This policy explains how Blue Coast Travel and Tourism LLC ("we", "us"), trading as Dhow Cruise Dubai, handles personal data collected through dhowcruisedubaiae.com, our live chat, WhatsApp, email and phone. We process personal data in line with the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data and, for visitors from the EU/UK, the principles of the GDPR.
Who is responsible for your data
Blue Coast Travel and Tourism LLC, Al Saqr Business Center, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Contact: [email protected].
What we collect
- Booking and contact details — name, email, phone / WhatsApp number, hotel or pick-up location, travel date, number of guests, special requests (for example dietary needs or a birthday celebration).
- Payment information — when you pay online, card details are entered on our payment provider's secure page. We do not see or store your full card number; we keep the payment reference, amount and status.
- Messages — what you write to us in live chat, by WhatsApp or by email.
- Account data — if you create an account: your login email and booking history.
- Technical and usage data — device and browser type, pages viewed, the advert or link that brought you here, and approximate location derived from your IP address, collected through cookies and similar technologies.
Why we use it
- To check availability, confirm and manage your booking, send vouchers, reminders and receipts (performance of a contract).
- To answer your questions and provide customer support.
- To meet legal, tax and accounting obligations, including VAT records.
- To prevent fraud and keep our website secure (legitimate interest).
- To send offers and newsletters only if you subscribed; you can unsubscribe at any time with one click.
- To measure and improve our website and adverts (with your consent where required).
Who we share it with
We never sell your personal data. We share only what is needed with:
- the boat, camp, transport or flight operator that delivers your experience (name, phone, number of guests, pick-up details);
- our payment provider, to process online payments and refunds;
- service providers that host our website, send our emails and push notifications, and provide analytics — under contracts that protect your data;
- authorities, where the law requires it.
Cookies
We use essential cookies to keep the site working (for example your session, language and currency), and analytics and advertising cookies to understand which pages and campaigns are useful. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings; the site will still work, although some features may be less convenient.
Push notifications
If you allow notifications in your browser or our app, we may send you offers and booking updates. You can switch them off at any time in your browser or device settings.
How long we keep it
Booking and payment records are kept for as long as required by UAE tax and commercial law (generally five years). Chat messages and enquiries that did not become a booking are deleted or anonymised after 24 months. Newsletter data is kept until you unsubscribe.
Your rights
You may ask us to access, correct, delete or restrict the use of your personal data, to object to marketing, and to receive a copy of your data. Email [email protected]; we reply within 30 days. You may also complain to the UAE Data Office.
International transfers
Some of our service providers store data outside the UAE. Where this happens we use providers with appropriate safeguards for personal data.
Security
Our website uses encrypted connections (HTTPS), staff access is limited to what each role needs, and payment data is handled by a certified payment provider.
Spam and bot protection (Cloudflare Turnstile)
To keep our booking, contact and chat forms free of spam and automated abuse, our website uses Cloudflare Turnstile, a security service provided by Cloudflare, Inc. It runs invisibly in the background — you will not see a puzzle or checkbox. To tell people and bots apart, Turnstile processes limited technical information from your browser and device (such as your IP address and browser characteristics). Cloudflare uses this information only to provide and improve the security check, as described in the Cloudflare Turnstile Privacy Addendum, and its own Privacy Policy.
Children
Our services are booked by adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 18 except the names and ages of children travelling with a booking adult.
Changes
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows the latest version.