What is a cookie?

A cookie is a piece of information in the form of a very small text file that is placed on an internet user's hard drive. It is generated by a web page server, which is basically the computer that operates a web site. The information the cookie contains is set by the server and it can be used by that server whenever the user visits the site. A cookie can be thought of as an internet user's identification card, which tell a web site when the user has returned.

What is the purpose of cookies?

Cookies make the interaction between users and web sites faster and easier. Without cookies, it would be very difficult for a web site to allow a visitor to fill up a shopping cart or to remember the user's preferences or registration details for a future visit. Web sites use cookies mainly because they save time and make the browsing experience more efficient and enjoyable.

Are cookies dangerous?

No. Cookies are small pieces of text. They are not computer programs, and they can't be executed as code. Also, they cannot be used to disseminate viruses, and modern versions of both Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape browsers allow users to set their own limitations to the number of cookies saved on their hard drives.

What do we use cookies for? 

Southern Seas uses minimal cookies on its site. The purpose of cookies is to make it easier and quicker for you to use the site. For example, if you have to login to leave comments on the site a cookie will remember that you have already signed in so that you don’t have to enter your username and password on every single page you visit. If you do not use the registration/login system this cookie will not save to your machine.

We collect standard web traffic information from visits to our website. We do this to assess the number of visitors to the site and to the various sections of it. We collect this information in a way which does not identify anyone, using a Google Analytics cookie, which is a unique, anonymous number stored in the cookie directory of your hard drive. It does not expire at the end of your session. We use the information to compile reports on how our site is used and to help us improve the site. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the site, where visitors have come to the site from and the pages they visited. You can find out more about Google Analytics and the Google Privacy Policy here: www.google.co.uk/intl/en/analytics/privacyoverview.html. Our third party ad serving system uses cookies to track daily impression caps and user impression caps.
We don’t sell the information collected by cookies. We will disclose the information to third parties where required by law (for example to government bodies and law enforcement agencies). We will also disclose information collected by cookies to third parties for the purpose of advertising and marketing, as described in the privacy statement on this website. We will not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information about you.

How to control and delete cookies

We will not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information about you.
If you don’t want to receive cookies, you can modify your browser so that it notifies you when cookies are sent to it or you can refuse cookies altogether. You can also delete cookies that have already been set.

If you wish to restrict or block web browser cookies which are set on your device then you can do this through your browser settings; the Help function within your browser should tell you how. Alternatively, you may wish to visit www.aboutcookies.org, which contains comprehensive information on how to do this on a wide variety of desktop browsers.

For information on how to do this on the browser of your mobile phone you will need to refer to your handset manual.

Please note that by deleting our cookies or disabling future cookies you may not be able to access certain areas or features of our site.