Will this post make or break our paradise vacation?

[aztecsun]

We will be at CN in April {1st timers} we picked CN because of all the valuable info on this forum. All the feedback is so helpful and vital it truly help direct us in deciding which resort was for us.

But my concern is with the moderation of this forum, the time delay until a moderator reads what is written before it's actually posted, the "censorship?"
This gives me the feeling of {do I dare say? } being treated as a child.

I do participate in other forums and the postings "appear" as soon as they are sent. And for me this helps the written communication to flow, instead of there being a time delay until the post {actually} appears upon the forum. Personally, I began to lose interest. Short attention span?

Now, I have viewed a few negative postings here, so I'm incline to believe that not only positive postings get through the moderator's hands {so to speak} but, yet I feel that this forum is being censored and that is the reason for the posting time delay.

I find this to be very unusual especially because of the theme of the resorts "couples only" as an adult and always a hippie I love freedom.

I have never actively participated in a forum where I needed to wait for a monitor to review what was written before posting.

I do understand that a post can be written quickly in the heat of emotion that may be offensive to another but, really aren't we all adults? I personally can get over it. And forums can be locked by the moderator to prevent any further postings upon the subject. But to have a post filter through another's hands for them to decide if it's alright to submit to the forum leaves me with an uncomfortable feeling.

Plus the communication is prevented from flowing.

Well I'm done with my rant but, seriously would appreciate a response.

[kralc178]

that is very interesting. i posted some things yesterday and am going to check and see if they are there. i've been a member of a few communities where the postings were delayed but not by very much. I do understand your point and would rather there not be a delay. if they do it for vulgar activity they should simply block that person/s. I am also planning my honeymoon here in October. I've looked on Trip Advisory and found more favorable reviews than negative. It really put my mind at ease. Check out that sight.

[GreatLakesLove]

I too am new to Couples, my hubby and I will spend a week at CN in early February, so I speak not as a seasoned Couples guest but rather as a technology marketing professional. (I have over 20 years experience as a marketing executive, and no, I have no relationship at all with Couples.)

When I first saw the Couples message board I was surprised how very frank and open the dialogue is! Sure, all firms have blogs nowadays and allow moderated comments in response to corporate blog postings. But the openness of the dialogue on this message board is not like anything I've seen elsewhere. Marriott, Hyatt, and Wyndham certainly don't have anything like this. It takes a lot of courage to allow this kind of (sometimes shocking and controversial) exchange on a corporate-sponsored board.

I admit that the message board is what keeps me coming back to the Couples website, so it is a successful marketing tool. But if my company had something like this, the truth is that we would only post the completely glowing messages and delete everything else. So what you're seeing on this board would actually be considered not just "leading edge" but "bleeding edge" - a marketing term meaning that it's so far out in front of anyone else that it could come back to cause harm to the firm that deploys it.

You can tell that I am NOT a 'hippie,' am very much immersed in corporate culture, and that I really could use a week of relaxation on the beach where I intend to forget all about work. But I just wanted to respectfully share my very different perspective on this topic.

Aztecsun, I hope we both have great first vacations at Couples, and wish you the best.

GreatLakesLove

[cabushka]

Well, your post made it through the moderator, so that's a good sign. The bad thing is that it may take a day or so for your post to appear and it sometimes sinks quite low on the list. By the time my comment or question shows up, I have forgotten which thread it was part of.

[Pamela]

This message board is the property of Couples Resorts, and Couples has the right to refrain from publishing any postings that contain statements that could be construed as defamatory or that are downright nasty.

Because this web site is owned by Couples, Couples could be held liable for any derogatory statements that are published on this MB about, for example, other resorts. Couples has asked people again and again to refrain from discussing non-Couples resorts on the Couples forum, but people don't always respect that request. The MB has to have moderators to protect Couples from potential liability. Couples provides this forum so that potential guests can gain information and repeat guests can share their experiences, but it can't do so without taking steps to ensure that the MB isn't misused in a way that could harm Couples.

Couples is in the hospitality industry; it has a vested interest in making its MB a forum that spawns interest in the resorts and makes people want to visit its resorts. There are some people who routinely post negative, surly, and non-helpful responses to posts; those aren't inviting, and Couples doesn't want potential guests driven away by impolite MB users.

[jon1963]

All I can say is that the board is paid for by Couples to promote Couples. They do review the posts before they appear to keep off offensive, nasty, and topics that do not follow the Couples business plan or image they want.

Yes, I agree it does stop the flowing with the delay, but the information you get will be good.

[smoo72]

Well, you have to keep in mind that this board is owned by Couples. They are a business and they have a brand to protect. Just as a private business doesn't have to tolerate certain behavior from its patrons, Couples, as a company, doesn't have to tolerate certain posts on the board they manage, pay for, and slap their brand on.

They have certain rules for posting and when they are violated, and they have been, it's well within their rights to remove the post. While we are all adults, adults with the protection of anonymity often don't act very adult-like, unfortunately. I'd actually be hard pressed to think of a message board I've been on where there isn't some sort of moderation...even comments on gossip blogs.

I know they also monitor for posts that could get them into legal trouble - recommendations of tour companies, mentioning other resort chains, etc. I can think of a lot of very valid business reasons why they would monitor the board. It's not a board that was started as some grass-roots fan forum...it's part of their business.

[melody]

"Last edited by randymon; January 21st, 2010 at 04:24 PM. "

What does that mean? I have never seen that before. Odd to see it on this post though lol

[dirtleg]

As a child of the sixties myself, I can see where you are coming from in your quest for "freedom" on the message board. However, it has always been the policy of this particular board that all posts are reviewed prior to being published for all to read. You are correct in your hunch that some posts never see the light of day on the board, and that some are edited before being approved (see the edit note at the bottom of your original post). But you are also correct in that opposing views and negative comments about service or other aspects of the Couples resorts will occasionally show up. Keep in mind that a large majority of the board population are loyal Couples fans or folks simply trying to gather information about Couples and their resorts. This being the case very few of the posts will take on a confrontational, aggressive or overly critical tone. As for the speed, or lack there of, of posts "actually appearing" on the board, well, that's just the nature of this particular medium of communication. Two or three updates a day is the norm, occasionally only one a day and sometimes none at all for a day or so. Most of us have come to accept this slow pace and are fine with it. If you want immediate feed back and back and forth messaging, you won't find it here. If you can handle waiting a day or so for a response to your questions or comments, then welcome to the message board. Agreed, we are all adults, but this is not a forum for social, political, sports or other subject matter to be debated seriously and in real time. There are other message boards that fill that purpose very well, as you noted.

The flow will be slow. But it's all irie mon. If you want some friendly chatter and loads of information about your favorite Couples resort, hang around. If you need immediate gratification and real time response you will have to look elsewhere.

Hope you stick it out with us. I too will frequent other boards for fun and a little more "contact", but I do love visiting the Couples board regularly as well. Maybe after you have visited CN you will have a better understanding of how the folks around here feel about Couples and our little message board family.

Have a great trip! Peace brother.

[aztecsun]

Cheers to you moderator for putting this post through. Do I need a vacation or what? Seriously stressed! No sun here to speak of and I'm definitely a sun worshiper. Ice and snow everywhere and have I mentioned family problems? Time here to turn my thinking around. For every problem there is a solution even though it may hide for awhile. Winters don't last forever and soon {thank you wonderful Spirit} I'll be basting in the sun upon the beach of beautiful Negril, along with my destressed love. And it will be our time to PLAY............

[Margi]

I really don't like the delay either. I like instant feedback. I think they moderate this way because they are enforcing the MB rules put in place. Posters aren't supposed to talk about specific vendors, specific resorts, etc. And, like you said, I don't think they want people blasting other people of here. I do know that not every AI business has this type of forum and I appreciate having this here to gather information, even though it is delayed.

Hopefully you won't let this be the determining factor of you going to CN because you would be missing out on a wonderful, romantic, adult vacation. Just go with the flow......relax.....you are going to LOVE Couples.

[randymon]

Well Done to all who responded. Aztecsun, you can see that your fears about censorship should not be an issue. Truly, 99.9% of all posts are approved. One thing that was not mentioned by other guests is that we have also found some of our "friendly" competitors trying to slam us with fabricated lies so as to appear superior to Couples Resorts. In fact, I understand that one particular resort company provides an incentive to general managers of the resort if they improve their ratings on other review sites vs. Couples. At least on this forum we can control such unprofessional and slanderous and outrageous behavior.

We look forward to welcoming you home to Couples Resorts soon.

[melly]

I also think the moderators need to be sure people are not saying bad things about other resorts that could be considered slander or defamatory, because they could be held liable.

[Blondie]

Although I do not like the delay, we are a instant gratification society, I do understand it. And it really has never been about censorship, in the sense that we can not speak our minds about the good, the bad, the ugly and the wonderful in regards to any of the Couples resorts. But more that there is not solication and advertising for other resorts.

I know that Randymon said it best, most times he does, and I am not saying anything that has not been said already, guess I just wanted to add my two cents.

[LisaPat]

aztecsun...no worries...the board updates are a bit slow for us as we do get a little impatient waiting to see replies to inquiries...but this mb is so helpful, informative, and addictive that i love it...as for your upcoming trip...mybe we will see you as we will be at CN when you arrive...If it's your 1st time it may even inspire you to change your username <lol>

p.s. if you still crave an immediate fix to your m.b. angst..there is negril.com, whose m.b. posts instantly

http://www.negril.com/discus/message...tml?1261758813

[acranger]

I really have no problem with the mods here. Yes, you do have to wait a bit for your post to show up. This is NOT to post only favorable postings on the resorts. This is to make sure there are no confrontational posts to other posters. This covers anything from racial remarks to drug use.

[aztecsun]

I appreciate all the feedback thank you. To LisaPat I will keep "no worries" within my mind and thank you for the link will be checking it out.
Jamaica Sun/Negril Sun....versus AztecSun? hmmm

[blueseagolf]

AZTECSUN,
In response to your post I must say that I have been reading and posting on here for quite some time and have to give props to the moderator(s) From what I have seen and read, they do allow honest criticism and do not sugar coat comments from guests that may have had "issues" during their stay. As someone else suggested, check out the reviews from TripAdvisor on Couples, really hard to find a negative review
Tom

[Ian and Vanda]

Hi
For reviews of Couples resorts on a forum not owned by Couples try Tripadvisor.
However you will see that Couples still gets exactly the same Fantastic reviews.
Ian and Vanda

[JumpinJen]

I have had a post not show up in the past and I am a CSA lover, not a competitor. It would be helpful when a post is censored to get an e-mail explaining why. I was confused when mine was censored because I could not figure out what line I crossed, and that makes it hard to avoid crossing the line in the future.

[Sublimebrad]

I agree with the delay aggravation because you forget where you posted and have to find it later to keep it going. However, while I have never seen a bad review or negative comment on here, I have seen complaints and suggestions posted in order to improve the service and enjoyment for all. I personally love this board for it's posiive feeling and kindness of all who post. Negativity and sarcasm just make it boring and uninformative.

I would hope they would block people who come on here to bash couples but other than a competitor, who would do so? The negative reviews on tripadvisor are 90% fake in order to push you in another direction. Some of the good ones might be too though. That goes for all hotels everywhere. At least here you can talk to people who have been there and keep going back. We all go back for the same reasons so I doubt there are any people who actually leave couples dissapointed unless they just can't ever be happy to begin with.

If you have concerns or worry that another resort might be better, you are welcomed to try them all. But I have never found anything better overall that money can buy. If Couples expanded to other islands like other big name resorts did, I would think their overall popularity would dominate the all-inclusive world but it could become watered down and average like other resorts. You can always find a nicer room because newer hotels continue to improve an set higher standards. But for the price you pay you will never find a better experience overall than couples. This is coming from my personal exploration and researching over the past 5 years.

[Chris]

I'm gonna put in my two cents worth of opinion, based on experience specific to the DNA of this board.

Long ago, there was a group within the unmoderated MSN Groups network that was dedicated to Couples, specifically to folks who enjoy SweptAway. There were a few core people like current boardie Cornell, myself and a few SweptAway guest relations folks, and a lot of folks would come and go, asking questions, sharing experiences and stories of stays at SweptAway. But within a few months, the spammers (sex sites, erectile dysfunction treatments, etc.) outnumbered us by several factors.

This site just went away eventually. It probably still exists, a hollow skeleton that probably has our posts buried in spam. We didn't give up, though. We all went to a Couples specific, unmoderated board that had a larger following, with devotees of all four resorts. Again, it only took about a year for the board to become completely useless to us.

Trust me, lack of politeness, personal attacks, advertising by legitimate Jamaican business people, etc. are the least of our concerns as users of this MB. The internet is a denizen of unscrupulous mass marketing types that will leave no stone unturned, no matter what it is they are trying to sell. If we need someone like Randymon and his group to chain the stone down, so be it. I, for one, do not want to see this one turned.

The internet is not a free speech zone. Its a din of white noise, if you let it. Anyone who thinks his or her opinion is more important than anyone else's will bury common sense whenever they are allowed to do so. Spammers run rampant whenever they are allowed to do so. Identity thieves do their twisted deeds whenever they are allowed to do so. I find Randymon's "iron-fisted" control of this board to be a breath of fresh air.

The results are surprising. In my experience, if you go to the other travel sites that are moderated, albeit less filtered, you still find that a majority of the postings regarding Couples properties are very positive. But they are not necessarily speedier or updated more frequently.

Randymon and his minions do a fantastic job, and my cabana hat is off to them!

[Seandymon]

Hello all,

Seandymon here (the infamous moderator). Just an FYI: Randymon and myself are the only two who moderate. We moderate first thing in the morning, and every hour or so throughout the day. We also moderate at the end of the day. We moderate, as has been mentioned above, to remove foul language, any rude comments towards a post or posting, to take out the names of competitors, and to make sure competitors aren't bad mouthing us on the board. As Randymon said, 99% of posts are approved. If you are having a hard time finding your post, please use the advanced search option, you can search by username. This will allow you to put your own name in, and see all of your posts.

Additionally, if your post has been denied, we will make it a point to email you and let you know why. We appreciate that you may not agree with our decision to reject your post, however our decision will be final. Ok have a great weekend all!

[dirtleg]

Having been a member of the board for five years or so, I have had a number of posts that were "disappeared". Sometimes I was puzzled, other times I was pretty sure of why it happened. In all cases they were responses to another poster that had either touched a nerve or had been rude to someone else. I have never started a thread, so I have not breached the threshold there. No complaints though, either from me or the moderators. So far anyway. I think I have a pretty good understanding of the limits, expectations and responsibilities of posting here and it ain't rocket science.

[glenalk]

Although i do feel that the MB can be really slow, I have never found it anything but extremely friendly & helfpul. This is the reason why i love checking it out each day.