Editorial Policy
Since launching in 2008, Cruise Hive has become a leading authority in all things related to cruise news, cruise tips, and cruise ports.
When you come to Cruise Hive for your news, you can rest assured that it’s well researched, factual, and contains the most updated information.
The team of Cruise Hive journalists follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure that the articles we deliver are always ethical, factual, and trustworthy.
Why You Can Trust What You Read on Cruise Hive
We are cruise tourism watchdogs
As any good news outlet should, Cruise Hive essentially functions as watchdogs for the cruise lines, cruise ports, and cruise related agencies.
We are independent
We are not affiliated with or funded by any of the cruise lines, which helps us remain unbiased and impartial in our reporting. Our sole purpose is to report accurate and timely news, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.
We also never pay sources for stories or tips, or accept money or gifts in exchange for covering stories and tips, as we believe this can compromise the integrity of our reporting.
We only publish verified information
Everything you read on Cruise Hive has been carefully sourced and vetted to ensure its accuracy.
Even if our competitors are posting a specific story, we will not post our own article until we can verify that the information is factual and true.
We strive to find first person and primary sources, such as letters sent by the cruise lines (i.e., re: itinerary updates and cruise cancellations), and routinely communicate with the cruise brands directly to verify facts.
We are a force for good
Our goal is to be as helpful as possible for cruise lovers, whether they are a seasoned cruiser or just thinking about booking their first sailing.
Even when we have to cover heavier topics, such as passenger deaths, arrests, or natural disasters, the goal is always to keep our readers informed so that they can make knowledgeable decisions about their travels.
What Guides Our Cruise Coverage From Ports to Policies
We are cruisers looking out for other cruisers
Cruise Hive is a small but mighty team of avid cruisers who are here because we love cruising and want to help other cruise fans.
We are able to discuss all aspects of cruising with authority, from news to vacation planning tips, because we have put in the time (and sea days) to become experts.
And as cruisers ourselves, we are able to put ourselves in the shoes of other guests to think about what matters to them and what they need to know.
We provide round the clock coverage
We have a global team at Cruise Hive with writers stationed in the US West Coast, US East Coast, and the UK, working in shifts to source, verify, and cover news so that we never miss anything our readers need to know.
We carefully monitor the cruise lines, cruise ports, and ship tracking data for the latest updates, with someone on the clock essentially 24/7.
Our Use of AI
Cruise Hive is written and edited by humans. Every article published on the site is researched, written, and reviewed by our team of cruise journalists.
We may use AI tools in limited, behind the scenes ways, such as assisting with research, checking grammar, or brainstorming headline ideas, but AI is never used to generate the articles you read. The reporting, analysis, and voice are entirely human.
We believe cruise news deserves the judgment, experience, and accountability that only human journalists can provide, and we are committed to maintaining that standard.
Our Promise to Readers: Honest, Helpful, and Timely News
We believe in ethical journalism
We follow the pillars of ethical journalism, including accuracy and verification, honesty, and attribution.
Although Cruise Hive has its own unique voice, we are careful to avoid distorting the facts. We deliver the news as it is with no exaggeration.
We cite our sources to give credit where credit is due, and so that the public can make their own conclusions about the quality of the source.
As is appropriate, we allow the subject of the article the right to reply. We give the cruise lines, passengers, or other authorities mentioned the chance to comment before publishing.
To minimize harm, sources or subjects may be kept anonymous in events where publishing identifying information or photographs could put them in danger or violate their privacy in a way that leads to negative consequences.
We are transparent and accountable
Although we strive for perfection, we are also only human, and part of ethical journalism is being accountable and taking responsibility if an error occurs.
If you believe we have made a mistake, every author has a personal email on their profile page, or you can contact us at [email protected] to let us know.
When a correction is warranted, we update the article promptly and add a clearly visible “Updated” or “Correction” note at the top or bottom of the piece, explaining what was changed and when. The original publication date remains intact so readers can see when the story first appeared, with the correction date shown alongside it.
All writers are also held to strict honesty and transparency standards.
The Standards Behind Every Cruise Story We Publish
All articles must be unbiased
We leave our opinions out of the news and only report the facts.
Again, we are not affiliated with any of the cruise lines and they do not have any influence over what we write, which is only verified, factual information.
Even when writing reviews where our personal opinions may be included, we always strive to take a holistic approach that looks at multiple sides, highlighting the pros and cons and thinking about how different types of cruisers might feel about a specific topic.
All articles must be fact checked
Everything we publish must be verified by at least one primary source or be verified directly by a reputable source, such as a cruise line spokesperson.
All articles must adhere to the Cruise Hive style guide
Cruise Hive is known for sharing news with a conversational but informative voice. All articles must match the correct tone.
All articles must also be checked for correct grammar and spelling. We are a professional entity that does not allow typos or sloppy journalism.
Plagiarism is never okay
Although the same facts may be reported by multiple outlets, Cruise Hive will never copy another article.
We always strive to relay the news in our own voice and dig deeper than our competitors to get into what the news really means for cruising.
We have a stringent review process
Almost every article on Cruise Hive is reviewed by at least two people before being published. This is another layer to ensure accuracy, as well as quality and professionalism.
