Terms of Use

1. About us and how to contact us

Ferryin is a web and mobile application marketplace (the "Platform") operated by Ferryin, with a place of business at Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines ("we", "us", "our"). We connect users to transportation and other service providers and suppliers such as ferry operators, shipping companies, and other sea, air, and land transportation suppliers ("Merchants").

Contact us: support@ferryin.com

2. About these terms

Our Platform lets you search, compare and book ferry tickets, cargo shipments, boats, vehicle transport and related services (the "Services") provided by independent Merchants. When you book a Service, your booking is also subject to that Merchant's own terms and conditions, which form a separate agreement between you and the Merchant. Where there is any inconsistency between a Merchant's terms and these Terms, these Terms prevail.

By accessing the Platform, creating an account or completing a booking, you agree to be bound by these Terms and any applicable Merchant terms. If you do not agree, you may not use the Platform.

You confirm that you are of legal age and have the capacity to enter into a binding agreement. If you are booking on behalf of others, you confirm you have authority to do so and accept responsibility for every person included in the booking.

We may update these Terms from time to time. Changes take effect when posted, and continued use of the Platform means you accept them.

3. The Platform as a marketplace

Ferryin is a marketplace intermediary and technology platform, not a carrier, tour operator, freight forwarder, insurer, employer or agent of any Merchant. We do not own, operate, crew, drive, maintain, inspect or control any vessel, vehicle or transport service. The contract of carriage or service is directly between the user and the independent Merchant. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Merchant alone is responsible for its service, people, property, conduct, safety and legal compliance.

Verification, document collection, reviews, messaging, payment facilitation, tracking or the appearance of a listing on Ferryin is not an endorsement, guarantee, certification or assumption of a Merchant's duties. Users must exercise reasonable judgment and report suspected misconduct promptly.

4. Using our Platform

Availability

We aim for continuous availability but cannot guarantee uninterrupted access. We may suspend or restrict access for maintenance, security or operational reasons. We are not liable for losses caused by matters beyond our control, including internet failure, system outage or force majeure.

Your account

You must provide accurate, complete information. You are responsible for safeguarding your login credentials and for all activity under your account. Tell us immediately at support@ferryin.com if you suspect unauthorised use.

Prohibited uses

• Using the Platform for any unlawful, fraudulent or unauthorised purpose.
• Impersonating any person or entity, or misrepresenting your identity.
• Transmitting viruses, malware or harmful code.
• Attempting to gain unauthorised access to our systems.
• Reproducing, reselling or misusing Platform content for commercial purposes without our written permission.
• Interfering with the Platform's operation or placing excessive load on our infrastructure.

Intellectual property

All content, trademarks, technology and materials on the Platform are our property or licensed to us. You may view, copy or download content solely for your personal, non-commercial use. All rights reserved.

Crime, fraud and misuse

Ferryin does not authorise or participate in fraud, theft, scams, trafficking, smuggling, assault or any other crime committed by a user, Merchant or third party. Each person remains responsible for their own conduct. We may suspend accounts, preserve records, cooperate with authorities and disclose information where legally permitted or required, but we do not guarantee that identity or document checks will detect every offence or dishonest act.

5. Booking process and confirmation

Information accuracy

You are responsible for the accuracy of every detail you provide when booking - passenger names, identification, contact information, dates and cargo descriptions. Mismatched identification may prevent boarding or cargo acceptance, and we are not liable for that outcome.

Availability and confirmation

Services are subject to availability as confirmed by the Merchant at the time of booking. Information shown comes from Merchant data, and we do not guarantee the absolute accuracy of schedules, routes, stops or vessel and vehicle details.

Once a booking is confirmed you will receive a confirmation notice. Check the details immediately and tell us about any discrepancy. We will help seek corrections but cannot guarantee that the Merchant will approve changes.

Payment and fees

Prices are set by the Merchant. We may charge a service fee or commission, shown clearly before checkout. Payment processing is handled by authorised payment providers, and bookings must be paid in full according to the terms displayed at checkout.

Refunds are processed to the original payment method, subject to the Merchant's cancellation policy and applicable terms. We are not responsible for payment provider delays or fees.

6. Your responsibilities before travel or shipment

• You are solely responsible for obtaining valid travel documents, identification, visas, permits and any required vaccinations or clearances, including Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) requirements.
• Check travel advisories, port conditions, weather warnings and Merchant requirements before departure.
• Arrive at the port or check-in location with enough time to spare. Failure to arrive on time results in forfeiture of the booking with no obligation to refund.
• Comply with all Merchant rules, vessel and vehicle regulations, and the laws of the port, departure and destination jurisdictions.
• Cargo shippers must accurately declare contents, weight, value and hazardous materials status. Improper or undeclared cargo may be refused, seized or penalised, and you indemnify us for losses arising from inaccurate or prohibited cargo.

7. Cancellation, changes and refunds

Cancellation, amendment and refund policies vary by Merchant and are shown during booking. Those policies - not these Terms - govern your booking. We act only as an intermediary to facilitate requests and have no authority to grant refunds or change policies set by the Merchant.

Where a refund is permitted, it will be processed within a reasonable timeframe to the original payment method. We do not guarantee refund approval.

8. Merchant commitments and standards

These commitments apply to every Merchant that creates, publishes or fulfils a listing on Ferryin. A Merchant must ensure that its owners, employees, drivers, crew and subcontractors follow them.

Licences, permits and legal operation

• Maintain all registrations, franchises, permits, certificates and professional licences required for the listed service. Sea operators must maintain applicable MARINA authority and Philippine Coast Guard compliance; land operators must maintain applicable LTO registration, LTFRB authority and professional driver's licences.
• Provide evidence of authority, registration, inspection, insurance or identity when Ferryin reasonably requests it, and notify Ferryin immediately if any approval is suspended, expires or is revoked.
• Comply with all transport, safety, labour, tax, consumer protection, accessibility, data protection, port and local laws that apply to the service.
• Provide Ferryin with licences, permits, registrations, certifications, inspection records, insurance evidence and beneficial-owner or identity documents requested for verification, legal, safety, payment or regulatory purposes. Ferryin may pause, reject or remove a listing while documents are missing, expired, unverifiable or under review.

Safety, insurance and capacity

• Keep every vessel and vehicle seaworthy or roadworthy, properly maintained, clean and equipped with legally required safety and life-saving equipment.
• At the Merchant's cost, maintain legally required and commercially adequate accident and liability insurance covering passengers, crew, drivers, cargo, baggage, vehicles, vessels and third parties, as applicable to the service. The Merchant is solely responsible for claims, deductibles, exclusions and any uninsured loss.
• Use qualified, properly licensed and fit-for-duty drivers and crew. Alcohol, illegal drugs, reckless operation and unsafe conduct are prohibited.
• Never exceed the certified passenger, seating, cargo, weight or tonnage capacity. Offline bookings must also be counted when deciding whether capacity remains available.

Accurate listings, availability and instant bookings

• Keep titles, descriptions, photos, destinations, schedules, capacity, inclusions, exclusions, policies and prices complete, accurate and current.
• A published instant-booking listing represents that the stated service and capacity are available. Full customer payment immediately creates a confirmed booking and a binding commitment by the Merchant to provide the service.
• Immediately update availability or switch off Publish in marketplace when a service is full, unavailable, under maintenance or booked elsewhere. Double-booking, change of mind or a better off-platform offer does not excuse cancellation.

Pending on request bookings

• Where Ferryin expressly labels a service as Pending on Request or Request to Book, payment may be received while Merchant confirmation is pending. The Merchant must accept or decline within the response period shown to the customer, or within 24 hours if no other period is shown.
• Acceptance makes the booking confirmed and subject to the Merchant non-cancellation commitments. If the Merchant declines or does not respond on time, the request expires and Ferryin will initiate a full refund to the original payment method without customer penalty.
• A Merchant must not leave requests pending to hold capacity, pressure a customer to pay elsewhere or wait for a higher-priced booking. Repeated declines or unanswered requests may lead to ranking restrictions, suspension or removal.

Merchant cancellations, disruption and re-accommodation

• A Merchant must not cancel a confirmed booking except for a documented safety emergency, government or port order, severe weather restriction, certified mechanical failure or another event genuinely beyond reasonable control.
• The Merchant must notify affected customers immediately through available contact details and Ferryin messaging, explain the reason and provide supporting evidence when requested.
• For an unauthorised Merchant cancellation, the customer is entitled to a full refund. The Merchant must make reasonable commercial efforts to offer an equivalent rebooking or alternative service without additional charge.
• Unauthorised or repeated cancellations may result in payment-processing or administrative costs being charged to the Merchant, withheld payouts, lower marketplace visibility, suspension or termination, subject to applicable law.
• If departure is delayed or moved by more than two hours, the Merchant must offer the customer a full refund or rebooking without penalty, unless a different remedy is required by law.

Prices, discounts, taxes and payments

• Display the full price and clearly disclose any customer-paid exclusions before booking. Merchants must not demand undisclosed cash top-ups, compulsory tips, fuel charges, tolls, terminal fees or baggage charges at pickup or boarding.
• Honor every discount enabled on the listing and all discounts required by Philippine law, including applicable senior citizen, person with disability and student discounts, upon presentation of valid proof.
• Issue any official receipt or tax invoice required from the Merchant as the primary service provider and meet all BIR and other tax obligations. Ferryin issues documentation only for Ferryin's own fees where applicable.
• Do not solicit Ferryin customers to cancel, pay offline or transact outside the Platform to avoid fees, safeguards or records. Pending payouts may be withheld while suspected fraud, chargebacks, refunds or circumvention are investigated.

Customer care, manifests and check-in

• Respond promptly and professionally to booking questions, schedule changes, complaints and emergencies, and provide accurate pickup, boarding, check-in and cargo instructions.
• Investigate and resolve customer complaints, service failures, injury, loss, property damage, cargo claims and third-party claims arising from the Merchant's service. Ferryin may facilitate communication or review records but does not become responsible for the underlying claim.
• Verify passenger identities, booking references and required documents, maintain accurate manifests where required, and use the Ferryin QR or booking-reference check-in process when available.
• Protect customer and passenger information, use it only to fulfil the booking or meet legal duties, and do not disclose, market to or retain it beyond what is permitted by the Privacy Policy and applicable law.
• Treat customers fairly and without unlawful discrimination, provide the service advertised, and never harass, threaten, mislead or pressure a customer.

Cargo and prohibited activity

• Follow applicable cargo acceptance, dangerous goods, weight, documentation, security and chain-of-custody rules, and refuse cargo where carriage would be unsafe or unlawful.
• Do not create false listings or reviews, manipulate availability or prices, misuse customer data, evade Platform controls, or use Ferryin for unlawful, fraudulent or unsafe activity.
• Cooperate with reasonable investigations, refund reviews, safety incidents, complaints and lawful requests from Ferryin or public authorities.

9. User-generated content

You may submit listings, descriptions, routes, reviews, comments, messages, photos, videos, logos and other content. You retain any ownership you have, but grant Ferryin and its service providers a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, transferable, sublicensable and royalty-free licence to host, store, reproduce, edit, adapt, translate, publish, display, distribute and use that content to operate, improve and promote Ferryin, including in Ferryin marketing, social media and advertisements placed through third-party advertising channels.

You represent that you own the content or have all permissions, releases and consents needed to upload and license it, including permission from identifiable people and rights in vessels, vehicles, locations, brands and copyrighted works shown. You must not upload misleading, unlawful, defamatory, infringing, unsafe or privacy-violating content. You are responsible for claims arising from your content, and Ferryin may remove, restrict or preserve it at its discretion or as required by law.

10. Privacy

Your personal information is handled in line with our Privacy Policy. It explains what we collect, why, what we never do with your data, and how to delete your account. By using our services you consent to those data practices.

Read our Privacy Policy

11. Liability and disclaimers

We are not the carrier

Ferryin facilitates bookings between you and Merchants. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the performance, safety, schedules, operations, conduct, cancellations, delays, service quality or policies of any Merchant or operator. Merchants are independent contractors, not our agents or employees.

Disclaimers

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• The Platform and Services are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind.
• We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of information provided by Merchants.
• We are not liable for crime, fraud, theft, scams, assault or other misconduct by a Merchant, user, passenger, crew member, driver, contractor or third party.
• We are not liable for accidents, collision, grounding, fire, injury, illness, death, cargo loss, theft, vehicle or vessel damage, baggage loss, environmental harm or other loss arising from a Merchant's transport service.
• We are not liable for schedule changes, delays, cancellations, missed connections, denied boarding, overbooking, route changes or service quality.
• We are not responsible for a Merchant's licences, permits, regulatory compliance, insurance coverage, claim handling, customer complaints or third-party liability, even where we requested or reviewed documents.
• We are not liable for loss of profit, business interruption, or indirect, consequential or punitive damages.
• Our total aggregate liability under these Terms is limited to the service fees paid to us for the relevant booking.

Force majeure

We and our Merchants are excused from performance or liability for delays, cancellations or failures caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control - including weather, natural disaster, pandemic, war, security events, labour disruption, government action, port closure or safety emergencies.

Mandatory legal rights

Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limits mandatory consumer rights. Every exclusion and limitation applies only to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Ferryin, its officers, founders and staff from any claim, liability, loss or expense arising from:

• Your breach of these Terms.
• Inaccurate information provided by you.
• Misconduct during travel or shipment.
• Cargo violations or improper declaration.
• Violation of applicable laws or Merchant rules.
• Your content, listings or uploaded photos, including any infringement of intellectual-property, privacy or publicity rights.
• Your service, personnel, accident, insurance failure, complaint, regulatory breach or third-party claim if you are a Merchant.

13. Governing law and disputes

These Terms and any dispute arising from them are governed by the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, and any legal action shall be brought before the competent courts of Cebu, Philippines. Nothing here deprives you of mandatory consumer protection rights that apply in your jurisdiction.

14. General

• If any provision is found unenforceable, the remainder continues in effect.
• Headings are for convenience only.
• No waiver of any provision shall be deemed a further waiver.
• These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Ferryin.
• We may assign these Terms; you may not assign your rights without our consent.