New annoying ads on Cruise Critic

Starting today I have annoying ads in the right side of the screen when in Cruise Critic. They shrink the readable part of the screen so that it's quite narrow. This is on an iPad. Anyone else experiencing this? I don't like it at all!

Starting today I have annoying ads in the right side of the screen when in Cruise Critic. They shrink the readable part of the screen so that it's quite narrow. This is on an iPad. Anyone else experiencing this? I don't like it at all!

Yep. This format has been in use on other boards (RCI comes to mind - one reason I didn't hang out there) for some time. But now it's on all CC boards. :(

There are several of us who are not liking it at all. I've not been on CC much at all today because I also find it difficult to see.

I thought it was just me. Noticed it the first time today, not liking that it shrinks the readable area at all.

Yep. This format has been in use on other boards (RCI comes to mind - one reason I didn't hang out there) for some time. But now it's on all CC boards. :(

 

There are several of us who are not liking it at all. I've not been on CC much at all today because I also find it difficult to see.

If we talk it up on here maybe they'll change it. Let them know we're not happy. Put the ads back on the top where they don't interfere with your screen when you're reading posts!

Starting today I have annoying ads in the right side of the screen when in Cruise Critic. They shrink the readable part of the screen so that it's quite narrow. This is on an iPad. Anyone else experiencing this? I don't like it at all!

I don't have any problems with any of my electronics.

If we talk it up on here maybe they'll change it. Let them know we're not happy. Put the ads back on the top where they don't interfere with your screen when you're reading posts!

Well, they've had a big thread running on the Carnival Board all day about it. At one point it was moved to the Community Guidelines and Message Board Forum Help board where this response was posted:

Hi!

We posted an announcement about this change to give you notice.

Someone mentioned writing to us and we said something like "too bad". No one who works here would ever say that.

Now, that said -- many of you have made excellent points in this thread. Yes, we have to pay the bills somehow. I will share with you that the RCI forum (Celeb and ACC too) have been this way for months; I'll say they got used to it, just like everyone gets used to ads on other fave pages).

Some good info on browsers, sizing etc are in this thread. Thanks to those of you who offer up assistance of this nature.

Laura

__________________

Laura

Sr. Manager Community

community@cruisecritic.com

Cruise Critic

So, basically, live with it.

It's part of an ongoing trend impacting all aspects of cruising (even just discussing cruising here on CC) : maximizing profitability at the expense of the customer base. Cruise lines are downgrading food quality in MDR's to reduce food costs; they are leaving ports earlier - shortening port stays - so they can steam more slowly to the next port to reduce fuel costs; Cruise Critic is reducing page size so they can sell ad space; etc., etc., etc.

I find it very distracting when 1/3 of the page is an add - and a moving ad as well.

It's even more of a problem if you have a touch screen and are right handed, as most are. It's almost impossible to scroll up and down without inadvertently "clicking" on an ad fairly frequently, as on some systems you just have to hover over the ad to have it pop up. Not only does this bring you to another window with an ad you don't want to see, but also, due to systems that track your every movement online, you start to see other ads related to the one you clicked on accidentally. Yes, I've heard you can turn off this 'tracking' but there may be tradeoffs. I'm no expert, so maybe someone can offer some suggestions.

I never minded the ads at the top of the page. Yes, we've seen these right side ads on RCI and Celebrity sites for awhile, and while we have "gotten used to them", we're a lot less enthusiastic about spending our precious free time just browsing Cruise Critic. I think we do spend less time here and definitely DO NOT intend to give any of these sponsors our business. Sorry, I know CC has to pay the bills, but I personally would prefer to subscribe for a modest $ annual fee for an ad-free site. Is it possible to offer an option?

Well, they've had a big thread running on the Carnival Board all day about it. At one point it was moved to the Community Guidelines and Message Board Forum Help board where this response was posted:

 

Hi!

 

We posted an announcement about this change to give you notice.

 

Someone mentioned writing to us and we said something like "too bad". No one who works here would ever say that.

 

Now, that said -- many of you have made excellent points in this thread. Yes, we have to pay the bills somehow. I will share with you that the RCI forum (Celeb and ACC too) have been this way for months; I'll say they got used to it, just like everyone gets used to ads on other fave pages).

 

Some good info on browsers, sizing etc are in this thread. Thanks to those of you who offer up assistance of this nature.

 

Laura

__________________

Laura

Sr. Manager Community

community@cruisecritic.com

Cruise Critic

 

 

So, basically, live with it.

It must be on a part of the board I never visit because I sure didn't see the notification. It really interferes with scrolling on an iPad. I always used the right side of the screen to scroll and now I'm afraid to. I hate smart ads where you can look something up online and all of a sudden see all these advertisements for that thing. It makes me feel violated. Come on Cruise Critic...we know you need to make revenue but out the ads back on the top so they don't reduce the readable size of the screen!

I don't have any problems with any of my electronics.

What browser are you using? I haven't tried it on my desktop computer because I prefer the ease and speed of my iPad.

Well, they've had a big thread running on the Carnival Board all day about it. At one point it was moved to the Community Guidelines and Message Board Forum Help board where this response was posted:

 

Hi!

 

We posted an announcement about this change to give you notice.

 

Someone mentioned writing to us and we said something like "too bad". No one who works here would ever say that.

 

Now, that said -- many of you have made excellent points in this thread. Yes, we have to pay the bills somehow. I will share with you that the RCI forum (Celeb and ACC too) have been this way for months; I'll say they got used to it, just like everyone gets used to ads on other fave pages).

 

Some good info on browsers, sizing etc are in this thread. Thanks to those of you who offer up assistance of this nature.

 

Laura

__________________

Laura

Sr. Manager Community

community@cruisecritic.com

Cruise Critic

 

 

So, basically, live with it.

Yes, not much difference between "get used to it", "too bad" and "live with it". I've found that the powers that be have been very arrogant the past few months. Maybe they can live without my clicks. I frequent the RCI boards and I haven't noticed the ads as bad as they were today.

YEP very annoying

:mad:

It was suggested on the Carnival board to increase your screen size and slide everything to the left. I do this on my Kindle and I can avoid the annoying ads. A small victory!

I get the resizing, but it really makes the type quite large which is difficult also. And, if I resize, ALL the places I go to on my computer are resized larger, and then I have to resize back down.

It's really just a pain.

I use the AdBlocker add-on to my Google Chrome browser that eliminates these annoying adds. Works great. Look for one that works with your browser.

I realize we come to these forums for free and understand CC has to get advertising revenue but I wonder if a 'compromise' might be possible. It is so very distracting to have the ads take so much space on the right side.

It would be a little less annoying if they reduced the side to side space by 20 - 25%. They could still have the ads that people may or may not be reading (?) but would allow us to have some decent amount of readable space for the threads?

The ads are just too big, it seems to me.

I use the AdBlocker add-on to my Google Chrome browser that eliminates these annoying adds. Works great. Look for one that works with your browser.

I have this AdBlocker and all it does is make blank boxes where the ad would be. Everything is still moved over and smaller. Very annoying!

It sucks. A lot.

I agree - it sucks. I'm usually on my iPad so I just expand the image so I can actually read the posts - no more ads. I don't have a clue what the ads are for, so the money they are spending to advertise here is wasted on me. It won't be as easy on a desktop. Easy way to avoid being annoyed, I'll simply not visit the CC when using something other than the iPad. :cool:

The ads are annoying. Keep it in perspective. The advice offered on CC is free but it takes money to keep the forum up and running. You get a free forum for what I assume is one of your favorite pastimes. Don't begrudge CC the ability to generate some revenue. I belong to other forums related to my main interests. These forums have advertisers and also voluntary contributions from members. Not a large dollar amount to be sure, but the point is weigh your enjoyment and your cost, and the ads somehow don't seem that big of a burden.

The ads are annoying. Keep it in perspective. The advice offered on CC is free but it takes money to keep the forum up and running. You get a free forum for what I assume is one of your favorite pastimes. Don't begrudge CC the ability to generate some revenue. I belong to other forums related to my main interests. These forums have advertisers and also voluntary contributions from members. Not a large dollar amount to be sure, but the point is weigh your enjoyment and your cost, and the ads somehow don't seem that big of a burden.

I would much rather pay an annual fee of $30 or so for access to CruiseCritic than have to endure endless advertisements, especially those irritating in-your-face flashing or video ads with movement. I do this on several other forums, which do not subject it's members to the insult of useless and annoying ads. And yes, I do consider unwanted ads an insult, just like I consider spam in my email, junk mail in my mailbox, and scumbag telemarketers calling my phone lines an insult.

Besides, having people pay an annual membership fee would reduce, if not completely eliminate, much of the trolling that we all see on these boards. Those one time posters who start inflammatory threads and then disappear would have to pay the full annual fee for that one trouble making post.

I have this AdBlocker and all it does is make blank boxes where the ad would be. Everything is still moved over and smaller. Very annoying!

It's not perfect, with that empty space. But it's so much better than having to endure the sight of worthless ads. At least there are no distractions next to the posts.

It is happening over here on the cruise critic UK forums as well. Very irritating and i thought it was some form of malware. OK, they have to advertise to generate revenue but should try to find a less intrusive way of doing it.

I use windows explorer with the favourites column attached to the left of the screen. A simple increasing zoom to 125% shifts the adds off the right screen edge. I fine tune the displacement by changing the width of favourites :)

I think a subscription service would mean the end of cruise critic.

Use the CC app on iPhone or iPad. Only one ad at beginning of thread and one at end of thread.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

It is very annoying

It is on all my computers.

For those of us with eye problems, making the reading part of each post smaller is terrible.

I realize that CC needs the money from advertising, but there has to be a better way and give us back our full screens.