Why Choose Us?>Terms & Conditions
Orkney and Shetland Charters
Please read the following carefully before sending your deposit.
By sending your deposit, you are agreeing to these Terms and Conditions.
1) A deposit is required to be paid to Orkney and Shetland Charters to confirm your booking. This deposit is non refundable.
2) Please sign and return by email or post, the booking slip .
3) For Full Group Charters the balance of the charter price is payable to Orkney and Shetland Charters on the date stated in the booking email, if not stated therein, on the 1st day of the month, 3 months prior to the booking as detailed in your E invoice.
4) Each person making a booking with Orkney and Shetland Charters, on behalf of another passenger, or group of passengers confirms that he/she has the authority of that passenger and that each such passenger agrees to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.
5) Each person making a booking or included in a booking affirms that they are of sufficient experience to undertake the diving or other activity they have booked and that they are fit, mobile, agile and if required, qualified enough to do so.
6) No children under the age of 16 may be carried aboard without prior notification.
7) The Charterer, whether an individual or a group booking the whole vessel, is responsible for the whole of the fee he/she has undertaken to pay and must pay the balance at least 3 months before the start of the charter period. – By accepting the booking conditions in this document the charterer has entered into a contract with Orkney and Shetland Charters and is responsible for paying the entire fee agreed, on or before the due dates. A group booking must be paid as a group with one payment sum as deposit and another payment sum as balance – Group bookings paid as individual amounts will be treated as individual bookings with appropriate surcharges – If for any reason, the Charterer cancels the booking after the balance is due, he/she remains responsible for the whole of the fee. It may be possible to transfer a booking to another individual or group with our prior agreement. – In view of the above conditions, we strongly recommend that you consider a separate Holiday Cancellation Insurance policy, which are available from several independent companies and brokers.
8) If, due to unforeseen circumstances, you wish to cancel all or part of your diving holiday after your balance has been paid. Orkney and Shetland Charters cannot refund your charter fee. We recommend you take out adequate holiday insurance.
9) If owing to circumstances beyond our control, Orkney and Shetland Charters cannot provide the whole charter (week) booked or a suitable equivalent alternative, we will refund all money paid to us, in full, and the passenger or charterer shall have no further claim against us.
10) As is accepted practice – Orkney and Shetland Charters reserve the right to vary the charter fee of any space or booking prior to the booking being confirmed by a paid deposit. This specifically allows Orkney and Shetland Charters to discount, make reduced price offers or free spaces at any time these spaces remain un-booked, on any charter where un-booked spaces remain.
11) Orkney and Shetland Charters give notice that all arrangements made by us are on the condition that we shall not be liable for any death, injury or damage, loss, delay or irregularity that may be caused by persons or conditions out with our control. We accept no responsibility for any losses or additional expense due to delays or changes in air, road, rail, sea or other services, strikes, war, weather or other causes.
12) For reasons of safety, Orkney and Shetland Charters reserve the right to vary the charter and its associated activities in any way we consider preferable due to adverse weather or any other conditions. The master will endeavour to find suitable alternative dive or activity sites if practical. In the event that passage or activities are cancelled the following will apply: 1 – 3 Days No refund. 4 – 6 days A refund of £15.00 per dive or half days activity lost. We recommend that you have adequate holiday insurance to cover the loss of holiday activities.
13) All decisions regarding the safety of any vessel in the employ of, or chartered to Orkney and Shetland Charters and the safety or health of those on board including during drop-off and recovery of divers, rest with the master. The charterer is responsible for informing the master of any injuries or illness involving any guest as soon as possible following their occurrence.
14) In the event that the cost of fuel for the charter operations exceeds the amount allowed for within the standard charter fee, we reserve the right to charge an extra “fuel surcharge” amounting to the shortfall. Details of this surcharge is available on request from Orkney and Shetland Charters.
15) Recreational diving will consist of 2 dives per day (unless otherwise agreed) weather conditions permitting. Further dives can be arranged as a group (charges apply)
Boarding in Stromness is from 13.00 on Saturday – Departure by 09.00 Saturday.
Boarding in Shetland is from 7am Sunday – departure by 5pm Friday.
Boarding in Norway is at 2pm on Saturday – departure by 8am Saturday.
16) Air and mixed gas fills are to between 200 – 220 bar depending on filling conditions. Responsibility for checking that the gas mix and pressure is within tolerance for the dive rests with the diver. Orkney and Shetland Charters do not guarantee the accuracy of any analysis of gas and it is recommended that guests bring their own analysis equipment.
17) Any catering booked is not included in the charter fee and is payable at the end of the charter.
a) Breakfast – 07. 00 – 08.00. / Lunch – as activities permit. / Dinner – as activities permit. (Variations in this schedule are by prior arrangement only)
b) No meals are provided on Saturdays
c) Alternative diets are catered for however guests are responsible for alerting the chef to any requirements at least 7 days before the commencement of their charter
d) Surcharges:
Vegetarian or Vegan diets – No surcharge
Gluten Free, Wheat free, Dairy or Lactose Free diets – A surcharge of £15.00 per person, per week, is payable – unless evidence of a medical practitioners diagnosis is provided to Orkney and Shetland Charters.
e) No food provided by Orkney and Shetland Charters or its employees may be considered to be allergen free.
f) Food provided by Orkney and Shetland Charters may contain nuts.
18) Any equipment hired from Orkney and Shetland Charters is used entirely at the hirers own risk. Orkney and Shetland Charters shall not be responsible for any accident or injury to any person or persons arising from diving or the use of diving equipment. The hirer shall be liable for repair or replacement of any hired equipment damaged or lost. Please ensure you have adequate holiday insurance cover.
19) All vessels in the employ or chartered to Orkney and Shetland Charters are fully insured to carry 12 passengers within their area of operation. Our insurance does not cover passengers who are away from the vessel or while engaged in diving or other activities. Orkney and Shetland Charters do not accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, passengers gear, property or valuables whilst onboard or in transit. Please ensure you have adequate holiday insurance cover.
20) The master of any vessel in the employ of Orkney and Shetland Charters may refuse to carry any passenger or their luggage / equipment for any reason relating to the safety of the vessel and / or its passengers and crew. The master also reserves the right to refuse to carry any passenger who contravenes 1) the diving regulations relating to protected wrecks and their environs or 2) the lawful instructions of the master.
21) Orkney and Shetland Charters supports the Protection of Wrecks in Scapa Flow, Shetland and Norway. Please note that by booking with Orkney and Shetland Charters you are agreeing to abide by the Laws of England, Scotland and Norway as applies, The National Respect our Wrecks Code of Practice, the Scapa Flow Diving Code of Practice, the Orkney Voluntary Underwater Conservation Zone and the Orkney and Lerwick Harbour bylaws regarding diving and wrecks.
In particular due to the protected status of the wrecks of the German High Seas Fleet under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, divers may not carry salvage equipment or undertake any salvage activities when diving the wrecks of the Coln, Brummer, Dresden, Markgraf, Konig, Kronprinz Wilhelm and Karlsruhe or any other designated site. Salvage equipment also may not be carried when diving wrecks that are protected by the Military Remains Act and salvaging artefacts from any of these designated wrecks is strictly forbidden.
22) No drugs (other than those proscribed by a doctor) or other unlawful substances are permitted on board the vessel at any time.
23) Orkney and Shetland Charters reserve the right to alter these Terms and conditions at any time. If you need any further clarification on these Terms and Conditions then please do not hesitate to contact us.
Orkney and Shetland Charters 2019/20
