Shhhhh...be careful what your share

Shhhhh...be careful what your share

We, ourselves....you and I .... our friends, family and fellow cruisers, have created the monsters that we complain about now.

We have gone on social media and cruise websites posting pictures, likes and dislikes, hints and secrets.  We have no right to criticize a cruise line for making changes based on supply and demand or popularity.  After all, they are businesses and they want to make a profit right?

Yes, us ...the privileged ones who get to cruise all the time...are now mad because:

• loyalty programs have changed their benefits
• cabins now have more categories and cost more in certain areas
• privileges such as getting on early can be bought
• secret areas are now exposed
• and even.....alcohol can no longer be sneaked on it water bottles
• and many other ideas

We love to cruise and we have told everyone what a great deal you can get.  Cruising has even become a family tradition.  Now we are upset that there are too many loyal cruisers and program benefits have needed to be altered.  They can't possibly put 1800 in the lounge at one time, or 500 on the first tender.  We need to be real here and stop thinking we are the only ones who cruise a lot. And...God forbid that they will only wash my undies twice in 8 days!  Have we really gotten upset over this?  What other vacation do you go on that does your laundry for you?

We have gone on Cruise Critic and have started "debate" conversations about how great aft balconies are...and surprise, they are now more expensive.  We have told countless stories about putting vodka in mouthwash bottles, water bottles and more. We have written to cruise lines offering our suggestions to have benefits we are willing to pay for.  And when this causes more passengers to do it, it becomes limited.

If you don't think (or know) that cruise lines are smart enough to have employees search and follow the internet, you should think again.  I recently chatted with a cruise line executive who put me in contact with an employee who does just that.  This employee shared and discussed with me about what was being reported on a cruise that was rerouted due to a storm.  He explained how his team was monitoring the comments on Cruise Critic.

There is a big difference with telling your friends your ideas or hints than posting it on the internet.  Next time you log onto a site like Cruise Critic take note of just how many people have a birthday today!  You are sharing your special secret with:

    Todays stats - Threads: 2,189,748, Posts: 47,883,300, Members: 1,402,754

I am not telling you to be mean...lol.  Remember shopping at Christmas for your kids?  There was always a toy or two that became hard to get because it was reported to be "the toy of the season".  We create these situations.

If you are a nice person who likes to share hints (and I am not saying you shouldn't) then you should also be a nice person and accept to fact that cruise lines are a business and they are out to make a profit, build new ships and stay afloat.  

I would much rather have a cruise line make enough money to stay in business then to lose the privilege of sailing with them.