Travel: Australia Smoke on the water

Smoke on the water

Sept. 22, 2007
Eryn Jelesiewicz

Cruise operators are tightening their smoking rules, reports Mike Heard.

An admission by one of the world’s top-rated cruise lines that a new smoking ban is costing it millions of dollars in lost bookings has highlighted the quandary cruise companies face as they try to balance the demands of smokers and non-smokers.

The head of Regent Seven Seas, which will have one of its five-star vessels in Australian waters early next year, has told a US newspaper that angry smokers have cancelled $US3 million ($3.6 million) worth of bookings since July, when the line announced it would ban smoking in cabins and balconies from December.

Though the only line, at this stage, to reveal there has been a backlash, Regent isn’t the only one in recent times to toughen its smoking rules.

Royal Caribbean, the world’s second-biggest cruise operator, will ban smoking in cabins from early next year. Another big operator, NCL, is banning smoking in most public areas of its ships, though not in cabins, and several other lines are said to be close to making similar announcements.

While some of the moves are a response to growing complaints from non-smokers, cruise lines are said to have been influenced by an incident in the Caribbean last year, when a smouldering cigarette was ruled to have been the likely cause of a fire that killed one passenger and destroyed 79 cabins aboard the 2600-passenger line Star Princess.

P&O; and Princess Cruises ships, which will dominate the cruise scene here this summer, have designated smoking areas. Smoking is banned in the ships’ restaurants, but is allowed in cabins when all occupants agree.

Never too young to go to sea

P&O; is becoming very child friendly. It will allow children under 13 to travel free on more than 20 South Pacific sailings from Sydney and Brisbane next year, including school holiday departures.

The deal, which includes meals and access to children’s clubs, is open for only a few more days. Children must travel with two adults, who must buy their cruise by the end of this month.

A kids-cruise-free seven-night Pacific Dawn sailing from Sydney in March has fares from $1486 a person twin share. There are similar deals for trips in April, July and December.

Next stop the Pacific

West Australian travel agent Broome & Kimberley Holidays has announced details of a 2008 package which requires a two-night trip on the Ghan train from Adelaide to Darwin to join a 10-night cruise to Broome with Coral Princess Cruises. Prices start at $10,442 a person twin share for an April departure, not including the cost of getting to Adelaide or back home from Broome. See broomekimberley.com.

A 15-night rail-cruise package with a nine-night sailing from Fremantle to Sydney in November aboard Asian liner Super Star Gemini is also being offered. Including a three-night Indian Pacific transcontinental trip and three nights in Perth, prices start at $3299 a person twin share. See ecruising.travel.

Helpful holidays

Voluntary community work by tourists in Third-World countries isn’t confined to the backpacker market. Cruise passengers paying big money for a week in Mexican waters in January are being invited to spend a day helping to paint an orphanage in the Mexican port city of La Paz.

As well as paying up to $US800 a day for the cruise, those who accept the invitation will also have to fork out another $US299 for an extra two nights’ accommodation and meals.

The project is part of an Our Bear Cares charity program run by Seattle-based line Cruise West, which has a bear as its trademark. The line says passengers are responding enthusiastically to the concept.

The January cruise, from the Mexican Pacific port of Cabo San Lucas and back, costs from $US4299.

Australian Cruise West agent Adventure World can handle bookings. For more details see www.adventureworld.com.au.

15-night rail-cruise package with a nine-night sailing from Fremantle to Sydney in November aboard Asian liner Super Star Gemini is also being offered. Including a three-night Indian Pacific transcontinental trip and three nights in Perth, prices start at $3299 a person twin share. See ecruising.travel.