14 DAY TRIAL // Cunard Cruise Line, a company that offers luxury cruise vacations, has shut down its online booking system after it erroneously sent the details belonging to 1,225 customers to an unknown number of users via email.
On June 23, a Cruise Critic user received one of the emails and immediately started a forum thread wanting to learn if there are others in his situation.
“I have received an email from Cunard with a spreadsheet file attached giving me the booking reference and names and email address of 1225 passengers,” davyjones wrote.
“This information would allow me to see all the information such as address, contact number and passport information that you need to enter before your cruise. My name and number is on the list. A later email from Cunard asked me to disregard the email.”
Shortly after, a number of other passengers reported receiving the same email.
After being notified of the incident, Cunard took down its check-in system and started issuing new booking numbers for the affected individuals.
“We took swift action to close down the check-in system, Voyage Personalizer, until we are able to re-issue new secure log-in details to all affected guests,” Cunard spokeswoman Jackie Chase stated.
“We are very sorry if this error has caused our guests any concern and we would like to reassure them that the issue has been dealt with and we are in the process of contacting relevant guests with new, secure log-in.”
Fortunately, passports have not been exposed directly, but as Cruise Critic highlights, the information could have been accessed by using the details contained in the erroneously sent message.
“We do not anticipate that any of our guests will suffer loss as a result of this error, but if they do they should contact us straightaway to make us aware of the circumstances,” a company representative said.