Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using SlowBoat's services, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"), our Privacy Policy, and all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using or accessing our services.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and SlowBoat Pty Ltd ("SlowBoat", "we", "us", or "our"). They apply to all visitors, users, and others who access or use our platform, including our website, mobile applications, and AI travel assistant.

We may update these Terms from time to time. Your continued use of our services after any changes indicates your acceptance of the modified Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.

2. Eligibility

To use SlowBoat services, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age, or the age of majority in your jurisdiction
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract
• Not be prohibited from using our services under applicable laws
• Provide accurate and complete registration information
• Not have been previously suspended or removed from our platform

If you are using our services on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

Parents and guardians are responsible for monitoring minors' use of our services. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 16.

3. Description of Service

SlowBoat provides an AI-powered travel discovery platform that helps travelers find and book experiences. Our services include:

• AI Travel Assistant: Personalized travel recommendations through conversational AI
• Experience Aggregation: Comparison of tours, activities, and experiences from multiple providers
• Booking Facilitation: Seamless redirection to partner platforms for completing transactions
• Destination Information: Curated content about destinations, attractions, and local insights
• Itinerary Planning: AI-assisted trip planning and scheduling tools

Important: SlowBoat acts as an intermediary and information service only. We do not directly provide travel services, operate tours, or process payments for bookings. All travel services are provided by third-party partners, and bookings are processed through their respective platforms.

4. User Accounts

When you create an account with SlowBoat, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration
• Maintain and promptly update your account information
• Keep your password confidential and secure
• Accept responsibility for all activities under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access or security breach
• Not share your account credentials with others
• Not create multiple accounts for deceptive purposes

We reserve the right to suspend, disable, or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or for any other reason at our reasonable discretion. Account termination does not affect obligations incurred prior to termination.

5. Prohibited Uses

You agree not to use SlowBoat services for any unlawful purpose or in violation of these Terms. Prohibited activities include:

6. Bookings and Payments

When you make a booking through SlowBoat, you understand and agree that:

• You will be redirected to our partner's platform (e.g., GetYourGuide, Klook) to complete the transaction
• Payment processing is handled entirely by the respective partner platform
• Pricing, availability, and booking terms are set by the partner and tour operator
• Cancellation, refund, and modification policies are governed by the partner's terms
• SlowBoat does not hold or process your payment information
• Currency conversion rates and fees are determined by the partner and your payment provider

SlowBoat is not responsible for any issues arising from transactions processed by our partners, including but not limited to payment disputes, booking errors, or service quality. For booking-related issues, please contact the relevant partner directly.

7. Traveler Responsibilities

As a traveler using our platform, you are solely responsible for:

8. Third-Party Services and Partner Terms

Our platform integrates with and links to third-party services. When you use these services, you agree to the following:

• Booking Partners: GetYourGuide, Klook, and other booking platforms have their own terms of service that govern your bookings
• Tour Operators: Individual tour and activity providers have additional terms, cancellation policies, and liability limitations
• Payment Processors: Stripe, PayPal, and other payment services have separate terms and privacy policies
• Third-Party Content: Reviews, ratings, and content from external sources are not endorsed by SlowBoat

You must review and accept the terms of third-party services before completing any transaction. SlowBoat is not a party to agreements between you and third-party providers.

We are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of third-party content, services, or products. Links to third-party websites do not imply endorsement.

9. AI-Powered Recommendations

Our AI travel assistant provides recommendations based on your inputs, preferences, and available data. By using our AI features, you acknowledge and agree:

• AI recommendations are suggestions only and should not be considered professional travel advice
• Information provided may not always be current, accurate, or complete
• AI responses are generated algorithmically and may contain errors or inconsistencies
• We recommend independently verifying important details with booking providers
• AI capabilities and responses may vary and are subject to technological limitations
• We continuously improve our AI but cannot guarantee specific outcomes

SlowBoat shall not be liable for any decisions made based on AI recommendations, including but not limited to booking choices, travel plans, or financial decisions. You retain full responsibility for evaluating and acting on any information provided.

10. Intellectual Property

The SlowBoat platform and its original content, features, functionality, and branding are owned by SlowBoat Pty Ltd and are protected by international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not:

• Copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works of our content without permission
• Use our trademarks, logos, or branding without written authorization
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract our source code
• Remove or alter any proprietary notices or labels
• Use our intellectual property for commercial purposes without a license

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use our platform for personal, non-commercial purposes in accordance with these Terms. This license does not include any resale or commercial use of our services or content.

11. User Content

You may submit reviews, comments, photos, or other content ("User Content") to our platform. By submitting User Content, you:

• Grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual license to use, display, reproduce, modify, and distribute your content
• Represent that you own or have the necessary rights to submit the content
• Agree that your content does not violate any third-party rights
• Understand that your content may be visible to other users
• Accept that we may edit, remove, or refuse to display your content

You agree not to submit User Content that:

• Is false, misleading, or fraudulent
• Is defamatory, obscene, offensive, or hateful
• Infringes intellectual property or privacy rights
• Contains personal information about others without consent
• Promotes illegal activities or violence
• Contains spam, advertising, or promotional material

We reserve the right to remove any User Content that violates these Terms without notice.

12. Affiliate Relationships

SlowBoat participates in affiliate programs with travel booking platforms. This means:

• We may receive commissions when you make bookings through our links
• Affiliate relationships do not affect the price you pay
• Our recommendations are based primarily on relevance, quality, and user preferences
• We clearly identify when you are being redirected to a partner site
• Commission structures may vary between partners and products

While affiliate commissions help support our platform, they do not influence the ranking or availability of recommendations in our AI assistant. We are committed to providing objective travel advice.

13. Warranty Disclaimer

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, SLOWBOAT PROVIDES ITS SERVICES "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE.

We specifically disclaim all implied warranties including:

• Merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
• Non-infringement of third-party rights
• Accuracy, reliability, or completeness of information
• Uninterrupted or error-free operation
• Security from viruses or harmful components
• Results from using our services

We do not warrant that our services will meet your requirements, that results will be accurate or reliable, or that any errors will be corrected. Your use of our services is at your sole risk.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties, so some of the above exclusions may not apply to you.

14. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, SLOWBOAT AND ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AND AFFILIATES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

• Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or business opportunities
• Personal injury or property damage resulting from travel activities
• Issues arising from third-party services or partner platforms
• Travel disruptions, cancellations, or changes beyond our control
• Errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in AI-generated recommendations
• Unauthorized access to or alteration of your data
• Any matter beyond our reasonable control

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY EXCEED THE GREATER OF: (A) THE AMOUNT PAID BY YOU TO SLOWBOAT IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS (AUD $100).

These limitations apply regardless of the legal theory, whether based on contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or otherwise, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the limitation or exclusion of liability for certain damages. In such jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless SlowBoat, its parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, and partners from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from or related to:

• Your use of or access to our services
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any third-party rights, including intellectual property or privacy rights
• User Content you submit to our platform
• Your travel activities and interactions with third-party providers
• Any misrepresentation made by you
• Your negligent or wrongful conduct

We reserve the right to assume exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification by you, in which case you agree to cooperate with our defense.

16. Dispute Resolution

We encourage you to contact us first to resolve any disputes informally. Most concerns can be resolved quickly through our customer support.

17. Force Majeure

SlowBoat shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control ("Force Majeure Events"), including but not limited to:

• Natural disasters, acts of God, or extreme weather events
• War, terrorism, civil unrest, or armed conflict
• Pandemics, epidemics, or public health emergencies
• Government actions, embargoes, or sanctions
• Strikes, labor disputes, or work stoppages
• Internet or telecommunications failures
• Cyberattacks or security incidents
• Third-party service provider failures

During Force Majeure Events, our obligations are suspended for the duration of the event. We will make reasonable efforts to resume services as soon as practicable.

18. Modifications to Service and Terms

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of our service at any time. This includes:

• Adding, changing, or removing features and functionality
• Updating pricing or introducing new fees
• Modifying or discontinuing partner integrations
• Changing system requirements or platform availability
• Updating these Terms of Service

Material changes to these Terms will be communicated via email or prominent notice on our platform at least 30 days before taking effect, unless changes are required by law or for security reasons.

Your continued use of our services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you must stop using our services.

19. Governing Law and Language

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Victoria, Australia, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply to these Terms.

• English is the governing language for these Terms
• Any translations are provided for convenience only
• In case of conflict, the English version prevails
• All communications and notices shall be in English

20. General Provisions

• Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other referenced policies, constitute the entire agreement between you and SlowBoat
• Severability: If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full effect
• Waiver: Our failure to enforce any provision does not waive our right to enforce it later
• Assignment: You may not assign these Terms without our consent; we may assign our rights freely
• No Third-Party Beneficiaries: These Terms do not create rights for any third party
• Notices: We may provide notices via email, website posting, or in-app notifications
• Survival: Provisions regarding intellectual property, limitation of liability, indemnification, and dispute resolution survive termination

21. Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

• Email: service@slowboat.com.au
• Address: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Response time: Within 30 business days

For booking-related inquiries, please contact the relevant partner platform directly.

For urgent matters, please include "URGENT" in your email subject line.