Royal Champions

[Ship's Wake]

Can i first say thanks to CC for allowing a thread to discuss this issue.

 

Make no mistake there is some anger among members on here in relation to RCCL REWARDING members for championing their cause.

 

I have no problems with someone championing a cause but i feel CC must in someone way highlight these Champs so that the vast majority members can make a judgement on the views that these Champs post on.

 

 

CC didn't help matters when a number of threads were deleted or locked - which lead to people putting 2+2 and getting 5

 

Don't for one minute believe the utter nonsense that Champs don't get rewarded they do !!

 

jj......

 

Thus the following from Customer Insights, the creator of Royal Champions:

 

"Posts from Royal Champions are carefully monitored during events and on a regular basis to ensure that posts remain positive and frequent."

[Goldryder]

Fine....

 

CC invited Rick Sasso onto here to answer questions directly about MSC. I think the members here deserve to hear from the horse's mouth about this issue...

 

Get the CEO from Royal Caribbean and the CEO from the PR agency to clarify what they have been doing, what the RC is really all about and if the two articles are untrue, why they are not getting gagging orders for libel organised...they have had 24 hours to do so and so far nothing.

 

Time we had proof that nothing underhand was done by both the PR firm and RCI.

 

And yes, it does no favours to lock or make threads/posts vanish, it just builds suspicion of wrongdoing.

 

Edited...and no-one should email the CC staff or be invited to as that makes the whispering even worse and again invites suspicion. If the staff or anyone has a question about this mess, then let it be in public and not behind the veil of an email....anyone would think someone just got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

[SteveB48]

I'm not sure why I feel the need to jump in here. Must be a character flaw.

 

First of all. Everyone should be civil. No exceptions. Didn't we all learn this as young children?

 

Regarding Royal Champions, we should all keep in mind that the internet is a huge source of information AND a huge source of misinformation. There is no governing body that removes incorrect content. It's your job to sort out what's true and what's not, what you want to believe and what you don't. Just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's fact.

 

I'm a total Disney fan so I can go over to the Disney board and post a review of a trip on Disney Magic. Of course I've never actually seen the ship. I do know people that have gone and could probably get away with making up a review. It's on the internet so it's fact right?

 

Frankly I think we see people posting bogus reviews all the time just to get a reaction. It's our job to decide what we want to listen to. Don't look to the admins to enforce this. If the Royal Champions add something to their signatures that indentifies them maybe you'll read their posts in a different light. Great. What about my posts? Are they accurate? I'm not a RC. You still need to think and use your own judgement. You can't get off the hook for that one!

 

 

To the admins, you have a thankless job. Thank you.

 

Steve

[Cruiserccl]

Thus the following from Customer Insights, the creator of Royal Champions:

 

"Posts from Royal Champions are carefully monitored during events and on a regular basis to ensure that posts remain positive and frequent."

Do you really think RCCL has the time for that? Half the time at RCCL the left hand doesnt know what the right hand is doing.

[xpcdoojk]

And still the conspiracy believers continue to maintain their prejudice against the RCs. Sad....

 

I don't know most of the RCs, personally, (I do know them from a decade of posting in this forum and other places on the net) but for the most part they are far more trustworthy than those who believe they have been paid for and fully purchased. In fact, I would accept their statements as fact in most cases while the conspiracy theory crowd has virtually never been right about anything that I can remember. JMHO

 

jc

[coxswain]

Can you in all honesty not see a conflict of interests here? You want to promote the site as somewhere to shave views and reviews about cruise lines but at the same time you are allowing a PR firm to dictate (albeit indirectly) what is being posted.

 

 

Couldn't agree more Ally - CC should be free from outside interference !!

 

 

 

 

jj....

[Schplinky]

People are upset because they now realize that some of the reviews and comments about Royal Caribbean are "paid" opinions. This whole process stinks and reeks of manipulation.

 

Can you please point out these reviews that contain nothing but glowing comments? Everyone keeps saying that we're paid to post them (my check must be in the mail) but outside of making a lot of rude accusations, not one person here has pointed out an RC mis-representing the truth.

[cruisenfever]

reading this link This bothered me also, so when celia was saying she didnt know about what was going on i was like.. huh???

I am confused as to why we can't name travel industry sites, but allowing an Rc to work with and for rccl seems like a form of advertising imo

If I was working for RCI............I would expect a salary. Haven't seen a paycheck yet.:rolleyes:

 

People are upset because they now realize that some of the reviews and comments about Royal Caribbean are "paid" opinions. This whole process stinks and reeks of manipulation.

 

A recent Nielsen study shows that the form of advertising consumers trust most is recommendations from other customers. For the new poster on CC, they can easily be manipulated into choosing one line over another by this "word of mouth". In the case of Royal Caribbean on CC it is likely a paid for advertorial.

 

Sad.

There ya go again...............that word "paid". Please tell us how the RCs are paid.

 

You make it sound like being an RC gets us price reductions on cruises and freebees while on a cruise.:confused:

 

Let me tell you that we received a HUGE price reduction on our JS for our upcoming cruise on Radiance...............and it wasn't because I am an RC, it's because we received a Military Discount due to my husbands service in the USMC.

 

Can i first say thanks to CC for allowing a thread to discuss this issue.

 

Make no mistake there is some anger among members on here in relation to RCCL REWARDING members for championing their cause.

 

I have no problems with someone championing a cause but i feel CC must in someone way highlight these Champs so that the vast majority members can make a judgement on the views that these Champs post on.

 

 

CC didn't help matters when a number of threads were deleted or locked - which lead to people putting 2+2 and getting 5

 

Don't for one minute believe the utter nonsense that Champs don't get rewarded they do !!

 

 

 

jj......

Please tell us how the RCs are rewarded. You seem to know more about what the RCs get than the RCs themselves do. If being invited to a 2 night pre-inaugural is a reward...........then OK, maybe that is some kind of reward.

 

Why don't you aim some of your hostility at TAs, D+ Members, Corporate Sponsors and Media people that are also invited to sail on a pre-inaugural cruises............. it's these folks that make up the majority of the invitees.

[booze brothers]

I will say this one time.

September of 2008 I was asked to be a Royal Champion. That was it, no explanation except my name was selected with others.

Months later there was rumor we would "maybe" be chosen to do surveys, different things like that.

Some people went to NY for a movie/showing of the Oasis. I was happy it was not me as I could not afford that trip. :D

I was invited to the Liberty pre-inaugural in 2007 and I had to turn it down as I was moving. The gentleman who called me told me he would remember my name for the future.

I thought that was why I got this invite on the Mariner in February.

This article is as much of a surprise to me as it was to you. And, I do not believe I am the only RC person who feels like that.

And personally I don't care anymore who believes what.

I was brought up to be honest and I have always lived my live that way.

And now I am finished with this topic it is late.

 

 

Thank you Alex, I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

Nobody tells me what to say or do, (just ask my DH!) I think this has been blown way out of proportiion and it's sad.

 

Mimi

 

 

Royal Champion Member

[Let'sGo!]

I equate this to something I'm a member of called Buzz Agent. If you've never heard of it, I invite you to check out their website. You don't have to be handpicked. Anyone can join. In fact I heard about it on the radio.

 

As an agent - I get free products sent to me to try out. I'm supposed to try them out, give coupons for them to my friends and colleagues and "spread the buzz" about them. But - as an agent, it's drilled into my head that as part of my "buzz" I am to disclose that I am a Buzz Agent first and foremost and that I was given the product to test for free.

 

I've gotten some really good stuff - some very expensive stuff too. After the testing period I report back to the manufacturer what I thought of the product. Sometimes its good, sometimes it's not so good. But the whole time I'm telling my friends about it, I have to be completely honest about my review - that I was given the product for FREE as part of my participation with the company.

 

This whole Royal Champions thing to me is very similar. While I've seen these people on the boards and I've valued their opinions, I feel I should have known their relationship -- they were Buzz Agents! But the company that "hired" them - for lack of a better term - didn't feel it was important to pass on that hidden relationship.

 

I kind of feel like I was duped. Maybe I wasn't. Yes, maybe you guys feel like you have been honest and maybe you have. But you had a relationship with a company that basically gave you a product to try out for free and they told you no strings attached.... just give us some feedback go back and spread "the buzz" about it. So you did.

 

I know you don't understand why everyone is so upset about this - it's just sometimes being enlightened about something doesn't make it better. Like I said - I never really knew what Royal Champions meant. Now that I know - I feel kind of mislead. I came to this board looking for advice from everyday, average cruisers like me. I tend to cruise on RCCL and thought I was dealing with like-minded people. Now I find some of them get free cruises for their opinions. So maybe they're not so unbiased afterall.

 

Maybe you won't understand ever.

[xpcdoojk]

Couldn't agree more Ally - CC should be free from outside interference !!

 

 

 

 

jj....

 

Why? It is not a governmental body. It is a privately owned enterprise. They can do whatever they want, they can be influenced by whomever they want. Is liberty and freedom that abstract that you can't grasp it?

 

You can certainly wish for what you wish, but reality kicks wishes all over the school yard.

 

jc

[cruisenfever]

I guess now we have the Republicans, the Democrats, the Independents and now the Royal Champions...................what is this world coming too!!:eek:

[coxswain]

If being invited to a 2 night pre-inaugural is a reward...........then OK, maybe that is some kind of reward.

 

 

Nah

 

Definition of Reward - Something given or received in recompense for worthy behavior

 

Defintion of Champion - An ardent defender or supporter of a cause

 

 

Make up your own minds folks - i'm sure many of us would like a free 2 night pre-inaugural !!

 

 

 

 

jj.......

[xpcdoojk]

I am thinking of a few definitions as well, but I will keep them to myself in favor of international harmony. :p

 

jc

[critterchick]

I'm not surprised that so many people think they are being swayed in some brainwashing fashion by such a small number of Royal Champions. Look how many CCers are falling all over themselves to take a stuffed blue bear on a cruise.:p

 

I'm an RC and have never given it much thought; have always thought it was an inconsequential designation. I have no internal or external censor that stops me from saying critical things (not always a good thing).

 

I loved being invited on a free cruise on Liberty. It was an opportunity for me to try out a ship that I wouldn't have paid to travel on. And I still won't (too big, and, although there are many cool things to do onboard, that's not why I cruise), so perhaps that particular invitation backfired on them. On the other hand, if somebody with kids asked me if they should do it, I would probably say yes, from the first hand experience of seeing what there is for them. I don't think that makes me a shill for the line, does it?

[Bruin Steve]

This came up on the Oceania board here the other day...

I'll just repost the material portion of what I posted there:

 

>>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 cruising 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...<<

[Ladder55]

Couldn't agree more Ally - CC should be free from outside interference !!

 

 

 

 

jj....

 

again how is this rccl's fault, this is not their website..or is it?

it was known by the owner and allowed, rccl is not at fault. they may or may not have implemented this Rc idea but the bottom line is this idea of RC's was allowed here from the admin /owners or whatever ya call them

just my opinion

[Atomica]

I think the whole thing is sort of smarmy and underhanded.

 

I just took my first Royal Caribbean cruise - and I had a good time! I read good reviews, and I read bad reviews, and I still managed to have a good time.

 

As a new RCI cruiser, the part that bothers me is that Royal Caribbean apparently thinks so little of its own onboard experience that it feels it has to give people perks in return for writing continuously glowing, overly positive reviews - like without them, there would be no good reviews.

 

I don't think the issue is that RCI gave certain people perks, freebies or special invites that people care about. Lots of us have gotten little perks or freebies from time to time. The part that whips people up, and makes me a little angry, is that they were given those IN RETURN for positive reviews. I believe the technical term for that is a bribe.

 

The worst part of all of this is how it has whipped people up on this board - that would be your customers, Royal Caribbean...the people you DON'T have to bribe to write something decent about your company.

[Schplinky]

I am thinking of a few definitions as well, but I will keep them to myself in favor of international harmony. :p

 

jc

 

Hey, you're not supposed to be funny here. This is a thread for the angry and indignant who would have refused any offer in order to protect their integrity!!! Well, except for that one indignant fellow who has finally admitted what he's so upset about.

 

It's a lot of jealous noise with no substance behind it. Nobody seems willing to point out how the RCs posting behavior has changed (because it hasn't), they just point out that we're paid (we're not) over and over and the newbies believe them. Most of the newer batch of RCs got the title and that was it and so they have received no perks but a lot of criticism from some very vocal people who don't believe their fellow posters but who love being quoted in Ms. Potter's blog, for some reason (is tha a perk?). If any of these people (who clearly did not get invited to enough birthday parties as children) want my title, they're welcome to it.

 

I've been a member of CC for about 4 years and in that time, it seems that there has been this coup by the nasty people that makes staying less palatable. If someone says they like something, they're a cheerleader. If someone complains and complains and complains, they are just "telling it like it is." I actually read one of these people's posts last night saying that they "only believe the negative reviews." That's a sad life to live.

 

About once a year I find the need to take a break from CC. I think I feel one coming on soon. Some of the original RCs don't even post at all anymore (guess their paychecks will be stopped :) ) because of the constant attacks by a few folks. I think I will join them.

 

Nobody minds discussing cruises or why someone would have an opinion about some aspect of a cruise but when the same same people jump on you whenever you post (unless, of course you are agreeing with them), it gets old. If you don't take up their arguments, then those same people say that since you don't post, you must obviuosly be admitting something.

 

For me, it's an admission that I'm just tired of it all.

 

As you will see in my signature, I sail RCL but also other lines (shocking that I was not required to remove that information as part of the conspiracy) and I have to say, the boards for those lines are nothing like this one. Sure, there are a few malcontents but this really takes the cake.

[Goldryder]

Level the playing field. Disband the RC 'club', have CC and RCI disassociate themselves from it completely...an apology for being misleading would be good too, but might be a step too far.

 

The site here is not a business, it is an informal place to chat about cruising. So why run it like a business by inviting companies to sponsor it and actively encourage shady advertising through schemes like this RCI one?

 

It is big enough to stand on its own two feet...get rid of the corporate strings and everything that goes with it. Surely it should be an open and honest site where people can say what they want (within reason - courtesy etc rather than outright nastiness) and let people share their experiences without the doubt about whether or not others are paid in kind with freebee cruises etc.

 

I say again....staff and owners of sites like these should never accept free cruises just because they own or admin a discussion site, that only feeds the cruise lines with more reason to have rules bent to suit their agenda...in this case RCI employing a PR agency to do some pretty shifty things and with the cruise line's permission.

[cruisenfever]

Level the playing field. Disband the RC 'club', have CC and RCI disassociate themselves from it completely...an apology for being misleading would be good too, but might be a step too far.

 

The site here is not a business, it is an informal place to chat about cruising. So why run it like a business by inviting companies to sponsor it and actively encourage shady advertising through schemes like this RCI one?

 

It is big enough to stand on its own two feet...get rid of the corporate strings and everything that goes with it. Surely it should be an open and honest site where people can say what they want (within reason - courtesy etc rather than outright nastiness) and let people share their experiences without the doubt about whether or not others are paid in kind with freebee cruises etc.

 

I say again....staff and owners of sites like these should never accept free cruises just because they own or admin a discussion site, that only feeds the cruise lines with more reason to have rules bent to suit their agenda...in this case RCI employing a PR agency to do some pretty shifty things and with the cruise line's permission.

If you get rid of the corporate sponsors..............then you can say goodbye to Cruise Critic.

 

It's those sponsors that keep this place up and running.

[Schplinky]

 

The site here is not a business, it is an informal place to chat about cruising. So why run it like a business ...

 

Um, what? It is a business. It's owned by Tripadvisor and has actual expenses. Do you not notice the advertising on each and every page? Do you really think this just happens out of someone's basement?

[coxswain]

The part that whips people up, and makes me a little angry, is that they were given those IN RETURN for positive reviews. I believe the technical term for that is a bribe.

 

The worst part of all of this is how it has whipped people up on this board - that would be your customers, Royal Caribbean...the people you DON'T have to bribe to write something decent about your company.

 

 

Couldn't agree more - there is an easy way to meet in the middle CC could highlight the Champs then us as members could make up our own minds with their posts !!

 

It would make it a bit more above board !!

 

 

jj.....

[glgolfer]

It's interesting o see who has and has not posted on this forum from the posts on the main board.

 

I'm still waiting on an answer to my question as to who might be getting paid or in some way compensated by someone looking to write a story. That makes as much sense to me as the RCs getting paid. Why aren't some of the posters attacking us being questioned as to their motives?

 

BTW, I'm like all the other RCs and still waiting for my first paycheck.

 

And I seem to remember the Liberty was filled with TAs, Diamond Plus C&A menbers and the media. Everyone is making it sound like we had the ship to ourselves.

 

In the 2 years we've been RCs, RCI has never contacted us to say we're not posting enough or we need to post more positive comments.

 

I know it's a losing battle as the prejudice and bias demonstrated by some posters on here will never be overcome. They know we're shills and they're the only ones that know the "truth". Their minds are closed and nothing will convince them otherwise.

 

As they have said, all things posted on the internet should be taken with a grain of salt. I do think that applies to their posts as well.

[cruisenfever]

It's a lot of jealous noise with no substance behind it. Nobody seems willing to point out how the RCs posting behavior has changed (because it hasn't), they just point out that we're paid (we're not) over and over and the newbies believe them. Most of the newer batch of RCs got the title and that was it and so they have received no perks but a lot of criticism from some very vocal people who don't believe their fellow posters but who love being quoted in Ms. Potter's blog, for some reason (is tha a perk?). If any of these people (who clearly did not get invited to enough birthday parties as children) want my title, they're welcome to it.

 

Yep, I'm in the newer group and have only received an invite to attend the Oasis preview in NYC last fall. Couldn't make it as we had other plans. Certainly wasn't a "free" cruise.

 

Anybody who takes anything that Ms. Potter writes as gospel is not doing their research very well.