Carnival Cruise Lines has stubbed out a debate on whether smoking be banned on its popular Serenity Deck.
John Heald, a senior cruise director for Carnival Cruises and a popular online personality, has confirmed Carnival won’t be making changes to onboard smoking policy, despite some calls to do so.
The rule in question is that whether smoking should be banned on the Serenity Deck, and some passengers have been calling a for a change in this policy.
“One thing I will not be able to help with are the changes people requested for the gorgeous Serenity Decks we have on our ships.
“Firstly a request to make one side a smoking section. “P” said “we live in a free society, and if Carnival’s smokers want to smoke, then that is their right and that includes on serenity deck.”
“Well we do indeed live in a free society but we also live in a more non smoking world then ever before. So while we will continue to provide outdoor smoking areas for as long as possible, we will not be allowing smoking on Serenity Deck.”
Should smoking be banned?
Commenters ranged in their responses.
Some, like Angel Goins, felt despite being a smoker, the rule is a fair one.
“I am a smoker but I totally agree with no smoking on the Serenity Deck because just because I smoke not everyone else does. I respect that.”
However, other commenters such as Jeff Henderson want not just more smoking spots onboard, but also more vaping spots.
“Vaping should be allowed on Serenity and more outside areas. There is no fire, hazardous smoke, or ash.”
Commenter Gary Boswell said he was very glad to hear Serenity will remain unbothered by smokers.
“Please leave Serenity as it is. With all due respect to my smoking friends, there is nothing serene about smelling cigarette smoke while you’re trying to relax. There is too much competition for a chair now, and invariably non-smokers would be forced to either sit next to a smoker(s) or not enjoy the serenity deck.”
Princess Cruises: Should smoking be banned in the casino?
A common debate amongst Princess Cruises is if smoking should be banned in all indoor areas, most notably in the casino.
Frequent Princess Cruiser Robert Baron made an online post that received a lot of attention.
“Smoking needs to be banned indoors on Princess cruises, period. Just because it was done for centuries doesn’t mean we need to keep this unhealthy and dangerous norm and nuisance going in the 21st century.
“And please, for all of you smokers or casino apologists that think smoking is important for the casino’s revenue … if you are a gambling addict, I promise you will still gamble just as much. Better yet, the other non-smokers may gamble more.
“Princess Cruises, it’s time to wake up and take a stand against smoking indoors.”
There was heavy backlash from smokers, who felt they were having their rights impeded on.
Amy Ketchum Makley said: “Complain all you want, all your doing is feeding a discussion that cannot be solved here. We all have rights, we all pay the same fare, smokers have as much right as a non smoker. You want change then complain to the cruise line.
However, other cruisers were extremely upset at this suggestion, and felt smokers should not be impeding on the enjoyment and health of their holiday.
Lynne Laviolette Snyder wrote: “’I’m sorry, but this BS about “rights” is ridiculous. Yes, smokers do have the right to smoke if they like. But they do not have the right to make those around them sick because of it. The right to smoke is one thing, but there’s no such thing as the right to harm others while you do it. It’s that concept that’s at the centre of all no smoking ordinances everywhere. The dangers of second-hand smoke were proven a long time ago.
“If smokers want to smoke, fine. That’s their decision and they have the right to smoke if they want. But when that choice directly affects the health of others around them, there’s a problem. They don’t have the right to do that.”
Cruisers ask for changes to Royal Caribbean smoking areas
Royal Caribbean cruiser Brad O’Carroll made a post on a popular Royal Caribbean online forum, sharing his concern for the proximity of Royal Caribbean smoking areas to the public pool, and him and his kids breathing in the smoke. The post quickly garnered hundreds of comments as cruisers debated back and forth.
“As a non smoker that does not want to be in a public area ie… Pool Area where there are kids and general public smelling and breathing in passive smoke exhaled from someone’s else’s lungs.
“There should be designated sealed smoking booths where the exhaled is contained and disposed of in a way that is not harmful to any other person.
“Where the smokers are situated in the pool area is open to the public and depending on wind direction there smoke engulfs the entire pool area and it’s not acceptable as we now know exhaled smoke is as poisonous to those breathing it in.”
Some comments supporting smoking onboard received a lot of backing, such as this one from Todd Mohr.
“Has the world gotten to this now really? Smokers are already discriminated against and /ostracized as it is, why make it worse? Also, for the record I’m a non smoker. Also if you know where the smokers area is why go through there? The wind can’t be helped, I get that bit, but if there are only two areas why walk through them?
Smokers speak up
Lyla Carroll similarly stuck up for smokers.
“ I’m sorry but as a smoker I find a lot of these comments disgusting, we have rights as well and for some of us we took up smoking when it was acceptable and after 30+ years of smoking it is not an easy habit to quit. I think what I find really disturbing about some of the comments is the total lack of respect for others choices.
“The other thing for all you whining Nancy’s is most smokers are actually very respectful of non smokers which absolutely cannot be said in return.”
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Smoking is a hazard,has been proven to be detrimental to health and under many health and oc safety laws if you are complicit in causing any disease or make it worse ie asthma then you can sue the cause.If cruise lines allow smoking they are abetting a health hazard(in Australia less than 12% smoke and you will get more $ by banning smoking esp with families) I find smokers who say they have a “right” are impinging on others right to a safe environment and are extremely selfish.
I would take this opportunity to speak on drink packages, we always buy a soft drink package for my husband as he does not drink, but I am unable to have a moderate alcohol package because it is required for both to sign up surely there can be a way around this I know a lot of cruisers that have the same problem and not all people are dishonest
As a non smoker it is a problem but there does need to be areas where smokers can go with shelter as in bad weather you need cover. I’m not sure where is best perhaps a smoking room as well as the back of the ship where it blows away and an extraction exhaust for the smoking room. If there are no smoking areas the ships will lose revenue and let’s face it as much as it’s advertised against people are still taking it up especially young people
I have personally written many articles about the detrimental effects of smoking on cruise ships. The following is a summation of the hazards of tobacco use on cruise ships:
1) Fire problems.
2) Health contamination to passengers & ship staff.
3) Air pollution.
4) Environmental pollution from non-degradable tobacco products.
5) Halitosis & odors from smokers that maintain the stench of tobacco odors on
their body & clothes.
6) The bottom line is that the tobacco companies have been lying to the general
population & even Congress for decades about their poisonous tobacco
components! People who can afford the steep prices of tobacco should buy a
yacht and smoke all they want without imposing difficulties on others!
Yes, it should be banned (or at the very least relegated to one very small, isolated space on the ship).
I’m sick of hearing smokers whinging about ‘their rights’ what about the rights of everyone else to not get sick and die from your filthy CHOICE?!?!? Your smoking doesn’t just damage you.
Smokers are selfish and entitled, they’re polluting the air we breathe and killing people. There’s a huge rise in the number of lung cancer patients for people who have never smoked a day in their life (more than 29% of cases last year – and I was one of them!).
You can’t even walk down the street without walking through clouds of smoke and come home smelling of smoke from commuting to work. We shouldn’t have to be poisoned on holidays as well.
From past experience, smokers don’t stick to their delegate areas. They smoke wherever they want, especially around the pools and bars and the cruise staff do nothing about it. They also smoke from balconies (which is not allowed) and the smoke comes into our rooms. It’s disgusting.
If cruise lines won’t put health and safety first, maybe it’s time for legal action against them and the smokers.
Take your ‘rights’ and your cancer sticks and shove them!
(and vaping is just as dangerous, despite what the ignorant think)
I recently went on a cruise and found only 2 designated smoking areas , that’s okay , so why are the non smokers whining? They have the rest of the ship to flee to. I don’t like seeing or hearing drunks arguing or being intrusive, are you non smokers going to stop getting drunk on board? These people that complain about smokers forget their cars that they drive pollute the air worse than cigarette smoke. Anyway the smoking areas on ships are in the full force of the weather conditions, it’s always windy , so the smoke doesn’t linger. Stop complaining, find something else to whinge about.