Cruise Lines Tighten Smoking Bans

With four cruise lines adopting tighter bans on smoking, right about now those cruise passengers who want to light up may be getting a message – you are not in the majority.

In fact, as P&O Cruises, Cunard, Disney Cruise Line and Seabourn prepare to implement new polices, complaints from non-smoking past guests and consumer research are being cited for the new bans.

Cunard is expanding an in-cabin smoking ban to include cabin balconies, effective next spring – on April 28 on Queen Victoria, May 16 on Queen Mary 2, and June 8 on Queen Elizabeth.

“This change has been made for the safety and comfort of our passengers and means that all passengers will be able to enjoy full use of their private balconies, without the effect of drifting smoke,” Cunard says on its website.

Cunard passengers can smoke indoors only in the Churchill’s Lounge cigar bar or the upper level of the disco on Queen Mary 2 – as well as in designated outdoor areas.

Disney’s new smoking policy enhances a ban on smoking in cabins and all other indoor spaces to include all cabin balconies, beginning November 15. Violate the ban and you’ll face a $250 fine. Smoking is still allowed in a few outdoor areas.

Luxury line Seabourn was one of the last to allow smoking in cabins, but no more. A revised policy – which debuts on Seabourn Pride, Spirit, Legend and Odyssey in February and other ships in the fleet after that time, makes all suites on the all-suite ships smoke-free. Passengers can continue to smoke on their balconies in most (but not all) suites. Electronic cigarettes will still allowed. For policy specifics click here.