This article is also on the subject of the viral campaign, but many of the comments reflect my own concerns...

Is Royal Caribbean manipulating message boards at cruise websites? - Cruise Log - USATODAY.com

I am also pleased that at least one other forum admin would not allow this sort of thing to happen and would take action against members who flouted the TOS which essentially outlaws any form of paid review/post whether that pay is in cash or in kind (perks).

Bending or breaking the rules just to stay 'in' with a cruise line is wrong. Having staff who are not allowed to have opinions of their own is wrong, last night on the darkside one staffmember did speak his mind and was publicly rebuked for doing so. If staff on a site are being forced to 'tow the company line', they lose all impartiality and they become a mouthpiece. The staff here DO have their own thoughts and opinions and they are encouraged to voice them without fear of rebuke and that is how it should be.

This episode has shown the real danger of being too cosy with cruise lines. It starts off with little things like meetings on board the ships but can soon escalate into a cruise line driven site, a case of 'must not upset the sponsor/advertiser cos they might up and leave us'. We do not have any ties with any cruise line and to me that is the best way to be, it means that we are not beholden to anyone and we can be free in our opinions and we don't have to tug the proverbial forlock and make sure we don't upset the balance.