Problem Smokers

[SHANNON & CATHY]

We just returned from a cruise on the Glory, and I was wondering if anyone else has encountered a problem I did (be it on the Glory or other ship). It seemed I could not escape folks smoking in inappropriate areas...by inappropriate areas I'm refering to inside elevators, the hallways outside cabins, doorways of the theater, and elevator lobys. Now before anyone gets up in arms let me explain that I am not talking about folks who are smoking in areas where it is allowed (i.e. personal cabins, bars/lounges, casinos, on deck etc...) If you smoke only where it is allowed Thank You for being considerate I wish everyone would follow your example. I am refering specifically to those individuals who feel there is nothing wrong with lighting up whenever and wherever the urge strikes them. .I did not understand why these folks (I'm hoping they are in the minority of smokers) felt the need to smoke in unavoidable public areas. I understand that If I don't like smoke I should avoid the many areas onboard that allow smoking, but I feel the few non-smoking areas onboard need to remain completely and totally smoke free.

Back in the real world I'm a Respiratory Therapist. I work with folks who have breathing problems like Asthma, COPD, Lung Cancer, and the like. These folks cannot tolerate cigarette smoke, a small amount can cause airways to constrict causing shortness of breath, increased medication use (the medicine can increase heart rates, blood pressure, and make you feel jittery), and cause excerbations that can lead to a trip to the infirmary for IV steroids (not fun when you're supposed to be on vacation) For them it's not about disliking smoke or smokers, it's about staying well.

I don't wish to start a debate...we're all here because we love the same thing, I'm only asking that the folks who smoke in non-smoking areas will read this and reconsider so that we can all enjoy our voyage. And again for those smokers who follow the rules a big THANK YOU!!! Your efforts are often taken for granted, but those efforts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Shannon
(A.K.A. S. Ball, RRT-NPS, RPFT, RCP...unless he's Cruisin')

 

[amytodd]

Hi,

As a smoker I have to ask, Why are there ashtrays in the elevator lobbys on Carnival if these are not smoking areas? I would not ever smoke in my own cabin or the hallways and never ever in an elevator, but I have to admit I did smoke a few times in the front elevator lobby on my last cruise because it did not occur to me that this was a problem. I can understand your point, but I think if it was a serious medical risk for me to be around smoke I would cruise on the paradise. I try to be considerate of other people. I will keep your post in mind on my next cruise on the Victory in November. But you really can't blame people for smoking in areas where Carnival puts an ashtray.

Thanks,
Amy

 

[Bstrieg]

I agree Shannon and Kathy...

We cruised on the Triumph, and I keep calling it the "World's Largest Floating Ashtray". People would crowd around the entrances to the dining halls and theatre, and 90% would be puffing away, with the smoke hanging 2 feet off the ceiling. Forget about going into the bars, dance clubs, or the casino.

As a severe asthmatic, this truly ruined my cruise. As a matter of fact, we had a balcony cabin, and the people upwind of us had four smokers in their cabin. On our first night, we thought we'd leave open our door to the balcony and listen to the ocean. Well, we both woke up at 6 AM with sore throats because the people upwind sat on their balcony and smoked all night. I was sick the rest of the cruise.

That settled it for us, and we decided that until more non-smoking ships are built, we'll always cruise the Carn. Paradise, because even though it's smaller and not as "flashy", we think it's worth our health.

We'll cruise the Paradise in 25 days! Can't wait!

 

[kicker326]

I am a smoker but I agree, it is common knowledge & common sense not to smoke on an Elevator. I have smoked for 20 plus years and hate second hand smoke as well, I know its strange but I can relate. Just because there is an ashtray there does not give you the right to not use common curtesy when in the company of non smokers. I always ask if the person would mind if I fired up, if they say no please do not, I don't.

 

[gram]

I am now a non smoker but last year on a cruise and the cruise before that I was a smoker and was trying to be polite which I always am regarding my smoking. I knew to only smoke on the port side of the ship on the outter decks, where the ashtrays where. Needless to say, all you non smokers took up the seats and tables on the side of the ship that smoking was pemitted. So I just stood beside them and had my cigarette. I felt the non smokers had the other whole side of the ship to sit but no they want to be greedy and take over denying me my right. I also wittness a lady picking up a ash tray and actually throwing it across the deck because she didn't want it at her table. So don't blame smokers for all the rudness on the ships I have seen more rude non smokers.

Even though I no longer smoke I feel those people who smoke have just has much rights as anyone else. Each person should respect each one's decisions.

As far as I am concern the worst smell is all the perfume some of you people wear. I gag in elevators, planes, ships because of the over-kill of perfumes. In fact one cruise one lady had so much perfume on sitting next to me at bingo that I had to run to my cabin to throw up. Let everyone be considered on smoking and wearing perfume on cruise ships.

 

[LHP]

Sorry, but I get so tired of this "perfume" excuse. Perfume does not have 3,000 toxins or cancer causing agents. People pass gas all the time in public and while I hate the smell...it isn't going to kill me or make me physically ill.....cig smoke will!!! I do have to laugh when folks ask why smokers are so inconsiderate....think about it...they don't care that they are killing themselves....why would they care if they are making you sick?

The only reason we non smokers have the nonsmoking areas we have is because we complain. If we stopped cruising Carnival until they did something to stop 25% of the passengers from making the other 75% ill.... I guarantee they would come up with a solution.

In fact, the solution is VERY simple. On ALL ships they should have designated weeks that are nonsmoking cruises (like a theme cruise). It would not have to be as restrictive as the Paradise...simply that the ONLY place to smoke is the topless deck PERIOD. And then when people are caught lighting up anywhere else...don't through them off the ship...simply tell them to put it out and go up top!

This would allow many more ships and ports for non smokers AND when it is a smoking cruise...smokers could like up anywhere they wanted to without feeling like they are imposing on others.

We have been cruising Carnival for 20 years and I have just learned to pack my antibiotics...because I will have an ear and throat infection by the 2nd day. I should not have to stay out of the casinos or bars. I paid money just like the smokers did. I am tempted to carry a bottle of fox urine on the next cruise and put a drop on the bar next to a smoker. (If you are not a hunter...you will not understand the smell of this substance) Let's see how they like their "personal space" being violated.

 

[kicker326]

Do you drive a car? Do you barbeque outside? Do you spray hairspray or insect repellant, if so you are doing the same thing as a smoker. Stop these things and then you can preach your sermon. I am a hunter and if someone puts fox urine on me when I am on a cruise, that would be a very big mistake. Now I may smell like that already because deer season starts on the 1st and my cruise is on the 11th

 

[backheidi]

I think there should be one smoking lounge and one deck area designated for smokers. Other then that, the rest of the ship should be smoke free as it is unfair and unhealthy to the rest of the cruisers. And I cannot believe anyone would smoke in an elevator. Dangerous and rather rude to others.

 

[SHANNON & CATHY]

I agree with some of you that rude people come in all types, some non-smokers can be a little over zelous at times, of course keep in mind that we're defending our health not our habits. We should stay off the port side of the outer decks point taken. Perfume can also trigger breathing problems, but that doesn't give everybody else free reign to do it also. Perfume also does not supress the immune system or kill 400,000 people per year. and yes I do drive a car, grill outdoors, and use insect repellant (alas no hair spray for the young balding gentleman 'sigh') but I would not dream of doing any of these things inside an elevator, lobby or hallway...actually I wouldn't do any of these things inside at all. Lots of smokers (I said lots not all) offend easily, and discussions become steered toward "rights" and other offending habits (perfume, gas grills and the like). So to be fair to everyone- If anyone has ANY annoying habit please don't practice it in elevators, lobbys, hallways, or in crowds. There. Now we're all covered
Us non-smokers will promise not to do any of the following inside the ship: barbeque, drive our cars, apply insect repellant-hairspray-perfume, or use fox urine if the smokers will agree to not smoke indoors, fair enough? (actually all I ask was that folks only smoke where it's allowed...I didn't think that was too much to ask)

Happy Breathing
SDB

 

[Cruisin Gal]

I can certainly understand the disgust many non-smokers have for smokers and I'm not sure if the Cruiselines would totally make their ships nonsmoking. Most of the cruise business has Europeans for clients and Europeans smoke...alot.

I am a light smoker and I try to be considerate of non-smokers. I am not a drinker though and I don't like to see people getting drunk and sloppy and puking all over the place and being obnoxious, noisy and rude. But...it goes along with the territory I suppose. I try to stay away from obnoxious drunks...and believe me...it's hard to do on a cruise.

Luckily there are cruises for non-smokers...and I imagine the reason there aren't that many of them is because there are more smokers who spend big bucks on cruises...and the cruiselines know they'd lose that business.

There's lots of gambling on ships too...except the Disney line. So, looks like people go on cruises to have a good time drinking, smoking and gambling.

I don't think I'd go outside my house though if I had severe respirtory problems...the toxins from our polluted enviornment can be as bad as cigarette smoke.

 

[cruisingator]

I just returned home from the Glory and I have to say that out of the twenty cruises that I have taken this was the worst for smokers. There was smoke everywhere and you could not escape it. I could not use my balcony most of the time due to having a chain smoker in the cabin next door. When the ship was moving our balcony got all of his smoke. I wish that Carnival would come out with non smoking rooms on one side of the ship.

 

[gymbrat33]

I was also on the Glory and found that there was smoke everywhere. I went with a friend of mine that smokes and she would wake me up every morning with the ciggarette smoke in the cabin. We were late to all of the shows because she had to smoke after dinner. Then on the last morning I asked her to please not smoke because I was picking up my 4 year old nephew as soon as I got off the ship and didn't want him to smell the smoke because he has asthma. Her response was 'THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT , I SMOKE AROUND MY 2 YEAR OLDS." She got very upset and thought that I was rude.

 

[frito]

I too was on the Glory the week of 9-20 thru 9-27. I can't really pinpoint the cause of the smoke problem but it does seem to be worse on this ship. On deck three which is the main lobby area, the starboard side ( right side ) is smoking. Across the lobby is non smoking. Unfortunately the smoke doesn't know the difference and it seemed to me that the whole area was just a thin blue haze of smoke.

Most, if not all of the ships I have been on has the starboard ( right ) side for smoking and the port ( left ) side is non smoking. There seemed to be a lot of folks on the Glory who didn't know this or either didn't care, lighting up where and when the urge hit them.
There is always the old argument " I have a right to smoke" or " I have a right not to breathe someone elses smoke "-- I wish I had the answer but unfortiunately I don't.
I think to tell a non smoker to cruise on the Paradise because it's a non smoking ship is a little much. Don't the non smokers have a right to enjoy ships other than the Paradise? It could get pretty boring to cruise the Paradise everytime one wanted to go on a cruise. I think if everyone just tried to be respectful of each other it could help a lot.
As a non smoker ( I smoked for many years but quit 22 years ago so I know both side of the story very, very well ) if I went to the smokers side I would have no room to complain about the smoke. If I were a smoker I would be respectful enough not to go into a non smoking area and fire up. If I did and someone mentioned to me that it was non smoking, I would have no grounds to get mad. Respect-- for each other. It sure wouldn't hurt.

 

[brad&becky]

That is exactly why my husband and I have booked on the "Paradise" October 26/03. The only completely smoke free ship in Carnivals fleet! We cant wait to enjoy the fresh air in the Eastern Caribbean. Everyone raves how clean and fresh the air is on board, in all the reviews we have read. People have been put off the ship for smoking on board. (To find thier own way home-at their own expense) This should be the first choice for anyone with respitory problems.

 

[LHP]

I do get passionate about this because I watched my sister die at the age of 54 from a death you would not wish on your worst enemy. You see, this was 20 years ago when the treatment for cancer was nothing short of inhumane. Cobalt for the first treatment and her cancer was so bad they did two Cobalt treatments a day for 3 weeks. They literally burned her internally from the nose down. For 6 months afterward, her mouth, throat to her stomach were lined with ulcers. Then when the tumor returned 6 months later...chemo until it killed her. Throwing up violently every day. So don't talk to me about being inconvenienced by perfume, car fumes or gas grills. You want to kill yourself...go right ahead...but when you start killing me with that kind of death....I draw the line.

 

[Bob and Carole]

We are going on the Glory on Oct 18th and I thought I read somewhere about people actually smoking on the elevators. Unbelievable!! Is this true? If I see anyone lighting up when I'm on an elevator I will freak! It is a confined space and that is just plain rude. Believe me, I'll let them know!
I an starting to get worried about the Glory and all the smoke. I can put up with smoke in the bars and lounges but not elevators.

 

[mlzangel78]

To be honest to all the non smokers... I smoke, and when we are on our cruise on the fantasy we could not afford to do a balcony as i am going on a 7 day princess the following month, i am going with a girlfriend who lights up before shes out of bed and even brushes her teeth.... UGH!!! and I am a smoker, I am hoping she doesnt turn our cabin into an ashtray and waits until were both up ... as a smoker, i can tell you most of us hate second hand smoke!!! and for those low class people who smoke on elevators i hope someone does make a big deal out of it I would !!! I try not to infringe on anyone else for something i enjoy,,, but were all not bad people



Post Edited (10-07-03 13:27)

 

[Baystate]

We chose the Paradise in part because it's smoke-free. Now having said that it really drives me crazy when people blame everything on smoking. Now I am not condoning cigarettes, but there are so many people out there who have never smoked a day in their lives and get cancer at a very young age and people who literally smoke for 80 years and they live to be over hundred.

 

[Bob and Carole]

Bastate,
Yes that might be true but as an RN I have seen many people die a miserable death due to smoking. Smoking not only is one of the leading causes of cancer (proven) but it also causes or contributes to emphesemia, heart disease and many other diseases. It also makes you look older than you should. It really is just a really nasty addiction and I am sure that most smokers would quit if there was an easy way.
I have nothing against smokers(everyone has their vices) but I do not appreciate RUDE smokers. Most smokers are aware of others and are considerate. it is the inconsiderate ones that make it hard for the rest.

 

[Forever Cruzin]

Book the Paradise -- it's NO SMOKING ALLOWED. You can't even have any tobacco products on board. It's great for those of us severely allergic to smoke of any kind.