Weather permitting our scheduled Noss Boat Tours operate 7 days a week from April through to October.
We provide daily 2 hour plus tours and our early morning photography tour twice weekly on selected days. Both tours cover the same route with refreshments included at our regular stop. Please check our online calendar for tour start times, availability and you can book/pay online.
All our tours are dependent on sea/weather conditions. If we do have to cancel for this reason, we will contact you via your contact number provided upon booking to offer you an alternative time/tour/date for a boat trip with us. Therefore when making your booking, we ask that you enter the number you will have with you whilst in Shetland.
All Seabirds-and-Seals tours depart from Victoria Pier Slipway in the town centre of Lerwick, ZE1 0EL – just 100mm from the Tourist Information Centre at the Market Cross.
Refreshments are provided on every tour – hot drinks/biscuits, if you have any dietary requirements then please let us know when booking and we will happily accommodate your requests. If booking online, you can enter those details in the sections that is titled ‘Notes/Special Requirements’. If booking with us directly over the phone/email or via the Tourist Information Centre, be sure to mention any requirements.
To Book:
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- Book Online using our easy online booking system, you can pay by debit, credit card or PayPal.
- If you are unable to book online for any reason or do not wish to book online, then not a problem – just contact us via any of the methods below and we will happily book you on and discuss how you would like to pay. We are happy to accept CASH on the day as no card machine at the boat, but plenty of card machines nearby. We can also accept Bank Transfer or we can send you a payment link where you can pay by PayPal, debit or credit card.
- Email: info@seabirds-and-seals.com
- Contact us via our online contact form
- Phone us direct on: +44 (0) 7595 540 224 / (0)7818 455 576 – both numbers contactable on WhatsApp.
- Our very helpful local Tourist Information Centre can also take bookings on our behalf – you can contact them on +44 (0) 1595 693434, where staff will advise on seat availability and make a booking for you – they accept cash and card payments.
Terms & Conditions – Seabirds-and-Seals
The following are terms and conditions for booking a tour with Seabirds-and-Seals. Please note that by booking space(s) on one of our scheduled cruises or by entering into full use of a whole-boat charter, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions outlined below. Any other private charter e.g commercial/survey work etc, these will be arranged separately as the terms outlined below are for our Seabirds-and-Seals daily cruises only.
1: General
Seabirds-and-Seals gives notice that all excursions, trips, tours or arrangements made by us are on condition that we shall not be liable for any death, injury, damage, loss, delay or irregularity by persons or conditions out-with our control. We accept no responsibility for any losses or additional expense due to delays in air, road, rail or other transport services, strikes, war, pandemic, viruses, weather or other causes. We do not accept any liability for any loss, damage, injury or death arising from or connected with the excursion/s no matter how that loss, damage, injury or death is caused, including but not limited to any condition by any customer’s pre-existing medical, physical or psychological condition.
2: Bookings/Payments
You can book our daily advertised tours using our online booking system and pay online – this can be found by visiting www.seabirds-and-seals.com/book-online. If you are unable to book online or do not wish to use our online booking system – not a problem, you can contact us directly and we will happily book you on and discuss your preferred payment method. We are happy to accept CASH on the day as no card machine at the boat, but plenty of card machines nearby. We can also accept Bank Transfer or we can send you a payment link where you can pay by PayPal, debit or credit card.
Seabirds-and-Seals will not consider any tour booking, charter or contract to be fully booked until payment has been received. This can be made using our online booking system on our website www.seabirds-and-seals.com or by other arrangement as agreed by us (Seabirds-and-Seals). We always ask for full contact details, including a contact number when taking bookings as our tours are weather dependent. Please note that we do not store credit card details or share financial details with any 3rd parties.
3: Cancellation & Refunds
Seabirds-and-Seals
Seabirds-and-Seals reserves the right to cancel, alter or change tour timings at any time, due to operational circumstances, adverse weather conditions or if we do not have the required minimum number of 6 passengers. Should this happen – we will endevour to give our customers as much notice as we possibly can and we will do our best to get you re-booked onto a different date/tour. However – if we are unable to offer you any other alternatives – you will be issued with a FULL REFUND.
Customer
If a customer cancels a booking – a FULL REFUND will only be issued if the cancellation is given within 24 hours, prior to the tour departure times. If cancellation is given less than 24hrs – any refunds will be at the discretion of Seabirds-and-Seals.
In our ‘tour descriptions’ – we ask customers to arrive promptly at the advertised tour start time, preferably slightly before – we depart as soon as we have done our introductions and safety briefing. Failure to be at the tour departure point at the advertised tour start time may result in you missing the tour. We reserve the right to maintain our advertised tour start times and leave without you – which will result in no refunds being issued for any missed departures. We advise that you make yourself familiar with our departure location and assess parking areas ahead of your booked tour with us.
If you booked via the Tourist Information Centre and you qualify for a FULL REFUND – they will issue you with your refund, but you will need to call along in person to get your refund processed, we are unable to process their refunds.
4: Gift Vouchers
Gift vouchers can be purchased on an individual or charter basis for any experience, either online, over the telephone or by email/WhatsApp/Messenger.
Vouchers purchased at full RRP are valid for as long as Seabirds-and-Seals Noss Boat Tours still in business. Vouchers may not be redeemed for cash.
Gift vouchers purchased online – will have a digital code, those can be redeemed to book a tour of your choice using our online booking system.
Gift vouchers purchased by contacting us directly – will only have a voucher number – please contact us directly to book a tour of your choice.
Please note that our daily tours run from April through to October.
5: Prices
Prices may change according to fuel price rises – please check website for any changes.
6: Insurance
Seabirds-and-Seals maintains insurance which meets all statutory requirements; we hold marine public liability insurance for our vessel with a Limit of Indemnity of GBP 10 million for injury to third parties including passengers and damage to third party property which is the direct result of our negligence. All and any claims will be governed by The Law Of Scotland and the exclusive jurisdiction of Lerwick Sherriff Court. Seabirds-and-Seals strongly recommend that passengers hold comprehensive and suitable travel, medical and cancellation insurance. The vessel carries full Marine Insurance.
7: Privacy/Complaints
Privacy: Your contact and personal details may be kept by us for future mailings and news. You may opt out of receiving e-mails at any time by contacting us. The booking process asks for your address details and phone number which allows us to contact you. Please note that your financial details are never stored by us. We will not pass on or sell your details to any third parties.
Complaints: In the unlikely event that you have a complaint please report it to us as quickly as possible in order that we may deal with it promptly and, hopefully, to your satisfaction. We hold public liability insurance, including third party liability insurance up to GBP 10 million for injury or damage to third party property. Any action in connection with these trips will be governed by The Laws of Scotland and the exclusive jurisdiction of Lerwick Sherriff Court.
8: Children
No unaccompanied children under the age of sixteen (16) can be carried. All minors under 16 years of age, no matter what their age, are wholly the responsibility of their parents/guardians and must be supervised at all times.
9: Boat Access
Access onto and off our vessel is suitable for persons using wheelchairs, passengers with limited mobility will also find our vessel suitable. Please contact us in advance to discuss you specific needs are we will be more than happy to assist. You can read our published ‘Accessibility Guide’ prior to booking any tour with us, by clicking on the this link: https://www.accessibilityguides.org/content/seabirds-and-seals
10: Safety & Trip Amendments
Seabirds-and-Seals reserves the right, where necessary to deviate from the vessel’s planned route. Please be aware, the sea conditions and tides will on occasion dictate alterations to the publicised map route on our website. Where possible, customers will be advised of any changes prior to sailing Our boat tours are wholly dependent upon weather and sea conditions, and sometimes we regret that it will be necessary to cancel a sailing due to less than favorable conditions or when the skipper deems it unsafe to sail. In which case, we will do our upmost to try and get you booked onto another day/tour, but if we are unable to get you rebooked, you will be given a full refund as outlined in section 2 – bullet point No.1. The final decisions lies with the skipper.
11: Wildlife Sightings
No two voyages are the same – we are always on the lookout for seabirds and seals, as well as keeping our eyes peeled for other marine animals such as otters and cetaceans. We cannot guarantee sightings of any particular bird or animal during our cruises. No liability is accepted by Seabirds-and-Seals for NO sightings of any wildlife species during our cruises and no refund will be issued.
12:Animals
Assistance dogs are fully welcome. Any other requests – not unless with permission, please contact us to discuss.
13. Passengers’ Property
We have a dry storage area inside the cabin – left-hand side forward, where you are welcome to store any belongings/goods and at your own risk. All personal belongings and goods are brought and left on-board the vessel at the passengers own risk. Seabirds-and-Seals does not hold responsibility for any customers’ personal property, effects or valuables during our tours. Given the nature of our tours and equipment usually taken on-board by our customers, we thoroughly recommend that you hold your own insurance policy for your own belongings, such as binoculars and camera equipment that may well be valuable.
14: Misuse Of Drugs/Alcohol
Drugs and Alcohol or other unlawful goods or substances are prohibited on board the vessel at all times and Seabirds-and-Seals shall not be liable or responsible for any breach of this condition by any of the passengers.
15: Behaviour
Seabirds-and-Seals reserve the right to refuse to carry any person whose conduct/manner is felt to be likely to cause offence or upset to other passengers, this also applies to anyone who exhibits behaviour in a way which potentially poses a threat to the health & safety of themselves or other passengers, including staff and crew – no refund will be issued. The skipper has the authority to terminate any cruise before the schedules time if the behaviour of passengers or the general public poses any risk to other guests safety, the safety of the vessel, any equipment onboard the vessel and crew.
16: GDPR
Seabirds-and-Seals are compliant with and will only use any individual information obtained from the customer lawfully in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
17: Emergency Equipment
Seabirds-and-Seals carries a full MCA license, including all the necessary safety equipment, which meets all safety standards. We keep a first aid kit on-board at all times, along with your skipper AND crew being trained in first aid procedures. Seabirds-and-Seals will not be held liable for any first aid provisions and/or lifesaving provided. Please make us aware of any known medical issues prior to tour start date. We ask that you do not interfere with any safety equipment on the vessel – any wilful damage to any of our equipment/vessel – will be fully charged to the customer.
18:Environmental Statement
Ever since the early days of Seabirds and Seals we have been committed to operating our tours in a responsible manner. Our business is wildlife tourism and run by passionate nature-lovers for those with an appreciation of the natural world.. We have a passion for conservation and the need to ensure the long-term protection of species and habitats. We advocate working with local communities and leaving a positive impact on the destinations we visit and this has always been a fundamental part of our business. At all times we adhere to the Nature Scot Marine Code of Conduct and since 1992 we have been the business of choice for conducting winter ornithological and seabird surveys for Aberdeen University’s SOTEAG (Shetland Oil Terminal Environmental Group) and Atlantic Grey Seal surveys for the Scottish Government conservation agency Nature Scot.
19:Governing Law and Jurisdiction
The parties agree that, in entering into any bookings for any trips, tours or arrangements made with Seabirds-and-Seals, these shall always be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of Scotland. In the event of any dispute arising between the parties, both parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of Lerwick Sheriff Court.
Website Privacy Policy
Here at Seabirds and Seals we take data protection very seriously and want to reassure all our website visitors and newsletter subscribers that we will continue to comply with all the current regulations. Below you’ll find information on how we treat data that we collect from visitors, both to our website and when someone subscribes to our newsletter.
Visitors to our Website
When someone visits www.seabirds-and-seals.com we use a third party service, Google Analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour. We do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to our site and what areas they are most interested in. This information is only processed in a way which does not identify anyone. We do not make, or allow Google to make, any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting our website. You can find more information on how cookies are used on this website in the Cookies Policy below.
In the unlikely event we do want to start collecting personally identifiable information through our website, we will ensure you know we are doing it and what we intend to do with it.
Links to Other Web Sites
This privacy notice does not cover the links within this site linking to other websites, and if you have questions about how a site uses your information, you’ll need to check that site’s privacy statement.
Access to Your Personal Information
You are entitled to access the personal information that we hold. Email your request to Marie Fullerton at info@seabirds-and-seals.com.
Changes to this Privacy Notice
We regularly review our privacy notice to ensure it is accurate. This privacy notice was last updated on 9th November 2018.
Cookies Policy
What is a cookie?
Like most websites, www.seabirds-and-seals.com use cookies to collect information. Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information which are downloaded to your personal computer, mobile or other device when you visit a website. Cookies are then sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit, or to another website that recognises that cookie. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognise a user’s device.
How long are cookies stored for?
Persistent cookies – these cookies remain on a user’s device for the period of time specified in the cookie. They are activated each time that the user visits the website that created that particular cookie.
Session cookies – these cookies allow website operators to link the actions of a user during a browser session. A browser session starts when a user opens the browser window and finishes when they close the browser window. Session cookies are created temporarily. Once you close the browser, all session cookies are deleted.
Cookies do lots of different jobs, like letting you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, and generally improve the user experience.
Can I disable cookies?
If you want to disable cookies you need to change your website browser settings to reject cookies. How you can do this will depend on the browser you use.
Depending on which cookies you disable, the website may not operate properly if cookies are switched off.