Refund Policy

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Cancellation Policy and Payment Models

The Owner's cancellation policy is set when their BoatBooker listing is created. The amount of the booking deposit transferred to the Owner upon a breached cancellation policy depends on the Payment Model used by the Renter:

  1. Standard Payment Model:
    • The booking deposit is equal to the commission amount preselected by the Owner.
    • If the cancellation policy is breached by the Renter, the full booking deposit will be transferred to the Owner.
  2. Deposit Payment Model:
    • The booking deposit equals the deposit amount preselected by the Owner.
    • If the cancellation policy is breached by the Renter, BoatBooker will retain an amount equivalent to the preselected commission (cancellation fee), which ranges between 10% and 30% of the preselected deposit amount, and transfer the remaining balance to the Owner.
  3. Full upfront Payment Model:
    • The booking deposit equals the total trip price.
    • If the cancellation policy is breached, BoatBooker will retain an amount equivalent to the preselected commission (cancellation fee), which ranges between 10% and 30% of the total trip price, and transfer the remaining balance to the Owner.

Exceptions may apply in cases involving extenuating circumstances or bad weather.

In the case of the Standard or Deposit Payment Models, if a Renter chooses to pay the remaining balance through BoatBooker and the cancellation policy is breached by the Renter, the entire amount of the remaining balance will be transferred to the Owner. Exceptions may apply in cases involving extenuating circumstances or bad weather.

Tips

The Owner’s cancellation policy applies to any tips paid by the Renter through BoatBooker. In cases of cancellations due to bad weather or qualifying extenuating circumstances, the full tip amount will be refunded to the Renter.

Renter-Initiated Cancellations

All cancellations must be made through the BoatBooker platform or by contacting the BoatBooker Renter Support team.

  • Adherence to Cancellation Policy: Refunds are based on the cancellation policy set by the Owner for each listing. If a customer cancels according to the Owner’s policy, they will receive a full or partial refund. If the cancellation violates the policy, no refund may be provided, unless BoatBooker or Owner deems otherwise.
  • Extenuating Circumstances: Renters are eligible for a refund if the trip is canceled due to extenuating circumstances (e.g., mechanical issues, government-mandated obligations), regardless of the Owner's cancellation policy. See the Extenuating Circumstances Policy for more details.
  • Bad Weather: Renters are entitled to a refund if their trip is canceled due to adverse weather conditions, regardless of the Owner's standard cancellation policy. This exception applies only when the Owner confirms that weather conditions were unsuitable for safely conducting the booked activity.
  • No-Shows: If a Renter does not arrive at the agreed meeting location on time (as determined during checkout or subsequently amended with the Owner), the no-show is considered a customer-initiated cancellation. This action constitutes a violation of the Owner’s cancellation policy.
  • Renter Being Late: If a Renter arrives at the meeting point with a significant delay, they are not eligible for a refund. Owners may, at their discretion, still provide the service to late-arriving customers. For Shared trips, if a customer does not arrive on time, it is considered a violation of the Owner’s cancellation policy, which may result in the forfeiture of any payments made.

Captain-Initiated Cancellations

All cancellations must be made through the BoatBooker platform or by contacting the BoatBooker Renter Support team.

  • Refunds: If an Owner cancels, the Renter will receive a full refund. In cases of scheduling issues, such as double bookings, Owners may face penalties, including a rankings drop and an automatic cancellation review.
  • Booking Deposit: To receive the booking deposit or the remaining balance after the cancellation fee the Owner must provide accurate payout information and/or supporting documents within 15 days of the trip cancellation date.
  • Owner-Initiated Cancellations Due to Renter Breach: If an Owner cancels a booking through the BoatBooker system due to a breach of obligations by the Renter, the BoatBooker team will review the circumstances. If it is determined that the Renter was in breach, the booking deposit (less any applicable cancellation fee) will be transferred to the Owner.

Cancellation by BoatBooker

In the unlikely event that BoatBooker needs to cancel a reservation due to unforeseen circumstances, BoatBooker will provide a full refund to the Renter, including any processing fees.

Refunds

Refunds will be processed to the original payment method once approved by BoatBooker. Depending on who initiated the cancellation and the reason for it, the refund may be processed automatically without the need for additional documentation, or it may require a review by the BoatBooker team. If a review is necessary, it may take up to 3 business days to reach a decision, depending on the supporting documentation provided by both parties.

  • Processing Times Credit Card Refunds: Typically processed within 5-7 business days.
  • PayPal Refunds: May be processed within 24 hours (applicable only to the Standard Payment Model).

Please note that, depending on your bank, financial institution, or jurisdiction, the refund may take additional time to appear in your account.

Refunds are issued in the same currency and amount as the original transaction.

In case of a customer-initiated dispute, the transaction cannot be refunded prior to the dispute resolution.

If BoatBooker identifies any abuse of the platform by the Owner, it reserves the right to refund the Renter in full.

Use of Credits

If a customer cancels a trip in accordance with the Owner’s cancellation policy, and is issued a prepaid credit or cashback, this credit can be used for future bookings.

If a trip booked using a prepaid credit or cashback is subsequently canceled, the standard refund and cancellation policies will apply. Accordingly, if the Owner's cancellation policy is breached, the prepaid credit or cashback will be forfeited.

Handling Fraudulent Transactions and Disputes

  • Fraudulent Transactions: BoatBooker takes fraudulent transactions seriously. If a transaction is identified as fraudulent, BoatBooker reserves the right to cancel the booking, withhold any refunds, and notify the affected parties. Appropriate actions will be taken to address the issue.
  • Disputes and Chargebacks: If a Renter initiates a dispute or chargeback, BoatBooker will review the claim and may submit evidence through our payment processor to contest it. If the dispute is not resolved in the Renter’s favor, funds will be processed according to the original booking terms. Unwarranted or abusive disputes may result in account suspension or termination.

BoatBooker may request additional documentation from both the Renter and the Owner to investigate fraudulent transactions or resolve disputes. If a dispute or chargeback is determined to be invalid or fraudulent, BoatBooker reserves the right to take appropriate action against the responsible party.

If a dispute is lost as a result of the Owner agreeing to booking conditions with the Renter outside of the BoatBooker platform, BoatBooker reserves the right to withhold the booking deposit and deny any payout to the Owner.

Extenuating Circumstances Policy

If the Renter is no longer able to participate in the booking due to circumstances that are unavoidable, unexpected, and beyond their control, they may qualify for a free cancellation under BoatBooker's Extenuating Circumstances Policy. Situations covered by the policy include, but are not limited to:

  • Serious illness*
  • Death
  • Government-mandated obligations
  • Natural disaster
  • Political unrest

This policy applies only to cancellations initiated at least 24 hours before the scheduled trip time. If a cancellation request is made within 24 hours of the trip, depending on the reason provided, the BoatBooker team may defer to the Owner to determine whether a refund will be issued to the Renter.

The Extenuating Circumstances Policy covers both Renters and Owners.

  • If you are a Renter, you will be offered a choice between a full refund of your deposit or BoatBooker credits equivalent to your deposit;
  • If you are a Owner
    • You will not incur any changes to your ranking
    • Your Instant Book status will not be affected
    • You will not receive an automatic cancellation review

Depending on the circumstances, we may ask you to provide additional details and supporting information so we can confirm that you qualify for the Extenuating Circumstances Policy. We will ask for additional documentation in the following circumstances:

  • Serious illness: To qualify for coverage under the Extenuating Circumstances Policy, the illness must be severe enough to prevent the Renter from traveling or fulfilling the booking obligations. If the Renter is unable to complete the trip due to a serious illness affecting a member of their party, the same criteria will apply. BoatBooker may require a statement from a doctor or other medical documentation, which must be dated after the reservation was made and prior to the scheduled trip date. Each cancellation request will be reviewed individually, and BoatBooker retains sole discretion in making the final decision regarding any refund. In case of a Owner’s cancellation due to serious illness, the same criteria will apply.
  • Government-mandated obligations: If you are unable to complete the trip due to jury duty, court appearances, or other government-mandated obligations, BoatBooker may request a copy of the official notice as supporting documentation, and the final decision will be made after the documentation review.

We’ll review any other circumstances that influence your ability to complete a trip. Among other things, we will not ask for additional documentation in the event of:

  • Political unrest
  • Natural disasters
  • Other unprecedented disasters
  • Death

BoatBooker reserves the right to request additional documentation or evidence to support any claim made under the Extenuating Circumstances Policy. The evaluation and final decision regarding the outcome of such claims are at the sole discretion of BoatBooker and are made as a matter of goodwill, without obligation.

If the required documentation is not provided within 15 days of the cancellation request, the cancellation may no longer qualify under the Extenuating Circumstances Policy. In such cases, the standard cancellation rules will apply.

BoatBooker assesses eligibility under this policy on a case-by-case basis and reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to consider additional factors when evaluating a claim.

BoatBooker does not have a fixed timeframe for making a decision. The decision timeline depends on the documentation provided and will vary on a case-by-case basis.

BoatBooker also reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to amend the Extenuating Circumstances Policy at any time. Any amendments will not affect claims submitted under a previous version of the policy.

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