Cruise Line Smoking Policies: A Smoker's Guide to Cruising
Published October 3, 2019
Updated October 18, 2019
Travel Experts
at The Cruise Web
Many people are aware that cigars are enjoyed by many passengers on cruise ships, but can you smoke cigarettes? What about vaping? And hey, what’s the deal with cannabis and cruising?
As for that last one, it’s a big no-go, and for good reason. While marijuana has been legalized in many states in the United States, it is still federally banned. All cruise lines listed are on the side of caution and make it very clear that any possession or use of illegal substances will result in immediate disembarkation, and any travel expenses incurred as a result are solely the responsibility of the passenger.
While enjoying your cruise, you’re often free to light up, given you follow the ship and cruise line policies! And be aware that cruise lines take the following guidelines very seriously, as any type of smoking/vaping can be a health and safety hazard or simply detract from the experience of others.
Smoking Policies by Cruise Line*
AmaWaterways
Smoking is permitted only outside, on the aft side of the Sun Deck. These policies apply to all smoking devices, including e-cigarettes and vaporizers.
Avalon Waterways
All ships have non-smoking interiors.
Smoking is permitted outside only, with the area dependent on the destination. In Europe and South America, smoking is only allowed on the sky deck. And if you’re sailing with Avalon on the Mekong or Ganges River, smoking is permitted only in designated areas.
These policies apply to all smoking devices, including e-cigarettes and vaporizers.
View Avalon Waterways Cruises.
Azamara
Smoking is permitted on the port side, forward area of the pool deck. All other areas of Azamara ships and Azamara land tours are strictly smoke-free. These policies apply to all smoking devices, including e-cigarettes and vaporizers.
Carnival Cruise Line
Because smoking is a safety hazard onboard, it is strictly limited to specific exterior deck areas only, marked with signage and ashtrays.
All staterooms and balconies are NON-SMOKING. This includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vaporizers, e-cigarettes, and marijuana.
Carnival follows U.S. federal law prohibiting recreational and medicinal marijuana, regardless of local laws at destinations.
Guests who disembarked for policy violations must pay all expenses to return home, receive no cruise refund, and may be banned from future Carnival cruises.
Casino smoking is only allowed while seated and actively playing. No smoking at the casino bar or anywhere in the casino when closed.
All other smoking must be in designated exterior deck areas marked with signage and ashtrays. Check posted signs or ask Guest Services for locations.
Celebrity Cruises
Smoking is prohibited in all staterooms and balconies. Violating this policy results in a cleaning fee.
Smoking is not allowed in dining venues, theaters, bars, lounges, hallways, elevators, jogging tracks, and most indoor areas. Certain outdoor areas are also off-limits, including food venues and kids' areas. Hookahs and water pipes are banned shipwide.
Celebrity provides designated outdoor smoking areas marked with signage and ashtrays. Some itineraries allow smoking in designated casino sections with clear signage.
Cigars and pipes are limited to outdoor smoking areas and cigar bars. E-cigarettes are only permitted in designated smoking areas.
Guests must be 18+ to purchase or use tobacco onboard.
Cunard
Smoking (including electronic alternatives) is not permitted in staterooms, on stateroom balconies, or in public rooms. You will find designated areas on the open decks, where smoking is permitted. The only exception to this is Churchill’s Cigar Lounge, which is reserved for cigar and pipe smokers only.
All restaurants are non-smoking, and this includes outdoor dining alternatives. Electronic cigarettes and vaporizing devices, including those that do not emit smoke/vapor, are permitted in designated smoking areas only.
Cunard notes that their policies were designed through direct feedback from its guests.
Holland America Line
To ensure the comfort of all guests, all indoor areas—including staterooms, verandahs, and lounges—are non-smoking. Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is only permitted in designated outdoor areas, such as the Sea View Bar on all ships.
On Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Oosterdam, Rotterdam, Volendam, and Zaandam, smoking is allowed in select casino areas for active players only, and only when outside of 12 nautical miles from the Netherlands. Cigar and pipe smoking is only allowed on designated outdoor decks.
View Holland America Line Cruises.
MSC Cruises
There is a strict non-smoking policy across all indoor areas, with the sole exception of designated sections of the casino during operating hours for guests who are seated and playing. Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is strictly prohibited in all staterooms, on balconies, and in any area not marked with signage and ashtrays. Designated smoking areas are limited and located outdoors.
Violations will result in a cleaning fee, and repeated offenses may lead to disembarkation. The possession or use of marijuana, including medical marijuana, is strictly prohibited onboard and at all destinations. Guests must be at least 18 years old to purchase, possess, or use tobacco products on board.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian maintains smoke-free indoor public areas except for designated cigar lounges and casinos. Smoking is prohibited in all staterooms and balconies, with a cleaning charge for violations, except Garden Villa guests may smoke in their private gardens and sun decks.
Cigar smoking is permitted only in designated cigar lounges, while cigarettes and electronic cigarettes are not allowed in cigar lounges.
Active casino players may smoke cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and vapor devices during gaming hours, with select ships having dedicated casino smoking rooms. Cigar and pipe smoking is not permitted in casinos.
Outdoor smoking areas are ship-specific and clearly designated, with smoking prohibited near food venues, jogging tracks, sporting venues, children's areas, Vibe Beach Club, Posh Beach Club, and The Waterfront. The Haven courtyard areas are smoke-free, but smoking is permitted in Haven Sun Deck areas on select ship classes.
View Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises.
Oceania Cruises
Designated Smoking Areas are available on the forward, starboard corner of the Pool Deck and in the aft, port corner of Horizons. These areas are comfortably furnished and conveniently located near food and beverage areas. Smoking is expressly forbidden in all staterooms and suites, on verandas, or in any areas of the ship other than officially Designated Smoking Areas.
All areas other than those specified as "Designated Smoking Areas" will remain smoke-free. This includes all guest suites and staterooms, verandas, restaurants, public areas, the Casino, and all other areas of the ship.
Cigar and pipe smoking is only permitted on the forward, starboard corner of the Pool Deck. Guests are welcome to use electronic cigarettes except in dining venues, which include indoor and outdoor seating.
Princess Cruises
Princess maintains clearly marked designated smoking areas, including cigar lounges, nightclub sections, and portions of open decks, all equipped with sufficient ashtrays that are emptied regularly.
Smoking and vaping of all types, including e-cigarettes, are strictly prohibited in all guest staterooms and balconies, with a fine charged to the guest's account for each violation.
Show lounges, dining rooms, and all food service areas are non-smoking throughout the fleet.
The casino and casino bar are non-smoking except at designated slot machines, where smoking is permitted only while actively playing, with all table games remaining non-smoking. For safety reasons, guests should always put out their cigarettes, cigars, and pipes completely and throw them away properly - never toss them overboard since they can blow back onto the ship and start a fire.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Smoking is prohibited in most public areas, enclosed dining areas, theaters, elevators, and all guest suites and balconies. However, cigarette and electronic cigarette smoking is permitted in designated smoking areas only.
Cigarette and E-cigarette smoking is permitted in the Connoisseur Club and designated pool areas on all ships.
On Seven Seas Prestige, Seven Seas Grandeur, Seven Seas Splendor, and Seven Seas Explorer, the designated smoking area is the Connoisseur Club and Pool area (designated area opposite side of the Pool Bar).
On Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner, the designated smoking area is the Connoisseur Club, Horizon Lounge (outdoor designated area), and the Pool area (designated area opposite side of the Pool Bar).
On Seven Seas Navigator, the designated smoking area is Galileo's (outdoor designated area) and the Pool area (designated area opposite side of the Pool Bar).
Cigar smoking is only permitted in the Connoisseur Club and the designated area on the opposite side of the Pool Bar.
Pipe smoking is only permitted in the Connoisseur Club. Pipe smoking on open deck areas is prohibited due to fire hazard concerns.
View Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Royal Caribbean International
While ships are designated as non-smoking, guests may smoke cigarettes, cigars, electronic vaping devices, and pipes only in designated outdoor areas with visible signage and provided ashtrays, where all materials must be properly disposed of and never thrown overboard.
Cigar and pipe smoking is further restricted to these outdoor areas and Cigar Bars, with age requirements of 21 for U.S. port sailings and 18 for other ports.
The casino permits smoking in designated sections (except ships from Australia and the UK have smoke-free casinos, while China and Hong Kong sailings have no non-smoking casino areas), but all other interior spaces including dining venues, theaters, bars, lounges, hallways, elevators, jogging tracks, and staterooms (including balconies) are completely smoke-free, with additional restrictions on outdoor areas near food venues, kids' areas, pools, and on Oasis class ships' Central Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods.
View Royal Caribbean International Cruises.
Seabourn Cruise Line
Most public areas and all guest suites on board are smoke-free. Smoking of electronic cigarettes is permitted inside guest suites.
Smoking is not allowed inside any part of the ship, including guest suites, verandas, and balconies. The use of water-pipes, glass-pipes, or other similar smoking devices is also prohibited on board. Smoking is not permitted on open decks during fuel bunkering operations while in port.
On Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, the designated smoking area is the Sky Bar open deck (starboard side).
On Seabourn Sojourn, Seabourn Quest, Seabourn Encore, and Seabourn Ovation, cigarette smoking is permitted on the Sky Bar open deck (starboard side).
Cigar and pipe smoking is only permitted on the starboard side of the Seabourn Square outside deck on these ships.
Silversea Cruises
Smoking is prohibited in most public areas, guest suites, or balconies. However, cigarette, e-cigarette, cigar, pipe, and vaporizer smoking is permitted in the Connoisseur’s Corner both indoors and outdoors.
On Silver Nova & Silver Ray, the designated smoking area is the Dusk Bar (port side).
On Silver Muse & Silver Spirit, the designated smoking area is the Panorama Lounge (port side) and Pool Grill (port side).
On Silver Moon & Silver Dawn, the designated smoking area is the Panorama Lounge (starboard side) and Pool Grill (port side).
On Silver Shadow & Silver Whisper, the designated smoking area is the Panorama Lounge (starboard side) and Pool Grill (starboard side).
On Silver Cloud & Silver Wind, the designated smoking area is the Panorama Lounge (port side) and Pool Grill (port side).
On Silver Origin, the permitted smoking area is on the open deck 4 aft.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Onboard Uniworld ships, smoking is allowed only in a designated area of the Sun Deck. Guests are asked to refrain from smoking on shore excursions/tours, especially since many historical sites and other tourist attractions in Europe are now smoke-free. Smoking is not allowed aboard any sightseeing motorcoach.
View Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.
Viking Cruises (Ocean & River)
Viking operates some of the most restrictive smoking policies in the cruise industry, with different rules for ocean and river cruises.
Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking Ocean ships maintain extremely limited smoking areas. Smoking is permitted only in one outdoor area - the starboard side of Deck 8. All staterooms, suites, verandas, and indoor spaces are completely smoke-free.
Some reports suggest Viking may be moving toward completely smoke-free ships, with no designated smoking areas at all on newer itineraries.
Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises implements strict no-smoking policies throughout its fleet. All areas of river ships are smoke-free, including staterooms, public areas, and outdoor decks.
Both traditional smoking and e-cigarettes/vaping are prohibited throughout Viking river vessels.
Windstar Cruises
Windstar maintains one of the cruise industry's most restrictive smoking policies, with smoking limited exclusively to designated outdoor deck areas. All staterooms, suites, and indoor public spaces, including restaurants and corridors, are completely smoke-free. Both traditional smoking and vaping are prohibited throughout all interior areas without exception.
Cigars are permitted only in one specific designated area per yacht, making the cigar policy even more restrictive. The small yacht environment ensures violations are easily detected and may result in penalties or vessel removal.
Consequences for Violations
Don't try to sneak a smoke where you shouldn't. Cruiselines will charge you a hefty fee if you're caught smoking in non-designated areas. Repeated violations can result in being removed from the ship at the next port - at your own expense.
Important Safety Reminder
Never throw cigarette butts or any other items overboard. Throwing cigarette butts or any object overboard is forbidden under international maritime law and poses a serious safety risk.
All ships provide receptacles for cigarette waste. This isn't just about keeping the ocean clean - it's a serious safety hazard that could endanger the ship and everyone aboard.
For more information and to confirm current smoking policies, call The Cruise Web today at 1-800-377-9383 to speak with one of our expert consultants!
*All information is true at the time of publishing but is subject to change. Please reach out to your cruise line or your cruise consultant for the most up-to-date smoking guidelines.
