Does HAL have Champions?

[u4ea]

If you go to cruise bruise dot com (one word) and click on the story, there is much to read on the subject. Please don't comment on this post as it is just for information sharing, and I don't think it's allowed on CC.:cool:

I enjoy CC, but it's not real life and nothing here should be taken too seriously.;)

Mark...

[AZjohn]

OK, I guess I will finally voice my opinion about this, even though nobody probably gives a rip:rolleyes: (lol).

 

Like some, this whole exposure of the “Royal Champions” on CC caught me off guard. Because of this I wanted to basically know if this is wide spread beyond RCCL, so this is why I started this thread, to ask the CC members that I have known the longest.

I guess I would sum up my feelings today as “the age of innocence” is over. Do I care if companies do this? Not really. If this is how they need to find new clients then this tells me they do not have a strong enough product to stand on (desperate measures for desperate people).

 

If you look at my list of previous cruises you will see that I enjoyed checking out different cruise lines to see the differences. I have no loyalty to any of them and could tell you each cruise I have taken I enjoyed. Some more than others, but I maybe cruise for different reasons than others (I go for itineraries over ship amenities/entertainment). You will also see that my upcoming cruise this summer states “I miss HAL”, which is my own opinion and wasn’t put on there to sway anyone on which cruise line they should enjoy.

 

Bottom line is I personally have made a decision to avoid sailing on RCCL again due to this market scheme they so boldly came up with. But that’s my own personal decision and should have nothing to do with anyone else’s choices.

 

So, lets get back to some more pressing issues such as trays, smoking, staff, dinning, tips, entertainment, and code red (lol… sorry, just had to go there:rolleyes:…lol).

 

Have a great day!

John

[Copper10-8]

You just can't go expecting the Spanish Inquisition.

 

No one expects The Spanish Inquisition!!!!!

 

Their chief weapon is perks and free cruises

 

TWO

 

Their TWO chief weapons are PERKS....FREE CRUIsES....and an almost fanatical devotion to RCCL..

 

THREE *LOL*

 

 

"an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, and nice red uniforms!".......................

I'll come in again!;)

 

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Arizona John, thanks very much for bringing this issue to our attention. If you hadn't posted this thread, I would never have known about RCCL's "Champions" program. The whole situation validates what I have long suspected, that there is a nice, cozy relationship between RCCL, its subsidiary cruise lines, and Cruise Critic.

[whogo]

Not a HAL cheerleader by any means, the meet and greet I arranged received cookies, coffee and water. Now I wonder about the meet and greets that get fancy hors d'oeuvres. Was cheer leading being rewarded?

 

It seems like pretty cheap marketing for Royal Caribbean. I am not surprised that they or any other cruise line would do it. I also expect Cruise Critic to favor cruise lines over posters. The cruise lines advertise on CC, the posters don't.

[whogo]

Not a HAL cheerleader by any means, the meet and greet I arranged received cookies, coffee and water. Now I wonder about the meet and greets that get fancy hors d'oeuvres. Was cheer leading being rewarded?

Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining. It was lovely with the hotel manager and cruise director making appearances.

[anchorage1977]

I wouldn't put it past them to try... every PR department wants to produce the best positive image.

 

I take comfort that on the internet, of all places, "A good idea is a good idea because it's a good idea." With enough honest posters, the weighted truth eventually wins. Besides, there are enough individual unpaid posters who have differences of opinion or experience. When a consensus is formed, that's when I feel these boards are most helpful in answering questions.

[RuthC]

I guess I would sum up my feelings today as “the age of innocence” is over.

Agreed. It's one thing if a cruiseline notices a particular poster, and throws an unsolicited bennie (or two) his/her way, as a gesture of thanks.

It's another thing entirely if there has been a "meeting of the minds" that a "tit for tat" relationship between the poster and cruiseline is established. In that case the credibility of everything the poster says is now suspect.

 

To sell your honor for a few bennies is sad, but that's what Royal Champions means to me.

[cmdchiefthom]

Interesting thread. I just wanted to put my two cents in the mix. I've been coming here for somewhere close to nine years because I assumed this site was the place to go for info from cruisers about cruising. It seems to me that when you add compensation into the mix, it compromises the integrity of the information and even the personal opinions of those receiving the compensation. It may be a simplistic view, but its just the way I see this issue. ;)

[usha]

I understand that HAL, not to be outdone by RCCL, is going to introduce their version of "Royal Champions".

They'll be called "HAL Hos";).

[HAL_PR]

Hi All~ I am a PR mgr. at HAL and will be chiming in here from time to time. I want to assure everyone that we do not have paid evangelists on any boards. I'll always post my name so you know I'm with the company.

 

SarahatHAL

[Copper10-8]

Hi All~ I am a PR mgr. at HAL and will be chiming in here from time to time. I want to assure everyone that we do not have paid evangelists on any boards. I'll always post my name so you know I'm with the company.

 

SarahatHAL

 

Thanks for clearing that one up Sara!:) Until the next one!;)

[AZjohn]

Hi All~ I am a PR mgr. at HAL and will be chiming in here from time to time. I want to assure everyone that we do not have paid evangelists on any boards. I'll always post my name so you know I'm with the company.

 

SarahatHAL

 

Sorry, but joke or not????? (your first post)

[u4ea]

I want to assure everyone that we do not have paid evangelists on any boards.

 

SarahatHAL

 

Would you like to hire one????

 

 

Just kidding;) Thanks for posting.:cool:

Mark...

[HAL_PR]

Sorry, but joke or not????? (your first post)

No joke.

[usha]

well, that, and it does answer the musical question:

"Sarah HAL PR manager in the house?":)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Sorry, but joke or not????? (your first post)

John I am sorry but I am taking Sarah at face value. HAL has never needed to post officially till now. I doubt seriously anyone would come in and post who they were and their position with HAL if it were not true. HAL could easily contact CC and have it removed. Like they have in the past with such things as what officer was on what ship. So until that does happen I tend to believe she is honestly from HAL's PR.

[AZjohn]

John I am sorry but I am taking Sarah at face value. HAL has never needed to post officially till now. I doubt seriously anyone would come in and post who they were and their position with HAL if it were not true. HAL could easily contact CC and have it removed. Like they have in the past with such things as what officer was on what ship. So until that does happen I tend to believe she is honestly from HAL's PR.

Hi Lisa,

OK, as I stated before I will take someone word on the interenet until proven wrong. I persoanly feel better about things here on the HAL board. It just sucks this whole thing came up (if you know what I mean).

Thanks,

John

[jtl513]

Sorry, but joke or not????? (your first post)

Just the fact that it says "Public Relations Manager, Holland America Line" under her HAL_PR username instead of one of the standard group designations (Cool Cruiser, Blue Ribbon Cruiser, etc) tells me that she is not just a troll coming in, and has made a special arrangement with the CC moderators or other powers that be! :)

 

Hi Sarah - thanks for your info. :) :)

[rochelle_s]

I would just like to welcome HAL_PR here to CC. Personally I hope to be able to read a lot of posts from her. How refreshing it will be to have an officially sanctioned response from someone at HAL on some of these threads that are just rife with speculation and assumptions.

 

I appreciate and enjoy reading the posts on CC from DutchByAssociation and reading the DBA blog, but DBA can only answer so much as they are here in an an unofficial capacitity as stated by DBA, here for their love of cruising and HAL.

 

So welcome aboard Sarah. Glad to see you here!

 

Rochelle

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Just the fact that it says "Public Relations Manager, Holland America Line" under her HAL_PR username instead of one of the standard group designations (Cool Cruiser, Blue Ribbon Cruiser, etc) tells me that she is not just a troll coming in, and has made a special arrangement with the CC moderators or other powers that be! :)

 

Hi Sarah - thanks for your info. :)

Good catch John :) I knew it looked different :D

And Yes I too want to Welcome Sarah which I did not :o We do sincerely appreciate any contributions you can give to the board.

[sail7seas]

Hi Sarah and Welcome.

 

Very happy to read your post.

Thank you for it.

 

[pipedreams62]

[HAL_PR]

I would just like to welcome HAL_PR here to CC. Personally I hope to be able to read a lot of posts from her. How refreshing it will be to have an officially sanctioned response from someone at HAL on some of these threads that are just rife with speculation and assumptions.

 

I appreciate and enjoy reading the posts on CC from DutchByAssociation and reading the DBA blog, but DBA can only answer so much as they are here in an an unofficial capacitity as stated by DBA, here for their love of cruising and HAL.

 

So welcome aboard Sarah. Glad to see you here!

 

Rochelle

Thanks for the welcome. I understand the skepticism of course, but I look forward to contributing to the conversation.

 

SarahatHAL

[AZjohn]

Thanks for the welcome. I understand the skepticism of course, but I look forward to contributing to the conversation.

 

SarahatHAL

 

Hi Sarah,

 

I apologize for my brief “joke or not” reply to you and appreciate your understanding of a little skepticism on my part (I’m a little shell shock over this Royal Champion thing:o).

So I too would like to welcome you and hope my thread hasn’t caused too much concern over at HAL’s headquarters. I also appreciate your strait honest forward statement about not having any paid evangelist on any boards (I like that term you used;)).

I hope you stay a little longer here on the HAL board after you put out the little fire we have right now on Cruise Critic:rolleyes:.

Thanks,

John