CWNews

Australian Cruise Line Limits Smoking

Sunday Telegraph (Australia)
May 25, 2008 Sunday


BYLINE: PETER HOLMES

Full-steam ahead for smoke-free zone at sea

THE issue of smoking at sea is a thorny moral, legal and financial one for cruise operators, who want to embrace the clean-air brigade, but not alienate those who puff on cigarettes, cigars and pipes.

If there were money to be made in smoke-free cruise ships, ports would be full of them, but they're not. In 1998, Carnival's Paradise ship became the world's first smoke-free liner, but the policy was ditched in 2004.

Nonetheless, operators are gradually limiting the areas where passengers can smoke.

Classic International Cruises last week announced new guidelines: smoking will be banned in all indoor areas of its ships Princess Daphne and Funchal before they depart the northern hemisphere in November for their debut seasons in Australia.

The 592-capacity Princess Daphne will dock in Sydney on December 19 after a five-week cruise from Greece. A day later, the Funchal (500 capacity) will arrive in Fremantle from Southampton.

``Smoking will no longer be permitted in cabins, dining rooms, the casino, lounges, theatres or on balconies. (It) will only be allowed in selected outdoor areas,'' Classic International Cruises' managing director Grant Hunter said.

Earlier this month, P&O said indoor smoking aboard its liners Pacific Dawn and Pacific Sun would be banned from July.

``The majority of P&O Cruises passengers have indicated they'd prefer to cruise in a smoke-free environment,'' said Ann Sherry, CEO of P&O's parent company, Carnival Australia. ``Clearly, there has been a shift in community thinking on this issue and we're keeping pace with that.''