Terms and conditions

Please read our terms and conditions when making a booking.

It is highly recommended to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

Payment is required at time of booking. 

Changes to your booking

For Cougar Line’s scheduled departures, date changes to your booking are possible up to two hours prior to your scheduled departure time, however there may be an amendment fee, and are subject to availability. Depending on intended travel season, differences in scheduled departure times or rates may apply as at the date of rebooking.

For ‘special hire’ private charters, date changes to your booking are possible up to 24 hours prior to your scheduled departure time, and are subject to availability. Depending on intended travel season, rates may apply as at the date of rebooking.

Cougar Line Cancellation Policy

100% tariff charge applies if your booking is cancelled within 48 hours of your scheduled booking, or on the day of your booking.

Cancellations due to Government-imposed travel bans

If your travel plans are interrupted due to Government-imposed travel bans or border closures, you are welcome to transfer your booking to a later date within the next 12 months with no transfer fee. Depending on intended travel season, differences in departure times or rates may apply as at the date of rebooking. Otherwise our standard cancellation policy applies.

Cancellations by Marlborough Tour Company

Marlborough Tour Company Group reserves the right to reschedule or cancel any tours, cruises and accommodation booked if it feels that they cannot be undertaken safely, i.e: bad weather conditions, or if total bookings on a tour or cruise are below minimum numbers. In the event of Marlborough Tour Company Group making a cancellation you will be offered an alternate date or option, or receive a full refund.

All transactions are in New Zealand dollars at the time of making a booking and at the time of making a cancellation, and Marlborough Tour Company Group cannot accept any liability for fluctuation in exchange rates between these transactions taking place.

Luggage

While we take all reasonable care of your luggage, please understand that any luggage is transferred "at limited carriers risk"

We strongly recommend that all luggage should have a waterproof liner and contents in plastic bags, so that in the event of a heavy rainfall when bags are being transferred from boat to jetties your belongings are protected.

The luggage limit is 23kg (2 items per person) There is a $30 charge per additional item, thereafter.

Carriers Liability

  • the Contract and Commercial Law Act (Part 5, Subpart 1) - which covers the carrier's liability for loss or damage to items while they are with the carrier  (Covers unintentional damage or loss caused by the carrier of up to $2,000 (incl GST) per unit
  • the Consumer Guarantees Act which covers any other losses if the carrier doesn't carry out their service with reasonable skill or care (covers intentional damage or loss to the declared value of the goods.

Insurance:

Where your goods are greater than the limited carriers risk, then we would suggest that you organise your own insurance.

Dangerous goods

If you are intending to transport dangerous goods with us, they need to be booked in so that we can transport them appropriately. Dangerous good or hazardous substances include LPG cylinders, petrol and diesel.

We need these goods to be correctly identified, packaged, handled and documented for safe carriage. All fuels must travel in an approved fuel container.

If you are carrying dangerous goods as part of your luggage please advise in your booking, complete the Dangerous Goods Declaration Form or contact us for further assistance.

See the Dangerous Goods page for more information

Bikes and e-bikes

Bikes are transferred at an additional charge of $10 each way for standard mountain bikes, and $15 each way for e-bikes.

QCTLC Land Access Fee - Punga Cove to Davies Bay

If you’re walking or biking between Punga Cove and Davies Bay (near Anakiwa) along the Queen Charlotte Track, you’ll require a Queen Charlotte Track Land Cooperative (QCTLC) pass to access sections of the track that cross private land. Passes are available for purchase from here https://sites.google.com/view/qctlc/buy-passes?authuser=0

Intoxication

For the safety of passengers, staff and partners, Cougar Line - and its partners - reserves the right to:

  • refuse to serve passengers; and
  • cancel cruises,

due to intoxication and without a refund.

In circumstances where staff judge the level of intoxication to be such that it may be unsafe for the individual concerned to travel or for staff or other passengers to travel with that person, the intoxicated guest may be refused entry boarding Cougar Line fleet and asked to find their own return transport at their own cost.

Where property damage is sustained by Cougar Line or its partners, a spoilage fee may be charged.