Cancellation policy
Amendments or cancellations: Amendments or cancellations of confirmed bookings should beemailed directly at the earliest opportunity to: info@familydiversmaldives.com
When this has been processed, you will receive a response within 24 hours, if this is not received, please resend your email.
For Liveaboard trips:
- 30% of the total package price must be paid by bank transfer to secure the booking, with a 48-hour free cancellation period.
- Two months before the trip, the remaining 70% of the full package price must be paid by bank transfer.*
*Family Divers Maldives reserves the right to open a new booking and retain 30% of the initial payment in case of a delay in the second payment.
In case of cancellation:
- From the day of booking to 60 days prior to the service start date, the cancellation fee charged is equal to 10% of the full fare booked.
- Between 60 and 30 days prior to the service start date, the cancellation fee charged is equal to 50% of the full fare booked.
- Between 30 and 7 days to the service start date, a cancellation fee of 75% of the full fare booked will apply.
- Less than a week before the service start date, a cancellation fee of 100% of the full fare booked will apply.
Note: SSI digital course materials are non-refundable once issued and redeemed.
Diving packages and courses:
In case of cancellation:
- Between 90 and 30 days prior to service start date, the cancellation fee charged is equal to 50% of the deposit paid to reserve your booking.
- 30 days or less prior to service start date a cancellation fee of 100% of the deposit paid to reserve your booking.
Note: SSI digital course materials are non-refundable once issued and redeemed.
Any service booked with Family Divers which is cancelled due to bad weather cannot be refunded or exchanged for any other product or service.
However, Family Divers will in the case of daily diving and where operationally possible, attempt to provide alternative dives, but if this is not possible, will offer a credit voucher to be used with Family Divers in the future. This voucher will be applicable for either our next safari trip or at our base operation in Rasdhoo..
Travel Restrictions: If your foreign office issues a travel warning and advises against travel to a specific destination, we will hold on account any money paid to us as credit to use against a future booking. There will be no charge to make this change and if the re-booked trip is at the same service level but costs more at the time you chose to re-book, then the difference (and increase in price) will NOT be requested.
Guests are responsible for checking with the visiting countries embassy in their home country prior to arrival regarding visa applications. Family Divers is not responsible for cancellation costs resultingin failed or delayed visa applications.
GENERAL TERMS – LIVEABOARDS
Number of dives required: Family Divers advises that all guests joining a liveaboard must be Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent. Currents can be strong; therefore, we recommendthat to get the most from our liveaboards you are certified to 30 metres and are comfortable withdrift dives, please check each itinerary for further information.
Additional charges: . All local taxes, park and port fees are included in your liveaboard price.
Safety Equipment: Every diver is required to wear a dive computer, carry a Surface Marker Buoy(with a minimum 5 metres of line to deploy during the safety stop) and a torch. In the Maldives divers are also required to carry reef hooks for every dive, especially when currents are strong.
GENERAL TERMS – Applicable to all bookings
Scuba Review: Many agencies recommend a Scuba Review if it has been longer than six months since your last dive. Family Divers advises divers to follow the agency recommendation for safetyreasons. The Scuba Review should be booked in advance and takes place on your first day. For liveaboards the Scuba Review should be completed prior to your arrival onboard and signed by aninstructor in your diving logbook. In the interests of safety, Family Divers reserve the right to provideand charge for a Skills Review or Check Dive with an instructor or restrict diving activities if theinstructor has any concerns regarding diver safety.
Alternatively, a Scuba Review can be completed prior to your arrival in Rasdhoo or onboard andsigned by an instructor in your diving logbook.
We are aware that even after a period of diving inactivity that you maybe an experienced diver, therefore we advise that you complete a Check Dive prior to starting your diving. This allows youtocheck your buoyancy in an unfamiliar diving environment and acquaint yourself with your equipment. This can be arranged locally and will be incorporated into your first dive and includes thefollowing skills:
– Full mask removal and replacement
– Regulator recovery and clear
– Alternate air source use
– Demonstration of neutral buoyancy
Insurance: Family Divers will not be responsible for any financial loss incurred by issues beyondour control such as, but not limited to; weather, ‘Act of God’ or changes made by the local authorities. It is your responsibility and a condition of your contract with Family Divers that you ensure youhavepurchased comprehensive dive and travel insurance cover specific to your booking. You are responsible to check that these include:
a. Dive Injury Insurance: covering all risks, costs and expenses likely to be incurred as a result of adiving injury, including but not limited to re-compression chamber treats, air evacuation, andloss or damage to possessions. This insurance should cover all scuba diving or water sports activities that you are likely to undertake during your trip, and
b. Medical Evacuation Insurance: covering all risks, costs and expenses likely to arise froma divingor non-diving injury requiring your evacuation to a place of specialist care, including but not limitedtolow altitude air evacuation; specialist treatment and direct; and indirect losses; and
c. Comprehensive Travel Insurance: that includes changes or cancellation to your travel plans, loss or damage to your luggage and contents.
d. Covid 19: It is your responsibility to check and adhere to all restrictions and tests required by eachdestination country (including transit) with regards to Covid 19. Family Divers will not pay any fees whatsoever relating to your trip being cancelled or curtailed due to you failing to meet Covid19travel/arrival conditions or having to extend your stay or quarantine in any country due to youfailingto meet Covid 19 departure/travel conditions.
Itineraries & Dive Sites: All itineraries and dive sites are subject to various unpredictable changes including weather conditions and changes in local government approval. Whilst Family Divers makeevery effort, we cannot guarantee diving at specific sites. In adverse weather conditions the guidesand captain of the boat will have the final decision about which dive sites to visit to ensure that the
guests, staff and boats safety is not compromised in any way. If in the unfortunate event that divesare missed or dive sites are not reached due to weather conditions or other unforeseeable changes, Family Divers will not offer a refund or compensation.
Diving for Qualified Divers: Family Divers dive guides will provide a detailed and comprehensivedivebriefing before you enter the water with your buddy. When the guide is in the water, they will remain with the group to navigate the site and to look out for any interesting marine life to showyou. The dive guide will not provide any dive training during the dive and you and your buddy divetogether at your own risk. As qualified divers you are responsible for your own and your buddy’s safety during the dive and to plan your dive and dive your plan by using either dive tables or a personal dive computer. You must begin, execute and end the dive with your dive buddy.
Non-diving guests and guests taking part in other water-based activities such as but not limitedto; swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and surfing are done at your ownrisk. When leaving the boat to take part in any water-based activity please ensure you have informedamember of staff so that they can monitor the conditions and are aware that you are no longer onthe boat. Safety equipment is available if you do not have your own.
Children: Children aged 12 years or younger participating in a diving course must be accompaniedbya parent or guardian at the dive centre, boat, poolside, beach and on the boat when the student is inthe water.
Children aged 15 years or younger must always be supervised by a parent or designated responsibleadult whilst on board an Family Divers day diving boat or liveaboard. Children may be acceptedon-board for a full charter, subject to consent from the group leader.
Babies and infants are allowed on board Family Divers day diving boat at the discretion of the DiveCentre Manager whilst considering the comfort of other Family Divers’ guests on-board. The minimum age requirement for RIB or speed boat trips is 8 years old. Places are subject to availabilityand you should discuss options with reservations before confirming your booking. Family Divers cannot provide a legal chaperon service.
Alcohol: Please be aware that the risks associated with diving and water activities are increasedwith the consumption of alcohol or under the influence of a hangover can impair your judgment andwhen scuba diving can increase the risk of decompression sickness. Please drink responsibly, withinyour own limits and act with respect for others and your own safety at all times. Family Divers reserve the right to refuse entry to the water if they believe you are no longer safely in control of your own actions and safety. If the guides deem that you are unfit to dive you will be asked tosit out the dive. Your safety and well-being are paramount so this request by the dive guides will only bemade to avoid accidents.
Behaviour: Anti-social or aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated and individuals who causeadisturbance to other guests may be removed from the liveaboard or diving centre.
FORMS TO COMPLETE
Medicals: All diving guests joining Family Divers Maldives are required to sign a self-declaration medical form.
If you have, or think you have, any of the medical conditions listed you will need signed clearancefrom a doctor valid within 12 months of starting your course. Where doctor’s clearance is needed, we ask you to arrange this before arrival where possible and to bring it with you to avoid any delays, additional costs or cancellation.
Covid 19: If you have been unwell with suspected or confirmed COVID, get a medical professional toconfirm you are fit to dive and bring this with you.
Liability Release: All diving guests are required to produce a valid certification/qualification andsigna completed registration form/waiver, including a diver medical prior to the commencing divingactivities. Please contact info@familydiversmaldives.com for a copy.
YOUR CONSENT
Your Consent to accept our Terms and Conditions is required to proceed with your booking:
Why we need your consent to this agreement? You are contracting with us outside of the countrywhere you reside and we are established Egyptian, Maldivian and Indonesian Companies withour management and assets held in those countries where we do comply with local laws, regulations and practices over the services we provide you with and these local laws, regulations and practices over the services we provide you with may be different from those where you live.
How will we use your consent to this agreement? When you consent to accept this agreement, wewill provide you with our services which are subject to these Terms and Conditions. By proceedingwith your booking, you consent to these terms and conditions.
You have the right to refuse consent to accept our Terms and Conditions. If you refuse to consent toaccept our Terms and Conditions, you should not proceed with your booking.
Should you procced with your booking but later withdraw your consent to accept our Terms andConditions. If later, you withdraw your consent to accept our Terms and Conditions the agreement between us will end as your consent and acceptance of our Terms and Conditions are precedent tous providing our services to you and cancellation charges will apply as per these Terms and Conditions.
