Smoking and Vaping Rules on Cruise Ships
If you smoke or vape, you can still cruise comfortably, but only in the places the ship sets aside. This is one of the most consistently enforced rules at sea, mainly because fire is the biggest safety risk on a ship.
Where can you smoke on a cruise ship?
Each ship has one or more marked smoking areas, usually on an open deck, often on one side of the pool deck or at the back of the ship. Some lines also allow smoking in part of the casino. The daily program, the app and deck signs show exactly where, and it's worth checking on boarding day rather than guessing.
You can't smoke or vape in any of these places:
- Your cabin or balcony, on any major line.
- Restaurants, bars, theatres and other indoor public spaces outside a designated area.
- Elevators, corridors and stairwells.
- Kids areas, pools and hot tubs.
- Tender boats and the gangway.
Why balconies are off-limits
Balcony fires have caused serious damage on cruise ships in the past, and a cigarette blown back from one balcony can land on another. That's why every major line bans balcony smoking outright. It's also the rule most often enforced with fines, since stewards report smoke smell and ash when servicing cabins.
Vaping, cigars and cannabis
Vapes and e-cigarettes follow the same rules as cigarettes. Some ships have a cigar lounge with ventilation, separate from the general smoking area, which is worth checking for if it matters to you. Cannabis is banned on every line, even though it's legal in Canada; why you can't bring cannabis on a cruise explains the US and Canadian laws behind it.
What happens if you break the rules?
Most lines charge a cleaning fee to your onboard account, often several hundred US dollars, for smoking in a cabin or on a balcony. Repeat or serious violations can lead to being disembarked at the next port at your own cost. Travel insurance is unlikely to cover the cost of getting home in that case.
Smoking and vaping rules by cruise line
Cabins and balconies are smoke-free on every line below; vaping follows the same rules as cigarettes. The real differences are the casino and how many outdoor areas each ship sets aside.
| Line | Smoking in the casino | Cabins and balconies | Full policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | Designated section on many ships | Banned | Royal Caribbean rules |
| Carnival | Designated section on most ships | Banned | Carnival rules |
| Norwegian | Designated section on most ships; tighter on newer ships | Banned | Norwegian rules |
| Princess | Varies by ship | Banned | Princess rules |
| Celebrity | No — casinos are non-smoking | Banned | Celebrity rules |
| Holland America | Designated areas on most ships; not Noordam or Zuiderdam | Banned | Holland America rules |
| MSC | Designated section on most ships | Banned | MSC rules |
| Disney | No casino on board | Banned | Disney rules |
If you smoke, Carnival and MSC are usually the easiest lines, with casino smoking sections on most ships. Celebrity, with non-smoking casinos, and Disney, with no casino at all, are the strictest. For every line's rules side by side, see cruise line policies compared.
Getting your supplies there and back
Pack vapes, e-cigarettes and spare batteries in your carry-on for the flight, since airlines don't allow them in checked bags. Lighters follow airline rules too, and ships confiscate some items, like candles and anything flame-based, as covered in what not to pack for a cruise.
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Ask a cruise expert →Confirming your ship's areas
Designated areas change with refits and can differ between ships in the same fleet. Check the app or ask guest services on boarding day, and you'll know exactly where you can go for the week.
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Get a quote or book online →Frequently asked questions
Can you smoke on your cabin balcony on a cruise ship?
No. Balcony smoking is banned on all the major lines because of the fire risk, and that includes vaping. Smokers must use the ship's designated outdoor areas.
Is vaping treated the same as smoking on cruise ships?
Yes. The major lines apply the same designated-area rules to e-cigarettes and vapes as to cigarettes, so no vaping in cabins, on balconies or in non-smoking public spaces.
Can I bring cigarettes and vapes on a cruise from Canada?
Yes, for personal use, packed in your carry-on. Vapes and spare batteries must not go in checked airline luggage, and when you return, CBSA limits how much tobacco you can bring back duty-free.
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