RCI Gets Tough on Smokers

Royal Caribbean International has announced a new smoking policy onboard its ships, effective from January 2008, just in time to support those passengers with New Year’s resolutions to quit.

To bolster the cruise line's new Vitality wellbeing programme, recently debuted on Liberty of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship along with its sister, Freedom of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International is increasing smoke-free zones on all of its 21 ships. All staterooms and one lounge on each ship will become smoke-free on 18 of the line's 21 ships initially, with Legend of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas following suit with the 2008 summer season.

Where it's banned

Currently, smoking is prohibited in guest hallways and corridors, restaurants, entertainment venues and most of the ship's interior public spaces except for designated areas in bars and lounges (and, of course, the casinos, where, a total ban would no doubt affect onboard revenues). The new policy will add all guest staterooms and suites, and one bar or lounge on every Royal Caribbean International ship onto the roster of smoke-free spaces.

Where you can still smoke

Guests wishing to smoke may still do so from starboard outer decks, in designated areas in bars and lounges, and on stateroom and suite balconies. Ashtrays are available in designated smoking areas or by request through stateroom attendants. Violations of the smoking policy will result in cleaning charges to the guest's onboard account and may also be addressed through the line's Guest Conduct Policy.

The safety factor

This is all very admirable but the next stage should surely be a ban of smoking on balconies. Although a balcony is in effect outside, it’s amazing how much smoke wafts across the partitions and I’ve been on many a ship where my neighbour’s cigarette butts have rolled or blown under a partition onto my balcony – when they shouldn’t even be left outside because of the fire hazard. As recently as my last cruise, in July, I saw inexperienced (or just plain inconsiderate) cruisers tossing their lighted cigarettes overboard, despite the warnings at lifeboat drill of the butt blowing back onboard and starting a fire. The sea to them is just one big trash can.

Personally, I’m not especially anti-smoking but the dangers of fire do worry me on ships. There probably will, however, come a time where all areas of a ship are smoke-free. Many of us live with increasingly rigorous smoking bans in daily life, and my prediction is that cruise lines will start easing it out, until the smokers are all huddled on one tiny area of the deck.

Whether they’ll vote with their feet is another matter, though.

Freedom of the Seas

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