All of the terms and conditions set forth in this Terms of Service page (collectively called “Agreement”) legally binds you and Meridian Private Yachts Technologies, LLC (hereby called “Meridian Private Yachts”) in an agreement. You should agree to all of these terms and conditions for you to use our services and/or associated Application thereof. Included in this Agreement is a binding arbitration clause as well as a class action waiver. The rights of users who are U.S. residents to resolve any dispute with Meridian Private Yachts may be affected by these terms. We urge you to read this Agreement carefully.
When you engage our services or use our Application, you thereby agree to be bound by this Agreement and any future updates that may be added to the Terms of Service of Meridian Private Yachts. At any future time, we have the right to make changes to or update any section of the Agreement. These updates will be effective upon posting. It is your responsibility to regularly check this page for updates. Continued use of our services after these updates have been posted shall mean acknowledgment and consent on your part to these modifications.
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR OUR YACHT CHARTERS
Making arrangements for yacht charters is your responsibility. You may arrange a charter with one of our Dream Yacht Cruise specialists through various methods which include our Application, our website, our phone line or via text message or email.
CONFIRMING THE CHARTER
We will check the availability of the charter you have requested and provide confirmation afterwards. We will then process the necessary documents for your yacht reservation as well as the payment. Please read the details of the booking confirmation and verify its accuracy. You are subjected to our Cancellation Policy after accepting the confirmation. It is your responsibility to double check and verify everything.
PAYING FOR THE CHARTER
Our captains are paid separately.
When using our services, you agree that you will be opening an account with Meridian Private Yachts. You also agree that you will provide us with the pertinent information, including your credit card details to be kept on our file, necessary to proceed with your reservation and payment.
The total price of your reservation as stated on our Application or our website will be processed accordingly.
- If you have confirmed your reservation 10 days before the charter date, we will be charging you with a non-refundable deposit which is equivalent to $1000 or 50% of the total price, whichever is greater. The remaining amount of the total price will be charged to you on the 10th day.
- If you have confirmed your reservation 7 days or less before the charter date, we will charge you the total price.
The fees charged to you by Meridian Private Yachts for our services are non-refundable and due immediately. Our no-refund policy is applicable at all times, whether you may decide to cancel your reservation or we decide to cancel it for any reason, may it be incidental or on purpose.
CHARTER PRICING
Meridian Private Yachts has the right to determine the final prevailing pricing of our services. Please take note that the prices found on our Application or our website may not be the final prevailing prices. It is our sole right to change the fees and pricing at any time as we deem necessary.
We strongly advise you to regularly check our website for any updates in the pricing.
PROMOTIONAL OFFERS
From time to time, we may make promotional offers to any customer of Meridian Private Yachts. These offers have various features and various rates. However, they do not have bearing on your contract or offer unless such offers are made to you.
The terms and conditions covering the invoice, pricing and payment of our services may be updated at any time at our sole discretion.
ADDITIONAL COSTS AND EXPENSES
You might incur additional costs such as the ones listed below:
- ground transportation
- applicable fees for bringing your pets or performing cleaning tasks related to your pets
- special catering requests
- heavy cleaning when necessary
Other services that might have or might have not been specified in the booking confirmation may be billed to you whenever incurred.
A fuel surcharge may be specified or added upon booking if the yacht is traveling at high speeds. Additional expenses will be charged to your credit card on file unless otherwise noted by you.
Meridian Private Yachts will charge your credit card on file with the costs incurred. We will also give you a Final Invoice specifying the incurred charges.
If any due amount remains unpaid for more than 5 days after the due date, Meridian Private Yachts reserves the right to subject the outstanding balance to an interest that may range between 1.5% monthly or the maximum interest allowed by the law.
In case Meridian Private Yachts rejects a payment from you and, as a result, incurs fees due to the payment rejection, it is your responsibility to reimburse the said fees to Meridian Private Yachts.
IDENTIFICATION AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
In compliance to the laws set forth by the USCG or United States Coast Guard, we hereby require all of the guests to present valid identification when boarding our vessels and before departure. Furthermore, guests must follow all USCG guidelines and regulations.
For international charters, we require you to bring proper travel documentations, valid passports, visas, entry documents and other necessary papers. We reserve the right not to allow boarding to those who do not comply with the USCG guidelines and regulations or those with no proper travel documents without recourse.
We need you to provide and furnish us with accurate and specific information of guests for the charter service you have arranged with Meridian Private Yachts no later than 24 hours before departure. These may include passenger count, pets, size and weight of luggage, accommodations and other necessary details for the operation of the yacht.
You thereby agree that you will furnish us with the required information accurately and in a timely manner. If you fail to do so, a delay may happen, we may deny boarding or result to a missed charter. Please take note that a missed charter is considered as a cancellation on your part without notice and applicable cancellation penalties may be incurred.
MISSED CHARTER
We strongly urge our guests to be at the yacht on the scheduled departure time. If it is already 30 minutes after scheduled departure time and yet you are still not at the yacht, this constitutes a missed charter.
You agree that you will be following the scheduled departure and arrival times as stated in the charter itinerary which you might have selected at the time of your booking. Meridian Private Yachts will provide you with the charter itinerary according to the information provided on your booking request.
Our captains are not under any obligation to wait for you but may wait until 1 hour after the scheduled department time. In case you missed your charter, it is your sole responsibility to make alternate arrangements. Meridian Private Yachts will do our best to make these arrangements but for an additional cost. The missed charter will be charged to your credit card on file and the payment shall be made according to the conditions stated in this Agreement.
LIABILITY DISCLAIMER FOR DELAYS OR CANCELLATIONS
Meridian Private Yachts shall not be held responsible for delays or failures in the performance of our services attributed to circumstances not under our control such as acts of God, fire, commotion, riots, labor strikes, unfavorable weather conditions, mechanical problems, legal seizure of vessel, illness of crew members, loss or damage to the vessel and more.
You agree to release Meridian Private Yachts from any claim for any consequential or direct damage caused by the circumstances mentioned above as well as other force majeure events. In case any of these circumstances happen which will result to delays, we will be doing our best to make alternate charter arrangements that are acceptable to you and to our crew. Meridian Private Yachts shall not be pursued for any excess amount you have paid to us.
CONDITION OF THE YACHT
In case there are damages to the interior or exterior of the vessel as a result of your or your guests’ neglect or carelessness, you agree to reimburse us with the applicable costs and expenses for such damages. Your credit card on file will be debited for these costs.
INSURANCE
The insurance coverage will be maintained and is the liability of the yacht owner. Meridian Private Yachts shall not be held liable for claims that may arise related to such yacht.
CAPTAINS AND THEIR QUALIFICATIONS
Meridian Private Yachts has Captain’s Program Requirements that every captain should meet. All of our captains have showed and provided solid proof that they have met these requirements. We do not recommend nor endorse any captain or company. We do not receive any referral fee nor compensation of any form for using these services.
A licensed captain must be on board and maintain command of the vessel all the time. For insurance purposes, at least 1 crew should be on board any Polynesian Class vessel.
BAREBOAT CHARTERS
To complete your reservation for a bareboat charter, you must present us with the following:
- copy of valid USCG Master’s License (Great Lakes) and 50T minimum
- proof of your Captain’s Liability Insurance (the minimum being $1 million as required by Chicago City laws)
- copy of valid TWIC card
- for the captain and crew, proof of enrollment in a USCG-approved drug testing program
You also need to complete a 45-minute checkout cruise aboard one of Meridian Private Yachts‘ vessels which will be part of the rental time. The captain and crew should not consume alcohol before or during the trip.
GENERAL TERMS
This Agreement or your use of our services does not, in any way, establish a partnership, joint venture nor employment between you and Meridian Private Yachts or any other third party. Any provision on the Terms of Service that is held unenforceable or invalid shall be struck but the remaining provisions will be fully enforced. If Meridian Private Yachts fails to enforce such provision, this does not mean that we are waiving such right unless we acknowledge and agree to it in writing.
This Terms of Service supersedes all of the prior oral or written agreements made between all parties involved.
WEATHER POLICY
Through marine forecasts, predictive radar and actual observations, Meridian Private Yachts may delay or cancel your charter whenever necessary. We may proceed with the trip during scattered showers but not during persistent rain, electrical storms or other approaching weather situations that may be deemed dangerous for sea trips.
The delay may last for a maximum of 1 hour before canceling due to weather conditions. During this period, we may allow you to start the party in the yacht while docked until further observations are made and the conditions have cleared. Meridian Private Yachts will immediately notify you whether a delay or cancellation is imminent.
We do not cancel charters in advance. Even if the forecast says that the possibility of rain is high, this may not affect the area where you will be chartered or the time of your charter or may only result to a delay of your charter. In case you do not show up and the conditions are good for charter, we will consider it as a no-show and charge you with the applicable fees.
Charters reserved for special events or those that last 3 hours longer than our standard charters may charter during more inclement weathers for shorter durations.
It is the right of Meridian Private Yachts to cancel charters if we believe that the weather conditions are deemed unfavorable and unsafe, even if the captain, you or the guests believe otherwise. If we cancel your charter due to unfavorable conditions and not due to no-show or your own cancellation, we will refund your deposit with no future obligation.
PARTIAL CHARTERS
When charters are shortened because of circumstances that we cannot control such as unfavorable weather conditions, they are called partial charters. For partial charters, the fees will be prorated.
WAVES
Waves will always be present during chartering. The captain will determine whether chartering is safe through current conditions, weather forecasts and more.
If you are prone to motion sickness, we strongly recommend not to book a charter since returning early to the docks can be impossible, logistically speaking, considering the distance to the docks. In certain cases, it might be advantageous to charter in wave protected areas. If wave protected chartering is comfortable, chartering will not be canceled. In this case, the harbor may be changed to Monroe or DuSable for easier access.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Alcoholic beverages may be brought on board. However, all individuals who will consume alcoholic drinks must be 21 years old and above and assume all the legal consequences of such action. Our captain reserves the right not to allow boarding to any intoxicated guest or return any intoxicated guest to the harbor.
CHILDREN
Meridian Private Yachts need to be sure that there are enough adults on board the yacht to supervise the number of children who are also on board. Kindly inform us of the number of children included in your charter party and their respective ages.
DELAYS
A delay may take place in unforeseen conditions. The delay may last for 1 hour. The charter may be canceled if the delays takes longer than an hour.
The charter will only be delayed if we believe that the conditions will clear within the time period. If you cannot wait for the probable start time of a delayed charter and the conditions have cleared within the hour, we will consider it as a no-show and applicable fees may be charged to you.
RESTRICTED ITEMS
Please take note that the following items are not permitted on board:
- glass – except those used for wines and champagnes
- illegal substances
- dark-colored sauces and/or liquids
The captains of Meridian Private Yachts are bound by the regulations of the USCG to report all those who possess illegal substances immediately. The authorities may board the vessel or wait for us at the harbor to take the necessary actions.
All damages or interruption of the business operations of our yachts due to your possession of illegal substances, for instance the vehicle getting seized by the authorities, will be your sole responsibility.
SWIMMING
It is your discretion and at your own personal risk to go swimming during the charter. You agree to assume all the risks when you go swimming. Our captain has the right to prohibit swimming if the conditions proved unfavorable. We do only allow swimming during full daylight hours.
If you wish to go swimming, please inform us in advance. If you plan to swim for a long time, not just a quick dip, we recommend that you book a charter for a minimum of 3.5 hours for regular boats and 3 hours for our power boats.
Any adult giving permission to a minor to swim is responsible for such minor’s safety. We require the presence of at least 1 adult per child during swimming. Please follow these guidelines strictly. Otherwise, the captain may end your charter early without any refund.
INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR
Our captain has the right to refuse boarding to or return guests to the harbor when their actions or their behaviors:
- make other guests uncomfortable
- the safety of the other guests, the captain and the crew are compromised
- make the captain and the crew unable to concentrate on providing charter service
We will not issue refunds in these situations.
WEBSITE
Meridian Private Yachts does its best to provide clear and accurate content on our website. Any error found on our website with regards to pricing, scheduling and more will be corrected if found. However, we are not liable for these errors. All email confirmations will also be subjected to review for possible errors.
