By Expedia Team, on October 17, 2016

#ExpediaChat: What’s New At Sea?

Join us for a “What’s New At Sea” #ExpediaChat on October 19, 2016 at 11:00 AM PT/2:00 PM ET. Learn about first-time cruise experiences and seasoned cruise travel with Expedia Viewfinder bloggers @LebrunsOnTheRun and @MidlifeRoadTrip. We’re giving away one (1) $500 Expedia travel voucher and one (1) 5-Night cruise for two guests on Royal Caribbean’s Empress of the Seas.

Join us each week on Wednesday from 11:00 AM-12:00 PM PT/2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET for #ExpediaChat, our weekly sponsored Twitter chat. To join, search and follow the #ExpediaChat hashtag during these times. Our hosts will ask a series of questions relating to the topic of the week and you can interact with the community to discuss each one. For your chance to win a prize, make sure you are following @Expedia on Twitter, using the #ExpediaChat hashtag and tweeting at least once to be entered into the random drawing at the end of the chat. (NOTE: As the travel vouchers are good for Expedia.com only; the sweepstakes rules below state that the winners must be US residents.) You don’t have to be a frequent Twitter user to join in the chat. You can follow the hashtag by simply using Twitter Search. However, we recommend using a Twitter application like HootSuite or Tweetdeck, where you can create a column solely for #ExpediaChat, or use TweetChat, which allows Twitter users to tweet and reply using the hashtag automatically. Stay abreast of the sweepstakes rules by viewing the Expedia Twitter Sweepstakes Official Rules, which are reposted every week.

Official Chat Rules

No Purchase Necessary. A Purchase Will Not Increase Your Chances of Winning.

The Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Twitter (“Twitter”). You understand that you are providing your information to the Sponsor (defined below) and not to Twitter. The information you provide will only be used for the administration of this Sweepstakes and in accordance with the Sponsor’s privacy policy (see below). Twitter is hereby completely released of all liability by each entrant in this Sweepstakes. Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Sweepstakes must be directed to the Sponsor and not to Twitter.

In these Official Rules, the term “you” refers to any person who enters, or who wishes to enter, the Sweepstakes.

  1. Eligibility: The Sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the United States who are at least twenty-one (21) years old and have a Twitter account. Employees of Expedia, Inc., as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of those employees, are not eligible to enter.
  2. Sponsor: The Sweepstakes is sponsored by Expedia, Inc., 333 108th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98004(“Sponsor”).
  3. Agreement to Official Rules: By entering, you indicate your full and unconditional agreement to (a) these Official Rules and (b) Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.
  4. Entry Period: The Sweepstakes begins at 11:00 AM PST and ends at 12:00 PM PST on October 19, 2016. Sponsor’s computer is the official time-keeping device for the Sweepstakes.
  5. How to Enter: If you don’t already follow @Expedia on Twitter, visit http://twitter.com/Expedia and click on the icon to follow @Expedia. Once you are following @Expedia, respond to the Sweepstakes question with the hashtag #Expediachat. There is a limit of one (1) entry per person. Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same Twitter account. If you attempt to obtain more than one (1) entry by using multiple/different Twitter accounts, identities, registrations, or logins, or through any other methods, Sponsor may exclude you from participating in the Sweepstakes.
  6. Drawing: After the Entry Period, at approximately 1:00 pm PST at Expedia’s office at 333 108thAvenue NE, Bellevue, WA, 98004, Sponsor will select two (2) potential winners in a random drawing of all entries received. The odds of being selected depend on the number of entries received.
  7. Notification and Requirements of Potential Winners: Sponsor’s decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to this Sweepstakes. Potential winners will be notified by direct message on Twitter and will be asked to respond to provide their full name, telephone number (including area code), date of birth, mail and/or email address, and may be required to complete a Declaration of Eligibility, Liability and Publicity Release (unless prohibited by law) and any other documents required by Sponsor, which must be returned within three (3) days of the date appearing on the prize notification. In order to receive a direct message from Sponsor, you must (a) be following @Expedia and (b) have your account settings set to “unprotected” and/or “public.” Return of the prize notification as undeliverable, failure to sign and return requested documentation within the specified time period, the inability of Sponsor to contact a potential winner within a reasonable time period or noncompliance with these Official Rules by a potential winner will result in such potential winner’s disqualification and, at Sponsor’s sole discretion, the prize may be awarded to an alternate winner for the applicable Entry Period. Only three (3) alternate entrants per prize will be contacted. Sponsor will announce the winner on Twitter on October 28, 2016. If a potential winner(s) is a minor, his/her parent or legal guardian will be required to sign the documents on his/her behalf.
  8. Prize(s): Two (2) prizes will be given away as follows: One (1) winner will receive a travel voucher for $500 off any booking for a package or stand-alone hotel on Expedia.com. The travel voucher expires October 29, 2017 and can only be used on one (1) booking. A winner is responsible for paying any applicable income taxes and any expenses not listed above. Any prize details not specified above will be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. A prize may not be transferred and must be accepted as awarded. You may not request cash or a substitute prize; however, Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason.

Re-bookings are not allowed. The value of the booking is not refundable. Booking is subject to certain terms and conditions as specified by issuer. Certain blackout dates and travel restrictions may apply.

One (1) winner will receive a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line 5-night cruise for two (2) people sharing an Oceanview stateroom (double occupancy) onboard the Empress of the Seas. Certificate is valid for sailings October 1, 2016 through April 30, 2017. Please be advised that this certificate includes Cruise Fare Only. Category restrictions and exclusions apply. Prize may not be exchanged with another ship or sail date.  Offer is not transferable and is not redeemable for cash or any other form of value added compensation. No guests under the age of 21 will be booked in a stateroom unless accompanied by an adult age 21 years or older, except for married couples under the age of 21.

Winner is responsible for all costs or expenses associated with airfare, ground transportation, Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses, current applicable fuel surcharge at time of booking, shipboard gratuities, excursion fees, select beverages and any other incidental costs or other expenses not specifically set forth in these rules. Additional guests added to the stateroom will be subject to prevailing rates.

Sailings are capacity controlled and confirmation is subject to availability. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line reserves the right to ask for alternate dates if dates requested are not available for this promotion. This prize is non-commissionable, and may not be sold, traded, refunded or redeemed for cash value.

All cruises are subject to the terms and conditions of Royal Caribbean’s cruise ticket contract, travel documents, and informative brochures.  The terms and conditions which govern the booking and the cruise set forth in the Cruise Ticket Contract are found online via the URL address http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/CTC_Not_For_BR.pdf. Please be advised that all U.S. Citizens will be required to carry a Passport for all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.  This includes infants and children.  For required travel documentation, please see http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/travelDocumentation.do?cS=NAVBAR&pnav=4&snav=5#usport.

The approximate retail vale (“ARV”) of the cruise is One Thousand-Two Hundred Dollars ($1,200). Total ARV of all prizes is One Thousand-Seven Hundred Dollars ($1,700). The ARV is subject to change based on current market conditions and time of prize fulfillment and time of travel and the distance between the departure and destination.  Any difference between the ARV and actual value, if any, will not be awarded.

  1. General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Sweepstakes is impaired in any way, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Sweepstakes to address the impairment and then resume the Sweepstakes in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prizes at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who tampers with the operation of the Sweepstakes, violates these Official Rules, or acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any person who seeks to undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes. Failure by Sponsor to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Proof of sending any communication to Sponsor by mail shall not be deemed proof of receipt of that communication by Sponsor. In the event of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, the authorized account holder of the Twitter account used to enter will be deemed to be the entrant. The Sweepstakes is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited.
  • Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Sweepstakes, you agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor, its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents (the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Sweepstakes; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone, or network lines; (c) any errors on the Twitter platform that may prevent an entrant from entering or receiving direct messages; (d) printing errors; (e) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (f) errors in the administration of the Sweepstakes or the processing of entries; or (g) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of any prize. You further agree that in any cause of action, the Released Parties’ liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Sweepstakes, and in no event shall the Released Parties be liable for attorney’s fees. You waive the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.
  • Privacy and Publicity: Any information collected from the Sweepstakes shall be used only in a manner consistent with the consent given by the entrants at the time of entry, with these Official Rules, and with the Sponsor’s Privacy Policy found athttp://www.expedia.com/p/info-other/privacy-policy.htm. Each entrant expressly agrees to the use of his/her personal information for such purpose. The following information will be collected from each entrant for the purpose of administering the Sweepstakes, and may also be used by Released Parties and their affiliates to contact the potential winners: entrant name, date of birth, address and email address. The Released Parties will not sell, share or otherwise disclose information collected in any manner with third parties, other than those parties necessary to fulfill the above purposes, unless entrant has given his prior express consent to receive additional information from the Released Parties or a third party. Entrants have a right of access to, modification and withdrawal of their personal data. Entrants also have the right of opposition to the data collection, under certain circumstances, in accordance with applicable law. To exercise such right, an entrant may write to Expedia, 333 108thAvenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 Attn: Privacy Team, (“Data Controller” and “Data Recipient”). The Released Parties will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that entrants’ personal information is treated securely and in accordance with Sponsor’s Privacy Policy and these Official Rules.
  1. Disputes: You agree that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Sweepstakes or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the State of Washington. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, your rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Washington, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of Washington or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Washington.