Cruising With Cigars Is LimitedBy: Gary Manelski While relaxing with a cigar during a November 2014 cruise on the Carnival Freedom, it became painfully obvious that the right to enjoy a good cigar on a cruise ship vacation was becomming even more restrictive. Although cigar smoking is still allowed in a couple of designated areas on most Carnival ships, other cruise lines have become even more restrictive than Carnival. The cigar bar on the Freedom and other Carnival ships were still there, but cigar smoking has not been permitted in those bars for several years. The only area inside the Carnival Freedom where cigar smoking was once allowed (but not any longer) was at the Swingtime Bar, which is a small lounge near the back of Deck 5 which was formerly a nightclub. The bar did have a small humidor and also served drinks during the evening, but there was no more live music and no dancing. There was seldom anyone inside of the lounge, but cigarette smokers seemed to use it more than cigar smokers (but not any longer), unless someone smoking a pipe or cigar smoked them out. Smoking is no longer permitted in cabins nor on balconies, but the Freedom has provided an outside smoking area on the starboard side of Deck 10. The only two areas on the ship that permitted cigar smoking were the Swingtime Bar (but not any longer), and the outside smoking area on Deck 10. However, cigarette smokers can also smoke in designated areas in the Babylon Casino while gambling, but not any longer in the 70's Night Club inside the ship. Although I smoked a few cigars in the designated areas for cigar smokers, I really miss those large cigar bars with cigar decor, live music, and even a few other cigar smokers. I also miss smoking cigars on my own aft balcony while watching the smoke drift over the wake when the ship is moving, or while gazing at some exotic port when the ship is docked. Those days are gone forever! Besides the ship itself, cigar smoking is also permitted in many ports of call. Make sure to ask before lighting up in a foreign country. On my particular cruise, Dominican cigars, as well as fake Cubans, were available in the Dominican Republic. I was able to enjoy a La Flor Dominicana cigar on an excursion down the Chavon river. During a previous trip to the Dominican Republic, I even took a tour of Tabacalera de Garcia, which is the largest factory in the world for hand-made cigars. Check out my video on youtube.com/aboutcigars. On this same Carnival Freedom cruise, I also enjoyed my second visit to Aruba. The Palm Beach Aruba area is littered with cigar shops that advertise Cuban cigars to tourists, and numerous cigar smokers were observed all along that magnificent two-mile stretch from the Riu to the Marriott. Enjoy these freedoms while you still can, as smoking in public is becoming even more restrictive, not only in the United States, but in other countries as well. The final days of being able to enjoy cigars while on vacation may be here sooner than you think. CIGARS ON CRUISE SHIP UPDATES: December 2025: Smoking Cigars on the Majestic Princess |
|
