RCL Hires Instagram Expert for Symphony of the Seas
Royal Caribbean has added a novel shipboard position aboard the newly-built megaship Symphony of the Seas: an Instagram expert.
Russ Francis, a London-based photographer and social media expert, will be the vessel's resident "Instagrammer-in-Chief" during her maiden voyage. His role centers on advising guests on how to compose their own shots of the ship for their social media feeds, and RCL says that he will help to establish the Symphony as the "world's most Instagrammable ship."
Francis will also run a contest to pick the voyage's best posts under the #SymphonyoftheSeas hashtag. The winners will receive on-board prizes, like a bottle of champagne or a credit for the ship's spa.
As a guide, RCL and Francis suggested the top-ten most Instagrammable locations and activities on the ship. The Ultimate Abyss - the tallest waterslide afloat - led the list, followed the open-air "Central Park" deck and the exclusive "Ultimate Family Suite." Photos of the suite would require making friends with its occupants, an extra challenge for ambitious Instagrammers.
Francis won his post as Instagrammer-in-Chief thanks to his shots of the Oasis of the Seas
Social media marketing is a well-established field, but RCL's decision to appoint extra staff on the ground may well be a reflection of demographic trends. A recent study of UK millenials found that fully 40 percent chose travel destinations based primarily upon "Instagrammability" - that is, the site's potential as a backdrop and photographic subject for their social media presence. The cost and availability of alcohol came second at 24 percent.