Carolyn Spencer Brown is editor in chief of Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.com), the world's largest cruise reviews and news Web site, overseeing both its U.S. and U.K. editorial operations. 

A former staff writer with the Washington Post, Spencer Brown has followed the cruise industry for the past 14 years and has taken more than 150 cruises, sailing with all of the world’s top cruise lines and many lesser-known lines, as well. 

Regularly quoted by media -- including CNN, the New York Times and the Associated Press -- as an expert on all aspects of cruising, Spencer Brown has been named one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Travel by ForbesLife Magazine.

Cruise Critic is a consumer-focused site, dedicated to providing information and advice to cruisers -- from those booking their first cruises, to those who are avid fans of cruising and sail several times a year. 

The site features both professional and user-submitted cruise reviews which offer detailed information about hundreds of cruises -- providing an essential resource for anyone booking a cruise or looking to learn more about a specific ship, or cruise line. The Cruise Critic editorial team also reports on the latest cruise news, covering the latest in cruise trends and new ships -- as well as current events that may impact cruise travel. In addition, the site offers a wealth of informative articles on all aspects of cruising.

Cruise Critic members communicate via the site's online forum -- the largest cruise community on the Web -- where they can meet fellow cruisers, post a question or share advice and travel stories.

Launched in 1995, Cruise Critic was the first consumer cruise Web site and is now part of the TripAdvisor Media Group. Reaching over 1.5 million unique visitors a month, Cruise Critic was noted as one of the Top Travel Websites of 2009 by Travel+Leisure Magazine.

Listen to the interview with Carolyn here