Refunds & Cancellations
What happens if plans change — clear refund percentages, reschedule rights and our weather guarantee, all in plain English.
Effective: 1 January 2025 · Last reviewed: August 2025
1. Cooling-Off Period
Every booking carries a fourteen-day cooling-off period from the date your deposit is paid. Cancel within that window for a complete refund of all amounts paid — no questions, no fees. We ask for the deposit because it secures your vessel and date, and we honour it because plans genuinely change.
2. Client Cancellations
After the cooling-off period, refunds follow a sliding scale reflecting costs already committed to the vessel and suppliers:
| Notice Before Event | Refund of Total Price |
|---|---|
| More than 90 days | 100% (deposit included) |
| 61–90 days | 75% |
| 31–60 days | 50% |
| 15–30 days | 25% |
| Under 15 days | No refund — reschedule options available |
3. Rescheduling
One free reschedule per booking, available any time up to twenty-one days before the event, to any date within twelve months at equivalent pricing. A second reschedule, or one inside twenty-one days, attracts a $750 rebooking fee reflecting supplier re-commitment costs.
4. Weather Guarantee
If the vessel's master determines conditions are unsafe to sail:
- First option — a full reschedule to a mutually suitable date at no charge.
- Second option — where feasible, the event proceeds dockside aboard the vessel at the pier, with a partial credit reflecting the non-sailed component.
- Third option — a full refund of all amounts paid where neither alternative suits.
The weather guarantee applies to maritime safety determinations only — ordinary rain does not cancel an event, as all gaming salons are fully enclosed and climate-controlled.
5. Cancellations by Us
In the extremely rare case we must cancel for reasons within our control, you receive a full refund of everything paid plus reasonable documented out-of-pocket costs caused by the cancellation. This has happened twice in nine years — both times vessel mechanical failures beyond anyone's control.
6. Partial Services
Where an event is delivered substantially but a contracted element fails (for example, an entertainment act cancelled at short notice), we refund or credit the value of that element by agreement — the whole event is never voided by a single component.
7. Processing
Refunds are processed to the original payment method within ten business days of approval. Bank transfer timing varies by institution — typically two to four additional days to appear.
8. Force Majeure
Events prevented by circumstances beyond either party's control — government directions, port closures, emergencies — qualify for full reschedule or refund at the client's choice, regardless of notice period.
9. How to Request
Email [email protected] with your booking reference, or call +61 3 9646 7215. Cancellations are confirmed in writing within two business days, with the applicable refund calculation itemised. Questions about this policy sit alongside our Terms of Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move my event date?
Yes — one free reschedule per booking up to twenty-one days before the event, to any available date within twelve months.
What happens if it rains on the day?
Rain alone does not stop an event — all gaming salons are enclosed and climate-controlled. Only a maritime safety determination by the vessel's master triggers the weather guarantee, which then offers reschedule, dockside format or full refund.
How quickly are refunds paid?
Within ten business days of approval to the original payment method — most clients see funds inside a week.
Your Trust, Documented
Aussie Cruise Events Melbourne Pty Ltd operates under Australian Consumer Law and the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). Registered office: Station Pier, Waterfront Pl, Port Melbourne VIC 3207.
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