Royal Champions

[hazence]

There is no conspiracy "theory." RCCL marketing has openly described the program, the selection process, the goals, and the ongoing monitoring.

 

That is no "theory"...that is the reality of the program as explained by the company itself.

 

RCCL defined it; not any poster here.

 

Do you believe the credibility of the program can be re-established by branding anyone who criticizes it a "conspiracy theorist?" Surely, if we are the ones meant to be "influenced" ...we may reserve the right to comment on it without hyperbole or disssmissive remarks.

 

We are not claiming to have seen Elvis on the Liberty...we are reacting to the company's description of their own program.

 

I don't know how effective this program can ever be again. But the upside of the whole incident is that, as most of you have said...your cheerleading preceded any special title or free cruises or selective invitations...therefore RCCL can depend on them to continue without those perks. That's a good thing overall.

[setsail]

I have not read all of this but enough to find out that it is the same old whining and fighting.

Somebody points out how long they have been around here,does not mean a thing.

 

Somebody points out how many post someone has, does not mean a thing.

 

SO, putting RC beside someones name should not mean anything either.

 

None of these things indicate knowledge about RCCL to me BECAUSE I don't look at any of that. Its a message board.

 

CC should just take off join dates, # of post,RC and just GET back to talking about cruising.

[coxswain]

jc

You are definitely in violation of the community rules discussing why or why not a thread was locked.

 

 

Aren't you doing the same LOL

 

 

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.

 

 

What are you suggesting jc ??

 

 

 

jj...

[xpcdoojk]

You know, I have been thinking about this thread the last few days, as most of us have, and I think I have come to an understanding.:D

 

There are 3 types of people who think something nefarious is going on.

 

1) those that really don't have a clue, but like to slam RCI and are frustrated because they are frequently out debated by the RCs.

 

2) those that think they are journalists because they are bloggers and have no real journalistic credibility.

 

3) those that just hate all corporations and see this as an oppurtunity to attack one.

 

jc<--- not a royal champion

[hazence]

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.

 

 

I'm just one of the quiet "sheep" meant to be influenced by others (like you) more vocal than I. It took me a long time to post. I do like and respect your viewpoint.

 

Once upon a time, everyone here was a new poster. It is Board etiquette to allow posters to be called "weak" for being new? Or is that part of the skill set that makes an effective advocate?

[5waldos]

Somebody points out how many post someone has, does not mean a thing.

 

I only pointed out the number of posts because I was being accused of being obsessed. Otherwise it is meaningless to me and meaningless to this discussion. I agree that the number of posts has nothing to do with influence- there is a troll over on Carnival who posts about 6 times and stirs up a huge amount of concern that goes on for weeks and weeks. Pretty funny in fact now that we have recongnized that it is a troll. It is also possible to post 15,000 times and really have no impact on much of anything. It is the quality not the quantity.

[coxswain]

CC should just take off join dates, # of post,RC and just GET back to talking about cruising.

 

 

Great idea i'm all for that and stuff in the signature as well !!

 

 

Laura what do you think ?

 

 

 

 

jj......

[xpcdoojk]

Aren't you doing the same LOL

 

 

 

 

 

What are you suggesting jc ??

 

 

 

jj...

 

Not suggesting, just waiting for you to prove you are not.

 

Remember I believe anyone can pretend to be anything they want on an anonymous forum. Nobody knows for sure what anyone else is or is doing. Therefore, my theory is just as good as any, and that transparency is a really ignorant concept on an anonymous forum.

 

This is not complicated. It seems to fly right over most people's heads, and yet it is undeniably correct.:rolleyes:

 

jc

[5waldos]

You know, I have been thinking about this thread the last few days, as most of us have, and I think I have come to an understanding.:D

 

There are 3 types of people who think something nefarious is going on.

 

1) those that really don't have a clue, but like to slam RCI and are frustrated because they are frequently out debated by the RCs.

 

2) those that think they are journalists because they are bloggers and have no real journalistic credibility.

 

3) those that just hate all corporations and see this as an oppurtunity to attack one.

 

jc<--- not a royal champion

 

4) those who dislike sneaky and manipulative advertising

[Schplinky]

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.

 

 

It's true. I'm taking a break from taking a break but happily, I have a short attention span and will take a new break soon.

[coxswain]

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.

 

 

No come on jc what am i doing - you said it so please explain what you think i'm doing ??

 

 

 

 

 

jj...

[Schplinky]

I'm just one of the quiet "sheep" meant to be influenced by others (like you) more vocal than I. It took me a long time to post. I do like and respect your viewpoint.

 

Once upon a time, everyone here was a new poster. It is Board etiquette to allow posters to be called "weak" for being new? Or is that part of the skill set that makes an effective advocate?

 

Not so much, it's just that this board has a very long history of folks assuming new names so that they can attack others without that person knowing who they are. If you have in fact read for years but have only recently decided to join in the discussion, I offer a sincere apology. If not, my criticism stands.

[Schplinky]

Somebody points out how many post someone has, does not mean a thing.

 

I only pointed out the number of posts because I was being accused of being obsessed. Otherwise it is meaningless to me and meaningless to this discussion. I agree that the number of posts has nothing to do with influence- there is a troll over on Carnival who posts about 6 times and stirs up a huge amount of concern that goes on for weeks and weeks. Pretty funny in fact now that we have recongnized that it is a troll. It is also possible to post 15,000 times and really have no impact on much of anything. It is the quality not the quantity.

 

I quite agree with you, actually. I've been posting for about 4 years (it took me that long to have this many posts, as opposed to the thousand posts this thread has had in roughly that many days) and will be the first to admit that I like cruising way more than I thought I would and it has become our travel plan of choice. For those who have read my posts and reviews, they would know my reviews tend to be stupidly long and I post the good, the bad and the mundane. Those are the reviews I found most helpful when I started out. I hated reviews that didn't describe why a person liked or disliked something and I found adjectives like "classy" to be meaningless because you didn't know the context of the person posting. If you always stayed in Motel 6, then a Marriott would seem classy. IF you always stayed at the Ritz Carleton, it would not. So, when I write reviews, I find that I tend to be expansive in the hopes that it's helpful. Otherwise, why would you post a review of your trip for strangers to read.

 

On the other hand, while this discussion has about a thousand posts now in just a few days, maybe 50 of them have contained new information or perspective, on either side of the greater issue. The rest essentially amount to schoolyard taunts of "I know you are but what am I?" That's the nature of these boards, sadly. Someone can post a ten paragraph refutation of a point in the hopes of starting a discussion and then someone else can carve out a phrase from it and hammer the person on that. While this might be fun, and I think that's all some people are having, it doesn't really serve a point.

 

As a living and breathing Royal Champion, I have been told on CC that putting it in my signature was smug, and then that not putting it in is deceitful. I've been told that I sold my integrity and then been told that the chorus of objections is not with me but with RCL. If we post on these threads, then obviously we're banding together and attacking but if we don't post, then we are admitting that others have it all right.

 

It's likely time I took another break from all this. It's rather taxing.

[xpcdoojk]

No come on jc what am i doing - you said it so please explain what you think i'm doing ??

 

 

 

 

 

jj...

 

 

You can't prove anything by refusing to answer the question jj. You can't continually answer my questions by asking a question.

 

You need to focus.

 

jc

[coxswain]

I'm focused on what you said and suggested jc

 

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.

 

 

So i'll ask you again what did you mean by it ?

 

 

Maybe if you kept to the OP jc instead of trying to shift things.

 

 

 

jj.....

[5waldos]

On the other hand, while this discussion has about a thousand posts now in just a few days, maybe 50 of them have contained new information or perspective, on either side of the greater issue. The rest essentially amount to schoolyard taunts of "I know you are but what am I?" That's the nature of these boards, sadly. Someone can post a ten paragraph refutation of a point in the hopes of starting a discussion and then someone else can carve out a phrase from it and hammer the person on that. While this might be fun, and I think that's all some people are having, it doesn't really serve a point.

 

Or worse, the reasoned statements are being completely ignored and we have another round of flaming. I completely agree with you.

 

And as far as your reviews, haven't read one because to date they have not been relevant to me. But I prefer the longer and more detailed reports because they give me information on which to base my own judgement, or to some degree they do. What you might love onboard might be something I would avoid like the plague. If you tell me it is there I can decide for myself.

[xpcdoojk]

I'm focused on what you said and suggested jc

 

 

 

 

So i'll ask you again what did you mean by it ?

 

 

Maybe if you kept to the OP jc instead of trying to shift things.

 

 

 

jj.....

 

 

Again, answering a question with a question is a non answer. What's wrong, you can't prove you are not a virus? Probably has something to do with the anonymous nature of the internet, don't you think? That is my point, and that is the answer to your constant transparency garbage.

 

jc

[coxswain]

I'm now a virus lol lol

 

 

Yeah i had the Flu a weeks ago lol lol

 

 

Oh really is this what this discussion has come to being called a Virus - how sad :-(

 

 

 

 

jj......

[jaxon41]

Janice,

 

I'm going to assume that you didn't see my edit when you posted this, as there was further context to my comment. I'm putting that entirely on myself, as I hit the "submit" button too soon and needed to go back to append my answer.

 

I see no reason to condemn RCCL for utilizing a marketing scheme to sell their product. They see a forum of people who are obvious "targets" for their product (it's a cruise discussion forum specifically targeted to RCI past, present & future guests), and found a way to "get the word out." That's not criminal ... that's just business. I'm a business owner. My major source of advertising is word of mouth from my clients to other potential clients. So I am absolutely NOT going to fault RCI for choosing this method to advertise their product. In the same way I do not tell my clients WHAT to say to other potential clients, we were not told what to say ... or even that we need to say anything ... to the Cruise Critic Community. However, in choosing us, they probably were pretty safe in assuming that we would, indeed, go out and share what we knew. Just like we do when people ask about other cruise-related experiences.

 

In fact, once ... a long time ago ... I read a post by you, raving about a great massage you received in Ensenada. I asked you for the information and you were gracious to provide me with the name and information about the massaage parlor. In turn, I have passed that information to my fellow cruisers. That's advertising! You got a good (great) massage; so did I. And now, so have many others. Nothing wrong with that. ~ Lorna

 

Just curious, Lady Lawyer, how do you see RCCL's viral marketing ploy in light of the FTC regs, and the WOMMA's ethical code (not knowing if RCL is a member, and assuming it isn't). Certainly, regs are not laws in themselves, but guides for staying within the laws under which they are promulgated. As a lawyer, I am interested in your perspective on this issue involving transparency.

[xpcdoojk]

I'm now a virus lol lol

 

 

Yeah i had the Flu a weeks ago lol lol

 

 

Oh really is this what this discussion has come to being called a Virus - how sad :-(

 

 

 

 

jj......

 

again no answer. That speaks volumes about my real point and how you keep trying to deflect it to something else. I have just been demonstrating my point to you, and you still act like you don't get it. That is very telling. Very very telling.

 

The entire thread is about viral marketing. The RCs are the virus... I think you are a CCL virus. There is no difference.

 

jc

[coxswain]

LOL - you're the only one mentioning CCL lol

 

 

 

 

 

jj...

[jaxon41]

Guess this isnt over with yet. There's another column on this from the same journalist. Interesting insights from marketing experts. Pretty harsh on this board.

 

A contagious viral: Marketing campaign sinks Cruise Critic

 

http://www.expertcruiser.com/advice/a-contagious-virus-marketing-campaign-sinks-cruise-critic/

 

http://www.tripso.com/columns/a-contagious-virus-marketing-campaign-sinks-cruise-critic/

 

Thanks for the link.

"However, Cahill says there are some rules of the road.

“Brands get in trouble when they aren’t transparent,” said Cahill, who is also a member of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Advisory Board. Cahill stated WOMMA is all about disclosure.

“The two hallmarks of social media are authenticity and transparency."

 

and that is what we have been saying -- at least some of us.

[xpcdoojk]

Thanks for the link.

"However, Cahill says there are some rules of the road.

“Brands get in trouble when they aren’t transparent,” said Cahill, who is also a member of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Advisory Board. Cahill stated WOMMA is all about disclosure.

“The two hallmarks of social media are authenticity and transparency."

 

and that is what we have been saying -- at least some of us.

 

Again how can we have true transparency when everyone posting can be anonymous?

 

Until you understand that in this forum that is impossible you will never get it.

 

This is not complicated.

 

jc<---- thinks people don't want to get it.:rolleyes:

[Ephraim]

Just curious, Lady Lawyer, how do you see RCCL's viral marketing ploy in light of the FTC regs, and the WOMMA's ethical code (not knowing if RCL is a member, and assuming it isn't). Certainly, regs are not laws in themselves, but guides for staying within the laws under which they are promulgated. As a lawyer, I am interested in your perspective on this issue involving transparency.

 

Fantastic question.

[coxswain]

“The two hallmarks of social media are authenticity and transparency."

 

and that is what we have been saying -- at least some of us.

 

 

Hopefully its not falling on deaf ears !!

 

 

 

 

jj.....