Following a recent surge in smoking bans across many other cruise lines, Royal Caribbean is the latest cruise line to ban smoking from all balconies.
Effective January 1, 2014, Royal Caribbean will ban all smoking on balconies throughout the fleet. Smoking was already banned inside all staterooms, but the new ban will designate Royal Caribbean’s accommodations as completely smoke free. Any guest found violating the new ban on smoking will be fined $250 to cover the deep clean the stateroom would have to undergo.
Smoking onboard Royal Caribbean ships is also banned in all public areas except for Casino Royale. According to Royal Caribbean, “Cigarette, cigar, e-cigarette and pipe smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas of the starboard side of all ships; with the exception of Oasis-class ships that will allow smoking on the port side of the ships.”
Recently, Disney, Cunard, P&O banned smoking on all balconies throughout their fleets. Windstar Cruises banned smoking on certain balconies on the line’s older ships. As of now, Carnival and Norwegian are the only two remaining major cruise lines who haven’t banned smoking from their fleet’s balconies.
Royal Caribbean has stated the change in policy was “made to provide a comfortable cruise for everyone.”
20 replies on “Royal Caribbean Bans Smoking On Balconies”
This sucks!
LOL! But it’s awesome for the rest of us!
You suck because your sucking on a nasty,stinking and disgusting smoke!
Awesome!!!! When can you add the casino so I can bring our group along? 🙂
Royal Caribbean has stated the change in policy was “made to provide a comfortable cruise for everyone.”—-everyone? really?
YES- EVERYONE!
Love it, now my son and I can fully enjoy our balcony without the smell of smoke. Now lets clean up the casino and ban smoking there as well!
Now if Carnival would follow suit.
My husband and I were on a Carnival cruise and paid extra for the back corner balcony. It could have been so nice,but we could hardly use it, because people kept throwing their cigarettes off from the decks above, and they would land on us, and on our balcony. Made me sick!! Glad to hear RC is starting to make a change.
How disgusting, Annabell. That would never happen on a British (or for that matter any European ship – it’s against the lawto throw anything at all overboard!) Come to think of it, our ships have to comply with US laws when in their territorial waters (no alcohol for under 21’s for example) but for some strange reason the same does not appear apply to US ships in EU waters.
Smoking on balconies is the only reason me and my wife purchase balconies. I bet it goes for other smokers too. If Carnival does the same I will never book another balcony. What happened to a free America. A few constant complainers that’s what! These are the same ones who constantly complain about everything and make everyone miserable..Please have a smoke and calm down!
These ships and cruise lines arent actually american soooooo yeah..they dont pay taxes to our government, and definately dont have wages that are covered in the federal minimum wage guidelines. no one wants to smell your smoke.
Quit smoking and you won’t be making others miserable. Free america has learned that smoking is not good for your health or others! Are your lungs black?
Great news!!! there should be a special stinky cruise only for smokers!!!
Well u think they will give me my money back since I already booked for that reason so I could smoke
I am willing to bet you CAN live without it!
I think this is a good move personally, one of the reasons I cruise is to enjoy the sea air and yes I always have a balcony. Up to now, although smokers are only allowed in certain places and sides. I have found more than not they do not adhere to this. Thus smoke filling the balcony’s. The cruise companies are as much to blame, as they place their smoking allowed rooms and casino’s nearly always forward. So as the wind passes through when doors are opened to decks, so does the smoke pass through the ship. They should accommodate smokers perhaps, but should create a smoking venue at the stern of the ship. Another point I would make to the smokers is that fire is the biggest dangers at sea, some do not appreciate that as I have seen they continue to throw their stub’s over the side.
Great well done Royal Caribbean!!, my last cruise was ruined by a smoker, I am allergic to this disgusting hobbie some people have, it seriously effects my health, why should I have to stay in my room when I have booked a suite just cos someone wants to smoke, designated areas at the back of the ship so we don’t have to walk through the smoke, still prefer them not to smoke on the Port side either as that also limits you to the Starboard side. I can not take my iron with me so smokers should not be able to smoke on fair!!!
They should go smoke free in the casinos as well – it won’t cut down their business; it will increase it, because all of us nonsmokers who don’t want to stay in that smoke filled environment will spend more time in there (and more money)!!
Just returned from a cruise on RCI. How nice it was to not smell the stinky smoke on my balcony from drifting smoke from the inconsiderate neighbors! Thanks for the policy change RCI.