Caribbean cruise ship gives in to nicotine cravings

Detroit Free press ^ | 2/1/04 | Associated Press

[SheLion]

Smoking on airlines? No never. You seem to still be laboring under the illusion that smoking sections work as well for non smokers as they do for smokers. If there are some people smoking on an airplane, EVERYONE is breathing smoke.

Oh right! As if the filtering systems are any better today then when they were when there smoking sections!

Give me a break!

[Cate]

I don't smoke, but once in awhile my husband indulges in a nice cigar. We are usually outside in our backyard looking at the stars enjoying a quiet glass of wine. We aren't sitting at the dinner table with the smoke billowing around. I think your thought of the pipes and cigars outside is a great one. We all need to cooperate a bit and the world is a much better place. Carnival could work on creating a smoking deck outside, cuz who wants to be inside while you're in the Carribean?

[Ditter]

ROTFLOL! I wasn't refering to blood pressure meds. No matter that you think you are a 50 year old slightly over weight blond bombshell, I don't choose my friends for their looks.

[LynnHam]

And the same can be said for the airlines ... they wonder why no one flys.....

[Gabz]

You're a pistol!!!!! I have so enjoyed reading your posts!!!

[Ditter]

A pistol? Sounds more like a loose cannon. LOL!

[KC_for_Freedom]

Right you are Cate, any problems with smoke bothering others can be resolved in a polite manner between people.
Take care

[kmiller1k]

I think you might have missed my earlier post so I'll say it again. I don't think Carnival is caving to the smokers by any stretch, the ships today are almost all non-smoking; smoking is now allowed only in a few designated areas. When we first cruised smoking was allowed almost everywhere on the ship, but now smoking is allowed only in certain designated cabins; on deck in restricted areas and in the casinos, again in designated areas. I guess Carnival has learned to restrict smoking on ALL of its ships so a non-smoking ship was not needed.

[swarthyguy]

I'm glad I nixed a family get together cruise.

ANd the American Taliban lose one.

[tdadams]

From the statistics I have read, the smoker's predominate the lower income brackets... Cruises aren't typically a cheap thing.

I've never been on a cruise either, but I would imagine a popular activity among many cruise customers is to share a cigar and a cocktail on the open deck. Your typical cigarette smoker may not be a cruise customer, but demographically, cigar smokers are likely to be cruise customers. Given the choice, they would be more likely to choose a ship on which they could have that cigar.

[tdadams]

I just wish the airlines would see the err of THEIR ways and bring back the smoking sections.

No way. There's a big difference between the two. Ships: 10 days on an open-air deck. Planes: Two or three hours in a tightly enclosed capsule.

If you can't refrain from smoking for a few hours, you really need to get help for your habit.

[SheLion]

If you can't refrain from smoking for a few hours, you really need to get help for your habit.

That's why I don't spend money flying anymore. It's not that I CAN'T go without smoking, it's the principal of it.

All my life I was able to fly and grab a quick cigarette up there. I flew a few times after the smoking ban, but then said "That's it. I will take a Van!" Spend my money and be comfortable.

[tdadams]

That's too bad. There are a lot of nice places to visit that you can't drive to.

[Just another Joe]

If you can't refrain from smoking for a few hours, you really need to get help for your habit.

I do refrain from smoking, for days at a time when on a canoe trip.
I also fly for business.

Like SheLion says, it's the principle of the thing. The federal govt shouldn't be telling the airlines whether or not to permit smoking on their flights.
If I go for pleasure, and it's within 10 hours drive, I drive.
Back when smoking was permitted on some flights I might have flown if it was 8 hours driving. Now, if it's just me, I would rather drive 18 hours than fly, if it's for pleasure.
Of course, that isn't just due to the nonsmoking flights, it's also due to the ridiculous security measures at airports.

[SheLion]

That's too bad. There are a lot of nice places to visit that you can't drive to.

When I worked as a Travel Agent, I would have to fly to Boston every 6 months or so. And the company paid for that abuse. LOL!

But to hole up on a 7 day cruise without smoking? No way. Just shoot me. It's like "love me love my dog?" LOL!

[SheLion]

Like SheLion says, it's the principle of the thing.

Exactly, Joe. When your on company time, it's a different story. But when "I" am paying for MY pleasure and relaxation, I go where ALL of me is wanted.

[JENINMO]

I'll have to inform my spouse that our combined 6 figure income is in the "lower income bracket" since we both smoke. I'll also have to tell my brother and his wife who have combined 6 figure income, that they're in the lower income bracket from that darned smoking. Frankly, I think the number of people that smoke is a lot higher than "statistics" indicate, as many people don't even want to admit they smoke. Shoot these days, you have to have a higher income to afford them!

[SheLion]

Shoot these days, you have to have a higher income to afford them!

Unless you roll your own. The money saved is mind boggling!!!! I have been doing it for 3.5 years now!!!

[N. Theknow]

And I have no data on how many of their customers use tobacco or the socioeconomic breakdown of tobacco use by income.

When Mrs. Theknow and I went on a cruise we inquired of others who had been on cruises as to which line(s) they would suggest.

Without exception, they all said that Carnival was the best if you were under 40 (several said under 30 was more appropriately correct), and Royal Caribbean was the best if you were over 40.

When we sailed (1994) I was a smoker and bought cigs in the duty free shop. I asked the attendant how many cigs they sold with the advantage of no taxes. The clerk remarked that Royal Caribbean was good for sales but that Carnival was the best because it was a younger crowd. She also said that Carnival loads twice as much beer as RC but that RC loads twice as much wine as Carnival.

She was an extremely knowledgable 20-ish woman when it came to noticing tendencies of the people who came through her establishment. I told her she could get a job in marketing anytime she set her mind to it.

So, I can understand how Carnival made a marketing misstep with a smoke-free ship to a young clientele since the younger patrons are more likely to be smokers.

Maybe if Carnival had asked the duty free shop they could have saved themselves some trouble.

[hopespringseternal]

And in an economic downturn, you make whatever concessions you have to, just to survive.

Cruise lines make a lot of their money in booze and gambling. People who go big for booze and gambling often smoke.