Terms of Service

Cathedral Cove Sea Taxi Limited trading as STAXI NZBN: 9429053720979 Website: staxi.co.nz Email: info@staxi.co.nz Phone: 021 794 761 Registered office: Care of Nicholas Stack, Counter Delivery, Cooks Beach Postcentre, Cooks Beach 3534, New Zealand Effective date: 7 September 2026

These Terms of Service (Terms) apply to all bookings, tickets and travel on services operated by Cathedral Cove Sea Taxi Limited trading as STAXI (we, us, our). By making a booking, paying for a ticket or boarding a STAXI service, you agree to these Terms on your own behalf and on behalf of all passengers in your booking.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude, limit or waive any rights or protections you have under New Zealand law that cannot lawfully be excluded, including under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, Fair Trading Act 1986, Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, Maritime Transport Act 1994, Privacy Act 2020 and Accident Compensation Act 2001.

1. Acceptance of terms and authority for all passengers
1.1 By making a booking, paying for a ticket or boarding a STAXI service, you confirm that you: a. have read and understood these Terms; and b. are authorised to accept these Terms on behalf of all passengers in your booking, including children and infants.
1.2 You must ensure that all passengers in your booking comply with these Terms and with all instructions given by our crew.

2. Bookings, contract formation and confirmation
2.1 You may request a booking through our website, booking partners or other channels we make available from time to time.
2.2 A booking request is an offer only. A binding contract for the relevant service is formed only when we issue a booking confirmation showing that full payment has been received.
2.3 If payment is declined, reversed or not received in full, we may cancel the booking and refuse travel until full cleared payment is received.
2.4 You are responsible for checking that all details on your booking confirmation are correct, including passenger names, dates, times and contact details, and for contacting us promptly if anything is wrong.

3. Tickets and validity
3.1 A ticket or booking confirmation is valid only for the specific service(s), date(s), time(s) and passenger(s) stated on it.
3.2 Where your booking includes an outbound and return sector, each sector is treated as a separate service. Changes, cancellations and refunds may apply differently to each sector as set out in these Terms.
3.3 Tickets are not transferable to another person without our prior approval. We may require proof of identity for any passenger.

4. Prices, currency, GST and surcharges
4.1 Unless we clearly state otherwise, all prices are in New Zealand dollars (NZD) and include New Zealand Goods and Services Tax (GST).
4.2 We may change our prices at any time. The price for your booking is the price shown at the time you complete payment and receive confirmation.
4.3 We may charge a payment surcharge for certain payment methods (for example, credit or debit cards). Any surcharge will be clearly disclosed before you complete payment and will not be more than a reasonable estimate of the cost to us of accepting that payment method.
4.4 We may correct any genuine error in pricing or tax calculation. If we do so after you have paid, you may choose to cancel the affected service for a full refund of the amount you paid for that service.

5. Fraud, misuse and resale
5.1 We may cancel any booking or refuse travel if we reasonably believe it was obtained by fraud, misuse of a payment method, unauthorised use of a card or account, or in breach of these Terms.
5.2 Tickets must not be resold or offered for resale without our prior written consent. We may cancel any ticket that has been resold or used in breach of this clause without refund.

6. Discounts and promotions
6.1 From time to time we may offer discounts, promo codes or special fares. Each offer is subject to its own conditions and may be withdrawn or changed at any time before you complete a booking.
6.2 Discounts and promotions: a. apply only to eligible services and dates; b. are not redeemable for cash; and c. cannot be combined with other offers unless we clearly state otherwise.

7. Passenger categories and capacity
7.1 Our vessel has a maximum capacity of 13 passengers, including infants. We cannot exceed this limit under any circumstances.
7.2 For the purposes of fares and these Terms: a. Infant means a passenger aged 0–2 years (inclusive) on the date of travel; b. Child means a passenger aged 3–15 years (inclusive) on the date of travel; and c. Adult means a passenger aged 16 years or over on the date of travel.
7.3 Infants and children must travel with a responsible adult. We may require proof of age.
7.4 We may refuse boarding or adjust your booking if the number of passengers (including infants) exceeds the booked capacity or the safe capacity of the vessel.

8. Check-in, boarding and late passengers
8.1 Unless we tell you otherwise in writing, you must:
a. arrive at Whitianga Wharf and be ready to board at least 15 minutes before your scheduled departure time; and
b. follow all check-in and boarding instructions given by our crew.
8.2 If you arrive late or are not ready to board at the required time, we may depart without you to protect the safety and timetable of the service.
8.3 Late passengers and no-shows are not entitled to a refund or credit, except where we are required to provide a remedy under New Zealand law.

9. Customer changes, cancellations and refunds
9.1 You may request to change or cancel your booking by contacting us using the details on your booking confirmation or on our website.
9.2 Subject to your rights under New Zealand law and any more generous policy we may apply from time to time, our standard cancellation terms are:
  a. 48 hours or more before the scheduled departure time of the relevant sector: you may cancel and receive a refund of the fare you paid for that sector, less any clearly disclosed non-refundable third-party payment processing charge (for example, a non-refundable card processing fee we have already paid to a payment provider).
  b. 24–48 hours before the scheduled departure time of the relevant sector: you may cancel and receive a 50% refund of the fare you paid for that sector.
  c. Less than 24 hours before the scheduled departure time of the relevant sector: no refund is payable.
9.3 Where your booking includes multiple sectors or services (for example, an outbound and return journey or a package), and you cancel only part of the booking, we may recalculate the fare for the remaining services using the prices that would have applied if those services had been booked on their own. Any refund will be based on the recalculated fare.
9.4 Any approved refund will be processed to the original payment method where reasonably practicable. If that is not possible (for example, because the card has expired), we will work with you to arrange a suitable alternative method.
9.5 Time changes requested by you are subject to availability and any fare difference. We are not obliged to offer a change if the requested service is full or not operating.

10. Changes, delays and cancellations by STAXI
10.1 Maritime operations are affected by factors outside our control, including weather, sea state, tides, visibility, harbour and access conditions, vessel and staff availability, and regulatory requirements.
10.2 The skipper has final authority for the safety of the vessel, passengers and crew. The skipper may, at their reasonable discretion and at any time:
  a. delay departure;
  b. change the route;
  c. shorten or lengthen the journey;
  d. substitute a different vessel;
  e. combine services;
  f. change the scheduled return time; or
  g. cancel a service, where they consider this necessary or desirable for safety, operational or regulatory reasons.
10.3 Where we materially change or cancel a service and no reasonable alternative is available within a reasonable time, you may choose one of the following for the affected service: a. transfer to another available STAXI service; b. a credit valid for at least 12 months from the date of issue; or c. a full refund of the fare you paid for the affected service, including any card payment surcharge paid to us for that service.
10.4 We are not responsible for costs that are not directly related to the affected STAXI service, such as accommodation, flights, other transport, meals or activities, except where we are required to cover such costs under New Zealand law.

11. Safety, conduct and refusal of carriage
11.1 You must follow all safety instructions given by our crew, including instructions about boarding, seating, lifejackets, movement on the vessel and disembarkation.
11.2 For safety and operational reasons, we may refuse to carry you, or require you to leave the vessel or wharf, without refund, if we reasonably believe that you:
  a. are impaired by alcohol, drugs or another condition to the extent that you may present a safety risk or disturb other passengers;
  b. are carrying weapons, dangerous goods or prohibited items without our prior approval;
  c. smoke or vape on board or in other prohibited areas;
  d. interfere with the vessel, its equipment or crew;
  e. behave in an abusive, threatening, offensive or otherwise unacceptable way; or
  f. act recklessly or refuse to follow reasonable instructions.
11.3 Where we exercise our rights under this clause, this does not limit any other rights or remedies we may have under New Zealand law.

12. Inherent maritime risks and health considerations
12.1 Travel by sea involves inherent risks, including movement of the vessel, waves, spray, sudden changes in weather and sea conditions, and the possibility of slips, trips or falls.
12.2 You are responsible for assessing whether travel on our services is suitable for your own health and circumstances, including if you are pregnant, have reduced mobility, have a medical condition or are recovering from injury or surgery.
12.3 If you have any concerns about your ability to travel safely, you should seek medical advice before booking and tell us about any relevant condition when you book or as soon as reasonably possible.
12.4 We will take reasonable steps to accommodate passengers with disabilities, reduced mobility or health conditions, including where you travel with an assistance dog, in line with our health and safety obligations and the practical limits of our vessel and wharf facilities.
12.5 If, acting reasonably, we consider that travel would present an unacceptable safety risk to you, other passengers or crew, we may decline to carry you or may impose reasonable conditions on your travel. We will work with you in good faith to find a suitable alternative or remedy consistent with your rights under New Zealand law.

13. Baggage, personal items and lost property
13.1 You may bring reasonable personal baggage and items on board, subject to space, safety and crew instructions.
13.2 You must not bring hazardous, illegal or unsafe items on board. We may inspect baggage where reasonably necessary for safety or security.
13.3 You are responsible for keeping your own baggage and personal items safe and secure during travel, including when boarding and disembarking.
13.4 If you leave an item on board or at the wharf, we will take reasonable care of any clearly identifiable lost property that we find and will hold it for a reasonable period. You are responsible for contacting us to arrange collection or return, and for any reasonable costs of returning the item to you.

14. Animals
14.1 Animals (other than recognised assistance dogs) may only travel with our prior approval and are always carried at our discretion.

15. Charters and group bookings
15.1 Separate or additional terms may apply to charter services, group bookings or special events. Those terms will be provided to you at the time of booking and will apply in addition to these Terms. If there is any inconsistency, the specific charter or group terms will usually prevail to the extent of the inconsistency.

16. Photography, marketing and privacy of images
16.1 You are welcome to take personal photos and videos during your journey, provided you do so safely and with respect for other passengers and crew.
16.2 From time to time we may take photos or videos on board or at the wharf for marketing or promotional purposes. Where practicable, we will let passengers know when this is happening and will respect any reasonable request not to be prominently featured.
16.3 By participating in any group photos or clearly posed marketing images, you consent to our reasonable use of those images in our marketing materials, website and social media. If you later wish to withdraw your consent, please contact us and we will act reasonably in response, taking into account where and how the images are already in use.

17. Website, intellectual property and acceptable use
17.1 Our website, branding, logos, text, images, graphics, video, audio and other content are protected by intellectual property rights owned or licensed by us.
17.2 You may use our website and online booking tools only for lawful personal or internal business purposes related to booking and using our services.
17.3 You must not, without our prior written consent:
  a. copy, modify, distribute, sell or exploit any part of our website or content, except as allowed by New Zealand law;
  b. use any automated tool (such as a bot, scraper or spider) to access our website in a way that is unreasonable or disruptive;
  c. introduce any virus, malware or other harmful code; or d. attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of our systems.

18. Privacy and data protection
18.1 We collect, use and store personal information about you and other passengers in order to: a. manage bookings and provide our services; b. communicate with you about your booking and related matters; c. improve our services and website; and d. meet our legal, safety and reporting obligations.
18.2 We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 and any privacy statement published on our website from time to time.
18.3 We may share personal information with trusted service providers (for example, payment processors, booking platforms, IT and marketing providers) who help us operate our business. Some of these providers may be located outside New Zealand. Where personal information is processed overseas, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that it is protected by safeguards that are comparable to those under New Zealand privacy law.
18.4 We may also disclose personal information where required or permitted by law, for example to maritime authorities, regulators or emergency services.
18.5 You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information that we hold, subject to the limits in the Privacy Act 2020.

19. Force majeure (events beyond our control)
19.1 We are not responsible for any delay, change or failure to perform our obligations under these Terms to the extent caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including severe weather, natural disasters, major safety incidents, strikes, pandemics, government restrictions, port or harbour closures, or major failures of essential services.
19.2 This clause does not remove or reduce any rights you may have under New Zealand consumer or safety law, including your rights to a refund or other remedy where we are unable to provide a service you have paid for.

20. Consumer rights, reasonable care and limitations of liability
20.1 We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill, and in accordance with our obligations under New Zealand law, including the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and Fair Trading Act 1986 where they apply.
20.2 To the maximum extent permitted by law, and except where we have not used reasonable care and skill or where the law requires otherwise:
  a. our liability for loss or damage arising from or in connection with our services is limited to the amount you paid for the affected service; and
  b. we are not liable for any loss that is indirect, consequential or not reasonably foreseeable, such as loss of profits, loss of opportunity or additional travel or accommodation costs, except where we are required to cover such loss under New Zealand law.
20.3 Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude or limit: a. any rights or remedies you have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, Fair Trading Act 1986, Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, Maritime Transport Act 1994, Privacy Act 2020 or Accident Compensation Act 2001 that cannot lawfully be excluded; or b. any liability we may have for loss or damage caused by our failure to use reasonable care and skill, or by our fraud or deliberate misconduct.
20.4 Where you are acquiring our services for business purposes, and only to the extent permitted by law, we may agree in writing with you to contract out of the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and certain provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1986. Any such agreement will apply only to the extent it is lawful and will not affect your rights as a consumer where those Acts still apply.

21. Chargebacks and recovery of costs
21.1 Refunds will normally be made to the original payment method used for the booking, where reasonably practicable.
21.2 If you raise a chargeback or payment dispute with your bank or card issuer that is false, fraudulent or inconsistent with these Terms or with a refund we have already provided, we may seek to recover from you any reasonable costs we incur in responding to or reversing the chargeback, to the extent permitted by law.

22. Complaints and dispute resolution
22.1 If you have a concern or complaint about our services, please contact us first using the details on your booking confirmation or on our website. We will act reasonably and in good faith to try to resolve the issue with you.
22.2 These Terms do not limit your right to: a. make a complaint to a regulator or maritime authority; b. bring a claim in the Disputes Tribunal or a court of competent jurisdiction; or c. exercise any other rights you may have under New Zealand law.

23. Changes to these Terms
23.1 We may update these Terms from time to time. Any changes will apply only to bookings made after the updated Terms are published on our website, unless we clearly state otherwise and the change is lawful.
23.2 The version of the Terms that applies to your booking is the version in force at the time you completed your booking and payment.

24. Severability
24.1 If any part of these Terms is found to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, that part will be treated as modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, or, if that is not possible, it will be treated as severed from the rest of the Terms.
24.2 The remainder of the Terms will continue in full force and effect.

25. Governing law and jurisdiction
25.1 These Terms, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or our services, are governed by the laws of New Zealand.
25.2 The New Zealand courts have non-exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any such dispute or claim. This means you may also have rights to bring a claim in another forum where New Zealand law allows.