A very likely explanation

[Bruin Steve]

I posted this in one of the longer threads, but lest it get "lost" there, I thought I'd post it as a start to a new thread.

 

It comes from no personal knowledge of the instant case, just some overally thought regarding a likely possibility...

*****************************************************************

 

Being the Attorney I am, I am going to take an educated guess here...

 

It may have been pulled for LEGAL reasons.

 

Running a contest with any sort of substantial prizes and advertised nationally and internationally (as in here on CruiseCritic.com) is far more complicated than one might imagine. Ever read the "rules" on most contests offered by major companies? All that stuff in small print that includes things like "Open only to the residents of the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. Not valid in Delaware, South Carolina or Wyoming." and then goes on with several disclaimers and the approximate odds of winning any prize and the assigned cash value?

 

Different states and countries have different laws and regulations regarding contests. some require bonds posted, others have required filings with the Secretary of State, some require filing fees...it goes on.

 

Sure, they rarely hassle your local church raffling off a TV. But large for-profit companies offering prizes potentially worth maybe $20,000+?? It opens up a whole other can of worms.

 

Now, I understand the spirit under which Frank first offered this...Sort of like the parlor bet among friends. I am sure Frank looks at all of us here as friends. He's met some of us, spoken with some, e-mailed some. It's a relatively small group and most of us are loyal customers and the environment here is fairly casual. We have entertaining and lively discussions and we talk about issues that are important to us as cruisers...and to Frank and the cruise line as well. We appreciate Frank's continued participation here...and I am certain he appreciates our input and opinions on the issues that affect his business.

 

So, when he came up with this challenge, as a part of one of those casual discussions, I am certain he saw it as a friendly little wager among friends, not as a large public offering.

 

I do not know for sure, but my guess is that either Oceania OR Cruise Critic (since both are involved by virtue of how this developed) or both realized that this little game was, by virtue of the public nature of the Cruise Critic site, a public contest which subjects them to all sorts of regulation and potential liability over and above the mere cost of the prizes.

 

Of course, I don't know for certain, but that would be my guess...and, if so, I think we all have to respect that direction.

[Paulchili]

It sounds like the most plausible explanation. Perhaps in time we will know for certain.

It WAS fun while it lasted. Hopefully the most important aspect of it (to me anyway) will benefit us all on the long run with new, imaginative itineraries.

We started the ball rolling....

[Bruin Steve]

Somehow I missed adding this link to a relevant article on this post:

 

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/92158/the_laws_on_contests_sweepstakes.html?cat=17

[suec12]

well I'm following this and waiting for a comment by fjdelrio - when I type in "find all posts by this person" I get a "database error". Would we surmise a disagreement between CC and FJDELRIO? As fun as the "contest" was I feel like I just did the itinerary of my dreams - Athens to Istanbul on the Nautica.

[Paul123]

well I'm following this and waiting for a comment by fjdelrio - when I type in "find all posts by this person" I get a "database error". Would we surmise a disagreement between CC and FJDELRIO? As fun as the "contest" was I feel like I just did the itinerary of my dreams - Athens to Istanbul on the Nautica.

 

 

I just did the same search for FJDELRIO and the whole thread Checking the vacancies within 30 days? came up. One of the two threads that vanished?? And franks contributions were also of course there too.

 

Interesting!!

[MightyQuinn]

I just did the same search for FJDELRIO and the whole thread Checking the vacancies within 30 days? came up. One of the two threads that vanished?? And franks contributions were also of course there too. Interesting!!

No longer MIA! That thread started by Bruin Steve is currently at the bottom of the first page of the Oceania Forum. :eek::eek:

[hondorner]

Yep, I discovered it a couple of hours ago while doing a search for fjdelrio. I don't think I'm crazy; I'm almost positive it was not there yesterday. I checked dozens of threads to see which one was the kickoff and couldn't find it. I guess that one has been restored?

[wripro]

It was not there yesterday. Just magically reappeared today.