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Topic: Smoking?

Cambodge
First Class Passenger
Member # 906

posted 03-19-2004 09:24 PM

The current issue of "Conde Nast Traveler" arrived in my mailbox yesterday, and in it was a letter to the editor that I believe should be discussed here. I cannot find a site to download it, so, if you will bear with me, I will type it in a slighly condensed form.

The Title is "SMOKING MAD"

"I have read with interest the latest rating of the best cruise ships. [My comment - not very good, and not very enlightening] My recent experience on a Carribean sailing has me wondering if perhaps your magazine should add a new category rating the level of cigarette smoke cruise lines will tolerate.”

“Our ship was lovely.." [follows a few lines of praise of accommodations, food, crew ...etc]. ".... and it should have been a fabulous trip. Instead it was the polar opposite, thanks to myriad smokers who ignored the posted antismoking regulations. The crew never stepped in to enforce the rules in nonsmoking areas, of which there were few. Someone suggested the British-owned line was simply applying European antismoking standards,( i.e. none) because the vast majority of the passengers were British. Maybe. But even by one Scottish passenger’s reckoning, the ship was a ‘smokers paradise’—in which the rest of us were miserable.”

"I don’t mind there being ships that accommodate smokers to this extent. I just wish I could find out which ones they are before I book passage."

The line is not cited. I suspect P&O. The writer's point is well taken, and I would have had the same reaction. The violations of no-smoking areas seem to be pretty egregious. And I have heard that QM2 had similar "violations" on the maiden crossing.

Comments?

[ 03-19-2004: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

Posts: 2149 | From: St. Michaels MD USA , the town that fooled the British! | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

John Bowman
First Class Passenger
Member # 4119

posted 03-23-2004 08:35 AM

As an ex-smoker, I hate the smell. As an asthmatic, smoke makes me short of breath and wheezy. As a human being, I object in the strongest possible terms to being to breath second hand cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke. The signs are there to indicate where you can and cannot smoke - basic good manners and sense should ensure adherence. It is plain ignorant and ill-mannerd to force your smoke on other people. (And I'm British!!)

Posts: 38 | From: London | Registered: Sep 2003 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-23-2004 09:21 AM

It just seems to be a standard article with comments that get regurtiated everywhere. Bit like mentioning a Costa ship in some places, where everyone jumps in with 10, 15 odd years they went once, full of smokers & lousy food, don't go. Times change. 24% of Americans & 26% of Brits smoke [2002 figures], hardly much difference. Certainly not "European antismoking standards,( i.e. none)".
The heavy smokers are Greeks 38% & Turks 44%. [as an aside 53% of Japanese men smoke! 13% of women giving an overall 33%, and don't they have the longest living people?] It irks me when US reporters refer to Europe as a whole, almost as if sometimes they are totally unaware of the various countries even let alone the diversity of the customs & cultures.
I don't think it would be P&O, Cambodge? More likely Airtours or OV I would have thought. I have not often come across people smoking where they shouldn't be, but have seen the rules enforced. People usually apologise and move. Except for once when I saw a poor steward be told "I will damn well smoke where I want" by someone.
I dislike the smell, especially on ones clothes back in the cabin or anywhere. I have a good friend who is allergic to scent/perfume.. now that causes her an even bigger problem! You can see people smoking, you can't see what they've sprayed all over themselves. More than once we've have to move tables in a restaurant because someone has sat down ponging to high heaven at the next table. You can hardly ask them to move.
Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Cambodge
First Class Passenger
Member # 906

posted 03-23-2004 10:31 PM

Pam:

The letter I copied was not written by a reporter, but by a passenger who took the cruise this year. I agree reporters sensationalize their subjects, and tend to seek out a story with impact. But this was a monumental bitch by a passenger, a recent passenger.

I wish the name of the line had been revealed, but "Conde Nast Traveler" only does that in the section where they deal with specific hotels, airlines car rental agencies and such in which there is a problem.

I had a UK friend who sailed on P&O this past winter, and she said there was extensive smoking aboard. Thus my conclusion.

Just outa curiosity, how many UK-based cruises go to the Caribbean? I though most went to the Med, the Canaries or similar. Is it not an even longer sail to warm water than it is from NYC to the Gulf Stream?

I dunno.

Posts: 2149 | From: St. Michaels MD USA , the town that fooled the British! | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

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