Royal Champions

[Ladylouwho]

That made me laugh...that was from The Bridge on the River Kwi

 

I LOVE that movie, didn't recognize the scene. Thanks.

[FL_Cruiser64]

Oh heck no of course I dont feel superior to any other CC member...geez Oliver you do know me better than that.

 

But if you think back to 2008 when the newest RCs were chosen...dont you remember the comments posted which werent exactly very nice about the RCs?

A lot of it was in fun but some folks did make some rather sneaky comments about the newest RCs, not so much on here perhaps but on other sites around the internet. Google can be very enlightening sometimes.

 

That's why I was surprised. And honestly I have no clue what was sad around the Nets. I do know that the 'originals' lets call them 'charter members' for the lack of a better term were congratulated (yes I observed back then :D). I did not see one bad word towards any of the selections in 2008 on CC. Just a couple questions here and there and some were wondering why they were not chosen. But no jealousy.

 

I think it was blown out of proportions when a lot of RCers began becoming sarcastic (see your post

Ok just to keep some folks happy ...I will tell you something ....I won two tickets through CC to the Cruise Show in London..nothing to do with being a RC...so will I have to add something to my sig/avatar now that states I won a prize on CC ?

 

Oh no...not only am I a RC... I am also a CC prize winner how on earth will I be able to sleep at night Perfectly well thank you

 

:D

 

It is funny but I can see how it rubs those asking serious question. Instead of an answer they get sarcasm and the notion "you are jealous". Not necessarily you. I am just using you and your recent post. Sorry. ;)

 

Like I said, I sure don't understand all this commotion. Except one poster I find this thread rather amusing. And I bet you that most of the host, mods and admins get a good chuckle out of it as well. :D

[Elizanessie]

That's why I was surprised. And honestly I have no clue what was sad around the Nets. I do know that the 'originals' lets call them 'charter members' for the lack of a better term were congratulated (yes I observed back then :D). I did not see one bad word towards any of the selections in 2008 on CC. Just a couple questions here and there and some were wondering why they were not chosen. But no jealousy.

 

I think it was blown out of proportions when a lot of RCers began becoming sarcastic (see your post

 

 

:D

 

It is funny but I can see how it rubs those asking serious question. Instead of an answer they get sarcasm and the notion "you are jealous". Not necessarily you. I am just using you and your recent post. Sorry. ;)

 

Like I said, I sure don't understand all this commotion. Except one poster I find this thread rather amusing. And I bet you that most of the host, mods and admins get a good chuckle out of it as well. :D

 

Some folks want the RCs to have something in their avatars saying they are RCs...having it in our sigs isnt enough for some...and some want us to disclose everything...so my comment in my posts about my sig/avatar were my sad attempt at humour :o...darn it bad bad Liz again:p

 

Heck we are dammed if we do and dammed if we dont.

[firefly333]

Sorry, by doing that (shortening) you take a post totally out of contex.

 

Maybe I am blind too. I am reading this thread and all I see is questions and assumption. This whole 'liar' part developed much later when an RCer or supporter accused someone with question of being a liar but could not bring proof. That's how I read the thread. But looking at your selective quoting I can see how we are on different sides of the issue.

 

It is very unfortunate that you are trying to drag me into one of those "forum matches" because I of all people was rather supportive of RCers as well as those asking questions while giving my own observations and ideas.

 

Because to be honest: I could care less about a title and a tag line.

 

I am certainly done discussing the issue with you because you have an uncanny ability to take apart a rather innocent comment and drag me into a 'forum game'. I am grateful for the moderators to provide this platform and I am not abusing this platform.

 

.... because I asked if you could see that the RCs were also under attack you posted this??? Yep, we are not seeing this the same. I am not trying to drag you into anything, sorry you would come to that conclusion. Im feeling pretty much attacked myself.

[hazence]

It's NOT about any of you individually. The article actually reads as if you Royal Champions were dupes of the marketing strategy in a way yourselves.

 

Maybe a better word is manipulated.

 

And you are, according to RCCL, monitored to see if you are responding to the gift of a special name...by manipulating the rest of us.

 

RCCL marketing did no one..the Royal Champions, Cruise Critic, the rest of us...or themselves... any favor by congratulating themselves on all this in print.

[bilyclub]

Can you guys lay off the RCs. Look how the Loyals at NCL behave on their two day trips to nowhere.

 

 

http://www.spike.com/video/big-lebowski-that/2681729

[James Trotta]

As a travel blogger, Royal Champion, and first time cruisecritic.com poster, I take exception to the implication / accusation that Royal Champions are encouraged to mislead others.

 

I was invited to spend 2 days on Liberty of the Seas. I did and then I wrote about my experience. I've also been invited to various resorts and shared my experiences there. It's just smart marketing if you're confident you have a good product (and it helps to be a Seth Godin fan) - get the 'sneezers' to experience your product and hope they talk about it.

 

The only difference is that RCI came up with the Royal Champion title and the resorts never had a special name for the people they invite.

 

I think people are getting too caught up with the Royal Champion title.

[Alexis]

I wonder if the shares are up because the R.C.ers were having a really busy day on the boards talking up RCI?;):D

 

And maybe others. ;)

[Ladylouwho]

it's not about any of you individually. The article actually reads as if you royal champions were dupes of the marketing strategy in a way yourselves.

 

Maybe a better word is manipulated.

 

And you are, according to rccl, monitored to see if you are responding to the gift of a special name...by manipulating the rest of us.

 

Rccl marketing did no one..the royal champions, cruise critic, the rest of us...or themselves... Any favor by congratulating themselves on all this in print.

 

Bingo!

[jaxon41]

Quote: "Rachel Hannock, Manager Loyalty Marketing and Royal Caribbean Cruises shared there story at a recent loyalty marketing conference. Hannock noted, “The key to success in viral marketing is to subtly influence the influencers without them overtly realizing they are being influenced.”

 

It is the Manager of RCCL Marketing , not any poster here, that plainly stated that the Royal Champions were being influenced in order to influence the rest of us. I understand the Royal Champions genuinely believe this is untrue...but Marketing at RCCL seems to be plainly saying otherwise.

 

Quote: "In my previous posts, I sited the recent study by Colloquy that found that customers who participate in loyalty-building efforts are 70 percent more likely to actively recommend a product, service or brand than the general population. I thought you might want to see this strategy in action with the Royal Caribbean Cruises’ efforts"

 

THEY are saying the reward program has influenced YOU. You confirm the marketing study. You were the source of Ms. Hannock's "talk."

 

The Champions complaint is with RCCL, not any poster here. It is RCCL marketing that has informed us that YOU are part of a viral marketing strategy on this Board to influence the rest of us to their line.

 

http://www.customerinsightgroup.com/loyaltyblog/?p=46%E2%80%9D

 

worth repeating

[Ladylouwho]

As a travel blogger, Royal Champion, and first time cruisecritic.com poster, I take exception to the implication / accusation that Royal Champions are encouraged to mislead others.

 

I was invited to spend 2 days on Liberty of the Seas. I did and then I wrote about my experience. I've also been invited to various resorts and shared my experiences there. It's just smart marketing if you're confident you have a good product (and it helps to be a Seth Godin fan) - get the 'sneezers' to experience your product and hope they talk about it.

 

The only difference is that RCI came up with the Royal Champion title and the resorts never had a special name for the people they invite.

 

I think people are getting too caught up with the Royal Champion title.

 

Nope, Sorry. That is not the point at all.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

[5waldos]

“The key to success in viral marketing is to subtly influence the influencers without them overtly realizing they are being influenced.… While difficult to measure precisely, based on observation and anecdotal evidence we are confident that the Royal Champions produce ample word of mouth and exert sufficient influence to make the investment worthwhile. “

 

Out of the horse's mouth.

[Alexis]

a) I didn't say every member gets to pick. What if it is only a handfull of 'original RCs'? We don't know exactly how many. If you read my post you will see that the 'charter members' are not the 'charter members' but merely the first group to go to an official event.

 

b) so what if I opened up a can of worms. It certainly does make the most sense. The question though is: what do I base that on? Could just be an invention of my sick little mind. I tend to do that. Though most of those sick inventions became reality. How about 35% information, 35% observation and 30% a logical conclusion based on the former two?

I may though put out a disclaimer: information may not come from 'Adam', 'Adam G', Mr Goldstein. I have not met this man, never talked to him and I have no photo op to proof that. :D

 

And why should my statement put any 'charter member' in the corner? Is a title that important? Statements like this is like walking the slippery slope. In a way RCs want no criticism, yet they are trying to lift themselves above and even within yet nobody actually can tell why they are RC charter members in the first place.

 

True assets to CC? Maybe so. But just because of a designation? Isn't that the point of this discussion? Why is someone with a couple hundred posts an asset (charter or not) just based on a designation or a title then someone who has posted 10,000 valuable posts?

 

As I said last night. Your posts are sometimes hard for me to read. :D

I guess all I will say is "This is how rumors start on RCCL." ;)

Post counts have nothing to do with being an asset on RCCL message boards. You and I have seen some people with 1-5 word answers rack them up 10,000 in 6 - 9months. :D

I personally was shocked that people who have a vast knowledge and are always there to help with facts and answer questions, are also always pleasant, were not picked. That was just my observation and I was certainly not alone in that.

Now, we all can have an opinion on here and that is what I was trying to say.

I don't want a debate. ;)

[Micki Dee]

Thanks to a couple of over zealous reporters, our friendly Cruise Critic has become a place of animosity, name calling, the blame game, and so on. People who used to be friends are angry with one another and it just keeps snowballing. It's just sad.:(

 

The Royal Champion Program has very little impact on the cruising community as a whole IMHO. If most of the participants are CC members, they are reaching very few of the cruising public at large. CC members make up a very small percentage of cruisers. Heck, most of my friends have never heard of it. Viral marketing is nothing new folks, and in the world of viral medium that we live in, get used to it. I personally see nothing wrong with it.

 

As a side note, I do feel that those RC members who I have chatted with or asked questions of, or even met, are informative, unbiased, and very friendly.:)

[Ladylouwho]

I think based on your reaction I think I hit a home run with my two - non attacking - posts.

 

If I look at this entire thread the attacking is continuously made by those defending RCs either by association (being RCs themselves) or by those close to RCs. None of those asking question or just posting out of curiousity have attacked anybody. Why is that? Are you allowed to do that?

 

Oliver, You and I do not always see eye to eye, but I think you hit a home run also.

 

Colleen

[jaxon41]

i personally was shocked that people who have a vast knowledge and are always there to help with facts and answer questions, are also always pleasant, were not picked.

I don't want a debate. ;)

 

hmmmmm...not debating, either, but lends credence to my bull dog theory.

[Alexis]

Now this is really alarming. Imagine my angst as I hurried through this editorial wondering if my cc name was in there, because if it had been, I was ready to call my cousin who is a trial lawyer famous for class action suites! I just can't beleive all this. Something that seemed so insignificant just 2 years ago has turned into some kind of stealth hogwash. I know the moderators will probably poof this thread and combine it with the sticky which is so ludicrous and bogus it boggles the mind. Here I was, a happy little cruiser who got included on a pre inaugural because I wrote a stupid little poem and now I'm a lier, a cheat, worse than the coursest politian and as sly as Oil Can Madoff. Never to be trusted by anyone on these boards. WOW! I just spent my own money to get to Miami, take a whirlwind 2 day trip to NOWHERE, got a bag full of cheap trinkets from China that are mostly in the trash now and I wind up infamous. All I do here is hand out useful information about cruising and where to go and do what in a port, answer questions and make new friends and now my name is mud. They want transparency, yet I've had and many others have had the Royal Champion in their signature since Liberty. And yet they all conveniently overlook that. All the while taking any perks from any of the cruise lines they can get their hands on.....just like the rest of us. I loved my pre inaugural, the excitement and being part of a fun group of people. But its been made into an international incident by a bunch of whiners and a couple of questionable news editors. Such is life. I guess the Bible warned us of this happening and by gobs, if it isn't! Oh, well. Can't afford to cruise now anyways because of the mess the country is in. So who cares!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:mad:

 

Wow, it just occurred to me that I can solve this little boondoggle. You see, I don't really need Cruise Critic to have fun. I can cruise and just be a part of my local cruising group and just drop this participation here. Sounds good to me...I'm so disillusioned by all this, it offends me. Goodbye

 

Hi Becci,

Don't let them do this to you. Hold your head high. We know the truth and they will find out too!

Just don't read this thread anymore. ;)

Alexis

[FL_Cruiser64]

Thanks to a couple of over zealous reporters, our friendly Cruise Critic has become a place of animosity, name calling, the blame game, and so on. People who used to be friends are angry with one another and it just keeps snowballing. It's just sad.:(

 

The Royal Champion Program has very little impact on the cruising community as a whole IMHO. If most of the participants are CC members, they are reaching very few of the cruising public at large. CC members make up a very small percentage of cruisers. Heck, most of my friends have never heard of it. Viral marketing is nothing new folks, and in the world of viral medium that we live in, get used to it. I personally see nothing wrong with it.

 

As a side note, I do feel that those RC members who I have chatted with or asked questions of, or even met, are informative, unbiased, and very friendly.:)

 

 

Very well said.

[Ladylouwho]

As a side note, I do feel that those RC members who I have chatted with or asked questions of, or even met, are informative, unbiased, and very friendly.:)

 

I agree. Many of us have said that over and over again. The RC's need to stop taking this personally, step out of the box and look at this as a Non-RC sees it. People are interested in this RC program/policy/marketing endeavor. They were asking questions about it. Those questions were being stifled. What is wrong with asking questions? Why does it have to be personal? To many of the RC's I would say, instead of being so defensive, aren't you interested in knowing what this program is actually all about? Don't you wonder why RCL seems to be talking (In The Public Eye No Less) out of both sides of its Corporate mouth about this RC Program? Aren't you at all curious in learning the truth, if it can be learned?

[Alexis]

hmmmmm...not debating, either, but lends credence to my bull dog theory.

 

I adore FL_Cruiser64 and I consider him my friend on here. I want to keep it that way.

I love reading his posts and I would not like to get hm really mad at me.

So, before it gets to that I explained my side, he explained his.

Civil to each other.

 

You should try that instead of calling me a Bull Dog. I resent that.:mad:

Do you really think I could bully FL_Cruise64? :D :D :D :D :rolleyes:

He's going to love that one!

[Micki Dee]

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson of Web Marketing Today describes Viral Marketing as this "Off the Internet, viral marketing has been referred to as "word-of-mouth," "creating a buzz," "leveraging the media," "network marketing." But on the Internet, for better or worse, it's called "viral marketing." While others smarter than I have attempted to rename it, to somehow domesticate and tame it, I won't try. The term "viral marketing" has stuck."

 

I think that at one time or another most of us have been "guilty" of viral marketing by this definition. If you've ever come on here and talked about how great your cruise was, recommended a certain ship, itinerary, stateroom category, you were "creating a buzz" for RCCL...maybe you just didn't have Royal Champion in your signature and you didn't get to go on a PI or get an invite to the Oasis Reveal. Big Deal.

[hazence]

It is interesting that , even in this situation, the Royal Champions seem to find little fault with RCCL marketing...if any at all.

 

It seems all "fault" lies with other posters for discussing this. It is easier perhaps to deal with individual posters comments than what RCCL Marketing said in this article.

 

Why not duscuss THOSE comments?

 

This issue originated with RCCL marketing congratulating themselves and describing their own program in a way that hardly flattered ANY of their customers. IMO it is not a good marketing tool to discuss how you cultivate one set of customers to "infuence" another. Yes, it's DONE all the time and it may be "good marketing" among professionals but not when the Duped and the Dupe-ees have to read about their own manipulation. In my opinion, the whole purpose of the program was devalued by their own description of its inception and intent.

 

There is nothing personal in this toward any individual's integrity. It was RCCL marketing who says the program INFLUENCED you just in the way they wished..but we all acknowledge it was done "subtly."

[bilyclub]

As a travel blogger, Royal Champion, and first time cruisecritic.com poster, I take exception to the implication / accusation that Royal Champions are encouraged to mislead others.

 

I was invited to spend 2 days on Liberty of the Seas. I did and then I wrote about my experience. I've also been invited to various resorts and shared my experiences there. It's just smart marketing if you're confident you have a good product (and it helps to be a Seth Godin fan) - get the 'sneezers' to experience your product and hope they talk about it.

 

The only difference is that RCI came up with the Royal Champion title and the resorts never had a special name for the people they invite.

 

I think people are getting too caught up with the Royal Champion title.

 

 

Where did this guy come from? He is just pouring more gas on the fire...

[hazence]

Suppose I heard that my neighbor, who had deemed me his most Special Friend...had given a little talk at a party where I was not invited. There he regaled the other guests with how he learned all he could about all of the other homeowners on the cul-de-sac...and his "study" showed I was the most likely to cut his lawn every week if he called me his Best Friend and had me over for cocktails once or twice.

 

Am I upset with the knowledge of his intent and motivation...or the people discussing what he said?

 

I think most of us just want to discuss what we feel about what was revealed about this program by RCCL marketing. By their own admission, only RCCL really understood how they chose the RC's and why and what the ongoing purpose was.

 

Now we all know and have our individual reactions. It's about the marketing strategy, not ANY of the RCs or their integrity.

[critterchick]

RCs are a group of people like the critter chicks, boa society, NOOTS and whatever they call themselves - but just a group of people nevertheless.

 

 

Excuse you, Oliver, but I am the one and the ONLY critterchick!:p :D