Earlier this week, Disney Cruise Line, Cunard, and P&O announced that smoking (including the use of e-cigarettes) will no longer be permitted on the ship’s private balconies.
All three cruise lines cite customer feedback, recent guest surveys, and safety reasons as the motivation for the policy change. All three cruise lines previously allowed guests to smoke on their private balconies, but not in their staterooms. Now, the entire stateroom and balcony have been declared off limits.
Each cruise line will still allow their smoking guests to smoke in designated areas around their ships.
Here is a rundown of the implementation of the new policies for each cruise line.
| Effective on | |
| Disney Cruise Line | |
| Disney Dream | November 15, 2013 |
| Disney Fantasy | November 15, 2013 |
| Disney Magic | November 15, 2013 |
| Disney Wonder | November 15, 2013 |
| Cunard | |
| Queen Elizabeth | June 8, 2014 |
| Queen Mary 2 | May 16, 2014 |
| Queen Victoria | April 28, 2014 |
| P&O | |
| Adonia | April 29, 2014 |
| Arcadia | April 13, 2014 |
| Aurora | April 24, 2014 |
| Azura | April 4, 2014 |
| Oceana | April 5, 2014 |
| Oriana | April 18, 2014 |
| Ventura | March 26, 2014 |
What do you think of these cruise lines’ decision? Do you think other cruise lines will follow suit? Leave your thoughts below.
44 replies on “3 Cruise Lines Ban Smoking On Balconies”
I’m guessing they will be selling a lot less balconies, because after all most people only sleep in the cabin unless they also would like to step outside for a smoke once and awhile 🙁
From the report Disney issued, it sounds as if that the decision was made because the majority of their balcony guests did not smoke and most likely made notice of the discomforting smoke from another balcony. Interestingly enough, I’ve never been on a balcony that was downwind of a smoker, which would lead me to believe that the actual number of smokers in balcony cabins is very limited.
Celebrity has long since banned smoking on balconies.
Celebrity has banned smoking for a long time on balconies, except that when I had a Balcony on Celebrity, one of the few spots on the ship they allowed smoking was just forward and below my cabin. I paid for a Balcony I coudn’t use because of smokers.
I believe smokers have the right to kill themselves as long as it doesn’t interfere with non-smokers rights not to be sujected to unwanted smoke. On Celebrity Soltice class ships, the lounge on the top deck forward is half smoking, half non-smoking. As far as I am concerned it’s not useable at all, while on Holland America, their ships have a similar lounge in the same location that is non-smoking. Holland America gets my business.
Wrong move, why is it that they take a smokers money just the same as non smokers but put restrictions on smokers. Non smokers need to get a grip and stop complaining. I hope smokers decide to stop spending their money in places that don’t respect them. I agree that there should be no smoking inside staterooms for safety reasons but banning smoking outside is going to far. Cruise lines should just designate one side of the ships balconies as smoking to accommodate all its passengers.
Except second hand smoke causes cancer. Where is the respect for others
That’s why smokers should have a side and non-smokers have the other. Let’s be fair to everyone.
The fumes from the ship, some food and bad attitudes causes cancer to so where do you draw the line???/
What ships are you travelling on if you are breathing in fumes from the ship, the food is that bad, and…”attitudes causing cancer”??? Where did you get that one from?
As stated, part of the cruise lines’ decisions was due to safety concerns. After all, it was a cigarette flicked from a balcony that caused the inferno aboard the Star Princess in 2006. Smokers do still have designated areas for smoking, it’s not as if these cruise lines have banned smoking altogether.
Maybe not but when and if they do, they will loose a lot of past cruisers and probably a lot of new ones.
The majority of the cruising public does not smoke, which would lead me to believe that the cruise lines will not take a major hit in guest bookings.
I smoke and I got a balcony to do so…Won’t see me on a ship anymore….lots of “cruisers” smoke; just check out the smoking areas on board.
Lori you are so right
and gain others.
I agree with fair to all completely.
The crusie lines go where the money is and if “ofending” smokers was making them less money they would not do it. Only 25% of adults smoke and that number goes down every day. If you are so stupid that you smoke and want to die then stay home and die. I dont want your smoke in my lungs. Its not long now that the ships will totally ban smoking on ships except for one small spot somewhere near the garbage bins.
Why is it fair for them to take my NON SMOKING money and subject me to your carcinogenic air pollution? To designate one complete side of the ship to smokers would imply that they will have enough smokers to fill that side of the ship as well as the same number of non-smokers to fill the opposite side of the ship. Where do they put the overflow? If a non-smoker is stuck on the smoking side, not by their own choice, what recourse do they have? How about the smoker that gets stuck on the non-smoking side? What is to stop them from smoking anyway?
Personally, I hope smokers decide to stop spending their money in those places as well. That way I wouldn’t have to be bothered by the smoke, smell, litter, cigarette butts, etc.
agreed!
Okay, fine but why e-cigarettes? It’s water vaper for goodness sake. They might as well ban candy cigarettes.
I don’t think e-cigs should be banned, I know several people that use them. The only reason I can think of for banning them is that some smokers may see others using the e-cig from across a room and think they can light up a real cigarette anyway.
Just came back from bahamas on carnival fantasy.they are having smokers only at back and at bar around pool.As a smoker we wont be taking any more cruises bevause of inconvience to the smokers.And e cigs! How stupid no smoke or flames
This decision angers me..I’m not a smoker but my husband is..we book and pay for a balcony which offers the perk of him being able to step out to have a cigarette before going to bed or we sit out there at night while our kids are sleeping. Smokers rights should be just as important as non smokers..what’s next..no alcohol as noon drinkers don’t like the glasses on the room service trays or…no nookie because the abstainers think it is wrong..
This is going too far
In all honesty, I do not believe this is going too far. It is unfair to subject fellow cruisers to a deadly poison which they did not consent to coming into contact with. While rights of all people are important, we should all have access to clean air.
I agree, I’m for the rights for all people and they are slowly but surely being taken away one by one.
I’m sorry, but smokers do not have the right to poison me. The right to clean air and health supersedes a person’s right to poison me with secondhand smoke.
Hello
I agree, I’m for the rights for all the smokers. Smokers, are inconsiderate, disgusting, stinky, nasty, disrespectful and that’s why your smoking rights are being taken away one by one! Let’s be fair to everyone and step off the ship to smoke, at sea or at port! Good Day!!
Yes, smokers rights are important, that is why you still have smoking rooms. But when your smoke starts to invade MY space, that is where your rights stop. Not quite sure what a “NOON DRINKER” is, I assume you are referring to NON-DRINKERS. I don’t like glasses on the room service trays either, that is why the trays should be left in the stateroom for the cabin attendant to pick up later, instead of placing in in the gangway where it is in the way and people kick and trip on it. Lastly, as for as “nookie” (haven’t heard that term since 7th grade), your having sex has no affect on my health. Your smoking near me does.
Your right. You pay just like the non-smoker. You should be allowed to smoke on your balcony, in the shows ,in the restaurants, in the elevators, in the halls, in the shops, in the restrooms, in the gym, in the spa,and in your own bed. Your paying just like the non-smoker so being inconsiderate to others your getting your moneys worth! Good thinking!!
Cigarette smoke reeks and stinks regardless of where it is being displaced. If you wish to smoke go find your own little private island away from the rest of us who don’t smoke and actually care about the health of our lungs and the smell of our clothes. Just because you wish to die young and stink in the process doesn’t give you the right to force it upon me or anyone else who doesn’t do it. Smokers are becoming the minority anyway…
I pay a fortune for a balcony cabin – open the door – step out to enjoy the scenery , and whiff that God awful smoke!?? NOT FAIR!!! THEN it goes into my cabin! No way … smokers go somewhere else and inhale and puff!!
Smokers have had their 100 years of inflicting their smoke on non smokers.
Now is the non smoker turn. Only fair I think
We can now at last not smell of smoke when we return from a function, and breath
more easily whilst eating out .
For the past 59 year I have been tolerant now it’s time for smokers to return the compliment
Great news for all. Not only does smoking have the potential to endanger the ship, it’s quite bothersome and the odor is flat out putrid. This arcane practice (smoking) should’ve stopped LONG ago.
I do a lot of cruises and pay extra for a balcony so i can do what i enjoy doing Smoking…And i will never cruise on a ship that tries to tell you what to do and how to live your life..BIG MISTAKE!!!!
So, the only reason you go on a cruise is so you can smoke?
Well it looks like e-cigerattes for stateroom. No tobacco, no tar, no flame and no smell…..
The e-cigs are banned as well. I don’t understand that one, I think they should be allowed.
Exactly, how will they know if you are smoking an e-cig in your room or on the balcony?
Thinking that the cruise line that comes up with the all 100% smoking ship – making the non-smokers stay OFF or consent to a smoking cruise … will make a killing! We have a few local bars that are like that and they have booming business, people willing to drive to that town some 20 to 30 minutes away, just to enjoy their evening doing what they do – SMOKE with a beer, pool game and friends. Non-smokers, you may feel that you have the “right” to that clean air… but us smokers, who I might add have been around as long as you (and probably pay more on a cruise ship for that balcony) – have the “right” to smoke – just stay away from us if you don’t like it… you go to the back of the ship! Chances of you getting cancer from us is like you getting ran over by an elephant on the highway — So tired of the non-smoking crusade… people just jump on the crusade band wagon – do your research people!! I may not like your perfume but I’m not going to “ban” it because it stinks and makes me want to puke!! FACT: Occasional second hand smoke has never been shown to be a causative factor in
lung cancer. Even according to EPA figures, living with a heavy
smoker for 30 or 40 years, will only increase the nonsmoker’s chance of
getting lung cancer from 0.4% to 0.6%. – Where’s your elephant??? Let me make sure it hits you!
Four reasons why your post is false and ridiculous:
1) Why would a cruise line designate an entire ship as “smoking only” if the number of smokers is on the decline?
2) There is no statistic or evidence to show that smokers pay more for their balcony.
3) It’s not the smell of smoke that annoys nonsmokers the most, it’s the chance of being killed by it. Completely different than not liking the smell of someone’s perfume,
4) Secondhand smoke increases a nonsmokers chance of cancer by 20-30%: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/ETS
Next time, instead of telling us to do our research, do your own.
My elephant is named LOIS!
Yea!! Finally, some cruise lines taking the smart approach to second hand smoke. On our last cruise, my husband, who has COPD had to leave our balcony because the 2 people in the next cabin were smoking. It drifted right into our balcony. Why did we spend good money on a balcony and were not able to use it several times during the cruise. I hope ROYAL CARIBBEAN follow those lines that are brave enough to take a stand on this issue.
I am a smoker and can understand that smoke from the balcony cabins can be offensive to non-smokers. However e-cigarettes are getting banned? Lets get real! This is an alternative to smoking and would not annoy any other guests. If anything, non smoker guests should applaud e-cigarettes that will only make the entire environment less smoke filled not only on a cruise but in places that are frequented in everyone’s daily life.