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Editorial Policy

Effective date: August 9, 2025 • Owner: Ellie, Founder and Editor-in-Chief

1) Mission and Scope

CruisePorts.co helps cruisers plan perfect days ashore with accurate, first-hand, and unbiased guidance about cruise terminals, neighborhoods, transportation, safety, accessibility, and things to do. This policy governs how Ellie researches, writes, reviews, publishes, and updates all content on CruisePorts.co, including port guides, hotel roundups, walkability rankings, FAQs, and destination tips.

2) How E-E-A-T Works on a One-Person Team

Experience

  • Priority on first-hand reporting. When Ellie visits a port, she records time-stamped notes, original photos, walking routes and distances, transit rides, prices paid, and accessibility observations.

Expertise

  • Ellie is a cruise travel specialist focused on port logistics, urban walkability, and shore day planning. Pages list her byline and last reviewed date.
  • When a topic requires deep technical nuance, Ellie consults an external subject-matter expert and cites the source.

Authoritativeness

  • Primary sources come first: port authorities, transit agencies, official tourism boards, government immigration and customs pages, and cruise line advisories.
  • Methodologies used for rankings or ratings are public and versioned.

Trustworthiness

  • Each page is checked for accuracy, recency, and source quality before publication.
  • Affiliate relationships are disclosed. Errors are corrected quickly with a visible note and change log entry.

3) Sourcing Standards

Source hierarchy

  1. Primary: official port, transit, visa and customs pages, cruise line advisories, operator schedules, direct interviews and emails.
  2. Secondary: reputable news outlets, academic or industry reports, official tourism board summaries.
  3. Tertiary or community: forums and social posts used as leads only, then verified against primary sources.

Requirements

  • At least two independent, recent sources for time-sensitive operational details such as hours, strikes, fares, ticketing, and closures.
  • Price and currency always include a checked date.
  • Screenshots or archived copies are stored in the research folder for auditability.

4) Accuracy and Review Workflow for a Solo Publisher

  • Research pass: gather and label sources, capture screenshots, and note dates.
  • Draft pass: write with inline source links and include distances, routes, fares, accessibility, and safety notes.
  • Verification pass: re-open every link, confirm dates, and cross-check any claim that affects safety, time, or cost against a second source.
  • Pre-publish pause: step away for a short cooling period, then reread for clarity and completeness.
  • External spot checks when stakes are high: for visa, security, or major transit changes Ellie seeks confirmation from officials or recognized experts and cites them.
  • Post-publish monitoring: track reader feedback, broken links, and official alerts. Urgent items are updated immediately with an update note at the top of the page.

5) Walkability and Distance Methodology

  • Walkability score 0 to 10 weighted by sidewalks and pedestrian continuity 30 percent, crossings and signals 15 percent, slope and elevation 10 percent, shade and shelter 10 percent, safety and foot traffic 15 percent, attraction density within 1 mile or 1.6 km 20 percent.
  • Distances are measured door to door from the primary terminal exit to the target zone such as Old Town, beach, or transit hub.
  • Borderline distances include notes for accessible alternatives such as step-free metro or short shuttles.

6) Update and Recency Policy

Cadence

  • Top 50 ports by traffic: review at least every 90 days.
  • All other ports: review at least every 6 months.
  • Hotel and attraction pages: review every 6 months or sooner if flagged.

Immediate update triggers

  • Terminal openings or closures, security or check-in changes.
  • Transit strikes, route overhauls, fare changes greater than 15 percent, ticketing or app changes.
  • Immigration or visa rule changes that affect cruise calls.
  • Severe weather or disasters that alter access.
  • Government safety advisories.

Each affected page displays Updated on [date] due to [trigger] at the top.

7) Corrections and Reader Feedback

  • Report issues via the contact page or email. Acknowledge within 2 business days and aim to resolve within 5 business days, faster for safety or visa items.
  • Substantive corrections add a visible Correction Note and a Change Log entry.

8) Editorial Independence and Conflicts of Interest

  • Ellie does not accept gifts, cash, or discounts that could influence coverage.
  • Press trips or comped experiences are disclosed at the top of the article and never guarantee favorable coverage.
  • Affiliate partnerships do not affect rankings or recommendations. Links are placed after editorial decisions.

9) Affiliate and Advertising Disclosure

  • Some pages include affiliate links for hotels, tours, or gear. If you book through these links, CruisePorts.co may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
  • Ads, if present, are clearly labeled and separated from editorial content.

10) AI Usage Policy

  • AI tools may assist with outline brainstorming, grammar, deduplication, and data cleaning.
  • Every published word is planned, edited, and fact-checked by Ellie.
  • Destination photography is original or properly licensed and labeled.

11) Originality, Plagiarism, and Citations

  • All writing is original and runs through plagiarism checks.
  • Summaries are paraphrased with links. Quotations use quotation marks and attribution.
  • Data tables and graphics list sources and the date checked.

12) Accessibility and Inclusive Content

  • Clear, conversational writing with scannable headings and bullets.
  • Meaningful alt text for images.
  • Accessibility details noted where relevant such as ramps, elevators, and step-free transport.
  • Respectful language and cultural awareness.

13) Images and Media

  • Preference for Ellie’s original, time-stamped photos. Otherwise, licensed stock with captions and credit.
  • No deceptive edits that remove construction, barriers, or crowds.
  • Infographics include source list and creation date.

14) Style, Tone, and Structure

  • Friendly, practical, and specific.
  • Actionable steps such as Walk 8 minutes to the tram stop or Buy the 24-hour pass in the app.
  • Consistent units: miles and km, local currency and approximate USD, 24-hour time for timetables.
  • Internal links to deeper CruisePorts.co guides and external links only to authoritative sources.

15) SEO With Integrity

  • Titles and meta descriptions match on-page content.
  • Helpful H2s and structured data such as Article and FAQPage.
  • Author schema identifies Ellie as the author and editor.
  • No thin content or doorway pages.

16) How a One-Person Newsroom Runs

  • Planning: maintain a rolling calendar for reviews and seasonal updates.
  • Checklists: use the pre-publish checklist in this policy for every page.
  • Versioning: each update increments a version number with a short note in the change log.
  • Escalation: safety and visa issues jump to the front of the queue.
  • Backup: all research notes and screenshots live in a dated folder with the page slug.

17) Data Retention and Documentation

  • Research notes, screenshots, and source links are kept for at least 24 months after publication or last update.
  • Change logs store date, version, and a short description of edits.

18) Safety and Legal

  • Travel conditions change. Guidance is informational and should be verified with official sources before departure.
  • Government travel advisories are linked when risk levels change.
  • No legal or medical advice is provided.

19) Contact and Escalation

Questions, corrections, or concerns: use the contact page on CruisePorts.co or email [email protected]. Urgent safety or visa issues are prioritized.

Appendix A — Pre-Publish Checklist

  •  Two or more recent sources for time-sensitive claims, linked and dated
  •  Distances and routes verified
  •  Prices dated with currency and USD approximation
  •  Accessibility details checked
  •  Safety and seasonal notes added
  •  Experience badge and last updated date set
  •  Affiliate disclosure added if applicable
  •  Links tested and working
  •  Images credited and alt text written
  •  Title, meta, and schema reviewed

Appendix B — Author Bio Template

Ellie is the founder of CruisePorts.co and a cruise travel writer focused on port logistics, walkability, and shore day planning. She has personally visited numerous ports across multiple regions and specializes in transit, neighborhood navigation, and accessible options. Last sailed: December 2024 • Home base: Madison, Wisconsin.

Appendix C — Change Log Template

Version: 2025.08.09-1
Editor: Ellie
Summary of changes: Published.