Terms And Conditions

By booking, paying for, boarding, or participating in a charter operated by Castaways Adventures LLC (“Castaways Adventures,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), the person making the reservation and every member of the charter party (collectively, “Guests”) agrees to these Terms and Conditions.

1. Reservations and Payment

A reservation is not confirmed until Castaways Adventures has accepted the booking and received any required deposit or payment. The person making the reservation must be at least 18 years old, is responsible for providing accurate booking information, and is responsible for communicating these Terms and Conditions to every Guest in the charter party.

Any remaining balance is due by the deadline stated in the booking confirmation. Castaways Adventures may cancel a reservation if payment is not received when due.

2. Customer Cancellations

Guests must cancel at least 48 hours before the scheduled charter departure time to be eligible for a refund. Cancellations made less than 48 hours before the scheduled departure time, including same-day cancellations and no-shows, are nonrefundable unless Castaways Adventures determines that an exception is warranted.

Any approved refund may exclude nonrefundable third-party booking or payment-processing fees to the extent permitted by law and disclosed at the time of booking.

3. Weather and Marine Conditions Before Departure

Florida weather can change quickly. Rain in the forecast, cloudy conditions, wind, temperature, or a Guest’s preference not to travel does not automatically make a charter unsafe.

The captain and Castaways Adventures have sole authority to determine whether weather, sea state, visibility, mechanical conditions, or any other safety concern requires delaying, changing, rescheduling, or canceling a charter. A charter may be canceled for unsafe weather or marine conditions on the day of the charter at any time, including up to the scheduled departure time.

If Castaways Adventures cancels the charter before it begins because conditions are unsafe, the booking party may choose either:

● A credit or rescheduled charter, subject to availability; or

● A refund of the charter amount paid to Castaways Adventures.

Third-party booking or payment-processing fees may remain nonrefundable if they were separately disclosed as nonrefundable at the time of booking.

If conditions are safe enough to operate and Castaways Adventures has not canceled the charter, the regular Customer Cancellation policy applies.

4. Weather After the Charter Begins

A charter is considered to have begun when the vessel leaves the departure dock with the charter party aboard. Once the charter has begun, there is no guaranteed refund if weather or marine conditions change.

If weather or marine conditions arise during the charter, the captain may change the route, seek shelter, return to the dock, or end the charter early when reasonably necessary for safety. Castaways Adventures may, in its sole discretion, provide a partial refund or future charter credit. Whether any refund or credit is warranted, and the amount or value offered, will be determined by Castaways Adventures after considering the time completed, services already provided, conditions encountered, and other relevant circumstances.

5. Itineraries and Destinations

Requested routes, destinations, sandbars, restaurants, sightseeing locations, swimming areas, and wildlife sightings are not guaranteed. The captain may change the itinerary based on weather, tides, currents, water depth, vessel traffic, closures, passenger safety, or other operating conditions. An itinerary change made for safety or operational reasons does not by itself entitle Guests to a refund.

6. Late Arrivals and Charter Time

Guests should arrive by the time stated in the booking confirmation. The charter period begins at the scheduled departure time unless Castaways Adventures caused the delay. Late arrival by any Guest may shorten the charter and does not extend the scheduled end time or create a right to a refund.

Additional time must be approved by the captain and is subject to vessel availability, operating conditions, and additional charges.

7. Passenger Count and Guest Conduct

The number of passengers may not exceed the legal or stated capacity of the vessel. Castaways Adventures may refuse boarding to unlisted passengers or any person whose participation would violate applicable law or create a safety concern.

Guests must follow all captain and crew instructions. Unsafe, threatening, abusive, disorderly, or illegal conduct is prohibited. The captain may refuse boarding or end the charter early if a Guest’s conduct threatens safety, interferes with vessel operations, damages property, or violates the law. No refund will be owed when a charter is refused or ended because of Guest conduct.

8. Alcohol, Drugs, and Smoking

Guests of legal drinking age may bring and consume alcohol only if permitted by Castaways Adventures and applicable law. The captain may limit or stop alcohol consumption whenever necessary for safety. Illegal drugs are prohibited. No person may operate the vessel except the properly authorized captain.

Smoking or vaping is permitted only with the captain’s express approval and only in a designated area, if any.

9. Children, Swimming, and Personal Safety

A parent or legal guardian is responsible for supervising each minor in the charter party. Guests must use personal flotation devices whenever required by law or directed by the captain.

Swimming, snorkeling, beach, sandbar, and other water-related activities involve inherent risks, including changing tides, currents, marine life, submerged objects, slips, falls, and injury. Guests must accurately disclose any medical or mobility condition that could reasonably affect safe participation and must follow the captain’s safety instructions at all times.

10. Personal Property

Guests are responsible for their own phones, cameras, jewelry, clothing, coolers, and other personal property. Castaways Adventures is not responsible for property that is lost, stolen, damaged, or dropped overboard, except to the extent responsibility cannot legally be excluded.

11. Damage and Excessive Cleaning

The person making the reservation is responsible for damage to the vessel or its equipment caused by the intentional, reckless, or negligent conduct of any Guest in the charter party. The booking party may also be charged a reasonable fee for excessive cleaning resulting from Guest conduct, including prohibited smoking, stains, or unusually excessive trash. Ordinary wear and tear is excluded.

12. Captain’s Authority and Safety

The captain has final authority over the vessel, route, speed, boarding, passenger placement, safety equipment, and all operational decisions. The captain may delay, modify, or end a charter whenever reasonably necessary to protect passengers, crew, the vessel, other persons, or property, or to comply with law.

13. Mechanical Problems and Events Beyond Our Control

If a mechanical problem attributable to Castaways Adventures prevents the charter from beginning, Castaways Adventures may offer a replacement vessel, reschedule the charter, provide a credit, or issue a refund. If a mechanical problem materially shortens a charter after departure, Castaways Adventures will determine an appropriate prorated refund or credit based on the circumstances.

Castaways Adventures is not responsible for delays or changes caused by events outside its reasonable control, including severe weather, government orders, waterway closures, emergencies, acts of God, or other force-majeure events. When such an event prevents the charter from beginning, Castaways Adventures may provide a reschedule, credit, or refund as described in these Terms.

14. Assumption of Risk and Limitation of Liability

Guests understand that boating and water activities involve inherent risks. Each Guest voluntarily assumes the ordinary and inherent risks of participating, subject to applicable law.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Castaways Adventures will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from a charter. Nothing in these Terms waives or limits liability that cannot lawfully be waived or limited, including liability arising from conduct for which a waiver is prohibited by applicable law.

15. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any legal proceeding relating to a charter or these Terms must be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in Manatee County, Florida, unless applicable law requires otherwise.

Before filing a legal claim, the parties agree to make a good-faith effort to resolve the dispute informally.

16. Severability and Changes

If any part of these Terms and Conditions is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Castaways Adventures may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. The version in effect when a reservation is made will apply to that reservation unless a change is required by law or the parties agree otherwise in writing.

17. Acknowledgment

By completing a reservation, signing a charter agreement or waiver, or boarding the vessel, Guests acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions, including the cancellation and weather provisions.