CC Steals Cruise Freeks Idea!

Dear Cruise Critic member, Just as you use Cruise Critic to stay connected to a community of cruise fans and occasionally, as well, to reach out to causes that make a difference in your lives (many thanks to all those who participated in our first-ever On Deck for the Cure effort this month, in conjunction with Holland America), we're asking you to participate in a special cause-related effort. TripAdvisor.com, our sister travel site, is donating $1 million to 5 great nonprofits that help the people and places we encounter when we travel. Here's where we come in. TripAdvisor.com is asking Cruise Critic members to help it decide how to split the gift. With just a simple vote, you can support a great cause. You've probably cruised to some of the places these charities help. Each group is doing amazing work to help people and communities around the world. Voting takes only a moment, so please speak up for a good cause. Vote now. Thank you, Carolyn Spencer Brown Editor in Chief, Cruise Critic

TOO FUNNY! You know for a little board, CC seems to spend a lot of time watching what is going on over here.

They've been around HOW LONG - and it just happens that the same year Cruise Freeks - only 1 year old - starts charity projects - they copycat and do the same thing?

I don't know...seems odd to me!

Um, not quite copy cat.

CF is putting up money to cover incentives and drawing prizes. We are organizing cruises where funds are rasied through the cruise fare and/or amenity points in addition to funds donated by CF and our official travel agents. The owner of this forum and its members are forking up their own money that's going to charity.

CC is pointing you to Trip Advisor to vote for a charity that TA willd donate to, not CC.

And On Deck for the Cure is a HAL program, not CC exclusive or created.

Where's the donations from CC and their agency sponsors? Anyone can talk charity and urge people to support some one else's charitable causes.

While I find Cruise Critic's timing ironic, I think the bigger picture to focus on here is that people and organizations who really need help are going to be receiving it. And, while we're doing it in a grass roots type of way - we can hold our heads high and proud knowing that our results will come from the hard work and efforts of our board members, travel agents and anyone that donates to our selected fund raisers.

As a reminder - we actually have TWO fund raiser cruises in 2010. While most of you are aware of our Halloween 2010 cruise on Oasis of the Seas for breast cancer. I also want to remind all of you that we also have set up a fund raising cruise for The Food Bank for New York City on our 4th of July week cruise on Caribbean Princess in 2010. We have not promoted it much yet since it is not open for booking, however, I am very pleased to announce that our travel agent in charge, Jeanie Beck, has already secured group space for us and our pricing for 2010 is LOWER than 2009!

For more information about our Food Bank fund raising cruise please visit:
http://www.caribbeanprincessjune282010.makeswebsites.com/

And for pricing please contact Jeanie Beck at jeanie@becktours.com

Nicely stated Tina!

Agreed - much better to rise above it all.

Admin wrote:

As a reminder - we actually have TWO fund raiser cruises in 2010.

And for 2009, The Vacation Stop is donating to the American Cancer Society, 50% of all commissions received for the Cruise Freeks Mariner of the Seas cruise leaving on 10/12/2009. We will also gladly pass on any additional donations that anyone want to make.

So get out there and help society by taking a cruise. How can you possibly have more fun working for charity than by taking a cruise?

And what part of this shocks anyone?

After some snooping...

IndependentTraveler.com is published by The
Independent Traveler, Inc., a subsidiary of TripAdvisor LLC. The
Independent Traveler also publishes Cruise Critic.


IndependentTraveler.com is a member of the
TripAdvisor Media Network, an operating company of Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. also owns Expedia.com.

Ain't that interesting?

Also after a check - CC groups are all going through one agency. Can you spell M-O-N-O-P-O-L-Y?

They mention TripAdvisor is their sister site. Well, ok. (yes Nick I can spell Monopoly)

http://blogs.courant.com/travel_columnists_leblanc/2007/06/the-expedia-empire.html

Quote :

Here's something to know. The independent travel Web sites we all use to plan our travels might not be quite as independent as we think they are.

For example, TripAdvisor recently bought the Independent Traveler, which owns the Cruise Critic Web site. So the premiere forum for travelers to share reviews of hotels now owns the premiere forum for cruise passengers to share their opinions of cruise lines and ships.
TripAdvisor, in turn, belongs to Expedia, one of the big three online travel agencies. And Expedia also owns Hotels.com and Hotwire.com, two leading discount travel agencies. (it goes on to mention other sites all owned by the same company)

Ivanova wrote:

Um, not quite copy cat.

CC is pointing you to Trip Advisor to vote for a charity that TA willd donate to, not CC.

They are owned by the same company, thats why CC can have CC members vote on how Trip Advisor should give money.

.... almost the same thing to me.

Nick Needs To Know wrote:

Can you spell M-O-N-O-P-O-L-Y?

Isn't that a board game?

thevacationstop wrote:

Admin wrote:

As a reminder - we actually have TWO fund raiser cruises in 2010.

And for 2009, The Vacation Stop is donating to the American Cancer Society, 50% of all commissions received for the Cruise Freeks Mariner of the Seas cruise leaving on 10/12/2009. We will also gladly pass on any additional donations that anyone want to make.

So get out there and help society by taking a cruise. How can you possibly have more fun working for charity than by taking a cruise?

Love it!

I bet I can keep busy sailing just by doing the charity cruises! Hats off to this board and all of those who take the time to put these things together! I think a lot of people would love to be charitable and will jump at the chance to do it by selecting these cruises!

CF has contests whereas CC i have never seen any contest. I wish more people would find CF so that way we can we can have a bigger roll call on all cruises and get to know alot of people...

frannieburr,

it's just a matter of getting the word out.

Admin wrote:

While I find Cruise Critic's timing ironic, I think the bigger picture to focus on here is that people and organizations who really need help are going to be receiving it. And, while we're doing it in a grass roots type of way - we can hold our heads high and proud knowing that our results will come from the hard work and efforts of our board members, travel agents and anyone that donates to our selected fund raisers.

As a reminder - we actually have TWO fund raiser cruises in 2010. While most of you are aware of our Halloween 2010 cruise on Oasis of the Seas for breast cancer. I also want to remind all of you that we also have set up a fund raising cruise for The Food Bank for New York City on our 4th of July week cruise on Caribbean Princess in 2010. We have not promoted it much yet since it is not open for booking, however, I am very pleased to announce that our travel agent in charge, Jeanie Beck, has already secured group space for us and our pricing for 2010 is LOWER than 2009!

For more information about our Food Bank fund raising cruise please visit:
http://www.caribbeanprincessjune282010.makeswebsites.com/

And for pricing please contact Jeanie Beck at [url=mailto://jeanie@becktours.com

jeanie@becktours.com[/quote[/url]]

Actually, don't we have 3 or 4 charity cruises? Alaska 2010 is a charity cruise, and didn't I read something about an Autism group on Carnival?

Jen, yes, you're right - that original post was written a while ago so that's why there were only two charity cruises stated at the time

I was thinking, that I thought CC did that a while ago! Duh! Just not used to seeing old posts come back, I guess. LOL!

Nick Needs To Know wrote:

Also after a check - CC groups are all going through one agency. Can you spell M-O-N-O-P-O-L-Y?

Go directly to ****. Do not pass go etcetera. So long as the money goes to the right place.