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.

[SheLion]

Do either of you know the name(s) of the smokeless casinos that failed ? I just can't conceive that anyone in their right mind would front (bet) their money to establish a smokeless casino. Most of the big places have non-smoking slot sections and even a few ns tables but a completely NS casino is just plain insane.

The one in Las Vegas was named the Silver Casino, if my memory serves me right.

Do either of you know the name(s) of the smokeless casinos that failed ? I just can't conceive that anyone in their right mind would front (bet) their money to establish a smokeless casino. Most of the big places have non-smoking slot sections and even a few ns tables but a completely NS casino is just plain insane.

The one in Las Vegas was named the Silver Casino, if my memory serves me right.

[SheLion]

That is pure propaganda. There are plenty of smokers among the rich and famous, cigarettes as well as cigars.

That got me, too.  Most smokers are in the poor side of town. Give me a break!  Most of your young Hollywood stars smoke!  Paris Hilton smokes.  Britney Spears Smoke........Robert Downy........Brad Pitt, the whole cast of Friends! I could go on and on.  And I don't think THEY live on the "poor side of town," do you? LOL!

[metesky]

I quit 15 yrs ago

Did your income skyrocket once you quit?

Did you leave the lower classes behind?

[metesky]

Smoking... the blue collar vacation.

[nightowl_jg]

The name of the no-smoking casino was Silver City. It's been closed for a few years now.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Stupid smoke gnatzies never cease to amaze me.

CG

[VermiciousKnid]

Hey, SheLion...

Don't forget Mel!

Regards,

[DefCon]

"...The only thing worse than a born again christian is an ex-smoker.
I quit 15 yrs ago ..."
- - -
nuff said.

[DefCon]

Right.
Let's start a cruise line.
Lets see now, what do our customers want?
Some want to swim, lets put in a pool.
Some want to topless sunbathe, lets add a topless sun deck.
Some want to gamble, lets put in slot machines.
Some want to drink, lets add a couple of lounges.
Some want to hear music, lets put in a theater.
Some want to smoke - nope - can't have that !

[TheRightGuy]

But there were not enough takers to keep the idea going. Carnival had a hard time booking groups, and as a result the Paradise will lose its smoke-free status in September, when it is redeployed to California.

This is all well and good. The marketplace is functioning as it should. No government mandates were involved. Cruise ship owners can/should make their own rules and live with the results. Smokers win this one.

[johnb838]

From what I've seen, people who go on cruises are also people who like to drink a lot, and they tend to smoke a lot more, plus you get those that ONLY smoke when they drink. Furthermore, cruising is NOT that expensive, and I believe there are PLENTY of lower income people that go. Gawd knows you can't get them to shut up about it when they get back. Myself, I'd rather just go to a third world hellhole where they don't care what you smoke, and you're exepected to behave like an ugly american. Ooops, I forgot, I don't do that any more.

[johnb838]

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

[douglas1]

THERE was one here in RENO , and it lasted a few months now its a girly club.

[douglas1]

AND the one in RENO was called the PONDEROSA CASINO .

[pepperdog]

"How about we start a nasty rumor that liberalism causes people to smoke?"

It would be interesting to know who has the highest percentage of smokeres. Just 'cause I'd like to know if there is any behavorial trigger factor that makes one a lib or conservative. Mrs. PD

[Hodar]

Did your income skyrocket once you quit? Did you leave the lower classes behind?

Funny you should bring this up the day after doing my taxes; but yes. I'm making approximately 6.5x more now than I made then. I hope to retire in about 10 years .... 52 is a good age to kick back.

[Wright is right!]

"I've never been on one, but that figure sounds pretty high to me."

Never been on one? My wife and I have been on many, and here's how it works.

Port side of the ship (left side) is where smokers light up. No smoking on the starboard side (right side) and in the dining rooms. Smoking allowed in cabins, in lounges and bars on the port side, the casino, in the Showroom during Bingo games, and in other deck areas. Some ships flip-flop the port and starboard designations. On Holland America, starboard smokes, port is non-.

About 25% of the pax on a Caribbean cruise smoke, about 40% on a Mediterranean cruise. Non smokers can enjoy the smoke free bars and lounges on the non- side of the ship. Ventilation on the typical modern cruise ships is fabulous, and the overall air quality away from areas where smoking is allowed is top-notch. You don't walk down the retail promenades smelling smoke. It's exhausted away. And, as I said, all the dining rooms are non-smoking. You're free, at any point in the dinner, to get up and wander over to the bar for a puff. It's all very well-planned to accomodate the preferences of all pax without stepping on anyone's toes.

Carnival's Paradise wasn't the only non-smoking ship. Rennaissance Cruises was non-smoking, but they went belly-up. 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.

The n/s Paradise was an ill-conceived move because Carnival failed to realize that the group that was clamoring for a ship with no smoking wasn't conprised of people who had an interest in cruising, only in CONTROLLING others' lives.

Michael

[Wright is right!]

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

Yuppers, and he had to pay his own way home, too. Carnival's Nazis are ruthless about this policy. One cig on your person and you're off, luggage on the pier, on your own.

It should also be pointed out that Carnival owns several "brands," having acquired all their once independent cruise operators. Carnival owns Holland America, P&O's Princess Line and a couple of others. All of the acquisitions were hostile to semi-hostile. Fortunately, Carnival has allowed its brands to operate pretty much autonomously, since they are all profitable.

Michael

[Hodar]

Thank you for the clarification. It's great to hear an INFORMED opinion, as you have been on cruises.

Again, personally I don't care if you smoke (and that includes tobacco, hashish, marijuana, old tires and chicken salad); I just don't want to smell it. What you do to your body, is your business.

I have no problem with a cruise ship, as long as I can enjoy myself alongside other passengers like yourself. I'm sure you have gone into a hotel room after a smoker has checked out, and have noticed the reek of stale smoke. I don't believe anyone enjoys that. And I also think that non-smokers are more affected by that, as they are not conditioned to the odor as a smoker would be. A smoker is surrounded by the smell of stale smoke (hair, clothing, car, ect.) and unless the reek is bad enough, probably doesn't notice.

So, like the smell of mildew, body odor and other unpleasant smells; no one wants to be subjected to obnoxious smells 24 hrs a day. As long as I'm blissfully unaware of the smell, I have no problems whatsoever.