Whatever happened to privacy laws

[wannagonow123]

My husband and I booked a 14 day cruise for later this year. My in laws were intrigued . We go a phone call last night, and they are now going on the same cruises. (B2B). When they called Holland, they told whomever that they wanted to be near us. They did not have our booking # nor a cabin#. Next thing I know, they have a room right across from us. (We have a balcony, they book insides). They are already complaining they are towards the back of the ship. We explained that we do that because we smoke, and they know that because they have cruised with us before.

 

Anyhow, without getting off track, Why would Holland do that? Book someone near another guest just on their word they are in laws? BIL said they would not give him our cabin #, but would be happy to put them near us. And they did. I'm not complaining about their placement, but the fact that Holland would look up another persons placement to accommodate others. We would have gladly given out the cabin # had BIL asked.

[amster65]

Simple solution, cancel, and go two weeks later, but dont tell them.

[Beejay4016]

Scary - what if it was the MIL and not the BIL???? But seriously, I do think that is a real infringement of privacy.

[lolane1]

Simple solution, cancel, and go two weeks later, but dont tell them.

 

Soooo funny!:D:D:D:D

[cbr663]

I would be upset if that happened to us. No one at HAL should have even acknowledged that you were even sailing or a customer.

 

Interestingly, I just reviewed the About Us section of its website and the Executive Team. Not one of the Executive Team appears to be responsible for privacy at HAL. A review of the Privacy Policy at the website footer pertains to privacy while pursuing the website only.

[serendipity1499]

My husband and I booked a 14 day cruise for later this year. My in laws were intrigued . We go a phone call last night, and they are now going on the same cruises. (B2B). When they called Holland, they told whomever that they wanted to be near us. They did not have our booking # nor a cabin#. Next thing I know, they have a room right across from us. (We have a balcony, they book insides). They are already complaining they are towards the back of the ship. We explained that we do that because we smoke, and they know that because they have cruised with us before.

 

Anyhow, without getting off track, Why would Holland do that? Book someone near another guest just on their word they are in laws? BIL said they would not give him our cabin #, but would be happy to put them near us. And they did. I'm not complaining about their placement, but the fact that Holland would look up another persons placement to accommodate others. We would have gladly given out the cabin # had BIL asked.

 

HAL did not violate your privacy! HAL would not give your in'laws your cabin or booking Number.. They assumed, which is normal, that you told your BIL what ship & date you are cruising & only booked them close to you..

 

As Amster mentioned you can cancel & re-book on another cruise, but don't blab to your in-laws & then blame HAL..

 

IMO you are completely blowing this out of proportion..

[serendipity1499]

Scary - what if it was the MIL and not the BIL???? But seriously, I do think that is a real infringement of privacy.

 

Not true...If the OP wanted to keep their booking a secret, they should not have told anyone what ship & date they were cruising on!

 

Obviously they told their family & now are trying to blame HAL for infringing on their privacy!

 

 

• Privacy Rights - Civil Liberty

 

The FEDERAL PRIVACY ACT

 

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa121299a.htm

 

Quote

 

Introduction

It is a rare individual who has managed to keep at least some of their personal information from being stored in a US Federal government database. Doing just about anything, will get your name and numbers recorded. Here are just few examples:

•Gotten a Social Security Card

•Gotten a paycheck

•Filed a tax return

•Registered for the draft

•Served in the Military

•Applied for or gotten a government loan

•Received Social Security or VA benefits

• Worked or contracted for the Federal Government

 

The Privacy Act of 1974 regulates what personal information the Federal Government can collect about private individuals and how that information can be used.

 

Under the Privacy Act you have the right to:

•See the information the Government has about you, subject to the Act's exemptions.

•Change or delete any information that is incorrect, irrelevant, untimely, or incomplete.

•Sue the Government for violations of the Act, including allowing others unauthorized access to your personal information.

 

Much like the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act provides a legal process for accessing personal information. Unquote

 

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/About-The-Freedom-Of-Information-Act.htm

 

Quote The FOIA does NOT apply to:•Any elected official of the US Government

•Officers of the federal Judicial Branch

•Private citizens

•Private companies or associations

•Government contractors

•Government grant holders

•State or local governments (most state and local governments have laws similar to the FOIA) Unquote

 

 

Edited June 25, 2014 by serendipity1499

[cbr663]

I do wonder if sometimes HAL is doing that because it thinks that it is being helpful. HAL would be more helpful if it understood privacy laws and made a commitment to adhere to them. I understand you concern and one cannot help but wonder what other personal information HAL would willingly share if asked.

Edited June 25, 2014 by cbr663

[BumperII]

For all the huffing and puffing about privacy laws we have seen so far, how come is it that no one bothered to mention that privacy laws are almost never enforced? If you want privacy, you and you alone must accept responsibility to keep private information private.I think Benjamin Frankling once pointed out that two people can keep a secret only if one of them is dead.:D

[wannagonow123]

I am not "blaming" Hal. I would however had preferred them say " ask the other party (us) where our stateroom is". Plain and simple. I don't care that in laws are coming with us. It's the fact that HAL used their system to get our information to accommodate them.

 

And I should not have to change my plans.

[catl331]

And I should not have to change my plans.

But you could quietly upgrade to another cabin, leaving them stuck in a location that they don't like! :D

[jaguarstyper]

I can't help but wonder if there would have been a different complaint thread started if HAL had told them, "sorry, we cannot accommodate your request to be near your relatives without a booking number and permission from them".

[DaveOKC]

My husband and I booked a 14 day cruise for later this year. My in laws were intrigued . We go a phone call last night, and they are now going on the same cruises. (B2B). When they called Holland, they told whomever that they wanted to be near us. They did not have our booking # nor a cabin#. Next thing I know, they have a room right across from us. (We have a balcony, they book insides). They are already complaining they are towards the back of the ship. We explained that we do that because we smoke, and they know that because they have cruised with us before.

 

OK, I have to ask - what is the reason for being near the back of the ship because you are smokers? Just curious.....

[lolane1]

But you could quietly upgrade to another cabin, leaving them stuck in a location that they don't like! :D

 

Am I wrong in saying that because you have the balcony and your in laws have an inside, you would feel well, sort of used and your personal privacy would be violated by the inlaws. (totally understandable, BTW) It's not easy to set boundaries with relatives without offending someone.

 

You could call HAL and explain the situation, complaining directly to them. At the same time, ask to have your room changed because of their actions and tell your relatives that HAL moved you. (not a lie!)

Edited June 25, 2014 by lolane1
spelling

[lolane1]

On the other hand, if you really don't mind your relatives being close then this really isn't such a big issue. If I liked my inlaws, I would be happy HAL was so accommodating. How does your husband feel about the situation?

[pms4104]

In this instance the OP did share some cruise info w/family ... the disturbing thing to me would be that apparently HAL did not feel a need to verify with the OP that the people wanting to book nearby indeed were family.

 

I watch the news ... crazy and enterprising people out there, some of them up to much no good. A more proper HAL response would have been to put a hold on a nearby cabin, not reveal the cabin # to the family til checking with the OP. The "family" could have been anyone ... And HAL handled this badly. Some retraining is in order IMHO

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I577 using Forums mobile app

Edited June 25, 2014 by pms4104

[Mytime2014]

I can't believe the audacity of someone inviting themselves on a cruise without discussing it with the other party. Never mind HAL and their policies - what kind of relative/friend does that? Surprise, we're going with you....maybe you had planned to take along a little something something and that was your place to get out of the rut and crossdress, playact, or have an orgy

 

Do people not consider that maybe they weren't invited because you wanted to be alone?

[1of4]

As with any other piece of legislation, the law itself is only as good as the people who enforce it. Education plays a major role in companies to make their staff aware of the law/regulation how how it is to be applied to their set of circumstances.

 

I suggest if you really feel strongly that this was not right, that you contact HAL and express your concern. Only then can HAL be made aware of the situation and education staff as to the proper way of handling such requests in the future.

[glennarm]

I understand your position -- and don't let anyone tell you it's not valid -- HAL should have checked with you -- simple courtesy -- respect for your own privacy -- i agree with the previous poster who suggested relocating -- even if just around the other side of the deck -- you'd be close enough to get together a bit, but you'd still have some breathing room. (smoking room??)

[OCruisers]

I am not "blaming" Hal. I would however had preferred them say " ask the other party (us) where our stateroom is". Plain and simple. I don't care that in laws are coming with us. It's the fact that HAL used their system to get our information to accommodate them.

And I should not have to change my plans.

 

I certainly can understand your feeling on this.

LuLu

[SeagoingMom]

I can't help but wonder if there would have been a different complaint thread started if HAL had told them, "sorry, we cannot accommodate your request to be near your relatives without a booking number and permission from them".

Undoubtedly -- this is Cruise Critic, after all. But such a thread would obviously not have been initiated by the OP.

[POA1]

Not true...If the OP wanted to keep their booking a secret, they should not have told anyone what ship & date they were cruising on!

 

Obviously they told their family & now are trying to blame HAL for infringing on their privacy!

 

 

• Privacy Rights - Civil Liberty

 

The FEDERAL PRIVACY ACT

 

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa121299a.htm

 

Quote

 

Introduction

It is a rare individual who has managed to keep at least some of their personal information from being stored in a US Federal government database. Doing just about anything, will get your name and numbers recorded. Here are just few examples:

•Gotten a Social Security Card

•Gotten a paycheck

•Filed a tax return

•Registered for the draft

•Served in the Military

•Applied for or gotten a government loan

•Received Social Security or VA benefits

• Worked or contracted for the Federal Government

 

The Privacy Act of 1974 regulates what personal information the Federal Government can collect about private individuals and how that information can be used.

 

Under the Privacy Act you have the right to:

•See the information the Government has about you, subject to the Act's exemptions.

•Change or delete any information that is incorrect, irrelevant, untimely, or incomplete.

•Sue the Government for violations of the Act, including allowing others unauthorized access to your personal information.

 

Much like the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act provides a legal process for accessing personal information. Unquote

 

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/About-The-Freedom-Of-Information-Act.htm

 

Quote The FOIA does NOT apply to:•Any elected official of the US Government

•Officers of the federal Judicial Branch

•Private citizens

•Private companies or associations

•Government contractors

•Government grant holders

•State or local governments (most state and local governments have laws similar to the FOIA) Unquote

 

 

You know that this is the law as it applies to the Federal Government, right?

[doublebzz]

I can't help but wonder if there would have been a different complaint thread started if HAL had told them, "sorry, we cannot accommodate your request to be near your relatives without a booking number and permission from them".

 

I can't believe the audacity of someone inviting themselves on a cruise without discussing it with the other party. Never mind HAL and their policies - what kind of relative/friend does that? Surprise, we're going with you....maybe you had planned to take along a little something something and that was your place to get out of the rut and crossdress, playact, or have an orgy

 

Do people not consider that maybe they weren't invited because you wanted to be alone?

 

I couldn't agree more with your posts. I don't see a valid privacy breach here except by the in-laws who apparently wanted to keep their travel plans private.

[vbmom87]

I understand your position -- and don't let anyone tell you it's not valid -- HAL should have checked with you -- simple courtesy -- respect for your own privacy -- i agree with the previous poster who suggested relocating -- even if just around the other side of the deck -- you'd be close enough to get together a bit, but you'd still have some breathing room. (smoking room??)

 

I agree that HAL should have told the relatives that without a booking number or cabin number, they could not help them out.

 

OP does not seem to mind the relatives coming on the same cruise or being near their cabin. The issue was/is HAL's handling of the situation and I totally agree that this was not professional on their part. I have no idea if it violated any law, but it was still not the right thing for HAL to do. PERIOD!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL really should not have gotten your name from them without your permission just so that they could book a cabin near you.

They are going to want to sit with you on your balcony -- want to do everything with you, etc. Do you really want that?

I would be canceling the cruise.