Just an FYI, HAL has gone to a policy of no smoking in all casinos onboard all their ships. Apparently the policy was changed back in January but they hadn't been enforcing it until now. They didn't do much press or even emails to notify of the change so if you smoke be aware.

Cheers, Neil

WOW, good for HAL.

That is a bold move. Island Princess had several "no smoking nights" in their casino, which I applauded because even though I don't use the casino, the smoke wafted out into the adjacent public areas; and one of my few complaints about Regal Princess was that the Dome was smoking on one side and non-smoking on the other--like the smoke wasn't going to drift across the boundary!

My wife and I are both ex-smokers so we are sympathetic to the plight of those who enjoy smoking; but so long as comfortable areas are provided for smokers, such as Churchill's and Crooner's, there is no need to ask non-smokers to endure second-hand smoke in areas like the casino.

I am especially glad to hear this as we will be taking my mother, who is 90 and has emphysema, on Veendam in about a month.

Thanks for the heads up Neil.

Sad to say I am still currently a smoker and can't imagine sitting at a slot without a Coors Light and a Marlboro Ultra Light.

Rick, I am truly sorry about your Mother. This smoking is a bad and nasty habit I would agree. And getting too expensive, why pay this much to kill yourself is what I think sometimes

Dwayne, thank you for your thoughts for Mom; she is doing darn good for 90 and we expect her to still be going strong at 100.

Don't beat yourself up over the smoking thing. It brought me a lot of pleasure for over 30 years--I started smoking Pall Mall at 13, for 25 cents a pack I might add; and only after numerous unsuccessful attempts was I finally able to put them down.

But I am a Libertarian when it comes to the rights of others--so long as they don't infringe on my rights.

Just do me one favor; try a Grolch, a Bass Ale, a Guiness, a St.
Pauley Girl, a Pacifico--but lose the Coors Light.

WOO HOO - My mom is on oxygen 24-7 because of smoking early on. She wanted to sit in the casino as she enjoys slots but couldnt do it last time because of the smoke. Now she can in 2008. Thanks a bunch for the info.

Hmmm, I may be prompted to drop a few $$ at the blackjack table now. Being in a smoke-filled room is a real deal breaker for us.

I agree with you Mickeyd. I have never gone into the casinos because the smoke is overwhelming and makes me ill. I will now venture in to show my support during my next cruise. The ladies in the nearby stores will be very happy about this new rule.
I was exposed to second had smoke for 35 years of my life through my Mother & husband and it never made me feel ill back then. My mother quit when the first grandchild came along. My husband quit when his GIRLFRIEND wouldn't let him smoke in her appartment. LOL, yes, you read that last part right. He is now an ex-husband.

Hooked-on-HAL, sounds like you got rid of two problems at the same time. I'm betting it's not just the second hand smoke that makes you ill if you're around it now.

Cheers, Neil

I am not a smoker. I watched my dad die from the effects of up to 3 packs a day for 35 years, was not pretty. I am glad to hear about what HAL is doing.

I wander what would happen if a Cruise ship would have a "Quit Smoking Cruise" No smoking anywhere. Hey would that be a tax deducible cruise?

What is up with the tickers? Looks like a bunch of them are not working.

I don't smoke. Never have. Never will. Came from a house with 2 parents, 2 packs a day each. I used to roll up a towel and block under my door with it to avoid the smoke drifting in. Dad smoked non-filter Pall Mall. He used to wake me up every morning when he got up for work, hacking. Mom smoked Benson and Hedges. As kids, five of us begged our parents to please stop. Finally, they both quit cold turkey approximately 30 yrs. ago. Now they tell us how sorry they are for what they did to us as children. I can't imagine smoking and being a runner as I am.

I'm sure it can't be easy for Holland to make this decision. But, I applaude them for it.
A'ndrea

Cough cough... hack, choke... I think the decision stinks... cough cough, gasp.

Hoping all the other Cruise Lines do the same.
I'm not anti-smoking, just don't like smelling like an ashtray.....I've never smoked...well there was that stuff in the 60's....nevermind..
Happy Cruising..

Bob E

Bob, it doesn't matter what you "smoked" in the 60's. What really counts is ...
Did you inhale?

A'ndrea

I think I inhaled.....can't remember for some reason...Totally very cool.....but that was such a long time ago.....now I have 19 grandkids and one Great-Grand daughter...let's keep this quiet:-)....

Bob E

This is not true. There are several changes in the smoking areas on board HAL ships.

The casino on the Noordam is non smoking. All the casinos on the other ships are doing a every other night non smoking thing.

quote:

Posted June 23, 2007 06:43 PM Hide Post
This is not true. There are several changes in the smoking areas on board HAL ships.

The casino on the Noordam is non smoking. All the casinos on the other ships are doing a every other night non smoking thing.

Just got off the Zaandam....It is non smoking every night. Does not look like it hurt business.

Yes, glad to hear Hal is going non-smoking in the casinos. I was a heavy smoker for 34 yrs and now am paying for it as I have COPD. Not on oxygen yet but looking at it down the road. Now everyone can enyoy their cruises smoke free--yipee!!

Just got off Veendam and the casino had two smoke-free nights in ten. They have not yet implemented the no-smoking policy and could/would not tell me when they will.

Man, I wish they'd get it together with this on-again off-again smoking ban. I find out about it not by an email, call or press release but via an angry client who smokes and calls me from the ship screaming at me and wanting to know why I didn't warn her about the change. Then I post this thread and begin warning some of my clients who I know are smokers. I then get another client who's upset because she asks about the policy and I let her know there will be no smoking in the casino and like Rick just posted, they didn't have but two non-smoking nights. I call HAL and ask for a supervisor to tell me what's going on and he says he doesn't know. I ask who does and he doesn't know that either. After a little pressing I find out... It was to be fleet wide and a complete ban on all smoking on all ships. There was revolt! They had a mass of cancellations by smokers who vowed to never sail them again and multile screamers onboard their ships during the bans. Looks like, as with prohibition they thought it was a good idea but found it may be un-enforcable if they want to keep a large percentage of the present client base. Sooooooo... it's up in the air. They're scrambling for what to do and what to say. If they say no more smoking they have a problem. Now that the non-smoking word is out if they say go ahead and smoke they have a problem.

Guess we'll have to wait and see how it all shakes out. Please don't call and scream at your agent, he/she had nothing to do with it either way.

Cheers, Neil