Customer Booking Terms & Conditions

All bookings require valid credit or debit card details to be held on file at the time of booking. Payment is processed securely through our payment provider (Stripe) and is usually captured once your booking is confirmed by an available operator.

By completing a booking you authorise Water Taxis Australia to charge the nominated card for the quoted fare and for any additional fees that accrue under these terms — including waiting time, additional passengers, on-the-day amendments, cancellation fees, or damage to a vessel.

Fares quoted by our online booking calculator are based on the pickup and drop-off locations, the scheduled time, and the number of passengers booked. Fares assume travel inside our standard operating hours of 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM AEST/AEDT.

• Extra passengers: bookings for more than four (4) passengers attract an additional charge of $25 per extra passenger on top of the base fare (and per leg for return trips).
• After-hours surcharge: a flat after-hours surcharge of $120 applies to any trip that departs after 9:00 PM.
• Card processing: a card processing fee of 3% + $0.30 is added at checkout to cover payment gateway costs.
• Public holidays & special events: different fares apply on New Year's Eve, Boxing Day, Australia Day and other public holidays or major events. Contact us for a custom quote on these days.

Fares are calculated on the number of passengers the booking is made and confirmed for, or the number of passengers who actually travel — whichever is greater.

We offer a 15-minute grace period at your scheduled pickup time. Beyond that grace period, a waiting fee of $5.00 per minute applies and is automatically charged to the card you used at booking.

By proceeding with a booking you authorise Water Taxis Australia to charge your card for any waiting time fees that accrue, as reported by the skipper and (where applicable) reviewed by our team. You will receive an email receipt for any waiting time charge.

We cannot guarantee that the vessel will be able to wait if you are running late. If a customer fails to show up within 15 minutes of the confirmed pickup time, the booking may be treated as a no-show and 100% of the quoted fare will be charged.

You can cancel a booking from the booking confirmation page or from your Trips page. When a refund applies, you can choose to receive it as instant Water Taxis Australia wallet credit (cash out to your card any time from the Wallet page) or as a Stripe refund back to your original card (3–5 business days).

• 2 or more days before pickup: full refund.
• Day before pickup: 50% of the quoted fare is charged; 50% refunded.
• Same day as pickup: 100% of the quoted fare is charged — no refund.
• Once a skipper is en route or dispatched: 100% of the quoted fare is charged.
• No-shows: 100% of the quoted fare is charged.
• New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Boxing Day & NSW public holidays: cancellations within 30 days of these confirmed bookings are charged at 100% of the quoted fare. Refunds are not available for no-shows.

All cancellations are effective only once you receive a cancellation confirmation from our system or our team.

If you need to change the departure time of a confirmed booking, contact us at least 45 minutes before the scheduled pickup. Late notification may attract waiting time fees of $5.00 per minute.

We will do our best to accommodate changes to pickup or drop-off locations, but amendments are subject to the existing schedule and the availability of operators. If a requested change cannot be accommodated and the booking is cancelled, the cancellation policy above applies.

If we need to cancel a service because of dangerous weather conditions or a vessel breakdown, a full refund will be issued and Water Taxis Australia will not be liable for any losses incurred by the customer. Where possible we will arrange a replacement vessel.

Smoking is not permitted on any vessel at any time. Passengers who are intoxicated, unruly or under the influence of illicit drugs may be refused passage and, where necessary, referred to police. Any trip cut short or cancelled due to such conduct, or any safety issue not caused by Water Taxis Australia, will be charged at 100% of the quoted fare.

All decisions regarding safety — including vessel speed, course, wharf selection, vessel-to-vessel transfers and passenger numbers — are at the skipper's sole discretion and are final.

Our vessels are designed primarily to carry passengers. Each passenger may bring the equivalent of one small backpack. Additional or oversized items may attract an extra charge and must be discussed before booking. Items such as large suitcases, construction equipment, ladders, furniture or other large objects may not be suitable for transfer and may be refused at the skipper's discretion.

Not all wharves in our service areas are suitable for every passenger. Our vessels do not have boarding ramps, and the step between wharf and vessel can range from 30 cm to 100 cm. If you or any guest has mobility restrictions, please let us know before confirming the booking so we can recommend a suitable pickup point.

Any damage to a vessel or its equipment caused by a passenger will be charged to the booking holder's nominated credit card.

Bookings for transfers to or from another vessel are accepted on the understanding that a firm quote cannot be offered in advance. Final pricing depends on the location of the other vessel at the time of pickup or drop-off. Waiting time fees apply if the other vessel or the passenger causes the transfer to be delayed.

To the extent permitted by law, Water Taxis Australia is not liable for any death, loss, damage or injury to any person or property that occurs and is attributable to or associated with:

• failure to follow a reasonable direction given by the skipper or crew;
• failure to comply with these terms or with any posted warning signs;
• unreasonable or unsafe behaviour;
• wilful misuse of vessel equipment or facilities;
• intoxication or use of prohibited drugs.

Where consumer law and other laws permit us to exclude liability, we will not be liable for loss or damage to luggage, property or personal belongings. The passenger releases Water Taxis Australia, its operators, crew and personnel from any claim and liability so incurred, except in the case of wilful misconduct or reckless disregard.

Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or modifies any guarantee, right or remedy that you have under the Australian Consumer Law that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Water Taxis Australia operates a network of independent skippers and operator partners. These terms extend to and bind any partner or sub-contractor delivering a service on our behalf.

Questions about these terms? Email support@watertaxisaustralia.com.au.