Royal Champions

[xpcdoojk]

Ms. Tucker, Am I correct that only CC and RCCL know the full roster of Royal Champions? CC had first contact and RCCL chose them...yet the rest of your many, many posters do NOT know?

 

In light of the recent admissions by Marketing...of "influencing" these Champs "subtly"...of using these folks to influence US...and monitoring them here for content and frequency...there is a discomfort that this is going on and the vast majority of us here are THE SUBJECTS OF THE PROGRAM...yet unaware who is IN IT.

 

Respectfully, I think you might also regret how your other NON-CHAMP posters were treated as well. You have read the threads. Some of the comments sent our way were beyond rude and even beyond ludicrous. Are we less valuable to your Board than these special posters?

 

Wow, you have zero to be offended about. Unbelieveable. I think it is called Hutzpah.:rolleyes:

 

jc

[coxswain]

Respectfully, I think you might also regret how your other NON-CHAMP posters were treated as well. You have read the threads. Some of the comments sent our way were beyond rude and even beyond ludicrous. Are we less valuable to your Board than these special posters?

 

 

Couldn't agree more hazence - but we've managed to rise above those silly comments.

 

 

But it has really hurt me to think that the contributions made by non-champs ( Sorry the other 99.9% CC Members ) aren't valued :-(

 

 

 

 

 

jj.......

[hazence]

So you are being "brainwashed" by the RC's??

So the marketing studies and the comments of the RCCL Loyalty Manager have indicated.

 

We CHUMPS have been so designated to be readily influenced by the CHAMPS.

[hazence]

Wow, you have zero to be offended about. Unbelieveable. I think it is called Hutzpah.:rolleyes:

 

jc

 

I am not offended. I took your comments that I was anti-business and attacking shark survivors last night with a cheerful spirit. You might praise me for my pluckiness, coming on top of the discovery that I have been designated an easily influenced CHUMP by a cruise line I like. Was I then not one of the "evil" people...simply "childish." Just trying to stay up to date here.

[hazence]

Just for the record, I am not a Royal Champion.

 

I am very surprised. Maybe in the next draft...

[FL_Cruiser64]

Oliver, you just made a whole bunch of statements that you have absolutely no proof of. Where did you come up with this? The friends picking friends bit. Didn't some marketing company pick these based on some computer program analysis? That was the way I thought it happened when this stupid debate began.

 

Facts really are needed and not tin foil hat imagination. JMHO.

 

jc<---- wants those who think they can bully me into silence that they don't know me very well.

 

 

My assumption are based on facts:

 

Facts:

- no common denominator

- RCI officials contradict each other

- no RCer not even 'charter members' can say for sure what the reason is that they were selected. And if they know the reason they do not say it.

 

For a marketing study this is an absurd program. It should be in the therasurus under "bad marketing strategies".

 

For a research study it is even worse.

 

Thats all I am interested no. Facts. This whole debate actually has sparked my curiosity.

[Ephraim]

Just to add a few words... I thought that all members on CC were equal. Or do we measure a member by their number of trips, the price of their trips, their membership in an exclusive club or their number of posts? Frankly, I think we all deserve to be respected and if you want to personalize an attack then CC just isn't the place for it. I think Laura has clearly reminded us of that policy. (And clearly if you want to do personal attacks there is a board where they let members gossip and backstab CC members on baseless innuendo, prejudice and homophobia.)

 

The problem is that no one should be throwing their post count, membership or anything else down as any proof of this. Really, if we need a p...ing contest, this clearly isn't the place, nor is there a reason.

 

And I'm not getting into this discussion on either side. I've said my peace about it. But discuss the subject. Too many people are worried about one particular word in a sentence when the concept should be what we are discussing.

 

Remember, tomorrow CC is still here and hopefully should still be a good resource for other members. Let them judge the value of the information and those people who stand behind the information. For me personally, I feel sorry for those RC members who have decided to hate me. Serves no purpose and makes me too damn important in your lives when it's just easier to ignore me.

 

As always, a link to my email address is there for anyone who wants to chat with me directly. I don't hide behind anonymity. Ephraim is really my first name. My email address is open to those who want it and usually I respond as quickly as I can.

 

Have a good day.

[FinelyCruising]

I would like to address the issue of transparency and responsibility

for disclosure that has come up a number of times in this thread.

 

 

 

Was it Cruise Critic’s responsibility to disclose what Royal

Caribbean was doing with its Royal Champion’s program? Royal

Caribbean isn’t in the habit of sharing all of the details of its

marketing programs with Cruise Critic. When Bill Hayden first

contacted us two years ago, it was in regards to forwarding an

invitation to some Cruise Critic members they wanted to invite on the

Liberty of the Seas pre-inaugural sailing. There was no mention of a

Royal Champions viral marketing program at that time. Most of what

we know about the program, we have learned here on the Cruise Critic

boards.

 

 

 

Kathleen Tucker

Publisher

Cruise Critic

 

Kathleen - I think it was poor form for the cruise line to poach from the CC pool of 10,000+ posters when as another poster said they could have just gone to the D+ members who they already knew if they wanted to give away free cruises. Perhaps some of them may very well have been CC members. The decision made by the cruise line's agent working this marketing scheme on its behalf may have resulted in flattery for CC Management for getting the job done and impressing the cruise line, but in lessons learned clearly there were lines crossed as CC became part of the scheme.

[benicehavefun]

I would like to address the issue of transparency and responsibility

for disclosure that has come up a number of times in this thread.

 

Contrary to what some of you may believe, we have never tried to

censor discussions about Royal Champions on the Cruise Critic message

boards. If you search the boards you will find thousands of threads

with that term in them. When this recent debate started there were

multiple threads containing personal attacks and copyrighted material

in them and our staff was overwhelmed. We also believe most people

come here to discuss cruise advice, not Royal Caribbean’s marketing

programs, hence the sticky.

 

 

Some of us would like to go back to talking about cruises. While I

would like to think this discussion has run its course, I know that

some of you will want to continue to debate it. We are going to

rename this thread shortly and unsticky it. Just wanted to let you

know ahead of time so you don’t think it’s been censored!

 

Kathleen Tucker

Publisher

Cruise Critic

 

This SUBJECT is multi-layered (like Shrek and an onion) and many topics have come up warranting many threads. So why can't any one start a thread if we have a question, topic, or maybe just something for fun :)? Why has this open forum become closed and limited? You can always poof it, again.

 

And as for getting back to talking about cruising...RCCI is a cruise line, Royal Champions go on cruises, viral marketing is part of cruising now, I go on cruises, Royal Chumps are now identified cruisers, people were contacted by the cruise line, this is a board for cruisers, I could go on, but notice the common "thread"?

[5waldos]

I wish I could find it again but there was at the very beginning of this mega-thread a news brief here on CC someplace. It discussed the attendance of a CC official at a marketing conference discussing the use of RCCL's viral marketing as the new wave of the future, and how pleased CC was to be participating. If I had realized how important that was i would have copied it. Sadly I can no longer find it.

 

And while we are bemoaning the fact that the RCers have been denigrated by nasty comments here, more than one of us non-CCers have been called conspiracy nuts, paranoid, etc etc. I have repeatedly put the words of RCCL into the thread. I have yet to see it directly addressed by one of the RC group. I still don't know how any of them feel about what the line itself claims to have done. NOT what I have claimed, not what the Chumps have claimed, but what RCCL has said it is doing. I have seen denials of its effectiveness, despite the line claiming that it has been a success.

although with more than a thousand entries I will admit that I could have overlooked some serious discussions about the program.

[LauraS]

I wish I could find it again but there was at the very beginning of this mega-thread a news brief here on CC someplace. It discussed the attendance of a CC official at a marketing conference discussing the use of RCCL's viral marketing as the new wave of the future, and how pleased CC was to be participating. If I had realized how important that was i would have copied it. Sadly I can no longer find it.

 

A bit different than you are describing it -- but when I posted THIS:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=18536771#post18536771

 

I was *at* a conference about social media but that conference had nothing to do with Royal Caribbean at all.

[5waldos]

A bit different than you are describing it -- but when I posted THIS:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=18536771#post18536771

 

I was *at* a conference about social media but that conference had nothing to do with Royal Caribbean at all.

 

That wasn't the post I was referring to. It was a news piece, not a posting. I'm not sure it was you, but certainly could have been. I tried to find it the other day and wasn't able to. I thought it was in the news section here but may have been from another source. And if my memory is distorted, I apologize. But that was my memory of what the article said.

[5waldos]

I was *at* a conference

 

I am not sure what the significance of the *at* is. Was it a virtual conference?

[xpcdoojk]

My assumption are based on facts:

 

Facts:

- no common denominator

- RCI officials contradict each other

- no RCer not even 'charter members' can say for sure what the reason is that they were selected. And if they know the reason they do not say it.

 

For a marketing study this is an absurd program. It should be in the therasurus under "bad marketing strategies".

 

For a research study it is even worse.

 

Thats all I am interested no. Facts. This whole debate actually has sparked my curiosity.

 

Well you know that RCI officials contradicting themselves is hardly news. Further, it is not like we were sitting with them listening to their side of events. We basically have snippets of conversations cut from blogs.

 

The point of this thread is not if it is a good strategy or a marketing study. Their are allegations of collusion, buying positive reviews, and issues like that. Those are categorically false based on the facts. I don't think anyone really gives a rip about the quality of the study or the validity of the marketing effort. JMHO I find people attacking individuals and corporations to be pathetic and cowardly when the facts do not support the attack.

 

jc

[Ocean Boy]

I think this board is totally suspect. Let's say I ask the question,"who do you prefer RCI or Carnival." How do I know if I'm getting an honest answer or a paid off one?

 

Do you not think that people who mostly post on the RCI board are going to prefer RCI and those on the Carnival board will mostly prefer Carnival? Do you really think that folks want to come to this site and spend their time posting to a board that represents a product that they don't like?

[LauraS]

I was *at* a conference

 

I am not sure what the significance of the *at* is. Was it a virtual conference?

 

No, I attended the conference in person. I don't know what newsfeature you're referring to either...was it elsewhere on the site (by that I mean not on the boards?).

 

Laura

[BayStateguppy]

"The key to success in viral marketing is to subtly influence the influencers without them overtly realizing they are being influenced," Royal Caribbean's manager for loyalty marketing, Rachel Hannock, told the audience, according to a blog on loyalty marketing written by the Customer Insight Group."

 

I find it hard to believe that not one RC is offended by RCL's manipulation of them.

 

Aren't you the least bit frightened that you fell prey to a ploy without ever catching on?

 

Read the above quote several times.... really read it.

Understand what has happened here. Substitute Philip Morris for RCL if that helps.

 

You have been played, my friends.

[Kuki]

That wasn't the post I was referring to. It was a news piece, not a posting. I'm not sure it was you, but certainly could have been. I tried to find it the other day and wasn't able to. I thought it was in the news section here but may have been from another source. And if my memory is distorted, I apologize. But that was my memory of what the article said.

 

I think this may be what you were referring to...

Laura Sterling's post on CC:

 

 

"As a matter of fact, Cruise Critic will be 'speaking' at the EyeforTravel Social Media conference next month. Topic of our discussion? Does Cruise Chatter Matter? As you can see from the creation of the RC's, and a similar program we helped work on w/ Celebrity, your voice is powerful and they recognize it.

 

If you think about it, they are "influencing the brand influencers" with marketing programs such as these.

 

It's the new trend on the web, and it will be here to stay. "

[ACruiseGuy]

I think this may be what you were referring to...

Laura Sterling's post on CC:

 

 

"As a matter of fact, Cruise Critic will be 'speaking' at the EyeforTravel Social Media conference next month. Topic of our discussion? Does Cruise Chatter Matter? "

 

I decided to see what this was about -- seems like some really heavy hitters in the travel industry spoke and attended this conference. Note the info about reaching out to influencers at nich sites, such as this one. It would appear that brand influencing is far more ingrained that we originally thought: http://events.eyefortravel.com/social-media/ Check out the list of speakers, those who attended, and the agenda!!

[Ocean Boy]

Please don't be afraid. Marketing studies have shown none of us Chumps have the viral marketing skills to "trick" (as you say) anyone into anything. We are a group of folks , easily influenced by anyone with special titles (or Internet letter sweaters)...not a pitchfork or match among us.

 

If encountered in a deck chair by the pool, any Champ worth his salt could convince the likes of us to surrender it to him. We defer to our betters quite easily. That's why we are Chumps. That's why the Champs get occassional perks...to work their wiles on us.

 

We understand now that certain people know better than we do how we should spend our vacation dollar, and what line we should frequent...we are simply here to read, listen and learn from the Chosen..Marketing studies show we are sheep.

 

On threads dealing with the most crucial, earth-shattering issues of our time here on this globe...like formal attire, smoking or kids in Portofino's...we know better than to post. Chumps will just do as the important folks THINK we should.

 

Yes, occasionally, if our cruise has been ruined by a wet rug, cabin odor, or a clanging door that prevents sleep, we may make a negative post in the stupidness of our disappointment...but happily a Champ ususally appears to remind us we are darned lucky RCCL took our money and let us on Board. As for compensation for any of the above...horrors!...that shows we chumps wallow in crass greediness. (Not gonna ever be any special invitation for YOU, Silly complaining Chump.)

 

I post to offer reassurance. The "castle" you so cherish is quite safe from the Chumps...really.

 

Ms. Tucker, Am I correct that only CC and RCCL know the full roster of Royal Champions? CC had first contact and RCCL chose them...yet the rest of your many, many posters do NOT know?

 

In light of the recent admissions by Marketing...of "influencing" these Champs "subtly"...of using these folks to influence US...and monitoring them here for content and frequency...there is a discomfort that this is going on and the vast majority of us here are THE SUBJECTS OF THE PROGRAM...yet unaware who is IN IT.

 

Respectfully, I think you might also regret how your other NON-CHAMP posters were treated as well. You have read the threads. Some of the comments sent our way were beyond rude and even beyond ludicrous. Are we less valuable to your Board than these special posters?

 

You mean like the above quoted post of yours?

[BayStateguppy]

jc

I thought you were opposed to personal attacks. Then please do not attack me.

 

Please do not interject emotion (smug) into my post where no cause exists.

[Bakincakes]

One would assume that CC would have a responsibility to protect members.

 

Hard to believe that they would pass on anything, even an invitation, without knowing the details of the reasons for it to begin with. They would do that just on the word of someone from RCI? Interesting.

 

Is it hard to believe that the RCs are tied into freebies from RCI? Of course not. Anyone who believed that there wasn't some kind of connection is pretty naive'. Before this was brought to the fore RCs had no problem flaunting their membership and the perks they received from it. Did they actually think that no one would be able to make that connection?

 

And RCI didn't miss the opportunity to obtain more cheerleaders from posters desperate to be asked to participate. Can't hurt to have wannabees posting their little hearts out hoping to get noticed. RCI should be ashamed of exploiting the needy.

 

Now I know why posters who criticized RCI were hounded and bashed. I recall one particular thread started by someone who had a bad experience on AOL. If the cheerleaders had their way he would have been tarred and feathered.

 

CC is now tainted. We are either reading glowing posts by RCs or glowing posts by those desperate to join the "elite". Sad.

[BayStateguppy]

I get that viral marketing is common.

 

I know of people who get free shoes, ice cream, etc to plug a product on their blogs.

 

The difference here is that, apparently, Royal Champions were unaware that they were being used in that way. And that is underhanded on RCL's part, collusion on CC's part, and naive on the RC's part.

[Charles4515]

WOW, this is quite a thread!

I don't post a lot, but being a long time CC member, I felt I had to voice my opinion.

I have read many posts by many of the Royal Champions, long before they had this dubious title bestowed upon them. For the majority of them, I always respected their opinions, even if I did not necessarily agree. HOWEVER, I now have a concern regarding this Royal Champion designation.

I am a CPA and we have a code of ethics that requires us to be independent in fact AND in appearance when expressing an opinion on financial statements. While the Royal Champions may believe they are in fact independent when expressing their opinions about RCCL, because they were "chosen" by RCCL and may receive certain perks, they are not independent in appearance and unfortunately their opinions are now tainted.

 

Everyones opinions are "tainted" by their experiences.

 

Those who were chosen as Royal Champions are not journalists. They are not bound to be independent or abide by any code of ethics. Being a CPA is a profession. It does not compare to being a consumer of cruises.

[spongerob]

"The key to success in viral marketing is to subtly influence the influencers without them overtly realizing they are being influenced," Royal Caribbean's manager for loyalty marketing, Rachel Hannock, told the audience, according to a blog on loyalty marketing written by the Customer Insight Group."

 

...

 

You have been played, my friends.

Does that mean if you have a cocktail at a Meet & Mingle, you've been played? Will you suspect yourself and your comments? Meet & Mingle is a form of on-line loyalty, after all.