Do so called social media 'influencers' get free cruises and other perks?

[RBCal]

I'm trying to avoid 'wasting' my money be listening to phonies.  I'm quickly finding out who they are and making a mental list.  I certainly won't be posting them here.

[RBCal]

1 hour ago, Zach1213 said:

 

Many of these reviews are spot on, though. They're often a good way to get an idea of what options are possible, what ships/hotels/locations look like, etc. They may be paid, but they're more often than not just showing people what they can experience themselves, which is usually more realistic than the marketing we see on TV or hear on the radio. 

 

As far as Facebook goes, you often build your own algorithm. My Facebook is a fountain of lovely pictures of my family and friends and the things they do. 

and Zuckerberg sells all their likes to advertisers for which you get no compensation.  1984's Big Brother came 20 years too early.  George Orwell was a genius.  I avoid FB/Meta like a plague.  AI will be even worse

Edited August 1, 2023 by RBCal

[Zach1213]

2 minutes ago, RBCal said:

and Zuckerberg sells all their likes to advertisers for which you get no compensation.  1984's Big Brother came 20 years too early.  George Orwell was a genius.

Well yes, of course. "If you're not paying for something, you're the thing being sold". But that's a very different conversation than the conversation about travel influencers, which are just a new tool of marketing and promotions (or, sometimes, just a way for the person to make a living doing something they love). 

Edited August 1, 2023 by Zach1213

[RBCal]

My last post since this topic is tiresome.

 

If you fall for influencer spiels you should be careful.  You can probably get the same service or product someplace cheaper. 

[Mike981]

FWIW, when I was a radio announcer in certain situations I got the VIP treatment. They wanted me to talk about their business. I had friends who got week long stays at Sandals resorts where they did their show from there, I turned it down because I wanted to have a week of vacation, not work. At one point before the holidays, companies were sending me all kinds of electronic toys to giveaway to listeners  so  they would be mentioned on the radio. We're talking NICE stuff, like gaming consoles.

 

Sorry  OP, it's just the way the world is. Now I need to go buy some beer that an actor drinking in a movie I saw last night. They sure seemed to like it, so it must be good.

[navybankerteacher]

13 minutes ago, RBCal said:

My last post since this topic is tiresome.

 

If you fall for influencer spiels you should be careful.  You can probably get the same service or product someplace cheaper. 

Virtually any product or service someone buys can be gotten “someplace cheaper”, if you shop around hard enough.  Of course, some folks are so afraid of not getting the lowest price that they freeze in place and don’t do anything for fear of not getting the best bargain possible.

 

But are you so opposed to the concept of influencers being compensated that you will never buy any goods if the provider makes use of influencers in their marketing efforts?  A lot of food producers, and the grocers who sell them, are already compensating influencers — you might want to think things over before you starve yourself to death.

[YourWorldWithBill]

I follow a YouTube channel by someone who cruises often. I know that he refuses to take free cruises that are regularly offered, and is not paid by any cruise line.

 

As others have said, the main point is that the person doing the posting or video is absolutely obligated to acknowledge that. I've seen one or two that acknowledge it in a subtle way that's easy to miss, however, so caution is always good.

 

Does the person I follow get special treatment because he is well known and recognized by people who follow cruise videos? Maybe, but that makes sense to me. And by watching many of his videos, I've found him to be honest and someone I trust. 

[JRG]

2 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

He makes enough money off of his subscribers + revenue from YouTube to make a decent enough living traveling the world and getting people to watch him do it. So not all of these people are getting paid by the airline/cruiseline that they're traveling on.

 

Agreed.  I'm not sure all of our cc readers are familiar with how influencers get rich on the big platforms.

 

It's really a case of money for nothing (and the chicks for free)

Edited August 1, 2023 by JRG

[mom says]

After reading the OPs posts on this thread, I really doubt he would know an influencer if he bumped into one taking selfies in the buffet line.

[Toofarfromthesea]

17 hours ago, RBCal said:

I've seen several posts complaining that social media influencers receive special treatment and even free cruises.  I know that travel agents do.  I personally think Twitter and Facebook are bad companies so never use them anymore.  IMHO this is unfair and increases costs and fares for the uninfluencers like me.  What is your experience?  Are any cruiselines worse than others in practicing this unethical issue?

 

Among my basic tenets of life that I try to live by is that one of the surest paths to an unhappy life is to compare what you get/have to what other people get/have.  

 

Update:  now that read a little further I see your issue is with so-called influencers all I can say is don't read reviews on Amazon - they will trigger you.

Edited August 1, 2023 by Toofarfromthesea

[Kristelle]

3 hours ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

I follow a YouTube channel by someone who cruises often. I know that he refuses to take free cruises that are regularly offered, and is not paid by any cruise line.

 

As others have said, the main point is that the person doing the posting or video is absolutely obligated to acknowledge that. I've seen one or two that acknowledge it in a subtle way that's easy to miss, however, so caution is always good.

 

Does the person I follow get special treatment because he is well known and recognized by people who follow cruise videos? Maybe, but that makes sense to me. And by watching many of his videos, I've found him to be honest and someone I trust. 

 

 

Are we talking about Youtubers like Gary Bembridge?

 

I have followed his youtubes and found them very helpful and objective - he lists pros and cons and objective comparisons ( if you like organised pre paid all inclusive trips x is for you, if you prefer to pay as you go and have more option to do your own thing y is for you)

 

I guess even if he is not paid for his trips, there  is possiblilty staff recognise him and treat him better on account of that - but  I cant see where that would change his advice usefulness to me

 

I find his youtubes much more informative than, say, a celebrity purely spouting the virtues of x company and obviously paid to do just that

[YourWorldWithBill]

2 hours ago, Kristelle said:

 

 

Are we talking about Youtubers like Gary Bembridge?

 

I have followed his youtubes and found them very helpful and objective - he lists pros and cons and objective comparisons ( if you like organised pre paid all inclusive trips x is for you, if you prefer to pay as you go and have more option to do your own thing y is for you)

 

I guess even if he is not paid for his trips, there  is possiblilty staff recognise him and treat him better on account of that - but  I cant see where that would change his advice usefulness to me

 

I find his youtubes much more informative than, say, a celebrity purely spouting the virtues of x company and obviously paid to do just that

Exactly! You're 100% right; he is very helpful and very objective.  On his live chats, which he does most Sundays, he often answers questions from people who ask him why he doesn't take free cruises. He says once, long ago, he accepted one short free cruise, and he didn't feel that he could be really objective. He makes enough from all his videos, etc. "Tips for Travellers."

[jsn55]

10 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

How does making a purchase on FB (marketplace, I assume) make one a fool?  

From what I've read, and gathered from a couple of consumer advocate forums I'm involved with, a large percentage of 'stuff sold on FB' is shoddy, never arrives, causes your credit card to be charged triple what you thought  Nobody at FB is riding herd on anything other than how much revenue they generate by selling advertising.  Therefore, you're taking a big chance by giving an unknown entity your credit card information ... or worse, transferring your money directly to that same entity.  There are hundreds of thousands of well-run, ethical sellers on the internet, and only a fool would buy something on FB that he could get from several other sources.  FB makes it 'easy', they know their users ... that's their strength.

Edited August 2, 2023 by jsn55

[Kristelle]

I've occasionally bought things direct from sites in my FB feed but I still do so using PayPal so they don't have my credit card details themselves, can't charge any more than I know I paid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aborgman]

21 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

Most people learn early on to take any review with a good deal of salt. 

 

Absolutely - but it's still unethical on the part of a reviewer not to disclose it, even if everyone with any common sense should know it.

[sanger727]

There's another way to look at this. Influencers exist only because people like to follow them and listen to what they have to say. (I personally don't, but many many people do). If you favorite influencer who, for example, is a travel blogger; you may be interested in seeing their videos and hearing their opinions about a vacation you are considering. Why should they have to pay full price for a working trip where they are producing content that benefits the cruise line and is demanded by their followers. 

 

I am pretty sure that anyone who follows or gets advise from influencers is well aware that they are influencers. 

[ldubs]

16 hours ago, jsn55 said:

From what I've read, and gathered from a couple of consumer advocate forums I'm involved with, a large percentage of 'stuff sold on FB' is shoddy, never arrives, causes your credit card to be charged triple what you thought  Nobody at FB is riding herd on anything other than how much revenue they generate by selling advertising.  Therefore, you're taking a big chance by giving an unknown entity your credit card information ... or worse, transferring your money directly to that same entity.  There are hundreds of thousands of well-run, ethical sellers on the internet, and only a fool would buy something on FB that he could get from several other sources.  FB makes it 'easy', they know their users ... that's their strength.

 

I don't know that I have every had any online transaction with a FB advertiser, at least not through a FB link.  Certainly, any unfamiliar online vendor should be vetted.   I have made purchases on FB Marketplace.  Didn't even use a credit card.  Also sold something there (for 5 figures) with no credit card involved.   Seems you are painting with a pretty broad brush. 

[mom says]

5 hours ago, ldubs said:

Seems you are painting with a pretty broad brush. 

And Blindfolded.

[sparks1093]

On 8/2/2023 at 10:11 AM, aborgman said:

 

Absolutely - but it's still unethical on the part of a reviewer not to disclose it, even if everyone with any common sense should know it.

While I couldn't pick an influencer out of a one person line up yes, if they are compensated it is only kosher that they disclose it.

[ldubs]

In the spirit of full disclosure, I receive no compensation for my posts here on CC!  😃

[ldubs]

16 hours ago, mom says said:

And Blindfolded.

 

Don't know that I would go that far.  In my view, when it comes to peer-to-peer transactions, I think FB marketplace works pretty well.  Better, IMO, than that other large free trading site.  

[pc_load_letter]

The only cruise utuber I can stand to watch more than five minutes is Emma from Emma's Cruises. She always discloses what she pays and I have yet to hear in any of her videos that she was given the cruise for free.

 

The only other one is Doug from Cruise News.

[Toofarfromthesea]

3 hours ago, ldubs said:

In the spirit of full disclosure, I receive no compensation for my posts here on CC!  😃

 

Really?  They send me several thousand dollars every month.🤪

[Toofarfromthesea]

2 hours ago, pc_load_letter said:

The only cruise utuber I can stand to watch more than five minutes is Emma from Emma's Cruises. She always discloses what she pays and I have yet to hear in any of her videos that she was given the cruise for free.

 

The only other one is Doug from Cruise News.

 

Personally I don't care about whether they get paid or not because I watch a lot of different ones and I feel like I'm able to sift the wheat from the chaff. 

 

There are a couple I can't stand.  One is a very nice lady who has good info but whose voice, to me, is like bad chalk on a blackboard.  The other is the bald guy on something like Tips for Travelers.  I watched his video on MSC Yacht Club, something I'm familiar with, and he kept talking about how it comes up short compared to luxury lines like Regent or Seabourn.  But no one ever said that was the goal, and those lines are hugely more expensive.  It would be like going to Texas Roadhouse and then complaining that it wasn't as good as Ruth's Chris.  So he lost all credibility with me.

 

I also suspect that the active and popular channels make their money from the monetization of their channels, sales on their associated websites, and, for the travel agents, any bookings their videos generate.  I think cruise line perks would be a drop in the bucket compared to those things.  People can make a lot of money from having a YouTube channel.

[Kristelle]

2 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

The other is the bald guy on something like Tips for Travelers. 

 

 

That is the Gary Bembridge mentioned above

 

I really like his Youtubes and his style of presentation

 

YMMV