Smoking Areas

[Cassi]

I was wondering if anyone can tell me in what areas smoking is permitted on the Wonder? My children have asthma, and I just wanted to know ahead of time. For instance, do people smoke in the hallways, atrium, buffet restaurant, shows, Studio Sea? How about in Barrel of Laughs when they have Family Dueling Pianos and such?

Thanks!

Cassi

 

[Werner Weiss]

I can't speak from experience about the Disney Wonder, but I can about the Disney Magic (March 23, 2002).

We were happy with the smoking policy for most part. But there's room for improvement:

• In Rockin' Bar D (equivalent to WaveBands on the Wonder), they allowed smoking on the elevated back section, which stretched across the entire room -- even during early evening family shows and family Bingo. We sat as far away from the smoke as we could, but the air was still unpleasant.
• They allowed smoking on all open decks except for the area immediately adjacent to the Mickey pool. I don't see why they don't limit smoking to only one side of the ship.

Studio Sea, the Promenade Lounge, and Off-Beat (equivalent to Barrel of Laughs on the Wonder) were all non-smoking all the time. The theaters and restaurants (including the buffet on Deck 9) were completely non-smoking too.

I've read about other cruise lines where smokers smoke in hallways and other non-smoking areas, and the smoking rules are not enforced. I didn't see any of that on the Magic. The smokers were courteous and limited their smoking to areas where it was allowed.

All other mainstream cruise lines allow smoking in all staterooms (except for one Carnival ship), so you could be assigned to a room that was occupied by chain smokers up until a few hours before you board the ship. How would that stateroom smell, regardless of how hard the stateroom steward tries to clean it? But on Disney, smoking is prohibited in all staterooms. Our room was free of any stale odor. As an added bonus, there are no cigarette burns on furniture and bathroom fixtures.

Ever since returning form our cruise, I've been ready for another cruise. I looked into other cruise lines, but after comparing smoking policies, our next cruise will be with Disney again.

Please don't turn this thread into a debate about the smoking, health hazards, or smokers' rights. Smokers and non-smokers both pay a lot of money for their cruises, so the cruise lines should try hard to make sure that smokers have plenty of pleasant, convenient places to smoke -- but where their smoke won't bother others.

 

[Cassi]

Thank you! I've been on other ships before, and the hallways and atrium areas were always smoky, so I'm a little relieved.

Thanks again for your response!

Cassi

 

[LarryK]

We just booked our first cruise for next Easter week. I agree, I don't want to start a debate about smokers rights but I do have a related question. We are travelling with 18 people, some of who smoke.
I smoke myself but have no problems with designated areas, however, are the areas convenient as some of our family are not as "polite" as me nor as mobile?

 

[CRB#33]

If I read correctly, I don't believe you are allowed to smoke in your staterooms-only on your verandah, if you have one.

I know you don't want to start a debate, but since you stated your opinion, I only think it fair that I state mine.

I know that everyone pays fairly for a cruise, but from what I'm reading, the fact that I'm a nonsmoker, may make the use of my verandah impossible. I'm paying the same as the guy next door. For me to enjoy my verandah, it may mean putting up with inhaling the exhaled contents of someone elses dirty lungs. I find that rude and disgusting. AND unfair.

 

[wovenwonder]

Wouldn't it be great for DCL to limit verandah smoking to one side of the ship only. That way people with health issue's could request the non smoking side of the ship. And smokers could enjoy their smokes on their verandah without worrying about infringing on others health.

I, for one -- would be on the NON smoking side -- and LOVE the fresh, clean air.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by CRB#33
If I read correctly, I don't believe you are allowed to smoke in your staterooms-only on your verandah, if you have one.

That's correct. Those are DCL's rules.

Originally posted by CRB#33

I know that everyone pays fairly for a cruise, but from what I'm reading, the fact that I'm a nonsmoker, may make the use of my verandah impossible. I'm paying the same as the guy next door. For me to enjoy my verandah, it may mean putting up with inhaling the exhaled contents of someone elses dirty lungs. I find that rude and disgusting. AND unfair.

I wouldn't consider a smoker who is following the rules by smoking on a verandah "rude," but you could get some smoke in your verandah.

On our cruise, cigar smoke from an adjacent verandah was a problem one day in port. (I ended up going inside, although I really wanted to be on the verandah while waiting for our delayed departure from port.) We didn't have any smoke problems at sea. I believe that the sea breeze and the motion of the ship will "ventilate" the verandah well and will provide good air quality in most cases -- though not necessarily 100% if the smoker's verandah is immediately forward of your verandah. In any case, the air quality will be much better than in those indoor areas, such as Rockin' Bar D, where smoking is allowed.

 

[idontknow]

And the debate is on..........anyone want to move this thread now?

The way I see it, as a smoker, is not everyone is going to be happy. I do like the idea of having one side of the ship smoking and the other nonsmoking, though. If people have issues, maybe Carnival's smokefree ship is a cruise people need to check out. As a smoker not wanting to be inconvenienced by going to another deck to smoke, I have to spend more money than those in cat. 12-8. That is my problem and solely my problem. I could choose to spend less and treck up 2 or more floors to smoke, but that is my only option if I want an inside cabin. The only option I have, as a smoker not wanting to be severly inconvenienced, is to spend hundreds of dollars more on a veranda cabin so I do not have to treck up a deck or 2.

Let's turn this around a little........Can you imagin what would happen if I wanted to get a room at WDW and smoke if these same rules applied? (I am sure many people would love to see what I am going to say next.......or maybe not) I could not get a room at the Allstar's because they are value resorts. (cat 12-10) These are now nonsmoking resorts. I could not get a room at the moderates except for say CBR and only at a more expensive rate because of a prefered view. (cat 9 and 8 with the prefered view being the nav verandas and only 2% of the rooms are prefered view) Now, that would mean that all of the delux resorts would be all smoking optional. If I wanted to smoke in my room I would have to shell out big bucks just to do it and I would have people glaring at me when I light up.(I suppose that would have to on my balcony that they would glare, I don't usually invite strangers into our room) Not every person, but a handful and that would ruin my vacation if once a day someone made snide remarks to me about my smoking even if I am following the rules. Would this be "fare" to everyone..........no, but it seems that this his how DCL is doing things. As a smoker I have to abide by the rules or I could cruise elsewhere. I chose to cruise with DCL because I wanted to. As long as I abide by their rules, I do not see why I am an inconvenience to nonsmokers.

It seems as a smoker, I have been far more inconvenienced than nonsmokers, but it is my choice to be or I would have sailed with another line. My reasons for cruising with DCL is that I feel much better about letting my 12DS check himself in and out of the clubs. Just like letting him go and refill his own mug at the resort.

When it comes to the smoking issue, we all endure inconveniences.

 

[ChiTownZee]

I don't think the one side of the ship smoking and the other side non would work. I think there are more non-smokers on board than smokers, so can you imagine being a non-smoker and booking after the non-smoking side was full? Those non-smokers would be surrounded by smokers and the chance would go from 'perhaps having a smoker on the next balcony a couple of times a day' to 'you will probably have smokers on each balcony and each balcony down from that'

 

[CRB#33]

Please take this as a tongue in cheek comment. I am only meaning to tease nicely, but point out politely that it would be far nicer to give up the expensive habit and feel a bit better about how much you spend for a deluxe hotel or not.

Just think of the money you could save. Think about the nice things you could spend it on. If you are going to think about the money issue, you need to think about the other side of the coin too!

As far as convenience goes, I have looked at the issue through this analagy. The state makes me wear my seatbelt. In my car. By myself. Creating a health or safety issue for no one but me. A smoker can pollute my lungs. The state says nothing about that. I don't know why. It's the same thing, only this time someone else is creating a hazard for me. I feel inconvenienced, much more than any smoker because it is someone else endangering me.

BTW, I smoked for 20 years. I quit 12 years ago. It was hard, but boy do I feel good! and proud!

I cruise Disney because I love Disney. Carnival means nothing to me. Plus I feel exactly the way you do, idontknow, about my almost 12 year old. There's no place like it in the world.

ChiTownZee-You've got a very good point!

 

[perdidobay]

Wavebands on the Wonder was so smoky DH and I stopped at the door and didn't go in. No-smoking area in there is a joke. It is all smoke.
We had no problem anywhere else on the ship.

 

[ruvidu]

I just had to say that I agree that there is another option. I smoked for 30 years and it finally dawned on me that I was killing myself and most of the people I cared for. With that thought I laid them down and never went back.
The only place I was bothered by the smoke was when some smoker decided to intrude on my space by the adult pool. Never asked if it was alright or made apologies. Just let the smoke roll.

 

[Cassi]

Wow, I really didn't intend this to be a debate! Personally, I've never cared what people choose to do if it doesn't affect anyone else. But I have asthma, too, and I know how awful it feels when I'm around smoke. My son (he's two) has it 100 times worse than I do, and it's pretty scary and pitiful to watch him gasping just to breathe. So, I'm really not trying to fuel the fire here. I just wanted to explain where I'm coming from. I accept that I may not be able to use the verandah that I'm paying for, or that I may have to move on deck or at Castaway Cay (and I would move rather than say anything, because the smoker is within his rights in those places).

And I can absolutely understand where the poster who resents paying for a higher priced cabin is coming from. I had to book a category 5, when I wanted a 10 or 11. I didn't want a verandah with my small children. But we had to get a category 5 just because my husband is in a wheelchair. I think it's unfair, but what can I do?

It's all about compromises, I guess!

Anyway, I apologize if I started something here, and if I couldn't keep my big mouth shut from joining in! Thank you to everyone who answered my question!

Cassi

 

[DARWIN91]

LARRY K, FROM ONE POLITE SMOKER TO ANOTHER, DECK 10 ABOVE THE POOLS HAS ASHTRAYS UP THERE. THIS IS AN OPEN DECK AND SHOULD NOT BOTHER ANYONE!!!!!!!!

 

[LarryK]

Thanks Darwin, the voice of reason!

 

[JSG]

I had always assumed that part or all of the reason that the enclosed staterooms are nonsmoking was to reduce fire risks, (though I'm sure it also has a lot to do with the limited ventilation on an inside cabin).

Anyone know?

 

[Alihall]

Ok, you guys have baited me, I've got to put in my two cents. In January we had a cat 6 on the Magic and were next door to a cigar smoker. He smoked in his room which filled our room with cigar odor - yuck. We complained to guest services a few times, so they informed the man he could only smoke on his verandah and guess what? He knew we had complained so every time we went out on the verandah he went out to smoke is cigar and no the ocean breezes did not disipate the smell. It was especially charming in the morning as we were having coffee. To make matters worse if you left the verandah door open the room filled with smoke again. By the end of the cruise he was smoking in the room and on the verandah also. There is not a lot you can do in this situation. LOL

As far as smokers go, I burried my mom in Apil. She died of emphasemia caused my many years of smoking. Lots of people miss her, don't think your smoking doesn't affect other people. My two cents.....

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by JSG
I had always assumed that part or all of the reason that the enclosed staterooms are nonsmoking was to reduce fire risks, (though I'm sure it also has a lot to do with the limited ventilation on an inside cabin).

Anyone know?

On every other major cruise line, all staterooms are "smoking optional" -- which means passengers are allowed to smoke in any stateroom. They claim they do such a good job of cleaning, that the next passengers will never smell any stale smoke odor. And they claim the air from a stateroom occupied by a smoker will never enter an adjacent stateroom occupied by a non-smoker. I have my doubts about these claims, so you won't see on other cruise lines until they designate non-smoking rooms, as hotels have done for many years now.

So, other cruise lines don't consider smoking in a stateroom to be a fire risk.

On DCL, all staterooms are designated non-smoking -- but this might be a matter of convenience more than a matter of fire safety. My guess is that cruise lines -- Disney and the others -- just don't want to manage designated inventories of smoking and non-smoking rooms. I suppose there are already enough categories to worry about.

 

[CRB#33]

Alihall and everyone else who had a loved one pass away from the effects of cigarettes--my sympathies to you all.

Ali-That is terrible. This is what I'm afraid of. Some arrogant smoker thinking "within his rights" and with "reason."

When I see people act rude, and disgusting and then dig themselves an early grave on top of it- I find it awfully hard to see any "reason" in that.

There is nothing reasonable about smoking a cigarette. I pay for my verandah. The smoker can use theirs, but I can't use mine? I have rights too.

 

[Mjasp]

If smoking is such an issue, than you should direct your comments to DCL and not to each other. This argument is as good as the one of adults not watching their kids while on the boat. Or people who eat or drink more than they should.There is no winner.
Some people smoke and kill themselves.
Some people eat fat in their diets and kill themselves. I'm sure we have all sat next to the person who is quite overweight and they infringed on our space. Remember if you are 10 percent over your ideal weight you are considered OBESE.

Lets keep it nice and direct it to DCL if you all feel so strongly against it.

By the way, I am a non smoker.