Port or Starboard Deck 5 Verandah to Avoid Smoke on the Classics?

[Shanti]

For the past few years, the classics have had one designated smoking section on deck 9 forward (all day), and the other area is the starboard deck 4 promonade, between 6pm & 6am.

We'll be in a deck 5 navigator's verandah, and are trying to decide whether to go port or starboard. We're currently booked starboard because it's an Alaska cruise & DCL's cruise map shows that starboard will spend more time viewing land, and my son loves to see land while on the ship.

But I'm concerned about the deck 4 smoking. Has it been problematic for those with deck 5 verandahs? The fact that the deck 9 smoking area is forward seems potentially problematic for the port side, as well. Experiences?

 

[Ravenne]

Really? The smoking area is deck 9, forward? By the spa and fitness centers? That doesn't seem logical.

 

[Shanti]

Really? The smoking area is deck 9, forward? By the spa and fitness centers? That doesn't seem logical.

Correct. Here is the info from the DCL website:

Disney Magic and Disney Wonder

• Deck 4, outdoors, starboard side from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM
• Deck 9, forward, portside, any time

I really don't want to start a discussion about the smoking sections themselves, though. I'd really like to focus on how they affect the verandahs, particularly on the starboard side of the ships.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Really? The smoking area is deck 9, forward? By the spa and fitness centers? That doesn't seem logical.

The smoking area used to be starboard on deck 9 in the Quiet Cove pool area. They moved it to the port side (still in Quiet Cove very forward corner), when they added the Concierge lounge (I guess the smoke was bothersome to the Concierge guests).

 

[Ravenne]

The smoking area used to be starboard on deck 9 in the Quiet Cove pool area. They moved it to the port side (still in Quiet Cove very forward corner), when they added the Concierge lounge (I guess the smoke was bothersome to the Concierge guests).

Does it affect the verandahs below on deck 8, port side now? I wouldn't imagine it'd affect 7 & 6 since most of the rooms below that area are oceanviews, right?

 

[Shanti]

Does it affect the verandahs below on deck 8, port side now? I wouldn't imagine it'd affect 7 & 6 since most of the rooms below that area are oceanviews, right?

The forward ones, yes. I read another poster's comments who was on deck 8 forward portside & said it ruined his verandah experience.

 

[Geomom]

Ask yourself how often will you be on your verandah between 6PM and 6AM? I doubt I'd be on a verandah much during those hours...I'd either be at dinner, a show, or sleeping. But, if you want to change to port side...the Alaska cruise often has land on both sides as you're mostly sailing the inside passage...and it's a round trip cruise, so you should see plenty of land no matter what side of the ship you're on.

 

[Shanti]

Ask yourself how often will you be on your verandah between 6PM and 6AM? I doubt I'd be on a verandah much during those hours...I'd either be at dinner, a show, or sleeping. But, if you want to change to port side...the Alaska cruise often has land on both sides as you're mostly sailing the inside passage...and it's a round trip cruise, so you should see plenty of land no matter what side of the ship you're on.

Yes, I'll probably switch to portside. 6-8pm will probably be a common time for us to be using the verandah as that's when we'll be relaxing before dinner- we never go to all of the shows on a cruise. We'll probably also like to look out in the evening before bed. It just annoys me as that starboard cabin had looked perfect for us, if it weren't for the smoke...

 

[dcassetta]

The deck nine area is relatively small and contained, and so there may be times where there's quite a few smokers together, and I can understand why a cabin right below that might have an issue. But the deck for promenade is really long and very open to the ocean so unless the large group of smokers was gathered towards the aft and the smoke was drifting up towards your deck five cabin, I would be really surprised if you noticed anyone smoking.

 

[Shanti]

The deck nine area is relatively small and contained, and so there may be times where there's quite a few smokers together, and I can understand why a cabin right below that might have an issue. But the deck for promenade is really long and very open to the ocean so unless the large group of smokers was gathered towards the aft and the smoke was drifting up towards your deck five cabin, I would be really surprised if you noticed anyone smoking.

When we sailed on an inside on the Magic two years ago, I would relax on the deck 4 promenade in the evenings. The smoking was quite noticeable then, so that's why I'm concerned about it for a verandah on deck 5.

 

[professorandmom]

I think many cruise itineraries require the ship to be traveling between 6 PM and 6 AM - the smoke is more likely to be moved aft rather than up a deck level...deck 4 can be quite breezy when the ship is underway

just my thought

 

[DCSWO]

I don't understand why they don't just put it near the stern somewhere (deck 10?) like Navy ships do. Then you only smell it if you go back there.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

We just sailed on the Wonder in December, in a verandah stateroom on deck 6 starboard. (Our actual stateroom number was 6624). I can't recall ever smelling smoke at all, whether in port or at sea.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

We were recently in a Navigator's Verandah on Deck 6, ports side, of the Magic. We've also done the same rooms on the Wonder. No smoke issues at all. It could be because the smoking area was so far way. It could also be because the enclosed verandah prevents the smoke from becoming an issue.

 

[arlopop]

Does it affect the verandahs below on deck 8, port side now? I wouldn't imagine it'd affect 7 & 6 since most of the rooms below that area are oceanviews, right?

It was actually moved to port forward prior to the addition of the concierge section above Quiet Cove.

 

[arlopop]

The smoking area used to be starboard on deck 9 in the Quiet Cove pool area. They moved it to the port side (still in Quiet Cove very forward corner), when they added the Concierge lounge (I guess the smoke was bothersome to the Concierge guests).

It was actually moved to port forward prior to the addition of the concierge section above Quiet Cove.

 

[GPaLarry]

We were on the DCL Alaska cruise last June, in veranda stateroom 8006. The smoking area was just above and slightly forward. Our daughter and her family were in 8004, adjoining ours. While the smoke was minor while we were moving, the day we visited the glacier it was horrendous. As we slowed down to a crawl, the smoking started above us. The wind was dead calm. We stopped for viewing and that is when the smoke and ashes, yes, ashes poured down. They covered both verandas and the air was loaded with smoke. We looked up and a slew of smokers were on the rail above puffing away. Our daughter and even the people next to us were annoyed. I called guest services and they put a theater-style rope thing up about 3 feet back from the rail. That stopped the ashes but not the smoke. I called again but nothing else was done. DCL says the smoking area is available to accommodate "all of our guests.". They forgot to add, "at the expense of a few of our guests.". We will never get a stateroom forward portside on the classic ships again. Smoking in that area is 24/7...yuck! I believe that the ships should be smoke free. However, a lot of folks from other countries also travel on DCL, and, perhaps, smoking is not an issue for them. Why not designate an area in the engine room for smoking or as far aft as you can make it? Our day at the glacier was ruined. Don't let it happen to you.

 

[tee11]

We were on the DCL Alaska cruise last June, in veranda stateroom 8006. The smoking area was just above and slightly forward. Our daughter and her family were in 8004, adjoining ours. While the smoke was minor while we were moving, the day we visited the glacier it was horrendous. As we slowed down to a crawl, the smoking started above us. The wind was dead calm. We stopped for viewing and that is when the smoke and ashes, yes, ashes poured down. They covered both verandas and the air was loaded with smoke. We looked up and a slew of smokers were on the rail above puffing away. Our daughter and even the people next to us were annoyed. I called guest services and they put a theater-style rope thing up about 3 feet back from the rail. That stopped the ashes but not the smoke. I called again but nothing else was done. DCL says the smoking area is available to accommodate "all of our guests.". They forgot to add, "at the expense of a few of our guests.". We will never get a stateroom forward portside on the classic ships again. Smoking in that area is 24/7...yuck! I believe that the ships should be smoke free. However, a lot of folks from other countries also travel on DCL, and, perhaps, smoking is not an issue for them. Why not designate an area in the engine room for smoking or as far aft as you can make it? Our day at the glacier was ruined. Don't let it happen to you.

Wow. We are sailing DCL for the lack of smoke compared to other lines, so this is a good and important warning!

 

[wl1117]

Go Starboard. We were in 8000 (Port side) on our Alaskan cruise and people would ash over the side onto our verandah. We had to yell up to people to be more courteous...scared a few people. lol.

 

[TinkerTeacher]

We are port forward 7022 on the Wonder / Alaska, summer 2018. Do you think the smokes could be a problem there? It's my DH's first Disney cruise and I would hate this to be an issue when we use our verandah at Tracy Arm. Should I switch to starboard?