TERMS & CONDITIONS !!!

By joining one of our cruises you agree to the Terms & Conditions set below.

The Term & Conditions apply to all our cruises!

GENERAL CONDITIONS

All passengers must ARRIVE AT LEAST 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIME.
Failure to arrive up to 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure time, reserves us the right to re-sell the booked seats. Failure to arrive on time will exclude you from any refund.

All passengers must be able to show proof of booking when asked by any crew member. (This can be either paper or digital copy).

Clothing & Personal Belongings

— All passengers will be provided with a warm and waterproof outer layer.
Passengers should wear suitable clothing and footwear to keep themselves warm and dry, bearing in mind they may still get wet. Jeans are not ideal as they shrink when wet. High heels are not suitable.

Bear in mind, that it is much colder out at sea and when the boat is moving there’s wind chill, even on hot sunny days. We suggest that passengers wear several layers of clothing which can then be adjusted to suit the ever changing Scottish conditions. A warm hat (with no peak as peaked hats get blown away), a snood or scarf, sunglasses and gloves are worth bringing with you just in case they’re needed.

Please apply some (high factor) sun screen well before your departure time as you get treble the effects with direct sun exposure, reflected rays and wind burn.

— All personal belongings* that are taken on board /on the pontoon are done so entirely at the owners risk and we are not responsible for any damage or loss that may be incurred.
*(including (but not limited to) camera equipment, mobile phones, any other electrical equipment, binoculars, (hand)bags, wallets, … )

— Passengers can bring light refreshments on board if kept in suitable small bags. (Hot beverages are not advised). We kindly ask to keep the boat and pontoon clean.
Note it is prohibited to throw anything in the water.

— No alcoholic drinks are allowed on board

— No smoking on board, including e-cigarettes / vaporizers

— Keep in mind our boat ‘Orca 1’ is an open RHIB. Depending on the sea condition, items taken on board might get wet. There is no room for large bags or luggage.

— All clothing and equipment provided by us remains our property and must be returned at the end of the cruise.

— If there is any damage by neglect or improper use to any company property, then a fee can be charged. If a life jacket is inflated manually, on purpose or by accident, other than during an emergency or when instructed to by crew, a minimum fee of £50 will be charged to cover the cost of re-assembling/servicing each life jacket.

Note we are not responsible for any loss or damage that may be incurred or third party expenses on your behalf under any circumstances!

Photography & Video Recordings

— During our cruises we often take photographic or video footage of the sightings, which may feature passengers. This footage may be used for publication on social media, our website or other forms of promotional materials. If you prefer NOT to be recognised on footage, kindly inform the Skipper before boarding ‘Orca 1’. We have full ownership and rights on all footage that we take.

— Passengers can of course take their own footage. We are not responsible for any damage or loss of equipment.

CANCELLATION POLICY

We reserve the right to cancel cruises, sometimes at short notice, due to:

  • Adverse weather conditions

If the weather at the time of departure is prohibitive then a trip may be cancelled. Occasionally the weather forecast also prohibits our departure due to legal reasons within our operating license.

  • Insufficient numbers

A minimum of 8 adult paying passengers or the monetary equivalent of a combination of adults and children are required on a 2.5/3hr cruise.
A minimum of 10 adult paying passengers or the monetary equivalent of a combination of adults and children are required on a 4hr cruise or longer.

  • Circumstances beyond our control

For the likes of staff illness, mechanical breakdown etc and the above weather conditions also apply.

The Master of the vessel has the final decision on this at all times.

We reserve the right to alter times and durations of any cruise, sometimes at short notice.

Shortened or abandoned cruises due to deteriorating weather conditions will be charged a fee dependant on the expenses incurred or to the nearest hourly charge.

Extended cruises will also be charged at the nearest hourly rate or a sum agreed by the Master of the vessel with the passengers.

REFUND POLICY

— If we have to cancel a cruise every effort will be made to re-schedule an alternative cruise if requested.

— If re-scheduling is not possible a ‘full’ refund* will be given via your original payment method.

— Please note refunds are usually paid within 48-72hrs of the cancellation date. In some circumstances, some banking systems can take longer. Unfortunately, this is outwith our control and we cannot speed up this process!

Cancellation by passengers

— If you cancel a cruise more then 48h prior to your scheduled departure time, a refund* minus a 5% administration fee will be organised.

— If you cancel a cruise, for any reason whatsoever, between 24h and 48h prior to your scheduled departure time, an ‘adjusted’ refund* can be organised if we manage to re-sell (some of) the booked seats.

— If you cancel a cruise, for any reason whatsoever, less then 24h prior to your scheduled departure time, no refund will be organised.

— If you fail to arrive in time for your cruise, no refund will be organised.

If, for reason beyond your control, you cannot make it in time for your cruise, please, let us know as soon as possible via the provided telephone number on your ticket!

* Our currency is Pound Sterling.
We are not responsible for any charges or fees made by your bank / credit card company.

Our boat ‘Orca 1’ cannot accommodate …

  • Wheelchairs
  • Persons under the age of 4 years
    This age might be increased depending on weather conditions.
  • Pregnant ladies of any term
  • Persons that cannot grip securely with both hands
  • Persons with any back problems or other conditions that may be influenced by wave impact
  • Persons who appear to be intoxicated or have taken non-prescribed drugs
  • Persons that the Master of the vessel deems to be a danger to the passengers on board or the safety of the vessel
  • Pets of any kind