Cancellation & Refund Policy
Because Backwater Stays collects 100% of your booking total at checkout, we publish default cancellation tiers up front — shown on every boat page before you pay, and adjustable per-operator only within platform guardrails.
| Window before check-in | Refund | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 7+ days before check-in | 90% | Gateway fees deducted |
| 3–7 days before check-in | 50% | |
| Less than 72 hours / no-show | 0% | |
| Peak dates (Dec 20 – Jan 5) | Stricter tier | Shown before payment on the boat page |
| Force majeure / operator cancels / official cruise ban | 100% | Or free reschedule, guest's choice |
Refund timing
Refunds are initiated within 24 hours of approval and credited to your original payment method within 5–7 working days.
Evidence trail
Every booking retains a voucher, boarding confirmation, and communication log in case of a dispute or chargeback.
This policy applies to the default platform tiers. Some operators may offer a more generous policy, which will always be shown on the boat page before payment — never a stricter one than published here.