I was reading through the threads recently both here and at Cruise Critic, an online community of cruisers, and was VERY dismayed at Celebrity's policy on ecigs (particularly considering I'm about to go on a 12 Night Arctic Circle cruise in June). It was the strictest of all of the popular cruise lines. Simply put, Celebrity treats them exactly as cigarettes, and you must use them in the very small, confined smoking areas or risk fines charged directly to your room without the ability to challenge them. The same areas that we have all voluntarily left, many of us because of health reasons. Now don't get me wrong: my room in on the back of the ship facing where we have already been, and I'm in no danger of being caught if I vape on my balcony as any vapor will be 200' off the back of the ship by the time I'm done exhaling, but I'd rather not have to go back to my room just to have a quick vape.
So I decided to act in the only way I can: On Thursday night I wrote an in depth letter to contactmichael@celebritycruises.com (Michael Bailey is the CEO of Celebrity) questioning why their policy is so restrictive, telling them exactly why it was too restrictive, and then showed them strong evidence that they are lagging behind other cruise lines, along with links and quotes to the e cigarette policies of 5 other lines that compete directly with Celebrity.
I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought the most likely result would be that it ended in the digital circular file on some intern's computer, or perhaps a cut-and-paste job with a canned response. But what I got was a true surprise. I got a call from Michael Bailey's personal assistant who is in charge of all customer service emails received at that address, and we had a fairly long and in depth conversation about the issue. She is his personal filter. If she deems it worthy, it gets escalated directly to his desk, if not, she sends it to the interns to cut and paste away about how they appreciate our having contacted them . . .
She assured me that she was going to deliver my letter to his attention personally, and that she was also going to insure that the internal people in charge of setting policy would have my letter in front of them as a priority. She said there has been informal talks of revisiting their vaping policy, but that there wasn't enough of a push to get it through. She also said that my letter was an impetus to make it a priority of hers to do whatever she can in her capacity to force the issue.
The key is to stay calm and write well thought, well documented prose. I'm assuming that it will take months for anything to change (if anything is to change at all), but being as cruise lines are in a cut throat business and that all cruise lines are very customer oriented, the more we all write in, the better chances we have of changing policy in our favor.
I'll cut and paste what I wrote. I implore you all to do the same. Nothing is guaranteed, but the more people who write in with these concerns, the faster the issue will escalate and they will be forced to do something.
Again, the key is to write well. Rants about how they rules are ....e will get you escalated directly to the trash can. Stay on topic, and use some form of documentation for your claims. Anecdotes help as well, especially if you explain why you quit smoking and why being forced to congregate with smokers is a direct threat to your health. But most of all be courteous and respectful.
I followed up today, after having asked if it would be okay to send some links to scientific literature concerning vapor, with an email to the latest study stating emphatically and succinctly that there are no hazards for those who experience vapor involuntarily. She again thanked me and told me that she'd let me know if there was something else I could do.
So I decided to act in the only way I can: On Thursday night I wrote an in depth letter to contactmichael@celebritycruises.com (Michael Bailey is the CEO of Celebrity) questioning why their policy is so restrictive, telling them exactly why it was too restrictive, and then showed them strong evidence that they are lagging behind other cruise lines, along with links and quotes to the e cigarette policies of 5 other lines that compete directly with Celebrity.
I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought the most likely result would be that it ended in the digital circular file on some intern's computer, or perhaps a cut-and-paste job with a canned response. But what I got was a true surprise. I got a call from Michael Bailey's personal assistant who is in charge of all customer service emails received at that address, and we had a fairly long and in depth conversation about the issue. She is his personal filter. If she deems it worthy, it gets escalated directly to his desk, if not, she sends it to the interns to cut and paste away about how they appreciate our having contacted them . . .
She assured me that she was going to deliver my letter to his attention personally, and that she was also going to insure that the internal people in charge of setting policy would have my letter in front of them as a priority. She said there has been informal talks of revisiting their vaping policy, but that there wasn't enough of a push to get it through. She also said that my letter was an impetus to make it a priority of hers to do whatever she can in her capacity to force the issue.
The key is to stay calm and write well thought, well documented prose. I'm assuming that it will take months for anything to change (if anything is to change at all), but being as cruise lines are in a cut throat business and that all cruise lines are very customer oriented, the more we all write in, the better chances we have of changing policy in our favor.
I'll cut and paste what I wrote. I implore you all to do the same. Nothing is guaranteed, but the more people who write in with these concerns, the faster the issue will escalate and they will be forced to do something.
Hello,I'd like to write in with a suggestion about your current policy on using electronic cigarettes (personal vaporizers) on board.
As I'm sure you're aware, the use of personal vaporizers is on the rise due to many people trying mightily to quit smoking traditional cigarettes because of the many health problems associated with cigarette smoking. I myself suffered a heart attack at the ripe old age of 33 and was forced to find an alternative so that I might have a better chance of living a long, fulfilling life. The only thing that allowed me to quit using traditional cigarettes was by switching to a personal vaporizer (AKA electronic cigarettes). Your current smoking policy positively equates vaping with smoking, as if there is no substantive difference, and forces those of us who vape to return to the designated smoking sections and the smoke that has threatened our health that we've tried to escape when we quit smoking cigarettes.
I understand why there would be separate sections for smoking: it's been proven over and again that it's harmful to both those who use them and those who are around them. Vaping, however, poses no such threat, nor does it have any of the many side effects of smoking traditional cigarettes such as foul odors, etc.
I would implore you to reconsider your vaping policies so that those of us who have successfully escaped the dangers of smoking traditional cigarettes might not be forced to once again be directly exposed to them. What we as vapers have done for our own health is being negated by policies driven by a lack of information regarding the very real differences between vaping and smoking.
I'm not suggesting that we vapers ought to be allowed to vape anywhere on the ship at any time. There absolutely ought to be areas where vaping is off limits such as dining areas, the spa area, etc. But not allowing us to use our veranda for vaping, for instance, and instead forcing us to congregate in small areas with smokers of traditional cigarettes, undoes all of the hard work we have done for ourselves, for very little reason, and no tangible benefit. With vaping there are no foul odors to "clean" and no harmful secondary effects that might adversely affect other passengers. It's certainly far less harmful than forcing vapers to be directly exposed to the smoke of traditional cigarettes.
Also, there is precedent for vaping on board ships of other cruise lines. Princess Cruise Lines, for instance, in their rules and regulations states that,
The use of electronic cigarettes is permitted in all areas onboard with the exception of dining areas and the Princess Theater. However, should a fellow passenger in the vicinity feel inconvenienced and complain, even after being told the difference between electronic cigarettes and real cigarettes, we will ask the passenger to refrain from smoking the electronic cigarette.
Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) has a policy which shows that they have actively considered the use of personal vaporizers as an activity separate from smoking:
"We want you to be comfortable on board, so public areas throughout all our ships are smoke-free. If you smoke regular or electronic cigarettes, you can do so on your balcony, in the casino or in the Cigar Bar (where available). If you prefer pipes or cigars, you can smoke in the Cigar Bar or designated smoking lounge. Also, you can smoke cigarettes, pipes and cigars outside on open decks (just not around food venues, sports decks, kids pool areas and other designated nonsmoking areas)."
They continue with a small note specifically directed at vapers: "Electronic cigarettes cannot be used in public areas where there is a No Smoking policy in force[.]"
Holland America, too, has a policy that aligns with having gathered the necessary information to adequately address the use of personal vaporizers on board their ships. In their rules and regulations it states:
"For the comfort of all of our guests, all staterooms (cabins), showrooms and most other indoor areas are designated non-smoking. While smoking is not permitted in staterooms, guests are allowed to smoke on stateroom verandahs. Smoking is also permitted on certain other designated, outside decks. The designated smoking areas for all ships are as follows unless otherwise noted.
Stateroom verandahs
Casino (Active players only)
Seaview Bar
Outside Decks
Sports Deck
Observation Deck (ms Prinsendam, ms Eurodam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Noordam, ms Oosterdam, ms Westerdam, and ms Zuiderdam only)
Cigar and pipe smoking is not allowed anywhere inside the ship; it is only permitted on the outside decks where smoking is otherwise allowed and on stateroom verandahs. Electronic cigarettes are permitted in staterooms but not in other public areas of the ship other than on outside decks designated as smoking areas."
Holland America even goes so far as to allow the use of personal vaporizers in staterooms, as well as in many other places on the ship.
Costa too has a less restrictive policy with electronic cigarettes stating "Electronic cigarettes may only be used cabins and in the Cigar Lounge area", and continues to state that private balconies are also acceptable places.
Cunard also separates smoking from vaping and has acted accordingly. While one may not use a personal vaporizer in any public areas other than those designated as smoking areas, they have amended the policy to allow vapers to use electronic cigarettes both in their staterooms and private verandas.
And these examples are but a few which reflect the willingness of other cruise lines to differentiate their policies based on the differences between smoking and vaping.
These more permissive approaches seem far more reasonable than forcing non-smokers to congregate in close proximity to smokers in very small areas of the ship, especially since the vast majority of vapers actively quit smoking cigarettes for health reasons. Even a rule with more restrictions than those on other lines, such as only allowing the use of personal vaporizers in open-air areas of the ship, would be more reasonable than your current policy of forcefully putting vapers back in the position of endangering our health. Even the very small step of allowing the use of personal vaporizers on stateroom verandas would be a drastic improvement. Equivocally categorizing the use of personal vaporizers with smoking tobacco shows very little regard for the health of your passengers who have made the affirmative decision to quit smoking, and reflects poorly on your business practices due to the active attempt at avoiding the issue altogether. This kind of policy is just the same as forcing an alcoholic who might want to enjoy a Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri to go and enjoy his drink in a bar where he would be exposed to all of the things that he has actively avoided for his own health. It simply doesnt make sense and reveals a complete lack of regard for a great many of your passengers by refusing to gather the information necessary in order to make a policy in line with the reality of what vaping is.
My upcoming cruise to the Arctic Circle will be my third cruise on Celebrity in the last decade, and the second extended European cruise aboard the Constellation in the last three years. I truly enjoy Celebrity and the services you provide. I have never had anything but a wonderful time. That said, if Celebrity doesnt reconsider and appropriately alter its very restrictive policy on vaping which forces non-smokers once again to expose ourselves to the very real dangers of smoking as if we were smoking, Im afraid it will be my last cruise with you in lieu of a cruise line with policies based on the best current information about the use of personal vaporizers rather than simply equating it with an activity that only vaguely resembles another.
Sincerely,
Xxx Xxx
Again, the key is to write well. Rants about how they rules are ....e will get you escalated directly to the trash can. Stay on topic, and use some form of documentation for your claims. Anecdotes help as well, especially if you explain why you quit smoking and why being forced to congregate with smokers is a direct threat to your health. But most of all be courteous and respectful.
I followed up today, after having asked if it would be okay to send some links to scientific literature concerning vapor, with an email to the latest study stating emphatically and succinctly that there are no hazards for those who experience vapor involuntarily. She again thanked me and told me that she'd let me know if there was something else I could do.