What do you like best about a balcony stateroom on your cruise? That first morning cup of coffee watching the sunrise?
Or how about a mid-afternoon nap in your private lounge chair? For me, it’s wildlife watching for dolphins, flying fish, and magnificent frigatebirds.
What no one enjoys, however, is smelling another guest’s cigarette smoke (or other types of smoke) when they had hoped to spend time on their balcony in the fresh sea breeze.
Smoking on balconies is strictly prohibited by all cruise lines, but many guests might feel uncomfortable about reporting any smoking they witness. Carnival Cruise Line, however, has firmly reassured guests that their confidentiality is preserved if they make such a report.
The issue was brought up by a concerned guest who has been in the situation before but wasn’t sure how to react.
The guest reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s official Brand Ambassador, who regularly answers hundreds of questions from guests every week.
“John, how do you feel about this. Would you report your neighbor for smoking on balcony?” the guest asked. “This has happened to us a few cruises. I did not report them but it was a big inconvenience not being able to sit out and enjoy the ocean air.”
The guest did not disclose what ship or ships they’ve cruised on with these incidents, nor whether or not the smoking was recent. Nevertheless, Heald’s response is firm and reassuring.
“For the safety of the ship, I would report it immediately,” he said. “We encourage you to please report it immediately.”
It may not seem like smoking on a balcony in the middle of the ocean (surrounded by water) would be dangerous, but it absolutely can be. If any hot ash or a smoldering cigarette butt were to be discarded carelessly, it could potentially start a fire.
In fact, this is likely what happened in February 2025 aboard Carnival Glory, when a small balcony fire was quickly contained after a towel draped over a chair became “engulfed” in flames.
Some passengers, however, might be nervous about reporting smoking for fear of confrontation if the smoker realizes who contacted the ship’s security or Guest Services desk.
Heald, however, notes that reports are kept confidential and even offers to help with such a report if the commenter is currently onboard and having such difficulties.
Read Also: What Passengers Should Never Do Near a Cruise Ship (Including When NOT to Smoke!)
“Nobody will ever know that it came from you,” he said. “Do you need me to do that for you, though? Let me know if you do.”
With regular reports of unpleasant confrontations not only on Carnival cruise ships but on other lines as well, it’s reasonable that a guest might not want to “make waves” over smoking on the balcony.
Consider this, however. Let’s say the stateroom next to you is one that is smoking on the balcony every evening before dinner. You brush it off as not worth the bother to call security for five minutes and instead you get ready for dinner and leave your stateroom.
Halfway through your appetizer, there is an alarm and a “Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!” or “Red Party!” call over the ship’s public address system.
You continue enjoying your dinner, right? No big deal? But it’s a big deal when you go back to your stateroom to grab a sweatshirt before heading to the theater for that night’s game show only to find billows of smoke in the hallway and the carpets, bedding, and well, everything in your stateroom dampened by sprinklers.
Yes, a small fire had broken out on your balcony because of someone else’s hot ash or discarded butt.
Everyone is safe, there are no injuries, but now you have much more than a five-minute phone call inconvenience to deal with. Security will want to speak with you to determine if you were smoking, your belongings need to be cleaned or replaced, and you’re not going to make it to that game show.
Perhaps it would have been better to make that phone call after all.
What Happens to Guests Who Smoke on Their Balconies?
Carnival Cruise Line has addressed the smoking issue many times in the past. While smoking areas are provided onboard in different parts of the ship, including the main casino, there is absolutely no smoking permitted in individual staterooms or on balconies.
As for consequences, they can be quite severe for guests who are caught violating the cruise line’s smoking policies.
“Anyone caught smoking on the balcony will face serious consequences also. If we catch someone doing so or find ash or anything smoking related on the balcony there will be a $500 fine and the serious possibility of not being allowed to cruise with us again,” Heald has confirmed.
The cruise line’s smoking policy is clearly outlined on its website and covers not only cigarettes, but also cigars, pipes, vapes, e-cigarettes, and marijuana.
Not only will guests in violation of the policy face a $500 fine (per incident!), but they may also be disembarked from the ship at the next possible port of call – at their own expense. A lifetime ban from Carnival Cruise Line is another possibility.
