Terms & Conditions
These website and booking terms govern requests, deposits, communications, and services coordinated through Better Boat Club.
Questions? Contact Us1. Acceptance and contracting party
By using this website, submitting a request, paying any amount, signing electronically, or participating in a trip, you agree to these Terms and the booking-specific documents provided for your reservation. “Better Boat Club,” “BBC,” “we,” and “us” refer to the Better Boat Club entity identified on your invoice or booking agreement. The person placing the reservation represents that they are at least 18 years old, are authorized to act for the group, and will communicate all applicable rules to every participant.
2. Website role and booking status
Better Boat Club markets and coordinates yacht experiences, fishing charters, vessel rentals, and third-party services. Depending on the confirmed trip, a vessel owner, operator, captain, crew member, marina, or vendor may be a separate contracting party. Website photos and descriptions may be representative. A reservation request is not confirmed until the required payment is received and BBC issues written confirmation after operational review.
3. Yacht classes and vessel assignment
When a customer buys a yacht class rather than a named vessel, BBC may assign any approved vessel within that purchased class that reasonably satisfies the confirmed capacity and experience requirements. Make, model, year, layout, color, décor, amenities, and pickup point may vary. A larger vessel may be substituted without an automatic refund. A materially smaller class requires customer approval, an appropriate adjustment, or a cancellation option under the applicable policy.
4. Trip configuration and service providers
BBC coordinates each reservation according to the selected experience, group size, assigned vessel, availability, insurance, documentation, and operational requirements. The final booking documents identify the services included in the BBC total and any separate provider or payment required for the confirmed trip. BBC may refuse, modify, postpone, or cancel a booking that cannot be operated lawfully or safely. The assigned vessel’s lower capacity, insurance limit, or operating restriction always controls.
5. Prices, deposits, taxes, and balance
Displayed pricing is based on the selected class, duration, date, and paid upgrades. Unless the checkout or written quote says otherwise, a 50% deposit is charged when booking. For a confirmed charter, a secure payment link for the remaining 50% is normally issued approximately 48 hours before departure and must be completed by the stated deadline. Better Boat Club may approve a different written payment arrangement for a specific booking. Taxes, processing charges, gratuity, separately contracted professional services, extraordinary fuel, dockage, repositioning, overtime, damages, excessive cleaning, and third-party vendor costs may be separate when disclosed. A payment is not final confirmation if the payment is reversed, disputed, fraudulent, or subject to a processor hold.
6. Captain, crew, route, and safety authority
The captain or qualified operator has final authority over navigation, weather, route, speed, anchoring, swimming, watersports, docking, and immediate safety. The person operating the vessel may refuse departure, change course, return early, or terminate activity when reasonably necessary for safety or legal compliance.
7. Guest count and manifest
The booking customer must provide an accurate count including children and any photographer, chef, security person, or other non-crew participant. No unapproved person may board. BBC may require names, dates of birth, identification, emergency contacts, waivers, and a locked final manifest. An inaccurate count or attempted overloading may cause cancellation without refund and additional costs.
8. Customer and guest conduct
The booking customer is responsible for the group. Guests must follow instructions, use required safety equipment, behave respectfully, and comply with laws and marina rules. Illegal drugs, unsafe intoxication, violence, harassment, weapons not expressly authorized by law and policy, fireworks, open flames, hookah, diving from unsafe areas, tampering with equipment, and deliberate or reckless damage are prohibited. The trip may be terminated for unsafe or unlawful conduct.
9. Alcohol, swimming, and inherent risks
Boating involves inherent risks including changing weather and sea conditions, vessel movement, slips and falls, boarding, swimming, wildlife, sun exposure, and emergency response delays. Alcohol increases risk. Guests who swim or use water equipment do so only with captain approval and subject to the separate waiver. No fishing result, wildlife sighting, route, sandbar condition, sunset, or uninterrupted cellular service is guaranteed.
10. Arrival, overtime, and return
Guests must arrive at the stated location and time with required identification and completed documents. Charter time generally begins at the confirmed start time even when the group is late. An extension is not guaranteed and requires operational approval and payment. The booking customer must comply with all return, turnover, and departure requirements stated in the booking-specific documents.
11. Weather, mechanical issues, and substitutions
The posted Weather Policy and Cancellation Policy are incorporated into these Terms. Light rain, clouds, or an unfavorable personal forecast does not automatically cancel a trip. If a vessel becomes unavailable or unsuitable, BBC may offer a comparable substitute, upgrade, revised time or location, reschedule, credit, or refund as provided by the booking-specific agreement. BBC is not responsible for consequential expenses such as flights, hotels, transportation, or event costs except where expressly agreed in writing.
12. Damage, cleaning, and property
The booking customer may be financially responsible for damage, missing equipment, fines, smoking or prohibited-activity remediation, extraordinary cleaning, overtime, towing, or other costs caused by the group, subject to applicable law and the signed agreement. BBC may place a reasonable card authorization or security deposit. Personal property is brought aboard at the owner’s risk; found items may be stored, shipped at the customer’s expense, or disposed of under the lost-item policy.
13. Cancellations, refunds, and chargebacks
Cancellation and refund rights are governed by the posted policies and booking-specific agreement. Nonrefundable third-party expenses may be deducted after they are committed. Customers must contact BBC promptly before initiating a payment dispute so the company can investigate. Filing a chargeback does not eliminate a valid debt for completed services, damage, or other authorized charges.
14. Vendors and add-ons
Catering, transportation, décor, photographers, DJs, chefs, jet-ski providers, and other vendors may be independent providers with separate terms, insurance, cancellation rules, and liability. BBC does not guarantee a third party’s performance beyond remedies expressly included in the confirmed booking.
15. Communications and electronic signatures
You consent to receive operational emails, calls, and texts at the contact information supplied, including booking links, payment reminders, vessel updates, and safety instructions. Message and data rates may apply. Marketing consent, when requested, is separate and may be withdrawn. Electronic checkboxes, signatures, timestamps, and payment records may be used as evidence of agreement.
16. Privacy
BBC handles personal information as described in the Privacy Policy. Do not submit sensitive medical or identity information unless specifically requested through an approved secure process.
17. Disclaimers and limitation
To the maximum extent permitted by law, the website and coordination services are provided without guarantees beyond those expressly stated in the final written agreement. BBC is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages. Any limitation, release, indemnity, or maritime-risk allocation in the booking-specific charter agreement or waiver supplements these website Terms and controls when more specific.
18. Governing law and disputes
Unless federal maritime law or a booking-specific agreement requires otherwise, these Terms are governed by Florida law. Venue for a dispute with BBC will be in Miami-Dade County, Florida, subject to any enforceable arbitration, forum-selection, or maritime provision in the final agreement. Before filing a claim, the parties agree to provide written notice and a reasonable opportunity to resolve the dispute.
19. Changes, severability, and order of documents
BBC may update these Terms prospectively by posting a revised effective date. The terms accepted at checkout apply to that transaction unless both parties agree otherwise. If one provision is unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue. In a conflict, the order is: signed vessel-specific charter or rental agreement; signed addenda and waivers; booking confirmation and invoice; cancellation/weather policies; then these website Terms.
20. Contact
Questions may be sent to info@betterboatclub.com or 305-848-2911.