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Ad Spec Update

Cruise Critic will only accept GIF, JPG, PNG, HTML5 creatives. Please contact us for any guidance on HTML5.

Please note that all creative and tracking links must be SSL compliant

Ad Policies

Build and maintain the feeling of trust & quality with Cruise Critic site visitors
CruiseCritic.com may restrict certain industries or clients from advertising on the site
No competitive advertisers allowed
No "Misleading" Ads
No "Shaking" Ads
No "Gambling" Ads
No "Tobacco" Ads
No "Lead Generation" Ads
No "Automatic Downloads" Ads
No "Sexually Explicit" Ads
No Mimicking the Site's Ads (Look and Feel)
No use of Cruise Critic/Trip Advisor Logo within Ads.
No Direct solicitation of agents/personnel
Brand Awareness surveys are not permitted on Cruise Critic - no exceptions

Cruise Critic reserves the right to reject creative or request revision if the content or design of the ad deems to be unsuitable for the site or negatively impact user experience.

Ad Guidelines

All advertising on Cruise Critic is served using DoubleClick
Border Required: All creative must have a visible 1 pixel border
Allowed formats: JPEG, GIF, HTML5
Third party served tags are allowed
Creative swapping through 3rd party tags allowed but all new creative should conform to our specs and guidelines
If rich media creative are being added into rotation, prior approval by Cruise Critic is required
Must include click through URLs
Click through URLs must spawn a new browser window - spawning click-through in the same window is not allowed

IAB Ad Units

Leaderboard 728x90

Max Initial Load: 200k fpr HTML5
Max Polite Load: 400k for HTML5
Max Image File Size: 60k GIF, JPEG, PNG
3rd Party Served: Yes
Animation: 30 sec limit unlimited looping
Lead Time: 2 business days

Super Leaderboard 970x90

Max Initial Load: 200k fpr HTML5
Max Polite Load: 400k for HTML5
Max Image File Size: 60k GIF, JPEG, PNG
3rd Party Served: Yes
Animation: 30 sec limit unlimited looping
Lead Time: 2 business days

Rectangle 300x250

Max Initial Load: 200k fpr HTML5
Max Polite Load: 400k for HTML5
Max Image File Size: 60k GIF, JPEG, PNG
3rd Party Served: Yes
Animation: 30 sec limit unlimited looping
Lead Time: 2 business days

Half page ad 300x600

Max Initial Load: 200k fpr HTML5
Max Polite Load: 400k for HTML5
Max Image File Size: 60k GIF, JPEG, PNG
3rd Party Served: Yes
Animation: 30 sec limit unlimited looping
Lead Time: 2 business days

Rich Media

Expandable Video

300x250

Max Video Length: 30-sec .mov file
Logo for top and bottom of 300x250 ad: Max size 135x35
Call To Action : Max Size: 85x18 (can also be added to end frame of video)
Initial Dimensions: 300x250
Max. Expanded Dimensions (WxH pixels): 880x495
Max Initial File Load Size: 40KB
Max. Additional Initial File Load Size for OBA Self-Reg Compliance: 5KB
Subsequent Max Polite File Load Size: 100KB
Subsequent Max User Initiated File Load Size: 2.2MB for creative files
Subsequent Max User Initiated Additional Streaming File Size: Unlimited for Streaming Video
Max Video & Animation Frame Rate: 24 fps

300x600

Max Video Length: 30-sec .mov file
Logo for top and bottom of 300x600 ad: Max size 135x35
Additional: Four Call to Action Buttons – Max size: 130x25
Initial Dimensions: 300x600
Max Expanded Dimensions (WxH pixels): 880x495
Max Initial File Load Size: 40KB
Max Additional Initial File Load Size for OBA Self-Reg Compliance: 5KB
Subsequent Max Polite File Load Size: 100KB
Subsequent Max User Initiated File Load Size: 2.2MB for creative files
Subsequent Max User Initiated Additional Streaming File Size: Unlimited for Streaming Video
Max Video & Animation Frame Rate: 24 fps

300x250 Additional Expandable Video Guidelines

Max Video Length: 30-sec .mov file
Logo for top and bottom of 300x250 ad: Max size 135x35
Call To Action : Max Size: 85x18 (can also be added to end frame of video)
Initial Dimensions: 300x250
Max. Expanded Dimensions (WxH pixels): 880x495
Max Initial File Load Size: 40KB
Max. Additional Initial File Load Size for OBA Self-Reg Compliance: 5KB
Subsequent Max Polite File Load Size: 100KB
Subsequent Max User Initiated File Load Size: 2.2MB for creative files
Subsequent Max User Initiated Additional Streaming File Size: Unlimited for Streaming Video
Max Video & Animation Frame Rate: 24 fps

300x600 Additional Expandable Video Guidelines

Max Video Length: 30-sec .mov file
Logo for top and bottom of 300x600 ad: Max size 135x25
Additional: Four Call to Action Buttons – Max size: 130x25
Initial Dimensions: 300x600
Max. Expanded Dimensions (WxH pixels): 880x495
Max Initial File Load Size: 40KB
Max. Additional Initial File Load Size for OBA Self-Reg Compliance: 5KB
Subsequent Max Polite File Load Size: 100KB
Subsequent Max User Initiated File Load Size: 2.2MB for creative files
Subsequent Max User Initiated Additional Streaming File Size: Unlimited for Streaming Video
Max Video & Animation Frame Rate: 24 fps

Skin/Wallpaper

1644x1080

File Formats (PSD file is requried): JPEG, PNG, GIF
Initial Load Size: 40kb
Subsequent Load Size: 40kb
Audio: Not permitted
Video: Not permitted
Animation/Frame Rate: Not permitted
Lead Time: 7 days

Additional Skin/Wallpaper Guidelines

Maximum display: 7 days
Left and Right Side Sponsored Segment: 310x1080 each
Logo width 120px or less
Text 14px or less (Up to 15 characters including spaces)
Creative can be clickable
1x1 impression tag is allowed
Safe Area needs to be added to include lower or common resolution screens
Text is recommended to fit in a 120px area to reduce the chances being cut off on lower resolution screens
IP targeting available
Creative Assets and URL <strong>MUST</strong> be received 7 business days prior to launch
Expandable IAB Ad Units

Text Links

Reviews

Ad Size: One Line
Max Characters: 50 (spaces included)
3rd Party Served: No

Luxury

Ad Size: Two Lines
Max Characters: 50 (spaces included)
3rd Party Served: No
Additional: Display URL in first line

Deals

Ad Size: One Line
Max Characters: 90 (spaces included)
3rd Party Served: No

Email Sponsorship

E-Blast (Standard and Luxury) and Remarketing E-mail

File Specs

Must be sent as a single HTML file
Max Size 200kb, Max width 625 pixels
All images must be hosted on client's servers, and image references and links must be absolute, not relative
Must include a subject line
All E-blasts begin with "Special Offer:" followed by provided copy
All Remarketing e-mails begin with "Just for You:" followed by provided copy

Deadlines & Approval Process

Must include Test List of emails for whom to provide approval
Cruise Critic will provide two test emails (allows for one revision)
All Remarketing e-mails begin with "Just for You:" followed by provided copy
Assets must be received 2-business days before the drop or client will NOT receive a test

For E-mail materials that are submitted 2-business days prior to the drop, Client will NOT receive a test

Content Restrictions

Must contain a travel-related member offer
Contests are not allowed
Competitive logos are prohibited
We reserve the right to modify/and-or remove tracking that risks deliverability or is non-functional

E-Letter

File Specs

Ad Copy - 180 characters of text (including spaces) and URL
Headline - 42 characters (including spaces) and URL
Tracking links must be implemented before submitting final assets to Cruise Critic
Suggested - "Free" should not be used in headlines due to spam filters

Deadlines

Must receive one week prior to drop date
Mock-ups/Proofs will not be provided

Content Restrictions

Must contain a travel-related member offer
We reserve the right to modify and/or remove tracking that risks deliverability or is non-functional
We reserve the right to modify copy formatting to compliment the Cruise Critic brand

Deal of the Week

File Specs

Ad Copy: 300 characters, including spaces, for the text. All caps prohibited
Headline: 50 characters, including spaces, for the headline

Deadlines & Approval Process

Must receive one week prior to drop date

Content Restrictions

Must contain a travel-related member offer
We reserve the right to modify/and-or remove tracking that risks deliverability or is non-functional

Cruise Sails

File Specs

Cruise Critic's Cruise Sails will be published every Tuesday
In the event there is a company holiday on a Tuesday, Cruise Sails will be published the following Wednesday
Due to the tight deadline, clients will NOT receive a test e-mail before the drop
Cruise deals provider is responsible for uploading deals directly into the Cruise Critic Admin Center
Provider will upload five deals per week, each to be submitted individually
All submitted deals MUST include the following:
Headline (MUST include length of cruise AND price. Words in ALL CAPS will be changed to lowercase. MUST NOT exceed 85 characters, including spaces. If the headline wraps, we will revise to fit the newsletter)
Destination
Cruise Line & Ship Name
Sailing Date
Linking URL
Contact Information
Contact information, price, cruise, and sail date info for each deal submitted MUST be visible exactly as advertised SOMEWHERE on the landing page
The lead price promoted in the headline MUST be the minimum price point of any amenities that are also included in the headline
Ex. 7-Nights Bahamas Cruise from $499: Free Upgrades & Dining
If the $499 price advertised is that of the interior cabin, but the "Free Upgrades & Dining" is only eligible on bookings of an ocean view cabin or higher, then the headline must reflect the ocean view price to be able to promote the amenities
Deals submitted each week MUST be unique from the previous week's submissions
If a provider supplies a deal that has already been submitted (duplicate), the provider will be alerted automatically, and given the opportunity to submit another deal immediately
Only ONE sailing may be advertised per headline
If pricing changes on deal that was already submitted, we reserve the right to change the deal pricing to match the web pricing

Deadlines & Approval Process

Every week, all submissions to Cruise Critic MUST be received AFTER 5PM Thursday, ET and NO LATER than 12PM Monday, ET
Any requests to edit a deal must be sent to Cruise Critic NO LATER than 2PM Monday
Providers asked to resubmit deals for any reason MUST do so by 3PM Monday. If we do not receive a new or revised deal by this deadline, we reserve the right to publish Cruise Sails WITHOUT the deal
If provider does not adhere to the deadlines provided, the Cruise Sails Newsletter will be published AS IS

Content Restrictions

All deals must be available to consumers nationwide; specials for residents of select states, seniors only, etc. may instead be submitted to us directly for Deals page (Web only) consideration at bargains@cruisecritic.com
If deal includes "Free Air" it must clearly be labeled from where in headline
I.E. "Air from Miami", or "Air from Select Cities"
We reserve the right to modify/and-or remove tracking that risks deliverability or is non-functional

Implementation Guidelines

GIF, JPG

Assets Due: 2 Business Days Prior to Launch
Lead Time: 2 Business Days
Creative Swap Lead Time: 1-2 Business Days

HTML

Assets Due: 3 Business Days Prior to Launch
Lead Time: 7 Business Days
Creative Swap Lead Time: 1-2 Business Days

Third Party Tag

Assets Due: 3 Business Days Prior to Launch
Lead Time: 2 Business Days
Creative Swap Lead Time: 1-2 Business Days

Skins

Assets Due: 7 Business Days Prior to Launch
Lead Time: 7 Business Days
Creative Swap Lead Time: 17 Business Days

Expand/Video/Peelback

Assets Due: 5 Business Days Prior to Launch
Lead Time: 3 Business Days
Creative Swap Lead Time: 3 Business Days

Email Sponsorship

Assets Due: 7 Business Days Prior to Launch

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