Norwegian Cruise Line’s largest and newest cruise ship, Norwegian Escape, will soon have a separate smoking section in the casino according to a report by Cruise Critic.
The entire casino on Norwegian Escape will remain smoke free until November 9 when the ship heads to the Caribbean for the first time. A fully enclosed smoking section will be added in November that will also be fully ventilated. The enclosed smoking section will have a number of table games and slot machines.
Andy Stuart, President and COO of Norwegian Cruise Line, told Cruise Critic that if the experiment is successful, the cruise line will also look into adding an enclosed smoking section on all of their mega ships, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, and Norwegian Getaway. Stuart went on to say that he didn’t want the area to be seen as a smoking area, but rather as a casino.
Smoke, due to the layout the casino from the Epic and Breakaway class ships, has been a complaint since those ships debuted. Cruise Fever would love to hear your thoughts on this change in the comment section below.
Just went on the Breakaway and it smelled like smoke EVERYWHERE! The casino was AWFUL! We couldn’t even stay there and we go to Atlantic City all the time where they smoke in casinos . People smoked everywhere board with no one saying anything. The ship policy is non smoking except for the designated areas but no one did that. It was horrible.
Two ships I have been on have left smoking to on my mind. The Epic. The open concept was Aweful. Who designed that. Every area flowed into the next as did the smoke from the casino.
When we went into the theater for the drill I actually thought (since we were in Europe) that this was a smoking area. Viewing any show was uncomfortable due to the smoke smell.v
Definately a poorly designed ship.
My only complaint about the Gem was the cigar room right in a lounge and by the restaurant ale Bistro. Could not go to the lounge at or watch any of the performers in the lounge or sit at the bar because of the smell coming out of the cigar room. Another poorly thought design.
That is so very dreadful. I have NO idea how HVAC , air filters, exhaust, and as you mentioned isolated from flow just can’t be better executed. Thank you for your enyry
I live 30 miles from the ship, cruise 3/4 times a year, until this is done, I will not sail on the Breakaway again. I did it 2 times and that was 2 times too much.
I am sure the smoke in the casino has affected repeat cruisers.
Thank you Norwegian Cruise for recognizing how big a problem smoking on the cruise ships is. I cruised on the Breakaway. Loved th ship but I enjoy the casino but not theirs. Smokers crowded there just to smoke and no one made them move so a lot of people wanting t gamble steered clear of the casino. Please handle this paramount problem to help not only your clients but your poor employees.
I enjoy the casinos, but I quit smoking four years ago and do not like the smell. I hate to think of what I did to other people when I smoked! Large enclosed smoking areas will be great. I do not know how they will do this on the Epic since the majority of the casino is down the center hallway of the ship. Oh well, that is NCL’s problem.
I am so happy to hear about the smoke free casinos and the enclosed smoking area.
I avoid the casino at all costs due to the smoke, and those who are non smokers and do not like smoke, I steer away from the Breakaway, Getaway and Epic because the whole atrium area smells like smoke and it also collects in some of the stairwells.
Thank you for doing this! I’ll be on the Escape on the 14th of November and look forward to finally being able to gamble some???
Finally, in this day and age, smoking should not be a detractor on a ship. It is high time Norwegian does something about the casino smoke. This problem is bad enough to stop cruising on Norwegian. Thanks Norwegian for finally addressing the problem.
I appreciate the idea of enclosing the smoking area of any part of a ship. I’ve walked thru casinos that have smelled really bad because that was the best way to get to some other part of the ship. Could I have gone another way. Sure, but it wasn’t as convenient. Anything that can be done to reduce the smell is a good thing.
This would be fantastic. I don’t spend a lot of time in the casino because of the smoke. On a Cruise to Nowhere, I had to go change my contact lenses because they got all clouded up from the smoke. I would certainly spend more time and money in the casino if it wasn’t smoky.
Yay! Finally! Wont Won’t have to hear the non smokers complaim anymore!
I vowed never to go on a Norwegian ship because of all the smoke on the Breakaway this past year, was really bad in the atrium because of the Casino right above. Will try the new ship in a couple years. Thanks for fixing that.
Please please please put the enclosed smoking section in the Breakaway casino before my December 13th cruise
I am glad. I have avoided the casino area due to the smoke in the air. They need to do on all ships, not just the mega ships .
I was on the NCL Jade a few weeks back and must say I found the smoking in the casino disgusting. To be fair there were very few people smoking but I was sat next to a smoker at the roulette table. I am all for a smoke free ships.
P.s… I am an ex smoker myself and have been for nearly two years. Best thing I ever done was give it up !!!