What is the policy on smoking on HAL?

[marvin]

We just completed an Alaskan cruise on Celebrity Mercury on which most of the ship including the casino was non-smoking. It was a pleasure not to have our clothes smell from cigarette smoke or have to leave the casino if a smoker sat at a machine near us. We were also able to enjoy our veranda without cigar or other tobacco products drifting over as has happened on other cruises. What is the current smoking policy on HAL?

[DizzyDallasDi]

HAL allows smoking in the casino, a few select bars in restricted areas, in cabins and on verandahs.

[geshaw30]

Just got off the Ryndam. On her it's allowed in a section of the Crows Nest, the Piano Bar, the Casino Bar, and casino itself. Needless to say surrounding areas are also affected. As mentioned above it's also allowed in rooms, verandas, and that which seeps out into the hallways from cabins.

[jimmy2x]

OP - I'll assume that this is a legitimate question - but this topic has been gone over on this and every other cruise board. The information is readily available on HAL's site, in CC's feature articles, and likely a hundred other places. If this is a major issue, I would respectively suggest that you stick with Celebrity. So far as I am aware, they are the only mass-market line with this type of heavy restriction on smoking.

[Jemima]

OP - I'll assume that this is a legitimate question - but this topic has been gone over on this and every other cruise board. The information is readily available on HAL's site, in CC's feature articles, and likely a hundred other places. If this is a major issue, I would respectively suggest that you stick with Celebrity. So far as I am aware, they are the only mass-market line with this type of heavy restriction on smoking.

 

Smoking policies have been changing. Information on cruiseline websites or CC feature articles isn't always current. Both smokers and non-smiokers want to know the current policies.

[orchestrapal]

:mad:Holland America Smoking Policy

All showrooms and dining areas on Holland America's vessels are non-smoking. Designated smoking and non-smoking areas are available in most lounges. Currently, there is no restriction on smoking in staterooms; however, all rooms are thoroughly cleaned between cruises.

 

We too have found good itineraries on HAL but will spend our money elsewhere as long as they don't further restrict smoking in cabins and on balconies where you can't get away from the smell.

 

Try Azamara or Oceania where you never have to smell smoke if you don't want to.!:)

[sail7seas]

Within the last two months, HAL stopped all smoking in Ocean Bar fleetwide.

 

Now there is no smoking permitted in Ocean Bar, Explorations Cafe, Explorer's Lounge, Piano Bar, in no areas under the retractable roof at Lido Pool, all dining areas, show lounge, some Crows Nest (some permit smoking at bar and some do not). Most casinos have smoke free nights during the cruise.

 

I wait for the day they stop smoking on verandahs.

 

[RuthC]

We too have found good itineraries on HAL but will spend our money elsewhere as long as they don't further restrict smoking in cabins and on balconies where you can't get away from the smell.

And that's a good plan, because that means there's something for everyone.

HAL has severely restricted the areas in which people who smoke can indulge. It's easy enough to avoid those public areas.

[karenem]

Yes, but it'd also be nice if we didn't have to.

 

I didn't compare the smoking policies before booking, but definitely will next time (got off the Veendam yesterday). Thanks for the Celebrity nod--I'll take a look at them.

[SonomaDriver]

The smoking issue is an ongoing one and HAL surveyed all passengers in writing aboard the Westerdam about whether they'd book a cruise with them if smoking was restricted to only cabins/verandas and (seperate question) if smoking were banned ship wide.

 

The number of smokers is dropping due to life style changes and the Big "C." HAL and other cruise lines are trying to gauge when they can cut off smoking entirely. Why? Higher costs to clean the ship to rid materials of the smoke and the fact smokers are dropping in number and non-smokers are becoming increasingly less tolerant of second hand smoke.

[fantasmic2tek]

I am a smoker and welcome the HAL Policy, however what bothers me is smoking cigarettes and cigars is legal yet you are restricted to where you can and cannot smoke no matter where you are. It is like we are being controlled by the government who have buckled in to the ones that don't smoke. If you do not like to be around it you can go somewhere else I would feel this way even if I did not smoke.

[Two@Sea]

On our April '09 Westerdam cruise the only indoor public area where smoking was allowed was the Sports Bar.

 

I consider that to be considerably more "restrictive" than our last Westerdam sailing in Dec '05, when one side of all the bars and lounges (cannot remember if it was port or starboard) was alloted to smokers.

 

I'm just sayin'....

[sail7seas]

Was smoking permitted in the Casino on that Westerdam cruise?

[ETinCA]

I thought he had a fair question and wasn't looking to push the hot button. Many of our questions here can be found on the cruise line website, but people here know more about actuality since every ship really does differ.

Smoking is always a hot button issue.

[Two@Sea]

Sail, I apologize... and thank you for the correction. There was no smoking in the casino on the evening we visited, but perhaps that happened to be a "smoke free" night?

[chrispb]

Yes, all ships are different but shipping lines usually have the same policy throughout their ships. If there isn't some tolerance for smokers then we should know about it in order to avoid that line.

[SonomaDriver]

On the Westerdam cruise I just finished, it seemed like smoking was occuring in the casino but that could have been smoke drifting over from the sports bar. That smoke also travels to the Northern Lights disco and its adjoining bar.

 

It's a tough spot for HAL to be in; they don't want to completely alienate smokers but a large majority of non-smokers are becoming more vocal about their intolerance of second hand smoke.

 

It is likely that smoking will be phased out with HAL moving to smoking only in cabins or verandas then banning it entirely farther down the line. It will save a ton of money on cleaning costs, lessen second hand smoke health claims by staff and would be in line with what a vast majority of folks want to see.

 

If the lines don't do it themselves, you may see goverments where a cruise originates doing it for the cruise lines as they did for the airlines. The data regarding the dangers of second hand smoke is too compelling to ignore.

[Host Walt]

This is the original topic.

 

We just completed an Alaskan cruise on Celebrity Mercury on which most of the ship including the casino was non-smoking. It was a pleasure not to have our clothes smell from cigarette smoke or have to leave the casino if a smoker sat at a machine near us. We were also able to enjoy our veranda without cigar or other tobacco products drifting over as has happened on other cruises. What is the current smoking policy on HAL?

 

Please respond to the topic. If you want to discuss the health aspects and/or government policies relating to smoking, please do so on forums dedicated to that subject. (There are many such forums on the web.)

[sail7seas]

Sail, I apologize... and thank you for the correction. There was no smoking in the casino on the evening we visited, but perhaps that happened to be a "smoke free" night?

 

 

No problem. :)

 

I really wondered if perhaps Westerdam's casino was smoke free. Noordam had nights when no smoking was permitted as does Maasdam at least once a cruise. I thought Westerdam might be totally smoke free casino. If Eurodam has smoke free nights we missed them as we didn't enjoy using the slots under their new card system. AND the few times we were there, the smoke bothered us. Didn't go back much so don't know if there were smoke free nights.

 

Thanks.

[usha]

We just completed an Alaskan cruise on Celebrity Mercury on which most of the ship including the casino was non-smoking. It was a pleasure not to have our clothes smell from cigarette smoke or have to leave the casino if a smoker sat at a machine near us. We were also able to enjoy our veranda without cigar or other tobacco products drifting over as has happened on other cruises. What is the current smoking policy on HAL?

As others have mentioned, it's not too hard to avoid the designated public areas. It gets dicey around the aft pool though. People light up wherever they want back there, and it can be annoying, to say the least. Also, if you are counting on enjoying your balcony, be advised that you'll be at the mercy of those on balconies above, below, and next to you. If they want to smoke on their balcony non-stop, they're totally within their right.

DH & I really love HAL, but their present smoking policy is too liberal for us. While we might consider HAL again, we wouldn't chance another balcony until they adopt a more realistic smoking policy. Obviously, this makes Celebrity look all the more desirable.

[marle7]

Sail, I apologize... and thank you for the correction. There was no smoking in the casino on the evening we visited, but perhaps that happened to be a "smoke free" night?

 

 

There were no non smoking nights in the Casino on the Westerdam when we were on her in April.

 

As others have mentioned, it's not too hard to avoid the designated public areas. It gets dicey around the aft pool though. People light up wherever they want back there, and it can be annoying, to say the least. Also, if you are counting on enjoying your balcony, be advised that you'll be at the mercy of those on balconies above, below, and next to you. If they want to smoke on their balcony non-stop, they're totally within their right.

DH & I really love HAL, but their present smoking policy is too liberal for us. While we might consider HAL again, we wouldn't chance another balcony until they adopt a more realistic smoking policy. Obviously, this makes Celebrity look all the more desirable.

 

it's good to have choices.

[jimmy2x]

It's a tough spot for HAL to be in; they don't want to completely alienate smokers but a large majority of non-smokers are becoming more vocal about their intolerance of second hand smoke.

 

You may be right, but it is also possible that the more vehement non-smokers post far more to this and other venues. There remain many couples where at least one smokes. If HAL's policy begins to approach that of Celebrity, many of us will just have to find a different type of vacation. That will likely make me as unhappy as it makes you happy.

 

FWIW, my TA has told me that it is extremely difficult to book a group on Celebrity because of their policy. Celebrity is a much smaller cruise line than HAL, and I suspect that their bookings are holding up OK. I would be very surprised of HAL would risk alienating so many bookings, when it must be obvious to them that most vehement non-smoking loyalists continue to book with them.

 

The folks who will not (and I certainly respect their decision) are likely far less in number than those of us who would absolutely go away if they acceded to your wishes. I'm not trying to be confrontational - JMHO.

[Sow There]

As others have mentioned, it's not too hard to avoid the designated public areas. It gets dicey around the aft pool though. People light up wherever they want back there, and it can be annoying, to say the least. Also, if you are counting on enjoying your balcony, be advised that you'll be at the mercy of those on balconies above, below, and next to you. If they want to smoke on their balcony non-stop, they're totally within their right.

 

DH & I really love HAL, but their present smoking policy is too liberal for us. While we might consider HAL again, we wouldn't chance another balcony until they adopt a more realistic smoking policy. Obviously, this makes Celebrity look all the more desirable.

First, Usha, the important stuff. Love the pooches, but I can't find any Mini Schnauzers, our faves.

 

Now onto the topic. We don't smoke. But we have been sailing on HAL ships since our first cruise, an Alaska 7-day deal on the Nieuw Amsterdam, and have never had any problem with their smoking policies even though my DW is sensitive to tobacco, including smoke and just the smell of tobacco products. Back in 1987, I really don't recall any specific HAL policies relating to smoking but I also recall my DW commenting on how well HAL constructed the ships and controlled air circulation on board to minimize the effect of tobacco smoke.

 

Back then smoking was permitted in specific sections of commercial aircraft and she would always be affected by smoke drift into our no smoking section but that problem never occurred on board a HAL ship.

 

In other words, you say that HAL's smoking policies, which have become a whole lot more restrictive these days compared with 20 years ago, are still "too liberal." I say that HAL's engineers have done a fabulous job in constructing HAL's ships and in maintaining atmospheric controls to minimize the effect of smoke on non-smokers while not shutting down the cruise experience altogether for smokers.

 

HAL's current policies as described in this thread seem to be quite reasonable and accomodating to all of its customers, not just avid non-smokers.

[sail7seas]

[/i]

 

You may be right, but it is also possible that the more vehement non-smokers post far more to this and other venues. There remain many couples where at least one smokes. If HAL's policy begins to approach that of Celebrity, many of us will just have to find a different type of vacation. That will likely make me as unhappy as it makes you happy.

 

FWIW, my TA has told me that it is extremely difficult to book a group on Celebrity because of their policy. Celebrity is a much smaller cruise line than HAL, and I suspect that their bookings are holding up OK. I would be very surprised of HAL would risk alienating so many bookings, when it must be obvious to them that most vehement non-smoking loyalists continue to book with them.

 

The folks who will not (and I certainly respect their decision) are likely far less in number than those of us who would absolutely go away if they acceded to your wishes. I'm not trying to be confrontational - JMHO.

 

 

HAL has been conducting a smoking/non-smoking survey on all the ships so they have real numbers by which to make decisions.

 

Must be overwhelmingly non-smokers as they have tightened restrictions on smoking and only in the last several months started to bar smoking in Ocean Bar, fleetwide. They are getting more restrictive and I've been told verandahs are next to be on the 'no smoking' list.

[Two@Sea]

There were no non smoking nights in the Casino on the Westerdam when we were on her in April.

 

Marle, we were aboard for half of your btb cruise. Since I didn't notice any smokers, or smoke, during our brief visit to the casino (and had I known I might have stayed longer ;)) they must be doing a great job of circulating and filtering the air in there!