Princess Cruises announced today a new policy that corrals smokers altogether in just certain places on the ship. Anyone who has ever been annoyed by booking a balcony cabin only to be unable to use it because of the smoke-fest happening next door is joyous. Smokers, not so much. Princess probably thought long and hard about that decision.
Over at sister line Carnival they know all about smokers and tried valiantly to address a growing voice from guests who couldn’t take the smoke with smoke-free Carnival Paradise. Finally branded a failed experiment, Carnival has been waiting. Waiting on the sidelines. Waiting for their moment. Waiting for someone else to do it with. Today they got their shot and took it.
The policy is not as tough as the Princess version, on Carnival guests can still smoke more than they need to. Still, I learned long ago not to give a personal rendition of a Carnival policy so here it is, direct from the line:
As part of its ongoing commitment to keep pace with changing guest preferences, Carnival Cruise Lines will be modifying its smoking policy across its 23-ship fleet.
The new smoking policy will be rolled out in two stages:
- Effective June 15, 2011, cigarette smoking in public areas will be permitted only in Carnival’s dance clubs, designated areas within the casino and casino bar, certain sections on the open decks on all vessels and also in the jazz clubs on 13 Carnival ships. The 13 ships include Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Victory, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride, Carnival Legend, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Splendor. Cigar smoking will also be permitted in the jazz clubs. On other vessels in the fleet, cigar (and cigarette) smoking will also be permitted in designated areas on deck.
- Effective December 1, 2011, smoking will be prohibited in all guest staterooms. Those guests in balcony accommodations will be permitted to smoke cigarettes and cigars outside on the balcony. Spa staterooms, currently featured on Carnival Splendor, Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic, will continue to remain entirely smoke-free, including on the balconies
The modified smoking policy is the result of recent guest surveys conducted by the company that covered a wide range of topics. The surveys indicated that nearly 90 percent of all Carnival Cruise Lines’ guests are non-smokers with less than five percent of guests opting to smoke in their staterooms.
These changes will be implemented aboard all 23 Carnival Cruise Lines ships, which operate three- to 16-day voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Bermuda, and Europe.
Carnival is updating all of its collateral materials and communicating details of the modified smoking policy to its guests and travel agent partners.
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Flickr photo by graywolfx47
