Reservations canceled by guests before 45 days from the scheduled trip may be credited, rescheduled, or fully refunded. Reservations canceled with 44 to 31 days’ notice may be credited, rescheduled, or refunded 50% of the expedition cost. Reservations canceled within less than 30 days’ are not refundable, but can be rescheduled or credited towards a future expedition if we are able to fill your spot with another guest.
We offer access to specialized inexpensive trip cancellation insurance through our trusted partner, TuGo. This cancellation insurance provides protection against guest cancellations anytime as well as weather related expedition cancellations by ASE, in both cases refunding guests their expedition fee and related travel costs. To purchase visit TuGo
Weather in the Canadian Maritimes is highly variable and can change quickly. We will not risk your enjoyment or the safety of our guests or the shark if the forecast is not looking good for our activities. If this is the case, an email and/or text will be sent out the evening before a trip, so please keep an eye out for an email or text from ASE. If possible, we recommend reserving multiple days to increase your chances of having great weather, not to mention every day at sea is different!
Expedition trips are weather-dependent and require minimum participation to operate. In the event we must cancel a trip due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances, guests will have the option to (1) reschedule their trip to a future date (subject to availability), (2) receive a credit or gift card for the full value of the trip, redeemable towards a future expedition.
No Refunds are provided for ASE-initiated cancellations, even due to weather, thus we strongly recommend that guests unable to reschedule should obtain trip interruption or cancellation insurance through our trusted partner, TUGO.
ASE has partnered with TuGO to provide Trip Insurance options. For guests traveling to Nova Scotia for this expedition, we strongly encourage purchasing Trip Interruption Insurance, which will refund the cost of the expedition and any related travel costs in the event that ASE has to cancel the expedition due to weather and any other unforeseen circumstances.
To obtain a quote, simply go to this exclusive link and enter in your expedition or travel dates, the cost of the expedition and any other related travel expenses if applicable (e.g. hotel, car rental, flight). Select “Trip Interruption Insurance” from the options provided, any other insurance options guests may be interested in, such as medical.
The boat is in constant motion on the open seas and may experience swells, waves, and sudden movements. It’s important for all guests to be prepared for these conditions.
While on every expedition we plan to encounter sharks, nature is unpredictable, and the sharks are wild. As such, we cannot guarantee shark sightings. Little is known about sharks off Nova Scotia, so the search for these mysterious predators is a part of the adventure. Even without a shark sighting, your expedition offers an incredible chance to immerse yourself in the stunning marine environment of Nova Scotia, learn from on-board marine biologists, and contribute to ongoing research.
In the event no sharks are encountered on your expedition, guests will automatically receive a 50% discount on a future expedition.
Our shark cage is 7 ft tall, 8 ft wide, and 3 ft deep. We will hold 3-4 people in the cage at a time, with rotations throughout the trip so everyone who wants to go in the cage has a chance to do so. The duration of rotations in the cage will depend on weather and shark activity, but we anticipate it will average 30 mins per rotation.
Getting in and out of the cage will require use of a ladder, so anyone wishing to do this has to be physically capable of safely entering and exiting the cage and vessel using a ladder.
Since it’s not worth doing something cool unless you can show it off, we will offer ASE apparel for sale at the dock. We will be able to accept credit and debit cards on the boat. However, we also sell our apparel online that can be shipped to you ahead of time so you are decked out during your trip: https://atlanticsharkexp.com/shark-shop/
Eye glasses won’t fit under the dive masks. So if you wear glasses, you will need to use contacts. Another option is purchasing prescription dive masks (we don’t offer these given people have different prescriptions). One thing to consider is that the water does magnify images, which may work for people with low prescriptions.
We provide our cage divers with regulators to breathe surface supply air through hoses. The regulators have a mouthpiece that requires biting down on. If you have dentures, this can be challenging. We suggest using a strong *waterproof* adhesive designed for dentures. Look to purchase a non-zinc-based adhesive for this purpose, as zinc may react with the seawater and pain on the gums.
If you are prone to seasickness or even if you aren’t, we urge you to take sea sickness medicine. The seasickness patch seems to be successful for many people (available on Amazon). Another option are the tablets, but for it to be effective, you should take it the night before the trip as well as the morning of, about 1 hour before departure. Waiting until you feel sick on the boat is too late. We also suggest avoiding coffee just prior to the trip as this seems to contribute to sea sickness (especially Tim Hortons brand – don’t know why).
Please consider donating to increase scientific knowledge, improve public perceptions, and promote the conservation of sharks through research and education.
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