Way too much mail

[vlinbin]

Rallydave has started a thread called "Perhaps PCH is listening" in which he mentions the excessive mail sent by Regent and Oceania. Since the contents of his thread are not necessarily apparent by the title, I thought I would start another thread with a more specific title.

 

I find it frustrating to receive, and senseless for them to send, so much mail. :( Obviously it wastes paper and costs considerable postage. In order for Regent to have our addresses (snail and e-mail), it should be clear that we already know how to make contact with them. When I am considering a cruise it is quite easy to go to the web and see what is available.

 

Does anyone have any ideas about how to get out of all of these mailings?

[kvisf]

Your could try registering with DMAChoice (see below, sorry about the formatting, it was copied and pasted from the DMA website)), and that might eventually work if Regent/Oceania/PCH are subscribers to the DMAChoice service, which is offered by the Direct Marketing Association. Even if Regent does participate, it could take a while to see the volume of mail diminish, as it is likely they assemble mailing lists from various sources, not only their own past passenger database.

 

Personally, I don't mind the volume of emails, they don't impact the environment and I never know what will catch the DW's eye. But I could do without the glossy catalogs and brochures.

 

"DMAChoice is a residential file of consumers who do not wish to receive promotional mail at home.

Individuals register with DMAChoice online (at no charge) at http://www.DMAChoice.org or by sending their

name and home address (along with a $1 processing fee) to the Direct Marketing Association. Consumers

learn about the availability of the service through federal, state, and local government and other consumer

protection agencies and print and broadcast advertising. The individual's name and address remains on the

file for 5 years.

For purposes of DMAChoice, direct mail is currently divided into four categories: Credit Offers, Catalogs,

Magazine Offers, and Other Mail Offers (which includes nonprofit mailings). (Consumers wanting removal

from pre-screened credit offers are referred directly to the credit bureaus’ opt-out service.) Consumers can

request name-removal from an entire category at once, or from all three of the managed categories. (In the

future, DMA will most likely offer additional categorical choices for consumers.)"

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Rallydave has started a thread called "Perhaps PCH is listening" in which he mentions the excessive mail sent by Regent and Oceania. Since the contents of his thread are not necessarily apparent by the title, I thought I would start another thread with a more specific title.

 

I find it frustrating to receive, and senseless for them to send, so much mail. :( Obviously it wastes paper and costs considerable postage. In order for Regent to have our addresses (snail and e-mail), it should be clear that we already know how to make contact with them. When I am considering a cruise it is quite easy to go to the web and see what is available.

 

Does anyone have any ideas about how to get out of all of these mailings?

 

Have you thought about just getting yourself removed from their mailing list? Presumably you asked to be on it at some time in the past? Or do they just flood all past cruisers with mail?

[vlinbin]

To kvisf -- thank you for the suggestion. I will try that. Like you, I don't mind the e-mail as much. It is the brochures and catalogues that seem to be a waste.

 

To Wendy -- I have never asked to be on a mailing list but have asked to be removed. The latter request was not effective.

 

I should add that it is not Regent alone that sends the mailings. We took a Tauck River cruise and receive endless mailing from Tauck as well. In addition, Viking has our address and sends us material though we have never traveled with them.

[Travelcat2]

Unlike some posters, we look forward to catalogs -- twice a year. They are very helpful in planning future cruises (easier IMO than the internet). I also use it as reference when questions are asked on CC.

 

What I do not care for is the almost daily brochures. Regent computer systems definitely have not met each other. This is evidenced in many ways. In terms of mail, my brochures are addressed to me while my DH's are addressed to him "or current Resident". We will become Platinum Seven Seas Society members early next year -- having that designation on our mail makes Regent look pretty bad. Didn't they just send tickets to us a couple of months ago? I wonder at what point we became "current Resident".

 

In terms of the PCH thread -- this person was obviously someone who worked on Oceania's new ships and has nothing to do with Regent. While I have the highest respect for our sister company, one has to wonder if they spend as much time talking about us on their board as we do talking about them:rolleyes: If Oceania is so interesting, perhaps the posters could ask their questions on the Oceania board.

 

vlinbin: thanks for starting this Regent-related thread.

[nana541]

My 2 cents would be the two big brochures and then maybe one every couple 3 months!! I also agree (at least for me) looking at the large brochure and catching my DH trying to NOT look.... Well they are responsible for our being on 3 Regent cruises.....

All that being said, we do NOT need three mailings a week! A waste of Money and resources.

[Paint Horse]

They may send me as much as they wish.

[bissel]

I enjoy the brochures. I like to receive them as all we seem to get these days are politicians' mailings and bills.

 

Yesterday we got one for this summer's offerings and I'll be darned if I didn't see one particular cruise with new eyes. We are thinking of adding it to our B2B.

[OrpingtonT]

Why not move to the UK. We don't get nearly as much as you say. :)

[sanne]

Or Australia.....we don't get any!!

[Avondale]

Love the brochures. Very informative. Keep them coming!!!!

[findacruise]

I have had the reverse problem. Since we took our first Regent cruise last year, I seldom recieve e-mails and no brochures and I had to request information from my TA. I even went in to my account and signed up again. Not sure why it happens. Now that we love Regent, I want to see the special offerings that might be availabe outside of those I can see on their website. Seems strange.

[rallydave]

 

In terms of the PCH thread -- this person was obviously someone who worked on Oceania's new ships and has nothing to do with Regent. While I have the highest respect for our sister company, one has to wonder if they spend as much time talking about us on their board as we do talking about them:rolleyes: If Oceania is so interesting, perhaps the posters could ask their questions on the Oceania board.

 

vlinbin: thanks for starting this Regent-related thread.

 

Suggest you read and comprehend the ENTIRE post as well as the entire news article. This person was a VP at PCH and working with the christening of Oceania's new ships was only a small part of his job. The article clearly states that he was responsible for both Oceania and Regent Marketing Communications which this thread clearly is discussing making the other post clearly pertinent and related to the Regent board. Sure if he were still a PCH employee and Regent was christening a new ship, he would have been responsible for that as well.

 

Also, any article or information about PCH is clearly applicable to the Regent as well as the Oceania Boards as PCH is the holding company for both cruise lines.

[Travelcat2]

Received another one yesterday. There are really no specials in terms of pricing on these brochures. True specials come to us via our TA. The brochure was more of a reminder that this is the last chance we have to book Baltic cruises this summer. Wonder if it is really worth the price of postage:confused:

[bissel]

Yes, I imagine it is cost effective. We might book a cruise based on this brochure as well may others. Regent manages to keep their name in your household on a regular basis. Many people enjoy receiving them and perhaps taking a five minute "vacation."

[Travelcat2]

Am I the only one who has Regent ads everywhere I go on the internet? Not sure if it is related to Google or not....... however, Regent appears on almost every page I go to. They are in my face daily (don't mind though).

[bissel]

I'm sure it's Google following you. Since I booked a Disney cruise and look frequently at their board here, I now get a lot of Disney ads.

[txladycruiser]

I find the unsolicited brochures an essential element of my intense exercise program. I pick them up from the kitchen table and deposit them in the trash compactor. I've done this so often that now I don't even break a sweat.

 

Wayne

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Gee, at least mine go into the recycling bin!

 

(After I study them intently.)

[rmandmm]

Am I the only one who has Regent ads everywhere I go on the internet? Not sure if it is related to Google or not....... however, Regent appears on almost every page I go to. They are in my face daily (don't mind though).

 

YES!!!! I don't mind either but they are EVERYWHERE I go online!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Yes, I have them everywhere too. Soon I guess I'll have Oceania ones instead.

[vlinbin]

I have very much enjoyed reading the varied comments and views on this thread. As is the case with most topics, cc readers have a wide range of interesting opinions.

 

I feel somewhat better now that I know there are people who enjoy receiving the multiple mailings and even find them useful. So perhaps Regent's marketing strategy is cost effective. If only they could target those who want many brochures versus those who only want occasional catalogues.