Business relationship between RCI and the Travel Channel

[mikeerdas]

Seems most of the Travel Channel cruise shows feature RCI ships. And of course RCI advertises heavily on the Travel Channel (naturally). What precisely is the relationship between RCI and travel channel show producers?

 

Does RCI approach the travel channel about doing shows about RCI ships? Or does the travel channel approach RCI about creating shows, perhaps as a way to please RCI so RCI will purchase even more advertising?

 

Not that any of this is illicit. TV wouldn't exist were it not for sponsors--at least that's how TV got its start; sometimes quite illicitly (e.g. game shows being rigged, etc).

 

Me, I'd like to see Travel Channel shows that are predominantly about the *ports* and what you can do and see in each port, rather than be advertisements for particular cruise lines. But then maybe we wouldn't be getting any more shows about cruising.

 

It is interesting, though, to see the various ships on various lines. I'm not saying the shows shouldn't be advertisements for particular cruise lines. Just that, in addition, I'd like to see some "port intensive" shows. I'm already sold on cruising itself. But I guess the point of the shows is to sell others on cruising.

 

The DVDs I've watched on various ports are absolutely god-awful.

[linkerbink]

You have some good points. However, I'd rather see more about the cruise lines and their individual ships. A port is a port regardless of which ship gets you there, but there apparently are significant (to some people, at least) differences between the various lines. I've only sailed on Royal Caribbean for my 8 cruises, but I'd like to try others at some point. Getting some "previews" of different lines may help me decide which one to try next.

 

BUT...a show about cruising is always high on my list of things to watch!

[BND]

There are shows about Carnival and advertisements from them as well. Samantha Brown's shows that she's done about cruising tend to be a lot more about the ports than the ships. I wish they'd show MORE about the ships. You really see very little about the ships on most of the shows.

[mikeerdas]

You have some good points. However, I'd rather see more about the cruise lines and their individual ships. A port is a port regardless of which ship gets you there, but there apparently are significant (to some people, at least) differences between the various lines. I've only sailed on Royal Caribbean for my 8 cruises, but I'd like to try others at some point. Getting some "previews" of different lines may help me decide which one to try next.

 

BUT...a show about cruising is always high on my list of things to watch!

 

Hear, hear.

 

That there are any shows whatever about cruising and cruise lines is fabulous. So my "complaint", such as it isn't, is a bit hollow. :-)