Hal and Smoking

[gdjoslin]

While we were on the Volendam we were given 2 smoking questionnaires. One on the 3 or 4 day and one on the last. I might be reading something into it, but from the way it looked to the 4 in our group, it looks like HAL wants to do anyway with smoking. Our cabin steward said they have a lot of extra work when the cruiser smoke. He did not said if HAL was thinking about stopping smoking or not. On our cruise I only saw 2 maybe 3 smokers, they were in the casino. I wonder where HAL is going with the questionnaires?

[penny3333]

You're probably right, Gary. They're probably trying to eliminate smoking on board. It seems like soon it will be illegal to smoke in your own back yard. They may be doing what Celebrity does, too. You cannot smoke anywhere but the designated smoking areas, this includes your cabin and your balcony and the casino.

[susanmaz]

That's interesting, Gary. We'll be on the Noordam in less than 4 months - it'll be interesting to see if there is either reduced smoking areas or no smoking areas when we get there. Not there was much smoking anyway when we were on the Zuiderdam 3 years ago. There was smoking on one side of the ship, in only one bar on only one side of the ship, in the Oak Room next to the Crow's Nest, and in the Casino after 10:00 p.m. Almost makes me glad I quit Jan 1st.

[poormom]

Welcome back Gary
I'm looking forward to more of your amazing photography.
Be sure to give us a head's up when they're posted!

[LisaP]

We received the same survey on our Prinsendam cruise a few days ago. Not to despair, smokers, as we also received it on Ryndam nearly a full year ago.

The questions were whether you'd cruise HAL if smoking was not permitted in guest rooms (I don't recall if balconies were mentioned), or if it was not permitted in public areas. I have no idea where they're going with this, especially as they have been asking for at least a year now.

[RichC]

Since any enactment of a severe smoking ban might be devastating to profits I would think they might want to continue the survey until such time they think it beneficial- Which might not be to far in the future the way things are headed.

[gdjoslin]

Lisa we had two surveys. One on about the 2nd or 3rd day of the cruise, it was maybe 20 questions long. The last was on the last day of the cruise it was only 5 or 6 questions long.
I really doubt non smoking policy would hurt profits in the long run. that is the same thing movies and cafes said, and they are doing well.
With that said we only saw a few smokers... maybe less than a handful. I do not recall seeing them anywhere but the casino, and maybe one in the Crows nest.
I am going to get off this topic least I be banned.