Cookie Policy
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MSL Holidays uses necessary technologies to keep the website, forms, account features, shopping cart and checkout working. Optional functionality, embedded video players and marketing or affiliate integrations are only activated after you give permission for the relevant category.
1. What are cookies and similar technologies?
Cookies are small data files that a website or external provider can store on your device. Websites can also use similar technologies, including local storage, session storage, pixels, scripts and device identifiers.
These technologies can be used to keep a shopping cart working, secure a form, remember a privacy choice, load external content or measure whether an affiliate booking was completed.
2. Which categories does MSL Holidays use?
| Category | Examples and purpose | Default setting |
|---|---|---|
| Necessary | Security, PHP sessions, CSRF protection, account login, shopping-cart functionality, checkout, selected currency, consent preferences and the temporary guest-cart identifier. These technologies are required to provide functions you request or to protect the website against abuse. | Always active |
| Functional | Optional tools that improve convenience, such as Google Places address suggestions. Manual address entry remains available when this category is refused. | Off until accepted |
| External media | Embedded YouTube video players. A player is not loaded until external-media permission is given. After activation, Google and YouTube may receive technical connection data, player interactions and playback information and may use cookies or similar technologies. | Off until accepted |
| Marketing and affiliates | GetYourGuide and Expedia integrations that display bookable travel options. These providers may process technical connection data and attribute qualifying bookings to MSL Holidays. | Off until accepted |
3. Technology and provider overview
| Name or provider | Purpose | Typical duration | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
|
PHPSESSID MSL Holidays |
Maintains a secure session for forms, account login, shopping-cart functions and checkout. | Browser session | Necessary |
|
guest_id MSL Holidays |
Connects a visitor who is not logged in to their temporary shopping cart. | Up to 30 days | Necessary |
|
msl_consent_v3 MSL Holidays |
Stores the privacy categories you accepted or refused so the website can respect your choice during later visits. | Up to 180 days | Necessary |
|
Currency preference MSL Holidays |
Remembers a currency selected by the visitor where this functionality is available. | According to the configured storage duration | Necessary |
|
Google Places |
Provides optional address suggestions during address entry. Google may receive technical connection data and the text entered into the address field after this function is enabled. | Set by Google; may vary | Functional |
|
YouTube player Google and YouTube |
Plays embedded travel videos after external-media consent. Google and YouTube may process technical connection data, player interactions and video playback information. | Set by Google or YouTube; may vary | External media |
|
YouTube thumbnails Google and YouTube |
Displays preview images for travel videos. A thumbnail may be requested from YouTube before the embedded player is activated. This request can provide Google or YouTube with technical connection data, such as the visitor’s IP address and browser information, but it does not activate video playback or the embedded player. | Browser or provider cache; may vary | External preview content |
| GetYourGuide | Displays activity and excursion integrations after marketing consent and may attribute qualifying bookings to MSL Holidays. | Set by GetYourGuide; may vary | Marketing and affiliates |
| Expedia Group | Displays hotel-search or accommodation integrations after marketing consent and may attribute qualifying bookings to MSL Holidays. | Set by Expedia Group; may vary | Marketing and affiliates |
| Stripe | Supports secure payment processing, fraud prevention and checkout continuity. Stripe technology is used when a visitor starts or completes a payment. | As required by Stripe for payment processing, security and fraud prevention | Necessary during checkout |
4. YouTube thumbnails and video playback
MSL Holidays displays preview images for YouTube videos. These thumbnails may be loaded from YouTube’s image servers before you activate a video. Loading an external image requires your browser to connect to the external server.
The embedded YouTube player is treated separately from the preview image. It remains blocked until you accept the external-media category or choose to activate the video through the consent interface.
Where available, the player uses YouTube’s privacy-enhanced domain. Activating a video can nevertheless allow Google or YouTube to process information about your connection, device and interaction with the video.
5. Affiliate widgets and external links
GetYourGuide and Expedia integrations are not activated until you accept the marketing and affiliates category. Once activated, the provider may process technical connection data and use cookies or similar technologies to display offers and attribute qualifying bookings.
The website may also contain ordinary affiliate links. Clicking such a link is an intentional request to visit an external website. The external provider will then receive the information normally transferred when opening a link, and the provider’s own privacy and cookie policies will apply.
MSL Holidays may receive a commission for a qualifying booking made through an affiliate link or widget, at no additional cost to you.
6. Payments through Stripe
Stripe is used to process payments securely and to help prevent payment fraud. Stripe-related technology is only used in connection with payment and checkout functions.
Some payment and security technologies are necessary to complete the transaction requested by the customer and cannot be disabled through the optional cookie settings while checkout is in progress.
7. Accepting, refusing or changing your choice
You can accept or refuse optional categories separately. Refusing optional categories does not prevent you from using the basic website and shop, although related external tools or content may remain unavailable.
You can change or withdraw your permission at any time. Withdrawing permission does not undo processing that already occurred, but the relevant optional services will no longer be activated during future page views after your updated choice has been stored.
8. Browser settings and stored data
You can also remove cookies and other website data through your browser settings. Removing the consent preference may cause the cookie banner to appear again during a later visit.
Blocking all cookies through the browser may prevent necessary features, such as login, shopping-cart functions or checkout, from working correctly.
9. Third-party privacy information
When an optional external service is activated or an external link is opened, the provider’s own privacy and cookie terms apply. External providers can change their technologies and retention periods independently.
MSL Holidays periodically reviews this overview and updates it when the website, consent configuration or external services change.