I need help in being direct but not offensive

[disneydizzy2]

OK I am a non smoker. I am first and foremost not trying to start a rant or bash session.

I truly want to respect the right to smoke if smeone chooses and protect my right not to. The key word here is respect.

How is the best way to handle it if someone is on thier verandah smoking and it is bothering me? I am not anticipating too much trouble, but I had a pretty bad experience at WDW resort and I felt so bad and left feelling like part of my vacation was unpleasant. Broke my heart.

I also have read the policy on smoking so I know it is allowed, I just want to prepare myself if I feel it is impeding me using our verandah, because I am so looking forward to it!

I really hope I have no offended anyone, just really want some advice.

 

[drparoo]

OK I am a non smoker. I am first and foremost not trying to start a rant or bash session.

I truly want to respect the right to smoke if smeone chooses and protect my right not to. The key word here is respect.

How is the best way to handle it if someone is on thier verandah smoking and it is bothering me? I am not anticipating too much trouble, but I had a pretty bad experience at WDW resort and I felt so bad and left feelling like part of my vacation was unpleasant. Broke my heart.

I also have read the policy on smoking so I know it is allowed, I just want to prepare myself if I feel it is impeding me using our verandah, because I am so looking forward to it!

I really hope I have no offended anyone, just really want some advice.

You said it yourself. The key word is respect. Your only option, really, is to knock on their door and introduce yourself, explain that it's bothering you (if you find that it really is) and ask if there are specific times they might be using their verandah and other times you can expect them NOT to be there. It might not do any good, but most people are kind and will try to accommodate, I would hope.

 

[smb6]

If someone is smoking on their verandah and it was bothering me, I would just go inside..... That is just me, and no I'm not a smoker..... I get what your saying, but I personally would not be willing to knock on a strangers door and ask them not to smoke on my account.... With that said, I hope you have a great trip and you are not bothered by smoking......

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

I'm a nonsmoker but I know that if I get a verandah I run the risk of having a smoker nearby. I think it would be rude to say anything at all, sorry.

 

[CherylSue]

I'm a nonsmoker but I know that if I get a verandah I run the risk of having a smoker nearby. I think it would be rude to say anything at all, sorry.

I agree, I think knocking on their door would be kind of rude. I mean they paid just like you did to have a verandah. I guess it's just a risk you take. I personally would just go inside.....or tough it out until they are done.

 

[KingRichard]

It sounds like smoking will be allowed on the starboard side of the ship.

Will you be asking everyone on that side of the ship not to smoke?

If the ship is motion I can see it being a big problem.

It is not like a hotel when there is no breeze to blow the smoke away.

If someone is out there will they even hear you knocking?

 

[drparoo]

I'm a nonsmoker but I know that if I get a verandah I run the risk of having a smoker nearby. I think it would be rude to say anything at all, sorry.

I wouldn't say anything, either, personally, but that is her only other option. Oh, I guess another option is to see if there's another verandah room open, which is unlikely.

 

[frazzlemommy]

I kind of have to agree with everyone here. I'm a nonsmoker and smoke bothers me because I have asthma so I understand where you're coming from. ...but we took that into consideration when we booked a non-veranda room. If it really bothers you enough, you could always downgrade to not having a veranda, so that if someone is constantly smoking next door you don't feel like your money was wasted. Save some money to enjoy elsewhere. Otherwise maybe just wait until they're done and then go onto your veranda.

I really, really liked the idea mentioned in other discussions of Disney trying to somehow book all of the smokers near each other, on one side of the ship or something, and the nonsmokers in other areas. But at this point it's a "smoking allowed" area so I think the only thing us nonsmokers can do is avoid those areas when people are smoking.

 

[poohbear luvs grumpy]

That is a hard question. The one thing you need to remember is no matter how kind or thoughtful you are about it you can't control if someone else gets offended but you can control your own feelings. My daughter has asthma that is set off by smoking. I have had to ask people who were smoking where they weren't allowed to put it out and they have acted very annoyed and I have asked people who were smoking well within their rights to put it out and they have been more than polite and even apologized to my daughter who ended up striking up a very cute conversation with them. Good Luck I hope you get some more answers to your question.

 

[outahere]

OK I am a non smoker. I am first and foremost not trying to start a rant or bash session.

I truly want to respect the right to smoke if smeone chooses and protect my right not to. The key word here is respect.

How is the best way to handle it if someone is on thier verandah smoking and it is bothering me? I am not anticipating too much trouble, but I had a pretty bad experience at WDW resort and I felt so bad and left feelling like part of my vacation was unpleasant. Broke my heart.

I also have read the policy on smoking so I know it is allowed, I just want to prepare myself if I feel it is impeding me using our verandah, because I am so looking forward to it!

I really hope I have no offended anyone, just really want some advice.

Ok..... as a smoker I want to chime in here.

I am perfectly fine with someone on a neighboring verandah approaching me and discussing the situation, as long as it is done in a friendly, respectful way. I respect your right not to have to breathe the smoke and would do my best to figure out something that works for both of us. However, if I were approached in a rude or threatening manner, I would be MUCH less inclined to try to work it out. I have seen some pretty rude behavior, from both sides, on both the ships and at WDW resorts when it comes to the issue of smoking.

Bottom line..... if it's me, please just lean over the verandah rail and we'll work out something.

 

[inkkognito]

I'll play devil's advocate here. I'm a non-smoker who utterly can't stand being anywhere near it, and I have no problem being direct with people when appropriate (I'm a cognitive therapist), but I don't think it's appropriate to say anything in this case. For example, it's like telling people in a smoking section at WDW to stop because their smoke is drifting over to your non-smoking Illuminations viewing area. As long as DCL allows smoking on verandahs, you are basically telling a person who is following the rules that you want them to stop, even though they might have paid the extra $$ for that verandah because they're a chain smoker and know they'll be out there all the time puffing away. It's the risk you take in booking one as a non-smoker. Instead, I advise making your feelings known to DCL because they're the ones who can change this.

 

[diznefamily]

I am not a smoker, but this gets into the debate of why your time is more important on the balcony than that of the smoker who paid the extra money to enjoy while on his/her vacation. That being said, I would think most people are willing to compromise. That means not just the smoker having to give up time on the balcony but maybe the smoker can politely knock on the door and state their intentions to smoke so not to have someone walk out on the balcony at that particular time.

 

[inkkognito]

That means not just the smoker having to give up time on the balcony but maybe the smoker can politely knock on the door and state their intentions to smoke so not to have someone walk out on the balcony at that particular time.

That would get annoying if you're by someone like my formerly chain-smoking brother. You'd have a knocking at your door every five minutes!

 

[mdsoccermom]

I'm a non-smoker and absolutely despise cigarette smoke. It's something I can barely tolerate. However, I disagree with what you want to do. Just like it's your right not to smoke on your verandah, it's their right to smoke on their verandah. You cannot tell someone what they can and can't do in their cabin that they paid for, especially if the activity in question is permitted by the cruise line.

I also disagree with the person who said you should introduce themselves and ask if there is a time they will be using the verandah and a time when they will not be there. If it were me, I would be very annoyed by someone trying to pin me down to specific times on my vacation as verandah usage is not exactly a scheduled activity.

Your choices are 1) book a cabin without a balcony; 2) go inside if the smoking bothers you, or 3) just deal.

 

[ti2xgrr]

As a smoker with a veranda on an upcoming crusie I will chime in. If my smoking bothers my neighbor and they asked me if we could work something out I would most assuredly work something out. I usually check to see if someone is on the veranda next to us anyway when I go out to smoke (usually early in the morning and at night) and don't go, but if the people are rude then all bets are off. I follow the rules and hope they would appreciate that I am trying to be in the smoking areas etc without the rude comments as I know cigarette smoke is annoying.
That's my 2-cents

 

[poohbear luvs grumpy]

Ok..... as a smoker I want to chime in here.

I am perfectly fine with someone on a neighboring verandah approaching me and discussing the situation, as long as it is done in a friendly, respectful way. I respect your right not to have to breathe the smoke and would do my best to figure out something that works for both of us. However, if I were approached in a rude or threatening manner, I would be MUCH less inclined to try to work it out. I have seen some pretty rude behavior, from both sides, on both the ships and at WDW resorts when it comes to the issue of smoking.

Bottom line..... if it's me, please just lean over the verandah rail and we'll work out something.

This is who we needed to hear from. Compromise is wonderful. You don't fix something if you aren't aware of the problem. But no one wants to be told what they can and can't do. Respect really is key.

 

[sayhello]

I'm a non-smoker and absolutely despise cigarette smoke. It's something I can barely tolerate. However, I disagree with what you want to do. Just like it's your right not to smoke on your verandah, it's their right to smoke on their verandah. You cannot tell someone what they can and can't do in their cabin that they paid for, especially if the activity in question is permitted by the cruise line.

I also disagree with the person who said you should introduce themselves and ask if there is a time they will be using the verandah and a time when they will not be there. If it were me, I would be very annoyed by someone trying to pin me down to specific times on my vacation as verandah usage is not exactly a scheduled activity.

Your choices are 1) book a cabin without a balcony; 2) go inside if the smoking bothers you, or 3) just deal.

I have to disagree with this. They are not talking about *telling* anyone what they can or can't do on their verandah. They're talking about *asking* someone if there is a way to work around the fact that they want to smoke, and the OP doesn't. I think it is perfectly acceptable to *ask*, with the understanding that the other person may say "No", and that you have to accept that "No".

Sayhello

 

[mdsoccermom]

I have to disagree with this. They are not talking about *telling* anyone what they can or can't do on their verandah. They're talking about *asking* someone if there is a way to work around the fact that they want to smoke, and the OP doesn't. I think it is perfectly acceptable to *ask*, with the understanding that the other person may say "No", and that you have to accept that "No".

Sayhello

Still disagree. The person smoking shouldn't be asked to compromise at all. It's their verandah. I mean what kind of compromise should there be? The smoker be permitted to smoke between the hours of 8 and 10?

 

[outahere]

It sounds like smoking will be allowed on the starboard side of the ship.

True, but that only applies to the open decks (at least on the Magic and Wonder). Unless they have very recently changed the policy, smoking is allowed on all private verandahs. The sign that is on the verandahs does "ask" smokers to consider going to the designated open deck smoking areas.

 

[MomsOf2boys]

I have two children with asthma. I have friends who smoke and used to smoke (Pre children with asthma life) myself. We stay concierge while on cruises and therefore have verandahs and sometimes have neighboring ones next door or below that smoke.

Most of the time, the smoke does not blow onto my verandah. Yes I can smell it, but the actual smoke doesn't waiff over too often because of the movement and breezes.

One cruise while we were just sitting out in the ocean, the smoke did come over and it was 2 parents who both smoked like chimneys. When the kids came out to the verandah I spoke in a normal tone to them and said, "Hey guys, the neighbors are smoking right now, go inside and I'll let you know when the air is clear."

The people actually came and peeked over and asked if we had a problem with the cigerette smoke. I told them I did not, but my children have asthma but that I would just have them come in during cigerette breaks.

From that point on, whenever they came out and heard us over on ours, they would ask, "are the boys out right now?" I would answer always followed by thanks for asking, they are but go ahead as we are heading in... or thanks for asking and no they are not...kids club rule over verandah time. We never had a real issue.