FAQs

Unless otherwise stated, all trips depart from Beaumaris Pier. You will need to call at our booking kiosk at least 20 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time to allow sufficient time to collect your boarding cards and pay any balance due. Please have your QR code tickets at hand when you call at the kiosk as this will speed up the check-in process, you will find the link to your tickets at the top of your confirmation or reminder emails, and by following the link in any text messages we send. You can either print the tickets off, or show them on your phone (a screenshot is fine, and may be quicker given the unreliable mobile phone signal in Beaumaris.

Please note: We are unable to delay departure if you are late so please allow sufficient travelling time.

You are strongly advised to bring suitable clothing with you as it is often cooler out at sea and please dress suitably for the weather.

Cruises: We will do our best to get you as close as possible but without disturbing the wildlife. You may want to bring a pair of binoculars with you for that close-up view. And of course, don’t forget your camera!

Fishing: Fishing can by nature we wet so please wear suitable clothes, including appropriate footwear (not flip-flops!) Rod hire is available on all trips, and is free on family fishing trips. You can request to hire a rod for any trip at time of booking, or at any point up to and including departure, and you are free to change your mind at a later time. You can bring your own boat rod and tackle with you if you want but beach casters, carp fishing, or similar rods are unsuitable. Rid hire includes basic bait and we should be able to arrange to supply specific bait upon request, subject to availability: to order any specific bait, please call 01248 810907 at least 5 days before your trip.

All vessels can pose accessibility issues at times so we have prepared a guide to help you judge the potential ease of access for yourself. We think safety comes first, so, unfortunately, coastguard regulations mean that some passengers with reduced mobility may be unable to travel on some vessels. We are currently working to upgrade the fleet so that all passengers can travel, irrespective of their levels of mobility, and once this work is complete we will update our website accordingly.

We will not deny boarding to anyone, irrespective of ability or level of mobility unless would be unsafe to do so. It is not always possible to take all mobility equipment on board, but arrangements for their safe storage can be made if you let us know in advance.

We know that not all disabilities are obvious. If you have any specific needs or requirements, please call ahead of time so we can discuss how best to make your trip memorable, for all the right reasons.

Just so that you’re aware, EU Regulation 1177/2010 does not apply to any of our trips.

Download our Access Statement, and in large print.

Cruises: You are more than welcome to bring dogs with you on the trip, as long as they’re well behaved and on a lead. Larger dogs may struggle to board the boat, and those with small feet may have difficulty on the gangway down to the pontoon. It’s not always appropriate for very large dogs to accompany passengers so we may deny boarding to the largest dogs.

Fishing trips: We only allow assistance dogs on fishing trips, and then only in exceptional circumstances where alternative arrangements are unavailable. We do this as dogs often can’t tolerate the rocking motion of the vessel whilst drifting, and the hooks and sharp knives on board can pose a risk.

Toilets are not available on board the Island Princess or the Starida II so you are strongly advised to make use of the public toilets in town before boarding, a basic toilet is available on board the Sarah Jane Too.

You are more than welcome to bring drinks and snacks on board, please make use of the bins provided or take any rubbish off with you: it is against the law to dispose of any waste (including food waste) into the sea. Tea and coffee are available on most fishing trips of 4 hours or longer. There are no facilities to heat food on board the fishing boats so please bear that in mind when deciding what to bring for lunch.

Each vessel carries enough lifejackets for all passengers, but they are only issued in the event of an emergency.

We strongly advise against wearing lifejackets aboard the fishing boats as the hooks and sharp knives we use can damage the lifejacket and render it ineffective.

All sailings are weather permitting. You are strongly advised to check whether your trip will sail as planned prior to joining us. Full details of how to check will be emailed to you at time of booking, and vary depending on what trip you’ve booked and what time it is due to sail.

Sometimes conditions at home may be different to those in Beaumaris, and sometimes conditions in Beaumaris can be deceptive when it comes to conditions at sea. And beautiful sunshine doesn’t mean that it’s calm at sea! Just because the weather is sunny/calm where you are, do not assume that we will be able to sail as planned, and conditions favourable for one trip doesn’t mean that they are favourable for all trips!

We will attempt to contact everyone as soon as possible in the event of any changes. Where we have to cancel, the cancellation email includes all the information you need to rebook, and anyone that’s not rebooked by the end of the day of the cancelled trip will be refunded, full details are included in the cancellation email.

Sometimes passengers have to cancel their trips for a number of reasons. If this is the case, please let us know as soon as possible: you can let us know by phone or email. Cancellation fees apply to all bookings and these reflect the costs we have incurred resulting from cancellations, & our ability to resell tickets. Full details of the cancellation policy are provided during the booking process & are included in your confirmation email.

To cancel by phone, please call 01248 810379 between 10:00 & 17:00, you can also call 01248 810907 if unable to get through.
To cancel by email, please email book@starida.co.uk, we aim to process all cancellations on the day received but if you have not heard from us within 2 days please call 01248 810907. We’re not always able to access during the summer months so if you are cancelling on the day please call.

Yes.

It is possible to charter any boat for a private trip, please check the respective trip page for full details including maximum passenger numbers. We also have special rates for smaller groups on our cruises, you’ll find details on the respective cruise page.

We offer special rates on group bookings (e.g. extended family groups, coach groups, schools, and other organisations) depending on the number and make up of the group, for more information please check our group booking page or call 01248 810907.

You are more than welcome to keep any fish you catch, but only take enough for what you will use yourself. Returning any unwanted fish to the sea ensures fish stocks remain at sustainable levels for future generations. Minimum size rules apply to all fish caught and special rules apply to certain species at particular times of year. Current rules are available from the Welsh Government’s Marine & Fisheries Division.

Please note: our boats are not commercial fishing boats and our trips are not intended for anything other than leisure fishing. We reserve the right to deny boarding to any person we think may be intending anything different. We do not allow large containers such as buckets or barrels on board any of our fishing trips, however you can bring a cool box, which is recommended for longer (4+ hours) trips.

We usually use lures on family trips, and bait them with mackerel depending on where we’ll be fishing, or outside the mackerel season. Other trips often start off with lures and we use any mackerel caught as bait later on.
If you’d rather use different bait, get in touch at least 5 days before your trip and we’ll do our best to meet your request: please note that bait is subject to availability and we’ll confirm the cost at time of confirmation.