email tracking

[samsgram1026]

Got a call from Carnival rep that we have used for 8 years. She said that she saw I was on the Carnival web sight and could she do anything for me. I thought this strange because all I had done was open an email from Carnival in re to the Vista.

After a news alert from our local news station did I realize that she uses email tracking and that was how she knew I was on Carnival sight.

The question is-did Carnival provide this tracker for her use or did she purchase it? Anyone else effected by this marketing tool?

[YorN]

Probably not email tracking as much as a unique link in the email identified to Carnival as you. Once you went to the link, they knew your interest and followed up.

 

Similar to when I log-in to Carnival and search playing around looking for cruises. When I do that I am guaranteed to get a phone call from a carnival sales rep within a few hours.

[WiCruiseDreamer]

Email tracking can be blocked through your email program. You can also get free email tracking to use for yourself. Email tracking is a very good marketing tool and is becoming more commonplace.

[snc_cam]

Probably not email tracking as much as a unique link in the email identified to Carnival as you. Once you went to the link, they knew your interest and followed up.

 

Similar to when I log-in to Carnival and search playing around looking for cruises. When I do that I am guaranteed to get a phone call from a carnival sales rep within a few hours.

 

interesting. I am usually logged into Carnival's website in my account at least once a day to do a mock booking to look for price drops. I "never" get contacted by carnival.

 

And if the person you contacted was your PVP, they can probably see if your email has been read. I have the same capability with my doctors and it is NOT email tracking.

[WiCruiseDreamer]

I do mock bookings all the time, never once have I been called.

[bigdog1958]

Got a call from Carnival rep that we have used for 8 years. She said that she saw I was on the Carnival web sight and could she do anything for me. I thought this strange because all I had done was open an email from Carnival in re to the Vista.

After a news alert from our local news station did I realize that she uses email tracking and that was how she knew I was on Carnival sight.

The question is-did Carnival provide this tracker for her use or did she purchase it? Anyone else effected by this marketing tool?

 

Carnival provides the info to your PVP. When I first started reviewing different cruise options after I got a PVP she called me and asked if you could help. I told her, I do a lot of checking off and on, so no need to call me.. Since then, I have not received a call from her, but I continue to use her as my PVP. I think the tracking is actually done by your VIFP number, and cookies that carnival puts on your computer.

[poison7fl]

Most likely tracked you by your IP and/or cookies. OR, you logged in a looked around and it was logged, Simple.

 

Welcome to 2015... Use a VPN.

Edited February 6, 2015 by poison7fl

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

I do mock bookings all the time, never once have I been called.

 

I logged in one time to check my special offers and then forgot to logoff. I then preceded to do a mock booking and so far in 6 days, a PVP has called me 4 times, my wife 3 times. Go figure.

[Taters]

I got a call after looking at a couple of itineraries on the Carnival site several years ago. I told the Carnival rep that I would call them whan I am intersted in booking. I have not recieved another one of those calls. I found it very intrusive.

[mikeg112]

Since I actually do this for a living for big companies, I can give you some insight into how this works.

 

Carnival and most of the big-companies use what's called Marketing Automation software. It's baked into all of the really-nice and fancy emails you get from carnival. Next time you get a carnival email, notice the URL that pops up when you hover your mouse over an image. You'll notice a bunch of alpha-numberic text that is the URL. These are known as a unique tracker URL that once you click on it, will tell carnival exactly who you are, and your IP address. (example would be http://carnivalfunmail.com/a/hBUyM9HA6i8YVB8$9/vista) That flags the automation system that you are currently on the carnival website, and alerts your PVP of your carnival viewing history.

 

Sounds a little creepy, but it really is not. All of the major internet sites incorporate this, so next time you look at a nice marketing email and you see a string of letters and numbers, chances are it's being tracked to their website. Amazon has one of the most sophisticated marketing automation systems, as they will customize what products you see based off your previous web history. They even bring in AI (Artificial Intelligence) into the mix to help them guess what you might buy next. None of your personal info is transmitted (SSN, house loan, bank accounts, etc), so there aren't any privacy issues with this. I would actually prefer my PVP to know my mock bookings so it makes it easier for him to let me know when a good deal comes up for a particular cruise. That's one of the benefits of the system.

 

We set up filters at my company so that way the sales staff only get those people who haven't been active in a while or who aren't being actively sold something. That way they are more likely to close out a sale. I would assume that the PVP get the alert with the first initial mock booking, but in order to avoid information overload don't look at the other mock bookings that you may be browsing.

 

So to answer those who don't get a phone call when browsing, you most likely already have a cruise currently booked thru carnival, or have been on the carnival website within the past 30-90 days to reset the cookie. Of course they probably have more rules in place, so this would just be my assumption.

[samsgram1026]

Since I actually do this for a living for big companies, I can give you some insight into how this works.

 

Carnival and most of the big-companies use what's called Marketing Automation software. It's baked into all of the really-nice and fancy emails you get from carnival. Next time you get a carnival email, notice the URL that pops up when you hover your mouse over an image. You'll notice a bunch of alpha-numberic text that is the URL. These are known as a unique tracker URL that once you click on it, will tell carnival exactly who you are, and your IP address. (example would be http://carnivalfunmail.com/a/hBUyM9HA6i8YVB8$9/vista) That flags the automation system that you are currently on the carnival website, and alerts your PVP of your carnival viewing history.

 

Sounds a little creepy, but it really is not. All of the major internet sites incorporate this, so next time you look at a nice marketing email and you see a string of letters and numbers, chances are it's being tracked to their website. Amazon has one of the most sophisticated marketing automation systems, as they will customize what products you see based off your previous web history. They even bring in AI (Artificial Intelligence) into the mix to help them guess what you might buy next. None of your personal info is transmitted (SSN, house loan, bank accounts, etc), so there aren't any privacy issues with this. I would actually prefer my PVP to know my mock bookings so it makes it easier for him to let me know when a good deal comes up for a particular cruise. That's one of the benefits of the system.

 

We set up filters at my company so that way the sales staff only get those people who haven't been active in a while or who aren't being actively sold something. That way they are more likely to close out a sale. I would assume that the PVP get the alert with the first initial mock booking, but in order to avoid information overload don't look at the other mock bookings that you may be browsing.

 

So to answer those who don't get a phone call when browsing, you most likely already have a cruise currently booked thru carnival, or have been on the carnival website within the past 30-90 days to reset the cookie. Of course they probably have more rules in place, so this would just be my assumption.

 

Thank you for the explanation. It still creeps me out. Big Brother is watching and I am not comfortable opening Carnival emails again!

[tandemcruzr]

I do mock bookings all the time, never once have I been called.

 

 

Ditto this.

[babygoats]

Thank you for the explanation. It still creeps me out. Big Brother is watching and I am not comfortable opening Carnival emails again!

 

I hear you, but honestly the internet tracks what you view and sends it to companies anyway. There isn't much privacy for anyone on the internet.