CRUISEFOOLS RULES
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To avoid any confusion about what is and is not allowed on CruiseFools, we now have the following list of established rules. Please note that this list is NOT all-inclusive and may be modified at any time by board management. All new members will get a pop up listing the rules and requiring their agreement when they are registering. All current members will acknowledge and agree to these rules by simply remaining a member.
General
All material posted by members is for public viewing but becomes copyrighted property of CruiseFools.
Board design and content is copyrighted material owned by CruiseFools.
Nothing contained on the board may be reproduced in any fashion without the express permission of CruiseFools management. This includes copying and pasting “who’s online” or similar things into their posts.
Members are entitled one username per person. Multiple names discovered will be deleted.
In all cases, the decision by the board management is final.
Postings
All postings must be in good taste. CruiseFools reserves the right to remove any material from our message boards for any reason and without notification.
Language
Usernames, thread titles, avatars or signatures that are vulgar, inflammatory or are intended to be promotional in nature are prohibited and will be removed.
The use of profanity and foul or vulgar language is not acceptable. Keep in mind that people of all ages have access to our boards.
Harassment, Flaming, Disruption, Name Calling, etc.
The board management wants the CruiseFools online environment to be free from any type of harassing material. Postings of this nature will be removed from the boards without explanation. Please, don't attack another poster or group of posters. Do not harass, threaten, embarrass, attack their race, heritage, or sexual orientation, etc. If you disagree with someone about a topic, respond to the subject, not the person.
Anyone suspected of participating in this activity, either directly or by innuendo, will receive a warning from a Host. If the behavior continues, suspension and possible banning may occur.
Reports by Users
If a member reports a post or a violation committed by another member, at that point their role ends. Any action taken by CruiseFools staff is between the staff and the offending member. Members should not contact any staff member to request information about what action CruiseFools staff has taken on a complaint. If CruiseFools staff determines the complaint is legitimate, they will take the action they deem appropriate.
Warnings
Warning may be given verbally, via email or PM. Consistently being warned or ignoring the rules will result in the risk of losing your posting privileges, the removal of your user name, and IP address being banned. Warnings are only the business of the board management and the person being warned.
Infraction System
The board software has an “infraction system” in place. This system allows staff to issue “infractions” to members who commit violations. This records the violation on the member’s history and when a member reaches a certain level, further administrative action is automatically implemented. Currently the management chooses not to utilize this system but reserves the right to implement it at any time, without notice.
Suspensions
Members committing violations, either repeatedly or not serious enough for outright banning, may be suspended. Suspensions are for set periods determined by the Host doing the suspension. A member who gets suspended may appeal the decision to the board administrator. His decision is final. Suspensions are only the business of the board management and the person being suspended.
Bans
If a member commits a serious or repeated violation, they may be banned. This is not an open invitation to try and sneak back on the board. Any banned member found to have re-registered on the board under a different user name will have their IP & email domain banned. A member who gets banned may appeal the decision to the board administrator. His decision is final.
Advertising
Advertising, commercial sales and solicitation is prohibited. Advertising is defined as the posting of any topic designed to gather member’s attention to and hopeful participation in a particular cruise or any other item not approved by CruiseFools. This definition includes posting a topic about a specific cruise including its rates and/ or TA information; or asking members to PM or emails you to seek further information.
If a company wishes to advertise on CruiseFools, they may contact the board administrator to discuss rates.
Posts that call members attention to the fact that a particular cruise line is having a special sale of certain cruises are permissible, as is posting promo codes for discounts.
Members may post general information about their upcoming cruises in the “roll call” forum. They may not “hawk” their cruise to other members.
While members may post any of their cruises in the “roll call forum”, deliberate “pushing” a group cruise which is found to be an official group cruise sponsored by another board is not permitted and the thread will be removed.
Cruise Professionals
Cruise professionals, tour operators, destination website owners, guide companies, etc. that wish to share information about their excursions, wares, or services will be allowed to do so solely at the discretion of the management of this board. This is not to be construed as permission to sell their services on the board. It is meant only that they will be able to provide information about something which is available to members.
Travel Agents
CruiseFools utilizes our own Travel Agents, Pamela Schleif and Kristi Sharpe for our group cruises. They are the only TA’s that are allowed to post cruise information which includes pricing and other specifics pertaining to a cruise or to promote or actually sell cruises on this board. They do not limit themselves to booking the CruiseFools group cruises so they are available to meet all of your travel needs. Of course, our members can use any travel agent they wish, but promotion of such travel agent on the board is not allowed.
Members can post good or bad experiences with a TA in the “travel agent” forum
Travel Agents are encouraged to participate in the discussions on the cruise board and establish themselves as experts on a particular topic by responding to members' inquiries with useful answers.
Group Cruises
Group cruises advertised on the board are only allowed to be run by the Hosts of this board. Members who have started their own group cruise may not advertise it on the board but may post it in the “roll call” forum.
Group cruise shore excursions should be set up by one of the Hosts going on that particular cruise, unless special permission has been granted by the Hosts. If permission is granted, the party setting up the excursion must keep the Host up to date at all times about all of the details of the excursion. To protect the name of CruiseFools, board management will have the final say so about any issues involving an excursion set up by a person other than a Host.
Donations
CruiseFools operates primarily on donations from its members. Donations are just that…donations. They are not refundable.
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