Bahamas Ferries Ltd.

LEGAL & TERMS

Policies

All policies governing passenger travel, freight shipment, cancellations and special cargo are detailed below. Please read carefully before booking.

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Passenger Policies

1. Definitions

“Carrier” means Bahamas Fast Ferries Services Limited and Bahamas SeaRoad Ltd. as the operator of the vessel and its servants and agents. “Protected Person” means any servant or agent of the carrier in performance of the contract of carriage. “Passengers” includes all persons including infants travelling on a ticket issued by or on behalf of the Carrier. “Vessel” means the vessel on which the Passenger is to be carried. “Luggage” includes all property accompanying the Passenger at terminals and on board the vessel.

2. The Contract of Carriage

The contract of carriage is made between the Carrier and the Passenger and is expressly subject to: (A) These conditions of carriage; (B) The provisions of any legislation compulsorily applicable; (C) The Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their luggage by Sea 1974.

NOTICE – The Athens Convention: Limits the Carrier’s liability for death, personal injury, or loss/damage to luggage. The Athens Convention presumes luggage has been delivered undamaged unless written notice is given to the Carrier (i) in the case of apparent damage, before or at the time of disembarkation; (ii) in the case of non-apparent damage or loss, within 15 days from the date of disembarkation. Luggage is the responsibility of the passenger at all times.

3. Booking for More than One Person

Where a single ticket is issued for a number of passengers, the person to whom the ticket is issued warrants that he/she has authority to contract on behalf of all such passengers and to bind them to these conditions of carriage.

4. Scope of Application

The contract of carriage applies from the time the Passenger embarks on the Carrier’s vessel, throughout the period on board, to disembarkation, including any necessary transfer by sea to and/or from the Carrier’s vessel.

5. Law and Jurisdiction

The contract of carriage shall be governed by English law and disputes shall be determined in England to the exclusion of the jurisdiction of the courts of any other country.

6. Restrictions Concerning Luggage

Passengers are limited to a maximum of two (2) checked bags, each not to exceed 60 linear inches or 50 lbs. A charge for excess or overweight luggage shall be assessed. All carry-on items must weigh no more than 30 lbs. Baggage liability is limited to $400.00 total. The Carrier assumes no liability for electronic equipment, photographic equipment, jewelry, cash, or other valuables. The Carrier may check the Passenger’s luggage at any time for safety reasons.

7. Carrier’s Liability

The Carrier’s liability shall be determined in accordance with English Law. The Carrier shall be entitled to limit liability in accordance with the Athens Convention. In no circumstances shall the Carrier be liable for damage or loss suffered as a result of delay howsoever caused.

8. Liability of Carrier’s Servants, Agents and Independent Contractors

By accepting carriage on these conditions, the Passenger shall be deemed to offer to the Carrier, as agent for any Protected Person, the benefit of every exemption from and limitation of liability provided under these conditions and/or applicable provision of law and/or the Athens Convention.

9. Validity of Ticket

The Passenger’s ticket is valid only for the sailing for which it is sold. All times are indicated in local time. The Carrier shall not be liable for any late arrival and/or sailing of the vessel at either the place of departure or destination.

10. No Show / Cancellation of Tickets

A passenger who will not make a sailing must request to change their reservation no later than 24 hours prior to travel. A ticket once purchased is still valid and can be rebooked within the allotted time. Passengers who change their reservation will incur reissue fees and any cost difference at time of reissue. Passengers who have not given notification within 24 hours will lose the full value of the route. Acceptable notice is via email or confirmation by phone.

11. Cancellation and Alteration by the Carrier

(a) The Carrier reserves the right to vary or cancel a scheduled sailing at any time whatsoever, and shall not be liable for any consequences of the same.

(b) The Carrier shall be entitled to refuse embarkation to any passenger who in the opinion of the Master is unfit to travel due to sickness or infirmity, or who is likely to endanger the safety, comfort or convenience of the vessel, her master, crew and other passengers. Such passengers shall not be entitled to any refund.

(c) The Carrier shall be entitled to delay or cancel the sailing for reasons of force majeure, including without limitation: war or threat of war, riots, civil commotions, disaster, act of God, terrorist activity, natural and nuclear disasters, fire, technical problems with transport, closure of ports, strikes or other industrial action, or weather conditions which in the sole opinion of the Master endanger safety. In the event of such cancellation, the Carrier shall refund all money paid by the Passenger but shall otherwise be under no further obligation.

(d) The Carrier shall be entitled at all times to instruct the Master to deviate from the voyage and/or alter the sailing schedule for the purpose of saving life or property at sea or by reason of force majeure.

12. Cancellation by Passenger, Ticket Validity and Refunds

(a) This ticket is non-refundable.
(b) Tickets are valid for 1 year from date of purchase.
(c) Tickets issued for specific events are valid for event only.

13. Check-in for Sailing

Check-in commences one (1) hour prior to scheduled departure. Passengers holding confirmed reservations shall be given first preference. Passengers who do not claim their reservations at the Check-in Counter at least fifteen (15) minutes before scheduled departure will have their reserved carriage cancelled and will not be eligible for denied boarding compensation. Passengers holding open tickets shall be accommodated on a space-available basis only.

  • Each passenger is allowed one small carry-on. The carry-on must be able to fit comfortably under the seats and is not to be kept in seats.
  • Each paying passenger is allowed two (2) free checked pieces – weight up to 45 pounds. (Restrictions apply.)
  • Passenger extra luggage cost begins at $12 per piece. Oversize luggage and any luggage paid at the vessel begins at $25 per piece. These items are to be properly packaged for shipping.
  • Anything over the two free pieces will incur additional fees.
  • Any meat item not properly packaged will not be accepted.
  • All coolers over 48 quarts are considered oversize and must be shipped as freight.
  • Bicycles, Surfboards and Windsurfers are considered oversized luggage and must be shipped as freight.
  • Televisions, AC Units, Batteries, Car Parts, Construction Materials and Speakers are some of the items considered as freight.

Bahamas Ferries reserves the right to deem if an item presented as luggage can or cannot be accepted as such.

Please note that when booking online with a credit card, the credit card holder will be required to provide the credit card used to process tickets along with a valid government-issued identification.

If you are not going to be present at the time of check-in or ticket collection, please contact our office to request a credit card authorization form. This must be filled out in its entirety and returned prior to travel.

Cancellations & Refunds

In the event the company cancels a sailing due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, Bahamas Ferries will provide passengers with a full refund, or reschedule travel.

Customer Cancellation – International Bookings

  • No shows or cancellations 24 hours or more prior to trip will be subjected to a 50% penalty fee.
  • No shows or cancellations less than 24 hours prior to trip will be subjected to a 100% penalty fee.

Customer Cancellation – Domestic Bookings

Tickets are non-refundable and valid for one year from the date of purchase. No show cancellation policy applies.

  • A passenger who will not make a sailing once they have a booking confirmation must make a request to change their reservation no later than 24 hours prior to travel.
  • A ticket once purchased is still valid and can be rebooked, once notification has been received within the allotted time.
  • Any passenger who changes their reservation will incur reissue fees as well as any changes to the cost of the ticket at the time of reissue.
  • Any passenger who has not given notification within 24 hours will lose the full value of the route of the booking for all NO SHOW passengers.
  • Acceptable notice is via email or confirmation by phone.

Bahamas Ferries will give a refund in the event the company cancels a sailing due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances beyond our control and the client cannot be rescheduled.

However, should the group cancel the trip, fail to complete payment on the deposit, or not meet the guaranteed group count, there will be no refund.

All tickets are non-refundable and valid for one year from the date of issue.

In the event of inclement weather, Bahamas Ferries will reschedule passengers for the next available sailing.

To assure the best possible service when purchasing your tickets, please ensure the following is done prior to completing your purchase:

  • The correct name is on the ticket received.
  • The requested destination, date and time of shipment are correct.
  • In the case of Round-Trip travel, both the OUTWARD and RETURN tickets are received along with the receipt.
  • Please ensure that the correct fares are applied.
  • If tickets are lost or misplaced, the identification of the person who originally purchased the ticket will be required. A new ticket will be printed and the old ticket will no longer be valid. Should the misplaced ticket be located before the expiration date it will still be valid for re-issue at a fee of $77.00.

Non-Operable Vehicles

  • Bahamas Ferries does not transport non-operable vehicles.
  • A non-operable vehicle is one that is not running or incapable of moving under its own power.
  • We do not tow, jump start or enter the hood of a customer’s vehicle.
  • Should a vehicle booked for shipment be non-operable at the time of boarding, every effort will be made to contact the Shipper to mobilize the vehicle. If unsuccessful, the vehicle will not travel and will incur reissue fees to rebook.
  • All vehicles being shipped from Marsh Harbour, Abaco and Freeport, Grand Bahama must have documents of clearance from Bahamas Customs prior to shipping.

⚠ PLEASE NOTE THAT TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

Freight & Cargo Policies

All goods are transported subject to the following conditions. For full Bill of Lading Terms and Conditions, click here to download the PDF.

Vessel Departures Prior to 12 Noon

  • Freight receiving for a particular destination is on the day prior to the vessel’s departure.
  • Goods received after a sailing has reached capacity will be transported on the next available sailing.
  • All freight will be secured in containers overnight with containers loaded onto the ship the following morning.
  • ONLY freight of an emergency nature may be accepted on the morning of departure. These cargos will be transported on deck and Bahamas Ferries accepts NO responsibility for such freight.

Vessel Departures Post 12 Noon

  • Freight receiving is every day (Monday to Friday) and on the day of vessel departure from 8:00am until two (2) hours prior to vessel departure.
  • No freight will be accepted within two (2) hours of vessel departure.
  • All freight will be secured in containers and loaded onto the ship.
  • ONLY freight of an emergency nature may be accepted on the morning of departure. These cargos will be transported on deck and Bahamas Ferries accepts NO responsibility for such freight.

Passenger and vehicle tickets are nonrefundable and valid for one year on the date of purchase. A customer who will not make a sailing must request to change their reservation no later than 24 hours prior to travel. Reissue fees will apply. If notification is not received within 24 hours the ticket will be expired and no longer available for any further changes.

The carrier, its servants and agents shall not be liable for loss, damage, delay or injury caused to any property or person arising out of, or in any way incidental to, the carriage of passengers, vehicles or other goods, or any services ancillary thereto, whether resulting from negligence or misconduct of the carrier, its servants or agents.

  • Any oral representation made by any person concerning the liability of the carrier shall not be binding.
  • All persons shall obey instructions given by employees of Bahamas Ferries Ltd / Bahamas Freight Ltd.
  • The carrier reserves the right to decline transport to any person, vehicle or goods without assigning any reason, or to cancel or vary any scheduled trip without notice.
  • When a Sender presents an unaccompanied package for transport, they must produce a valid Bahamas Government issued photo identification.
  • Cash on Delivery (COD) has been discontinued. Full payment is required for all freight prior to shipment.
  • Any item not received on the island and returned to Nassau will be sent on the next outgoing manifest with the freight cost doubled.
  • Under no circumstances will envelopes containing money, jewelry, or travel documents such as passports be accepted apart from authorized establishments.
  • No cargo will be accepted if not appropriately wrapped/packaged for transportation.
  • All high-valued items must be declared at the time of delivery for shipment.
  • Cheques may only be accepted in accordance with the company Cheque Acceptance Policy. Personal cheques are not accepted.
  • Account shipments must be accompanied by a P.O. for On Account Customers.
  • BF requires notification of all electronic items being shipped for safe transport.
  • On Family Islands – any uncollected items are to be returned to Nassau.
  • In Nassau – any unclaimed items will be held for 48 hours and then discarded. If an item spoils within 48 hours, it will be discarded immediately with no compensation.
  • Bahamas Ferries accepts NO responsibility for freight not collected by the recipient upon the vessel’s arrival.
  • Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are non-freight days, except freight via M/V Bo Hengy III on Saturdays.

Complaints: A completed Customer Complaint Form together with a copy of the ticket, description of goods and report from Agent must be sent to the Director of Freight & Logistics for investigation.

  • All items prepared for shipment must be packed and labeled properly. Bahamas Ferries will not be held responsible for damages due to poor packaging. It is the shipper’s responsibility to adequately pack and protect their goods to ensure safe delivery.
  • The shipper is obliged to properly label each item to prevent delay or errant dispatch. Packages presented for shipping will not be accepted without a telephone contact and the value of content. Bahamas Ferries reserves the right to request proof of said value.
  • The Customer is to ensure that a receipt or voucher is received after each payment.
  • Only company checks are accepted with a valid ID. Bankers’ checks are acceptable.
  • Vehicles and Containers are received on a first come, first served basis.
  • Bahamas Ferries will not be held responsible for items not collected on delivery. If items are requested to be returned to the destination of origin, an additional shipping fee will apply.
  • Frozen items must be collected on arrival to the destination. Bahamas Ferries will not be held responsible for any frozen items NOT collected upon vessel’s arrival.
  • Bahamas Ferries will not accept any claims of loss or damage after items have been collected and left the dock.
  • Bahamas Ferries receives all pre-wrapped pallets as “Said to Contain” (STC) and accepts no responsibility for loss or damage of the items therein.
  • Bahamas Ferries will not transfer freight to any other carrier and will not accept responsibility for damage due to another carrier collecting on a customer’s behalf.

Bahamas Ferries policy as it relates to the shipment of fragile items:

  • If Bahamas Ferries is to receive freight that is Packed by Shipper (PBS), it is the shipper’s responsibility to adequately pack and protect the goods to ensure safe transportation.
  • The shipper is also obliged to properly label each item to prevent delay or errant dispatch.
  • When items are PBS, conditions of contents are unknown by Bahamas Ferries.
  • Due to the fragile nature of such items, Bahamas Ferries assumes no liability for the contents while in our possession.

BF does not accept any responsibility for the storage or transportation of fragile cargo such as glass, mirror, porcelain, ceramic or electronic equipment when not insured for shipment. It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that all cargo is properly packaged.

Download Fragile Waiver Form

To safeguard your shipments from risk or loss, Cargo Insurance is available for shipments valued greater than $300.00.

Should you decide not to purchase cargo insurance, Bahamas Ferries Ltd. will not be liable for loss or damage, and you accept the risk of cargo loss or damage.

Download Insurance Waiver Form (PDF)

The following policy applies to acceptance of native crabs as freight:

  • The shipper must travel on the sailing on which the native crabs will be shipped.
  • The shipper must declare to the Bahamas Ferries Agent their intent to ship crabs as freight.
  • All crabs must travel in a well-ventilated container/package.
  • The booking reference number of the shipper/passenger must be placed on the Bahamas Ferries Freight Voucher.
  • In the event that luggage tags are used to identify bags of crabs for volume shipments, the luggage tag number(s) must also be recorded on the Freight Voucher, which must be signed by the customer upon collection.
  • All luggage tags must be retrieved from the customer at the time of collection.
  • Crabs shipped in a bag or box will be priced at the assigned tariff rates for that destination.
  • Crabs shipped in a crate or pen will be charged at the half pallet rates applicable to that destination.
  • All crab shipments must be prepaid. No Crabs are to be shipped as COD (cash on delivery).
  • Crabs must be collected by the shipper/passenger immediately upon the vessel’s arrival. Bahamas Ferries accepts no liability otherwise.
  • A Freight Department representative or Vessel’s Captain/Mate will have the shipper/passenger sign the Bahamas Ferries Voucher upon arrival as acceptance of the crabs.
  • Bahamas Ferries will accept no responsibility for these items if they are not collected upon the vessel’s arrival.

BF does not accept responsibility for the storage or transportation of perishable cargos such as vegetables, fruit, meat or seafood. A waiver (the shipping receipt, electronic or manual) will be signed by the customer declaring same to be true and releasing Bahamas Ferries Ltd. / Bahamas Freight Ltd. from any liability.

BF requires notification of all electronic items being shipped for safe transport.

BF does not accept any responsibility for fragile cargo such as glass, mirror, porcelain, ceramic or electronic equipment when not insured for shipment. It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure all cargo is properly packaged.

Questions about our policies?

Our customer service team is here to help. Contact us before your journey if you have any questions about ticketing, luggage, freight or special cargo.

Contact Us