Cookie Policy

This policy explains what cookies are, which cookies cruisecompass.co.uk sets, why we set them, and how you can control them. It applies to this website only.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files that a website stores on your device when you visit. They are widely used to make sites function correctly, to remember your preferences between visits, and to provide anonymous information about how a site is being used. Similar technologies — such as localStorage — work in comparable ways and are covered by the same rules. In the UK, the use of cookies is governed by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and, where personal data is involved, by the UK GDPR.

How we use cookies

We use cookies and similar storage for three broad purposes: to keep the site working correctly, to understand anonymously how readers use it (so we can improve it), and to enable the affiliate-link attribution that helps fund free editorial content. We do not use cookies to build advertising profiles or to track readers across unrelated websites.

Consent is collected and managed via Cookiebot, a consent management platform. When you first visit the site, a banner gives you the option to accept or decline each category of non-essential cookie. You can revisit your choices at any time using the “Manage cookies” link in the site footer.

Cookie categories

Necessary cookies

These cookies are required for the site to function and are set without consent under the strictly-necessary exemption in PECR Regulation 6(4). They include the ASP.NET session cookie, the anti-forgery token used to protect forms against cross-site request forgery, and the Cookiebot cookie that stores your consent preferences. Without these, core features of the site — including the consent banner itself — would not work.

Preferences cookies

Preferences cookies remember settings you have chosen — for example, display options — so you do not need to set them again on your next visit. We use these minimally. They require your consent before being set.

Statistics cookies

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand, in aggregate and anonymously, which pages readers visit, how long they spend on them, and how they navigate the site. This helps us decide what content to produce and improve. The cookies set include _ga, _ga_*, and _gid, and similar GA4 identifiers. IP anonymisation is enabled; we do not use GA4 data to identify individuals. Statistics cookies are only set after you have given consent.

Marketing cookies

Affiliate-tracking cookies are set by our partner networks — Awin, Amazon Associates UK, and Viator — when you click an affiliate link and are taken to a partner's website. These cookies are set on the partner's own domain, not on cruisecompass.co.uk. They allow the partner to attribute any subsequent booking to our referral, which is the mechanism by which we earn commission. Marketing cookies require your consent before any affiliate link is followed; if you decline this category, affiliate links still work but no commission attribution occurs.

Third-party services

The following third-party services may set cookies or process data in connection with your visit to this site. Each operates under its own privacy and cookie policy:

We do not control what those third parties do with data collected on their own domains. We recommend reviewing their policies if you have concerns.

How to control cookies

You have two straightforward routes for managing cookies on this site:

  • Consent banner: Use the “Manage cookies” link in the site footer to open your Cookiebot preferences and change which categories you permit at any time.
  • Browser controls: Most browsers let you block or delete cookies through their settings. Note that blocking necessary cookies may affect how the site functions. For guidance on managing cookies across different browsers, visit aboutcookies.org.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when we add new features, change our analytics setup, or when our affiliate partnerships change. The date at the bottom of this page shows when it was last reviewed. Significant changes will also be reflected in the Cookiebot consent configuration, which may prompt you to review your preferences again.

Contact

If you have questions about how we use cookies or wish to raise a concern, email [email protected] or use our contact form.

Last reviewed: May 2026