Do Social Media Infuencers Cruise for Free?

[luv2sleep]

I’ve been seeing a few social media influencers I follow post that they were going on the inaugural sailing of the Wish this week. Made me wonder if it was free for them. Do celebrities get to cruise sometimes for free?

 

[tvguy]

Some do, others don't. But the ethical one's that do make that clear in their posts that they got the trip for free.

 

[indylaw99]

Some do, others don't. But the ethical one's that do make that clear in their posts that they got the trip for free.

Beyond even just unethical not to disclose that they got it for free, it is actually a violation of the Federal Trade Commission rules on endorsements. Both Disney AND the blogger could be fined for not disclosing.

I've actually been really surprised to see how few of them have been disclosing that they are sailing free. Maybe only one or two? I don't want to assume that they are all there for free but it is hard to know when most of them aren't saying either way.

 

[tvguy]

Beyond even just unethical not to disclose that they got it for free, it is actually a violation of the Federal Trade Commission rules on endorsements. Both Disney AND the blogger could be fined for not disclosing.

I've actually been really surprised to see how few of them have been disclosing that they are sailing free. Maybe only one or two? I don't want to assume that they are all there for free but it is hard to know when most of them aren't saying either way.

Not sure those are rules or guidelines. I know in the cruising world that many Vloggers seem a little casual about disclosing which trips they paid for and which trips they were invited on for free. And many of those Vloggers are also Travel Agents and in the normal course of business cruise lines give travel agents free passage. Or if they lead a group of a certain number of people, they get their passage for free.

 

[indylaw99]

They are definitely rules. I'm actually an attorney who specializes in marketing law, including free product giveaways. The FTC is pretty clear. That's why The Points Guy has the disclosure on all their posts about the cruise. Even travel agents have to disclose if they review a cruise that they got for free.

Disney Destinations was actually warned about it last year as part of a massive FTC letter campaign.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidan...l-advertisers-deceptive-endorsements-can-lead

 

[Alura21]

So for influencers, it's hosted vs sponsored. Sponsered is if they are being PAID to by the company. Hosted is if they're just invited and are showing things on their own accord. Of course, I think companies expect for people invited to share things, but it isn't contact-based. (that I am aware). But if you watch some of the TikTok/Instagram stuff there's usually a tag that says hosted or invited.

 

[indylaw99]

Actually the FTC has even said that #hosted is not sufficient to follow the rules. (Assuming they are there for free) They are updating the rules right now to make them even more clear so that they can start going after more people in the coming months.

https://twitter.com/x/status/933044907387875328

 

[Kwami]

So for influencers, it's hosted vs sponsored. Sponsered is if they are being PAID to by the company. Hosted is if they're just invited and are showing things on their own accord. Of course, I think companies expect for people invited to share things, but it isn't contact-based. (that I am aware). But if you watch some of the TikTok/Instagram stuff there's usually a tag that says hosted or invited.

Surely the cruise itself (or the hotel stay) is an in-kind payment of sorts. I don't see a real difference between "sponsored" and "hosted" here.

 

[Karin1984]

I think only Timtracker got invited, as his audience is one of the biggest with an audience they want to attract. People who already love Disney and need to make the switch to the cruise.

All other Disney vloggers will probably pay. As they will want to show the new things anyway. I don't think Tim had cruised before he got invited for the first time.

The only other that might get invited is Adam Hattan, if they want to attract the UK audience. But while I love his videos, they are not for everyone due to their length and style. Are there British vloggers who do daily updates on DCL and WDW?

Non-Disney vloggers probably get invited if Disney thinks their audience is interested in a Disney cruise.

I don't think Disney will invite (many) cruise vloggers, as they and their audience know they can get a better price for a cruise elsewhere and they are not that into Disney to pay for the brand. When you look at cruise vloggers going on a Disney cruise, because they want to inform their audience about all the different cruiselines, there is often the discussion 'Is it worth it'.

 

[AquaDame]

The folks I've seen posting so far have all said they were invited to be on the Christening cruise by Disney, much as they were for the first "trip on" the Starcruiser. Only news media and TAs are on it (and their families / their chosen guests in their rooms). I honestly believe anyone on it at present is sailing for free; the Maiden is the first cruise for paying guests from everything I have seen and heard. I could be wrong.

 

[TestingH2O]

Disney also has their core group of "creators" who they've been bringing out to the parks at various points over the past year. Griff and Alyssa were invited (i.e. hosted) to be on the cruise right now. Pete from the Dis has indicated that he is sharing but not reviewing the cruise because he is not paying for his stay.

 

[dioxide45]

I suspect many are invited to cruise for free. I know of a few in the Creators Lab that are on the inaugural wish. They are cruising for free. Do they pay gratuities or is that covered too? Not sure. But Disisney offers it up because these "influencers" get lots of eyeballs and people want to book their next cruise on the Wish because of it.

 

[dioxide45]

Disney also has their core group of "creators" who they've been bringing out to the parks at various points over the past year. Griff and Alyssa were invited (i.e. hosted) to be on the cruise right now. Pete from the Dis has indicated that he is sharing but not reviewing the cruise because he is not paying for his stay.

Griff & Alyssa are also part of the Disney Creator Lab or whatever they called it. I suspect others in the program were hosted on the Wish. G&A were even permitted to take two others with them so they are taking Alyssa's parents.

We could all get these free perks too if we built up significant social media followings. Doing that is no easy task.

 

[mousefan73]

Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe media and bloggers are on the media sailing and the inaugural is a separate thing correct

 

[nancipants]

I think only Timtracker got invited, as his audience is one of the biggest with an audience they want to attract. People who already love Disney and need to make the switch to the cruise.

All other Disney vloggers will probably pay. As they will want to show the new things anyway. I don't think Tim had cruised before he got invited for the first time.

The only other that might get invited is Adam Hattan, if they want to attract the UK audience. But while I love his videos, they are not for everyone due to their length and style. Are there British vloggers who do daily updates on DCL and WDW?

Non-Disney vloggers probably get invited if Disney thinks their audience is interested in a Disney cruise.

I don't think Disney will invite (many) cruise vloggers, as they and their audience know they can get a better price for a cruise elsewhere and they are not that into Disney to pay for the brand. When you look at cruise vloggers going on a Disney cruise, because they want to inform their audience about all the different cruiselines, there is often the discussion 'Is it worth it'.

I don’t believe the Trackers were on this cruise. They haven’t posted about it. Pretty sure they’ve paid for all their recent cruises, too.

I’m pretty sure Adam paid for his recent cruises, too. He noted that he was able to afford concierge because of the 125% credit. He’s very good about noting when he was invited by Disney.

 

[luv2sleep]

I went back and checked the hashtags on the video of this family I follow. They put hosted. Lucky them!!!

 

[Kwami]

Scott from the unofficial DCL blog also said that he was "invited" to the christening cruise.

 

[dioxide45]

I went back and checked the hashtags on the video of this family I follow. They put hosted. Lucky them!!!

They should have specifically mentioned it during their video, a hashtag isn't enough per FTC regulations.

 

[luv2sleep]

They should have specifically mentioned it during their video, a hashtag isn't enough per FTC regulations.

They definitely do not. Maybe people don’t know they should do that?

 

[dioxide45]

They definitely do not. Maybe people don’t know they should do that?

Perhaps, but I beleive YouTube is pretty clear in their guidance. They also have a box that creators are to check if it is a paid promotion. A free cruise like this is expensive enough to probably qualify as paid. It is there so the audience is aware that the review of the product may not be 100% unbiased since it was either free or they were paid for it. Ignorance of the law isn't an excuse.