Smoke on the Water
Cruise Ships: Where You Can & Can't Smoke
 |
| Churchill's
Cigar Bar Aboard Queen Victoria |
by Linda Coffman
Updated, August 2011: One of the unhappiest groups of cruisers I've
even met were four World War II veterans aboard R-1. It was back in
1999, when now defunct-Renaissance Cruises was the only
no-smoking-allowed cruise line in existence. The otherwise charming
vets were all cigarette smokers whose wives thought a cruise on a
non-smoking ship would prompt them to abandon their habit. They
groused about their wives' deception, but managed to take matters
into their own hands. In the wee hours of every morning while
everyone else was fast asleep, the disgruntled vets held a
"smoker" on the fantail of the ship.
While such an action isn't necessary on most
ships these days, it is getting harder and harder to find a place to
light up during a cruise. Ships are catching up to the rest of the
hospitality industry and the smoking lamp has gone out in virtually
all restaurants and showrooms at sea, as well as many of their bars
and lounges. While casinos are one of the last bastions of smokers,
some have "smoke-free" nights to clear the air.
Airlines were leaders in the non-smoking
revolution, followed by restaurants and hotels that gradually phased
in separate areas for smokers and then eliminated them altogether.
Now, local governments across the United States and even Europe have enacted
legislation that bans smokers from bars and even some outdoor cafes. The
cruise industry was slow to follow the trend, mainly because of
non-US passengers who don't object to smoking and, more importantly
because of groups. Group bookings are important to cruise lines and
groups hesitate to book on a non-smoking ship if even a minority of
their members smoke. Groups don't want to leave anyone out or put
them in an uncomfortable environment. There is also the matter
of revenue. Carnival Cruise Lines' experiment with the smoke-free Carnival Paradise ended in less than a decade. The ship never matched the
revenue of the rest of its fleetmates.
Think of that small group of veterans—they
probably wouldn't be able to get away with their fantail rebellion
these days. And, happily for them, they wouldn't have to break the
rules on most cruise ships. Smokers realize there are designated places to smoke and places
that are entirely smoke-free on the seas and most are willing to accept the compromise. The first thing they do is
check for ashtrays and make friends with other smokers. "We're
outcasts, aren't we?" is a common conversation starter between
smokers who gather in smoking-designated areas. Cigar aficionados
don't suffer the same indignities when they have their own
"cigar lounge" to retreat to. They are accustomed to being
banned from most public areas and are happy to find a lounge that
accepts them. Otherwise, they are relegated to an outdoor deck,
along with pipe smokers.
Only about twenty percent of American adults are
currently smokers so it's not a big deal that smoking areas have
shrunk. We applaud the cruise lines for their health and safety
concerns, but also give them high marks for not ostracizing the
minority of smokers who want to be comfortable with their habit.
It's a win-win situation in most cases.
Smoking At Sea
Never smoke in an elevator, on stairways, or in
corridors. As a rule of thumb, if there's an ashtray at hand, you
can smoke; if there's food served nearby, you can't. Pipes, and
sometimes cigars, are often restricted to open decks. These are
some of the specific dos and don'ts:
Azamara
Cruises
Where to Smoke: A small section for smokers
is located at the forward
area of the pool deck on the starboard side.
Where NOT to Smoke: No other areas on the
ships allow smoking, including all restaurants, lounges, casinos, cabins, and balconies.
Carnival Cruise Lines
(effective 12/1/11)
Where to Smoke: Private balconies, dance
clubs, designated areas within the casino and casino bar, certain
sections on the open decks, and in the jazz clubs on 13 Carnival
ships. The 13 ships include Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph,
Carnival Victory, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend,
Carnival Miracle, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor,
Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Splendor. Cigar
smoking will also be permitted in the jazz clubs. On other vessels
in the fleet, cigar and cigarette smoking will be permitted in
designated areas on deck.
Where NOT to Smoke: Cabins, restaurants, show
lounges, and the pool deck on those ships that have "indoor" areas
serving food nearby. A $250 cleaning
fee will be applied to the passenger's onboard account if smoking
has occurred inside any accommodations.
Cigars: Cigar smoking is allowed
only on private balconies and in designated lounges and
areas
on open decks.
Celebrity Cruises
Where to Smoke:
The
port side of one lounge per ship, a designated slot machine area in
each ship's casino, and designated areas on open decks,
including
the port side of the pool deck and sundecks on each
ship, the port side of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Century and on
Celebrity's Millennium class of ships, and the port side aft outside
of Winter Garden on Celebrity Mercury.
Where NOT to Smoke:
Cabins, private balconies, show lounges,
theaters, and restaurants, as well as the entire starboard side--indoors
and outside.
Celebrity Solstice's Lawn Club and the Sunset Bar at
the Lawn Club do not allow smoking.
Cigars: Cigars are allowed
only in designated sections of the open decks.
Costa Cruises
Where to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, open decks,
and designated smoking areas in public rooms.
Where NOT to Smoke: All restaurants and show lounges.
Cigars: Cigar smoking is allowed
only in designated areas, including cigar lounges and on open decks.
Crystal Cruises
Where to Smoke: Cabins and in designated areas
of bars, lounges, and open decks.
Where NOT to Smoke: Restaurants, show
lounges, and private balconies.
Cigars: Cigars (and pipes) are
allowed in the
Connoisseur Club and most open decks.
Cunard Line
Where to Smoke: Private balconies,
Churchill’s Cigar Lounge (cigars only), designated areas on open
decks, and the upper level of G32 on Queen Mary 2.
Where NOT to Smoke: Cabins (effective
3/24/12 for Queen Victoria and 4/27/12 for Queen Elizabth & Queen
Mary 2) and everywhere not specifically designated.
Cigars: Cigars are permitted
in cigar lounges.
Disney Cruises
Where to Smoke: Cabin balconies and
designated starboard-side open deck areas (including near the adults-only pool).
Where NOT to Smoke: All other indoor
areas, including cabins, are smoke-free.
Holland America Line
(effective 1/15/12)
Where to Smoke: Private balconies and in
designated areas available inside and on outside decks.
Where NOT to Smoke: Cabins, all restaurants, and show lounges.
A $250 cleaning fee will be applied to
the passenger's onboard account if smoking has occurred inside any
accommodations.
MSC Cruises
Where to Smoke: In
Cigar rooms, casinos, one dedicated lounge, and
designated areas on open decks.
Where NOT to Smoke: Cabins, private
balconies, restaurants, show
lounges, and all bars with the exception above.
Norwegian Cruise Line (effective 1/1/12)
Where to Smoke: Private
balconies, casinos, cigar lounges, and designated areas on open
decks.
Where NOT to Smoke:
Cabins, all indoor public areas,
with the exceptions noted above, and outdoor food venues.
Cigars: Cigar and pipe
smoking is permitted
in cigar lounges on ships that have them (Norwegian Epic, Norwegian
Gem, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Dawn & Norwegian Spirit) and in
designated outside deck areas.
Oceania Cruises
Where to Smoke: Smoking is permitted only
in a designated area at the starboard forward section of the outdoor Pool
Deck.
Where NOT to Smoke: All other areas are smoke-free. This
includes all cabins and balconies, restaurants, public rooms, and
open decks except for the designated smoking area. Note: Oceania's smoking regulations
have a "zero tolerance" policy, which imposes strict
penalties upon those who smoke outside designated areas—up to and
including disembarkation from the ship.
Princess Cruises
(effective 1/15/12)
Where to Smoke: Cigar lounges, a section
of the disco and casino, and a portion of the open decks.
Where NOT to Smoke: Cabins, private
balconies, show lounges, elevators, dining rooms, and all food
service areas.
A $250 cleaning fee will be applied to the passenger's onboard
account if smoking has occurred inside any accommodations.
Cigars: Cigar smoking is allowed only in
cigar lounges and on open decks; pipe
smoking is allowed on open decks.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Where to Smoke: Smoking is permitted in
designated areas on open decks, in the
casino, and Connoisseur Club on Seven Seas Mariner, Navigator, and
Voyager, and in designated smoking areas in one lounge on each ship.
Where NOT to Smoke: Cabins, private balconies, all indoor dining areas,
and all public rooms except as
noted above.
Cigars: Cigar smoking is permitted in the
Connoisseur Club on Seven Seas Mariner, Navigator, and Voyager, and
in designated areas
of open decks. Pipe smoking is permitted only in the Connoisseur
Club and is prohibited on outside decks.
Royal Caribbean
Where to Smoke: Private ocean view balconies, the starboard side of open decks,
and in designated smoking areas of certain public rooms.
Where NOT to Smoke: In cabins,
on interior private balconies on Oasis-class ships that overlook The
Boardwalk or Central Park, any dining venue, food outlet, theater,
hallway or corridor; nor in Central Park, The Boardwalk or The
Jogging Track on Oasis-class ships; nor in the H2O Zone on Oasis and
Freedom Class ships. A $250 cleaning fee will be applied to the
passenger's onboard account if smoking has occurred inside any
staterooms or on private interior balconies onboard Oasis-class
ships.
Cigars: Cigar and pipe smoking is only permitted
within the cigar lounge. If no cigar lounge exists on the ship,
there will be a designated area for pipe and cigar smoking
Seabourn Cruise Line
Where to Smoke:
Cabins, private balconies, and designated areas of specified lounges
and open decks.
Where NOT to Smoke:
Restaurants (including outside areas where food is served), most lounges, and
elevators.
Cigars:
Cigar and pipe smoking are allowed only in designated areas on open decks.
SeaDream Yacht Club
Where to Smoke:
Outdoors on Decks 3, 4
and 6.
Where NOT to Smoke:
All indoor
spaces, including cabins, and outside on Decks 2 and 5.
Silversea Cruises
Where to Smoke:
Cabins, private balconies, aft of the Terrace Café (outside), the casino, and designated areas
on open decks.
Where NOT to Smoke: Restaurants,
the show lounge, and all other public rooms.
Cigars:
Cigar and pipe smoking is permitted
in cigar lounges and designated areas on outside decks.
Windstar Cruises
Where to Smoke:
Designated areas on outside decks only.
Where NOT to Smoke:
All indoor spaces, including cabins.
Cigars:
Cigar and pipe smoking are allowed
only on designated outside deck areas.
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