DING DING! What makes a GREAT Trip Report?
Sep 27, 2011, 5:27 am
#76
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: YTZ
Programs: Hertz & Avis PC; National EE; SPG & Hilton Gold; AC 35K (yawn)
Posts: 5,921
My view of trip reports on or off site is this: If I have a previous reader relationship of a blog (For example Lucky's) I will read the trip report on the blog. Otherwise I will skip it.There is nothing inherently wrong with doing this kind of offsite linking other than you will lose some readership who is unwilling to go offsite.
Given these trip reports are more a labour of love than a labour of commerce, I see nothing wrong with the author making these choices.
I will never watch a video review. I watch too many generally substandard videos as part of my work, and the last thing I want to do is watch them at home. But again, that does not mean I think video reviews should not be done—it is just that I will not watch them.
Finally, as for the top-ten list above: do you not mean 'yet another Air Canada Mini-RTW'? If so, I guess I will be breaking that rule next month
Given these trip reports are more a labour of love than a labour of commerce, I see nothing wrong with the author making these choices.
I will never watch a video review. I watch too many generally substandard videos as part of my work, and the last thing I want to do is watch them at home. But again, that does not mean I think video reviews should not be done—it is just that I will not watch them.
Finally, as for the top-ten list above: do you not mean 'yet another Air Canada Mini-RTW'? If so, I guess I will be breaking that rule next month
Jan 31, 2012, 5:58 am
#77
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: GOT
Programs: LH Senator, SQ PPS, HHonors Diamond, SPG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 60
Ages ago this thread was started, but I found it as I was looking for some advice on my future reports. So far I've only written two, none with this forum in mind (forgive the oversight), but now that I've become a member it was curious to see what people like, don't like etc. I keep a blog so my reports are just "blog postings" on travel days. I've got some really cool trips planned this year: Athens in March, Seoul in April, US West Coast June/July and back to Australia in December, plus business trips of course.
Anything you'd like me to write about while there, shout. This might just give me an opportunity to check something out I might otherwise have missed. I'm a Star Alliance "....." so that's what we fly and I'm a Hilton "boy" when it comes to hotels. We normally fly C or F (if budget or miles permit).
As for my preferences in terms of reading: anything goes, although I prefer the human touch to endless technical rambling!
Anything you'd like me to write about while there, shout. This might just give me an opportunity to check something out I might otherwise have missed. I'm a Star Alliance "....." so that's what we fly and I'm a Hilton "boy" when it comes to hotels. We normally fly C or F (if budget or miles permit).
As for my preferences in terms of reading: anything goes, although I prefer the human touch to endless technical rambling!
Jun 1, 2012, 10:51 am
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Los Angeles & Orange County, CA
Programs: Wouldn't you like to know?!
Posts: 23,822
Trip Report No No's
I came across this hilarious thread over at milepoint...
http://milepoint.com/forums/threads/...aux-pas.18934/
Hopefully, I have not committed too many of these no no's in my trip reports. I do have to say, however, that i do find some of these faux pas a little creepy...
http://milepoint.com/forums/threads/...aux-pas.18934/
Top Ten Trip Report Faux Pas
10. Posting pictures of themselves with censored/blurred faces.
9. Yet another Star Alliance RTW trip report courtesy of US Airways
8. Taking pictures of half eaten food/dirty plates
7. Taking unauthorized photos of the back of random people and
capturing the look of disgust on their faces
6. Bringing 20 stuffed animals on the plane to take pictures of them in
seat
5. Taking pictures of dirty lavatory toilettes
4. Posting excessive amount of pictures of themselves and their not so
attractive S.O.
3. Making the flight attendant pose while holding a bottle of wine
2. Taking creepy zoomed in pictures of other females
and finally…
1. Taking creepy pictures of flight attendants
10. Posting pictures of themselves with censored/blurred faces.
9. Yet another Star Alliance RTW trip report courtesy of US Airways
8. Taking pictures of half eaten food/dirty plates
7. Taking unauthorized photos of the back of random people and
capturing the look of disgust on their faces
6. Bringing 20 stuffed animals on the plane to take pictures of them in
seat
5. Taking pictures of dirty lavatory toilettes
4. Posting excessive amount of pictures of themselves and their not so
attractive S.O.
3. Making the flight attendant pose while holding a bottle of wine
2. Taking creepy zoomed in pictures of other females
and finally…
1. Taking creepy pictures of flight attendants
Jun 1, 2012, 12:41 pm
#80
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: UA, Bonvoy, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,582
Yep. I know there was already a thread on this, but I'll reiterate what many others have said: add to that list starting a thread three months (or three weeks, or two...) before your departure date. That is my ultimate TR pet peeve. 
Jun 1, 2012, 3:10 pm
#81
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 201
Jun 1, 2012, 4:28 pm
#83
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 201
Fair enough, but would you like to see the same trip report posted here and at milepoint.com as some people do, instead of a report on one site and a link at the other one? Just asking, don't know what the proper protocol is.
Last edited by Slow_Mustang; Jun 1, 2012 at 9:16 pm
Jun 1, 2012, 6:50 pm
#84
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: anywhere and everywhere
Programs: UA GS, AS MVP 100K, DL Diamond, Marriot Lifetime Titanium, AmEx Centurion
Posts: 5,518
I'm confused, why are you so irritated? One click bothers you that much? Your one click takes 5 seconds, often, in order to cut and paste (and use FT-specific HTML) takes the OP at least 5 minutes to change.)
Jun 1, 2012, 8:05 pm
#86
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
But seriously, probably best to post twice.
Jun 2, 2012, 6:52 am
#88
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: Free agent!
Posts: 1,426
It's obviously not the clicking that's the issue but as I stated originally, just the feeling that certain members go to the TR forum and do a "drive by linking" and yet never contribute to FT outside of posting links to their blogs. I think you see this sometimes with folks from Airliners.net who come by and link to their TRs and don't seem to ever participate here. YMMV.
Jun 2, 2012, 9:32 am
#89
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 201
Whereas the request to post the same TR in multiple forums, by the old time puritans with allegiance to one or the other travel site is understandable, it makes it hard on the posters to be spending extra time and energy for the effort. As someone pointed out, all it takes is a 5 second click for interested folks, to jump from one forum to another to get some info, or just to enjoy the pics/report. We cherish all sources of info which enable us to plan our trips, and to that end, we respect and admire all contributors to different forums. It is quite an effort for the 'two finger typing' old foggies to crank out anything at all, much less post it at multiple places. So, it is requested that the suggestion/demand for posting at multiple places be tempered with certain degree of reality.
Jun 2, 2012, 8:08 pm
#90
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,145
When I go to the Trip Report Forum, I want to read reports on trips that have already happened or are currently happening. I have absolutely ZERO interest in reading about a trip that has yet to happen, least of all having to wade through all the usual "atta boy" comments from the over-abundance of kind hearted enablers while attempting to find out if the trip has indeed FINALLY commenced.
This childlike need for attention ("Look at me! Look at me while I blah blah blah...") over something that has yet to be accomplished, much less even started - as well as all the comments that enable and feed it - is clogging up this forum with little more than useless drivel that serves no real purpose other than self-aggrandizement of the lowest order. Anyone truly in need of all that extra attention should go post something about their upcoming travels on Facebook. Maybe they'll add to their total number of "Friends".
It ain't a Trip Report until you're able to submit a report on the trip that you've actually taken or are currently on.
Last edited by Seat 2A; Jun 18, 2012 at 1:26 am