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Cancellation and refund  Policy for Sailing Courses during Covid 19 + terms & conditions

Cancellation and refund Policy for Sailing Courses during Covid 19 + terms & conditions

Version
1-3
By
Terence Smith
June 30, 2022
Cancellation and refund Policy for Sailing Courses during Covid 19 + terms & conditions

Terms, Conditions and Travel Policies

Mainstay Sailing highly recommend guests read the following:

COVID-19 Safe and Policies

As part of our check-in procedure following the Coronavirus Outbreak, our business would like to ensure any potential customers are aware that they MUST NOT attend if they have ANY symptoms potentially consistent with COVID-19.

COVID-19 symptoms include; cough, fever, sore throat, fatigue and shortness of breath.

We will ensure potential customers who are in the ‘at-risk’ groups are aware of risk mitigation strategies. The Australian Government advises that the following people are most ‘at risk’:

  • Aged over 70
  • Aged over 65 with a material medical condition
  • Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander aged over 50 with a material medical condition
  • People with material medical conditions
  • People who are immunocompromised

We would like to assure our customers that our Operations meet the following criteria:

  • Promote and facilitate pre-screening to prevent potentially infected staff and customers from attending
  • Alter business practices where relevant to ensure social distancing in line with Government Health Guidelines
  • Enhance cleaning and hygiene practices to reduce the risk of infection
  • Establish and maintain COVID safe procedures aligned to Work Safe QLD guidelines

If guests are restricted to travel due to Government closures of QLD, Australian or International borders, our normal cancellation policy will not be enforced. These guests will be issued an open-dated ticket for travel over the next 24 months.

All other cancellations will fall under the normal Terms and Conditions below.

Stay Safe.

COVID Cancellation Policy

In circumstances where guests are unable to travel due to Covid restrictions such as;

– Snap lockdowns in your residential area which includes the date you are booked to travel on one of our boats,

– Government closures of international or state borders which prevents you from travelling with us on your scheduled departure date,

– Government enforced restricted travel to or from declared hotspots which would prevent you from travelling with us on your scheduled departure date,

– Mandatory government ordered 14 day isolation periods after visiting or living in a declared hotspot,

– Mandatory government ordered 14 day isolation following coming into contact with someone who has tested positive to Covid, or following a Covid test while awaiting results,

We can offer the following:

1) Open date your course for up to 24 months so you may travel at a later date once you can.

*****You must be able to provide evidence to support your reason for cancelling under the Covid cancellation policy (i.e. text message/email from the government giving orders to self-isolate, up to date government website information on currently declared hotspots or border closures that apply to you with proof of postcode, proof of recent Covid test etc.)

If the above does not apply to your situation then our usual cancellation policy applies.

Cancellation by the traveller
If you cancel some or all portions of your booking cancellation fees will apply. A cancellation will only be effective when we receive written confirmation of the cancellation. If you cancel a trip:

• 30 days or more prior to departure, we will hold the deposit on credit (for an indefinite period);
• 29 days or fewer prior to departure, we will retain 50% of monies paid and hold 50% in credit (for an indefinite period);
• If you have flu/COVID conditions, supported by a medical certificate, we will hold 100% of monies paid on credit (for an indefinite period)


Note that different cancellation conditions including higher charges apply to some styles of trips and additional services. Your booking consultant will advise if differences apply and details can be found in the Essential Trip Information relating to your trip. You are strongly advised to take out cancellation insurance at the time of booking which will cover cancellation fees. If you leave a trip for any reason after it has commenced we are not obliged to make any refunds for unused services. If you fail to join a tour, join it after departure, or leave it prior to its completion, no refund will be made. The above cancellation fees are in addition to fees which may be levied by accommodation providers, travel agents or third party tour and transport operator fees.

Cancellation by us
We may cancel a trip at any time prior to departure if, due to terrorism, natural disasters, political instability or other external events it is not viable for us to operate the planned itinerary.
• If we cancel your trip due to reasons other than a force majeure event you will receive a full refund.
• If we cancel your trip due to a force majeure event you will receive 110% credit to use for a future trip or a refund less unrecoverable costs.

Travel Insurance

The Operator strongly recommends that guests have travel insurance to:

  • cover valuable items (eg. Cameras, Luggage)
  • protect against unforeseen flight or coach cancellations, road closures or late arrival into Airlie Beach for any reason which subsequently leads to missing the scheduled departure time,
  • cover medical conditions that may occur during carriage, and the associated extra costs of accessing medical care around the islands, including returning to port or emergency air evacuation.
  • cover against an emergency where you need to return to port urgently, eg. a family member becomes very ill,
  • cover against full ticket refunds, including the agent commissions component.

Liability

Guests should note that sailing, snorkelling and aquatic activities can be dangerous and while we will make every effort to ensure guest safety, Mainstay Sailing cannot be accountable for the actions of guests that are beyond our control.

Students will be required to complete a pre-departure questionnaire, and sign a travel agreement during the check-in process. Guests should be aware that marine stingers and other marine life live in the oceans. Mainstay Sailing have the applicable Shipowners insurance to cover public liability for our guests and staff. A copy of the certificate will be forwarded if required.

Itineraries and Weather

Mainstay Sailing reserves the right to alter the tour or the itinerary of any of its tours and organise alternative carriers to those advertised if necessary. Mainstay Sailing will always consider the safety of guests and staff and as a result, some of the Whitsunday Icons may not be visited if the wind, visibility or wave/tidal conditions are not suitable or parts of the park have been closed by the managing authority. If it is raining, our tours still operate, as the guests can still experience the Whitsundays, including swimming and bushwalking. If the winds are light, the tours will still run, however, it will be necessary to use the motors on the boats to get to the stops around the islands.

We do not provide any guarantee that the winds will be consistent and from the correct direction to make sailing always possible. The Whitsundays is deemed partially smooth waters and tours will only be cancelled if the Regional Harbour Master closes the area due to gale warnings or the Operator deems it unsafe to travel. If tour cancellations are necessary and ticket balance payment or pro-rate refunds are approved, the amount being paid for the ticket to the operator will be refunded.

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