Caribbean cruise ship gives in to nicotine cravings

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

[qam1]

NEW YORK -- Carnival is ending its smoke-free cruises aboard the Paradise.

The 2,052-passenger ship has operated since its introduction in 1998 as a smoke-free vessel, cruising from Miami to the Caribbean with a zero tolerance for cigars and cigarettes among both passengers and crew.

[Gabz]

Carnival made a business decision to have a non-smoking ship......they made another business decision to scrap that plan because it didn't work out financially.

The market decided for them as it should do in all cases. The anti-smoker gnatzies have no clue that government mandates are unnecessary, the market can and does make the decisions when left on their own.

[Just another Joe]

the market can and does make the decisions when left on their own.

But not the decisions than antis' want.

[Gabz]

Let the antis start their own cruise line then........very simple.

[Wright is right!]

"I have no problem with a cruise ship, as long as I can enjoy myself alongside other passengers like yourself."

Let me put it this way - if you were to step aboard any modern cruise ship and spend your entire first day aboard with your eyes closed (so as not to actually observe someone smoking), it is entirely possible that you would think you were on a non-smoking ship. As long as you stayed out of the casino. That's how good the ventilation and the cruise lines' planning is.

I smoke, my wife doesn't, so when we cruise we generally get a balcony cabin and I smoke out there, keeping the air in the cabin clean and sweet-smelling. Works out perfectly.

Smokers and non-smokers alike seem to like the way the cruise lines have set things up, and you almost NEVER seen any complaints about the situation either way.

For the traveler, cruising is one of the best values there is.

Michael

[Hodar]

"A friend of my brother's got put off in Barbados for smoking."

Ok, here's where I disagree. The cruise ship had a zero tolerance policy. This was doubtlessly made very clear before he boarded, and I'd wager that it was also prominently displayed as such before he bought his tickets.

He bought his tickets with the zero-policy in place. He was made aware of the policy prior to leaving. He made the conscious decision to 'be above the laws' that were in place for his fellow passengers. If I book a cruise on a non-alcoholic cruise (does one exist?), and I tried to smuggle some beer on board; I would expect the same treatment.

[johnb838]

Ummm... I made that up about my brothers friend. Not surprising though.

[Hodar]

As long as you stayed out of the casino.

Ok, that's a strike. Would you want to be on a cruise that had great smelling rooms, except for the casino (which is a major attraction on cruise ships)? It's like saying, the cruise ship's ventilation works great, except for a major attraction. That room smells of mildew and rotten cabbage. But other than that....

[Johnny_Cipher]

"A friend of my brother's got put off in Barbados for smoking."

Ok, here's where I disagree.

I don't disagree at all. The guy probably did get put off for smoking, which is fine if he was told about the ship's policy before he booked. And he probably was - Carnival has a good reputation for being clear about ship's policies.

I'm a regular cruiser on Crystal myself and have sailed Cunard when I'm feeling flush, but I sailed on the Carnival Victory a couple of years ago (won the cruise on a game show) and didn't mind it.

The cruise ship had a zero tolerance policy. This was doubtlessly made very clear before he boarded, and I'd wager that it was also prominently displayed as such before he bought his tickets.

Yes.

If I book a cruise on a non-alcoholic cruise (does one exist?), and I tried to smuggle some beer on board; I would expect the same treatment.

I wish that Carnival had a "no snotty hyperhormonal 15 year old brats running up and down the hallways in the berthing areas at 3AM" cruise (which is why I enjoy Crystal so much and probably won't seek out another Carnival cruise). As for the non-alcoholic cruise, it would be no skin off my nose as I don't drink that much and could easily respect a dry cruise. However, I think Carnival learned their lesson about "triangulation" of passenger choices by their experience with the non-smoking ship and probably won't offer a non-drinking cruise as a result. But who knows - if there's a market for it they'll probably do it.

[Wright is right!]

"Ok, that's a strike. Would you want to be on a cruise that had great smelling rooms, except for the casino (which is a major attraction on cruise ships)? It's like saying, the cruise ship's ventilation works great, except for a major attraction. That room smells of mildew and rotten cabbage. But other than that...."

Hold on, breaker-breaker. Go back to my original premise that you could close your eyes and think you were on a non-smoking ship. Except in the casino. I didn't equate the casino to a stinky room clouded with the blue haze of a million smokers all puffing in your general direction. Just that in the casino, you would be able to detect some smoking. In fact, MOST of the smoking is around the slots. All the casinos are very well-ventilated and full of both non-smokers and smokers alike. I've never yet heard anyone say that they wouldn't go into the casino because some people are smoking in there.

Michael

[SheLion]

Don't forget Mel!

Oh dear! I just checked my Puff list, and I didn't have your name on it. But I sure do NOW!

[Ditter]

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.

[metesky]

And you can directly corelate this to your quitting smoking how?

Hey, good luck on the early retirement. At forty, I thought I was going to be able to retire at right around your age and now I'm sixty and still grinding it out.

[Hodar]

I wish that Carnival had a "no snotty hyperhormonal 15 year old brats running up and down the hallways in the berthing areas at 3AM" cruise (which is why I enjoy Crystal so much and probably won't seek out another Carnival cruise).

BINGO!! LOL

Like I've indicated before, I have never been on a cruise --- yet. But I have done DisneyWorld in Florida. For exactly the reason you list above, I make it a point to stay at the better on-site resorts. I have taken my family to WDW 2x, and have been there quite a few times (7-8) in the past 10 years. (Before I got married) I have yet to have an unpleasant experience. Which makes it easy to want to return year after year - despite my wife getting sick of going back.

One of the high points to WDW is very similar to the cruise. I like the fact that you KNOW how much your vacation is going to cost up front. You pay that amount before you leave, and anything extra is entirely manageable while you are there. I've been on vacations where I 'thought' I had budgeted generously, only to find out that I was way off; then spent the remainder of my vacation stressed about the cash flow such that I was more stressed coming home, than I was going out.

[BloomNTn]

I have sailed on the Paradise twice and loved it. It was great being able to go to a casino or lounge without having smoke blown in my face. You could walk around any deck and not have to inhale that disgusting second-hand smoke. I never had to smell the lingering stale tobacco odor in the cabin. Call me whiney, but I can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke, and it was wonderful having a smoke free vacation. I will miss the Paradise.

[Johnny_Cipher]

Like I've indicated before, I have never been on a cruise --- yet.

If you ever get the chance, go. Trust me on this. In my experience, you're pretty much treated like a Persian satrap the entire time, the accommodations are comfortable (if not huge in physical size), and the food and ambience in most cases is like a 4-star restaurant. You can stuff yourself like a paté goose on these things if you want to, and its usually all included in the price of the ticket. They get the "worst" part of the whole experience (the government-mandated lifeboat drill) out of the way right off the bat, so everything from there is uphill. And believe me, "uphill" ain't no cabin up a holler :)

My "home" ship is the Crystal Serenity (luxurious accommodations, they wait on you hand and foot, and they keep the obnoxious kiddage to a minimum), but bookings on Carnival are usually cheaper and the accommodations aboard are every bit as nice. Disney's ships have good deals from time to time as well. Every ship is a little bit different - you can research them yourself by reading the reviews on web sites like cruisecritic.com and cruiseopinion.com.

My stock advice to first-time cruisers is to take twice the money and half the clothing you think you'll need. I have a specific list of things I take with me (such as bungee cords believe it or not) that make the experience perfect for me. Also, book a cabin with a balcony if one is available. There's nothing quite like taking your morning beverage of choice out on your own private balcony, sitting back, and watching the sea go by.

Doggonit, now you've got me looking forward to MY next cruise. I wish I could go on the upcoming FreeRepublic cruise, but I already have one booked for later in the year.

[lockjaw02]

"And Carnival's Zero-Tolerance Policy was modeled right out of the typical governmental public schools' ZT program. The Carnival Smoking Nazis would throw you off the ship if you had even one cigarette in your possession." I seem to recall news articles of one incident where a family was on a cruise and the ZT policy kicked in when their teenage son was found to have a pack of cigarettes in his luggage. The cruise line promptly kicked him off in a foreign country to find his own way home. Of course, the parents "vacation" turned into a nightmare and the whole family had to debark and try to procure transport back to the States because they surely couldn't leave their offspring off on his own. I don't even care that they are now reversing the policy to "allow" us back. That one incident was enough to convince me that they don't deserve my business.

[BriarBey]

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

Actually Ditter, the ventilation system and filters were better maintained when people did smoke. Now they don't worry about it, its dirty and you have wonderful other little yummie things hanging around in there, like viruses and SARS. Everything everyone on the plane has....your breathing it, but a little cigarette smoke would be the worst by far. LOL Amazes me...we can go to Mars but can't have ventilation systems to keep the air clean enough to suit a paranoid non-smoker. Forget the smoke...the stress from the FEAR of breathing it will kill you.

[Ditter]

I have heard this ventilation system BS before (from smokers) I take everything they say with a grain of salt. They shout out the propaganda they like & refuse to believe anything that they don't like.

BTW I am not a paranoid non smoker I am an asthmatic non smoker. Tobacco smoke triggers an asthma attack & on a plane with smokers I always arrived wheezing even if I was in the non smoking section.

When ever you travel you are exposed to every disease in the world, in the airport, train station, hotel & airplane etc. . My immune system is excellent I rarely 'catch' things. Asthma is another matter entirely.

[qam1]

Talk about B.S. propaganda

Yeah, Meanwhile all that Jet and car exhaust that you are exposed to at the airport has no effect on you.

It's not second hand smoke that bothers you it's third hand smoke

[BriarBey]

I am an asthmatic non smoker


WELL lets stop the world for the asthmatic, your problems are not my problems. I choose to smoke, sounds like you were born defective, I guess if your digestive system were bad I should stop eating. In a perfect world with perfect people you should be gotten rid of and save us on some medical expenses. I'll tolerate you no more than you tolerate me. I've gone both routes...10 yrs. as a smoker, 13 yrs. as a non smoker and 3 yrs. as a smoker. I PREFER smoking it cured my anal retention problems. The whole issue in all this is tolerance OR allowing people to live their own lives as they please and not by your or anyone elses leave. By the way...WHY should several smokers be tortured on a flight for YOU? You think you are that important? Carry oxygen...its YOUR problem.