Cruise Critic and Princess

[antsp]

With our cruise only a few weeks away I've just had a email from Princess asking me sign up to Cruise Critic and share my experience

[BassettMom]

Got the same email saying Princess now has a partnership with Cruise Critic.

 

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[Bill B]

Me too.

 

It says -

"Thank you for cruising with us this past year!" I haven't... but I do have a cruise booked next month. Weird.

[redtogo]

Princess could find out more from posts on CC than any survey can ever disclose. Put new meaning into "Why don't you tell us how you really feel."

[freetocruise]

I just received the same email. Rather interesting in light of another thread asking why Princess doesn't have an official presence on Cruisecritic.

[chamima]

I just received the same email. Rather interesting in light of another thread asking why Princess doesn't have an official presence on Cruisecritic.

 

 

I was thinking the same thing!

 

Wonder if they'll start "sponsoring" the Meet and Greets like Celebrity does?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited December 17, 2016 by chamima

[Bill B]

It's only asking you to write a review. I'm pretty sure 'Princess' is not going to start posting here.

[beg3yrs]

I just received the same email. Rather interesting in light of another thread asking why Princess doesn't have an official presence on Cruisecritic.

 

They've had a verified account here for many years. They don't post often. IIRC the last time they posted was to announce an "upgrade" to balcony furniture on some ships. This was in response to lots of complaints about the furniture.

[Bruin Steve]

I just got the same email.

Frankly, I was a little amused. A few years back, Royal Caribbean started a campaign to "recognize" many frequent posters to internet media such as Cruise Critic. I was among those. I really never got much out of it other than once being invited on a free one-night pre-inaugural cruise when the Mariner first arrived in Los Angeles...Not that I might not have been given the same thing without such "designation". And, truth be told, it's not like I was ever unnecessarily pumping up Royal Caribbean. I always posted about both the good and bad. Of course, no one at RCCL ever told me that they expected me to write only good things...

 

However, Royal Caribbean took a lot of flack when the "program" made it's way out to the media...including criticism from Princess and other rival lines... And they soon discontinued the program...

 

And now, flash forward a few years and here's Princess, basically, doing something similar--campaigning among its customers for, even though the emails don't state it outright, good internet reviews...

 

I felt like writing them back and telling them that I already post frequently on Cruise Critic...And when they do things well, I will write about it...but when they miss the mark, I will write about that too...So, if they want positive posts on Cruise Critic, they don't have to email me...all they have to do is to improve their service, build better designed ships, retain food quality with better menu choices, etc. What they actually need to do is to read the reviews and posts that are ALREADY on Cruise Critic and strive to improve their product to satisfy the customers...NOT the other way around...

[TracieABD]

I did not receive the email... hmmm...

[USN59-79]

Interesting ties between companies. Cruise Critic is apparently owned by TripAdvisor and they insist that you don't discuss your TA. Yet my TA is prominently advertised on Cruise Critic. And now the marketing department at Princess is affiliated with Cruise Critic. Makes me take some of the advice I see here with a grain of salt.

[chamima]

I just got the same email.

Frankly, I was a little amused. A few years back, Royal Caribbean started a campaign to "recognize" many frequent posters to internet media such as Cruise Critic. I was among those. I really never got much out of it other than once being invited on a free one-night pre-inaugural cruise when the Mariner first arrived in Los Angeles...Not that I might not have been given the same thing without such "designation". And, truth be told, it's not like I was ever unnecessarily pumping up Royal Caribbean. I always posted about both the good and bad. Of course, no one at RCCL ever told me that they expected me to write only good things...

 

However, Royal Caribbean took a lot of flack when the "program" made it's way out to the media...including criticism from Princess and other rival lines... And they soon discontinued the program...

 

And now, flash forward a few years and here's Princess, basically, doing something similar--campaigning among its customers for, even though the emails don't state it outright, good internet reviews...

 

I felt like writing them back and telling them that I already post frequently on Cruise Critic...And when they do things well, I will write about it...but when they miss the mark, I will write about that too...So, if they want positive posts on Cruise Critic, they don't have to email me...all they have to do is to improve their service, build better designed ships, retain food quality with better menu choices, etc. What they actually need to do is to read the reviews and posts that are ALREADY on Cruise Critic and strive to improve their product to satisfy the customers...NOT the other way around...

 

 

There was nothing in the email about positive posts or reviews - just "share your experiences".

I think it's very smart - people who post on Cruise Critic are at least thinking about cruising even when they aren't planning a specific vacation.

Isn't there some adage about any publicity (even bad) is better than no publicity?

[chamima]

Interesting ties between companies. Cruise Critic is apparently owned by TripAdvisor and they insist that you don't discuss your TA. Yet my TA is prominently advertised on Cruise Critic. And now the marketing department at Princess is affiliated with Cruise Critic. Makes me take some of the advice I see here with a grain of salt.

 

If you post on Roll Calls and actually meet some of the people you find out that they're the same as you - just looking for advice and people to share excursions with.

I felt like you before I started posting and just read CC for two years before I participated but I've found the great majority (with a few exceptions that I can count on one hand) are just looking to either ask advice or give it as a help with no advantage to themselves.

[Coral]

Interesting ties between companies. Cruise Critic is apparently owned by TripAdvisor and they insist that you don't discuss your TA. Yet my TA is prominently advertised on Cruise Critic. And now the marketing department at Princess is affiliated with Cruise Critic. Makes me take some of the advice I see here with a grain of salt.

 

I don't know who your agent is. At one point, CC strongly recommended one agency. I don't know if they still do. Though - you mentioned your TA is prominently advertised on CC, I wonder if it is through google ads. Right now, I am seeing google ads on CC for non-cruise items that I am currently searching for to buy for Christmas gifts. I wonder if your agency comes up because you often search for them on google. Just speculating, could be wrong.

Edited December 17, 2016 by Coral

[Cruiser411]

If Princess and Cruise Critic now have an "arrangement", I'm sure part of that arrangement is for Princess to ask their passengers to post on Cruise Critic. The more people posting to CC means more advertising dollars in their pocket.

[Thrak]

I don't know who your agent is. At one point, CC strongly recommended one agency. I don't know if they still do. Though - you mentioned your TA is prominently advertised on CC, I wonder if it is through google ads. Right now, I am seeing google ads on CC for non-cruise items that I am currently searching for to buy for Christmas gifts. I wonder if your agency comes up because you often search for them on google. Just speculating, could be wrong.

 

This sort of thing amazes me. I use Adblock Plus and have never seen any ads on Cruise Critic. Why anybody would put up with intrusive ads is beyond me.

 

I use Firefox as my browser and Adblock Plus is a free add on with over 20 million users. It is also available for other browsers such as Chrome.

[cruisequeen4ever]

I didn't get the email.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Coral]

Thrak - They are not annoying to me. They are off to the side, not blocking any content and are items I have searched and am considering buying. Every once in awhile I see a price drop that way.

Edited December 17, 2016 by Coral

[CruisinCouple2010]

Me too.

 

It says -

"Thank you for cruising with us this past year!" I haven't... but I do have a cruise booked next month. Weird.

 

We also received this same email was surprised.

[janetz]

Under "Find A Cruise" at the top of the page, you can go from there.

After you put in what your are looking for and click on the link that says check prices, there will be a CC banner at the top with a list of TA's

Edited December 17, 2016 by janetz

[hel0013]

I wonder if it is through google ads. Right now, I am seeing google ads on CC for non-cruise items that I am currently searching for to buy for Christmas gifts. I wonder if your agency comes up because you often search for them on google. Just speculating, could be wrong.

 

You're correct... This forum along with most every other FREE message forum uses DoubleClick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DoubleClick which monitors your internet activity... This is why you'll see the ads you've been seeing.

 

Mouse over one of the banner ads on this page and at the bottom of your browser you'll see the URL pointing at Google DoubleClick...

 

Nothing is free!

 

ON EDIT: Snipped from Wikipedia above

 

DoubleClick is often linked with the controversy over spyware because browser HTTP cookies are set to track users as they travel from website to website and record which commercial advertisements they view and select while browsing. DoubleClick has also been criticized for misleading users by offering an opt-out option that is effectively useless. According to a San Francisco IT consulting group, although the opt-out option affects cookies, DoubleClick does not allow users to opt out of IP address-based tracking. DoubleClick and MSN were shown serving malware via drive-by download exploits by a group of attackers for some time in December 2010.

Edited December 17, 2016 by hel0013

[USN59-79]

I don't know who your agent is. At one point, CC strongly recommended one agency. I don't know if they still do. Though - you mentioned your TA is prominently advertised on CC, I wonder if it is through google ads. Right now, I am seeing google ads on CC for non-cruise items that I am currently searching for to buy for Christmas gifts. I wonder if your agency comes up because you often search for them on google. Just speculating, could be wrong.

Look up to the top of this page at "Find a Cruise". Click on it and see "Sponsored Links". The one with the 90 day ticker is the one I am talking about. Has nothing to do with Google.

[OCruisers]

There was nothing in the email about positive posts or reviews - just "share your experiences".

.......

 

All we also got was the "Share Your Experiences" directly from Princess. Seems they want us to share our cruise experiences on Cruise Critic.

Actually, have no clue what this is all about.

Was this sent to everyone or just to those they know are members of Cruise Critic? :confused:

LuLu

Edited December 18, 2016 by OCruisers

[Bill B]

Interesting ties between companies. Cruise Critic is apparently owned by TripAdvisor and they insist that you don't discuss your TA. Yet my TA is prominently advertised on Cruise Critic. And now the marketing department at Princess is affiliated with Cruise Critic. Makes me take some of the advice I see here with a grain of salt.

 

I'm sure Cruise Critic doesn't really mind posters talking about TAs they are affiliated with and advertise on them. However, they have to ban discussion of TAs because you might talk about one who doesn't. Money, money, money!

[Bill B]

There was nothing in the email about positive posts or reviews - just "share your experiences".

 

While you are not admonished to write a positive review, click on the blue box with 'SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE' and see where it takes you.