Royal Champions

[Schplinky]

And the fact that you didn't realize it, and still don't feel manipulated, just shows how good they were at it.

 

You haven't allowed for another possibility:

 

Don't frigging care!!!

[PH8]

TRANSPARENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[sorry, I just wanted to be the one to say it for once.]

Sorry,you got it wrong.............supposed to quote WITHOUT my name;)(like I did to see you)

[Schplinky]

Sorry' date='you got it wrong.............supposed to quote WITHOUT my name;)(like I did to see you)[/quote']

 

It's like the new math. It will take me a while to catch on.

[PH8]

It's like the new math. It will take me a while to catch on.

I understand......;) dont worry,you'll catch on.

[Schplinky]

I understand......;) dont worry,you'll catch on.

 

I caught on the other day when I decided not to post on this thread. Obviously I have broken that rule!!! Oops. It was nice being off, though. I spent the time booking a cruise.

[glgolfer]

in fairness to anita, she did say she forgot with eberything going on and she did apologize. which i appreciate.

[5waldos]

You haven't allowed for another possibility:

 

Don't frigging care!!!

 

You understand what was done and don't care- that is perfectly fine. But not caring is one thing-refusing to believe that it was going on is quite another.

[xpcdoojk]

It's NOT about any of you individually. The article actually reads as if you Royal Champions were dupes of the marketing strategy in a way yourselves.

 

Maybe a better word is manipulated.

 

And you are, according to RCCL, monitored to see if you are responding to the gift of a special name...by manipulating the rest of us.

 

RCCL marketing did no one..the Royal Champions, Cruise Critic, the rest of us...or themselves... any favor by congratulating themselves on all this in print.

 

Poor person here had to create a new id.... lol

 

so much for transparency. lol

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

As a travel blogger, Royal Champion, and first time cruisecritic.com poster, I take exception to the implication / accusation that Royal Champions are encouraged to mislead others.

 

I was invited to spend 2 days on Liberty of the Seas. I did and then I wrote about my experience. I've also been invited to various resorts and shared my experiences there. It's just smart marketing if you're confident you have a good product (and it helps to be a Seth Godin fan) - get the 'sneezers' to experience your product and hope they talk about it.

 

The only difference is that RCI came up with the Royal Champion title and the resorts never had a special name for the people they invite.

 

I think people are getting too caught up with the Royal Champion title.

 

ouch another... lol

 

jc

[Schplinky]

You understand what was done and don't care- that is perfectly fine. But not caring is one thing-refusing to believe that it was going on is quite another.

 

Or being obsessed is yet another. Thank goodness spring is here, we can all open the windows and get some fresh air.

[Schplinky]

Poor person here had to create a new id.... lol

 

so much for transparency. lol

 

jc

 

 

You're not supposed to notice!!!! At least most have had the good grace to post under their own screen names. That does lead to another line of thought. If we're all paid shills, why would we not just change our screen names and keep up with our sugar coating. I know that the next time I tell someone that dinner is at 6 and 8:30, I'm going to be questioning my own deeper motivations.

[Schplinky]

in fairness to anita, she did say she forgot with eberything going on and she did apologize. which i appreciate.

 

She's busy with what? Being a journalist is her job, no?

[xpcdoojk]

Just guessing -- but locking a short thread might mean it didn't stay around very long on the front page, and if you only read the OP, you wouldn't have learned anything without reading more posts (often that's as far as I go to determine my interest level) -- even some of the posts there seemed a bit "muddy." Heck, I didn't see the original thread on this bruhaha, started around Feb 21st, and locked a few days later, because I was on a cruise, and only began to read about it a couple of nights ago, when threads were flying off the board in lightening speed.

 

You are definitely in violation of the community rules discussing why or why not a thread was locked. That is how you get poofed and threads locked, for such a smart lawyer, I would have thought you would have figured this out like a month after you joined. :rolleyes: Since a thread is locked, there were probably posts that were removed therefore going back in history is not necessarily the truth as your twisted mind would imagine. Just a thought for the smart lawyer.:rolleyes:

 

jc

[hazence]

I have read much of this thread, and periodically participated. Here on page 45 or whatever, several things continue to astonish me. One is the total refusal to incorporate the science of what was done into your understanding. By ignoring it people can go on saying that they were in no way influenced and believe themselves. The fact that you are all human and your human nature works like the rest of us humans is not a character flaw. And my pointing it out to you is not an insult.

 

The second thing is the complete denial by some that the company was intentionally doing this, despite their own words. And as far as what they are saying in response to this bruhaha- sorry but you have to define that as spin. They are trying to put out flames and doing their best to be sure that you, some of their best customers and certainly some of their more vocal customers, don't get angry at them for using you. Because without your permission that is what they did. You were manipulated, using well known scientific principles. And the fact that you didn't realize it, and still don't feel manipulated, just shows how good they were at it.

 

I agree with this post.

 

and as for this post:

 

"Not so much. I kept posting the same way I always had (I know that's impossible for some to believe) and I got a free two nighter.

 

I wonder if any of the ethical cops here ever got invited to the Captain's Table on a sailing (I haven't in 15 cruises), would they say "oh, that's an honor but I'm trying desperately to preserve my legitimacy for an internet chat board and I fear that my integrity would be challenged later by people I never met."

 

May I respectfully point out to a poster I've enjoyed reading for years...anyone dining at the Captain's table ..PAID FOR his meal in his cruise fare.

 

RCCL marketing has chosen to discuss this program on a Marketing site. They ARE indeed saying you were chosen "for the way you were posting BEFORE" That's what the marketing research was all about. "Champions" were the internet "champions" of their brand...most likely to be influenced by recognition and in some cases free cruise fares and "special status" invitations ...to come back here and "influence" the rest of us.

 

That is how RCCL Marketing described the program. You were researched for certain qualities; you are monitored to see, one supposes, if those qualities still exist.

 

There is no dispute over integrity. None. I think it was foolish of RCCL marketing to crow over it's "use" of certain posters to influence other posters like myself (who are assumed to just be sheep who will follow the dominant lead.)

 

It's flatttering to noone and pretty useless now IMO.

[5waldos]

Or being obsessed is yet another. Thank goodness spring is here, we can all open the windows and get some fresh air.

 

13,040 posts. :D

[Ephraim]

Sorry, but I have a question after reading the article on Tripso that just make me wonder....

 

Hayden says ...“It’s really a focus group,” he says. “We run information and ideas by them and ask for feedback.”

 

Would you really create a focus group out of a bunch of cheerleaders? That doesn't sound very balanced. In fact, doesn't sound anything like a scientific method to a focus group at all.

[Schplinky]

13,040 posts. :D

 

Yes, about cruising, not conspiracy theories.

[Schplinky]

 

May I respectfully point out to a poster I've enjoyed reading for years...

 

Well, if you've enjoyed for years, I'm glad you finally registered (!!!) and joined in the discussion, or are you posting under an alias. Seems weak to me. You might insist I pay for my cruise but at least I put my name behind my posts.

[PH8]

I caught on the other day when I decided not to post on this thread. Obviously I have broken that rule!!! Oops. It was nice being off, though. I spent the time booking a cruise.

NIIICEEEEEE...RCCL ship,I hope.......;)

 

She's busy with what? Being a journalist is her job, no?

Have to agree with ya here........forgeting wouldnt cut it with me.............

[xpcdoojk]

The more I read about this and think about it the more relieved I am.

 

I was getting a little worked up when so many were for all the cutbacks and extra charges.

 

I'm glad this has been exposed. To me it's not that big of a deal. Maybe in the future the RCers can express their true feelings and if RCI wants to give them a one or two night cruise so what. Just let them be honest with their posts.

 

Brad, let's identify these people. I mean we have to know that they got a free cruise even if they didn't, but we don't require all travel agents to say how many free cruises that they have been on. Why are we only going to pick on RCs? Do you think that is fair. When most good travel agents have been on dozens of free cruises and other junkets. You are always so agitated about fairness why do all of you that keep this stupid thread going in attack mode of either CC, the RCs or RCI not seem to want the transparency to be illuminated on those who are actually in business that are actually making money based on their recommendations?

 

I think people like you should be identified, as a RCI hater. You hate any company that decides to run their company in a manner that you don't like. So, since you are a private citizen you don't like this idea. I understand, too bad none of the rocket doctors here seem to get that.:rolleyes:

 

jc

[Schplinky]

Brad, let's identify these people. I mean we have to know that they got a free cruise even if they didn't, but we don't require all travel agents to say how many free cruises that they have been on. Why are we only going to pick on RCs? Do you think that is fair. When most good travel agents have been on dozens of free cruises and other junkets. You are always so agitated about fairness why do all of you that keep this stupid thread going in attack mode of either CC, the RCs or RCI not seem to want the transparency to be illuminated on those who are actually in business that are actually making money based on their recommendations?

 

I think people like you should be identified, as a RCI hater. You hate any company that decides to run their company in a manner that you don't like. So, since you are a private citizen you don't like this idea. I understand, too bad none of the rocket doctors here seem to get that.:rolleyes:

 

jc

 

Actually, I was thinking that Brad will get his own desserts, but only if he pays for them. If he thinks there are fees on RCL, he is going to hate the set-up on Celebrity Soltice class (in his sig) because we just sailed Solstice (loved it) and there are fees for 4 specialty restaurants, the specialty coffee, the gelato, etc. I find his sig amusing and wonder ifhe was ever booked on all these "cancelled" cruises. He certainly has not replaced them with the same number of cruises.

[glgolfer]

Sorry, but I have a question after reading the article on Tripso that just make me wonder....

 

 

 

Would you really create a focus group out of a bunch of cheerleaders? That doesn't sound very balanced. In fact, doesn't sound anything like a scientific method to a focus group at all.

 

good, now that we're a focus group instead of cheerleaders, maybe we can drop this whole thing and get back to helping folks and supplying information as we have always done.

 

off for some blood work.

 

plat nice while i'm gone.

[Schplinky]

NIIICEEEEEE...RCCL ship,I hope.......;)

 

Yep. We're taking a TA on either Indy or Jewel ( we deposited on both to get our preferred room) and then a 4 night to Ibiza on AOS.

 

Have to agree with ya here........forgeting wouldnt cut it with me.............

 

If you ask me, she is busy posting.

[xpcdoojk]

You're not supposed to notice!!!! At least most have had the good grace to post under their own screen names. That does lead to another line of thought. If we're all paid shills, why would we not just change our screen names and keep up with our sugar coating. I know that the next time I tell someone that dinner is at 6 and 8:30, I'm going to be questioning my own deeper motivations.

 

Darn it Lee, you have hit the nub. If we wanted to infiltrate this site, all it would take is a new IP and a new ID and we could start a real viral marketing campaign. Like the one jj is doing the viral attack RCI based on CCL's hiring of people who live in their mother's basements all over the world.

 

It is an anonymous forum folks, everything you read here could be a plant to viral market for or against any cruiseline we chose. Hence this entire uproar is about as meaningful as how many clouds are in the sky right now. The RCs were picked because of what they had posted in the past and not for future posts, therefore, those who continue saying this is some sort of evil thing being thrust onto this pure forum are either ignorantly or maliciously continuing this attack.

 

I don't believe most of these folks are niave therefore.... that leaves the other option for most of them.....:mad:

 

jc

[5waldos]

Yes, about cruising, not conspiracy theories.

 

Perhaps you didn't notice that in the past 2 pages of this thread you have made what- 10 posts? And calling this a conspiracy theory is ridiculous- for me it is what the company itself said that they are doing that concerns me. Nothing imagined unless you don't believe that the company was telling the truth for reasons of its own. And that would be a conspiracy theory.