Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 30 June 2026

At Porto River Cruise, operated by HELIXOCEAN, LDA, we are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have regarding your personal data.

By using our website or booking one of our experiences, you acknowledge that you have read this Privacy Policy.

Your Privacy at a Glance

We only collect the information necessary to:

  • Process and manage your bookings.

  • Respond to your enquiries.

  • Provide customer support.

  • Comply with legal and accounting obligations.

  • Improve our website and services.

We never sell your personal data, and we only share it with trusted service providers where necessary to operate our business.

1. Who We Are

Porto River Cruise is operated by:

HELIXOCEAN, LDA

NIPC: 519388429

Rua de São Tomé 1109

4200-491 Porto

Portugal

Email: info@portorivercruise.com

HELIXOCEAN, LDA is the data controller responsible for the processing of your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable Portuguese data protection legislation.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

Information you provide

  • Name

  • Email address

  • Telephone number

  • Booking details

  • Number of guests

  • Special requests or dietary requirements (where applicable)

  • Messages sent through our contact form, email or WhatsApp

Booking information

When making a reservation, we may collect information necessary to manage your booking, including:

  • Tour selected

  • Date and time

  • Number of participants

  • Booking reference

  • Technical information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

  • IP address

  • Browser type

  • Device information

  • Pages visited

  • Website usage statistics

  • Cookies and similar technologies

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

  • Manage and confirm bookings

  • Communicate regarding your reservation

  • Respond to enquiries

  • Provide customer support

  • Improve our website and services

  • Comply with legal, accounting and tax obligations

  • Prevent fraud and protect the security of our business

We do not use your personal information for unsolicited marketing or newsletters.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Under the GDPR, we process your personal data on one or more of the following legal bases:

  • Performance of a contract (to provide the services you have booked)

  • Compliance with legal obligations

  • Legitimate interests (such as improving our services and preventing fraud)

  • Your consent, where required

5. Booking and Payments

Online bookings are managed through FareHarbor. Payments made through our website are securely processed by Stripe via FareHarbor. In some cases, such as deposit payments or outstanding balances, payment details may be provided directly to us and securely processed to complete your booking. We do not retain payment card information longer than necessary to process the transaction.

6. Sharing Your Information

We only share your personal information where necessary to operate our business or comply with legal obligations.

We may share your information only with trusted service providers where necessary to operate our business, including:

  • Squarespace (website hosting)

  • FareHarbor (booking platform)

  • Stripe (payment processing)

  • Google Analytics

  • Google Tag Manager

  • WhatsApp (customer communications)

These providers process personal data only for the services they provide and under their own privacy and security obligations.

We never sell your personal information to third parties.

7. Cookies and Analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure the website functions correctly and to improve your browsing experience.

We use cookies to:

  • Remember your preferences

  • Enable booking functionality

  • Analyse website traffic

  • Measure website performance

  • Improve our services

We use Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to understand how visitors use our website. These tools help us improve the website but do not identify you personally.

When you first visit our website, you can choose whether to accept or decline non-essential cookies through our cookie banner. You can also change your browser settings to manage or delete cookies at any time.

Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of the website.

8. Photos and Videos

During some tours, we may ask guests if they would like to appear in photographs or videos for promotional purposes. Participation is entirely voluntary, and we will only use identifiable images with your consent.

If you prefer not to be photographed or filmed, simply let our crew know—we will always respect your wishes.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to:

  • Provide our services

  • Manage bookings

  • Comply with legal and accounting obligations

  • Resolve disputes where applicable

When personal data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

10. Your Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access your personal information

  • Request correction of inaccurate information

  • Request deletion of your personal information where legally applicable

  • Restrict processing

  • Object to certain types of processing

  • Request data portability where applicable

  • Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:

info@portorivercruise.com

If you believe your data has not been handled appropriately, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Portuguese Data Protection Authority (CNPD).

11. Children's Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children.

Where children participate in our tours, any personal information relating to them is provided by a parent or legal guardian solely for the purpose of managing the booking.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business, legal requirements or website functionality.

Any updates will be published on this page together with the revised effective date.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or how we process your personal information, please contact us:

HELIXOCEAN, LDA

Rua de São Tomé 1109

4200-491 Porto

Portugal

Email: info@portorivercruise.com