Thread: Updated Smoking Policy on Regent Seven Seas Cruises

From Regent's News Site

Update as of July 5, 2007:
In light of continuing legislative changes in smoking policies around the world as well as the comfort, health and safety of our guests and crew, both in terms of the proven dangers of second hand smoke and the fire hazard that smoking presents, Regent Seven Seas Cruises will be changing our policy of smoking in staterooms, suites and on private balconies. Not only does smoking present a fire hazard, but it is also an inconvenience to other guests as the smoke, or its odor, invades surrounding suites, balconies and public areas, creating discomfort for the guests in these areas. Smoking will therefore be prohibited in all staterooms, suites and balconies fleet-wide.


This change will take effect on the following dates:

Seven Seas Voyager: December 21, 2007
Seven Seas Mariner: December 21, 2007
Seven Seas Navigator: December 27, 2007
Paul Gauguin: December 29, 2007

Explorer II: January 21 and February 1, 2008
(The Regent smoking policy applies to full-ship charters of Explorer II.)

Failure to comply with this ban will result in guests being asked to leave the ship at their expense, without refund or credit for the unused portion of their cruise.

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Related article in the Ventura County Star
Sunday, September 2, 2007

It isn't easy being a pioneer. Just ask Carnival and Renaissance Cruises. In the quest to provide a smoke-free cruising experience, both tried and failed.

Carnival, the biggest cruise line of them all, designated one ship in its fleet to have a strict no-smoking policy in 1998. Six years later, it gave up on the idea, and the Paradise became a smoking ship again. Renaissance premiered as a totally no-smoking cruise line, but it went bankrupt in 2001.

Maybe aiming for a completely smoke-free environment on a cruise ship was too radical an idea. Even here in California, where less than 15 percent of adults still smoke and where we have the toughest smoking laws around, smokers are still entitled to a few places to legally take a drag. Even we nonsmokers understand that if someone is addicted to nicotine, they can't be expected to take a seven-night cruise and not light up. The question is, where should the limits be drawn?

For years, nonpuffers have told me that they would like to see designated nonsmoking rooms on cruise ships. It's easy enough to reserve a room like that at a hotel, but just about impossible to find on a cruise ship. Why is that? Because hotels do not assign a specific room to you when you make your reservation. That, plus the fact that most hotel guests only stay a night or two makes it much easier for hotel management to oversee the distribution of smoking and nonsmoking rooms.

Now we have a new pioneer in cruise line smoking policies, and my instincts tell me that this will work. Regent Seven Seas, a luxury cruise line, has announced that all staterooms on all of its ships will be nonsmoking starting in late December. Not only that, but it also will prohibit smoking on private balconies. Personally, I like that codicil best of all. I can't tell you how many times I've been out relaxing on my balcony reading a book and enjoying the fresh sea breeze only to have a smoker downwind of me light up and ruin the experience.

Like many cruise lines, Regent had previously prohibited smoking in many public rooms, including the dining rooms, but this is a huge step to tell guests not to smoke in their rooms and on their private balconies. The company sounds serious, too! Here's the fine print: "Failure to comply with this ban will result in guests being asked to leave the ship at their expense, without refund or credit for the unused portion of their cruise."

Really? Kick them off the ship? Now that's what I call serious. I got hold of Mark Conroy, the longtime president of Regent, to follow up on that statement. "I don't want to be the smoke police, but if you have a policy, you need to enforce it," he told me. "Smokers are very welcome on our ships, and I think they will find the restrictions we put in place no more draconian than what they face in everyday life."

I've always enjoyed interviewing Conroy because he tells it like it is without the usual corporate spin you get from most executives. I asked him if the announcement of this pending policy had resulted in any cancellations. He frankly replied, "About $3 million (in bookings), particularly on the world cruise, where we had a core of loyal customers who were heavy smokers."

I am aware of only one other cruise line, Oceania, that has taken such a strong policy on prohibiting in-room and on-balcony smoking. It is a relatively new operator that has a fleet of three ships.

You've got to appreciate the guts it must have taken for both Oceania and especially an established and very successful cruise line like Regent to shake up the cruise world with a policy like this. Although Regent Seven Seas is more expensive than many lines, my experience is that guests can't wait to book another voyage, and often do so before their trip ends.

I asked Conroy if there was anything else he wanted to add.

He said, "I want to make the point that this is not an anti-smokers action. We are in the business of saying yes to our guests, and the idea of being restrictive is completely counter to what we do for our guests every day. That being said, we looked for alterative ways to accommodate both our guests who are smokers and those who are not and could not find a practical solution that continued to allow smoking everywhere without impacting nonsmokers."

If you stop to think about it, you've got to wonder why smoking in cruise ship staterooms has been allowed to go on for so long. Forget, for a moment, about the dangers of secondhand smoke and the discomfort of the lingering smell of smoke for the next guest in a stateroom.

Smoking is a major fire hazard. The No. 1 anxiety for any seagoing captain is the thought of a fire at sea. Let's just say it could be a lot worse than those house fires you read about where someone was smoking in bed.

My reaction, they obviously don't need my business and I certainly won't cruise where I'm not welcome. Also they are way too expensive for me! So guess I don't have to worry about them.

Originally Posted by houch

My reaction, they obviously don't need my business and I certainly won't cruise where I'm not welcome. Also they are way too expensive for me! So guess I don't have to worry about them.

Well, the price they have paid for this is $3 million in canceled bookings.

Originally Posted by MD11F

Well, the price they have paid for this is $3 million in canceled bookings.

Ken I am sure that is only the beginning. I am sure they have lost future business too.
I am not a smoker, but I think these new policies are over the top. Who wants to go on vacation and be forbidden to smoke?? For a smoker, that isn't a vacation, that's a nightmare!
I wonder if that also includes Cigars??

Originally Posted by localady

Ken I am sure that is only the beginning. I am sure they have lost future business too.
I am not a smoker, but I think these new policies are over the top. Who wants to go on vacation and be forbidden to smoke?? For a smoker, that isn't a vacation, that's a nightmare!
I wonder if that also includes Cigars??

I agree that's only the beginning, unless they can find another $3 million plus in non-smokers business to make up for those losses. I don't see why they cannot allow smoking in areas like the Lido deck where it's open air.
Yes Sher, Cigars are included.

Okay, now they are really confusing me....this is what USA today stated about the policy:
"Though many clients praise the changes, Conroy says angry smokers have canceled $3 million worth of bookings since July 5, the day Regent announced it would ban smoking in cabins and on balconies. This despite the fact that smoking still will be allowed in casinos and designated areas of bars."

They are going to ban smoking in cabins and not in the casino or bar areas??

For further info see: Cruise smoking bans clouded by complaints - USATODAY.com

Originally Posted by localady

Okay, now they are really confusing me....this is what USA today stated about the policy:
"Though many clients praise the changes, Conroy says angry smokers have canceled $3 million worth of bookings since July 5, the day Regent announced it would ban smoking in cabins and on balconies. This despite the fact that smoking still will be allowed in casinos and designated areas of bars."

They are going to ban smoking in cabins and not in the casino or bar areas??

For further info see: Cruise smoking bans clouded by complaints - USATODAY.com

Sher, I'll have to admit, I was under the impression that smoking will be prohibited in ALL areas of their ships, but when I went to the related article I posted, here's what it says,"Regent Seven Seas, a luxury cruise line, has announced that all staterooms on all of its ships will be nonsmoking starting in late December. Not only that, but it also will prohibit smoking on private balconies.
Notice, it makes no mention of the Casinos and bar areas, which, to answer your question, Yes, that's what they are saying. It's just a prohibitation in cabins & balconies.
Now, to that end, I don't think it's too bad a policy since you can still smoke in the Casino and bars. The reason they ban smoking in the cabin & balconies, is to prevent fires(remember the Star Princess) if a smoker falls asleep with a lighted cigerette, and on the balcony to avoid smoke drifting to other balconies and bothering other passengers.

The way I read it is it's not a total ban. I think Regent was smart enough at this time to realize that the 2 biggest areas for profit, (I don't know if Regent runs its own casino or another company does but I would think they get a cut if someone else does) bars and the casino would lose money without the smokers.

I know whenever the Carnival ship is mentioned, many jump up and say it was always full. This may be true but profits from booze and the casino were down. For some reason, those that smoke drink and gamble more.

Originally Posted by somebeach

The way I read it is it's not a total ban.

You're right, it's not a total smoking ban.