Fellow Canadians: What do you think of the Reporter at Sea contest?

[darcyhero]

I haven't heard a lot of feedback from Canadian CruiseCritic members on this contest, but I would love to hear everyone's opinions.

 

Full disclosure: I'm one of the five finalists for the Canadian competition and would love to win the opportunity to report onboard the Oasis of the Seas, but I'm also concerned with the lack of entries.

 

Every time I've cruised with Royal Caribbean (5 times) there have been lots of people from Canada, many of them coming from Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Southern Ontario and other big cities.

 

And yet in this contest there were only 5 finalists. I don't know if it was a lack of promotion compared to the American partnership with USA Today or that a significant number of entries were disqualified. I just think it's a bit odd considering the number of aspiring media people and travel enthusiasts in the country to have so little turnout after the rules stated there would be 10 finalists from each region.

 

In any case, I'd love to hear what you think about my video and whether or not I'd be a great representative for Canada.

 

http://contestca.oasisoftheseas.com/eng/contests/showentry/87528

 

(If you do want to vote for me signing up to vote takes only a few seconds and you can vote once a day until Sunday, October 25 at 11:59pm)

 

I would love to get the chance to showcase the country's diversity and my enthusiasm for Royal Caribbean through this trip. I really appreciate any support and feedback.

 

Looking forward to hearing your comments!

[alicam]

hmm....never heard of this and I'm in Ontario

[Canadian Tyler]

Good luck!

I didn't even know Canadians could enter, since we usually miss out on things like that. So I didn't even bother to look into the contest, maybe others did the same?

[FireIce0010]

Nothing like plugging your video to win the contest. Kind of unfair to the other participants.

[Don Tequila]

Seeing as they are already down to the five finalists, it does not really matter how many entrants there were or were not.

 

As mentioned above, this post is just to get as many people to vote for you as possible.

 

I hope it gets removed real soon and BTW...I'm going to log in a vote for ABY...

 

 

 

Anybody But You.......

[darcyhero]

FireIce0010 and Don Tequila:

 

In all fairness, you don't have to vote for me and the link does bring you to a page where the other entries are easily accessible.

 

I just wanted to start a conversation about a topic I saw as legitimate which is the poor marketing of a contest I'm sure a lot of people would have been interested in participating.

 

But in response to your comment, here are links to the other four finalists:

Anastasia Tubanos: http://contestca.oasisoftheseas.com/eng/contests/showentry/87579

Jacqueline Greenly: http://contestca.oasisoftheseas.com/eng/contests/showentry/87641

Fracis Jette: http://contestca.oasisoftheseas.com/eng/contests/showentry/87484

Bob Telford: http://contestca.oasisoftheseas.com/eng/contests/showentry/87652

 

Hope that helps!

[pilotboy1985]

I live in Nova Scotia, Canada and I didn't hear about this contest.

 

Us Canadians are used to hearing " Open to U.S Residents only" we eventually just don't even bother anymore.

[emmy]

Us Canadians are used to hearing " Open to U.S Residents only" we eventually just don't even bother anymore.

 

Now if they said "RCI visa cards now open to Canadians I would really pay attention.:D

[pilotboy1985]

Now if they said "RCI visa cards now open to Canadians I would really pay attention.:D

 

haha, yeah me too!

[emmy]

FireIce0010 and Don Tequila:

 

In all fairness, you don't have to vote for me and the link does bring you to a page where the other entries are easily accessible.

 

I just wanted to start a conversation about a topic I saw as legitimate which is the poor marketing of a contest I'm sure a lot of people would have been interested in participating.

 

But in response to your comment, here are links to the other four finalists:

Anastasia Tubanos: http://contestca.oasisoftheseas.com/eng/contests/showentry/87579

Jacqueline Greenly: http://contestca.oasisoftheseas.com/eng/contests/showentry/87641

Fracis Jette: http://contestca.oasisoftheseas.com/eng/contests/showentry/87484

Bob Telford: http://contestca.oasisoftheseas.com/eng/contests/showentry/87652

 

Hope that helps!

 

I just find it curious that your very first post on CC came to promote your video for this contest.

 

I guess I should have read the rules a little closer so that I knew that they were dividing them up by country. ..I might have entered.:)

 

Good luck...I actually prefer Bob Telford's video and most likely but will not even vote

[ckrobyn]

Your video is okay.....but I don't think it's a "winner".

 

Good luck in any case.

[YOW]

I'd love to hear what you think about my video

 

Your rate of speech is too fast. I know you're limited for time in this video, but when communicating to an audience, you need to slow it down to a comfortable pace -- and enunciate every syllable of every word.

 

Free advice from someone in the communications field (and you know what they say free advice is worth ;)). A great way to improve communications skills is by checking out a Toastmasters club:

 

http://www.toastmasters.org

 

Best of luck!

[darcyhero]

I just find it curious that your very first post on CC came to promote your video for this contest.

 

I guess I should have read the rules a little closer so that I knew that they were dividing them up by country. ..I might have entered.:)

 

Good luck...I actually prefer Bob Telford's video and most likely but will not even vote

 

I read Cruise Critic a lot when researching ports and excursions for my family but I was very nervous about participating in forum threads - members here are pretty vocal and outspoken.

 

If anything, I plan on analyzing the contest in a longer post or proper article after the winners have been announced.

 

It'd be cool to hear why you like Bob's video in particular and why you wouldn't vote for him - is it the signup process?

 

And YOW: Thanks for the constructive criticism. I'm trained mostly in print journalism in my work with televisions and newspapers. As a result, I was very nervous during the taping of the video as I'm not used to appearing on camera.

 

I'll definitely check out the local Toastmaster's in my area.

[KAWS]

This is the first that I've heard of this contest as well. I agree - it would have been nice if it was marketed better. I guess we just get used to ignoring contests because as Canadians we're rarely able to participate. Cruiselines are quick to take our money but when it comes to contests and/or possible freebies we tend to get excluded.

 

I haven't looked at any of the finalist videos yet. I wish you good luck to you in the contest though.

[IandY]

I read Cruise Critic a lot when researching ports and excursions for my family but I was very nervous about participating in forum threads - members here are pretty vocal and outspoken.

 

If anything, I plan on analyzing the contest in a longer post or proper article after the winners have been announced.

 

It'd be cool to hear why you like Bob's video in particular and why you wouldn't vote for him - is it the signup process?

 

And YOW: Thanks for the constructive criticism. I'm trained mostly in print journalism in my work with televisions and newspapers. As a result, I was very nervous during the taping of the video as I'm not used to appearing on camera.

 

I'll definitely check out the local Toastmaster's in my area.

 

Very nice response to some of the postings. I'm like you when it comes to participating on these boards, they can be a dangerous place!

In regards to the contest, knew nothing of it. Was it in the Crown and Anchor publication?

Am I going to vote? Probably not just as the other poster. The reason would be the "what's in it for me" thing. I would vote often, however; if you can promise to bring along me, my wife and our two kids if you win...then you can count on my vote.

Good luck.

[BecciBoo]

Good job Darcy, but I have viewed all the contestants and my faves are Jennifer Ward from the US and Bob Telford from Canada...eh?

And in a rare departure from loyalty to my own, I voted for Bob. He was funny! As was Jennifer. We'll have to wait and see. Whomever gets chosen, I'll be anxiously awaiting the report:D

[alicam]

I took a look at all of them...frankly there must have only been 5 entries... and I can honestly say I wouldn't vote for any of them...even if 3 of them are from here

[darcyhero]

Very nice response to some of the postings. I'm like you when it comes to participating on these boards, they can be a dangerous place!

In regards to the contest, knew nothing of it. Was it in the Crown and Anchor publication?

Am I going to vote? Probably not just as the other poster. The reason would be the "what's in it for me" thing. I would vote often, however; if you can promise to bring along me, my wife and our two kids if you win...then you can count on my vote.

Good luck.

 

Even some of the posts in this thread have been pretty brutal.

 

I'm not sure if it was in the Crown and Anchor newsletter, but I found out about it through the Weekly Deals email. Though was still pretty buried in there.

 

I understand why you don't want to vote. If I could bring more people along with me, I would, especially since my parents have already asked a few times. If anything, it would just be to support a fledgling journalist who just really loves to cruise on RCI like a lot of CC members and really wants to opportunity to gain unique work experience.

 

But thanks again for your comments.

[Storm Monkey]

On behalf of Bob Telford I would like to thank everyone for saying that you like his video! Bob is my father-in-law, and as I posted on Darcyhero's other thread (in the Oasis specific message board) he has been really excited to participate. We understand that a lot of people don't want to bother voting because they have to register, so just to hear your positive comments is fantastic! :)

For him it was a lot of fun just to make the video.

 

We found out about the contest because we have been following the building of the ship, and it was on the oasis of the seas website. We have very much enjoyed watching their videos on the construction process and each new feature. And very much liked the 'chats' they had for the dining and entertainment options. Since we check back almost every day -- we saw it the first day the contest was posted.

 

Again thanks to everyone for their positive comments! :)

[soupysmad]

Hi guys!

 

My name is Stephen Campbell. I am one of the finalists for the Oasis of the Seas reporter competition! yes really! here is my vid:

 

http://contestuk.oasisoftheseas.com/...howentry/87532

 

(Be gentle!) Would love to know what people think of it. Bearing in mind I am a physicist, not a reporter or media savy bloke from the northern part of the emerald isle!

 

Go on, do us Irish folk a bit of a favour...where would America be without the Irish? (Probably even more advanced, and more sober!)

 

Cheers to you all!

 

Steve