The Booking Team are here to answer your queries and take your booking, between 8:30am and 6:00pm Mondays to Fridays and between 09:00am and 5:00pm Saturdays, Sundays, and bank holidays except for a few days over Christmas. We will be delighted to help you choose between boats, bases and routes and also give you up to the minute information about boat availability. If you prefer you can look for yourself on our online boat availability checker. Once you have made up your mind, we will take your booking details and then ask you to let us have a completed booking form and deposit within 7 days. We cannot guarantee to hold a boat for you for longer than this.  Information and booking line          0845 126 4098 (from overseas +44 1905 734168) Click here for our booking forms. After receiving your booking form and deposit we will send you a formal confirmation as well as any publications you may have ordered. Once your balance has been paid you will recieve a Holiday Guide and British Waterways Boaters Guide free of charge which will be especially helpful for first time hirers. The final balance of the cost of the holiday should be paid not later than eight weeks before the start date and can be made online here (Online Balance Payment). There is a 1% charge for payments made by credit card. We look forward to welcoming you for an Alvechurch holiday. Click here for our Conditions of Hire. Additional Charges Explained Compulsory Damage Waiver A non-refundable payment of £45 per boat per booking (not per week) will be added to your invoice and covers you in the event of damage, loss or accident to your boat or its inventory during your holiday. It is non-refundable and avoids the requirement for a damage deposit payment of £500 to cover the insurance excess pending any claims. There are certain exclusions:  Any claims arising from excessive speed (the limit is 4mph)  Damage arising from negligence, malicious or intentional damage to the boat, its inventory, third party property, the canal and its structures.  Damage to the rudder, skeg or transmission due to contact with a lock sill.  Return of the boat late and/or in an unclean condition. Exclusions to Damage Waiver scheme Any claims arising from excessive speed (the speed limit is 4 miles per hour on the canal system). Damage arising from negligence or malicious or intentional damage to the boat, its inventory, third party property, the canal and its structures. Damage to the rudder, skeg or transmission due to contact with a lock sill. Return of the boat late and/or in an unclean condition.

Cancellation Protection Plan (Required)

Cancellation Protection Fees

Once a deposit has been paid and a booking confirmed, a contract exists, and you will be liable for the whole of the hire charge even if you are prevented from taking your holiday. 

The Company have arranged a Cancellation Protection Plan (CPP) against this liability in certain circumstances.

The charge for the CPP is calculated at the rate of 4% of the hire charge payable. CPP payments are not refundable.

The fee is automatically added to the initial payment and will only be
waived if:
a) the whole cost of the holiday is paid on booking and written
confirmation is received that you accept the risk of no refund if
cancellation becomes necessary or
b) if you have a cancellation insurance with cover that is comparable or
exceeds our scheme, and can provide documentary evidence of such at
the time of booking the holiday. Payments for the cancellation
protection plan are not refundable.
Where any of the qualifying circumstances are met, all hire monies paid
will be refunded less the CPP subscription fee and you will be absolved
from liability for any balance of hire payment outstanding. The decision
of The Company on all claims will be final.
 CPP only covers complete cancellation prior to the start of the
holiday. It does not give a partial refund in the event of one or
more persons being unable to take their place in the crew.
 Cover is only provided to those people detailed with names
and addresses shown on the booking form.
 Any claim must be supported by suitable documentary evidence.
 Any claim must be made at the earliest opportunity by
telephone and then be confirmed within seven days by
Recorded Delivery Mail.

Qualifying Circumstances
Death, injury, illness, pregnancy complications or confinement
immediately prior to holiday commencement (certified in all cases by a
qualified registered medical practitioner).
Death, injury, illness, pregnancy complications or confinement (certified
in all cases by a qualified registered medical practitioner) of a near
relative (husband, wife, father, mother, parent-in-law, sister, brother or
child) or a close business associate of any named member of the party
immediately prior to holiday commencement.
Jury or witness service (in a court of law), or redundancy (qualifying for
payment under the Redundancy Payment Act 1965).
Fire, storm, flood, subsidence or malicious damage making the hirer’s
home uninhabitable.
Police requiring the hirer’s presence following burglary at home or place
of business.
Cancelled leave orders in respect of the U.K. police and military
personnel.
Unforeseen occupational posting in respect of the hirer’s present
employment immediately prior to holiday commencement.

With the exception of maternity the above circumstances must occur
after the holiday has been booked and the CPP fee paid.

Personal Holiday Insurance

Benefits Per Person (Summary)
a) Personal baggage and money - up to £1,500
(limit of £150 per single item)
b) Personal accident - over 16s - £5,000 death and permanent total
disablement. Under 16s - £1,000 death and £10,000 permanent
total disablement. 75 and over- no cover.
c) Personal liability up to £2,000,000
d) Medical repatriation in the UK - up to £10,000
A £40 excess under items (a) and (d) applies in respect of each claim
made. Benefit under item (b) is limited in respect of children under 16.
Full details of the terms and benefits of Personal Holiday Insurance will
be sent with your booking form confirmation or on request at any time.

Note: Health Conditions
Whilst this insurance is not subject to a health warranty, all claims are
excluded WHERE AT THE TIME OF TAKING OUT THIS INSURANCE:
a) The insured person is aware of any set of circumstances, which
would reasonably be expected to give rise to a claim.*
b) Any person including those not travelling whose condition may give
rise to a claim:
(i) Is receiving, or on a waiting list for, inpatient treatment in a hospital
or nursing home; or
(ii) Is expected to give birth before, or within 14 weeks of, the date of
arrival home; or
(iii) Is travelling against the medical advice of a Medical Practitioner or
for the purposes of obtaining medical treatment; or
(iv) Has been given a terminal prognosis.
(v) Is suffering, or has suffered, from any diagnosed psychiatric
disorder, anxiety or depression.
* If the insured person has a pre-existing medical condition for which
consultation or treatment has been received within the 6 months prior
to the date of issue of this insurance, the excess under Medical
repatriation is increased to £80.

Pets

There is no extra charge if you want to bring one pet with you, so this
really is a holiday the whole family can enjoy together. The first pet per
boat is free, but we charge £25 for each additional pet.We obviously
request that the boat is returned in a clean and tidy condition and
reserve the right to refuse pets or charge for any additional cleaning or
repairs required as a result of pets being on board during your holiday.

Credit Card Surcharge
Please note that a surcharge of 1% of the payment made will be
applied if a credit card is used. If only part payment is made (eg
deposit) by credit card and the remainder by an alternative method, the
surcharge will only apply to the amount paid by credit card (overseas
debit cards may also incur the 1% surcharge, please check with your
card issuer to verify).