Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Our current policy is

For all guests that have a booking arriving before 31st August 2020, firstly we suggest that you contact your travel insurance company for advice on any cancellation refund available to you for your booking.

If you are unable to access your Travel Insurance, Dream Yacht Charters would like to offer you the following option:

• Reschedule or defer for a later date, for travel up to 31^st December 2021
• There is no fee for changing bookings taking place up to 31^st December 2021
• If the rescheduled booking is more expensive, you will need to pay the difference
• If the booking is less expensive, no refund is applicable

If the booking is due to arrive from 1st September 2020, you have the option to cancel, less the $200 admin fee as they are outside of the 60 days from the date of their arrival. If the booking is less than 60 days to arrival, we will offer you a deferral.

Please do not hesitate to email us at reservations@yachtcharters.com.au if you have any questions.

We are currently still operational in the Whitsundays Base in compliance with Government directives.

SAIL WITH CONFIDENCE – OUR COVID-19 MEASURES

The health and wellbeing of our customers and staff are paramount. Our COVID-19 measures have been designed with the recommendations set out by the World Health Organization (WHO) and ECDC. It minimizes contact with our staff while ensuring you have all you need for an enjoyable vacation.

Our base offices

• Disinfected at the end of every working day
• Regular disinfecting of office surfaces throughout the day
• Cash transaction machines and tablets disinfected after each guest
• Contactless payment preferred
• Each base will display our COVID-19 measures on an information board

Our base staff

• Wear masks when in contact with guests
• Observe social distancing guidelines (2m apart)
• Regular hand disinfection and hand washing

Boat cleaning process

• Fogging with ecologically friendly formula and disinfecting of the interior after return of each charter and before cleaning staff enter the boat, as outlined by WHO and ECDC
• Disinfecting of all inside surfaces with disinfectant and mattresses sanitized
• There is a second fogging with ecologically friendly formula and disinfecting of the interior after cleaning is completed
• Finally, we disinfect the boat exterior and lockers including cushions

Check in and check out processes

• Only one guest/skipper will be allowed in the office (procedures will be conducted outside wherever possible) – the rest of the crew need to observe social distancing guidelines
• Guests will be required to wear masks
• Guests will be asked to sanitize their hands
• For check out, only the skipper can take part in the technical briefing with one of our base team (wearing a face mask and gloves), observing social distancing guidelines. The rest of the crew need to observe social distancing guidelines
• For check in, only the skipper is allowed to be on the pontoon – the rest of the crew need to observe social distancing guidelines

On board hygiene

• Skippers will be supplied with masks and gloves
• Guests will be provided with local emergency numbers
• Each starter pack includes 1x 0.5L bottle of alcohol-based disinfecting agent suitable for hands and surfaces

We look forward to welcoming you on board!

CURRENT STATUS:

QUEENSLAND IS CURRENTLY AT STAGE THREE OF THE ROADMAP

For more information about current restrictions in Queensland, please visit this Queensland Government webpage.

CROSSING THE BORDER

The Queensland Government has implemented enhanced border control measures, including border passes and identification screening.

Any person that has been in a declared COVID-19 hotspot during the past 14 days must not enter Queensland.

All of Victoria and Greater Sydney are currently declared COVID-19 hotspots.

From 1am Saturday 8 August, all local government areas in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) will also be declared COVID-19 hotspots.

See the list of declared COVID-19 hotspots.

If you have been in a hotspot in the 14 days prior to arriving in Queensland:

• Interstate travellers who have been in a COVID-19 hotspot in the 14 days prior to arriving in Queensland will not be granted entry.
• Returning Queensland residents who have been in a COVID-19 hotspot must complete 14 days mandatory hotel quarantine at their own expense. Read more.

If you have not been in a hotspot, but are transiting through a hotspot on your way to Queensland, please see sections 11g, 11h and 11i of the Public Health Direction for details.

All travellers arriving in Queensland, including Queensland residents:

• Must apply for a border pass prior to arriving in Queensland. Details and apply here. 
• This includes anyone arriving by road, rail, air or otherwise.

The Queensland Government’s COVID-19 website provides more details on Queensland’s border restrictions and how to cross the border. 

• Queenslanders can travel within Queensland.
• Queensland’s borders are open to interstate travellers other than those who have been in declared hotspot areas (more details below).
• Australia’s borders remain closed. Only Australian citizens, residents and immediate family members can travel to Australia. Inbound Australian travellers should check the latest updates and travel safety information on the Smart Traveller website. All international arrivals into Australia will be subject to mandatory quarantine for 14 days, and this is at the traveller’s own expense when arriving in Queensland. Australians are banned from travelling overseas.
• Events can be staged in compliance with Approved COVID Safe Plans.
• Tourism experiences, accommodation, dining in restaurants, cafes, pubs, registered or licensed clubs, RSL Clubs, food courts and hotels, nightclubs, beauty therapies and casinos can all operate with required COVID Safe documentation in place. More information here.
• If you are dining or having a drink at a venue or event, you must be seated to consume that food or drink and you must provide your contact details for contact tracing purposes.
• Similar to the way airlines operate, tourism experiences (up to 50 people) can seat guests together during the tourism experience, with 1.5m physical distancing in place at all other times possible. Businesses must comply with the checklist in the updated Queensland Tourism and Accommodation Industry Plan. Larger tourism experiences can still follow the guidelines and principles of the Industry Plan and carry greater capacity subject to available space. More information here.
• Weddings and funerals up to 100 people. More information here.
• Check the status of National Parks areas here.

*Queenslanders who wish to travel interstate should check the relevant State Government border restrictions that may be in place for the state you wish to visit. While Queensland’s borders are open for residents of other states to travel to Queensland, some state borders remain closed to Queenslanders travelling there. Tourism Australia’s travel status map may help.