What To Do If Your Sailing Whitsundays Trip Is Stood Down

A stand down happens when a boat tour is cancelled by the operator. This could be due to a number of reasons; unsafe weather conditions, not enough passengers to fill the seats, or the vessel is having mechanical issues. Stand down decisions are not made lightly and the operators will do what they can to prevent stand downs. 

Stand down decisions are made by the tour operators, not by us at Sailing Whitsundays. We have no influence over decisions made by the operators as we are a travel agency. However, our job is to help you find a suitable alternative so that you still have a great time in the Whitsundays. Below you can find the information on what to do if you trip is unfortunately stood down.

If your tour is stood down due to extreme weather, please allow for a 48 hour response time from our team. We thank you for your patience and hope to find the perfect solution for you during your time in the Whitsundays.

What to do if your trip is stood down

If your trip has been stood down, you will be contacted by either the tour operator or by us at Sailing Whitsundays. If the tour operator notifies you of a stand down, please email us at admin@mr-travel.com so we can reconfirm with the operator before we advise your options. 

Here are your options if your trip has been stood down:

1. We can rebook your tour for another date based on your availability.

2. You can join a different tour. We can check which tours are still running and can see what’s available for you.

3. If you don’t have much more free time during your trip we can offer a travel credit. The travel credit is valid for 2 years and can be used towards any tours or activities that we offer across Australia. You can look at our sister companies, Fraser Tours, East Coast Tours or Cairns Tours for what you might be interested in. The travel credit can also be used by any friends or family.

4. If points 1, 2 or 3 aren't suitable, you may request a refund. Refunds may be subject to administration fees. You can find more information on your ticket under 'Terms and Conditions'. These terms are also displayed on the product page.

Things to note before booking a tour:

• Don't assume your tour will be stood down if the weather is bad. The Whitsundays is located in the tropics where the weather can be unpredictable; hot and sunny one day, windy and wet the next. Luckily, local boat crew are trained to make the most of any weather conditions. Therefore, tours generally go ahead no matter the weather, unless it is deemed unsafe. If the operator has chosen to cancel the tour due to unsafe weather, you will be notified. 

• Ensure you have travel insurance.  

• Go over the terms and conditions addressed at the bottom of each product before you book. It outlines the Sailing Whitsundays refund policies and so on. This can prevent any miscommunications if your trip is stood down and you'd like a refund.

• If you would like to look into tours that are likely to go ahead no matter the weather, check out our list of things to do in the Whitsundays when it's raining!

Things to note if your tour has been stood down:

• Where possible, please refer back to where you booked to discuss your stand down options. For any shop bookings made, please return to the shop to chat to the in-store travel consultants. If you booked online, we advise that you reach out to our online team or send us an email at admin@mr-travel.com to discuss your options. We understand that it may not always be easy to get back in touch with your original booking location. If you are in contact with a different department, please allow a little extra time for the agent responding to familiarise themselves with your situation.

• Let us know as soon as possible what dates you are available for so we can look into alternatives. 

• If opting for a refund, you will be notified via email when your refund has been processed. 

If your questions regarding stand downs still haven't been answered, please reach out to our friendly team of travel agents via email at admin@mr-travel.com our live chat!