Big Five Tours & Expeditions, Inc. (referred to in this Privacy Statement as "Big Five") respects your privacy and is committed to protect the personal information that you share with us. Below is our privacy policy that applies to www.bigfive.com, www.galapagos.com and/or any Web site (referred to in this Privacy Statement as the "Site") owned, operated, licensed or controlled by Big Five. By using this Site or communicating via telephone or otherwise with Big Five, you are accepting the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
When you browse the Site and have not registered for any online service from Big Five, you browse anonymously. Personal Information ("Personal Information" is defined as any information that identifies or can be used to identify, contact, or locate the person to whom such information pertains including, but not limited to, a first and last name, e-mail address, a home, postal or other physical address, or other contact information) is not collected as you browse. Big Five does, however, use "cookies" to collect information about how the Site and server are used and to recognize you as a Big Five online service user when you re-enter our Site. Information, such as the server your computer is logged onto, your browser type, and whether you entered the Site via a Web site or e-mail hyperlink, is collected and tracked in aggregate. This information is used for the purpose of measuring response rates to Web page and e-mail hyperlinks as well as overall Site activity and performance.
When you register for or request any Site service, you may be asked to provide us with Personal Information which is used to enhance your Site experience, expedite communications, allow you to receive electronic/postal mailings from Big Five, or to be contacted as requested. Additionally, we may request your upcoming travel plans and the next destination you plan to visit which allows us to further personalize your Site and e-mail messages you may receive to meet your specific needs, as well as make Big Five product improvements. We may also use this Personal Information in aggregate to generate market research reports.
Big Five collects the IP addresses used to access our Site and the dates and times of access. This information is used to analyze trends, administer the Site, track user's movement, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses are not personally linked to identifiable information.
We may use Personal Information you have given us to, for example, provide a service, ensure proper booking, measure consumer interest in our various products and services and inform you about products and services. If you have provided your e-mail address to us or to a company we've partnered with to make their products and services available to you, we may send you e-mail. These e-mails may be based on Personal Information you provided in your initial transaction with us, in surveys both online and offline, from information that may indicate purchasing preferences and lifestyle, as well as available from external sources. These e-mails come directly from Big Five. You can opt-out from receiving e-mail from Big Five as described below in the section, "Declining e-mail." When we send you e-mail, we may use your e-mail address to identify information about your receipt of the e-mail, including whether the communication was opened, how many times it was viewed and whether you clicked on an embedded hyperlink to reach a particular product or service. This information is used to measure response rates to e-mail communications as well as enhance your Site experience.
Big Five does not provide your Personal Information to our business partners. However, we may send you offers on behalf of our business partners. If you take advantage of an offer from a Big Five business partner and become their customer, they may independently wish to send e-Mails to you. In this case, you will need to inform them separately if you wish to decline receiving future e-mails from them.
We may share Personal Information with law enforcement agencies in the event of a criminal investigation or suspected illegal activity.
Site users can choose to request that a Site Web page be sent electronically to another person. When you elect to do this, you will be required to enter your e-mail address and name, the receiver's e-mail address and name, a subject line, and a text message that will go to the receiver. This will generate a preformatted e-mail message that will go from you to the receiver's mailbox with your message embedded in the text of the e-mail. Send to a Friend: this Page is completely voluntary and you will therefore have a choice whether or not to disclose the required information.
Site visitors can choose to request that a Big Five electronic Postcard be sent to another person. When you elect to do this, you will be required to enter your e-mail address and name, the receiver's e-mail address and name, a subject line and a personalized text message. This will generate a preformatted e-mail message that will go from you to the receiver's mailbox with your message embedded in the text of the e-mail. Electronic Postcards are completely voluntary and you will therefore have a choice whether or not to disclose the required information.
We value opinions and comments from Big Five guests, and you may have the opportunity to give us your feedback through Site surveys. In conducting these surveys, we may ask for your Personal Information so that we can appropriately identify you. Survey and Personal Information collected will be aggregated and used to make improvements to the Site and improve Big Five products and services. Participation in these surveys is completely voluntary and you therefore have a choice whether or not to disclose the required information.
Users of Site Message Boards agree not to post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of any individual's privacy or otherwise in violation of any law. Users agree not to post any copyrighted material unless they are the owners of the copyright. Users remain solely responsible for the content of their messages, and agree to indemnify and hold Big Five harmless with respect to any claim based upon the transmission of their message(s). As a user of a Message Board, in the event of a complaint or legal action arising from any posted message, Big Five reserves the right to reveal your identity (or any other information about you in our hands). Big Five does not vouch for or warrant the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message, and is not responsible for the contents of any message. The messages posted express the views of the author of the message and not necessarily the views of Big Five. Big Five reserves the right to edit or delete messages prior to their appearance on the Site. Any user who feels that a posted message is objectionable is encouraged to contact Big Five immediately by e-mail at info@bigfive.com.
Big Five provides customers with a means to decline receiving e-mail. At any time, you may request to discontinue receiving e-mail from Big Five by following the opt-out instructions included within any Big Five e-mail and informing us of your preference.
You should be aware that other Internet sites to which you link to from this Site may contain privacy provisions that differ from the provisions of our Privacy Statement. Big Five is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of other such sites. We encourage Site users to be aware when they leave the Site and to read the privacy statements of each and every Web site that collects personally identifiable information. This Privacy Statement applies solely to information collected by this Site.
This Site is not used to knowingly solicit Personal Information from or market to children under the age of 13. This Site is intended for use by persons who are over 18 years of age.
If you believe that Big Five has not complied with this Privacy Policy with respect to your Personal Information, or you have other related inquiries or concerns, you may write to: Big Five Tours & Expeditions, Inc., Attn: Communications Dept., 1551 SE Palm Court, Stuart, FL 34994, USA. In your letter, please describe in as much detail as possible the nature of your inquiry or the ways in which you believe that the Big Five's Privacy Policy has not been complied with. We will investigate your inquiry or concern promptly.
By using our Site you consent to our collection and use of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. If we change our privacy policies and procedures, Big Five will post those changes on our Web site to keep you aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances we may disclose it.