Privacy Policy
Your Data is Safe with Us — We need your info for the Port Police, not for spies.
Last updated: December 2024
Sailing Virgins (“we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website, book a course, or participate in our sailing programs.
We operate internationally, including in the European Union (Croatia, Greece) and other jurisdictions with strict data protection laws. This policy complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable privacy laws.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Information You Provide
Account & Booking Information
Name, email address, phone number, mailing address, date of birth, nationality, and payment information when you create an account or book a course.
Passport & Travel Documents (Required by Maritime Law)
Passport number, issue/expiry dates, and country of issue. This is required by international maritime law for crew manifests and port authority clearance. We cannot allow you to sail without this information.
Health & Dietary Information (Special Category Data)
Medical conditions, allergies, dietary restrictions, and medications. Under GDPR, this is “Special Category Data” requiring explicit consent. We collect this solely to ensure your safety at sea and to provision appropriate food.
Emergency Contact Information
Name, relationship, and contact details of your emergency contact person, used only in case of emergency at sea.
1.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information including:
- Device information (browser type, operating system)
- IP address and approximate location
- Pages visited and time spent on site
- Referring website
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 6)
2. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal data for the following purposes:
Course Delivery
Processing bookings, managing your course participation, and communicating course-related information.
Legal Compliance
Submitting crew manifests to port authorities, complying with maritime regulations, and maintaining required records.
Safety Management
Ensuring your safety at sea, responding to emergencies, and accommodating medical/dietary needs.
Payment Processing
Processing payments via Stripe, managing refunds, and maintaining financial records.
Marketing (With Consent)
Sending newsletters, course updates, and promotional materials. You can opt out at any time.
Service Improvement
Analyzing how you use our services to improve our courses, website, and user experience.
4. Your Privacy Rights (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the following rights under GDPR:
Right to Access
Request a copy of all personal data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to Erasure
Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements).
Right to Restrict Processing
Request limitation of how we use your data.
Right to Data Portability
Receive your data in a machine-readable format.
Right to Object
Object to processing for marketing or other purposes.
To exercise any of these rights, please email us at privacy@sailingvirgins.com. We will respond within 30 days.
5. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for different periods depending on the type:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Booking & financial records | 7 years (tax/legal requirements) |
| Certification records | Indefinitely (required by ASA/RYA) |
| Health & medical information | Deleted 90 days after course completion |
| Marketing preferences | Until you unsubscribe |
| Website analytics | 26 months |
7. Photography & Media Rights
We love sharing the adventure! By participating in a Sailing Virgins course, you grant us the right to use photographs and video footage taken during the trip for marketing and promotional purposes, including:
- Our website and social media channels
- Marketing emails and brochures
- Advertising campaigns
- Press and media coverage
Opt-Out Available
If you prefer not to appear in marketing materials (for professional or personal reasons), please notify us in writing at privacy@sailingvirgins.com before your course begins. We will make reasonable efforts to exclude you from photos and videos.
8. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data:
- Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS) and at rest
- Secure cloud infrastructure (Supabase, Vercel)
- Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
- Regular security assessments and updates
- Employee training on data protection
While we take security seriously, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.
Contact Us About Privacy
For any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data:
Email: privacy@sailingvirgins.com
Data Protection Officer: James Kell
Mailing Address: Sailing Virgins LLC, 8 The Green, Dover, Delaware 19901, USA
For EU residents: You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been violated.