First, a suggestion for smokers who are getting an inside cabin for budgetary or any other reason:
If you are getting a Cat. 11 cabin, get one as far aft as possible on Deck 7 so that you can go right outside on the "secret aft verandah." If you are self-conscious about bothering others, the "secret deck 8 overlook" is even better. I have details on both of those spots on my website at
www.castawayclub.com. If you are going for a Cat. 9 and are on Deck 2, it's only 2 floors up to Deck 4, with lots of exterior areas.
Now, a report from a non-smoker who is extremely allergic to smoke (I thought I was going to suffocate on Sovereign of the Seas--Disney is MUCH better for non-smokers than RCCL). The only place I am ever bothered by smoke is the clubs because there is not enough space or ventilation. One of the non-smoking sections in Wavebands/Rockin Bar D is literally right in front of the smoking section, so it is very smoky. We sit off to the side, but it's still pretty bad. The only thing we go in there for is the 70s Party...I take my drugs so I can deal with it for that because I love that party.
Cadlillac lounge is way too smoky too, for the same reasons, plus there is no enforcement of the non-smoking areas. We discovered this when smokers plopped down next to us and, not seeing an ashtray, simply brought one over from the smoking section. Normally I am not shy about saying something, but we were just about ready to leave anyway so we did.
You can have problems if you have a chainsmoker on the verandah next to you, but this has only happened to us a couple of times (actually, it was a cigar smoker--ugh!). Mostly, we are able to enjoy our verandah when we have one without being assailed by smoke.
In theory, someone can smoke next to you at the pool. In practice, we've really not found this to be much of a problem. It seems to happen more often at the adult bach on
Castaway Cay, so we try to choose beach chairs that are not right next to others.
Disney is very responsive...they get applause from me for making the Promenade Lounge non-smoking based on guest feedback. Because it is an open area, located off a main hallway, the area was smoky and awful for walking through. Now it is so nice!
So yes, there is some potential for problems if you are sensitive to smoke, but overall it is not bad and Disney is much more nonsmoker-friendly than RCCL.
Barb
Visit the Platinum
Castaway Club at:
www.castawayclub.com