Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Douro Boatman . We operate the website douroboatman.pt and offer private boat tours and experiences on the Douro River, based in Portugal.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data when you visit our website or book one of our experiences. It also describes your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable Portuguese data protection law.

By using our website or services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

2. Who We Are (Data Controller)

The data controller responsible for your personal information is:

Douro Boatman

Website: douroboatman.pt

Email: douroboatman@gmail.com

Phone: +351 927 559 020

Country: Portugal

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at the email address above.

3. What Personal Data We Collect

3.1 Data You Provide Directly

When you contact us, make a booking, or communicate with us, we may collect:

  • Full name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Number of guests and group composition
  • Dietary restrictions or accessibility requirements (if provided voluntarily)
  • Payment information (processed securely by our payment provider — we do not store card details)
  • Any other information you choose to include in your messages to us

3.2 Data Collected Automatically

When you browse our website, we may automatically collect:

  • IP address
  • Browser type and version
  • Pages visited and time spent on each page
  • Referring website or source
  • Device type and operating system

This data is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies. Please see Section 8 for more information on cookies.

3.3 Data From Third Parties

We may receive information about you through third-party platforms such as Google, TripAdvisor, or booking aggregators if you interact with us through those channels.

4. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data only for legitimate purposes and only to the extent necessary. Specifically, we use it to:

  • Process and manage your tour or experience booking
  • Communicate with you before, during, and after your experience
  • Respond to your enquiries and provide customer support
  • Send booking confirmations and relevant pre-trip information
  • Accommodate dietary or accessibility requests you have shared with us
  • Process payments and issue receipts or invoices
  • Improve our website and services based on usage data
  • Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

We will never sell your personal data to third parties. We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

Under the GDPR, we rely on the following legal bases to process your personal data:

  • Contract performance: Processing is necessary to fulfil your booking and provide the service you have requested.
  • Legitimate interests: We may process usage data to improve our website and services, provided this does not override your rights and freedoms.
  • Legal obligation: We may process certain data to comply with Portuguese tax, safety, or regulatory requirements.
  • Consent: Where we send optional marketing communications or use non-essential cookies, we will ask for your explicit consent first.

6. Sharing Your Personal Data

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal data to third parties. We may share your data only in the following limited circumstances:

  • Service providers: We may share data with trusted third-party providers who help us operate our services (e.g. payment processors, booking platforms, email tools). These providers are contractually bound to handle your data securely and in accordance with the GDPR.
  • Legal requirements: We may disclose your data if required to do so by law, court order, or regulatory authority in Portugal or the EU.
  • Business transfers: In the unlikely event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of our business, your data may be transferred to the new owner under the same privacy protections.

All third parties we work with are required to treat your data with the same level of care and security that we do.

7. How Long We Keep Your Data

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law.

  • Booking and transaction data: Retained for up to 7 years in accordance with Portuguese tax law (Lei n.o 151/2019).
  • Communication records (emails, WhatsApp): Retained for up to 2 years after your last interaction.
  • Website analytics data: Typically retained for up to 26 months.

When your data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve your browsing experience and understand how visitors interact with our site.

8.1 Types of Cookies We Use

  • Essential cookies: Required for basic website functionality. These cannot be disabled.
  • Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site (e.g. Google Analytics). These are only activated with your consent.
  • Marketing cookies: Used to show relevant content or track campaign performance. These are only activated with your consent.

8.2 Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You can manage or withdraw your consent to non-essential cookies at any time through your browser settings or our cookie consent banner. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the website.

9. Your Rights Under the GDPR

As a data subject under the GDPR, you have the following rights:

  • Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to rectification: You may ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Right to erasure: You may request that we delete your personal data, subject to legal obligations.
  • Right to restriction: You may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
  • Right to data portability: You may request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
  • Right to object: You may object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
  • Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at douroboatman@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with Portugal’s national supervisory authority:

Comissao Nacional de Protecao de Dados (CNPD)

Website: www.cnpd.pt

Email: geral@cnpd.pt

Address: Rua de São Bento, n.o 148-3.o, 1200-821 Lisboa, Portugal

10. Data Security

We take the security of your personal data seriously. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure.

These measures include secure data storage, encrypted communications (HTTPS), restricted access to personal data, and regular review of our security practices.

However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. International Data Transfers

Our website and services are based in Portugal, within the European Economic Area (EEA). If you are accessing our services from outside the EEA, please be aware that your data may be processed within the EEA, which is subject to GDPR protections.

If we ever need to transfer data outside the EEA (for example, through a third-party tool based in the United States), we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission.

12. Children’s Privacy

Our services are available to guests of all ages, including children, when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children under the age of 16 without verified parental consent.

If you believe your child has provided us with personal data without your consent, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

13. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, booking platforms, or social media pages. This Privacy Policy applies only to douroboatman.pt. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party sites and encourage you to review their policies before sharing any personal data.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please contact us:

Douro Boatman

Email: douroboatman@gmail.com

Phone: +351 927 559 020

Website: douroboatman.pt

We are committed to resolving any concerns you may have about our use of your data promptly and transparently.