TripAdvisor buys Independent Traveler

TripAdvisor LLC, a unit of online travel company Expedia Inc., said today that it bought online travel community operator The Independent Traveler Inc., which publishes the Cruise Critic Web site.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Needham, Mass.-based TripAdvisor, which runs an online travel community, said the purchase gives it a good foothold in the cruise market.

TripAdvisor said Independent Traveler founder and president Kathleen Tucker will remain at the helm.

TripAdvisor said it doesn't anticipate any staffing changes, and that it isn't planning widespread integration of Independent Traveler with the rest of its company.

Independent Traveler is based in Pennington, N.J. (AP)