Is Anyone Else a Bit Put Off by Cruise Line Phone Calls & Emails Triggered Simply by Visiting Their Websites?

[mnocket]

 It seems something has changed recently - at least for me.  I've started getting persistent, unwanted, follow-up emails and phone calls from several cruise lines after simply visiting their website and searching for cruises. Recently this has been happening with Regent and Oceania. I don't even login.  I guess these websites leave behind cookies whenever you do login, and then they can use these cookies to track you on future visits whether you login or not.  It just all seems a bit intrusive to me.  What's worse, after receiving multiple emails and phone calls (like 3 of each) which I ignored, I finally responded to the fourth email and asked the rep to stop contacting me since I only visited their website and didn't request a rep to contact me. The rep responded, apologized, and assured me that I wouldn't receive any further contact.  Guess what.... the very next day the very same rep called me again!  I could use incognito or InPrivate mode on my browsers, or disable cookies, but the truth is that cookies actually serve some useful purposes.  Anyway.... just venting, I suspect this type of behavior is just going to keep getting worse and even more pervasive😡

Edited September 13 by mnocket

[klfrodo]

Thats why anytime I'm doing a search for information, and I don't want to be tracked, I do my searches using the DuckDuckGo browser

[trtog7]

I have the most problem with Viking.

I have taken to putting wrong information in.

My apologies to the person that has that phone number

[MBP&O2/O]

I have been known to put in the company address and telephone number 

[sanger727]

Once you delete your cookies, as long as you don't log in again, you can continue to browse without being identified. 

[mammajamma2013]

Absolutely! Although it's only been Norwegian that has done this. I prefer to keep cookies enabled; as you stated, they are a handy tool. And I have asked my "personal cruise consultant" not to do this as it is off-putting, and he's complied.

 

I'm not under the false idea that I'm not being tracked, I just don't want to be bothered. Once I decide what I want to do, I will contact whichever line I've decided on.

[ldubs]

I would be put off.  Fortunately, I have not experienced this much.  In fact, the only time I receive unwanted phone calls was from a pesky pain-in-the-neck from the often touted premium line.  That was a long time ago. 

 

I suppose if you log on then they have what they need to contact you.  Otherwise, how would they have a phone number I wonder?  (I think I just made a rhyme, Lol).   

Edited September 13 by ldubs

[John Bull]

It's a problem on my side of The Pond too.

And not just cruise lines.

But no phone calls - I avoid giving my number. But I might follow the advice of @trtog7 & @MBP&O2/O 😉

 

JB 🙂

[Mary229]

It is hard to find but scroll down to the very bottom of the page.  That is where you will usually find the opt out procedures. Since I am away so much I was particularly interested in not receiving physical mail.  That took a little more effort.   
 

 

[zdcatc12]

9 hours ago, trtog7 said:

My apologies to the person that has that phone number

I always just change one digit on my phone number to a different one.

[SelectSys]

12 hours ago, mnocket said:

The rep responded, apologized, and assured me that I wouldn't receive any further contact.  Guess what.... the very next day the very same rep called me again!  

The calls are probably served up to the agent by an "auto dialer."  It was most likely simply the "luck of the draw" that you got the same agent.  I would be inclined to blame the company and not the agent.

 

12 hours ago, mnocket said:

I could use incognito or InPrivate mode on my browsers, or disable cookies, but the truth is that cookies actually serve some useful purposes

They can also track you by other identifiable features of your computer (e.g., MAC address) as well and simply deleting cookies will not keep someone from tracking you - at least your computer.

 

5 hours ago, ldubs said:

I would be put off.

Me too!  I would be so put off that I might not book with the line.  That said, it must work or they wouldn't do it. 

 

@mnocket - emails don't really bother me too much.  I expect to get them just like junk mail in the post.

Edited September 14 by SelectSys

[Markanddonna]

Duck Duck Go is the answer. 

 

My evil twin wants to answer the phone with an excited voice, "I'm so happy that NCL is finally giving me that free cruise. Please tell me all about it."

[zqvol]

I must be lucky. I search all the time and have never been blessed with a call or an email. I probably just turned my luck around by posting this. 

[MacMadame]

On 9/13/2024 at 10:25 AM, sanger727 said:

Once you delete your cookies, as long as you don't log in again, you can continue to browse without being identified. 

If you have an Apple product, you can also turn on "don't track me" The side-effect is that some websites don't remember my login info even when I ask them to "remember me." But I can live with that.

 

As for putting in a fake phone number, I recommend using one that leads to a recording such as 202-762-1401 which tells you the time.

[olemissreb]

I got calls from NCL PCCs only AFTER I booked a cruise. One of them has called me 3 times AFTER I've fully paid for my cruise and did all the upgrades that I was going to. Didn't need them to book my cruise, sure don't need them after. It's just annoying.