MSC Opera Review

"Charles" wrote in message
d...
In article , RTCReferee
wrote:

We notice significantly more adult smokers on cruises than we do anywhere
else
in our daily lives, and maybe it is because ships still permit so much
smoking.

I think there are somewhat more smokers on cruises than the percentage
who smoke in the general population and it probably is because cruise
ships are one of the last refuges of smokers.

--

Also, it could be more of a "pattern of behavior" type place. Many people
who don't smoke regularly, or at least not frequently during the day, may
find themselves in night clubs, discos, casinos, etc., each evening, where
smoking is more frequently found. They get caught in the cycle and end up
smoking both day and night during the cruise.

--Tom

"Charles" wrote in message
d...
In article , RTCReferee
wrote:

We notice significantly more adult smokers on cruises than we do anywhere
else
in our daily lives, and maybe it is because ships still permit so much
smoking.

I think there are somewhat more smokers on cruises than the percentage
who smoke in the general population and it probably is because cruise
ships are one of the last refuges of smokers.

--

Also, it could be more of a "pattern of behavior" type place. Many people
who don't smoke regularly, or at least not frequently during the day, may
find themselves in night clubs, discos, casinos, etc., each evening, where
smoking is more frequently found. They get caught in the cycle and end up
smoking both day and night during the cruise.

--Tom

On 15 Dec 2004 05:32:49 GMT, ando (RTCReferee)
wrote:

In article , Dave&Mary
wrote:

1) SMOKING: Many Europeans smoke. Like chimneys. And seemingly they
aren't even aware it might hurt others. They are behind us on banning
smoking.

It's not fair or truthful to say that Europeans "smoke like chimneys".
Certain segments of some European countries include more smokers, and speaking
from experience, that would likely include budget cruisers. I lived and
studied among well-educated upper middle-class Germans, Austrians, Dutch and
Belgians and not even one of them smoked. Neither did most of the other
Europeans I knew well.

It is entirely fair and truthful to say that Europeans "smoke like
chimneys," as people active in international campaigns to reduce
smoking in public places can tell you.

People who sailed on the Opera repositioning cruise can offer
anecdotal support to the medical statistics, and we did. This doesn't
make us untruthful, it means that our experience was not what one
writer expected.

Our chimney-like characterization applies to offices, restaurants and
public places in general. If one is fortunate enough to have spent
time among a handful of European non-smokers, congratulations, so have
we.

Nonetheless, from a public policy point of view, the trends are clear
- many European countries are way behind us in recognizing the harm in
second-hand smoke, and doing anything about it.

On our repositioning cruise, there were some areas of the Opera, like
the restaurants, where smoking was not allowed and the prohibition was
observed. There were other areas of the ship where the non-smoking
signs were disregarded.

If, as seems from Brent Stell's excellent review, this is less of a
problem with the winter-season Caribbean-only cruises, that's good
news.

My wife is asthmatic and can't tolerate tobacco smoke. We always found
ways of working around it on our crossing, and it should be even
easier now.

We didn't have room in our review to mention that you can request a
non-smoker's cabin, so you don't have to deal with fumes from a
previous passenger.

If you are a militant non-smoker, as we are, don't eliminate the Opera
from consideration for that one reason. The entire ship is cleaner
than most, and tobacco was a manageable problem.

As a work-in-progress, I'm sure that over time the ship will become
progressively more considerate to non-smokers.

Dave

On 15 Dec 2004 05:32:49 GMT, ando (RTCReferee)
wrote:

In article , Dave&Mary
wrote:

1) SMOKING: Many Europeans smoke. Like chimneys. And seemingly they
aren't even aware it might hurt others. They are behind us on banning
smoking.

It's not fair or truthful to say that Europeans "smoke like chimneys".
Certain segments of some European countries include more smokers, and speaking
from experience, that would likely include budget cruisers. I lived and
studied among well-educated upper middle-class Germans, Austrians, Dutch and
Belgians and not even one of them smoked. Neither did most of the other
Europeans I knew well.

It is entirely fair and truthful to say that Europeans "smoke like
chimneys," as people active in international campaigns to reduce
smoking in public places can tell you.

People who sailed on the Opera repositioning cruise can offer
anecdotal support to the medical statistics, and we did. This doesn't
make us untruthful, it means that our experience was not what one
writer expected.

Our chimney-like characterization applies to offices, restaurants and
public places in general. If one is fortunate enough to have spent
time among a handful of European non-smokers, congratulations, so have
we.

Nonetheless, from a public policy point of view, the trends are clear
- many European countries are way behind us in recognizing the harm in
second-hand smoke, and doing anything about it.

On our repositioning cruise, there were some areas of the Opera, like
the restaurants, where smoking was not allowed and the prohibition was
observed. There were other areas of the ship where the non-smoking
signs were disregarded.

If, as seems from Brent Stell's excellent review, this is less of a
problem with the winter-season Caribbean-only cruises, that's good
news.

My wife is asthmatic and can't tolerate tobacco smoke. We always found
ways of working around it on our crossing, and it should be even
easier now.

We didn't have room in our review to mention that you can request a
non-smoker's cabin, so you don't have to deal with fumes from a
previous passenger.

If you are a militant non-smoker, as we are, don't eliminate the Opera
from consideration for that one reason. The entire ship is cleaner
than most, and tobacco was a manageable problem.

As a work-in-progress, I'm sure that over time the ship will become
progressively more considerate to non-smokers.

Dave

Dave&Mary se wrote:

We didn't have room in our review to mention that you can request a
non-smoker's cabin, so you don't have to deal with fumes from a
previous passenger.

You had room to classify and entire continent of people when you said that
Europeans "smoke like chimneys," yet you could not fit into your review the
very important and welcome news that there is a ship that has non-smoking
cabins on it? Check the size of your sentences. You DID have room.

OK, it was your review, your choice, but that tidbit of information is one I
would not have left out. I am glad to now learn that the MSC Opera has some
cabins that don't reek of smoke. Hopefully, there are many, spread across a
wide assortment of cabin types and locations, including the most coveted.

I enjoyed your review, in general. Like you, we do not tolerate smoke well,
and we patronize places where we can avoid it. If MSC can provide a unique
cruise experience and polices their own stated "no smoking" areas, we'll be
happy to give the line a chance.

Dave&Mary se wrote:

We didn't have room in our review to mention that you can request a
non-smoker's cabin, so you don't have to deal with fumes from a
previous passenger.

You had room to classify and entire continent of people when you said that
Europeans "smoke like chimneys," yet you could not fit into your review the
very important and welcome news that there is a ship that has non-smoking
cabins on it? Check the size of your sentences. You DID have room.

OK, it was your review, your choice, but that tidbit of information is one I
would not have left out. I am glad to now learn that the MSC Opera has some
cabins that don't reek of smoke. Hopefully, there are many, spread across a
wide assortment of cabin types and locations, including the most coveted.

I enjoyed your review, in general. Like you, we do not tolerate smoke well,
and we patronize places where we can avoid it. If MSC can provide a unique
cruise experience and polices their own stated "no smoking" areas, we'll be
happy to give the line a chance.

Tom & Linda" wrote:


"Charles" wrote in message
id...
In article , RTCReferee
wrote:

We notice significantly more adult smokers on cruises than we do anywhere

else
in our daily lives, and maybe it is because ships still permit so much

smoking.

I think there are somewhat more smokers on cruises than the percentage
who smoke in the general population and it probably is because cruise
ships are one of the last refuges of smokers.

--

Also, it could be more of a "pattern of behavior" type place. Many people
who don't smoke regularly, or at least not frequently during the day, may
find themselves in night clubs, discos, casinos, etc., each evening, where
smoking is more frequently found. They get caught in the cycle and end
up smoking both day and night during the cruise.

Kind of like werewolves get caught in the cycle of a full moon? ;-)

Tom & Linda" wrote:


"Charles" wrote in message
id...
In article , RTCReferee
wrote:

We notice significantly more adult smokers on cruises than we do anywhere

else
in our daily lives, and maybe it is because ships still permit so much

smoking.

I think there are somewhat more smokers on cruises than the percentage
who smoke in the general population and it probably is because cruise
ships are one of the last refuges of smokers.

--

Also, it could be more of a "pattern of behavior" type place. Many people
who don't smoke regularly, or at least not frequently during the day, may
find themselves in night clubs, discos, casinos, etc., each evening, where
smoking is more frequently found. They get caught in the cycle and end
up smoking both day and night during the cruise.

Kind of like werewolves get caught in the cycle of a full moon? ;-)

On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:47:04 GMT, Dave&Mary wrote:

Nonetheless, from a public policy point of view, the trends are clear
- many European countries are way behind us in recognizing the harm

They know about it.

in
second-hand smoke, and doing anything about it.

Is a different thing.

On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:47:04 GMT, Dave&Mary wrote:

Nonetheless, from a public policy point of view, the trends are clear
- many European countries are way behind us in recognizing the harm

They know about it.

in
second-hand smoke, and doing anything about it.

Is a different thing.