No Smoking on balconies on P & O from April 2014.

[whycantibecruising]

We don't smoke so this does not worry us.
However Pando do see to go out of their way to annoy people.
They have been trying to get people to book early. Have so few people booked early that they can bring this in ,without annoying too many people who do smoke, and have booked a balcony .
Mind you they do seem to have slid this in very very quietly.

[Ray Scully]

Even more bargain cruises to come

Ray

[Delboy]

Surely the only change is, smokers from Balcony cabins, will now have to fall in line, with what passengers of inside and outside cabins have being doing for some time now. They have managed to cope.

As for what will cruise lines do if they catch anybody smoking in their cabin or balcony, add a heavy cleaning cost to their bill, same as some hotels or cruise lines, or an automatic penalty charge, if caught smoking in a non smoking area.

[The Invigilator]

A big YIPEEEEEEEEE from me, personally I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with people having allocated parts of the ship in which to smoke this means that person can enjoy a cigarette in peace without any criticism from the non smokers, and the non smokers know that they will be able to enjoy their balcony to the full without the smoke drifting from one side or other. Or in the case of our last cruise - we had a cabin on E deck and people in the D deck cabins above us enjoyed an evening ciggie or 3 and rather than disposing of the dog end properly dropped them onto our balcony instead - nice -

So it would seem this decision is a win win for both parties

[Capt Black]

We've only had balcony cabins a couple of times, and although I was ok out on the balcony while the person next door was smoking (a couple we were actually travelling with), Captainesse Black was not. Mind you, she is a born again non-smoker!

Since then, Captainesse Black has always maintained that she would prefer an outside cabin over a balcony because of the smell. Personally, I barely noticed it, and even then only when our neighbour was actually smoking.

Maybe if the price is right we might try one again, but the price would have to be right!

It will be interesting to see how stringently this will be enforced.

Also, what about the smokers who have booked balconies beyond April 2014? If they decide to cancel because they can longer indulge their habit on their balcony, do they still lose their deposit? Surely the T&Cs have changed since they made their booking?

[Capt Black]

I agree with Gill...chuck 'em off.

[Ray Scully]

Considering this a little more, and as a Carnival shareholder I am alarmed. P&O was able to differentiate its offer from the other cruise lines because it allowed smoking on balconies. Presumably those to whom smoking was a real impediment to the enjoyment of their cruise will already have transferred their allegiances to Celebrity or its ilk. The real effect of this ban will be to appease a few, but could lose the business of many. Smokers still make up 20% of the population.
Unlike Princess P&O do not have a smokers bar, were will they go when the weather is inclement and the outer areas are shut down.
Smokers, now a persecuted minority will not be making a fuss, they will just choose another type of vacation.
Perhaps a more sensible approach would have been to have a number of ship where in the first instance smoking was banned, and measure the effect.

Ray

[emjay45]

I have already responded to this topic in General chat. Although it should have been in cruise specific.

[Not so ancient mariner]

Surely the only change is, smokers from Balcony cabins, will now have to fall in line, with what passengers of inside and outside cabins have being doing for some time now. They have managed to cope.

As for what will cruise lines do if they catch anybody smoking in their cabin or balcony, add a heavy cleaning cost to their bill, same as some hotels or cruise lines, or an automatic penalty charge, if caught smoking in a non smoking area.

I presume the sprinklers in the cabins and (especially) balconies could be linked to the smoke detectors, and not just triggered by heat.

[Lincoln18]

No smoking! At last.

[ronay2006]

Here we go again!
We have a 24 night cruise booked on Arcadia next November (2014) & expected to have the comfort of having a cigarette, when I wanted, on my balcony. (I'm not a chain smoker but I suppose that doesn't matter)
Now it seems this isn't going to happen.
We are away tomorrow on a 17 night cruise on Azura, again on a balcony, no problem this year BUT
I knew this was going to happen one day (expected far more warning though) & we have another booked for next year, on Celebrity Eclipse, AND I booked our cabin accordingly.
(First time we have booked with another line)
This takes P&O out the equation now.
ALL cruise companies will be the same so no preference for a P&O one now.
After 83 nights with P&O we will definitely be trying all the others.
I will see what the T&C are before making any decisions for next year.
Too many good offers I have seen for other cruise lines to just take it on the chin.
That's me finished for this month.....won't be back 'til September so the ciggy moaners can go now!

[Ray Scully]

If as seems likely P&O wish to fall in line with its competitors, it should only be a matter of months before they totally ban taking any booze on board, and given the impact this will have on on board spends it will be a clever move.


Ray

[Kendhni]

Duplicate threads have been merged

[The Monocled Mutineer]

About time, too.

Smokers are less than 22% of the population, and the % of cruise passengers are even less given that smokers are now largely confined to lower socio-economic groups who are less likely to cruise.

Those few who will not cruise again will be a small loss that will easily be recouped.

[Silver_Shiney]

A big YIPEEEEEEEEE from me, personally I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with people having allocated parts of the ship in which to smoke this means that person can enjoy a cigarette in peace without any criticism from the non smokers, and the non smokers know that they will be able to enjoy their balcony to the full without the smoke drifting from one side or other. Or in the case of our last cruise - we had a cabin on E deck and people in the D deck cabins above us enjoyed an evening ciggie or 3 and rather than disposing of the dog end properly dropped them onto our balcony instead - nice -

So it would seem this decision is a win win for both parties

You are explicitly told not to throw dog-ends over the side. I hope you took the offending items to the Pursers' Desk?

[Silver_Shiney]

I think his was always on the cards once other lines started doing similar. To be honest it was a bit overdue ... Hopefully they have made proper plans for managing remaining smoking areas.

Now we await the complaints about smokers ruining the promenade deck etc.

Wait no longer, dear sir. I am unable to hold my breath long enough to go down the smokers' side of the promenade deck to avoid inhaling their second-hand carcinogenes. Why don't they put the smoking area at the highest deck?

[haveabeer]

I bet most of these non smokers drive, don't here those that don't drive bemoaning the fact they have to inhale your exhaust fumes

[Silver_Shiney]

I bet most of these non smokers drive, don't here those that don't drive bemoaning the fact they have to inhale your exhaust fumes

Most driving is essential, burning tobacco never is

[Holiday Planner]

I too regret this move. I was always happy to book an outside cabin, with the smokers confined to their balconies. Now the prom deck will become impassible all day, as well as in that post dinner rush to have a ciggy before a show that happens at the moment. It's not just that I hate the smell, cigarette smoke agravates my asthma.

[GillD46]

I bet most of these non smokers drive, don't here those that don't drive bemoaning the fact they have to inhale your exhaust fumes

The inside of a lung of a non smoker, even in an inner city area is far and away less black than that of a smoker, or even a passive smoker, so while car pollution is harmful, it really isn't quite the same - believe me, I have see lungs dissected in theatre.

[Quizzical Bob]

Considering this a little more, and as a Carnival shareholder I am alarmed. P&O was able to differentiate its offer from the other cruise lines because it allowed smoking on balconies. Presumably those to whom smoking was a real impediment to the enjoyment of their cruise will already have transferred their allegiances to Celebrity or its ilk. The real effect of this ban will be to appease a few, but could lose the business of many. Smokers still make up 20% of the population.
Unlike Princess P&O do not have a smokers bar, were will they go when the weather is inclement and the outer areas are shut down.
Smokers, now a persecuted minority will not be making a fuss, they will just choose another type of vacation.
Perhaps a more sensible approach would have been to have a number of ship where in the first instance smoking was banned, and measure the effect.

Ray

I (also a shareholder) have avoided balcony cabins since our cruise on Azura was ruined by a cigar smoker next door so maybe the spend will go up. I think smokers should be catered for by the provision of a smoking room. Stena Line provide this on their Harwich-based ferries.

[ItsmeAnnC]

Smoking rooms are not the answer - most smokers, believe it or not, do not like other people's smoke either. And the extractor systems would have to be better than they are to cope with this. Celebrity used to have one - it was called Michael's club and my husband hated it - too smoky! The ability to smoke on balconies was one thing that was a plus for us with P&O - if hubby wakes in the night he likes a cup of tea and a smoke on the balcony without having to get dressed and negotiate stairs to find a legal place to light up. The ONLY thing now that P&O now have over other cruise lines is flying in and out of Barbados on a Caribbean cruise (no ESTA/immigration requirements or handling your own luggage - delays++). So it's another step away from P&O for us.

[Boris+]

I've had a look on our cruise personalisers for 2014 and can't see any sign of this.

Em

[GillD46]

I've had a look on our cruise personalisers for 2014 and can't see any sign of this.

Em

It's on mine for September 2014, Em, under Life On Board, Useful Information.

[Boris+]

Hi Gill,

I was just being daft (no change there then ), I was tired and hadn't scrolled all the way down.

Cheers

Enjoy your September outing!

Em