And I too...........have used Cruise Compete.......for certain cruises.....with certain lines.
RCCl and X do not give discounts! Carnaval............and all that makes up Carnival.......does give discounts.
That being said.......I'll bottom fish all day long for certain cruise lines.......to pick up the best rate possible on the cabins that we book.
I have an agent that takes care of most of our needs,.............and will tell me up front...........if we should deal on a one time deal with another agency, where there is something going on that they cannot compete. This is mostly on HAL, and their best suites.
Thru Cruise compete, we have saved as much as $3,000 on certain lines for a 7 day sailing.
We think we know when to use them and when not to!!
After reading my last post, I realize that I described what unscrupulous agents can do with your information, but I didn't offer any advice on how to prevent it.
As I mentioned, if an agent has some information, they can use that to get alot more information about you. Since we're talking about a Princess cruise, I'll use them as an example.
In the Princess booking site, an agent can enter your phone number and get your full name and past guest number. If they have your name, they can get your phone number and then with that number they can call you or look up your address to put you on their mailing list. In the case of Cruise Compete, the information you enter is sent to all the agents that subscribe to their service. So your information is sent to alot of agents that you know nothing about, any one of which can use this information for solicitation.
So how do you prevent this from happening when searching for a quote?
First, try to do all business via email.
Don't give your full name. Use initials or nicknames.
If you have to enter a phone number, use a cell phone number. If you don't have a cell phone, then provide a phony number or business number.
Don't give out your mailing address.
If you get a phone call from someone that you have not given your phone number to, ask how they got it and find out why they're calling you.
If you get advertisements in the mail and don't want it, contact the company and demand to be removed.
If you belong to a forum like this one, you should not be receiving any private emails soliciting your business. If you do, report them immediately.
Once you've decided with whom to do business, then further information can be provided more securely. You can then discuss with the agent your desire to be included or not be included in any marketing they may do in the future either via email or snail mail.
For some this may sound like common sense, but there are some very pushy salespeople out there in every business, so this is one way we all have to fight back against unwanted soliciting.
Pete
I know of one agent on this site, the TA has contacted my sister soliciting business, telling her the commission could be cut and also provide gifts to her in her cabin upon arrival...
This to me is sneaky!
I sent the following email to CC.
I recently sent in a Quote to Cruise Compete. One agency took it upon themselves to make a booking with the Cruise Line without my permission.****cruises.Com the Agent: ***** Phone: (***)***-**** did this. I never contacted this agency and would of booked with them if they did not do this. Because of their actions I booked directly with the cruise line and paid about $100/pp more. Maybe I am mistaken but I think Cruise Compete violated your published privacy policy.
When you submitted the request for quotes, exactly what kind of information did you give them ?
I have used Cruise Compete a number of times and never had anyone call or email me. Everything came through Cruise Compete.
I just looked at my account in CC. It does not contain any personal information, only my email address that I use for things like this.
I have the answer, on the 2nd page of the CC Quote request there is a box for Past passinger #, I filled it in and CC sent it to the TA,s. With this information the TA was able to get My name from Princess. In the future I will put please do not book or hold a cabin unless I authorize it.
I have the answer, on the 2nd page of the CC Quote request there is a box for Past passinger #, I filled it in and CC sent it to the TA,s. With this information the TA was able to get My name from Princess. In the future I will put please do not book or hold a cabin unless I authorize it.
Many thanks for clarifying that, Jim! Helps to explain a great many things.
Now you should contact Cruise Compete and let them know what the agency did, and let them know you expect to hear back from them. If I were CC, I'd bounce that outfit from my list of agencies pronto. Their entire premise rests on agents not making contact with you in that fashion.
I have the answer, on the 2nd page of the CC Quote request there is a box for Past passinger #, I filled it in and CC sent it to the TA,s. With this information the TA was able to get My name from Princess. In the future I will put please do not book or hold a cabin unless I authorize it.
Ok. I too have gotten quotes from them and in that past passenger box I check yes and in the box to put your number I put "will give at time of booking". I'm not gonna give out my number until I choose the agency. With Identity Theft on the rise that number is like a social security or drivers license number. No way are they getting it until I decide to book.
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