Top Travel Awards for Cruise Critic and IndependentTraveler.com

PENNINGTON, N.J., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent Traveler Inc®, the publisher of online travel resources Cruise Critic®, IndependentTraveler.com® and Family Vacation Critic™, has been presented with three prestigious awards for its popular travel sites.

Cruise Critic® (http://www.cruisecritic.com) and IndependentTraveler.com® (http://www.independenttraveler.com) were both named by the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) as recipients of 2010 Lowell Thomas Awards. Cruise Critic was also named by Travel + Leisure as one of the Top Travel Web Sites of 2010 -- the fourth time the site has made the list.

"We're thrilled to have our sites recognized by the Society of American Travel Writers and Travel + Leisure Magazine," said Kathleen Tucker, President and Founder of Independent Traveler, Inc. "Our team is dedicated to providing accurate, relevant and compelling information to travelers, and it's great to have their hard work recognized with these awards."

Cruise Critic received a Lowell Thomas Silver Award in the Special Package/Project category for its in-depth coverage of the launch of Royal Caribbean International's Oasis of the Seas in late 2009: "Oasis of the Seas Launch Party" (http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1041). The judges noted that: "It's not possible to cover an event more comprehensively than Cruise Critic covered the launch of the largest cruise ship ever to set sail."

The Special Package/Project Award is given for coverage of a travel-related topic, which shows effective use of multiple platforms, such as text, photos, video and consumer interaction. The award is open to print, broadcast and online media.

Ed Hewitt, a long-standing contributor to IndependentTraveler.com, was recognized by SATW for his article: "What's Wrong with National Security (and What to Do About It)," (http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=1017&category=13) which was published on IndependentTraveler.com. Hewitt received a Lowell Thomas Bronze Award in the Personal Comment category and commendation from the judges for "a strongly written, persuasive piece that we can only hope someone in Washington will read -- or has read already."

In this year's Travel + Leisure's Best of the Web feature, the publication listed Cruise Critic as one of its Top Travel Websites of 2010 and praised the site for its comprehensive cruise information.

About Independent Traveler, Inc.

Independent Traveler, Inc. publishes travel information Web sites and online travel forums: Cruise Critic, IndependentTraveler.com and Family Vacation Critic. The company was acquired by TripAdvisor®, LLC, an operating company of Expedia, Inc., in May 2007.

Cruise Critic is an online cruise guide, offering a comprehensive resource for cruise travelers, from first-time cruisers to avid cruisers. Launched in October 1995, Cruise Critic was the first consumer cruise site on the Internet.

IndependentTraveler.com debuted on America Online in 1990 and quickly established its credentials as an authoritative Internet resource for objective travel information, advice, deals and trip reports written by travelers.

Family Vacation Critic is a comprehensive online family travel resource and a forum for parents to share information on all aspects of traveling with kids. The site features reviews of family hotels, resorts, attractions and destinations, as well as family vacation deals and travel ideas.

Cruise Critic, The Independent Traveler and Family Vacation Critic are either trademarks or registered trademarks of The Independent Traveler, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE IndependentTraveler.com

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