Tighten Rules On Smoking Aboard Ships

Norwegian Cruise Line's announcement this month that it will prohibit smoking cigarettes in all staterooms starting in January is the latest sign that smoking cigarettes and cruising aren't going to be a good mix in the future.

Norwegian, which sails the Sun out of Port Canaveral from October through April, said beginning in January guests will no longer be able to smoke cigarettes cigarettes online in their staterooms. They may smoke cigarettes cigarettes on their balconies. Cigar and pipe smoking cigarettes in staterooms and on balconies will be banned.

Also, smoking cigarettes will be banned in all other public interior spaces on Norwegian ships including bars, restaurants, restrooms, staircases and landings.

"A lot of passengers in general are saying they just don't want smoke-filled cabins," said Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert who operates the popular Cruise Guy website. "And there is a cost in getting rid of the smell. The easiest thing is to just ban smoking cigarettes."

Norwegian's actions come as other major cruise companies also take a harder line toward smoking cigarettes. Most of the changes
stem from the growing ranks of non-smoking cigarettes passengers who don't want to deal with second-hand smoke cigarettes on their cruise or stay in cabins with hints of prior tobacco use.

Effective Dec. 1, for example, Carnival Cruise Lines is banning smoking cigarettes in all of its staterooms, though guests can smoke cigarettes on the balconies. Cigars will be allowed in shipboard jazz clubs. Carnival operates two ships -- soon to be three -- out of Port Canaveral.

Disney Cruise Line, which will be operating its two newest ships out of Port Canaveral, has always taken a hard line toward smokers.

It has never allowed smoking cigarettes in guest staterooms or other interior spaces. It does permit smoking cigarettes on certain exterior locations. For example, on its newest ship, the Port Canaveral-based Dream, smoking cigarettes is permitted on private verandahs, and from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the starboard side of the fourth-level deck.

Disney guests who sneak a smoke cigarettes in their staterooms and get caught are charged a $250 "stateroom recovery fee" to cover a deep cleaning that includes air filter replacement, carpet extraction and the cleaning and replacement of drapes, comforters, blankets and pillows.

Royal Caribbean, with two ships homeported at Port Canaveral, only allows smoking cigarettes on balconies and in designated smoking cigarettes areas in lounges and open decks.

Christina Dillon, an agent at Apollo Travel in Melbourne, said many of her customers weren't even aware smoking cigarettes was ever allowed in the staterooms of some cruise lines.

"We didn't see a big issue on that," Dillon said. "It nice they have areas for people that like to smoke cigarettes but for the most part these new policies keep the air cleaner and the environment better for the ones who don't."

Chiron said he found it somewhat ironic that Carnival's smoking cigarettes policy continues to allow smoking cigarettes on balconies.

That's because about five years ago a cigarette was blamed for a fire that started on the Star Princess in Jamaica. That ship is part of the Princess Cruises line, which is one of the Carnival Corp.'s brands. The Star Princess fire left one passenger dead, 11 people injured and at least 100 rooms scorched.

"That fire was started on the balcony," Chiron said.

Beginning in January, Princess branded ships will ban smoking cigarettes in cabins and balconies.