Can You Smoke on a Cruise Ship? The Ultimate Guide

For smokers and non-smokers alike, knowing where smoking is (and isn’t!) allowed on your cruise is so important. In this guide to cruise line smoking policies, I’ll explain the guidelines for where it’s OK to smoke on a cruise and where it’s strictly forbidden.

Whether you’d prefer to steer clear of any secondhand smoke on your cruise vacation, or you’re a smoker looking for the right place to light up on your upcoming cruise, I’ll share all the basics you need to know.

Plus, I’ve included a line-by-line list of smoking policies for 39 cruise lines, as well as a handy chart to see the basic policies at a glance.

Can you smoke on a cruise ship?

In general, you can still smoke on a cruise ship, but only in designated areas. If you’re not sure where the smoking areas are, you can ask any member of the crew and they’ll give you directions.

Cruise lines have significantly tightened up their smoking policies over the last twenty years, but there’s still at least one designated smoking area on just about every ship. In fact, of the 39 cruise lines I researched, only one has any completely non-smoking ships!

Sorry, you’ll have to keep reading to find out which cruise ships are entirely smoke-free!

What can you smoke on a cruise ship?

Cruise lines allow passengers to smoke tobacco in their designated smoking areas. However, no cruise lines allow cannabis or CBD in any form on their ships. This applies to smoking and vaping materials, as well as edibles and topical ointments. Even with a prescription, it’s still not allowed.

Smoking cigars or pipes on a cruise

Most cruise lines allow cigar or pipe smoking, but often only in outdoor smoking areas or special cigar lounges.

If you like to relax with a cigar or a pipe, make sure you ask a crewmember which smoking sections you can use. It might not be all of them!

Vaping on a cruise

Using e-cigarettes (vaping) is usually only allowed in designated smoking areas. But there are a few exceptions!

A handful of cruise lines, including Cunard and Holland America, allow vaping in passenger staterooms. (Princess Cruises also used to allow vaping in staterooms, but that rule has recently changed.)

One cruise line, Regent Seven Seas, actually allows vaping in interior parts of the ship, except in the dining areas.

Smoking on stateroom balconies

With very few exceptions, smoking isn’t allowed on cruise ship balconies anymore. Although some cruisers try to sneak a smoke in the open air, it can be a safety hazard (and annoyed guests on nearby balconies will likely turn you in).

However, there are currently five cruise lines that still allow smoking on your balcony: Costa Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd, TUI, Fred. Olsen, and AIDA.

There are some ships on these lines that have non-smoking balcony sections—or even entire ships where smoking on balconies is prohibited—so be sure you book your stateroom on the right ship and in the correct section.

Smoking at cruise ship bars

Most bars on cruise ships—indoors and on deck—are non-smoking. There are some exceptions, like cigar bars and designated lounges, but not every ship has this feature.

But, many designated smoking areas are located close enough to bars that crewmembers will come around to take drink orders and deliver them right to you.

Smoking in cruise ship casinos

Many cruise lines with onboard casinos allow smoking in at least a section of their casinos. Smoking privileges are usually reserved for active players, and often at slot machines or select table games only.

Some cruise lines have specific times where the casino is entirely non-smoking. If all the ashtrays have suddenly disappeared from what was previously a smoking section, just ask a crew member. Odds are it’s the casino’s non-smoking time.

Today there are many cruise lines that have completely non-smoking casinos. Celebrity Cruises, Azamara, and Regent Seven Seas, among others, don’t allow smoking at any time in the casino.

Smoking during bunkering

If you’re unfamiliar with the term “bunkering”, it’s the ship’s refueling process. During certain port stops, your cruise ship will be topped up with fuel and smoking won’t be permitted on any of the exterior open deck areas.

The process usually lasts a few hours, and on some ships this means there are zero places where smoking is allowed during bunkering.

You may also like: A Cruise Glossary: Cruise Terms You Should Know

What happens if you’re caught smoking in a non-smoking area on a cruise ship?

Cruise lines are very strict with their smoking policies, and can assess hefty fines for people who are caught smoking in non-smoking areas. They can even kick you off the ship at the next port!

And no, you won’t get a refund if you’re disembarked for breaking a cruise line policy. You’ll also need to find your way home at your own expense—not a fun way to end your vacation!

Buying cigarettes or cigars on a cruise ship

Most larger cruise ships sell cigarettes and cigars on board. You can usually ask for cigarettes at any of the ship’s bars. If the ship has an indoor smoking lounge or cigar bar, you can often buy cigars there.

The onboard duty-free shops also usually carry cigarettes by the carton and cigars by the box. However, some cruise lines will hold your duty-free items until the last night of the cruise.

You must be at least 21 years old to purchase, possess, or use tobacco on cruises that begin in U.S. ports. For sailings embarking from most other ports, the minimum age is 18 years old.

Tip: Although you can usually buy cigars or cigarettes, lighters and matches can be hard to come by on board. Be sure to bring extras before you sail.

Best cruise lines for non-smokers

If you’re a non-smoker and you really don’t want to be around cigarette smoke, many cruise lines do a fairly good job keeping the designated smoking areas hidden away.

But smoking areas (especially on large cruise lines with a variety of ship classes) can vary widely from one ship to another. You might find that the smoking area on one ship is so far from the action that you’d never know it was there. But another ship on the very same line might allow smoking on half of the pool deck! (I’ve noticed this on both Carnival’s and Norwegian’s fleets as examples.)

Some cruise lines also allow smoking in their casinos, and that smoke tends to travel. If you’re a non-smoker who likes to play in the casino (or you just want to avoid wafting smoke), these cruise lines have entirely non-smoking casinos:

• Azamara
• Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line
• Celebrity Cruises
• Celestyal Cruises
• Cunard Line
• Marella Cruises
• Oceania Cruises
• Regent Seven Seas
• Virgin Voyages

Overall, the best cruise lines for people who want to avoid smoke on their cruise vacation include:

• Azamara
• Celebrity Cruises
• Disney Cruise Line
• Oceania Cruises
• Seabourn
• SeaDream Yacht Club
• Viking (Ocean and River)
• Windstar Cruises

Remember I mentioned that one cruise line has a couple of non-smoking cruise ships? It’s luxury cruise line Seabourn. They operate two expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, that are completely non-smoking.

Read more about what Seabourn has to offer in my article Which Cruise Lines Have All-Inclusive Cruises?

Smoking on a cruise: a line-by-line guide

I’ve compiled the current smoking policies for all the larger cruise lines, and it’s a pretty long list! But you can jump right to the cruise line you’re planning to sail by using the quick links below.

Or, for my at-a-glance breakdown of the basic smoking policies on all of these lines, you can jump to my cruise smoking policy chart.

Note: Check with your cruise line for their most up-to-date smoking rules, as they can change at any time.

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AIDA

All AIDA cruise ships have designated smoking areas, and smoking is also allowed on most stateroom balconies. However, select balconies on AIDAperla and AIDAprima are non-smoking.

E-cigarettes are permitted in limited areas on all AIDA ships.

AmaWaterways

AmaWaterways only allows smoking in one area on each of their ships: the aft of the Sun Deck.

American Cruise Lines

Smoking is only allowed in designated areas on American Cruise Lines ships. Smoking is strictly prohibited in staterooms and on private balconies.

Avalon Waterways

All Avalon Waterways ships have non-smoking interiors. Smoking is allowed in a designated outdoor area of each ship.

Azamara

All of Azamara’s ships have a designated smoking area on the port side forward section of the pool deck. Smoking is prohibited in all other areas.

Azamara also prohibits smoking on the land tour portion of all cruise tours, including the use of electronic cigarettes.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line

All interior sections of Bahamas Paradise cruise ships are non-smoking, including the casino. Each ship has designated smoking sections on the exterior decks on the port side.

Carnival Cruise Line

All Carnival ships have at least one designated outdoor smoking area, allowing cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, and pipes.

Carnival’s casinos have both smoking and non-smoking sections, with the exception of cruises sailing from or in Australia. On these cruises, the casino is entirely non-smoking.

Guests who smoke outside of the designated areas may be charged $500 per violation, and also may be disembarked with no refund of their unused cruise fare. Additionally, violators may be prohibited from sailing with Carnival Cruise Line in the future.

Read more: Carnival Smoking Areas by Ship – Where You Can Smoke on a Carnival Cruise

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises has designated smoking areas on each ship, allowing cigarettes, e-cigarettes, pipes, and cigars in these sections only.

Casinos on Celebrity are entirely non-smoking.

Guests who smoke in their stateroom or veranda will be assessed a $250 cleaning fee.

Celestyal Cruises

Celestyal Cruises prohibits smoking in all interior spaces on their ships. Designated smoking areas are provided on the open decks.

Costa Cruises

Costa does not allow smoking in any internal areas of their ships, with the exception of inside cigar lounges.

Smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes is allowed at clearly-marked outdoor smoking areas and on guest cabin balconies.

E-cigarettes can be used inside guest cabins and on cabin balconies, as well as at any designated smoking area.

CroisiEurope

Smoking is not allowed in any indoor area on CroisiEurope ships. An outdoor smoking section is available on the Sun Deck of each ship.

Cunard Line

Indoor areas on Cunard ships are non-smoking except in designated sections. Cigar lounges are reserved for cigar and pipe smoking only.

Outdoor smoking areas are clearly marked on each ship.

Guests can use e-cigarettes in their staterooms (not on the balcony) as well as in designated outdoor areas.

Violations to the smoking policy will result in a $250 cleaning fee per violation. Repeated violations may result in disembarkation without refund.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney allows smoking and the use of e-cigarettes only in the following locations and times on their ships:

Disney Magic and Disney Wonder

• Deck 4, outdoors, starboard side from 6 PM to 6 AM
• Deck 9, forward, portside, any time

Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy

• Deck 4, port side, aft, on the outside Promenade Deck from 6 PM to 6 AM
• Deck 12, port side, aft, the outdoor area accessible through the Meridian Lounge at any time
• Deck 13, port side, forward, near Currents Bar, at any time

Guests who have smoked in their staterooms or on their verandahs will be charged a $250 stateroom recovery fee.

Fred. Olsen

Fred. Olsen cruise ships are nonsmoking in all indoor areas. Smoking is permitted in designated areas on the open deck, as well as on most cabin balconies.

Terrace balconies on Bolette and Borealis are non-smoking.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

All Hapag-Lloyd cruise ships have designated outdoor smoking areas, and some have indoor smoking areas as well.

On some ships, smoking is allowed on stateroom balconies.

MS EUROPA

Smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes is allowed in the following areas:

• Sansibar (in the outdoor area only)
• Havana Bar
• In the outdoor areas of the decks and in the smoking area of the Lido terrace (not under the Magrodome)

MS EUROPA 2

Smoking is allowed in the following areas:

• Sansibar (in the outdoor area only)
• All external decks (except the Magrodome area and the outer terrace of the Yacht Club Restaurant)
• Cigars, cigarillos and pipes may only be smoked in the Collins and in the outside area on the starboard side of the Sansibar

HANSEATIC nature, HANSEATIC inspiration, and HANSEATIC spirit

Smoking is allowed in the following areas:

• Invisible Lounge (Deck 4)
• Outdoor smoking area on the port side near the pool (cigarettes only)

MS EUROPA, MS EUROPA 2, HANSEATIC nature, HANSEATIC inspiration, and HANSEATIC spirit

Smoking is allowed in the following areas:

• Designated outdoor smoking areas
• Stateroom verandas

Holland America Line

Holland America cruise ships offer designated smoking and non-smoking areas in most lounges, as well as in select sections of the outdoor decks.

Cigar and pipe smoking is permitted on the outside decks only.

Electronic cigarettes are permitted both in staterooms (except on verandas) and in designated smoking areas.

Hurtigruten

Smoking areas on Hurtigruten ships are located on outdoor decks, but smoking is prohibited when ships are in port.

Hurtigruten’s Expedition ships are usually non-smoking, but smoking may be allowed in certain areas on outside decks.

Smoking inside a cabin will result in a 1500 NOK (approximately $180 USD) cleaning charge.

Marella Cruises

Marella’s ships allow smoking only in designated areas of the open deck.

MSC Cruises

MSC allows smoking only in designated areas, indicated by signage and ashtrays.

Guests who smoke in non-designated areas may be fined, and repeatedly smoking in non-smoking areas can lead to disembarkation.

Norwegian Cruise Line

All indoor areas of NCL ships are non-smoking, with the exception of cigar lounges and the casino. All ships have designated smoking areas on the open decks.

Cigar Lounges:

Cigar smoking is permitted in designated cigar lounges on select ships. Cigarettes, pipes, and electronic cigarettes are not permitted in the cigar lounge. Cigar and pipe smoking on Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Star, and Pride of America is permitted only in designated outdoor areas as there is no cigar lounge on board.

Casinos:

Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy, and Norwegian Encore each have a designated smoking room within the casino. On all other ships, players may smoke cigarettes or e-cigarettes in the Casino during gaming hours. Cigar and pipe smoking are not permitted in the casino.

Passengers who have smoked inside their stateroom or on the balcony will be charged a $250 USD cleaning fee.

Guests in the Garden Villas may smoke in their private garden and on their private sun decks.

Oceania Cruises

Smoking and vaping are only permitted on Oceania ships 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 are only permitted on the forward starboard corner of the pool peck.

Guests who violate the smoking policy will be disembarked at the next port, and may also be subject to fines.

P&O Cruises

Smoking and vaping are permitted on P&O cruise ships in designated areas of the open deck.

Paul Gauguin Cruises

Each Paul Gauguin cruise ship has multiple outdoor areas where smoking is permitted. These include the forward outdoor areas on Deck 5 (starboard and port sides), La Palette (outside area, starboard side only), and Bar Du Soleil (starboard side only).

Ponant

Smoking and vaping are permitted on Ponant cruise ships in designated areas of the open deck.

Princess Cruises

Princess’ ships have both indoor and outdoor smoking areas on board, including cigar lounges and specific areas of the open decks.

The casino has designated slot machines where guests are permitted to smoke while playing at those machines. All table games are non-smoking. The casino will also have one or more non-smoking nights (6 pm to closing), depending on the length of sailing.

Princess Cruises prohibits smoking or vaping in guest staterooms and balconies. Violations will result in a $250 fine for each occurrence.

Note: Until recently, Princess allowed the use of e-cigarettes in guest staterooms. This policy has changed, and vaping in your cabin is no longer allowed.

Quark Expeditions

Quark has a no smoking or vaping policy in all interior sections of their ships. Smoking or vaping is only allowed in the designated outside smoking area.

Smoking and vaping also are not allowed near Zodiacs (inflatable boats) or during shore landings.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

RSSC permits smoking in designated parts of the outdoor pool area. Additionally, smoking is allowed in the following areas of their ships:

• Seven Seas Voyager: Connoisseur Club, Horizon Lounge (outdoor one side designated area), pool area (designated area opposite side of the Pool Bar)
• Seven Seas Mariner: Connoisseur Club, Horizon Lounge (outdoor one side designated area), pool area (designated area opposite side of the Pool Bar)
• Seven Seas Navigator: Connoisseur Club, Galileo’s (outdoor one side designated area), pool area (designated area opposite side of the Pool Bar)

Electronic cigarette smoking is permitted throughout Regent ships with the exception of the dining areas.

Regent allows cigar smoking only 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.

Guests who don’t comply with the smoking policy will be asked to disembark without a refund.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

RCCL permits cigarette, e-cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking in designated outdoor areas.

The casino on many Royal Caribbean sailings allows smoking and has a designated area for non-smoking guests (cruises departing from China and Hong Kong do not have a non-smoking area in the casino). Smoking is not permitted in the casino for any ships departing from Australia and the UK.

Smoking is not permitted inside any stateroom or on stateroom balconies. Guests who violate this policy will be charged a $250 USD cleaning fee and may be subject to further action.

Saga Cruises

Smoking and vaping are only permitted in the designated smoking area on Saga ships. On Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, the smoking area is on the port side of Deck 11 aft.

Seabourn

Seabourn has a completely non-smoking policy (including e-cigarettes) on their two expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit. This policy also extends to shore landings.

On all other Seabourn ships, cigarette smoking is permitted in the designated smoking area on the starboard half of the Sky Bar open deck.

Cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking are allowed on the starboard half of the Seabourn Square outside deck.

Any guest who smokes inside a stateroom or on the adjoining veranda will be charged a $250 USD cleaning fee per day of violation.

SeaDream Yacht Club

SeaDream permits smoking only in designated areas on the outside deck.

Silversea

Cigarette, cigar, e-cigarette, and pipe smoking is permitted only in the Connoisseur’s Corner and in select other areas, including designated tables and seating outside of the Panorama Lounge and the Pool Bar.

Other smoking areas include:

• Silver Spirit, Silver Whisper, Silver Shadow, Silver Muse and Silver Moon: on open Decks 9 and 10
• Silver Cloud and Silver Wind: on open Deck 9
• Silver Explorer: in designated outside areas on Decks 5 and 6
• Silver Origin: in designated outside areas on Deck 7

TUI (Mein Schiff)

Smoking on TUI’s Mein Schiff ships is only permitted on private balconies and in designated areas.

Designated areas on Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 include:

• Deck 5: Casino & Lounge
• Deck 5: Front area on the promenade deck (starboard and port)
• Deck 5: Promenade deck in front of the show bar (port)
• Deck 5: Outdoor area of ​​the Creative Kitchen
• Deck 14: Overview Bar
• Deck 14: Outer Alster Bar & Grill (starboard side)
• Deck 15: X-Sundeck (aft area, port side)
• Deck 15: High Air Bar (port side)

Designated areas on Mein Schiff Herz include:

• Deck 8: Unschlag Bar
• Deck 6: Front part of the promenade
• Deck 7: Rear part of the promenade deck, terrace of the show bar
• Deck 11: Indispensable bar, terrace of the outer Alster bar (port only)
• Deck 12: Overview bar

Designated areas on Mein Schiff 3 include:

• Deck 5: Smoking lounge
• Deck 5: Front part of the promenade deck, port side of the Schau Bar, Champagner Treff
• Deck 14: Port side of the Outer Alster Bar & Grill, Overview Bar

Designated areas on Mein Schiff 4, 5, and 6 include:

• Deck 5: Casino & Lounge
• Deck 5: Front part of the promenade deck, port side of the Schau Bar, Champagner Treff
• Deck 14: Port side of the Outer Alster Bar & Grill, Overview bar

UnCruise Adventures

Vaping or smoking tobacco products is prohibited anywhere inside UnCruise ships. Vaping and smoking are only allowed on the outer aft deck in a designated smoking area.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

Uniworld allows smoking only on the sun decks of their ships. This policy applies to all forms of smoking materials including e-cigarettes.

The cruise line also asks guests to refrain from smoking on shore excursions and tours.

Viking Ocean

Smoking is allowed on Viking Ocean ships only in the designated outdoor smoking area.

Viking River Cruises

Viking River Cruises only allows smoking in the designated outdoor smoking area.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages provides various designated smoking areas around their ships.   

Passengers found smoking or vaping in their stateroom or on a stateroom balcony will be fined $500 USD and may be disembarked from the voyage.

Windstar Cruises

Windstar allows smoking and vaping on outside decks in designated smoking areas only.

Cigar smoking is permitted only in a specific designated area on each yacht.

Cruise line smoking policies at-a-glance

Cruise line	Smoking areas	Smoking on balconies	Smoking in casino	Vaping in room / balcony
AIDA	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
AmaWaterways	Yes	No	N/A	No
American Cruise Lines	Yes	No	N/A	No
Azamara	Yes	No	No	No
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line	Yes	No	No	No
Carnival	Yes	No	Yes	No
Celebrity Cruises	Yes	No	No	No
Celestyal Cruises	Yes	No	No	No
Costa Cruises	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
CroisiEurope	Yes	No	N/A	No
Cunard Line	Yes	No	No	Yes*
Disney Cruise Line	Yes	No	N/A	No
Fred. Olsen	Yes	Yes	No	No
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises	Yes	Yes	N/A	Yes
Holland America Line	Yes	No	Yes†	Yes*
Hurtigruten	Yes	No	N/A	No
Marella Cruises	Yes	No	No	No
MSC Cruises	Yes	No	Yes	No
Norwegian Cruise Line	Yes	No	Yes	No
Oceania Cruises	Yes	No	No	No
P&O Cruises	Yes	No	No	No
Paul Gauguin Cruises	Yes	No	N/A	No
Ponant	Yes	No	N/A	No
Princess Cruises	Yes	No	Yes	No
Quark Expeditions	Yes	No	N/A	No
Regent Seven Seas Cruises	Yes	No	No	Yes
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line	Yes	No	Yes	No
Saga Cruises	Yes	No	N/A	No
Seabourn	Yes‡	No	N/A	Yes*‡
SeaDream Yacht Club	Yes	N/A	N/A	No
Silversea	Yes	No	N/A	No
TUI (Mein Schiff)	Yes	Yes‡	Yes‡	No
UnCruise Adventures	Yes	N/A	N/A	No
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises	Yes	N/A	N/A	No
Viking Ocean	Yes	No	N/A	No
Viking River Cruises	Yes	No	N/A	No
Virgin Voyages	Yes	No	No	No
Windstar Cruises	Yes	No	N/A	No

Cruise ship smoking FAQ

If you have any questions about smoking policies on cruise ships, feel free to pop them in the comments below. Or, if you’ve noticed that a cruise line smoking policy has changed, please let me know so I can update the post!

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