1. Bookings A narrowboat booking is confirmed and binding when the completed booking form, together with the £200 deposit, has been acknowledged as being received by Castle Narrowboats. We will only let to persons over the age of 21 who will be onboard for the duration of the holiday.
2. Balance of Hire Charge The hirer is responsible for the whole of the hire charge and the balance must be paid 28 days before the commencement of the holiday. We will notify the hirer when the balance falls due. If full payment has not been received 14 days from the date on which it fell due, then we may cancel the booking. The deposit will be non-refundable and you will remain liable for the full holiday cost.
3. Cancellation Should the hirer cancel the booking we will make every endeavour to rehire the boat. If we are successful the hirer will no longer need to pay the balance of the hire charge, but the deposit will be retained to cover expenses. If we are unsuccessful then the hirer remains liable for the full balance. We strongly advise that you take out your own travel insurance to cover any form of cancellation
4. Brochure / Website The descriptions given in the brochure and on our website are as accurate as possible but we cannot be held liable for any small inaccuracies or changes due to improvements to the boats. Layouts are not drawn to scale.
5. Insurance The boat is fully insured, which gives the hirer full cover in the event of accidental damage to the boat or its equipment. However, should Castle Narrowboats feel that damage has been deliberately caused, or caused by negligence, it reserves the right to make a charge for the loss. Damage to waterways property, caused by the hirer, such as the loss of water, is the hirers’ responsibility. Personal injury to the hirer or crew is not covered by our insurance and hirers should check that they have adequate insurance of their own.
6. Arrival The boat will be ready by 2.00pm on your start day. The hirer must advise the company if any of their party are likely to arrive later than 3:00pm.
7. Departure Electric boats must moor at the base on the last evening of the hire period to facilitate full recharging for the next hirer. The hire period ends at 9.30am on the last day of hire and hirers must be clear of the boat by that time. If you are not clear of the boat by 9.30am you will be liable for any resulting costs to us. The hirer is obliged to leave everything in a clean and tidy condition. Failure to observe this return procedure will result in an extra cleaning charge of £50.
8. Accidents The hirer is in charge of the boat, and its equipment, and is responsible for the boats’ safe navigation. In the event of any accident or damage to the boat, other craft or property, it is the responsibility of the hirer to obtain the names and addresses of the owner / hirer of any other boat involved, including the boat name, together with those of any witnesses. Do not admit liability under any circumstances or arrange any repairs to the boat. Any such accident or damage must be reported to the hire base as soon as possible. All equipment is used at the hirers own risk and Castle Narrowboats cannot be held responsible for any incorrect use.
9. Delays and Restrictions Castle Narrowboats cannot be held responsible for any delays or non-completion of the cruise due to navigation restrictions, Canal and River Trust work programs and stoppages, breakdowns or other unforeseen reasons. We also reserve the right to restrict the cruising area without notice if unusual conditions arise and make no financial adjustment in any of these circumstances.
10. Company Obligations Castle Narrowboats shall not be in breach of its agreement with the hirer nor liable for any delay in performing, or failure to perform, any of its obligations under this agreement if such delay or failure result from events, circumstances or causes beyond its reasonable control. If such events, circumstances or causes arise, the following terms apply: Firstly, we will, by agreement with the hirer, attempt to rebook your holiday for another date. If in our opinion no such date is available, your booking will be cancelled and we will refund to you all payments beyond your deposit. Castle Narrowboats cannot be responsible for any consequential or other loss to the hirer. We recommend holiday cancellation insurance.
11. Hirer’s Property Castle Narrowboats regrets it cannot accept any liability for loss or damage to hirer’s or passengers property however caused. If you leave anything behind on your holiday we will package it for you but you will need to organise collection by a courier. We hold no responsibility for the items. After 14 days the property will be recycled or disposed of correctly. Free parking for up to two cars is provided at the base. Your vehicle and its accessories and contents are left entirely at your risk. We may ask you to leave your car keys just in case we need to move your car, we will not move it unless we have to.
12. Handover and Repossession The hirer and passengers undertake to receive instruction from us in boat handling and agree to abide by our procedures as told and shown in the handover as well as the Boaters Handbook. In particular the hirer will comply with all instructions given concerning safety of the boat, passengers, canal structures and canal environment.
    This covers but is not limited to:
    a) Not cruising in the hours of darkness b) Observing all speed limits and not creating a damaging wash. c) Showing courtesy to other canal users. d) Observing all bylaws, navigation limits and instruction/advice from Canal and River Trust representatives. e) Operating the locks carefully and properly.

Castle Narrowboats reserves the right to refuse to hand over a boat to any person who, in its opinion, is not suitable to take charge.
Breach of these conditions will result in curtailment of hire with no refund

13. Passengers Only the persons whose names we have received may board the boat during the period of hire. Only the maximum number of people the boat is designed to sleep are allowed on the boat. The boats are designed for family parties, group bookings are welcome at the discretion of Castle Narrowboats. No one under the age of 18 years is to steer the boat unless supervised by an adult at all times.
14. Fishing, Bicycles and Canoes Our boats are not designed to carry bicycles and they are, therefore, not allowed. Canoes are to be towed and should have the appropriate license and insurance. They are used at your own risk. No live bait is to be carried inside the boat at any time.
15. Pets The hirer must bring their pet-blanket or basket as pets are allowed only on the clear understanding that in no circumstances may they lie on the bedding or seating. Your pets must not be left unattended in the boat unless in a crate. A charge of £15 for each pet is made, maximum two pets per boat, pets are not allowed on some boats. Any charges for damage or soiled furnishings will be passed onto the hirer.
16. Electric car charging Included in your booking is a single charge of one of your electric vehicles (type 2 plug only). Please note we will need your keys and that this service is provided at your own risk.
17. And Finally These Conditions of Hire are written to ensure that every eventuality is covered and that an amicable solution to any difficulties can be reached. Your enjoyment is our priority so relax and have fun while you experience the beautiful Mon and Brec Canal.

Your information and what we use it for

What we collect

To confirm your booking with us we collect the following information:

• customer and guest names
• contact information, including email address or phone number
• address information, such as postcodes
• any additional requirements you may have and feedback on where you found us

What we do with the information we gather

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

• Internal company record keeping.
• We may use the information to verify any future bookings and any offered discount.
• We may send a single follow up email to ask how your holiday went.

Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect.

Controlling your personal information

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we are required by law to do so.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. You may also request that the information we hold about you be destroyed at any time.