Out of curiosity.. I'd like to know who pays for honchos on several of the cruise boards to cruise the brand new or refurbished ships..Do they cruise lines pay for airfare, the days or week of cruising and what freebies are tossed in. It appears that two or three of the "favored" (not you Doug) cruise sites appear to be biased for and against certain cruise lines. From their writings, reviews, they all seem to receive cabins/suites better than the average cruiser.. HOW ABOUT IT,,.. WHO PAYS!!!

Yes, the editors of sites like CruiseCritic do get free trips on Inaugural sailings. Some in the mainstrean media aren't allowed to accept free trips, but others are. I think each organization has its own policy.

All the cruise lines invite journalists and bloggers onto cruises from time to time. In these cases, they generally pay, including for the airfare to and from the port of embarkation. They generally do not pay for stuff on board the ship or for excursions, but that varies. They often allow you to bring a guest, though they rarely pay for the guest's airfare.

I've been on several inaugural cruises, usually for 1 or 2 nights, where the cruise line includes everything on board the ship, including drinks and extra-charge restaurants (though not things like spa services). This is different from a real inaugural sailing (i.e., the first real cruise aboard a ship, which is often trans-Atlantic since most ships are built in European shipyards). On these short inaugural cruises, the line invites journalists, travel agents (lots of them), and frequent cruisers. No one pays for these short demonstration cruises to nowhere. In my experience, I've been given either a standard cabin or a minisuite. I've never been given a fabulous suite on any trip I've ever been invited on. But I think it's fair to say that a journalist or blogger would not usually be given the cheapest inside cabin.

I have been invited on board Norwegian Epic over July 4th weekend for one such cruise, and I'll be reporting back on that early in July. I don't know what kind of cabin I'll be assigned (I know the number, but since I don't know the ship, I can't say what kind of cabin it will be ... NCL usually puts journalists in a minisuite, which is not really better than what the average cruiser would stay in).

I don't take many cruises or trips by invitation because I just don't have the time. But writers who cover cruising do take these trips and write about them. People might be surprised, but the vast majority of freelance travel writers don't make enough money that they could take all their cruises at their own expense. So going at the invitation of the cruise line is the only way they will get to review the experience first-hand. I don't see anything wrong with that. It's no different than borrowing an expensive camera or computer for a review; it just happens that you can't return a travel experience.

And I simply can't confirm whether it's accurate to say that web sites or publications are really biased against certain cruise lines. I know that some web sites do have direct sponsorship programs with certain lines. I guess it depends on the site. Obviously, individual writers may like (and even prefer) certain cruise lines. That doesn't mean they are being bought off or being paid to write nice things, though certain publications like the NY Times feel strongly enough about it that they will not allow their staff writers or even freelancers to accept free trips of any kind so long as they are writing about the experience for the newspaper.

In my opinion it appears that two of the other boards seem to fall all over certain cruise lines.. I became suspicious when one moderator mentioned the head of one cruise line finally spoke to him and another board where anything negative about a particular line gets you warnings about being banned...I'm serious.. We h appen to favor one cruise line at this point and the moderators allow the most negative comments about the same subject and by the same person everytime somebody makes a positive comment about the line..and yet her favorite line is not rated as highly...Not to mention the actual fawning over members of another board by the officers of another line.. Are they all looking for great reviews about their ships and staff?

That's why I only do my research on two boards and even at that, I will take info and reviews with a grain of salt. I don't get too excited over one good review and I don't get too excited by one bad review. I look at a few and get the feel for the review and I certainly is aware of reviewers or bloggers receiving goodies or preferred treatments.

I always look at the overall comments by the group rather than by a few. We certainly have bias, and that certainly includes you and me, even though I don't receive goodies and I am assuming that you don't either.

My feeling about NCL is about the same as yours and our feelings about Princess and Celebrity is very similar as well. So are we on the take from those 2 and don't like NCL as much? Hardly. Our comments are echoed by a lot of other visitors to this forum and other forums.

Are we biased? I guess I am to the point that I favor Pricness and Celebrity over Carnival, RCL and defiitely not too favorable towards NCL. And I stand by my comments that I will always be too young for HAL but never too old for Disney (okay, I'll have my grand chidlren in tow for Disney)

Read between the lines. There are bashing going on everywhere, even around here. It is always buyer beware, and inour case, readers beware.

Okay Eschew, I find that Princess people are extremely brand loyal.. whereas after one my experience on Princess I will stick to Celebrity and NCL knowing what I'm getting into.. I honestly feel that there are, how shall I say this.. "paid cheerleaders for Princess".. Or as they say on some of the restaurant boards... employees and owners maybe writing positive comments..Have not cruised H/A but the perception is that mentally I'm too young..lol.. as for Disney, maybe if I can rent a few grandchildren...Maybe at this age and having cruised more than 25 years my expections and cruising has changed even though we have upgraded to a premium line... But back to the original question...I do find on one particular board an anti-Celebrity atmosphere by the moderators..and the other such pro-Princess moderators..I do like to read several reviews of the ships and ports... My last review, the Soltice, on this board. I wrote it as I saw and experienced it. After I wrote the review I found there were others who felt the same way and as much as I wanted to give it 6 Stars or whatever they had serious problems. Getting back to the moderators... many are probably on the NCL Epic now which is having problems.. and I do understand as Doug talks about the moderators who do this out of love and have regular jobs and cannot take time off nor have the extra $$ to fly to catch up with a ship. An interesting comment was made by a moderator when I asked why he couldn't attend a Cruise Show in Boston and meet possible readers and discuss cruising.. His answer was that he couldn't be bothered because he was going to an industry show.. Obviously there he would meet the honchos of the various lines so that he could fawn over them..while at a area cruise show...he had nothing much to gain. As y ou all have noticed... I felt safer writing t his on Fodor's than on the other two boards..lol Thanks Doug

Parrotmon, you are 100% correct on that. Did you remeber the incident a year ago (maybe 2 now) that certain reviewers wrote extremely favorable reviews for RCL cruises on a certain board, only to be discovered that all those reviews are inside jobs, and people who had received all kind of freebies to "talk up" the cruise lines.

Brand loyalty is not a bad thing and we should not bash people with brand loyalty. Everyone is comfortable with certain things. I just happens to enjoy the enviroment that Celebrity and Princess had created. I still crusie Carnival and RCL, but only when I have to (with family members) as I did not enjoy the enviroment as much. There is absoultely nothing wrong with the service provided on RCL or Carnival, I just didn't enjoy the atmosphere.

I still speak favorably for both Princess and Celebrity despite their short comings. Princess had lost my luggage among other things, and on our last trip on board the Celebrity Mercury (Aug 2009), it was a total disaster.

I wrote off the bad experience as one off as I had consistent good experience from both cruise lines although I have never had a "prefect" cruise. Nothing is ever perfect. That's life.

However, if the poor experience continues and when it becomes a constant, then I will change my mind. That's where I am at with NCL. So I stop using their services and my comment on them is there are better chocies, or just don't comment at all. I have personal friends that thinks the service at NCL is the greatest and very loyal. I just don't cruise with them.

In this day and age of higher cost and cut backs, somehow, the cruise fare goes lower. So in turn, my expectation should be lowered. I attributed my poor experience with the Mercury on cut backs and tardiness for maintenance. I'll cruise Celebrity again, but if the poor experience continues, I'll think twice and may spend my hard earned money elsewhere. The same goes for airlines and any other experiences.

Parrot Mom...your blazing question was, "Who Pays?" The cruise line pays. The boards or moderators or owners of the Internet boards do not!! They only pay for extras, like: gratuities, alcohol, some excursions, shopping, etc.

I was the GLBT Host / Moderator of a well known cruise Internet Board. I can assuredly tell you that the editor (and chosen staff....aka "other moderators") went on cruises...whether it was the new Solstice, or Crystal lines...or the Epic. It was understood (when I was first propositioned to be a Moderator) that...."Sometimes comp cruises come our way..." Well, after spending over a year shlepping for the board and seeing that the Editor was on two or more cruises a month, it was apparent that he and one other moderator were getting the goods... Not only, but towards the tail end of my moderator job, I was offered a "last minute" cruise. It was on NCL but my Editor / Boss only gave me a only weeks notice. He said that he couldn't make it.

Again, Cruise board moderators are not paid a salary. From what I learned, they get "comp" cruises along the way. I busted my tail feathers for well over a year, reviving a forum on that board and getting new board / cruise members...and I finally achieved my "token" comp cruise...albeit on a line I wasn't thrilled about, a 7-day cruise with ports I wasn't interested in...and only a 1-week notice. I work for a living and moderating this cruise board was my hobby. I have to say, I didn't get anything that was 'conditionally' promised to me.

I will tell you, the cruise lines COMP cruises to the cruise boards, Parrot Mom. Make no mistake. Been there, done that. Won't moderate for a cruise board again. Loved helping fellow cruisers, but didn't care for the underhanded rules...and no perks? What's ups with that? Oh, that's right...the EDITOR of the Cruiseboard got the complimentary cruises.

I was told many times by him, "Don't tell anyone, but...". But wait, that's another story, LOL!

In any event, smooth sailing to you and yours, Parrot Mom. Hopefully you can rest with my answer.

Wow Merman, you really tell it like it is or how y ou see it.. I'm also sure many of the big cruise agencies get the same "benefits".. It's interesting to see on the boards many moderators running to the cruise ships at their launching and coming over. Maybe I should start my own cruise board..lol but then again I'd have to "fawn" wouldn't I..lol

ParrotMom, if you ened an editor, I'll volunteer, as long as I get the goodies at least once a month. I am not greedy .

Won't say which board but I posted a notice that Celebrity received an award as the best "premium" cruise from a group and a moderator immediately "discounted it'.. I swear..Guess he hasn't been on any freebies on this premium line lately..lol Maybe I could start an :"old fogies" board,but I think there is one similiar already...seriously.. she has alot of advertising.. Now, if I knew h ow to do a "blog" that might be different.. Merman could certainly join me and so couldn't Eschew and although we haven't met... Gail

Doug may kick us all out of here if we start our own ...

Not exactly sure how long I've been a member, but I bet it's over ten years and the posters on t his board have been extremely helpful...among everybody has been Percy, Gail and you Eschew..never a nasty posting.. and in return...I hope I'm able to "play it forward".. Thanks Doug..

Brand loyality is pretty interesting. Eschew I'm w/ you in that its best to look at an overall range of reviews and not just a few. Often the neg. reviews are, well picayune in nature I think, at least some of them. You can tell the diference between a legit. issue and just plain trash talk. Often someone will register and their 1st post, and many times their last, will be a scathing review full of nothing that most folks here see right through. Remember the person who posted a review about CCL I think who accused security on the ship of rattling her cabin door and trying to intimidate her? No one bought it.
We have had good experiences on Princess, CCL and RCI and would like to try X, esp. of of their newer ships for an eastern Med cruise. As for NCL I have heard much neg. B4 but honestly I think they have heard that too as the latest reviews are much better. I remember when cruise critic had a members rating system on a 1-6 scale and NCL was getting ratings in the mid 2's. Now they are way up from that. I am curious to see just how they do so maybe one day we'll try them one day. Cheers, Larry

Brand loyalty is one thing. Getting goodies in exchange for good or bad reviews is another. But then, we shouldn't be surprised by that now, should we?

I have brand loyalty as well, only up to a point. I have my favorite beer and soft drinks. But really, how much difference is there between Pepsi and Coke? or Miller and Bud and Coors?

I don't think I have brand loyalty with the crusie liens as I have been on most of the mass market lines at least once (except Azamara/MSC/Costa). There are cruise lines that have done a wonderful job with what they offer but since it is not the atmosphere or enviroment that I am looking for, I didn't return. A good example is HAL. evrything is fine. I didn't rebook on them has nothing to do with the service or quality. I just don't beleive I am ready for them.

I haven't been on NCL for years. Maybe if the time and the price is right, I will re-visit. Most comments I have heard is that they are still inconsitent. So my DW's feeling is why chance it?

Actually right after I posted my last comment above I went to another travel forum I am a member of and found a scathing review of a cruise on NCL, the Jewel. I mean it was really bad, from indifferent service, to bad food and no f/u for any complaints. Upon debarkation she found out the reason she could not get a comment card was because they had stopped this practice. Unbelievable. I went to cruisecritic and found that most reviews for this ship were pretty good BUT there were several negatives for this particular cruise. Hmmm. Sounds like they had a bad week or so.

Find my review of NCL Gem t/a last fall.. The best comment and I agree is.."If the time and the price is right, I will revisit".. That's how I feel about NCL, but for line of choice right now warts and all it's Celebrity..Eschew you and I agree... even at the age I am..I don't believe I'm ready for H/A....I guess it comes down to attitude on my part and the part of the ship..That said..every ship has its own personality..My belief is from our latest experience on NCL and we are Gold Members that it was on the whole complete indifference by the staff..Whereas on our last Celebrity...the word "No" was not in their vocabulary and it seemed that every employee was there to make your cruise perfect. Lets face it JACKETWATCH...two people or more can ge on the same ship, same week...and you will get different opinions..If and when I do cruise NCL again.. extra $$ wil be put aside for the charge restaurants

I know and agree but also its seems like more than coincidence that one sees several bad reviews of a particular cruise and this from varied websites too. I reiterate, Hmmm.

Other than a poor experience with Celebrity last August, overall, I haven't count them out yet. On that particular voyage, they were debuting their new menu and it was a mess. The dining room staff cannot apologize enough and they even warmed us that the service will be slow, on a daily basis. There were cut backs all over on the food quality but it is undersatndable as the cost had gone up but price has not.

The thing that got me was brown stains on the towels. Despite complaining to the cabin steward, we still received stained linen. I thought the least he could have done is to check the towels before putting it in the cabin. After two complaints and going nowhere, we just checked it ourselves and put it on the floor if there were stains. Fresh one will show up after we put the sign out requesting service. No one should really need to do that. I blame it on the inattentive individual and the cruise line for poor equipment maintenance. I am sure the brown stain is harmless and not people automatically would thought what it could be, but it is a turn off just the same.

As to NCL, if I have to put away extra $$$ for the charge restaurants, I may as well use the same money and go with Celebrity or Princess ... or RCL or Carnival and not worry about it.

I only frequent two crusie boards. Here and crusie critics. I stop going to the other ones for the simple reason that I don't want to waste my time. Who needs propagander anyway?

Don't forget, those benefits..free cruise, airfare, etc. are taxable to those who receive them. Doug can correct me if I'm wrong.