Is smoking allowed on cruise ships? A line-by-line guide

March 01, 2024

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10 min read

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Cruise ship smoking policies vary by cruise line, but typically smoking is not allowed except in a few designated onboard areas.

Can you smoke in cruise ship restaurants? No. What about cruise ship cabins? Never, unless you are vaping — and only a handful of ships permit that. Are you allowed to smoke on cruise ship balconies? Definitely not; it's a fire hazard. (The exception is Costa Cruises, which does allow smoking on outdoor balconies.) Can you light up on deck? Typically yes, but only in designated areas.

If kicking back with a cigar and a glass of Scotch is your idea of vacation, look for ships with dedicated cigar lounges. Just don't plan to get high on the high seas: You are not allowed to smoke marijuana on a cruise ship, even if you have a medical marijuana card or are departing from a state where recreational use is legal.

What happens if you get caught smoking on a cruise? Most ships charge a $250 cleaning fee and reserve the right to take further action (including disembarkation). On Carnival Cruise Line, each violation is subject to a $500 fine, and you could also get banned from ever sailing Carnival again.

Read our line-by-line guide to cruise line smoking policies to learn where you can — and cannot — smoke on cruise ships.

Azamara

Smoking is only permitted on the port side forward area of the pool deck on Azamara cruise ships. All other indoor and outdoor venues are nonsmoking. Smoking rules also apply to electronic cigarettes.

Carnival Cruise Line

Acceptable smoking locations vary by Carnival Cruise Line ship but include specific outside deck areas, as well as certain sections of the casinos when the person is playing. Smoking is not permitted in cabins and suites, including on room balconies. Smoking rules also apply to e-cigarettes.

Celebrity Cruises

Smoking is only allowed in designated outdoor areas on Celebrity Cruises ships. Smoking areas vary by ship but may include specific sections of outside promenade and sun decks and a corner of the Mast Bar or Sunset Bar. Smoking rules also apply to e-cigarettes.

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Celestyal Cruises

Celestyal Cruises only permits smoking in designated outdoor areas. Its ships do not offer indoor smoking venues.

Costa Cruises

On Costa Cruises, smoking is allowed in outdoor smoking areas and on private balconies (this is, perhaps, the only cruise line to allow this); indoors, it's only permitted in dedicated cigar lounges. E-cigarette use is permitted indoors only in cabins and cigar lounges.

Crystal

Smoking is mainly allowed outdoors in designated areas of the upper decks, pool area and promenade decks on Crystal cruises. In addition, cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking are only permitted indoors in the Connoisseur Club and in the VIP Casino (when playing and if requested).

Cunard Line

Cunard Line prohibits smoking indoors, except in the Churchill's Cigar Lounge (which is exclusive to cigar and pipe smokers). Cigarette smoking (as well as e-cigarettes and vaping) is only permitted in designated areas of the outdoor decks and is not allowed in outdoor dining venues or on cabin balconies.

Disney Cruise Line

Smokers can light up only in select onboard locations on Disney Cruise Line ships. On Disney Wish, smoking is permitted on Deck 4 (port side), but only from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., and on Deck 14 (forward, port side and aft, port side) at any time.

On Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, smoking areas include Deck 9 (forward, port side) and Deck 4 (starboard) outdoor areas (and only on this deck from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.).

On Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, smoking is permitted on Deck 4 (port side, aft) but only from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., the Deck 12 outdoor area by the Meridian Lounge (port side, aft) and Deck 13 near the Currents Bar (port side, forward).

Holland America

Most indoor areas of Holland America ships are nonsmoking, as are cabin verandas. Smoking areas vary by ship but may include the Sea View Bar area on all ships, Noordam's Oak Room and the Sports Deck by the Crow's Nest on Volendam and Zaandam. On select ships, players at the casino are allowed to smoke, but only when the ship is more than 12 nautical miles outside of the Netherlands. Smoking rules also apply to e-cigarettes.

Lindblad Expeditions

Lindblad Expeditions only permits smoking and vaping in designated outdoor smoking areas.

MSC Cruises

On MSC Cruises' ships, smoking areas are designated by signs and the presence of ashtrays. Smoking (including e-cigarettes) is never allowed in cabins and on cabin balconies. While MSC Seashore does not have any indoor smoking areas, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Splendida and MSC Divina each have a smoking/cigar room inside.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line allows smoking in select indoor and outdoor locations. Indoors, smoking is permitted in the casino by active players; select ships have a dedicated smoking room within the larger casino. Passengers may smoke cigars — but not cigarettes or pipes — in the cigar lounges found on select ships. Norwegian Encore has a smoking room on Deck 8. Also, Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima have The Humidor Cigar Lounge (on Deck 7 and Deck 6, respectively).

Outdoors, smoking is permitted in The Haven Sun Deck forward and in the private garden and sun decks of Garden Villas. For everyone else, dedicated smoking areas are on select outdoor decks (these vary by ship) and on the starboard side of Spice H2O. Passengers are not allowed to smoke outdoors near food venues, children's areas, Vibe and Posh Beach Clubs and outdoor sports areas.

Oceania Cruises

Smoking is strictly prohibited in all Oceania Cruises' cabins and suites, on balconies or in any area not specifically designated as a smoking area, which also includes all restaurants, lounges and the casino. Smoking is only allowed on Deck 9 in the forward starboard corner of the pool deck and on Deck 10 in the aft port corner of Horizons. Cigar and pipe smoking is only permitted on the forward starboard corner of the Pool Deck. The smoking policy applies to e-cigarettes.

Paul Gauguin Cruises

Paul Gauguin Cruises allows smoking and vaping only in select outdoor areas. These include the outdoor area on Deck 5 forward, the outdoor starboard side of La Palette and the starboard side of Bar Du Soleil. No smoking is allowed indoors.

Ponant Cruises

Ponant Cruises does not permit smoking in any indoor venues. Passengers can light up in designated outdoor areas.

Princess Cruises

On Princess Cruises ships, passengers can smoke only in designated areas, which include cigar lounges, certain corners of the nightclub and the smoking section of certain outside decks. The casino is mostly a nonsmoking area, but smoking is usually allowed while playing specific slot machines — except on non-smoking nights. All smoking, including vaping and e-cigarette use, is prohibited in cabins and balconies.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Smoking is allowed in designated areas of the pool deck and in the Connoisseur Club on Seven Seas Splendor, Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Grandeur. Smoking is permitted in one outdoor area of the Horizon Lounge on Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Voyager and of Galileo's on Seven Seas Navigator. Cigars and pipes may not be allowed in all smoking areas. The smoking policy applies to e-cigarettes.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean allows cigarette, e-cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking in specific outdoor areas. Look for signs and ashtrays. The Casino Royale is typically a smoking venue, with only a small nonsmoking section. (However, cruises from China and Hong Kong lack the nonsmoking section, while cruises from Australia and the U.K. do not allow smoking in the casino at all.) On Oasis Class vessels, smoking is not allowed in Central Park or the Boardwalk neighborhoods.

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

On Scenic Eclipse and Scenic's river ships, smoking is not permitted indoors. An outdoor smoking area is provided for smokers on all vessels.

Seabourn

Unlike most cruise ships, Seabourn allows guests to smoke e-cigarettes in their suites; otherwise, cigarette smoking is not allowed indoors. Designated outdoor smoking areas for cigarettes, cigars and pipes are clearly posted throughout the vessel.

SeaDream Yacht Club

Indoor smoking is banned on SeaDream Yacht Club ships. Designated smoking areas for cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes can be found on outside decks.

Silversea Cruises

Silversea Cruises guests may smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes and e-cigarettes in the Connoisseur's Corner cigar lounge. Outdoor smoking areas include the seating areas outside the Dusk Bar, Panorama Lounge and Pool Bar, and select sections of open decks (these vary by ship).

Star Clippers

Designated smoking areas can be found onboard on the Sun Deck and in the Tropical Bar. Smoking is not permitted indoors or on the aft deck.

UnCruise Adventures

Vaping and smoking are allowed in special smoking areas found on the outside aft deck. There are no indoor smoking venues on UnCruise Adventures ships.

Viking

Viking's ocean, river and expedition vessels are mainly nonsmoking. All have dedicated outdoor smoking sections, which are the only places guests can smoke cigarettes or e-cigarettes on board.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages might be hip, but you still can't vape or smoke marijuana in your cabin or private balcony. Designated smoking areas are provided throughout each ship, with one on Deck 16 outside.

Windstar Cruises

Smoking and vaping are only permitted in designated smoking areas found on the outside decks of Windstar Cruises ships.

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Featured image by JOHN ELK/GETTY IMAGES

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.