RCCL Viral Marketing Strategy Exposed

[CruseKrazy]

Here is an interesting live thread from Royal Caribbean board I though I would post here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=944422

 

Read it quick before it goes poof. Makes you wonder. :eek:

[freckles1]

8:45 pm Ca time, got an error message when I tried to bring it up. Looked on the Royal Caribbean board but couldn't find anything with a similar title.

 

Wish that this type of info was allowed to stay posted so that the viewers could decide if the info is valid or not.

[Bruin Steve]

Well...let me see...I know what it's all about...because I guess I am one of the evil chosen ones...

 

It's all wonderful fodder for the conspiracy theorists...the ones who think the moon landing was faked...the US Government is holding captured space creatures in a hangar in the Nevada desert...that the Bush Administration was behind the World Trade Center bombings...and so on...

 

Here's what it is: Royal Caribbean decided that these message boards were important...so they started reading them...and they decided to "reward" some of their loyal cruisers who also happen to frequent these boards...It's called good PR...

 

My big reward is that I was invited to be a guest on the one-night Mariner of the Seas West Coast Pre-Inaugural...

 

I really appreciate it...

 

3,800 people on board...about 3,300 of them were travel agents...then there were a couple hundred media types...then there were a lot of "Diamond Plus" Crown and Anchor members, a lot of whom were staying on after doing as many as 53 straight days on board coming around the Horn of South America...Then, they filled some remaining spots with some of us...EVERYBODY onboard was "comped"...

 

In exchange for this, I have NEVER been asked for a single thing by Royal Caribbean...

I AM a Diamond Crown and Anchor member...

But I also cruise quite a bit on six other cruise lines...

My last cruise before this was on Princess...

My next cruise is on Oceania...

 

NOBODY has ever told me what to post on these message boards...

When I post, I am just completely honest...

I happen to like Royal Caribbean...I also like Celebrity...

But, I also like Oceania...

I like different lines for different situations...and, when asked on these boards, I will recommend them for different reasons...For some people, Royal Caribbean isn't the right cruise line...AND, for some, Oceania isn't the right cruise line...

 

If someone posts on these boards that they are a 30-something family sruising for their Summer vacation with a couple of kids...and they're considering Royal Caribbean, NCL and Carnival...Well, sure, I will strongly recommend Royal Caribbean for those folks--It's the best product of those three...I certainly will never recommend Carnival...I don't think Carnival is a very good product...

 

But, I've been telling people this LONG BEFORE anyone at RCI ever invited me on anything...and I base such advice on my own experience, not on getting some sort of freebie out of RCI...

 

I do not feel I've been compromised in the least...

 

Well, some folks have caught on to this and have been plastering these boards with this conspiracy stuff...I think some of them are jealous they haven't been asked...

 

Well, you know something? Cruise lines reward passengers they "like" in many ways...and it's not necessarily fair...They "upgrade" some passengers...They invite some passengers to dine at the "Captain's Table"...Are they "compromising" those folks when they post on Cruise Critic? Should we all disclose every "freebie we've ever gotten from any cruise line?

 

Well, let me say right now that I've also been given special extras (like Captain's Table honors) not given to other passengers on Celebrity as well...and, believe it or not, on CARNIVAL!

 

I think everyone needs to calm down a little on this...There is no great conspiracy here...It's just good PR by a cruise line trying to keep their good customers happy...

 

Oh, yeah...the corporate guys at Oceania have been pretty nice to me as well...

 

When it really comes to it, I expect every cruise line I sail to treat me well...Why? Because I am a good paying customer who, if treated well, will keep on booking return cruises...Think the cruise lines know this? Of course they do...

[brian_uk]

Steve

 

Over the last few years we have disagreed over many things but I must say I have always respected you in your views (wrong many of them may be).....just a joke.

 

I do not think that for one second anything you have said here has been because you have been comped, upgraded or even had a meal at the Captains Table and frankly anyone that thinks that is daft.

 

Jean and I have NEVER had any of those offers and I still state my case as I see it and often annoy various people.....but I am British and we are allowed.

 

Good luck to you and your views

 

Brian

[cruiseyguy]

Since everyone has a screen name how do they find you to extend an invitation?

[Bruin Steve]

Since everyone has a screen name how do they find you to extend an invitation?

 

They simply ask the owners of the message board who then confidentially ask you if you would consent to disclosing your name and email address to the cruise line. The cruise line then contacts you by email.You can decline to disclose the info if you wish and cruisecritic will uphold your confidentiality.

 

BTW, aside from the initial contact and the invite to the Pre-Inaugural, I have had no other contact with the folks at RCI who arrange this. They have never asked for anything in return.

 

Brian, I think we really agree on more things than you think...but, ah, yes, there are some issues where YOU have it wrong, but just don't seem to know it yet... ;) ;)

[Paul123]

I loved that little bit of banter between you two.

I can add that I have been asked by HAL's PR people to a lunch on board the Eurodam immediately before it's inaugural cruise (which I wasn't on BTW). I think there were maybe 1500 people asked including the trade, local dignitaries and yes good old loyal customers who have had many days cruising with the line. I understand the PR company selected us on a regional basis, those living in the general area of where the ship was positioned at the time.

We were certainly not asked to shout the praises of HAL but I do know that on these boards many did by praising HAL for a great day aboard the Eurodam in Southampton.

As a quite regular user of RCCL's ships I wouldn't think they would need to do anything underhand to attract attention to their product as they are a well supported company with many many repeat customers proving the point.

[CruseKrazy]

8:45 pm Ca time, got an error message when I tried to bring it up. Looked on the Royal Caribbean board but couldn't find anything with a similar title.

 

Wish that this type of info was allowed to stay posted so that the viewers could decide if the info is valid or not.

 

 

Here is a link to the MSNBC story that set this discussion off:

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29554810/

 

I suppose the board police have not noticed this cross post yet. Once they do, I guess my chances of being invited to be a Royal Champion are diminshed. LOL.

 

Sarcasm aside, I had always thought that CruiseCritic was an industry sponsored site but never thought that the posted content from individuals was in any way "industry speak". Yeah, I'm jealous. ;)

 

Dave

[CruseKrazy]

Well...let me see...I know what it's all about...because I guess I am one of the evil chosen ones...

 

It's all wonderful fodder for the conspiracy theorists...the ones who think the moon landing was faked...the US Government is holding captured space creatures in a hangar in the Nevada desert...that the Bush Administration was behind the World Trade Center bombings...and so on...

 

Here's what it is: Royal Caribbean decided that these message boards were important...so they started reading them...and they decided to "reward" some of their loyal cruisers who also happen to frequent these boards...It's called good PR......

 

Thanks for coming clean and explaining how this works Steve. We are all adults here (I think) so we take others' opinions with a grain of salt.

 

I too like RCI and I like Oceania. They are different animals, satisfy different needs and have different price points. I would love to try Princess, Celebrity and Azamara and know that I will like them all when I do.

 

When I first decide on trying a new cruise line, I want to know the facts more then peoples opinions. Does the line have freestyle dining? what about formal nights? Can you bring alcohol on board. Price, Itineraries etc? Once I have tentatively decided then I look for affirmation from others about the quality of the food and service.

 

One last point. Do you have to be a Bruins' fan to qualify to be a Royal Champion? Is there any hope for a Senators' fan? :)

 

Dave

[shoshona2]

Hi Steve,

 

Congratulations! You deserved that free night on the Mariner of the Seas and don't let anyone make you feel quilty! Over the past several years, I have enjoyed reading your comments and your opinions. I often ask you if you have a day job since most of them are very long.

 

Happy cruising.

 

Sheila

[lovecruisingtoo]

 

One last point. Do you have to be a Bruins' fan to qualify to be a Royal Champion? Is there any hope for a Senators' fan? :)

 

Dave

 

Remember, Bruins (actually Ruins) are second only to the Trojans.

[Bruin Steve]

Remember, Bruins (actually Ruins) are second only to the Trojans.

 

Only in Football...but only there for the past 8 years and during ancient times before I was born...

 

Trojans are maybe 9th or 10th in the State of California when it comes to the more important areas--like ACADEMICS...and have been for about 90 years running at last count...

 

BTW, do you know the entrance exam to get ino USC?

Spell USC...

You have to get 2 out of 3 right to get in...

 

Oh yeah, for you educationally deprived prophylactics, it's "Bruins"...If you own a dictionary, you'll find it under "B"... That's one of the letters right near the front...right after "A"...It means bears...You know the big brown furry animal Mommy took you to the zoo to see..."Trojans" on the other hand have two meanings: A brand name prophylactic device or an ancient people dumb enough to be tricked into defeat by wily Greeks hiding in a big fake horse...Take your pick...

 

:) :) :)

[brian_uk]

" BTW, do you know the entrance exam to get ino USC?

Spell USC...

You have to get 2 out of 3 right to get in..."

 

Interestingly, or maybe not, but there was an occasion at Cambridge University in the Uk where the Entrance Exam was a single question and the Students were given 3 hours to put in their answer.

The Question was.......

 

What is Confidence ?

 

One Student completed the paper in 10 seconds with a 2 word answer and handed it in and was given a place. His answer was

 

THIS IS

 

Brian

[lcand1923]

KruseCrazy,

Thanks for posting the link. I got an error screen and wondered what was the meaning of the post.

 

Bruin Steve,

Thanks for your explanation. I always enjoy your posts.

 

Anyone who follows these boards forms their own opinion of the various posters - likes, dislikes, cruise line boosters, cruise line haters, etc. Based upon the opinion you form, you decide whose post matters to you. In other words, which poster has requirements most like yours.

 

I'm surprised that this is a new program. I always figured that every cruise line did this sort of thing for their posters, just like they do it for their travel agents, frequent cruisers, etc.

[Bruin Steve]

" BTW, do you know the entrance exam to get ino USC?

Spell USC...

You have to get 2 out of 3 right to get in..."

 

Interestingly, or maybe not, but there was an occasion at Cambridge University in the Uk where the Entrance Exam was a single question and the Students were given 3 hours to put in their answer.

The Question was.......

 

What is Confidence ?

 

One Student completed the paper in 10 seconds with a 2 word answer and handed it in and was given a place. His answer was

 

THIS IS

 

Brian

 

I like that one Brian, I will have to remember it...

 

Reminds me of a story I once heard while studying Physics at UCLA. The story goes that a particular professor gave a final exam in which one of the questions was "Using a barometer, how would you measure the height of a tall building?"

 

Of course, the answer the professor wanted had something to do with the differences in barometric pressure at different elevations. There is actually a formula for that.

 

But, one particular student explained that there were, in fact, several methods:

 

1) Take the barometer to the top of the building and drop it off. Measure the amount of time necessary for the barometer to hit the ground. Using the formula for the acceleration of a falling object, one can back into the height of the building.

 

2) On a sunny day, set the barometer down near the building. Measure the height of the barometer and the length of its shadow...and the length of the building's shadow...Using the ratio height of barometer/length of barometer shadow equals x/length of building shadow, you can solve for the height of the building.

 

3) Go to the top of the building with the barometer. Tie the barometer to a ball of string and lower the barometer, by the string, to the ground. Hoist the barometer back up and measure the length of string used.

 

4) Scale the side of the building with the barometer and a pencil. Mark off each length of the barometer along the side of the building. Then measure the length of the barometer, count the pencil marks and multiply one by the other, giving you the height of the building.

 

I seem to recall there were about eight more, each more inane than the last, all using the barometer for some purpose other than to measure barometric pressure.

 

The student was awarded an "A". His answers were all technically correct.

[meow!]

Answer #1 is wrong. The student has not thought of the effect of air/wind resistance.

[Bruin Steve]

Answer #1 is wrong. The student has not thought of the effect of air/wind resistance.

 

Air/wind resistance would result in minor or immaterial inaccuracy considering the weight of the barometer and the likely relatively short distance to travel. Greater inacuracy would be due to the reflexes of the person holding the stopwatch. Of course the question never said it had to be a completely accurate measurement. So, I would argue that the answer is still correct.

[brian_uk]

You could of course physically measure the height of one floor, multiply that by the number of floors and write the answer on the back of the barometer.

 

Clearly none of us have anything better to do with our lives.

 

Brian

[St. Louis]

Only in Football...but only there for the past 8 years and during ancient times before I was born...

 

Trojans are maybe 9th or 10th in the State of California when it comes to the more important areas--like ACADEMICS...and have been for about 90 years running at last count...

 

BTW, do you know the entrance exam to get ino USC?

Spell USC...

You have to get 2 out of 3 right to get in...

 

Oh yeah, for you educationally deprived prophylactics, it's "Bruins"...If you own a dictionary, you'll find it under "B"... That's one of the letters right near the front...right after "A"...It means bears...You know the big brown furry animal Mommy took you to the zoo to see..."Trojans" on the other hand have two meanings: A brand name prophylactic device or an ancient people dumb enough to be tricked into defeat by wily Greeks hiding in a big fake horse...Take your pick...

 

:) :) :)

The only problem is that UCLA and USC are in California. Get your shots before you go.

[Leonid]

Brian_UK: Your posts never cease to amaze me - in a positive sense. There will always be an England - unless Gordon Brown pervails.

 

Bruin Steve: A thin skinned person tends not to survive for too long. Lighten up on those pax. who believe that USC will dominate UCLA for years to come. And this is from someone who matriculated back East.

[brian_uk]

Leonid

 

How kind of you to say that..........I have gone quite Red..........even though I know I deserve the praise.......lol.

 

Nothing you can ever say will change BruinSteve and his comments, but power to his elbow, he always has a point to make. Better him than those people who tot up posts by saying "I agree with what you say" totally pointless in my not so humble opinion.

 

Brian

[CruseKrazy]

To their credit, CruiseCritic has put a sticky up on the RC board explaining the history of the Royal Champions program. After 1500 posts, I think the subject has now exhausted itself:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=944526

 

Dave :)