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

[Kendhni]

The solution to shop and office workers smoking outside entrances is to ban smoking by employees 500m away from premises.

Derek Kane

I remember a company in the park we were based in tried that .. their employees (through their union) successfully argued that the time it would take to walk the 500m (there and back) was classed as working time. Therefore the lost production time became an issue if they had (e.g.) 4 ciggies or so a day.

Our own company tried to do a similar ban but right outside the front door was a grass area owned by the council (and the company could not dictate the rules on council land) ... so all you had to do was take two steps sideways and then everybody stood there at the main entrance smoking ... the company quickly relented and placed a sensible smoking area near the back door. Before anybody suggests that that they could have fired the staff for smoking at the front door then they need to check employment legislation about what is acceptable versus what is bullying of employees.

[The Monocled Mutineer]

Outside retail premises the ferret-like stance of these smokers blocking entrances is an appalling image for a company in the eyes of the 78% of the adult population who don't smoke.

[Kendhni]

I agree Derek, but when companies/governments introduce ill thought out and stupid rules they have to accept that the 'blindingly obvious' is the most likely thing that will happen.

[Silver_Shiney]

.. their employees (through their union) successfully argued that the time it would take to walk the 500m (there and back) was classed as working time. Therefore the lost production time became an issue if they had (e.g.) 4 ciggies or so a day.

"Lost production time" would be even more of an issue if those who do not burn tobacco took similar breaks from their workplace.

[Kendhni]

.. their employees (through their union) successfully argued that the time it would take to walk the 500m (there and back) was classed as working time. Therefore the lost production time became an issue if they had (e.g.) 4 ciggies or so a day.

"Lost production time" would be even more of an issue if those who do not burn tobacco took similar breaks from their workplace.

In this particular instance, I am told that approximately 80% of the workforce smoked ... because the management were being inflexible the staff also decided to be inflexible and all took a smoke break at the same time which actually meant, due to H&S reasons, the production line had to be shut down because there were not enough people to operate it safely. The management tried playing hard ball and making all sorts of threats but eventually relented and provided a convenient smoking area within their property ... it is not often I would side with unions, but in this case they did a good job and it meant common sense prevailed.

[Kendhni]

PS: As I suspected my friend intends to cancel his cruises (he actually had two booked) and he intends to go sailing with another line. His wife isn't best pleased but I think, following a Vantage/Getaway issue earlier this year, this has been the straw that breaks the 'loyalty' camels back. I think he is probably being a bit fickle.

[jill n dave]

Its about time P&O did something about smoking on balconies.. our last cruise was somewhat spoilt by our neighbours smoking on their balcony.. they didny light up together.. oh no.. one had their ciggie and then as soon as that was put out the other half lit up. There was a constant wiff of fag smoke blowing into our cabin to the extent that we kept the door closed and hardly used our balcony.

[skin8203]

As an ex smoker from years ago, I get fed up with the amount of passive smoking I have had to endure in the past. I pay extra for the balcony and to enjoy the view, not get choked on drifting smoke from next door. If you smoke and don't like the new policy, then save money and get an inside cabin and smoke in the designated areas!

[The Monocled Mutineer]

I look forward to the day when smoking is as common-place as taking snuff or wearing a monocle.

Still can't understand why the nicotine fixated can't wear a patch and seize imposing their habit on 78% of the adult population and all children when in ANY public place. The provision of smoking areas on board like the Promenade Deck and aft decks is still offensive to many, in the semi-enclosed environment that a cruise ship is.

There remains too many concessions to these smokers and many still flout anti-smoking zones when I walk through the town I work in. Many also flout litter by-laws. I am forever sweeping up butts on the lane by my driveways or even thrown on to the driveways along with empty cig packets.

[Quizzical Bob]

I'm with Derek on this one.

[Mo2013]

I expect the delay is to give smokers fair warning. After all, it would not be right to allow people to book only to tell them later that they are not allowed to smoke on their balcony. I was always under the impression that people should not prop balcony doors open because it interferes with the aircon but I would not like to sit on my balcony to be assailed by cigarette or cigar smoke. Too many people confuse the rights of others. In my mind, the rights of non-smokers not to be subjected to other people's smoke, far outweighs the rights of the smoker. Sometimes I don't think people fully appreciate the very real risk to health from passive smoking. I am also in agreement with Derek K.

[Dancing Queen]

It isn't just smokers who drop litter in fact they probably only account for 22% of people who do, that is assuming of course that all smokers do drop litter

[Gill W]

Outside retail premises the ferret-like stance of these smokers blocking entrances is an appalling image for a company in the eyes of the 78% of the adult population who don't smoke.

Whilst I'm in broad agreement that it doesn't look good, I wouldn't go as far as appalling.

I don't think you can speak for 78% of the population, so perhaps it's best if you just speak for yourself

[Boris+]

Hi Mo,

We've had a suite with a balcony door which happily stayed open (at 90 degrees) of it's own accord. We loved it - I don't like aircon much.

Em

[haveabeer]

So if everyone stopped smoking the government would lose 12.1 billion in taxes where would they make the shortfall up from

[Quizzical Bob]

So if everyone stopped smoking the government would lose 12.1 billion in taxes where would they make the shortfall up from

The money would be spent on something else. It all goes to the government eventually.

[Mo2013]

In my experience smokers do not stand the requisite distance from the entrance of a building. I remember visiting my late mother in hospital and the amount of cigarette butts on the floor outside the main entrance was a disgrace really, not to mention the collection of smokey air trapped in the entrance and also just inside the automatic doors. What about the litter you see when coming off a motorway on the slip road? Bottles, sandwich packets, people are just disgusting, lazy and have no pride or sense of responsibility towards their countryside or their town or city. Tell you this: a smoker doesn't care about their own body so they are definitely not going to care about dropping a cigarette butt or packet.

[Orpheus]

The more I deal with people the more I love my cat

[Anne D]

Hi Mo,

We've had a suite with a balcony door which happily stayed open (at 90 degrees) of it's own accord. We loved it - I don't like aircon much.

Em

You were lucky Em. I have never had a suite or balcony cabin where the balcony door stays open .Although I think when cruising several years ago our Balcony had sliding doors but I may be confusing this with a Hotel we stayed in.

I imagine the balcony doors have to close themselves from a safety point of view.

Anne

[lioness]

So if everyone stopped smoking the government would lose 12.1 billion in taxes where would they make the shortfall up from

The Government would save an equal mount if they didn't have to treat the illnesses caused by smoking.

[haveabeer]

Lioness
Let's get real would the government write that amount off it would take many years for the health aspect to take effect they would put those lost taxes on something else probably on direct taxes as people would live longer there by increasing the length of time people claim pensions and require longer NHS treatments

[Wina G]

You will never please everybody.... however, I do think that they should have bought it in next year in the new brochure for 2015...

No doubt someone will have a go at me for saying that but at the end of the day a lot of people may have already booked and now P & O have changed the goalposts half way through.

Nothing new there JS, they've done it so many times

[Mo2013]

The more I deal with people the more I love my cat

The more I deal with people the more I find they behave like animals.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I just love seeing the silly few , who walk past the smoking area flapping like dying birds, making all sorts of stupid noises, coughing and spluttering , muttering and grumbling ,they look and sound pathetic
Priceless

For once, DK, I must disagree with you. What about those of us who have to walk past people burning tobacco, when we have conditions that are aggravated by the ingestion of smoke?

In fairness to the smokers Shiney, and agreeing with the point the Bat made, no-one has to walk past the smoking area on the Promenade Deck. People choose to. I'm not sure a desire to walk a circuit of the deck trumps a desire to smoke in the designated area. Surely someone with such a condition could choose to stroll on the upper decks for example?

I'm not, by the way, a smoker, and don't like the smell of cigarette smoke, so I'm pleased it is being banned on balconies and I am prepared to hold my breath or tolerate it on the designated part of the open deck.

[Quizzical Bob]

I just love seeing the silly few , who walk past the smoking area flapping like dying birds, making all sorts of stupid noises, coughing and spluttering , muttering and grumbling ,they look and sound pathetic
Priceless

For once, DK, I must disagree with you. What about those of us who have to walk past people burning tobacco, when we have conditions that are aggravated by the ingestion of smoke?

In fairness to the smokers Shiney, and agreeing with the point the Bat made, no-one has to walk past the smoking area on the Promenade Deck. People choose to. I'm not sure a desire to walk a circuit of the deck trumps a desire to smoke in the designated area. Surely someone with such a condition could choose to stroll on the upper decks for example?

I'm not, by the way, a smoker, and don't like the smell of cigarette smoke, so I'm pleased it is being banned on balconies and I am prepared to hold my breath or tolerate it on the designated part of the open deck.

It's half the promenade deck. There's plenty of space up top to provide for them. For the first time in many years we cruised on Oceana in a balcony cabin in our usual location on the port side of the Lido deck. On previous cruises the clump of smokers just outside on the other side of the doors had not been a problem but this time the corridor and lift area was plagued by smoke. I suppose it's because the ban on smoking inside the cabins had been introduced since our earlier cruises and there were now more of them outside. There must be some arrangement suitable for everybody, surely?