Recieved an Interesting email from HAL Today

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I received an interesting email from HAL today. It was telling me that Shore Excursions were now available for our Caribbean Cruise which is next March. I have never received this before. We have a cruise coming up in less than 4 weeks and never received one for that.
Has anyone else ever received this?

Here is the email....

Holland America Line: A Tradition of Excellence
See, Explore, Discover



Lisa
Shore excursions for your upcoming Caribbean cruise are now available to book online at: http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-A107/21524205/clickto1_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html (http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-A107/21524205/clickto1_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html)

Whether you want to set sail by catamaran, snorkel crystal clear waters, or explore ancient Mayan ruins, book early to make the most of your Caribbean cruise experience.

Confirm tour departure times instantly with online reservations at: http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-6086/21524207/clickto2_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html (http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-6086/21524207/clickto2_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html) to assure your plans in port. At the shore excursion website, you‘ll also find tour prices, departure times, frequently asked questions, and brochures available for download all in one convenient location.

To book shore excursions, visit http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-A407/21524209/clickto3_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html (http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-A407/21524209/clickto3_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html).
For assistance with shore excursion reservations, call 1-888-425-9376, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PST.


To change your e-mail address or preferences, http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-F207/21524211/clickto4_roadbaseema-HA4035-survey.jsp.html (http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-F207/21524211/clickto4_roadbaseema-HA4035-survey.jsp.html).
Holland America Line * 300 Elliott Avenue West * Seattle Washington 98119---------------------------------------------------------
If you would prefer not to receive further messages from this sender, please click on the following Internet link and confirm your request:
http://www.xmr3.com/rm/762361-9615333-2-3927-US1- (http://www.xmr3.com/rm/762361-9615333-2-3927-US1-8188/laffnvegas@aol.com/HCS1A7B)You will receive one additional e-mail message confirming your removal.

[sail7seas]

I got a similar e-mail. Our next cruise is not until January.

[bobpatj]

We also received one for our end of Jan. cruise, early in Sept. We'd never been able to book shore excursions before our final payment was made!

[mmacdcc]

pull.xmr3.com is a bulk mail service. (go to that url and see). It's a legit company apparently, but that doesn't mean they haven't been compromised. Even if HAL was using a bulk mail service, the link in the email wouldn't go there -- it would go to HAL.

I never go directly to a url in an unsolicitated email -- I either go to the root url or look up the domain using whois, then decide whether I want to even check what it is.

As a rule, if the URL doesn't have the name of the company sending it in it, be very, very VERY suspicious.

It's very possible they are spamming, hoping that somebody booked on a cruise will bite. It would be a logical assumption that somebody booked on a cruise would have a good credit card, and a decently high limit - just the type of info they would love to get hold of. :eek:

If you're not sure of an email like that, go to the company's web site (the one that supposedly sent it, not the link in the email), email them and ask.

Since you are booked on a cruise, I'd forward the email you got to either HAL or your TA, and let them tell you if it's legit or not.

But I'd be very very surprised if it was.

[Cruiseoften]

Comes under Customer Service!!!!! Remember HAL's KIS (Keep It Simple) days -you booked on line, gave a CC number, (which is probably debited even as you type!); HAL has you money and then you change your mind - takes weeks before you get the credit............we don't book (on line) excursions until about 4 days before departure - and then only when we're 99% sure we'll take them.

[Oxo]

Received the same email today, however, our cruise is 10/27/04 so we are under the 10 days left and cannot book anything now. I called HAL and I was told they would not know who to inform about this late email. So they were no help in explaining why this was done and late at that. What has happened to service or 'let me find out who to report this too?'

[dakrewser]

pull.xmr3.com is a bulk mail service. (go to that url and see). It's a legit company apparently, but that doesn't mean they haven't been compromised. Even if HAL was using a bulk mail service, the link in the email wouldn't go there -- it would go to HAL.
Be surprised, then. xmr3 is the on-line advertising service used by HAL as well as most of the other Carnival-owned lines.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

pull.xmr3.com is a bulk mail service. (go to that url and see). It's a legit company apparently, but that doesn't mean they haven't been compromised. Even if HAL was using a bulk mail service, the link in the email wouldn't go there -- it would go to HAL.

I never go directly to a url in an unsolicitated email -- I either go to the root url or look up the domain using whois, then decide whether I want to even check what it is.

As a rule, if the URL doesn't have the name of the company sending it in it, be very, very VERY suspicious.

It's very possible they are spamming, hoping that somebody booked on a cruise will bite. It would be a logical assumption that somebody booked on a cruise would have a good credit card, and a decently high limit - just the type of info they would love to get hold of. :eek:

If you're not sure of an email like that, go to the company's web site (the one that supposedly sent it, not the link in the email), email them and ask.

Since you are booked on a cruise, I'd forward the email you got to either HAL or your TA, and let them tell you if it's legit or not.

But I'd be very very surprised if it was.
If if fact this is a scam why do all the links connect to HAL's Web Site?
I guess it is possible. I did already book an Excursion for my upcoming cruise but had done it thru HAL's web site and had not done it using an email like this. Like I said this was the first I had ever seen of an email like this.

[palmgirl]

Received same e-mail for our January trip. Guess it is the new way to get the money up front. :)
Everything linked to the HAL website.

[Ziggy7]

Maybe someone should forward this email to HAL and ask them if its real :)

[mmacdcc]

but you don't know that looking at the link -- which is exactly my point.

I'm glad it's not a scam -- but with the amount of email fraud out there, you're better safe than sorry.

[spcl4cs_gal]

Maybe someone should forward this email to HAL and ask them if its real :)

It had better be real considering my brother received it and booked the Tortola dolphin swim for our March cruise.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

It had better be real considering my brother received it and booked the Tortola dolphin swim for our March cruise.
I am sure it is real, it links you right to HAL. Did you brother receive a confirmation email from HAL with a return email address of halw_shore_excursions@hollandamerica.com I had booked directly from HAL's web site and in the confirmation email it gives the email with the shorex info
like this ( http://www.hollandamerica.com/shorex/findYourBooking.do?) So I really do no think there is any problem. I was not question validity as much as this must be something brand new that HAL is doing and that I did not receive one for my Sea of Cortez Cruise coming up in a few weeks.

[Stevesan]

I am certainly not suggesting this is a less than legitimate link. However, we need to realize that phishing e-mail links can mimic web site pages exactly so they appear to be the real thing. I've received a number of e-mails posing as my Internet Service Provider. The page they lead to is identical to the ISP's home page. Of course, they want to update my credit card information.

I never follow e-mail links, no matter how legit they appear to be. In a case like this, I'd simply use my bookmark to go to HAL's web site.

[Orcrone]

I clicked on the link provided by Lisa. I first put in my last name and booking number, off by a single digit, and it came back with an error. If they were phishing they would not know that I put in an incorrect booking number.

I then corrected the booking number and it recognized me and even had a record of the shore excursions I had already booked. When I originally booked them I went directly to the HAL site. So I'd say it's safe to assume that it's legit.

[SHayesShip]

I received this e-mail for my April/05 cruise.

Steve Hayes

I received an interesting email from HAL today. It was telling me that Shore Excursions were now available for our Caribbean Cruise which is next March. I have never received this before. We have a cruise coming up in less than 4 weeks and never received one for that.
Has anyone else ever received this?

Here is the email....

Holland America Line: A Tradition of Excellence
See, Explore, Discover



Lisa
Shore excursions for your upcoming Caribbean cruise are now available to book online at: http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-A107/21524205/clickto1_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html (http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-A107/21524205/clickto1_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html)

Whether you want to set sail by catamaran, snorkel crystal clear waters, or explore ancient Mayan ruins, book early to make the most of your Caribbean cruise experience.

Confirm tour departure times instantly with online reservations at: http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-6086/21524207/clickto2_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html (http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-6086/21524207/clickto2_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html) to assure your plans in port. At the shore excursion website, you‘ll also find tour prices, departure times, frequently asked questions, and brochures available for download all in one convenient location.

To book shore excursions, visit http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-A407/21524209/clickto3_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html (http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-A407/21524209/clickto3_damerica.com-shorex-shorex.do.html).
For assistance with shore excursion reservations, call 1-888-425-9376, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PST.


To change your e-mail address or preferences, http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-F207/21524211/clickto4_roadbaseema-HA4035-survey.jsp.html (http://pull.xmr3.com/p/3927-F207/21524211/clickto4_roadbaseema-HA4035-survey.jsp.html).
Holland America Line * 300 Elliott Avenue West * Seattle Washington 98119---------------------------------------------------------
If you would prefer not to receive further messages from this sender, please click on the following Internet link and confirm your request:
http://www.xmr3.com/rm/762361-9615333-2-3927-US1- (http://www.xmr3.com/rm/762361-9615333-2-3927-US1-8188/laffnvegas@aol.com/HCS1A7B)You will receive one additional e-mail message confirming your removal.

[Leslieswiger]

HAL did some changes with our land tours about five weeks ago and gave us new ones. Our cruise starts at the end of March 2005. The only one we are booking on line will be Machu Picchu which is over night off the ship ($3000.+) and the Iguazu Falls before the cruise. Having a private tour company do the rest. All in all, I find the land tours VERY expensive and can end up more than your cruise.:mad: Thankful that I have seen much of S.A. in the past. Happy sailing everyone....Leslie:)

[Tinknock50]

I received this e-mail for my April/05 cruise.

Steve Hayes
Hi Steve,
I was trying to remember when you were going on the Volendam...this post just reminded me:)

[mmacdcc]

Look at them. It goes to pull.xmr3.com and the page there sends you to www.hollandamerica.com/somePage. ALL of those links go to xmr3.com, NOT HAL.They do that to track response to the email -- but there are other, less obvious ways to do that.

That's why I was suspicious.

Luckily, it apparently isn't a scam -- but you WOULD NOT know that from just looking at the link.

Anytime you click on a link in an email, REGARDLESS of where it purports to be from, you let whoever sent it know that you're a valid account, and any info you enter can be grabbed by that site.

Even entering an invalid number -- you entered your name, so if it was a scam they would know that you were booked on a cruise, that the email account they sent to was valid, and they may have planted software on your machine while you were on their site. And people being people, it would be a good guess that most of the number sequence WAS a booking number.

It's not hard to spoof a return email address. It's not hard to set up a database to generate the emails and track which addresses are valid by response. It's not hard to exactly copy a web page -- same graphics, same text, similar url.

Just be careful everybody -- I'm not trying to scare you and I'm really not being paranoid. There's a lot of email scams/phishers out there.

[spcl4cs_gal]

The email is definitely legit...visited the HAL site and tried to book my shore excursions without going through the email link first. Things worked out fine. :)