Two ships have banned smoking in casino so far

[baltodave]

I think this is great news.  You can count my wife and me as those who have not gambled much due to the smoke in the casinos.  I think the cruise lines will make more money off of non-smokers than the loss revenue from smokers who won't go in the casinos.  Here, in Maryland, when they banned smoking in bars & casinos those businesses did not take a hit at all.

 

[SPS]

I wouldn't mind if this became permanent. I enjoy going in to the casino periodically, but the cigarette odor that clings to me as I leave certainly makes me limit my time there.

I really don't think a dip in casino revenue would be noticeable since I regularly observe that many smokers are only there to smoke. They sit in the slot machine stools with their backs to the machines with no intention of gambling. If anything, non-smokers (the majority of passengers) may spend more time (and $) there.

From my experience, this initial uproar will mostly likely die down soon. Here in Michigan, the indoor smoking ban several years ago came with predictions of ruining the business of bars, casinos, bowling alleys, etc.

It didn't.

[tonyfsu21]

9 minutes ago, baltodave said:

I think this is great news.  You can count my wife and me as those who have not gambled much due to the smoke in the casinos.  I think the cruise lines will make more money off of non-smokers than the loss revenue from smokers who won't go in the casinos.  Here, in Maryland, when they banned smoking in bars & casinos those businesses did not take a hit at all.

 

It’s great news but I doubt it will last longer then the holiday season. 

[BrianB]

39 minutes ago, Lin said:

Did they provide an additional smoking area outdoors close to the casino? 

On the Anthem they opened a new smoking area outside on deck 5. Two decks up from the casino. Inconvenient yes, but closer than the pool deck on deck 14.

[Bean79]

I would definitely be in the casino more if it were non smoking. However, I get the correlation in addictive behavior with smokers and gamblers, and why RCL might not want to ban it in the casino for good.

[DJnKy]

Masks make it difficult to smoke!!! They are surely thinking safety more than customer inconvenience. As others have said these are new times.

[Sharla]

I am happy they banned smoking in the casinos! I hope this rule sticks!

[Larry Muster]

When I read the title of the topic, this is what went through my mind...  

Funny how the spelling of one word can change the context of a sentance.

 

[AlmondFarmer]

2 hours ago, BrianB said:

On the Anthem, they announced a new smoking area outside on deck 5 so smokers don’t have to go all the way to the pool deck.

If they do this on Oasis class ships, those of us who enjoy the running track will get a blast of cigarette smoke on each lap. 

[PG Cruiser]

14 hours ago, Plumlee2028 said:

Ive heard of worse cruises.  There's several movies about them.  They often involve ships named after oceanic gods or names bragging about their size.  

On New Year’s Eve, right?

[Jill]

I hope it stays that way. The only time we go into the casino now is to cash out our “non refundable” OBC  

[tonyfsu21]

Support & donate to your Casinos because they could be the only thing keeping these ships floating at this point. Think about that….

[Neesa]

No smoking on the Odyssey of the Seas Casino this sailing. The two times I visited it was a ghost town. I thought, wow this place looks abandoned. Maybe @CHRIS WONG can comment on what he is experiencing. I may have gone off times. 

The next cruise desk is jumping!

 

[Larry Muster]

39 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

Support & donate to your Casinos because they could be the only thing keeping these ships floating at this point. Think about that….

Actually that is a really good observation!

[Larry Muster]

59 minutes ago, Jill said:

I hope it stays that way. The only time we go into the casino now is to cash out our “non refundable” OBC  

I know I sometimes get $5 free to gamble with, but I never thought of using my excess OBC to gamble which is brilliant. 

[SpeedNoodles]

34 minutes ago, Larry Muster said:

I know I sometimes get $5 free to gamble with, but I never thought of using my excess OBC to gamble which is brilliant. 

I do this, but I don't actually "use" or gamble with it - I just go to a slot machine and cash it out.

[Dicey]

I hope this is still effective when we return to the Anthem in March 2022.  The smoke in the casino was unbearable when we were on the Anthem last month.  The difference between the non-smoking and smoking sections were smoky and smokier.  And smokers will often walk over to the non-smoking sections with lit cigarettes.  

[tonyfsu21]

22 minutes ago, Dicey said:

I hope this is still effective when we return to the Anthem in March 2022.  The smoke in the casino was unbearable when we were on the Anthem last month.  The difference between the non-smoking and smoking sections were smoky and smokier.  And smokers will often walk over to the non-smoking sections with lit cigarettes.  

The smoking / non smoking areas in the casino is a joke. Like the entire place isn’t going to be filled with smoke in that small of a room? 

[PG Cruiser]

The casino on the Brilliance smelled very differently with this ban on smoking  being implemented.

[Plumlee2028]

3 hours ago, PG Cruiser said:

On New Year’s Eve, right?

Primarily. Of course sailing in April across the Atlantic, full speed, at night, has been known to be problematic and can rate high on the worst cruises ever top 10 list. 

[Ontariocruisers]

I wish it was permanent

[Ray]

2 hours ago, tonyfsu21 said:

The smoking / non smoking areas in the casino is a joke. Like the entire place isn’t going to be filled with smoke in that small of a room? 

i HATED the casino! 

The smell of smoke was terrible and clung to everything ( even the little amount of hair i have).

It made my eyes sore, worse if i had in my contact lenses

If its banned for good then i fully applaud this move 

It was that bad i had to go to deck 11 for an enjoyable smoke

[nferr]

I hope they make this move permanent. And I'm a former heavy smoker.

[Traveler]

That is a very strange move from RCL , they are just losing there best C19 alarming system.

If some one going to the casino and not complaining  about the smell he directly sent to deck 2 for a PCR test ...

[PG Cruiser]

8 hours ago, Plumlee2028 said:

Primarily. Of course sailing in April across the Atlantic, full speed, at night, has been known to be problematic and can rate high on the worst cruises ever top 10 list. 

That’s what you get when you want to make headlines about your Transatlantic. You do get the headlines in a pre-social media era.

[amcooper]

I don't gamble in casino because of the smoking.  I wish the ban would be permanent.

[fox2]

I wish they had a couple more outside places to smoke that weren't occupied by non smokers. there are plenty of places for no-smokers to sit.

 

[BrianB]

11 hours ago, BrianB said:

They didn’t ban smoking onboard…just in the casino. The ban on smoking in the casino is due to the new masking rule. People who smoke can not wear a mask while smoking. On the Anthem, they announced a new smoking area outside on deck 5 so smokers don’t have to go all the way to the pool deck. Inconvenient, yes…but so is wearing a mask all the time indoors.

Quoting myself to add an update….on the Anthem;

I was under the impression that they were adding another smoking area on deck 5 forward to accommodate casino smokers…but it looks like they are referring to the existing smoking section on deck 5 starboard side aft. Mea culpa…

[Jill]

8 hours ago, Larry Muster said:

I know I sometimes get $5 free to gamble with, but I never thought of using my excess OBC to gamble which is brilliant. 

We don’t use it in the casino. We literally walk up to a slot, charge against our OBC amount then cash out. Last cruise we had over $500 in non refundable OBC. We just cashed it out through a slot and left with money in our pocket. 

[HeWhoWaits]

16 hours ago, Ray said:

i HATED the casino! 

The smell of smoke was terrible and clung to everything ( even the little amount of hair i have).

It made my eyes sore, worse if i had in my contact lenses

If its banned for good then i fully applaud this move 

It was that bad i had to go to deck 11 for an enjoyable smoke

This statement says it all - a SMOKER hates the casino because of how smoking makes the place smell. If the odor is off-putting to someone who doesn't mind a certain level of smoke smell...

@Ray has to go somewhere else to be able to enjoy his tobacco product of choice.

 

[HeWhoWaits]

On 12/20/2021 at 4:36 PM, WAAAYTOOO said:

Boy, they’re really begging people to cancel !

Or others who otherwise avoid the casino to enter and potentially stay.

[HeWhoWaits]

On 12/20/2021 at 5:05 PM, smokeybandit said:

This kind of stuff annoys me. Do they have evidence that a leading cause of covid cases on a cruise ship are due to smokers in the casino? Or is this just a dart board measures to make it look like they're doing something.

 

Adding masking is dumb in my opinion for various reasons, but at least there's widespread precedent for it. Picking on the smokers though?

I agree that masking isn't of any benefit overall, but how is requiring a mask except when actively eating or drinking "picking on the smokers" in any way?

They can still gamble (just like everyone else). They can still remove their masks to eat something (just like everyone else). They can still remove their masks to take a drink (just like everyone else). They can't smoke in the casino (just like everyone else).

Everyone is treated the same in this scenario. Certainly doesn't sound like "picking on the smokers" to me.

[KWong]

18 hours ago, tonyfsu21 said:

The smoking / non smoking areas in the casino is a joke. Like the entire place isn’t going to be filled with smoke in that small of a room? 

Very true. The ventilation on the newer ships do an admirable job of trying to contain the smoke smell, but it doesn't eliminate it - you'll still smell of smoke if you're in there for a while.

The thing about this smoking ban is that we've seen this play out before in restaurants, on planes and even in casinos (in Ontario at least). There will be noise about it for a month or two, and once people get used to the new normal, it dies down. Smokers complain, but they are, by and large, an adaptable bunch, and they'll adjust accordingly.

[KLA]

I'd be curious to see if the smoking ban makes the casino more profitable somehow - that would probably get Royal's attention. 

[ladymis11]

Foe me this is great. I am a smoker and for me gambling, smoking & a drink go hand & hand.Wonder if drinking in casino next thing to go. I spend at least 3x the amount of the cruise in the casino so I will save a lot of money.

[TickledBlue]

1 hour ago, KLA said:

I'd be curious to see if the smoking ban makes the casino more profitable somehow - that would probably get Royal's attention. 

I would imagine that they already have a pretty good idea on the impacts of income of a casino smoking ban since it has been implemented on Celebrity (owned by RCG) for many years.   I guess those that cruise on Celebrity is a different demographic though.

[ChrisK2793]

 

Smoking was banned in the casino on Mariner as well, I think it was the day before yesterday when they announced it.

 

[tonyfsu21]

1 hour ago, TickledBlue said:

I would imagine that they already have a pretty good idea on the impacts of income of a casino smoking ban since it has been implemented on Celebrity (owned by RCG) for many years.   I guess those that cruise on Celebrity is a different demographic though.

RC has invested huge sums of money into the casinos & player programs (especially on Oasis class). I am not a smoker so I welcome the ban. In my opinion the half assed attempt at making 1/2 the casino “non smoking” was a total joke. I don’t care where you are in that casino, regardless of the designation it still smelled heavily of smoke. I don’t sail Celebrity but my parents are on them often & tell me the casino does not have the same vibe. I am guessing the Casino Royale smokers are going to be pissed and feel betrayed and this will reflect in the contributions to the machines & tables. I’m sure eventually they will get over it but smoking and gambling + drinking are all kind of married together into one good time!

[twangster]

Many areas around the world have banned smoking in bars and restaurants.  When they did the smokers rattled their sabres and forecasted all of these establishments going out of business overnight.  That didn't happen.  Non-smokers rejoiced, smokers adapted.  The same will occur in ship smoking lounges that also have some gambling in them from time to time on ships.

Before this policy change the casinos were beginning to advertise smoking while playing only, like that would be enforced.  

It will be interesting to see if this temporary policy becomes permanent.  

It was going to happen at some point in time.  Perhaps the time is now.  

[tonyfsu21]

5 minutes ago, twangster said:

Many areas around the world have banned smoking in bars and restaurants.  When they did the smokers rattled their sabres and forecasted all of these establishments going out of business overnight.  That didn't happen.  Non-smokers rejoiced, smokers adapted.  The same will occur in ship smoking lounges that also have some gambling in them from time to time on ships.

Before this policy change the casinos were beginning to advertise smoking while playing only, like that would be enforced.  

It will be interesting to see if this temporary policy becomes permanent.  

It was going to happen at some point in time.  Perhaps the time is now.  

IMHO it’s time RC starts adding designated smoking lounges completely closed off much like the cigar bars of the past. The smoking area on the pool deck is out of place where it is. At a minimum they should have set it up in a less trafficked area and away from all the kids running around by the pool. The walkers, breathing apparatus and smoke plumes are unpleasant at best.