General Terms of Sale

The M/V Thomas Laighton is a United States Coast Guard inspected vessel, and holds a mandatory NH State Liquor License. Therefore, the Isles of Shoals Steamship Co. abides by all rules, regulations, and laws as required by the USCG, Homeland Security, and the NH Liquor Commission. There is a zero tolerance for illegal substances. Large bags, coolers, and backpacks are not permitted on the vessel, and all persons and the possessions are subject to search. Individuals found with illegal substances will be turned over to the local authorities. We thank you for respecting these so we may provide a safe and enjoyable cruise. As a passenger, you understand that pictures taken may be used for promotional purposes. For party cruises, have your state-issued ID ready to present to the captain prior to boarding in addition to your ticket.

Online Ticket Purchases

Security Policy

Your online payment and personal information is always safe. Our Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software is the industry standard and among the best software available today for secure commerce transactions. It encrypts all of your personal information, including credit card number, name and address, so that it cannot be read over the internet.

All Tours and Cruises

Arrival

  • Please plan to arrive at least 1/2 hour prior to departure time. Upon arrival, you may proceed directly to boarding line with the ticket that will be emailed to you once you make the purchase. The ticket will be your boarding pass and will allow the purchaser and their party to enter the vessel once the captain permits to do so.
  • For the purchaser's convenience, limited dockside parking is available on site for $5.00. There is a parking garage located uptown on Hanover Street for $1 per hour. Also street parking available throughout Portsmouth as well for $1.25 per hour (Free after 7 pm and on Sundays).

Sightseeing Tours

Cancellations

  • In the event that a cruise is cancelled by the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company, all monies will be refunded to the ticket purchaser within 24-48 hours after the cancelled trip. Authorize.Net will refund or credit your account the exact dollar amount that you purchased initially.
  • The Isles of Shoals Steamship Company will do everything possible to notify you the purchaser that the cruise has been cancelled as soon as possible. When the purchaser enters his or her contact information into the contact form, the purchaser must provide the best phone number to reach him or her as well as a valid email address. Failure to do so will not allow the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company to notify the purchaser of any changes to the scheduled trip they purchased tickets for.
  • Because we are dependent on Mother Nature, and at the mercy of the weather, there rarely will be instances when trips could be cancelled just prior to boarding at the captain's discretion due to unforeseen fog, thunderstorms, and/or dangerous winds. Of course, The Isles of Shoals Steamship will refund the purchaser of the initial total of his/her purchase within 24-48 hours of the scheduled cruise time.
  • If we do cancel your tour and the purchaser reschedules. Said purchaser will be permitted to cancel their new reservation at anytime and be completely refunded for the original amount of the purchase.

Star Island Walking Tours (Walkabout and Stopover)

Although the M/V Thomas Laighton is ADA compliant and has multiple entry points for passengers who utilize wheelchairs, the tides may have an effect for these passengers. Some trips to Star Island will require the vessel's captain to disembark all passengers from a different deck then the passenger originally boarded on. This may result in the inability for passengers who utilize wheelchairs to disembark. Please call the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company during our normal business hours (10:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST) if this may be a problem for your party.

Time & Date Changes

In the event the seas outside of Portsmouth Harbor are too rough to offer an Isles of Shoals & Portsmouth Harbor Tour, Star Island Walkabout, or Star Island Stopover; our Captains reserve the right to offer a Portsmouth Harbor and Inland River Cruise as an alternative. If the purchaser chooses to cancel at the time he/she is notified, he/she may do so at that time with a full refund.

In the rare situation that the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company changes the departure time and/or the arrival time of the cruise after the purchase of your tickets, The Isles of Shoals Steamship Company will do everything possible to contact the purchaser of the event change. If the purchaser can no longer attend the event at the changed time, The Isles of Shoals Steamship Company will issue a full refund within 24-48 hours after the purchaser notifies the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company.

Age

When purchasing tickets, the purchaser must select the appropriate age category for every person of their party when ordering online. If the purchaser has selected the incorrect category for one of their guests, the purchaser will be responsible to make up the difference by making a payment at our ticket booth and receiving a new boarding pass from the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company ticket booth at the captain's discretion. A refund will not be issued for any extra tickets purchased, persons missing from the party, or overpayment on selected categories. Categories include the following for all sightseeing tours:

  • Adult: 13 to 59 years old (No Discount)
  • Child: Ages 4 to 12 year old ($10 Discount off adult ticket price)
  • Senior: Ages 60 and over ($3 Discount off adult ticket price)
  • Military: Must present Military ID prior to boarding ($3 Discount off adult ticket price for one guest. )

All persons included in the purchaser's ticket must be present at boarding time with all members of the party present in order to board. If a person is missing from the purchaser's party and said party enters the vessel, the absent person of the party will not be permitted to board and the purchaser will not be refunded.

Refunds

NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED ONCE THE TICKETS ARE PURCHASED. Sightseeing Tour tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. If the customer purchases a ticket for a sightseeing tour, the ticket is only valid for the person displayed on the ticket and the amount of tickets he or she purchased for that specific date and cannot be used for an earlier or later cruise in the season.

Purchasers and parties who fail to arrive to the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company's dock prior to departure time will not receive a refund.

Party Ships

Age

All Party Ships aboard the M/V Thomas Laighton are for ages 21 and older. All passengers are required to present a state-issued identification with a picture. The only legal forms of identification the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company will approve are state driver's licenses, non-driver licenses, United States Passports, and Military ID's. Failure to present a valid ID to the captain prior to boarding will result in the passenger being denied entry to the vessel and will not be refunded.

Refunds

NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED ONCE THE TICKETS ARE PURCHASED. Party Ship tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. If the customer purchases a ticket for a Party Ship, the ticket is only valid for the person displayed on the ticket and the amount of tickets he or she purchased for that specific date and cannot be used on an earlier/later cruise in the season.

Cancellations

PARTY SHIPS CRUISE RAIN OR SHINE. The M/V Thomas Laighton has 2 heated and enclosed cabins to protect all passengers from the elements. Therefore, no Party Ship will be cancelled due to rain, fog, or thunderstorms. The boat will remain at the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company's dock for the duration of the trip. Live entertainment will still be featured during this time as well.

The Isles of Shoals Steamship Company reserves the right to cancel any Party Ship 30 days prior to the day of the event. In the event the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company cancels a trip that the purchaser has bought tickets for, the purchaser will be fully refunded with the original amount he or she spent on the tickets.

Time and Date Changes

The Isles of Shoals Steamship Company reserves the right to change the date and time of the scheduled Party Ship 30 days prior to the event. If this were to happen, the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company will do everything possible to notify all purchasers that the event time has been changed. If the purchaser can no longer attend the event at the new event time, the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company will refund the purchaser the original amount of the purchase 24-48 hours after the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company is contacted by the original purchaser requesting a refund.

Legal

Suits to recover on any claim against the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company shall be instituted:

  • As to claims for personal injury and loss of life, within one(1) year from the day when the loss of life or injury occurred, in accordance with Section 4283A of the Revised Statutes of the United States.
  • As to all other claims, within six (6) months from the date on which the passenger visited the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company.

The M/V Thomas Laighton is a United States Coast Guard inspected vessel, and holds a mandatory NH State Liquor License. Therefore, the Isles of Shoals Steamship Co. abides by all rules, regulations, and laws as required by the USCG, Homeland Security, and the NH Liquor Commission. There is a zero tolerance for illegal substances. Large bags, coolers, and backpacks are not permitted on the vessel, and all persons and the possessions are subject to search. Individuals found with illegal substances will be turned over to the local authorities. We thank you for respecting these so we may provide a safe and enjoyable cruise. As a passenger, you understand that pictures taken may be used for promotional purposes. For party cruises, have your state-issued ID ready to present to the captain prior to boarding in addition to your ticket.