All White Water Taxis Water Taxi bookings, charters, journeys and transfers are subject to the terms & conditions detailed below. These terms & conditions include any partners and/or sub-contractors White Water Taxi uses.
Payment
We strongly encourage paying with cash, as it is the most effective way to support our local community and reduce unnecessary fees paid to big banks.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. It also supports mobile wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. A card surcharge may apply to card payment, Cash is the preferred method of payment.
To secure a confirmed booking, White Water Taxi require credit card details in advance to secure the booking. Payment can be made on the day with Cash or we will debit the credit card you provide prior to your booking.
White Water Taxis reserves the right to charge the credit card supplied by the customer in lieu of a deposit or for any fees due that have not been paid on board including waiting time, damage to Vessel, extra passengers, cancellations or any variations to pick-up or destination points.
Cancellations
All cancellations must be received by email info@whitewatertaxi.com.au. The booking reference number must be quoted by the customer. Cancellation is not effective until the customer receives confirmation of the booking cancellation from White Water Taxi.
If cancellation occurs on the same day of the confirmed booking, White Water Taxi will charge 100% of the quoted fare to the nominated credit card.
If cancellation occurs one day prior to the confirmed booking date, White Water Taxi will charge 100% of the quoted fare to the nominated credit card.
If cancellation occurs two day prior to the confirmed booking date, White Water Taxi will charge 50% of the quoted fare to the nominated credit card.
If cancellation occurs within 30 days of the confirmed booking day for Vivid Sydney, New Years Eve, New Years Day & Boxing Day, White Water Taxi will charge 100% of the quoted fare to the nominated credit card.
Any public holiday or special event day such as Australia Day, Valentines Day, All other public holidays or special harbour event days are cancelled within 7 days prior to confirmed booking then White Water Taxi will charge 100% of the quoted fare.
All cancellations for bookings in December White Water Taxi must be notified by email no later than the 30th November otherwise 100% of the quoted fare will be charged to the nominated credit card. And a confirmation email must be sent by our White Water Taxi team.
When bookings are quoted & confirmed for an immediate pick-up or within the hour but then cancelled while White Water Taxi is underway to the pick-up location, the full quoted fare is payable and the credit card details must be supplied.
Amendments to Bookings (on day of travel)
If you need to change a confirmed booking time for either a departure or return you must notify White Water Taxi by phone at least 45 mins in advance of the confirmed booking time. Failure to notify White Water Taxi will accrue waiting time fees @ $5.00 per minute.
White Water Taxi will endeavour to accommodate amendments to bookings, such as travel times or locations of pick-ups & drop-offs wherever possible; however, this is subject to the existing schedule. If changes are not possible and the confirmed booking is cancelled the customer is subject to our cancellations policy and 100% booking will be charged to the credit card provided.
White Water Taxi fares are calculated on the number of passengers for which the trip is booked and confirmed or the number of passengers who travel, whichever is greater.
Waiting Time
White Water Taxi allows a grace period of 5 minutes for waiting time. After this grace period, a waiting fee of $5.00 per minute will for the total waiting time will be charged per boat. To avoid these late fees, make sure you arrive 5 minutes prior to your scheduled booking. You can pay this fee onboard or it can be charged to the credit card you have provided. White Water Taxi will hold no liability for any losses suffered caused by late comers, will depart if booking schedule is tight on the day. 100% of the confirmed booking quote will be charged to the credit card provided.
White Water Taxi will make every effort to wait up to 15 minutes after the confirmed booking time. However, it is not always possible to do so. In case a customer fails to show up for a confirmed booking time, it will be considered a no-show. White Water Taxis will charge 100% of the booking to the credit card in such a scenario.
Weather
We want our customers to know that if White Water Taxi is forced to cancel its services due to hazardous weather conditions that could potentially endanger our passengers, we will provide a full refund to the customer. We will not be held liable for any losses incurred by the customer as a result of the cancellation. We take the safety of our passengers very seriously and will not compromise on it under any circumstances.
Mechanical Breakdowns
On rare occasions when a vessel breaks down, White Water Taxi will make every effort to provide a replacement vessel as soon as possible. However, the company cannot be held responsible for any losses incurred by the customer.
Safety
As the booking organiser, you will be responsible for your guests who also board with you. Under no circumstances will any safety breaches, dismissive behaviour or aggressive attitude be allowed on any White Water taxi. Any fines or fees charged to White Water taxi will be forwarded on to the Booking organizer for the breaches, which may be as follows: climbing on the roof, jumping off the vessel, smoking, urinating off the vessel, etc.
Read Passenger Transport (General) Regulation 2017 which states the fines related to each offence. Fines up to $2,200 are expected and Fines for recklessly jumping from a commercial vessel are a hefty $2,664 under the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012. All aggressive and dangerous behaviour will be forwarded to the local authorities and you will be contacted for further information.
Smoking and Vaping is not permitted on our vessels.
Passengers who are intoxicated, aggressive, or appear under the influence of drugs will not be allowed to board our vessels.
All safety decisions are solely at the discretion of the skipper and are final, these included but are not limited to :
- Vessel speed
- Vessel course
- Wharf accessibility and selection
- Vessel to Vessel transfers
- Passenger numbers
White Water Taxi will charge 100% of the quoted price if a trip is cut short or cancelled due to safety issues or if it is cancelled due to drunk, unruly, or drug-affected passengers.
Do not risk your safety or the safety of others. All passengers on board a domestic commercial vessel must:
- Take reasonable care for their own safety
- It is imperative that you comply with all lawful orders given by the captain or crew of the vessel. Failure to do so could jeopardize the safety of everyone on board.
- Not interfere with or misuse any safety equipment or system on vessel
- Not risk the safety of another person
In accordance with Marine safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law act 2012 (Cth), Schedule 1, section 21 and 22.
Online Booking
The online quotation does not apply for Special Event Days or Public Holidays, such as New Year's Eve, Boxing Day, Australia Day, or any other public holiday or special event day. This also applies to bookings outside our regular trading hours of 9:00am to 9:00pm. For travel outside the times given, please contact our office direct on 0482 720 408.
New Years Eve
A is not considered confirmed until White Water Taxi receives your credit card details and sends you a confirmation email.
We accept cash payments on NYE, however if you cancel 30 days prior to NYE we will charge the card provided at 100% of the quoted fare.
We will try when possible to wait a maximum of 5 minutes for latecomers – please arrive with plenty of time ahead of schedule to avoid disappointment.
No refunds are available for any NYE bookings. once a booking has been confirmed via email. New Year's Eve is a wonderful and bustling night that everyone enjoys. Please note that we will do our best to arrive on time, but in case of any unforeseen circumstances, we may be delayed. We kindly request you to be patient and understanding in such a scenario.
Disability
White Water Taxi vessels are not suited for wheelchair access and severe mobility issues. It is up to the White Water taxi skippers' discretion to determine if your transfer is unsafe, and it may be cancelled. Please give prior notice to avoid this. 100% payment is required on the quoted fair. Please call 0482 468 659 if un sure.
Vessel to Vessel Transfers
We accept bookings for transfers to or from another vessel but please note that we cannot offer a firm quote for the price. The final price is dependent on the vessels location on the day, relative to Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and the destination/pickup location on land you provided for the booking. Please note that waiting time will be charged if the other vessel operator decides to delay the transfer or if the passenger is occupied on board.
In the event that the vessel denies boarding, and White Water Taxi has already picked you up and is underway to the vessel, the full quoted fare is 100% payable and non-refundable.
Your safety is your responsibility when embarking and disembarking our vessels prior to the Skippers instructions from White Water Taxi. In the event you do not follow the instructions of our White Water Taxi skipper your transfer will be cancelled and full payment of the said transfer will be paid 100% of the quoted fair and non refundable.
Please note that while embarking and disembarking from the vessel, it is mandatory to be hands-free. This means that you should not carry any phones, purses, children, prams, or any other items that may distract you while getting on or off of the White Water Taxi. If you fail to comply with this requirement, your transfer will be cancelled, and you will be charged 100% of the quoted fare. You may pay using the card details provided or cash while aboard. Additionally, any aggressive or unruly behaviour will be reported to the local authorities.
Damage to Vessels
Passengers will be held liable for any damage to the vessel or its equipment, and charges will be applied to the booking organiser's credit card.
This includes a $200 fine per bottle opened on our vessels paint work or metal work, (This is not a public vessel please DO NOT DAMAGE THE VESSEL) please note if this is not paid to our White Water taxi skipper for whom was responsible at the time of the incident, we will engage our insurance company to seek legal matters for rectification of paint damaged to the booking organiser. Just Ask our White Water Taxi Skipper for a bottle opener to avoid any issues. This price is in relation to lost time for rectification works to be done.
Any passengers who throw up inside our White Water Taxis will be charged a $200 cleaning fee which will be paid straight away to White Water taxi skipper or by the booking organiser's nominated credit card after the transfer. Please ask the Skipper for directions if you are feeling unwell. This price is in relation to cleaning and lost time.
Defamation
If the Booking organiser or organisers guest defames the company in relation to any of the listed terms and conditions for which the party is at fault, legal action may be taken due to the resulting loss of business and time. This includes, but is not limited to, social media platforms and Google reviews.
Luggage
Luggage is generally not included in our fare however you may bring the equivalent of 1 small backpack per person.
Additional costs for permitted luggage may apply and will be calculated on the date of transfer based on the volume / weight. We recommend contacting our office to discuss your luggage requirements before making your booking.
Our taxis are predominantly designed to carry passengers. Permitted luggage must not obstruct egress, access to safety equipment and the engine.
Items that may not be suitable for transfer include: –
- Construction equipment
- Large bags / suitcases
- Heavy equipment
- Large objects such as ladders, length of timber, etc.
- Tables and chairs
- BBQ
Sydney Harbour Wharfs
Some wharfs in Sydney Harbour are not suitable for all passengers. Our vessels do not have ramps between the wharf and the vessel, and the gap can range between 30cm and 100cm. If you or any of your guests have any movement restrictions that may impact their ability to board or disembark the vessel, please advise our team before completing the booking.
White Water Taxi will try to accommodate your destination. However, if wharfs have unplanned schedule maintenance or upgrade works commenced at your preferred destination, White Water Taxi will try to accommodate an alternative wharf if safe to do so. In the event we cannot, a full refund will be supplied. White Water Taxi will hold no responsibility for any loss or inconvenience caused that due to this.
Swimming
We do not allow swimming off our vessel at all. In the event where you decide to jump off the Vessel this will be treated as recklessly jumping from a commercial vessel and a hefty $2,664 fine could be issued under the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012.
General Terms & Conditions
Terms and Conditions:
- 'Company' refers to 'White Water Taxis,' its employees.
- 'Passengers' mean any person on the vessel.
Acknowledgements:
Passengers acknowledge the White Water Taxi skipper's complete control of the vessel during the trip for their safety and enjoyment.
Passengers acknowledge the Master's authority to change course and take necessary action for safety.
The company has the authority to replace any vessel of similar type and also cancel the trip due to reasons of weather, equipment failure, or safety. The company will not be accountable for any loss or expenses incurred by passengers as a result of such cancellations.
Liability:
The Company is not liable for any harm, including death, loss, damage, or injury to any person or property due to:
- Failure to follow reasonable directions from the Master.
- Failure to comply with the term and conditions, or safe behaviour practices.
- Wilful misuse of equipment.
- Intoxication or using prohibited drugs.
Please note that any such actions will be at your own risk and expense, and the Company will not be responsible for any resulting consequences.
Passengers are responsible for their own safety and belongings. They agree to indemnify White Water Taxi for any claims during embarkation, disembarkation, or while on board, except for those caused by wilful misconduct or reckless disregard. White Water Taxi is not liable unless caused by wilful misconduct or reckless disregard. Passengers release White Water Taxis, its crew, and personnel from any claims and liabilities incurred.