Another Milestone Reached - SCR now contains 1,000+ cruise reviews

My sincere thanks to all contributors from RTC. SeacruiseReviews.com
now offers its readership in excess of 1,000 cruise reviews.

Because the reviews go back several years, SCR also provides insight
into the general belief that the cruising 'product' has been severely
diluted since the mid-90's.

You can read all the reviews for some of the older ships and draw your
own conclusions

It would be remiss of me to NOT remind RTC'ers that the Cruise Review
Archive is totally dependent on you submitting reviews to the site.
Please keep writing them, and please keep submitting them!

A special Thank You once again to my ever-efficient 'collection
agent', Mary Foster. Mary works tirelessly to first locate good
reviews, and then to obtain the authors' permission to add their
accounts to SCR.

** In response to posted criticisms **

A couple of recent RTC threads have included content that questioned
SCR's integrity. I stand by the content of the website. The most
quoted URL of recent days (http://www.seacruisereviews.com/links.htm)
was developed to provide readers with easy access to other sites that
specialize in educating the cruise traveler. Although most (if not
all) the linked sites ARE supported by commercial entities, none are
travel agents, and all continue to specialize in educating the cruiser
(or potential cruiser).

Almost two years ago, RTC threads were rife with objections to
contributors announcing and discussing 'non-sanctioned' group cruises.
The newsgroup was split almost 50/50 for and against these threads
existing. In an effort to restore equilibrium, SCR created a 'Group
Promotions' section on the web site.

Both travel agents and independent group cruise organizers now submit
their details to SCR. In turn, I add their group cruise(s) to the
website, and include reference to them in the twice-weekly SCR post.
One of the stipulations is that SCR will promote group cruises for
RTC contributors only. To my knowledge, these are our only direct
links to sites which might belong to travel agents.

SCR contains links to 433 Port-Of-Call web sites (most of them
commercial). Before being selected, every one of them was compared
with competing sites for cruise visitor content. SCR takes its
responsibilities very seriously. Every decision we make is made as
ethically as possible.

Both Seacruisechat.com and Seacruisereviews.com are dedicated to
providing information. Nothing more. We have never accepted
sponsorship. All costs for the two web sites are met by the members of
the IRC channel #Seacruise (on Galaxynet).

Happy Thanksgiving, and 1,000 Thank You's,
Steve.

Well said, and well done, Steve! Thanks for doing such a great job of
publishing the reviews.

Eileen

Steve Hennessey wrote:

My sincere thanks to all contributors from RTC. SeacruiseReviews.com
now offers its readership in excess of 1,000 cruise reviews.

Because the reviews go back several years, SCR also provides insight
into the general belief that the cruising 'product' has been severely
diluted since the mid-90's.

You can read all the reviews for some of the older ships and draw your
own conclusions

It would be remiss of me to NOT remind RTC'ers that the Cruise Review
Archive is totally dependent on you submitting reviews to the site.
Please keep writing them, and please keep submitting them!

A special Thank You once again to my ever-efficient 'collection
agent', Mary Foster. Mary works tirelessly to first locate good
reviews, and then to obtain the authors' permission to add their
accounts to SCR.

** In response to posted criticisms **

A couple of recent RTC threads have included content that questioned
SCR's integrity. I stand by the content of the website. The most
quoted URL of recent days (http://www.seacruisereviews.com/links.htm)
was developed to provide readers with easy access to other sites that
specialize in educating the cruise traveler. Although most (if not
all) the linked sites ARE supported by commercial entities, none are
travel agents, and all continue to specialize in educating the cruiser
(or potential cruiser).

Almost two years ago, RTC threads were rife with objections to
contributors announcing and discussing 'non-sanctioned' group cruises.
The newsgroup was split almost 50/50 for and against these threads
existing. In an effort to restore equilibrium, SCR created a 'Group
Promotions' section on the web site.

Both travel agents and independent group cruise organizers now submit
their details to SCR. In turn, I add their group cruise(s) to the
website, and include reference to them in the twice-weekly SCR post.
One of the stipulations is that SCR will promote group cruises for
RTC contributors only. To my knowledge, these are our only direct
links to sites which might belong to travel agents.

SCR contains links to 433 Port-Of-Call web sites (most of them
commercial). Before being selected, every one of them was compared
with competing sites for cruise visitor content. SCR takes its
responsibilities very seriously. Every decision we make is made as
ethically as possible.

Both Seacruisechat.com and Seacruisereviews.com are dedicated to
providing information. Nothing more. We have never accepted
sponsorship. All costs for the two web sites are met by the members of
the IRC channel #Seacruise (on Galaxynet).

Happy Thanksgiving, and 1,000 Thank You's,
Steve.

In article , Steve
Hennessey wrote:

** In response to posted criticisms **

A couple of recent RTC threads have included content that questioned
SCR's integrity. I stand by the content of the website. The most
quoted URL of recent days (http://www.seacruisereviews.com/links.htm)
was developed to provide readers with easy access to other sites that
specialize in educating the cruise traveler. Although most (if not
all) the linked sites ARE supported by commercial entities, none are
travel agents, and all continue to specialize in educating the cruiser
(or potential cruiser).

As far a I can tell because I only saw the responses because of my kill
file, only one imbecile troll posted criticisms. Adding a links page
was a great idea. I am sure most of us some access web sites that are
commercial for information. And if the trolls really believe that
Usenet is supposed to be or could be totally isolated from the
commercial world, or that this newsgroup, rec.travel.cruises could be,
just don't understand Usenet. We are not discussing cruising on your
own yacht.

I would like to make suggestion for your links page. I have used all
the ones on there except the About site which I did not know about, and
I will check that one out, and they are all good cruise links, but
there are two web sites that I access in addition to the ones on your
page that you I suggest should added. One is Cruise Critic,
http://www.cruisecritic.com/, and the other is Cruise Addicts,
http://www.cruise-addicts.com/ . (I have no association with either of
them other than accessing them and very irregularly posting to their
message boards)

--
Charles

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 02:56:11 -0800, Steve Hennessey
wrote:

t would be remiss of me to NOT remind RTC'ers that the Cruise Review
Archive is totally dependent on you submitting reviews to the site.

I would be remiss if I didn;t point out th hypocrisy of this whole
situation.

http://www.seacruisereviews.com/links.htm

** In response to posted criticisms **

A couple of recent RTC threads have included content that questioned
SCR's integrity.

I didn't question it. I pointed out that it had very little. You see,
when you place TA links on your website for all to see, it is
advertising, it is commercialism and it is hypocritical considering
the spirit of the RTC Charter which is held around here very much like
the Holy Bible.

It is revered and regularly ignored.

I stand by the content of the website.

Really. What a surprise as if you had any choice at this point. Nixon
stood by his convictions too.

The most
quoted URL of recent days (http://www.seacruisereviews.com/links.htm)
was developed to provide readers with easy access to other sites that
specialize in educating the cruise traveler.

Ooooh puhleese, that's the worst spin on this sham yet.You could very
easily take the educational parts, put them on your website without
directing by link to the TA's COMMERCIAL website. You are the company
you keep.

Although most (if not
all) the linked sites ARE supported by commercial entities, none are
travel agents, and all continue to specialize in educating the cruiser
(or potential cruiser).

Total crap. You're digging yourself into a hole so large you will
never be able to crawl out.

Almost two years ago, RTC threads were rife with objections to
contributors announcing and discussing 'non-sanctioned' group cruises.
The newsgroup was split almost 50/50 for and against these threads
existing.

%0-50 by whose count and vote? I never saw a verified count or a vote.

In an effort to restore equilibrium, SCR created a 'Group
Promotions' section on the web site.

Well aren't you so spiffy.

Drop the link, all things will be well.

http://www.seacruisereviews.com/links.htm

Both travel agents and independent group cruise organizers now submit
their details to SCR. In turn, I add their group cruise(s) to the
website, and include reference to them in the twice-weekly SCR post.

A post that claims a non commercial nature and links to commercial TA
websites, on purpose, and to the exclusion of many RTC TA's, is SPAM.

One of the stipulations is that SCR will promote group cruises for
RTC contributors only.

Define an "RTC contributor", please. One post, 10,000 spamming posts
(Googleberg), a lurker. You make the rules up as you go along.

To my knowledge, these are our only direct
links to sites which might belong to travel agents.

You don't know for sure? What's this to the "best of my knowledge"
disclaimer?

SCR contains links to 433 Port-Of-Call web sites (most of them
commercial). Before being selected, every one of them was compared
with competing sites for cruise visitor content. SCR takes its
responsibilities very seriously. Every decision we make is made as
ethically as possible.

burp

Both Seacruisechat.com and Seacruisereviews.com are dedicated to
providing information. Nothing more.

yak

http://www.seacruisereviews.com/links.htm

We have never accepted
sponsorship. All costs for the two web sites are met by the members of
the IRC channel #Seacruise (on Galaxynet).

Then you are doubly screwed not getting paid for linking TA's who do
get paid from your assistance in advertising them and the business
they draw from it.

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 08:52:44 -0500, Eileen Garland
wrote:

Well said, and well done, Steve! Thanks for doing such a great job of
publishing the reviews.

Eileen

Let's not forget the advertising Eileen!!!!

http://www.seacruisereviews.com/links.htm

On Thu, 27 Nov 2003 09:43:05 -0500, Charles
wrote:

And if the trolls really believe that
Usenet is supposed to be or could be totally isolated from the
commercial world, or that this newsgroup, rec.travel.cruises could be,
just don't understand Usenet.

Well, Chuck, you're a dolt. It is Seacruise that claims non
commerciality, not "trolls". Anytime you think yo can tech me
something about Usenet ot=r the Internet, let me and my friends at
DARPA know.

broken record

I would say "broken record" but then I'd be one myself.

Queen of Cruising wrote:

burp

Ohhhhhhhhhh, so THAT'S the problem.

Drunk again, ey?

Eileen

Please keep writing them, and please keep submitting them!

Steve, thanks for your hard work and a special thanks to Mary Foster.
Your website is the best for finding current cruise reviews.

Becca ----- will try to write more of them...

GGC http://www.ggc2004.com/
Norwegian Dawn http://www.cruisemaster.com/dawn.htm
Sleazy3 http://www.cruisemaster.com/sleazy3.htm
MOAGC http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com/