A Travel and vacations forum. TravelBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » TravelBanter forum » Travelling Style » Cruises
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Banned From Bidding For Travel



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old January 14th, 2009, 03:42 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Peri
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 286
Default Banned From Bidding For Travel

CherylS's query about a low priced hotel in San Diego would normally
have prompted me to refer her to biddingfortravel.com in an attempt to
ascertain what price she could get a room for using Priceline, since she
didn't seem to have a need to stay in any specific hotel. Not anymore,
however.

Today I was officially banned from the board, with my IP address blocked
not just from posting but from accessing it altogether?

Why? Well, I'm not 100% certain, but I suspect it is because, while I
was kind enough to report two winning bids recently, adding to the
valuable content on the board, I did not choose to visit Priceline
through the affiliate link from which the administrator receives a
commission. I chose, instead, to visit through a link that benefits
non-profit organizations, believing my contribution of information,
which is what the board runs on, would be sufficient.

Frankly, I'm astounded. As those of you who are frequent readers and
posters here know, I have long been a major supporter of the work done
by biddingfortravel, often promoting the site as beneficial for
travelers looking for a way to stretch their dollars most effectively.
And I have posted winning bids whenever I could to help those who came
after me in a particular locale.

Some online research tells me I am not the only one to be banned for not
using the suggested (er, um, make that "mandatory" link).

Guess I would have just been better off to use the information on the
site without adding to it. That way, no one would have been the wiser.
Consider it a heads up.

~ Peri
  #2  
Old January 14th, 2009, 04:51 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,112
Default Banned From Bidding For Travel

In article , Peri
wrote:

Guess I would have just been better off to use the information on the
site without adding to it. That way, no one would have been the wiser.
Consider it a heads up.


Interesting. I have posted about winning bids there and did use their
link. It does seem impolite to get info there for bids and not use
their link because they do have costs to maintain the site. Still
banning you is not right.

They can block your IP address. Since IP addresses are usually
dynamically assigned it will in the course of time change and you will
be able to access the site. When I want to change my IP address
immediately with my ISP, I reset my cable modem and I will get another
IP address. Don't know if all ISP's work that way. You might try that
and see if your ISP assigns you another IP address. T

--
Charles
  #3  
Old January 14th, 2009, 06:02 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Bill[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 823
Default Banned From Bidding For Travel

On 1/13/2009 9:42 PM, Peri wrote:
CherylS's query about a low priced hotel in San Diego would normally
have prompted me to refer her to biddingfortravel.com in an attempt to
ascertain what price she could get a room for using Priceline, since she
didn't seem to have a need to stay in any specific hotel. Not anymore,
however.

Today I was officially banned from the board, with my IP address blocked
not just from posting but from accessing it altogether?


Check out http://www.betterbidding.com. They have a cool
calendar where you can see winning bids for your requested area
on specific days. And they don't ban people (at least not that I
am aware of).

Bill
  #4  
Old January 14th, 2009, 04:51 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Peri
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 286
Default Banned From Bidding For Travel

Charles wrote:

Interesting. I have posted about winning bids there and did use their
link. It does seem impolite to get info there for bids and not use
their link because they do have costs to maintain the site. Still
banning you is not right.


While I agree to a point, Charles, I received one request (or what I
thought was a "request") to use their bidding partner. Next thing I
knew, I was banned. I understand the need for dollars, but what good is
the site without INFORMATION??

I guess she would rather I lurk and use other people's posts than add to
the pool with my own. This is a business model that just doesn't make
any sense to me.

I'm aware that we can try to change our IP address. Also aware that
will eventually change all by itself. Thanks for the helpful hints, though.

Until then, I'll log on from work when I need comparative bidding info.
And I'll NEVER promote or contribute to the site again.

~ Peri
  #5  
Old January 19th, 2009, 11:13 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Becca[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 63
Default Banned From Bidding For Travel

Peri wrote:
Charles wrote:

Interesting. I have posted about winning bids there and did use their
link. It does seem impolite to get info there for bids and not use
their link because they do have costs to maintain the site. Still
banning you is not right.


While I agree to a point, Charles, I received one request (or what I
thought was a "request") to use their bidding partner. Next thing I
knew, I was banned. I understand the need for dollars, but what good is
the site without INFORMATION??

I guess she would rather I lurk and use other people's posts than add to
the pool with my own. This is a business model that just doesn't make
any sense to me.

I'm aware that we can try to change our IP address. Also aware that
will eventually change all by itself. Thanks for the helpful hints,
though.

Until then, I'll log on from work when I need comparative bidding info.
And I'll NEVER promote or contribute to the site again.

~ Peri


So sorry this happened to you, Peri.

Does Sheryl Mexic still own BFT or did she sell out? I met her in
Houston about 13 years ago and we had dinner together a few times. She
has a strong presence about her, which I admire, but she has formed a
few enemies over the years.

Becca
  #6  
Old January 20th, 2009, 04:38 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
D Ball[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 518
Default Banned From Bidding For Travel

Peri, thanks for the heads up. That is very interesting.

We have used BFT for years, andI think like most travelers, sometimes
we provide feedback, sometimes we never get around to it. Frankly, I
have often had to go hunt down that click-thru button. As picky as
they are about posting bids and questions, the "mandatory" method for
actually accessing Priceline could be more clear.

Becca, you are being very diplomatic, as always. IMO Sheryl has always
been the Nurse Ratched of board administrators. I don't know her
current status.

Bill, I like betterbidding, too. IIRC it was started by "Amber,"
formerly a frequent poster on Cruise Critic who used a handle with
"bunny" in it.

Diana Ball
Austin, TX

  #7  
Old January 20th, 2009, 11:38 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,112
Default Banned From Bidding For Travel

In article
, D
Ball wrote:

Bill, I like betterbidding, too. IIRC it was started by "Amber,"
formerly a frequent poster on Cruise Critic who used a handle with
"bunny" in it.


Speaking of Cruise Critic, they have the ultimate control freak in
charge over there. They delete posts, threads, and ban people at the
drop of a hat. People don't even know why. If one is one of her
favorites though, they don't get deleted or banned. One group of
experienced cruisers on Cunard got on her wrong side and all got
banned last summer and have formed their own board Cunardcritic which
is pretty active and the place to go to if you are sailing on Cunard..

--
Charles
  #8  
Old January 24th, 2009, 08:10 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Brian K[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,329
Default Banned From Bidding For Travel

On 1/19/2009 10:38 PM D Ball scrawled with a big red tube of lipstick:
Peri, thanks for the heads up. That is very interesting.

We have used BFT for years, andI think like most travelers, sometimes
we provide feedback, sometimes we never get around to it. Frankly, I
have often had to go hunt down that click-thru button. As picky as
they are about posting bids and questions, the "mandatory" method for
actually accessing Priceline could be more clear.

Becca, you are being very diplomatic, as always. IMO Sheryl has always
been the Nurse Ratched of board administrators. I don't know her
current status.

Bill, I like betterbidding, too. IIRC it was started by "Amber,"
formerly a frequent poster on Cruise Critic who used a handle with
"bunny" in it.

Diana Ball
Austin, TX


There's a simple work-around for this "banning". Go to the account
function of your ISP and create a new e-mail addy. Alternatively use
yahoo.com or google mail. You have the option of creating an alias. You
can join, post a comment get banned go back to your account on yahoo or
google delete the alias and create a new one. All the mail gets filtered
to an email address of your choice leaving Bidding For Travel completely
powerless to keep you "banned". I haven't tried it myself as I don't use
priceline.

--
________
To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"The poor dog is the firmest friend, the first to welcome the foremost to defend" - Lord Byron
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951
  #9  
Old January 24th, 2009, 11:22 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Bill[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 823
Default Banned From Bidding For Travel

On 1/24/2009 2:10 PM, Brian K wrote:

There's a simple work-around for this "banning". Go to the account
function of your ISP and create a new e-mail addy. Alternatively use
yahoo.com or google mail. You have the option of creating an alias. You
can join, post a comment get banned go back to your account on yahoo or
google delete the alias and create a new one. All the mail gets filtered
to an email address of your choice leaving Bidding For Travel completely
powerless to keep you "banned". I haven't tried it myself as I don't use
priceline.


It's not that simple. She remembers your IP address and when you
log in again from that address, you'll be blocked whether you
are logging in from the same id or not.

I wonder what happens when the IP addresses get reassigned (as
they do after a while) and the person who gets assigned the
banned address tries to access it?

Bill
  #10  
Old January 25th, 2009, 01:42 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,112
Default Banned From Bidding For Travel

In article , Bill
wrote:

I wonder what happens when the IP addresses get reassigned (as
they do after a while) and the person who gets assigned the
banned address tries to access it?


The odds are against it but I have read about that happening. Then the
person with the banned address has had to contact the site and convince
the admin that they were not the one banned. If they can't convince the
admin they have had to change their IP address from the banned one.
There are several ways to do that.

--
Charles
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Bidding on a ticket? Bidding on your vacation time! doc holiday Air travel 0 August 3rd, 2008 01:17 PM
Safety: Hotel Crime Reports Banned From Online Travel Reviews Takuro Ishii USA & Canada 1 July 5th, 2006 04:18 PM
Help bidding via Priceline kayess Travel - anything else not covered 0 January 3rd, 2005 06:39 PM
Help bidding via Priceline kayess Europe 0 January 3rd, 2005 06:39 PM
Help bidding via Priceline kayess Travel - anything else not covered 0 January 3rd, 2005 06:39 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:44 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 TravelBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.