Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas only recently entered service in July of 2024, but the Oasis-class vessel is already getting some complaints on the internet.
One recent guest, who was just onboard the 5,668-passenger ship, took to Reddit to anonymously vent about smoking onboard.
Considering the post went up on September 12, 2024 and the guest states that the post was written while onboard, this implies the cruiser and his family were onboard for the 4-night round-trip Bahamas sailing that embarked from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, on September 9, 2024.
Before disembarking on September 13, 2024, the 236,860-gross ton vessel called on Nassau, Bahamas, and Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise line’s private island destination in the Bahamas.
But despite the family friendly fun onboard and a great itinerary for a quick getaway, the Redditor couldn’t get past the rampant smell of smoke onboard.
“I am so frustrated by the smokers. We are on Utopia so I assumed it would have the whole smoking section thing figured out. But putting it in the middle of the pool deck?,” wrote the Redditor.
The Redditor claimed that he could smell smoke while playing with his young child at the pool, as well as other parts of the ship, which he deemed unacceptable.
“I am severely asthmatic and don’t think it is ridiculous that when I am with my kid at the splash pad I shouldn’t have to run away from smokers?,” asked the Redditor.
“Security doesn’t do anything about people smoking outside of the casino, in their rooms, at the kids splash pad?! I had to leave dinner early from the [Main Dining Room] because the smoke is coming in from the casino,” continued the post.
The rule on Royal Caribbean ships is that guests may only smoke in designated areas – which usually include the adults-only casino and a small area on the pool deck.
On Utopia of the Seas, the outdoor smoking section is tucked between two pools, but is still out of the way.
It’s possible that the guest was smelling smoke from the outside smoking area, especially if it was a windy day, and perhaps encountered some noncompliant guests before the 2,290 crew members did.
Is Smoking a Problem on Cruise Ships?
None of the major cruise lines ban smoking, but do limit the activity to designated areas to avoid bothering non-smokers.
According to Royal Caribbean’s current policy, smoking is only permitted in designated outdoor areas and in part of the casino (Casino Royale). Another part of the casino is designated as smoke-free to allow for the enjoyment of all guests.
Aside from a couple designated locations, smoking is not permitted anywhere else onboard any of Royal Caribbean’s ships. Smoking is never allowed in spaces like kids’ play areas, the theater, dining rooms, cruise cabins and private balconies, bars, lounges, and fitness spaces.
On the Oasis-class vessels (Utopia of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas) the Central Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods are also smoke-free zones.
Read Also: Can You Smoke on a Cruise Ship – What to Know
In the comments of the Reddit post, recent cruisers who have also already sailed onboard Utopia of the Seas during her approximately two months of service reported that they were not bothered by smoke – perhaps indicating that the redditor’s experience was a one-time occurrence.
“I was on Utopia in August, I didn’t notice many smokers and I knew to avoid one of the sides of the ship near the pool but they definitely weren’t in the middle of the pool deck,” wrote one commenter.
According to Royal Caribbean’s website, smoking violations are taken seriously. For example, guests who are caught smoking in their stateroom will be charged a $250 (USD) cleaning fee at best, and could be subject to more serious penalties per the “consequences section” of the guest conduct policy.
If cruisers are particularly concerned about smoke exposure, it may be prudent to do research in advance of booking a cruise to see where the smoking sections are on the ship in relation to popular areas, such as theaters, dining rooms, and the pools.
Every ship is a different, and typically, there are deck plans online. A little bit of research may enable prospective guests to pick a ship with a smoking and non-smoking layout that is less likely to bother them.
