1. Reservation
You will be sent confirmation of your reservation as soon as we have received your booking form duly completed and signed along with your down payment (by cheque) of 40% of the total price of the cruise.
The full payment must be paid one month before departure. If booking less than six weeks before the departure date the tenant will be required to pay the total amount on the day when the cruise is booked.

2. Responsibility

The tenant must be at least 18 years of age. Saône-Plaisance reserves the right to change departure and arrival bases and the direction of one-way cruises without considering this as a cancellation. Navigable waterways can be subject to constraints such as maintenance work on river banks, dredging of canals, stoppage, rivers in spate, drought and so on, which are all beyond the company’s control. SP reserves the right to restrict navigation access in the case of any disruption to a cruise due to factors beyond the company’s control. Once the tenant has paid for the full settlement and the deposit, SP will deliver a seaworthy boat which is fully equipped and insured in accordance with the law and regulations established by the authorities concerned. SP will provide the tenant with a ‘licence’ which entitles the tenant to sail the boat on rivers and canals for a specified time. Please note that during the course of the cruise the tenant may be asked to present this paper to the authorities.

3. Use of the boat and responsibilities

The tenant contracts to use the boat in a normal way in accordance with the rules and regulations established by the Navigation Services, the Police and French Gendarmerie. People under 18 years of age are not allowed to pilot the boat. Upon taking tenancy, the tenant will be given instruction and taught how to pilot the boat. SP reserves the right to refuse tenancy of a boat to anyone deemed incompetent in possesing the necessary skills or for any other reasons as judged by the company. In the event of such a case arising, the contract will be nulled and the tenant will be refunded with the full amount paid excepting the booking fee and without compensation for any charge. The tenant contracts to use the boat for pleasure cruising only and is not allowed to use the boat for any other purpose eg. trading, professional fishing, transport advertising, etc. The tenant also contracts to allow on board only the number of people specified as the boats’ capacity. Strictly as the boat owner SP accepts no liability for any violation of rules or law. As such, the tenant will be solely responsible in answering any charges or proceedings laid by the navigation services and accordingly will incur any possible fines and/or confiscations regardless of intent. Towing, sailing on seas at night, subhiring or lending the boat to other persons are strictly forbidden.

4. Cancellation insurance

The tenant is recommended to take out cancellation insurance. The insurance covers the tenant up to the amount paid on the final booking. For the insurance to be valid the tenant must provide the company with the names of all members of the crew and pay for the total amount of the cancellation insurance. The insurance covers you for the following cases: – Serious illness requiring a stay in hospital, – Accident prohibiting any unaided movment, – Death of a crew member or one of their close relatives, – Serious damage to your residence, – Transfer, – Redundancy (the insurance also covers the other members of the crew for redundancy). The insurance covers any of the above events, only if they occur or are subsequent to the booking date. For any cancellation to be valid the tenant must send a written letter to the company within 5 days of the event and submit any relevant documents, such as medical or death certificates which may help to support the claim. Cancellation insurance cannot be refunded under any circumstance. The company reserves the right to determine if the nature of the events comes within the framework of the cancellation insurance. Upon taking cancellation insurance please note that there is a 100€ administration charge plus the cost of the actual insurance.

Cancellation
Should the tenant cancell, without cancellation insurance, less than six weeks prior to the departure date the tenant will be liable to pay the total cost of the holiday in full. The tenant cancelling more than six weeks prior to departure date without the tenant having taken out cancellation insurance will incur a charge representing 20% of the cost of the holiday.

6. Accident and equipment loss

In the event of accident or loss of any equipment the tenant must immediately contact the Company, who will provide all necessary instruction. However, the tenant should refrain from informing the company in cases not considered urgent. Damage occuring during the period of hiring will not be refunded or compensated in any case regardless of the cause of damage. The tenant must inform the company of any loss, theft or damage of equipment as soon as the boat is returned to the base. SP reserves the right to charge the tenant for anything found to be missing from the boat.

7. Technical assistance and breakdowns

The Company contracts to supply the tenant with technical assistance during working hours 7 days a week. The company will attend to the tenant as quickly as possible depending on the staff and equipement available at that time. The tenant must immediately contact the company in the event of a breakdown. SP does not recognize any complaint or claim for compensation should the boat run aground, break down or any other such event.

8. Cruise restriction / breaking

SP accepts no liability for any expenditure resulting from any disruption or restrictions due to waterway closing, maintenance work, stoppage, flood, drought or for any other reasons.

9. Insurance

SP insures the boat, the crew and the tenant as the pilot of the boat, against a third party. Although the tenant is responsible for any damage his liability is limited to the amount of the deposit paid to SP at the start of the cruise. SP’s insurance does not cover the personal property of the tenant, therefore the company accepts no liability in the event of any damage or loss occurred on the property of the tenant, whatever the cause may be.

10. Description of the boats.

The description, specifications and plans of the boats, which figure in the brochure are given as an indication only. Some boats of the same type may have slightly varying specifications.

11. Return of the boat.

The tenant must vacate the boat on the last day of hiring at 9 a.m. SP reserves the right to charge the tenant for any other delay after 9.30 a.m. or if the tenant does not return the boat to the base as arranged.

12. The law applied to the contract

Our terms and conditions of hiring have been established in accordance with the convention on river tourism. Only the court of Gray 70100 is competent in the cases of disputes. French law applies to this contract.