Just because you can doesn't mean you should

[wishIweretravelling]

This has happened a couple of times now. I've searched the Regent website and saved a couple of cruises. Within 24 hours, I get a call from someone calling himself an "Elite Travel Consultant" with Regent. Since I don't answer the phone when I can't identify the caller, they've gone to voicemail. The first time, he left messages twice. This time, he left a voicemail and then sent me an email.

 

Which says that Regent is monitoring activity on their website (which every business does), but goes further and identifies the user and references the user's records to obtain the person's phone number and email address. I realize that this capacity exists--it was offered to us when the organization where I worked pre-retirement redesigned its website. But we declined the feature because we felt our users would find it creepy. I understand that it is a way to generate leads, but using it to contact the person breaks the illusion (and I get it's just an illusion) of privacy. 

 

What is interesting is that I have a travel agent. Who has been booking me with Regent and its predecessors for 16 years. And who produces a LOT of business for Regent. Obviously, they are seeing my file, so they must see that she is my agent. Are they trying to move away from TAs? I did reply to the email that I have a TA. We'll see if he finds that sufficient information to leave me alone.

 

 

[makai 7]

Oceania does this too.  You can't save a cruise if you are not logged in.  Since you are logged in, they have all your data.

And because you can book with the cruise line and transfer the booking to your TA for them to get the commission,  they don't think there is an issue.

 

To stop them from bothering me, I just bookmark the cruises on my browser and I no longer save them in my account.  I also blocked their number in my phone. 

[pingpong1]

I'm not really quite sure what the actual problem is?  Either that, or I have less concern about being contacted by a business (Regent) that I have done fairly "regular business" with?  Regent considers you to be one of their "valued customers", which I would guess you have demonstrated by past bookings with them...?  Perhaps you don't see yourself that way?  I've also received phone calls and emails from car dealerships that I've bought cars from in the past.

 

When I've done "searches" on the website (after having "logged" myself in), I will occasionally get a phone call from Regent (which appears on my caller ID - and usually, I just don't answer).  Sometimes, the phone call will be followed up by an Email in a day or so.  I will simply reply to the Email by thanking them for their call/interest/offer of assistance.  I'll tell them that at the moment, I'm just browsing cruises to see if there was anything that interested me, and I the tell them that I regularly work with (and book cruises through) my own Travel Consultant for all my cruises.  I've never gotten what I considered to be any "high pressure" sales tactics or pressure from Regent, at all.

 

Sometimes, I'll even get a reply to my email "thanking me" for getting back to them and acknowledging their interest.  They are getting paid to "do what they do", and I guess I am sympathetic to those who make a living in "telephone sales".  It's a thankless job.  After my Email reply to them I won't get any more calls from them - at least for a while.  Again, I don't see this as any kind of assault on my privacy or harassment by them.  By "logging in", and perhaps being a past cruiser with them, that makes you one of their "customers", under the rules of the Federal Trade Commission.   I think it's just a proactive marketing "reach out" on their part.

 

Again, I've not ever felt any pressure at all from them.  But perhaps others will see it as being more nefarious or annoying.  Unfortunately, the concept of "privacy" or "anonymity" no longer exists in the digital age.  A simple and courteous "No Thanks" from me has always stopped the phonecalls/emails....at least until I do another "search" later on.  Regards.

[mrlevin]

Given FDR's past experience at Renaissance, I would not be surprised if he again tried to freeze out travel agents.

 

Marc

[ronrick1943]

Well I believe it's wrong to contact you if you have a TA that you always use.  They should call the TA and let them know of your interest.  After all that's why you use a TA.

[Hambagahle]

I think I disagree - if I go onto any business's site directly to get information and then that business gets in touch with me to see if I have all the info I need I am generally quite impressed.  I don't think that it is incumbent on that business to see if I usually buy from them through an agent (travel or otherwise) and in fact I would not be happy to have my search for information reported to a third party be it someone I use regularly or not.

[forgap]

I have never received a call from Regent and I browse the website often.  I find it ironic though, that when I call about a booked cruise they often reply that they will send the answer to my agent.  Since I am on the phone with them and I am their client, I find that ridiculous!  

[Sharle]

I've never been contacted by Regent directly, even after saving cruises to look at later. But I've looked at items to buy on other websites and have been contacted by email later, frequently being offered a discount to buy the item. Maybe Regent should try that approach and we would be happier to hear from them.

[DeepFreeze63]

Let me add some more"info" (or confusion).  DW and I have done 16 cruises with Regent (5 more booked). We have a TA who does a LOT of business with Regent (and I assume Oceania). I visit the Regent website daily on MY computer; DW rarely visits that website and uses HER computer if she does. 

I have NEVER been contacted by Regent EXCEPT through my TA.  DW gets frequent Emails from Regent, birthdays cards (not me), and brochures at least weekly (Oceania almost daily). Neither of us have ever "saved" a cruise; DW doesn't even have a Regent (or Oceania) account!

Having reasd the above posts, it seems that i have missed more pleasant commercial calls than those that pester DW and I daily.

[wishIweretravelling]

My objections are threefold:

 

1. While I recognize that more businesses are  monitoring site usage and contacting the user, I find it creepy that my activity is being watched. It’s one thing to monitor site activity for statistical and user response purposes. That’s generalized information not specific to an individual. But when what you did on the site is noted (the caller mentioned that he saw I was looking at a particular type of cruise), that crosses a privacy line.

 

2. If they must monitor and contact, stick to email. The telephone is intrusive, and I get enough junk phone calls. Which of course I don’t answer, but still the ring is a nuisance.

 

3. Ummmmm. ETHICS. I realize that our society has lately devolved to an if-it’s-not-illegal-it’s-OK mentality, but I guess I’m officially an old fart, and I just don’t like it. I spent most of my career in a field where unethical behavior had severe consequences, so it is ingrained in me to take ethics seriously. And, in my field, directly contacting someone who had a known designated representative was definitely unethical. 

 

And I believe that the travel industry has a similar rule. I know my own TA is careful while on a cruise not to do anything that smacks of soliciting business. And other TAs I’ve met on cruises were equally careful (in fact, I’ve generally only found out from others that they are in fact TAs).  I would think that a travel provider should be even more conscientious about such things, as the TAs bring them business.  It’s one thing if the customer initiates the contact, but their initiation of the contact seems to me to be an interference with the relationship with the TA.  

[ccruzer123]

Regent contacts quite often after checking their website page for cruises.  If my husband finds a cruise he is interested in he will usually save it, thus the phone within the next day or two.  We usually tell the Regent agent that we are just looking and have a travel agent we will contact if we wish to book.  

Except on one occasion.  Husband was very interest in a cruise because of one of the tours they were offering, however that tour suddenly disappeared.  We told the Regent agent that since the tour disappeared we were not that interested anymore.  He said he would get back to us and when he did he found out the tour was still being offered.  It was just a couple days before the prices were going to be increased (it was advertised) and that if we put down a deposit he would guarantee that tour for us.  I asked about our travel agent getting credit and he said they would, which they did.  He simple booked it for us then transferred it to our travel agent.  If he had not called we would have most likely not have booked that cruise, so it was a good thing for us and our travel agent.

[Caroldoll]

On 12/15/2019 at 2:17 AM, Hambagahle said:

I think I disagree - if I go onto any business's site directly to get information and then that business gets in touch with me to see if I have all the info I need I am generally quite impressed.  I don't think that it is incumbent on that business to see if I usually buy from them through an agent (travel or otherwise) and in fact I would not be happy to have my search for information reported to a third party be it someone I use regularly or not.

I absolutely agree with you!

[TWG_ag]

On 12/15/2019 at 8:20 AM, wishIweretravelling said:

My objections are threefold:

 

1. While I recognize that more businesses are  monitoring site usage and contacting the user, I find it creepy that my activity is being watched. It’s one thing to monitor site activity for statistical and user response purposes. That’s generalized information not specific to an individual. But when what you did on the site is noted (the caller mentioned that he saw I was looking at a particular type of cruise), that crosses a privacy line.

 

2. If they must monitor and contact, stick to email. The telephone is intrusive, and I get enough junk phone calls. Which of course I don’t answer, but still the ring is a nuisance.

 

3. Ummmmm. ETHICS. I realize that our society has lately devolved to an if-it’s-not-illegal-it’s-OK mentality, but I guess I’m officially an old fart, and I just don’t like it. I spent most of my career in a field where unethical behavior had severe consequences, so it is ingrained in me to take ethics seriously. And, in my field, directly contacting someone who had a known designated representative was definitely unethical. 

 

And I believe that the travel industry has a similar rule. I know my own TA is careful while on a cruise not to do anything that smacks of soliciting business. And other TAs I’ve met on cruises were equally careful (in fact, I’ve generally only found out from others that they are in fact TAs).  I would think that a travel provider should be even more conscientious about such things, as the TAs bring them business.  It’s one thing if the customer initiates the contact, but their initiation of the contact seems to me to be an interference with the relationship with the TA.  

While we all have different tolerance levels for Regent marketing (a frequent gripe on this board), I do not think what you are describing is unique or invasive beyond 99% of the websites out there. You think it is creepy that you are being watched. If you touch a commercial website, you are being "watched". Likewise, if you have a cell phone, Siri or a Nest thermostat, you are being watched. This is not black helicopter stuff, this is 21st century market research. As for ethical, I am sure if you were to wander through that multipage Privacy Statement on the Regent website, it would tell you that you are agreeing to let them do exactly what that are doing. Like you and others who have responded, I rarely pick up a phone call and monitor closely who I actually talk to, I admittedly screen friends and family, and I bet most of you do as well. Nothing wrong with that, it is why God gave us caller ID and the free will to use it. Like others I never save a cruise I am considering, just jot the date and ship down for DW to peruse at her leisure. I always let my TA do the heavy lifting and have never been bothered by Regent when the TA is chasing details for me. That said, I do not like to be bothered either, and while not defending Regent's practice directly, I would prefer they (and others) were a little less pushy. Keep using that Caller ID and or block their number. Happy New Year.

TW

 

PS: as I type this, Cruise Critic keeps giving me a "pop up" that is begging me to change my settings to allow them to push notifications to me. I won't do that either. Just another creepy attempt to burrow into my life.