Book With Celebrity or TA?

[jelayne]

~FYI~ It is against posting rules on this website to specifically name TA's. You can't even tell someone contact me via email and I will give you my TA information. I did that not knowing it was against posting rules years ago and got a cruise critic warning.

With that said, I mostly book with a TA. I always get a discounted price and sometimes additional perk like OBC. The TA is ALWAYS cheaper than the cruise line. I will take the money in my pocket for not being able to talk directly with the CL. My 2 cents.

 

I know naming TAs or suggesting someone email for info on TAs is against the rules. As far as I know suggesting talking to others, face to face isnt against the rules.

[MixerDave]

Why does Cruise Critic not allow exchange of TA information?

wouldn't that be considered restraint of trade?

[grandgeezer]

Why does Cruise Critic not allow exchange of TA information?

wouldn't that be considered restraint of trade?

 

I think they are afraid the site will be taken over by travel agents trying to sell their product.

[Hlitner]

Why does Cruise Critic not allow exchange of TA information?

wouldn't that be considered restraint of trade?

 

We can post a very educated guess. Cruise Critic came about around the time that Prodigy discontinued its then popular cruise blog! Prodigy (and to a lesser degree AOL) could probably be considered the first decent online cruise related forum but there were some major issues. One huge problem was that various travel agencies (and many outside travel sales reps) would post on the site and make TA recommendations. Some of these posters were quite honest and would disclose their agency or TA status. But others would try to covertly steer posters to certain agents/agencies...some of which were not particularly above board.

 

So when CC started up...they carefully avoided letting their board fall into those TA traps. And as CC has become more popular (and a big business) the site has expanded the advertising part of these boards. To allow specific agency recommendations makes little sense when you are already accepting payments from legit agencies for advertising. And one can imagine the board arguments about various TAs.

 

Hank

[wrk2cruise]

Why does Cruise Critic not allow exchange of TA information?

wouldn't that be considered restraint of trade?

 

Because Cruise Critic is operated by TripAdvisor and sells advertising to travel agencys

[1cruiselvr]

I know naming TAs or suggesting someone email for info on TAs is against the rules. As far as I know suggesting talking to others, face to face isnt against the rules.

True. Your comment didn't specify that and I was just trying to ensure nobody got into trouble like I did.

[bEwAbG]

Why does Cruise Critic not allow exchange of TA information?

wouldn't that be considered restraint of trade?

 

Don't quit your day job. In addition to the other reasons cited, a private company does not have to advertise for its competitors. Also, restraint of trade in the US is most typically related to non-compete clauses that an employer tries to force on an employee.

[MixerDave]

Don't quit your day job. In addition to the other reasons cited, a private company does not have to advertise for its competitors. Also, restraint of trade in the US is most typically related to non-compete clauses that an employer tries to force on an employee.

 

Don't have a"day job" - retired when i was 44 been enjoying life in sunny Florida

 

- another definition of restraint of trade - . Illegal contract that in any way colludes to damage another's opportunity or ability to carry out a business.

Keep your liberal job in D.C.

[hubofhockey]

I've learned more tricks of the trade from CC users when I meet them on ships. We understand that we can't post the secrets and tips here. Sometimes people leave you enough information that you can determine what they are doing with a decent search engine.

[hubofhockey]

Don't have a"day job" - retired when i was 44 been enjoying life in sunny Florida

 

- another definition of restraint of trade - . Illegal contract that in any way colludes to damage another's opportunity or ability to carry out a business.

Keep your liberal job in D.C.

 

Cruise Critic / Trip Advisor owns the boards and they have every right to control the content. That's not illegal and there are other ways to share information outside of these boards.