Where Can You Smoke on Cruise Ships Departing from Canada?

Princess Cruises has one of the strictest smoking policies among major lines sailing from Canada. The cruise line prioritizes smoke-free environments for the majority of its guests.

• ✅ Designated outdoor decks: Specific areas on open decks (port side, typically)
• ✅ Cigar lounges: Churchill Lounge (on ships that have one)
• ✅ Casino: Designated smoking sections (varies by ship)
• ❌ Staterooms: PROHIBITED — including balconies
• ❌ All indoor public areas: Dining rooms, theaters, elevators — completely smoke-free

Celebrity Cruises has dramatically tightened its smoking policies. As one of the lines most frequently sailing from Vancouver (Alaska season) and Quebec City (Canada/New England), their rules are particularly relevant for Canadian cruisers.

• ✅ Designated outdoor decks: Port side of open decks
• ✅ Cigar smoking: Allowed only in specifically designated outdoor areas — NOT in staterooms or on balconies [citation:5]
• ✅ Casino: Designated smoking section (varies)
• ❌ Staterooms: PROHIBITED
• ❌ Balconies: PROHIBITED — including cigars and pipes [citation:5]
• ❌ Celebrity Theater, Cinema, Dining Room, Elevators: All smoke-free [citation:5]

E-cigarettes and vaping devices are generally treated the same as traditional cigarettes on most cruise lines. However, some passengers report that enforcement can be inconsistent.

• 🚫 Princess Cruises: Explicitly prohibits vaping in staterooms and balconies, treating e-cigarettes the same as tobacco products [citation:4].
• ⚠️ Enforcement challenges: Some passengers report that “smokers still smoke in cabins and balcony” despite rules, but this is a violation [citation:4].
• 📊 Passenger feedback: Non-smokers express concern about residual vape residue — “There are ingredients in the exhaust that get on everything. And there is a particular smell that you can notice” [citation:4].

There is ongoing debate among passengers about whether vaping in cabins is acceptable. While some argue that vapor dissipates quickly and doesn’t leave a lasting odor, others report that they can detect when a previous occupant has vaped in a stateroom.

• 📊 Passenger perspective: “I’m convinced I can tell even when it’s flavorless. There are ingredients in the exhaust that get on everything. And there is a particular smell that you can notice” [citation:4].
• ⚠️ Princess policy explicitly prohibits vaping in cabins and on balconies.
• ✅ Best practice: Only use e-cigarettes in designated smoking areas — treat them exactly like traditional cigarettes.

• 📋 Check your cruise line’s current policy: Policies change frequently. Review the passenger contract before booking.
• 🚭 Be prepared for limited options: Most ships now restrict smoking to a few outdoor areas and sometimes the casino.
• 💊 Consider nicotine replacement therapy: Patches, gum, or lozenges may help during long periods without access to smoking areas.
• 👥 Respect your neighbors: Smoke travels — even on a moving ship. “Non-smokers know from five balconies down when someone is out there lighting up” [citation:6].
• 💰 Don’t risk the fine: $250-$500 penalties are strictly enforced on most lines [citation:4].
• 📸 Ask the crew: On embarkation day, ask a crew member to point out the designated smoking areas.

Before you sail from Vancouver, Halifax, or Montreal, stock up on affordable native cigarettes. Native cigarettes (Playfare, Canadian, DuMont, Nexus, Rolled Gold) cost $29-50 per carton — compared to $140-180 for commercial brands — a savings of 70-80%.

• 💰 Cost savings: A pack-a-day smoker saves $5,000-7,000 per year by switching to native cigarettes
• 🚫 Not “healthier”: Native cigarettes contain the same nicotine, tar, and carcinogens as commercial brands
• 📦 Delivery: Order to your home before your cruise — Cigstore.ca ships to every address in Canada
• 🛳️ Cruise tip: Bring only what you need for the cruise; remember that you cannot smoke in cabins or on balconies on most lines.