiens who dont appear to have gone for the anti smoking thing as much as the English and Americans and being a Med cruise on Costa....was indeed full of Italiens....almost 3000 of them and only 150 English speaking onboard on the one i did. I never saw any smoking in the restaurant or theatre that i can remember. Maybe a costa cruise to the Caribbean may have a greater mix of nationalities on it?

[VABeach]

I'm hoping that will be the case. Good ventilation if nothing else????

[joetrizeo]

danceman - your cruise was in the med, vabeach is asking about the carib.

 

it's well known that costa med and costa carib are very very different experiences.

[danceman]

well i didnt know!

[captaincrash]

Well...

 

... I called Costa just the other day - asking this very question in DETAIL plus addressing some other Qs.

 

They said there was SMOKING PERMITTED INSIDE THE CABINS. This defys reasoning. And as such the only areas where smoking is NOT permitted is in the dining room and theater. Otherwise smoking is allowed everywhere else. Can someone confirm this? I asked carefully if they had any non-smoking cabins and they clearly said NO.... there were NOnE!

 

Now I know it's a pretty good value plus nice port rotation - but the smoking thing is someting that has me concerned more than anything else.

 

Anyone else want to post what their OBSERVATIONS were. We have ONE person who says it was smoky everywhere... and a couple who say it's not a big deal.

 

Please reply with the Costa ship (name) you were on last - when it was - and what the low down is about SMOKING and the smell of smoke on the ship. Especially cabins.

[rusky123]

Just got back from Costa Fortuna in the Med, and did Costa Magica in the Caribbean last December, I found the non smoking rules more enforced in the Caribbean, with more non smoking areas. No smoking in the slots side of the casino for example, in the Caribbean, whereas in the Med you could. The dining rooms and theatre were non smoking on both ships. I smoke myself:o, but hated seeing people walking round with ciggies in mouth, ash going everywhere, and puffing over their kiddies. We had a balcony cabin at the back of the ship and every day I would find ciggie ends on the floor there, not mine. Passengers above us would just throw their rubbish over their balconies. DH nearly got KO'ed by a peach stone one day!.

Love cruising Costa, they are such fun lively ships, but have decided we will keep Costa for the Caribbean, and other lines for the med.

[rusky123]

Sorry forgot to say DS was in the next cabin and would have been the first to complain about the smell of smoke, he didn't. I think the ventilation system on these ships is pretty good. He did not even notice the smoke when we walked through smoking areas.

[VABeach]

Smoking usually is allowed in the cabins, isn't it??? I know it is on CCL, RCI and HAL. I only had trouble with a smoky cabin once, and they did that ozone(??) thing and fixed it. Can't remember exactly what it was, but it worked really well. I was IMPRESSED.

[Cruise4Andy]

I agree with rusky... we have been in all kind of different cabin categories on the Atlantica, Mediterranea and Magica and on neither smoke was noticable at all. And we are non-smokers as well.

 

Whereas smoking is prohibited in the restaurants, the buffet area and the theatre, only cigarettes are allowed in common areas, such as the casino. Pipe and cigar smokers have a separate cigar bar or outside.

 

But I am pretty sure that you won't even notice any kind of smoke.

 

 

Andy

[joetrizeo]

ya i hear people worry a lot about smoke in the cabin but not anyone really says they had a problem, cross lines.

 

i chalk it up to 1 of 2 things...1) people dont spend a ton of time in their cabins and thus dont smoke in'em 2) good ventalation.

 

with that said i guess there's only a few major areas you'll be in on a cruise ship

 

Area - Smoking

cabin - ya

hallways / corridors - ya?

casino and lounges - ya

theater - nope

buffet - one side only (aka port, starboard) may vary (I havent been on every ship there is!)

dining rooms - nope

balconies - yea :(

sundecks - ya, sometimes one side is smoking and the other is not...again, YMMV.

[captaincrash]

Thanks folks for the replies...

 

.... the news is encouraging seeing as we're sailing in the Carib with Costa.

[MrLee]

Of the 4 cruise lines I've been on, all of them allow smoking in the cabins.

[CruisenOne]

We did a B2B in December, 05.

Seven days on the Mediterranea.

Seven days on the Atlantica.

Both in the Caribbean, over Christmas and New Years.

 

When we boarded the Atlantica, we found that smoking areas were more restricted on the Atlantica.

 

So, I guess that the smoking areas are at the discretion of the Captain:)

 

On all of our cruises, we have never had an odor of cigarette smoke lingering in our Cabin.

 

Enjoy your Cruise:)

[mousey]

We, the DH, DS (9 at the time), and myself sailed on the Costa Atlantica three Spring Breaks ago in the Caribbean. We were never bothered by smoke at any time. I'm a "to each his own" kind of gal. Having said that, I really hate cigarette smoke:( , and I'm sure I would have remembered being bothered by smoke if that were the case.

 

We really enjoyed our Costa cruise. Don't miss swimming with the Sting Rays at Sting Ray Alley. It is one of the most, fun, exciting things my family has ever done together!:D Don't let Steve Erwin's death deter you, that was a freak accident. The rays at Sting Ray Alley are very docile. Just listen to, and follow the instructions about feeding them. They are the most beautiful, graceful creatures I've ever seen. What a great experience!

[captaincrash]

Mousy - I appreciate your sharing your experiences in the Carrib with Costa. It helps us in expecting a decent time with the Fortuna in December!

 

Have a great week!

[IKE]

I also have been on 3 Costa Cruises and many other cruises on the other Cruiselines. Smoking on the Caribbean Cruises is very different from the European Cruises. More Americans who donot smoke on the Caribbean and many Europeans naturally on European Cruises and they do smoke.