Cruise_Line: Holland America
Ship: Amsterdam
Dates: September 13, 2007
Type_Experience: Negative

I loved every detail of our first cruise to the Inside Passage, Alaska, on Holland America's Amersterdam ~~~ with the exception of their smoking policy. Smoking was allowed in the staterooms so when folks were coming & going, the hallways were filled with very thick smoke and there was no way you could hold your breath long enough to get out of it.

There was no smoking in the Buffet area & Restaraunt, Theatre, and stores, but Desigated Smoking Areas were totally not enforced. At "gatherings" & "celebrations" on the open air decks and enclosed viewing decks (where the pool & hottubs were) smoking was allowed throughout the areas. At the Bon Voyage Party, the Event Staff were smoking in-and-around the guests while waiting to "go on". While walking around the outside decks, you walk in and out of smoking guests all along the way. There was smoking in all of the bar/lounge areas,casino, etc., so we were not able to attend any of the venues that included musicians, bands, Chocolate Extravaganza, etc., because they were held in the lounges. We actually did not know until the Captains' Gathering on the 6th day that there were 6 different kinds of musicians on board that we had missed due to the very liberal smoking policy in the public areas.

It really put a damper on what would have been the most fantastic 7 days of our lives!! We (and many guests around us) felt somewhat isolated with daily choices of venues.

I don't understand their policy stating they "thoroughly clean the rooms between cruises". They would have to clean the walls,ceilings, woodwork, windows, curtains and all the bedding in order to get the smoke out from if the previous guests were smokers. When I wrote to Holland's customer service folks with suggestions toward tightening up the smoking policy to benefit the majority of the guests, they offered us a "VIP Status" (flowers, wine in the room and a cocktail party) to cruise with them again. They suggestd we chose a different ship, The Norderdamn, "whereby smoking is prohibited in the casino, but allowed in the sportsbar nearby"--that's alot of nothing. I am guessing that the person writing the letter or developing the policies were smokers. They didn't address either more attention to their employees smoking in nondesignated areas, or designated areas being more speficic and limited.

I believe the cruise industry is a unique and lovely way to vacation. I wish the cruise lines would rethink their policies to be current with the more health-conscience trends of the majority of their guests.

I will definitely be looking for a Smoke Free or Non-smoker-friendly cruiseline the next time.

Joy V. Mazeikas

Addendum to Letter on Holland America cruise
Comments: Great job with your website and "cause"!!

I am not a "NonSmoking Nut", but have controlled asthma. In spite of my efforts to stay out of as much cigarette smoke as possible, I came home with a severe case of bronchitis.

Our trip with Holland America would have been perfect without this issue.

Since Holland is definitely a cruise line that is forward-thinking with every detail of extravagence, I am SOOOOOOOO surprised at their "Ho-Hum: attitude about their smoking issues!!!

I suggested they do a survey with their previous guests to see which way the majority leans. I believe they could actually increase their passenger numbers with Smoke-Free cruising when the word got around.

I know that just about everyone I talked with felt the same as we did.

Keep up the good job!!

David & Joy Mazeikas