Privacy & Cookie Policy

CruiseQuest respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This Privacy & Cookie Policy explains what information we collect when you use CruiseQuest, why we collect it, how we use it, who we may share it with and the choices available to you.

1. About CruiseQuest

CruiseQuest is an independent travel discovery website specialising exclusively in holidays and journeys offered by Noble Caledonia.

CruiseQuest helps visitors discover and explore Noble Caledonia voyages, small-ship cruises, escorted tours, ships, destinations and itineraries.

CruiseQuest is not Noble Caledonia and is not presented as an official Noble Caledonia website.

CruiseQuest does not currently take travel bookings directly.

When you make an enquiry through CruiseQuest, we may introduce you to an approved independent travel agent selected to service your enquiry. That travel agent can provide current availability, pricing, advice and booking services.

2. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you use CruiseQuest.

When You Make an Enquiry

When you enquire about a Noble Caledonia journey, we may ask you to provide information such as:

• your name;
• email address;
• telephone number;
• the Noble Caledonia journey you are interested in;
• preferred departure dates;
• number of passengers;
• travel preferences;
• any comments or questions you choose to provide; and
• any other information you voluntarily include as part of your enquiry.

You do not need to provide personal information simply to browse CruiseQuest.

However, we require sufficient information to respond to a travel enquiry and introduce you to an appropriate approved travel agent.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit CruiseQuest, certain technical information may be collected automatically. This may include:

• browser type;
• device type;
• operating system;
• pages visited;
• approximate location derived from your IP address;
• website or search engine that referred you to CruiseQuest;
• date and time of visits;
• interactions with website features; and
• general website usage information.

Where cookies or similar technologies are used for analytics, advertising or other non-essential purposes, these will only be activated where the appropriate permission has been obtained.

3. How We Use Your Information

We may use your personal information to:

• process an enquiry submitted through CruiseQuest;
• identify the Noble Caledonia journey you are interested in;
• understand your travel requirements;
• select an appropriate approved travel agent to service your enquiry;
• provide your enquiry details to that selected travel agent;
• allow the selected travel agent to contact you about your enquiry;
• respond to questions or requests you send directly to CruiseQuest;
• maintain appropriate records of enquiries and referrals;
• understand how CruiseQuest is being used;
• improve the CruiseQuest website;
• improve the way Noble Caledonia journeys, destinations and ships are presented;
• personalise content where appropriate;
• market or remarket CruiseQuest and relevant Noble Caledonia journeys to you where we have an appropriate lawful basis or your consent where required;
• measure the performance of our website and marketing;
• protect the security and integrity of CruiseQuest; and
• meet legal or regulatory obligations.

CruiseQuest does not sell your personal information.

We do not provide your personal information to unrelated travel companies, travel agents or organisations for them to use for their own independent marketing purposes.

Where you submit a travel enquiry, your identifiable enquiry information will only be provided to the approved travel agent selected by CruiseQuest to service that particular enquiry, except where disclosure is required by law.

4. What Happens When You Make a Travel Enquiry?

CruiseQuest operates as a travel discovery and enquiry service rather than as the company taking your travel booking.

When you submit an enquiry about a Noble Caledonia journey, CruiseQuest may review the information you have provided and select an approved independent travel agent to service your enquiry.

Your enquiry details will then be shared with that selected travel agent so they can respond to your request.

Your Enquiry Is Not Sent to Multiple Agents

CruiseQuest does not operate a system where your enquiry is distributed to multiple travel agents who then compete for your business.

Your identifiable enquiry information is provided only to the approved travel agent selected to service that enquiry.

The selected travel agent may contact you directly by telephone, email or another method appropriate to your enquiry.

They may ask you for additional information in order to:

• check current Noble Caledonia availability;
• confirm current pricing;
• discuss travel arrangements;
• answer questions;
• provide advice; or
• arrange a booking.

Once your information has been provided to the selected independent travel agent, that organisation will normally become separately responsible for the personal information it collects and uses as part of its relationship with you.

Its own privacy policy will apply to that processing.

If you subsequently decide to make a booking, the travel agent may need to provide relevant information to Noble Caledonia and other organisations involved in delivering your holiday. This will form part of your relationship with the travel agent and should be explained to you as part of the booking process.

CruiseQuest will not provide the details from your enquiry to another travel agent for their own use unless you specifically ask us to do so.

5. How We Share Your Information

CruiseQuest takes a deliberately limited approach to sharing personal information.

When you make a travel enquiry, the information necessary to deal with your request is shared only with the approved independent travel agent selected to service that enquiry.

CruiseQuest does not:

• sell enquiry information;
• sell customer databases;
• distribute the same enquiry to multiple travel agents;
• provide your information to unrelated travel companies;
• allow unrelated travel agents to contact you as a result of your enquiry;
• provide your personal information to third parties for their own independent marketing purposes; or
• operate an open lead marketplace.

Companies providing technical services required to operate CruiseQuest may process limited personal information on our behalf. These may include providers of:

• website hosting;
• secure cloud storage;
• databases;
• email delivery;
• enquiry-management systems;
• analytics;
• website security;
• fraud prevention;
• customer communications; and
• marketing technology.

These organisations act as service providers to CruiseQuest rather than receiving your information for their own independent use.

Where required, CruiseQuest may also disclose personal information:

• to comply with the law;
• in response to a valid legal or regulatory request;
• to establish, exercise or defend legal rights;
• to investigate fraud or security incidents; or
• where necessary to protect CruiseQuest, its users or another person from harm.

6. Our Lawful Basis for Using Your Information

UK data protection law requires us to have a lawful reason for processing personal information. Depending on the circumstances, CruiseQuest may rely upon the following lawful bases.

Legitimate Interests

We may have a legitimate interest in:

• operating CruiseQuest;
• responding to customer enquiries;
• matching enquiries with suitable approved travel agents;
• maintaining records of enquiries;
• improving our website;
• understanding how visitors use CruiseQuest;
• protecting our systems; and
• marketing CruiseQuest in circumstances where legitimate interests are an appropriate lawful basis.

We only rely upon legitimate interests where we consider that our interests do not override your rights and freedoms.

Consent

We may rely upon your consent for activities including:

• certain marketing communications;
• non-essential cookies;
• analytics technologies where consent is required;
• advertising technologies;
• remarketing technologies; and
• other processing where consent is the most appropriate lawful basis.

Where processing is based upon consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time.

Legal Obligations

We may process or retain information where necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.

7. Marketing and Remarketing by CruiseQuest

CruiseQuest may use information about your interaction with the website and, where appropriate, information you have provided directly to us to market or remarket relevant CruiseQuest content to you.

This may include information about:

• Noble Caledonia journeys you have viewed;
• journeys you have enquired about;
• similar Noble Caledonia journeys;
• destinations you may be interested in;
• ships;
• new departures;
• special offers;
• CruiseQuest travel inspiration;
• editorial content; and
• journeys similar to ones in which you have previously shown an interest.

Marketing and remarketing may take place through channels such as:

• email;
• website personalisation;
• online advertising;
• search engines;
• social media platforms; and
• other digital marketing channels.

Where consent is legally required for marketing, cookies, advertising or remarketing technologies, we will ask for that consent before using your information in that way.

You can withdraw your marketing consent or unsubscribe from CruiseQuest marketing communications at any time.

We Do Not Sell Your Details for Marketing

CruiseQuest marketing is carried out by CruiseQuest or by technology providers working on our behalf.

We do not give your personal information to unrelated third parties so that they can independently market their own products or services to you.

Submitting a travel enquiry does not automatically give the selected travel agent permission to add you to unrelated marketing lists. The selected agent may use your information to deal with the specific enquiry you have asked them to service, subject to their own legal and regulatory responsibilities.

8. Email Marketing

CruiseQuest may offer email services such as:

• travel inspiration;
• new journey alerts;
• destination ideas;
• new Noble Caledonia departures;
• special offers;
• CruiseQuest updates; and
• reminders about journeys that may interest you.

Where consent is required, you will be provided with a clear opportunity to choose whether you would like to receive these communications.

Submitting a travel enquiry does not necessarily subscribe you to general CruiseQuest marketing.

If you choose to receive CruiseQuest marketing emails, you can unsubscribe at any time by:

• clicking the unsubscribe link included within an email; or
• contacting us at hello@cruisequest.co.uk

Unsubscribing from CruiseQuest marketing will not prevent the selected travel agent from contacting you about a travel enquiry you specifically submitted.

9. How Long We Keep Your Information

We do not keep personal information for longer than reasonably necessary.

Detailed information submitted through a CruiseQuest travel enquiry will normally be retained for up to three months after the enquiry has been referred to a travel agent. After this period, detailed enquiry information will normally be deleted where it is no longer required.

We may retain a limited record containing information such as:

• your name;
• email address;
• the Noble Caledonia journey you enquired about;
• the date of your enquiry;
• the travel agent selected to service the enquiry;
• the status of the enquiry; and
• other limited administrative information.

This limited information may be retained for a reasonable period for purposes including:

• enquiry tracking;
• administration;
• reporting;
• dispute resolution;
• fraud prevention;
• security;
• understanding customer interest;
• marketing where legally permitted; and
• maintaining appropriate business records.

Information may be retained for longer where there is a legal requirement or another legitimate reason to do so.

Marketing information may be retained until you unsubscribe, withdraw your consent or we determine that it is no longer appropriate to retain it.

10. How CruiseQuest Uses Cookies

CruiseQuest uses cookies and similar technologies.

Cookies are small data files stored on your device which can be used to make websites function, remember preferences and understand how visitors interact with them.

Different types of cookies may be used depending on the functionality available on CruiseQuest.

11. Essential Cookies

Some cookies are necessary for CruiseQuest to function correctly. These may be used for purposes including:

• website security;
• maintaining website sessions;
• remembering privacy preferences;
• remembering cookie preferences;
• operating enquiry forms;
• preventing fraudulent or abusive activity; and
• providing website functionality requested by the visitor.

Where cookies are strictly necessary to operate the service you have requested, they may be used without obtaining consent.

12. Analytics Cookies

CruiseQuest may use analytics technologies to understand how visitors use the website. This may include understanding:

• how many visitors use CruiseQuest;
• which Noble Caledonia journeys receive the most interest;
• which pages are most popular;
• how visitors arrived at CruiseQuest;
• how visitors move around the website;
• what devices visitors use;
• which website features are being used; and
• where improvements to CruiseQuest may be required.

Where consent is legally required, analytics cookies and similar technologies will not be activated until you choose to allow them.

13. Advertising and Remarketing Cookies

CruiseQuest may use advertising and remarketing technologies to show visitors relevant CruiseQuest advertising after they have visited the website. For example, you may see CruiseQuest advertising relating to:

• a Noble Caledonia journey you previously viewed;
• a destination you explored;
• similar voyages;
• other Noble Caledonia journeys; or
• CruiseQuest generally.

These technologies may be supplied by advertising platforms, search engines or social media providers.

Where consent is required, these technologies will not be activated unless you choose to allow advertising or marketing cookies.

You can change or withdraw your cookie choices using the cookie controls available on CruiseQuest.

14. Third-Party Technologies

Some website functionality may be provided using third-party technology. These services may include:

• website hosting;
• maps;
• analytics;
• advertising;
• email services;
• embedded content;
• security services;
• enquiry-management tools; and
• social media functionality.

Where these services use non-essential cookies or similar technologies, they will be subject to the appropriate cookie controls.

The use of technology within CruiseQuest may change over time and this policy may be updated to reflect those changes.

15. Managing Your Cookie Preferences

Where CruiseQuest uses non-essential cookies, visitors will be given an opportunity to manage their preferences. Depending on the technologies being used, you may be able to choose between categories such as:

• essential;
• analytics;
• functional; and
• advertising or marketing.

You can change your choices through the cookie settings provided on CruiseQuest. You may also be able to control or delete cookies through your web browser.

Disabling certain cookies may affect how some parts of the website operate.

16. Who Receives Your Information?

For a travel enquiry, the only independent third party to whom CruiseQuest provides your identifiable enquiry details is the approved travel agent selected to service that enquiry.

CruiseQuest may use technology and infrastructure providers to operate the website. These organisations may process information on our behalf for services such as:

• website hosting;
• secure data storage;
• email delivery;
• enquiry management;
• website analytics;
• website security;
• advertising; and
• remarketing where you have provided any consent required.

These organisations act as service providers to CruiseQuest and are not permitted by CruiseQuest to use your personal information for unrelated independent marketing purposes.

CruiseQuest may additionally disclose information where required by law, regulation, court order or another legitimate legal obligation.

17. International Transfers

Some technology providers used by CruiseQuest may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where personal information is transferred internationally, CruiseQuest will take appropriate steps to ensure the transfer complies with applicable UK data protection law. Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

• transferring information to countries recognised as providing an adequate level of data protection;
• using appropriate contractual safeguards; or
• using another legally recognised transfer mechanism.

18. Keeping Your Information Secure

CruiseQuest takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information. These measures are intended to protect information against:

• unauthorised access;
• accidental loss;
• misuse;
• alteration;
• inappropriate disclosure; and
• destruction.

No website, database or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. However, CruiseQuest takes reasonable steps to protect the information entrusted to us.

19. Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law gives you a number of rights relating to your personal information. These may include the right to:

• ask what personal information we hold about you;
• request a copy of your personal information;
• ask us to correct inaccurate information;
• ask us to complete incomplete information;
• ask us to delete information in certain circumstances;
• ask us to restrict the way information is used;
• object to certain types of processing;
• withdraw consent where processing is based upon consent; and
• request the transfer of certain information where the right to data portability applies.

Not every right applies in every circumstance.

To exercise your rights, contact hello@cruisequest.co.uk. We may need to confirm your identity before responding to a request.

20. Complaints

If you are concerned about how CruiseQuest handles your personal information, please contact us first so we have an opportunity to investigate.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator. Further information about data protection rights and making a complaint is available from the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

21. Links to Other Websites

CruiseQuest may contain links to external websites including:

• Noble Caledonia;
• approved travel agents;
• tourism organisations;
• destination websites;
• transport providers; and
• other third-party websites.

CruiseQuest is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, accuracy or content of external websites. You should review the privacy policy of any third-party website before providing personal information directly to it.

22. Noble Caledonia

CruiseQuest currently specialises exclusively in presenting and helping visitors discover Noble Caledonia holidays. References to Noble Caledonia, its ships, journeys, destinations, departure dates and other products are included for the purpose of helping visitors research and enquire about those holidays.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, CruiseQuest is:

• independent of Noble Caledonia;
• not owned by Noble Caledonia;
• not operated by Noble Caledonia;
• not presented as Noble Caledonia's official website; and
• not the contracting party for a Noble Caledonia holiday booked following an enquiry through CruiseQuest.

If you proceed with a booking through the approved travel agent selected to service your enquiry, Noble Caledonia and the travel agent will have their own responsibilities for the personal information they receive and process. Their respective privacy policies will apply to that processing.

23. Changes to This Policy

CruiseQuest may update this Privacy & Cookie Policy from time to time. Changes may be required because of:

• changes to CruiseQuest;
• new website functionality;
• changes to the technologies we use;
• changes to our marketing activities;
• changes to our travel agent arrangements; or
• changes to legal or regulatory requirements.

The most recent version will always be published on this page together with the latest revision date.

Where a significant change materially affects the way we use personal information already provided to us, we will take reasonable steps to bring the change to the attention of affected individuals where appropriate.

24. Contact CruiseQuest

If you have any questions about this Privacy & Cookie Policy, how CruiseQuest uses your information or your data protection rights, please contact us via our contact form or phone number.