Another Plus for DCL (Compared to Other Lines)

[Horace Horsecollar]

We enjoyed our DCL 3/23 cruise so much that I started looking into the possibility of a West Coast cruise -- Alaska or the Mexican Riviera -- on some other cruise line (because DCL doesn't have ship on the West Coast). I found a big difference between DCL and the rest of the industry.

It seems that the norm in the cruise industry is that passengers are allowed to smoke in any stateroom. The exception is DCL, which doesn't allow smoking in any staterooms (and Carnival has one ship, the Paradise out of Miami, that's 100% non-smoking). Restaurants on all cruise lines are now non-smoking, and most indoor areas are now non-smoking, except for casinos and designated smoking areas in some lounges. But there's no way to avoid occupying a stateroom that was previously occupied by a couple of chain smokers on a West Coast cruise.

I called Princess Cruises, and they confirmed that all staterooms are "smoking optional" -- which means that all staterooms are smoking rooms. The Holland America site ( http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruisebasics/atsea.htm ) states, "Our ships do not have 'nonsmoking' staterooms; however, all rooms are thoroughly cleaned after each cruise to assure the comfort of our guests." I'm sorry, but cleaning alone doesn't remove the smoking odor.

I guess the cruise industry -- except for DCL and one Carnival ship -- doesn't want my family's business. I've given up on a West Coast cruise until something changes.

By the way, even on DCL, smoke was a problem at times. DCL allows smoking in part of Rockin' Bar D, even during family shows. We sat as far from the smokers as possible, but I really think DCL should eliminate smoking from Rockin' Bar D, at least during family shows. And once I had to leave our verandah because of cigar smoke from the next verandah. Overall, though, the smokers on the Disney Magic were courteous and followed the rules. I have no complaints with the smokers, just with some aspects of DCL's smoking policy. And, as I hope I've made clear in this note, DCL's smoking policy seems to be way better than the rest of the cruise industry.

 

[wsurrettema]

Well, it is a big advantage to have non-smoking rooms (at least for us nonsmokers) but one major problem with that is that all of the verandas allow smoking. On my last Carnival cruise, the room was fine, but our neighbors were chain smoking cigar smokers that rendered our veranda (for which we paid dearly for) virtually useless. We couldn't even open the veranda door most of the time. Disgusting.

Some have suggested making smoking on the verandas allowed on only one side of the ship. I think this is a fabulous idea and I cannot imagine why it could not be easily accommodated.

We have a veranda on our upcoming Magic cruise on April 13th and dread the possiblity of having smokers abutting us.

My 2 cents.....

Gusman

 

[albiats]

I had an experience with chain smokers on the veranda on a previous DCL cruise too.

Allowing guests to smoke on their verandas on one side of the ship is a good idea, but I suggest it would be better if they do what most restaurants are doing now.

The number of people that smoke vs those that do not smoke isn't around 50% anymore. It's closer to 25% or maybe even less, so the space that should be allocated to those that want to smoke should be more appropriate.

For instance, I counted 62 verandas on each side of deck 7. If they designated 31 of them on the port side as smoking and made the other 31 as non-smoking, it would be more proportionate.

Just my opinion.

 

[dbcruise]

I am a non smoker and I have been on 5 cruises 1 Disney . But I have never noticed the room smelling of smoke . Maybe I have been lucky but I am doing Alaska this year and not going to worry about the room . I visit several cruise message boards and have not seen that this topic is a big problem listed in the messages . Maybe try try asking on the different boards and see what the cruisers of these other ships have to say .
http://www.cruisecritic.com/

http://www.cruisemates.com/
I understand Alaska is wonderful and Beautiful and should not be missed .Don't let the smokers keepyou away .Do more research first . Good Luck

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by dbcruise
I understand Alaska is wonderful and Beautiful and should not be missed .Don't let the smokers keepyou away .Do more research first . Good Luck

The smokers won't keep me away. My complaint is not with the smokers. They're just following the rules set by the cruise lines. I find that the vast majority of smokers are courteous and follow the rules.

But the cruise lines' smoking policies will keep me away. I can't take the risk that we'll wind up in a steteroom previously occupied by smokers. My older daughter would be physically ill, and the rest of us would find the stateroom unpleasant. That's not a vacation as far as I'm concerned.

Hotels offer guaranteed smoking and non-smoking rooms. It should actually be easier for cruise lines, given that cruise lines reserve specific staterooms, not just categories of rooms as hotels do.

 

[BethC1952]

The smoking policy is one of my major reasons for choosing DCL, although I would be much happier if there was no smoking allowed in any indoor area of the ship (including the clubs) and only on the aft part of the decks. I'm severely allergic to smoke, and cigar smoke is a migraine trigger for me, so I have to avoid a lot of places or pay the price.

I enjoy the fact that, at least in my room (we travel category 11 so there's no verandah to worry about) no one has smoked!

Beth

 

[taswira]

Horace Horsecollar expressed my sentiments. I have nothing against smokers, but do not like being the victim of their second-hand smoke. In January I couldn't even walk through the entrance of the Cadillac Lounge because the smoke was so thick. It was only slightly less in WaveBands so I spent time there for the entertainment (which we ALL pay for). The smoke gave me a headache, a sore throat, irritated my eyes, and the smell permeated my clothing just as it would if smoking was allowed in the staterooms. Yes, there was one incident of the smokers next door making my verandah very unpleasant, but at least it wasn't an enclosed area. My personal feeling is that until someone finds a way to keep the smoke from turning non-smokers into unwilling "smokers," cruise ships should do as some cities have done and prohibit smoking in enclosed public areas (including the clubs). But don't worry, smokers - I don't foresee it ever happening. I will continue to cruise DCL, but unless policies change, the only other ship I will choose is the smoke-free Paradise.

 

[KimDisFan]

You may want to try the Carnival Ship then. My sister cruised it (she is allergic to smoke), she said that Carnival will remove anybody from the ship caught smoking. She said two people were removed before they even left port. ANd another two at the next port.

 

[atigeg]

I'll throw in my two cents worth on the smoking issue, since I am very allergic to cigarette smoke and am one of those people who can smell someone lighting up a mile away.
Although there is smoking on Disney, it is by far one of the best, at least compared to RCCL. On Sovereign of the Seas, smoking was allowed in the interior areas (except diningrooms and theater), and you could see how yellowed the walls were from years of smoke. The staterooms reeked, and towards the end of the trip I got really sick. On Disney, I can avoid it almost all the time. The only places that are very bad are the nightclubs because the ventilation is bad...also, most of the non-smoking areas are either right in front of or right next to smoking areas, so that's rather pointless. I brave it for the 70s party, which I would never miss, and avoid the lounges all the rest of the time (Disney probably loses a lot of alcohol revenue from sensitive non-smokers like me). But the other interior areas of the ship are great! Most of the times when we have had a verandah, we have not been next to smokers...only once or twice have we smelled it (once we were adjacent to a cigar smoker--yuck!!!). Although smoking is allowed outside, it has rarely bothered me unless I am directly downwind. The only other times that it's bothered me is when a group of smokers plops down in the beach chairs next to me on CC and spends all their time smoking...that has happened on several occasions. But oh well, that's the luck of the draw. This has been more of a problem on the adult beach than on the family beach. No, it's not perfect, but Disney is much more non-smoker-friendly than RCCL.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by atigeg about her stateroom on an RCCL ship:
The staterooms reeked, and towards the end of the trip I got really sick.

I called RCCL/Celebrity today. The woman with whom I spoke assured me that they clean the staterooms with something that completely removes any trace of cigarette smell. "I don't know what it is," she said, "but it really works."

But, for some resaon, I believe Barb much more than I believe the woman at RCCL/Celebrity.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Originally posted by atigeg

The staterooms reeked, and towards the end of the trip I got really sick.

Originally posted by Horace Horsecollar

I called RCCL/Celebrity today. The woman with whom I spoke assured me that they clean the staterooms with something that completely removes any trace of cigarette smell. "I don't know what it is," she said, "but it really works."

But, for some resaon, I believe Barb much more than I believe the woman at RCCL/Celebrity.

I really shouldn't respond to this because there's been enough "soapboxing" in this thread already, but smokers and and people who deal with them are really in denial about the lingering reekiness of their habit.

This tale is a major strike against RCCL in my book.

 

[Rootee]

The only places that are very bad are the nightclubs because the ventilation is bad...also, most of the non-smoking areas are either right in front of or right next to smoking areas, so that's rather pointless.

Oh no! This is really disappointing to me! And during the family shows too??! I can't believe I'm going to have to miss out on these clubs if there are no "real" no-smoking areas! At least some of the clubs are no-smoking like Off Beat, right?

You know, there is really no such thing as a "non-smoking section" of a room any more than there is a "no-pee section" in a swimming pool!

 

[aprilgail2]

I am already resigned to the fact that I will not be able to visit any of these clubs since there is smoking there....BUT I am still hoping to not get smokers next to my veranda so that wont be ruined too!!
I will certainly look into that non smoking cruise ship for a trip in the future.

 

[Chattyaholic]

and were never bothered by smokers. I don't know if it was because we were just in awe of the ship and everything, or if there were few smokers on board, or what but I hate smelling cigarette smoke (cigar is even worse!!) and we really didn't have any problems with it. We had a verandah room and I was so worried we would be next to smokers. If we were, they used their verandah at different times than we did because we never smelled smoke. And we went to Rockin' D bar almost every night for the various shows/entertainers and were never bothered there either, we thought the ventilation system was really good, or else there again maybe there just weren't many smokers, I don't know. We are going again in January and hoping for another "smoke free" cruise. The week before our Magic cruise we're going on the Carnival Fantasy and I'm wondering how the smoke smell will be on that ship, especially in our stateroom. Guess we'll find out....in about 9 more months!!

 

[TravelMom]

I think that while smoking is allowed on decks and in clubs on Carnival and RCCI cruises, cabins are designated non-smoking.

I've never smelled smoke in a cabin (or in cabin corridors) on ships on those lines, either.

(And I don't mean totally non-smoking ships like the Paradise.) I noticed the original mention was about Princess and Holland America, but RCCI and Carnival don't allow smoking in staterooms, from what I understand.

 

[TravelMom]

I think that while smoking is allowed on decks and in clubs on Carnival and RCCI cruises, cabins are designated non-smoking.

I've never smelled smoke in a cabin (or in cabin corridors) on ships on those lines, either.

(And I don't mean totally non-smoking ships like the Paradise.) I noticed the original mention was about Princess and Holland America, but RCCI and Carnival don't allow smoking in staterooms, from what I understand, so it's not as if Disney is the only line that disallows that.

 

[taswira]

"For the comfort and enjoyment of our guests, our ships are nonsmoking. However, we recognize that some of our guests smoke. Therefore, to provide an onboard environment that also satisfies smokers, we have designated smoking areas in many of our lounges and on all open-air decks." - page 71, RCCI 2002-2003 Travel Agent Guide.

Sounds like double-talk to me!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by TravelMom
I think that while smoking is allowed on decks and in clubs on Carnival and RCCI cruises, cabins are designated non-smoking.

I've never smelled smoke in a cabin (or in cabin corridors) on ships on those lines, either.

(And I don't mean totally non-smoking ships like the Paradise.) I noticed the original mention was about Princess and Holland America, but RCCI and Carnival don't allow smoking in staterooms, from what I understand, so it's not as if Disney is the only line that disallows that.

I wish that were true.

I spoke with Royal Caribbean (RCCL) yesterday. RCCL allows smoking in staterooms, as does RCCL's subsidiary, Celebrity Cruise Line (which had non-smoking cabins before being acquired by RCCL).

I just called 1-888-CARNIVAL. Except for the Carnival Paradise, none of their ships have any designated non-smoking staterooms.

And I called Cruise411. They confirmed that except for the DCL ships and the Carnival Paradise, no cruise lines offer non-smoking staterooms.

I'm sure the other cruise lines do a pretty good job cleaning staterooms between passengers. For many non-smoking passengers, this may, in deed, be sufficient. And many smoke-sensitive passengers are lucky enough to get staterooms in which nobody has smoked for many weeks. (I just don't want to take the chance that we won't be so lucky.)

Three cheers for Disney Cruise Line!