Celebrity's New Smoking Policy

Cruise enthusiasts may praise the virtues of "sea air," but to many of them, what matters more is clean air. As more hotels and restaurants worldwide implement stricter smoking policies in order to promote healthier air, Celebrity Cruises also is taking action. Beginning October 1, 2008, guests on Celebrity's ships will enjoy fresher air as a result of a new policy that disallows smoking in Celebrity's staterooms or on stateroom verandas. The policy also will reduce the number of public areas in which guests can smoke onboard.

"We are proud to be the first premium cruise line to set a new standard toward creating an environment of cleaner air on our ships," said Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Dan Hanrahan. "We pay careful attention to what our guests have to say, and approximately 90 percent of them have told us they are non-smokers. By increasing the number of smoke-free areas onboard while still designating areas for those who smoke, our aim is to make the onboard experience as pleasant as possible for all of our guests."

The new policy, created after Celebrity polled past guests, will result in a cleaner, fresher and healthier environment on Celebrity's ships. Designated indoor areas where guests can smoke cigarettes include the port side of one lounge per ship and a designated slot machine area in each ship's casino. The new policy also designates outdoor areas where guests can smoke. These include the port side of the pool deck and sundecks on each ship, the port side of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Century and on Celebrity's Millennium class of ships, and the port side aft outside of Winter Garden on Celebrity Galaxy and Celebrity Mercury. Celebrity's new Solstice class of ships, launching with Celebrity Solstice late this year, will follow the new policy beginning with the first sailing. Celebrity Solstice's Lawn Club and the Sunset Bar at the Lawn Club will not allow smoking. Violations to Celebrity's smoking policy may result in a $250 cleaning fee charged to the guest's onboard account and may also be addressed through the line's guest conduct policy.

The new policy will go into effect on Celebrity's fleet on the first day of the first sailing to follow October 1:

-- Celebrity Galaxy, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Mercury - October 3 sailings

-- Celebrity Summit - October 4 sailing

-- Celebrity Constellation - October 5 sailing

-- Celebrity Century, Celebrity Millennium - October 6 sailings

-- Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox - upon ship launch

Celebrity currently allows guests to smoke in staterooms, on stateroom verandas and in a number of indoor and outdoor public spaces. The exception is Celebrity Xpedition, the 92-person mega-yacht sailing year-round in the Galapagos Islands, which operates under a stricter policy than the rest of the fleet, allowing smoking only on the ship's outer decks, in designated areas.

Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably sophisticated, upscale cruise experiences with highly personalized service, exceptional dining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Celebrity sails in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South America. The line also offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Australia, Canada, Europe and South America. Noted for "The Top Cruise Ships in the World," as voted by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler (February 2008 readers' poll), Celebrity's current fleet will be joined by Celebrity Solstice in 2008, Celebrity Equinox in 2009, Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, and a fourth Solstice-class ship in 2011. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.

SOURCE Celebrity Cruises

It looks like the smoking policy has been updated to no smoking in the casinos.

"Smoking will no longer be permitted in any of our ships’ casinos"

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do;jsessionid=0000sk6tBQBrOC66V7fnJuO2gaO:12hdebebp?faqSubjectName=Ship+and+Stateroom+Details&faqId=572&pagename=faq_answers&cS=EnhancedFooter

Smoking will not be permitted in any dining venue, casino, theater, hallway, elevator or corridor.

How is this going over with cruisers. Looks like it went into effect last Oct 2008. Have bookings dropped off with the no smoking in casinos rule?

Hi Flowers,
We were on the Solstice last month and the ship was pretty full due to it being a brand new ship. I saw some smokers on the cruise who told us that they would not be likely to book Celebrity again because they wanted the ability to smoke on their balconies. I think that it might have a slight impact on bookings, but the recession will have a bigger one in the next year. What part of Texas are you from? It would be nice to have a cf cruise from Galveston or Houston someday.
kk

kk99 wrote:

Hi Flowers,
What part of Texas are you from? It would be nice to have a cf cruise from Galveston or Houston someday.
kk

Im in the Dallas area. Same as you. Yes, it would be fun to have a CF cruise out of Galveston. We are getting more Texas posters here all the time it seems. yea!!!

As long as there is enough lead time on a Galveston CF cruise, Im there!!! Im pretty booked up near term. I would love to have a CF cruise I could drive to. I admit it. Its just easier when its less complicated.

howdy - I was just on the Mercury last month - and it is so hard for them to enforce this rule on the balconies where I would appreciate it the most. The contrast between the fresh air and the smell of it is what bothers me most. If I am walking into a casino in Vegas or places that I know people will be smoking, it just doesn't bother me as much as out in fresh air where I want "fresh" air! As someone who has never smoked once in his life, I crave fresh air but also realize many people in my family/friends just can't kick the habit.

People were definitely still smoking on their cabin balconies but when at sea and the wind whipping past, you couldn't tell where it was coming from.

My brother was usually on the correct side of the pool decks when smoking and if not was corrected to the other side about half the time, and left alone to break the rule about half the time. A lot of directionally challenged people couldn't quite remember which side they were on so without staff pointing it out it could get confusing I guess.

last year when i was on the explorer they were putting the signs on the doors that said no smoking in staterooms. they said it was going into effect on the next cruise. those rooms are so small if you smoke in it you can't get the smell out for the next person. on the balcony who cares? and the casino would be nice if they had no smoking but even tho i'm a reformed smoker (the worst right?) i guess you can't stick them on a ship and expect them to not smoke anywhere. on princess they had 1 night a week no smoking in the casino. i liked it. my friends who smoke wouldn't come in the casino that night. personally, i was glad because they are those rude smokers that can see the smoke going in your face and they won't move their cigarette.