Comments on: Is Carnival Cruise Lines trying to muzzle social media?

By: Twitter Ban Lifted by Carnival Cruises « Travel Smart Blog

Twitter Ban Lifted by Carnival Cruises « Travel Smart Blog — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:57:09 +0000

[...] social media policy was first reported by the travel tech Web site Tnooz last December. Under the old restrictions, nobody in the travel industry would be legally allowed [...]

By: Twitter Ban Lifted by Carnival Cruises - In Transit Blog - NYTimes.com

Twitter Ban Lifted by Carnival Cruises - In Transit Blog - NYTimes.com — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:01:45 +0000

[...] social media policy was first reported by the travel tech Web site Tnooz last December. Under the old restrictions, nobody in the travel industry would be legally allowed [...]

By: Carnival Cruises rewrites social media policy, frees the travel tweeters | Tnooz

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:40:37 +0000

[...] first proposed social-media policy for 2010, which the cruise line withdrew Dec. 15 after a Tnooz story about it several hours earlier triggered an outcry, travel agents who book Carnival sailings can [...]

By: Carnival Cruise Lines still considering social-media policy changes | Tnooz

Carnival Cruise Lines still considering social-media policy changes | Tnooz — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:34:54 +0000

[...] than three weeks after dropping a controversial social media policy for 2010 and stating that it likely would move “very quickly” on drafting changes, [...]

By: Carnival social-media policy comes under fire « FCEdge Powerful Marketing Communications

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:09:30 +0000

[...] Carnival social-media policy comes under fire Carnival Cruise Lines drew fire after warning travel agents not to use any Carnival trademark on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or private blogs without first seeking official permission. The new policy — swiftly taken back by Carnival officials after travel blogs blasted the move — would have meant that agents who used social-media sites to advertise Carnival cruises without permission risked losing the right to sell Carnival holidays. “That wasn’t our intent,” said a Carnival spokeswoman. “We are re-examining the wording and will be making some adjustments.” TNooz.com [...]

By: Carnival, AA keyword policies: Trademark protection or stifling competition? | Tnooz

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:16:01 +0000

[...] Carnival’s decision has created an uproar in the ranks of some major online cruise sellers, and came as it also decided to implement a controversial policy on social media. [...]

By: Facebook Roundup: RockYou, YouTube, Android and Zuckerberg

Facebook Roundup: RockYou, YouTube, Android and Zuckerberg — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:35:54 +0000

[...] Recants – Carnival Cruise Lines retracted a policy sent out to travel agents this week that barred them from using any Carnival trademark or intellectual property on social networking sites, including Facebook, [...]

By: Hard To Find » Blog Archive » Carnival Cruise Lines Releases a Restrictive New Social Media Policy for Travel Agents.

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:07:44 +0000

[...] Tnooz is reporting that a Carnival spokeswoman is going to update the 2010 policy so it’s not as “far [...]

By: Hard To Find » Blog Archive » Carnival Cruise Lines Releases a Restrictive New Social Media Policy for Travel Agents.

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:04:52 +0000

[...] with the policy, a Carnival Cruise line spokeswoman, Jennifer de la Cruz, issued a statement articulating the intent of the new policy. Explaining that partners are allowed to represent the [...]

By: Carnival Corp.'s Arison on cruise commission cuts? No way | Tnooz

Carnival Corp.'s Arison on cruise commission cuts? No way | Tnooz — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:53:54 +0000

[...] keyword bidding on its trademarks, and even the Carnival Cruise Lines’ still-in-formulation social media policy, were seen by some as efforts to push consumer bookings to direct [...]

By: Dennis Schaal

Dennis Schaal — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:27:26 +0000

Ryan: There is obviously still a lot of fear out there among companies about social media. It is a great watchdog against companies’ transgressions. There is no place to hide anymore. Nowhere to run. There are tons of hotels, for example, that still don’t have twitter accounts. They either are taking a wait-and-see attitude to see if the fad passes, or they think (wrongly) that silence is golden. Methinks not.

By: Ryan Lucia

Ryan Lucia — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:38:20 +0000

Good piece. Sadly, too many organizations take this stance. Case in point. I had a campaign planned with our local Make-A-Wish Foundation office set to launch on Jan 1. I found out yesterday that we (a small company) were not allowed to use Facebook as part of the campaign for fear of the campaign “Going Viral.” When I challenged their logic stating, “Why wouldn’t you want something to go viral with your name all over it and in a positive light,” they switch gears.

When I boiled it down. They did not want to dilute their brand for a small donation (we were sponsoring a single wish) and tick off their larger donors (Macy’s, United Healthcare and Pillsbury) and steal their thunder. I guess our money wasn’t good enough when compared to Macy’s. This makes no sense to me, but I luckily their are other organizations interested getting kids wishes granted and “going viral.”

Stupid decisions are all around us folks.

By: Dennis Schaal

Dennis Schaal — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:22:16 +0000

James: That’s a very interesting list of companies you have in the database. I’m sure there could be lessons learned. It’s too bad you don’t have any travel companies in there. Might be more relevant for Carnival, but good stuff just the same. Thanks for sharing.

By: James Davis

James Davis — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:47:56 +0000

It’s sad because the negative press could have totally been avoided. As they revisit their original policy, they may consider referring to helpful databases such as http://socialmediagovernance.com/policies.php

Check out our firm’s policy at: http://www.gibraltar-llc.com/blog/?p=31

Follow me on Twitter @imjamesdavis

By: Is Carnival Cruise Lines trying to muzzle social media? « Jill Love on the go

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:44:50 +0000

[...] Is Carnival Cruise Lines trying to muzzle social media?. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Carnival Cruise Lines Fun ShipsBlog Carnival [...]

By: Is Carnival Cruise Lines trying to muzzle social media? « Jill Love on the go

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:43:54 +0000

[...] Is Carnival Cruise Lines trying to muzzle social media?. [...]

By: TomCayman

TomCayman — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:38:44 +0000

Dennis.. it’s not that Travel Agents shouldn’t sell cruises and vacations, but they have to look at the “lifetime” value of their customers, as if all they sell is price on a simple transacation (eg off season cruise vacation or package tour to DR), then they build no value or customer loyalty.

Travel Agents need to sell experiences, not vacations, and to do that they need to get to know their customer and truly add value by targetting their offerings to the specific needs and wants of the customer. This is a tech website, and tech plays a big part on this, but this is old fashioned customer loyalty business building.

I’ve always spent a lot of time visiting travel agents in their offices around the US over the last couple of decades (gulp, I’m getting old), and the positive is that whilst the number of them still in business has been decimated, those that are still thriving (and there are many) are focussing on quality of their service.. a focus on quantity of price based business is a short term strategy doomed to longer term failure.

By: Dennis Schaal

Dennis Schaal — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:29:31 +0000

Tom: Good point about the information-capturing. But if traditional travel agents aren’t going to sell cruises and vacations, then what are they going to sell? Air is sort of off the table, as you know.
Agents obviously are selling lots of cruises and vacations now. With complex bookings like these, this precisely is where a good travel agent has a viable role in servicing a client. I know the cruise lines are doing more and more direct bookings. And, I agree that the tends are not in the favor of traditional travel agents.

By: TomCayman

TomCayman — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:03:03 +0000

Dennis… yes, the cruise lines do spend an enormous amount of money on Travel Agents, but they also spend a huge amount of money capturing customer information and marketing to them for future trips during and after their cruise. Makes good business sense for them of course, but whether it be price focussed mass cruise or price focussed mass All Inclusive vacations (look at the growth in the DR, for example)… one has to wonder what the long term future is for Travel Agents who focus on selling these.. the lifetime value of that customer acquisition for the Travel Agent is very much in question.

By: Dennis Schaal

Dennis Schaal — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:46:27 +0000

Tom: Interesting stuff about the land-based tour operators. I didn’t have any knowledge of how that actually works.

I wonder, however, about your statement that the cruise lines do everything to own the customer. Most of them are very strong about using the travel agency channel, and I think many travel agents would say they own the customer, or try to.

Anyway, let’s seen how CCL does in its revise of its social media rules.