Interesting topic.
I completely agree with SilverArrows' opinions. When we were planning Caribbean Cruise launch, you could really feel it how people got all excited about such a big event going on. And believe me that they didn't sometimes even know what it is we are working on. So I only can confirm that - players prefer some profiled server. When they are coming online, they love to find something new, well thought, organized. Many find it different than expected by the time, and leave. But the beginning is always the blast.
Now when you mentioned many servers with very similar if not completely ripped gameplay, I want to say the idea which bothers me long time already:
3 major cruise servers means 3 slightly different views at the cruise gameplay. That's cool, you can pick the one you like the most. What's not cool is the weird kind of competition between them. There is always some ideas-dude and programmer behind them. And I bet that programmers from all 3 servers would say "yeah sure, why not" if you asked them to share the knowledge or even the code between servers. Who will start jumping really high is the idea-dude, and his asslickers (sorry to call many fine guys like this, but you get the idea).
But ideas are being stolen without any problem. You can't stop it anyway.
What would really make players happy is this:
Programmers start working together.
Project "directors" who keep the main idea and feeling of each of those servers would share ideas without nonsense jealousy.
All those servers would stay different in gameplay.
All those servers would share common commands and user interface (they have it pretty much unified anyway, which is good for new players)
If anyone says they do everything to make players happy, while don't allow things above to happen, he lies to you.
Ray
founder of Insim powered cruising servers idea