Terms & Conditions
the SNARK – Booking Agreement
Revised 16/07/2024
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Thank you for choosing to book an event on the SNARK. We look forward to welcoming you on board. By making this booking you are entering an Agreement with us, Snark Limited, and agreeing to be bound by the Terms and Conditions as set out below. Please also read useful information.
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Our Agreement
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This Agreement describes the Travel Contract. Please read it carefully as it sets out in detail what we have sold you and your rights and responsibilities related to your purchase. This might vary slightly from the description on our booking Website, www.snark.limited, or that of our agents or other verbal or written commitments which have been made to you. This Agreement overrides all previous commitments and is final. It is in force from the Booking Date which is the time and date when you confirmed your booking. If you have any queries regarding this Agreement, please do not hesitate to contact us for clarification before you book.
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By making and accepting this Booking we both confirm to the other that we are fully authorised to commit our respective group or company to this Agreement.
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The travel or other services offered to you are not a package within the meaning of the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations (the Regulations). Therefore, you should ensure you have suitable insurance in place in the event of the Organiser being unable to provide the service you have purchased as a result of financial failure.
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Who’s who
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We, Snark Limited, are the Organiser of the Event you have purchased and the Relevant Person to provide you with information about the Event. Immediately before and during the Event, Snark Limited will be represented by the Skipper who will introduce themselves to you when you embark. The Skipper may delegate authority to the other crew members, who will also be introduced to you. Collectively the Skipper and other crew members are referred to as the Crew. The Vessel is S.B.Snark registered number ON 923807 or if she is out of commission for any reason, a similar vessel provided by the Organiser to accommodate the Event.
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You and anyone you have booked on behalf of, are the Travellers. If you have booked the Event with us through a travel agent or booking agent, they are the Retailer. The information you have given us about yourself and any group members on our Web Site or through the Retailer is the Traveller Information. You will be sent a questionnaire shortly after you book which will ask for information about you and any members of your group, and where appropriate which activities you wish to include in your cruise as well as any medical, dietary or physical requirements you may have. It is essential for the safety of you, the other Travellers and the Crew that this information is accurate. The e-mail address you give us will be used for follow up information. You must ensure Snark Ltd. is a trusted contact to avoid loosing essential communications to spam folders. If you provide inaccurate information that the Skipper believes puts other Travellers or the Crew at risk your booking may be cancelled or if the Event has already started, you may be required to leave.
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If you have made a Group Booking on behalf of a number of people, they must all abide by these Terms and Conditions and we expect you to ensure that they do. If there are any fees, costs or damages payable to us as a result of any of the group's actions, we will hold you responsible for its collection and payment. If you want each member of your group to be responsible for their own actions and liabilities, then you may transfer to individual bookings. This can be arranged between the Booking Date and seven days prior to the start of the Event for a Fee.
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The Event
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The Event you have booked is described on our Web Site and in this Booking Agreement. Together they describe what is included in the Event and what is not, what is fixed and what might vary and why. The Event might be anything from an all inclusive cruise to simply a meal on board.
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The Tariff is the sum you pay to us to provide the Event you have booked. If the fuel costs, taxes, fees, levies and dues we pay to others collectively vary by more than 10% between the Booking Date and 20 days before the start of the Event we may alter the Tariff and, subject to us notifying you of the reasons for the adjustment, require you to pay an additional Tariff. If this adjustment is more than 8% of the original Tariff you may cancel your booking and receive a refund.
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The Tariff covers the costs of running the boat, licensing, maintenance, surveys, harbour dues, the wages of the skipper and crew, power, water, fuel, mooring fees, food, drink, bedding, towels, safety equipment, scheduled transport on the water to and from the Vessel, fresh sea air, use of the onboard library, hospitality, conversation, good company, and as appropriate to the Event description; basic sailing instruction, navigation information, music, entertainment, etc.
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The Tariff does not cover your travel to and from ports of departure and arrival, parking, excursions and meals ashore (unless specified in Event description), medical care, beach towels, outdoor clothing, waterproof clothing, waterproof/resistant footwear, insurance of your personal possessions, the cost of unscheduled putting you, your group or your dependants ashore and any consequential costs you incur, associated costs incurred by you as a result of cancellation, rescheduling, revision or curtailment of the Event resulting from Extreme Weather Conditions or Extraordinary Circumstances.
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The Deposit is the sum you pay to us when booking the Event, this reserves the place for you and/or your group. The Balance must be paid by bank transfer no less than 84 days prior to the start of the Event. Bookings made less than 84 days prior to the start of the Event or where the Tariff is less than £150 must be paid in full when booking. If you do not pay the balance when due your booking will be cancelled.
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The Fees are the charges we will make to cover our costs resulting from cancellations, terminations, transfers, damage and early disembarkation and any other administrative activities undertaken by us, our agents or representatives, not associated with the original Booking. These are set out in the Fee Schedule at the end of this Agreement.
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Any additional Fees or charges incurred by you and your group during the Event will be invoiced and must be paid by BACS or debit card before your departure or as soon afterwards as practical. We reserve the right to add our full in house and external debt recovery costs and interest onto any unpaid debts we have to pursue.
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Code of conduct
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We will treat you fairly, with respect and without prejudice. We will respect your beliefs and opinions even if we don’t agree with them. We expect you to treat your fellow Travellers and the Crew in the same way.
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For the safe and proper management of the boat, you must always abide by the instructions of the Crew. If appropriate and at a suitable time we will explain the reasons for our instruction, but they are not open to debate.
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If you or anyone under your supervision or care is disruptive or behaves in a way that prejudices the enjoyment or safety of other Travellers, the Crew or the Vessel, we will discuss the behaviour with you and endeavour to agree how this should be addressed. If your problematic behaviour persists then we may put you and any dependents ashore at the nearest suitable port.
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We do not allow smoking, vaping or any other smoking substitute, anywhere on-board, below or above deck, at any time. We have zero-tolerance of recreational drugs. Do not bring them on-board.
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We serve wine and beer with certain meals and other times as part of the package but only at the discretion of the Skipper. We do not allow any Travellers to bring food or alcoholic drinks on board without our express permission. Corkage and plating charges will be applied.
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Special requirements
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We will try our best to accommodate any medical or dietary needs that you include in your Traveller Information when you book. If we cannot accommodate you, we will let you know as soon as we can and if you have already completed your booking, you may get a refund based on the Fee Schedule below. However, we will not accept liability for any other associated costs you incur between making your booking and our responding to you. If in doubt, please contact us before making your booking.
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The Crew of Snark is trained in emergency first aid and we will do our best to treat any injuries or maladies that arise on board and if necessary, get you ashore for treatment as soon as we can. If you have a medical pre-condition for which you are taking prescription drugs, please let us know, particularly if you need to take them in a crisis; it helps the first aider assess the situation. You must check with your doctor or prescriber if your medication is compatible with the proposed activities and any seasickness remedies you might wish to take. Do be sure to bring an adequate supply of your medication for the Event period and any overrun that might occur. If it requires special storage let us know in advance.
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We cannot administer prescription drugs or provide over the counter remedies for safety reasons, except in an emergency. So, if you think you might need them please bring your own sunblock, pain relief, seasickness treatment etc. Glasses and other sensory aids are easily damaged or lost on-board boats so please bring spares.
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Adults with special needs may need to be accompanied by an adult carer. If you think this applies to you, please contact us to discuss if and how we can accommodate you.
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Boats can be very dangerous places for unsupervised children, and we are not trained or checked to look after them. For this reason, we do not allow children under 5 onboard and we require that children between 5 and 12 are accompanied by two supervising adults and children between 12 and 18 are accompanied by one supervising adult at all time.
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We do not allow any animals or pets on board.
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Changes
We may have to cancel an Event and your associated booking if running the Event becomes impractical or unsafe for reasons beyond our control. We may also cancel or merge Events if the number of people booked 8 weeks in advance of the event falls below 25% of capacity. If possible, we will offer you alternative dates or services and will transfer your booking at no extra charge. If this was not possible, or unacceptable to you, then we will refund the Tariff paid by you. Our liability will not extend beyond this refund.
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In managing the Event the Skipper will take account of the weather, tides, the aptitude of the Travellers, the capabilities of the Vessel, the waters being sailed in and the safety of the Travellers and Crew, and may have to vary our itinerary and activities accordingly. These variations do not constitute ‘lack of conformity’ and are not grounds for remedy, compensation or termination.
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If for whatever reason you decide to leave the event early or if for medical or other reasons the Skipper deems it unsafe for you to continue with the Event, we will put you and any dependents ashore at an appropriate safe port. This includes false declarations provided in the Traveller Information. The Skipper’s decision in this will be final and we will not be liable for any resulting costs or damages incurred by you. If this is at your request or caused by your behaviour, we may recover any resulting costs we incur directly or indirectly from you.
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If you advise us that you cannot join us, we will cancel your booking and we will promptly refund your payments less the relevant Termination Fee.
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Your booking is transferable with our agreement which will not be unreasonably withheld. This must be done through us. The new customer must pay in full and we will then refund your payment to you less the Transfer Fee.
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Arrival & departure
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Access to the SNARK will be available to you from the time set out in the Event details. We may not be able to accommodate you if you arrive earlier as we may be busy preparing for your arrival. We will meet you at the location noted in the Event details unless we notify you otherwise. Please allow plenty of time to park or accommodate delays in public transport so you can be there ready to depart at the designated time. There may be reasons why we cannot wait for you if you are late.
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Depending on progress in the management of the Covid 19 pandemic we may require you to provide evidence of a recent negative Covid test or that you have received a complete cause of vaccination treatment before you can join an Event. We may also require that you fill in an exposure risk form and to have a non-invasive temperature check before boarding. Where evidence of potential infection is identified we may have to cancel your booking. We will not refund your payments or accept liability for any other costs or losses you incur as a result. You should ensure you have suitable insurance to address these possible losses. These requirements will be updated as the situation changes and in line with national and international rules and recommendations.
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If for whatever reason you believe you are going to be late please contact us as soon as possible to let us know your estimated time of arrival. We will make all reasonable efforts to get you on board as soon as we can. This may require you to get to an alternative embarkation location or to take a water taxi or other means of getting to SNARK, in extremis it might involve you having to get to another port. You will have to pay any additional costs incurred by yourself and/or by us. If as a result of your lateness, it is impractical or unsafe for us to get you on-board, we may have to proceed with the Event without you in which case we will not refund the Tariff or cover any of your additional costs.
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Please be ready to leave the Vessel at the time set out in the Event details or advised on the day. If we have had to change the itinerary because of events outside our control, we may have to disembark you at an alternative location. If we are going to be delayed in reaching the scheduled disembarkation location we will give you the alternative of departing at the time scheduled or remaining on board at no further cost until we reach the scheduled location.
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Documents & insurance
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If we are planning to visit foreign waters, we will advise you in advance and you must bring with you appropriate documentation including a current passport and any necessary visas and inoculation certificates, all with six months overrun. In any event, if you are not a UK citizen, then you must bring with you your passport and any visas or other documentation you need to show you are free to travel in the UK or the foreign waters proposed. We cannot take you between ports or overseas without the appropriate documentation and so will ask to see it before we depart. If we are not satisfied that it is adequate, we may have to cancel all or some of your booking and leave you ashore. Any associated costs will be your responsibility.
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Please take care when staying on SNARK and report any incidents as they occur. We do not normally charge for minor breakages, but we may require you to pay for replacement, repair or making good if the damage or breakage is significant and avoidable or deliberate.
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We strongly recommend that you take out suitable travel insurance to cover cancellation, personal property, injury or death and other risks identified in the Agreement as our liability is limited in respect to these risks. In any event, non-UK Travellers in the UK and UK travellers on events outside the UK must carry appropriate travel and health insurance cover including repatriation costs in the event of accident, illness or death. We may require you to provide proof that you have appropriate cover. We do not cover your personal possessions for loss or damage under our insurance policy, that is your responsibility.
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Resolving problems
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All queries, requests, complaints and compliments arising during the Event should be communicated to the Skipper as soon as possible so they can be promptly addressed to allow you and your fellow Travellers to enjoy the Event.
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Prior to the start of the Event and after it is complete, we can be contacted on the email and postal addresses shown on our Web Site. If you wish you can also contact us through the Retailer you booked through. Their contact details are shown on their web site. They will pass on your complaint to us to action.
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If your initial concerns are not resolved to your satisfaction, you should record your complaints and any claims in writing to Snark Limited at the companies operating address and/or by email to bookings@snark.limited
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We will respond as soon as we can and set out in writing how we propose to address your complaint and in what time frame. If you do not accept our proposal, we both agree that before any further action is taken, we should attempt to resolve our differences through mediation, either through the British Marine mediation service or using another mediator to be agreed by us both. We both agree to keep all complaints and their resolution confidential unless required to disclose it for legal reasons.
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Rules & regulations
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There are lots of regulations covering the operation of a commercial sailing vessel. Most apply to us as the Operator and we are fully compliant with them, but some apply to you. So please; do not bring weapons, contraband, illegal drugs, explosive, flammable or toxic substances on board; listen to our safety briefings and follow our instructions in the event of an emergency; wear a lifejacket if we tell you to or at other times if you feel safer that way.
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If we suspect you have brought any proscribed materials on board, we may search you and/or your property and take appropriate action if we are proved correct. External agencies including customs, immigration, police and harbour authorities also have the right to search the vessel and passengers if they believe a breach of the law, regulations or bye-laws has occurred. We will cooperate with authorities in all circumstances and you must do the same.
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Any data collected during the course of this booking will be securely stored on our computer(s) and/or our cloud accounts and will be used only as set out in our data security policy which is on our Web
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We are a Carrier under the terms of the Merchant Shipping (Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea) Order 2014 ( the Athens Convention ) which defines our responsibilities and the limits of our liability for injury, death, damage and loss. We do not accept liability for any consequential losses incurred by you your group or dependants including but not limited to; lost profit, income or savings, wasted expenditure, liquidated damages or other indirect costs or losses however caused unless required to do so by relevant Laws, Conventions or Regulations
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This Agreement is made under English law and nothing in it removes our joint rights to seek recourse through action in the English Courts. If a court decides any part of this Agreement is unfair the rest of the Agreement still applies. Singular and plural words are interchangeable.
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Extreme Weather Conditions are those that in the opinion of the Skipper endanger the safe operation of the Vessel and include but are not be limited to, strong winds, heavy seas, strong currents and extremely high or low water levels, restricted visibility, extreme temperatures, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods.
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Extraordinary Circumstances include, but not be limited to, natural disasters such as floods, fires, eruptions and earthquakes, pandemics or significant epidemics, terrorist attacks, wars and military or civil armed conflicts, uprisings, military or illegal confiscations, labour conflicts, landing any sick, injured or dead person, search and rescue operations at sea or on inland waterways, measures necessary to protect the environment, decisions taken by traffic management bodies or port authorities, or decisions by the competent authorities with regard to public order and safety as well as to cover urgent transport needs.
