Buying Tickets

Buying tickets for our sails or booking a charter is easy!   You may buy tickets and book charters online, by phone or at our dockside ticket booth on Bowen's Wharf.  Tickets for Public Sails go on sale 7 days before the date of the sail.    Tickets are not available for Public Sailing trips more than 7 days in advance of the sail.  Private Charters may be booked year round. Have a question?  Email us at info@sightsailing.com. We will respond in less than 24 hours.  

 

Large Groups

 

If you want to bring a large group on a public sail, the largest number of people part of one group that we will take on a public sail on Aquidneck is 24. If your group is larger than 24, your party can start to overwhelm the rest of the vessel so we require that groups larger than 24 privately charter the vessel. If you have a large party, we require that the block of tickets be purchased under one name.  Remember that no coolers or food may be brought aboard for public sails.  Contact John Hirschler at 401 862 4718 for groups between 12 and 24 people and for private charter details. 

 

ONLINE TICKET SALES: 

 

Online booking is the best way to purchase tickets or book a charter!   To buy  tickets or book a charter online, click on the blue Admit One ticket above.  When you purchase tickets or book a charter online, you see all available departures, you print your tickets at home which speeds up your check-in process, you get directions to us and we can reissue your tickets if you lose them!   Remember, tickets for public sails are available for purchase no more than 7 days before departure.  We accept Visa/Mastercard and Discover.

 

PHONE TICKET & CHARTER SALES:

 

Our dockside office is often very busy so before you call, please know which boat you wish to purchase tickets for or charter and read our FAQ section to see if any questions you have are answered there.  Please try and call between 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. or 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Call 401-849-3333 for Ticketed Public Sails on Aquidneck, Sightsailer and Private Charters on Starlight. For Private Charters on Aquidneck and Sightsailer, call John Hirschler at 401 862 4718.  Tickets may be purchased by phone with a major credit card.  We accept Visa/Mastercard and Discover.

 

 

WALK-UP TICKET & CHARTER SALES: 

 

Remember, tickets for public sails are available for purchase for no more than 7 days before the date of the sail. You may purchase tickets for a public sail or book a private charter by vising us at our dockside office located on Bowen's Wharf.  Our dockside office is generally open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. mid May through October.  Hours vary seasonally. 

 

 

 

Checking In & Picking Up Tickets
We recommend checking in and picking up tickets at least 20 minutes prior to departure. We are located on Bowen's Wharf which is on America's Cup Avenue in the heart of downtown Newport. For driving directions, click on  our  Contact Page.  Realize that on weekends and during special events, Newport can get quite crowded. Allow yourself and any other members of your party plenty of time to park and get to the boat. Please be on time. If you are late we will not be able to hold the boat for you since we have a schedule to keep with other sails. Unfortunately if you are late and miss the boat, there is no refund.


 

 

  


Cancelling Tickets

 

Public Sails: Tickets may be cancelled and a 100% refund received, if you cancel at least 5 days before your sail. Your tickets are valid only for your scheduled date and time.  You may schedule a different date and time providing you make your change 5 days in advance of the sail. Once inside the 5 day period, tickets will be refunded only if your sail is cancelled by us due to weather.  See below.

 

Private Charters: Private Charters may be cancelled and a 100% refund received, if you cancel at least 10 days before your sail. Your charter is valid only for your scheduled date and time.  You may schedule a different date and time providing you make your change 10 days in advance of the sail. Once inside the 10 day period, your charter will be refunded only if your sail is cancelled by us due to weather.  See below.

 

 

Weather Cancellations

 

We want you to enjoy your sail, so we won't send you out in heavy rain, thick fog, high winds, thunder and lightning etc. However, we will sail in overcast conditions, light to medium fog and in intermittent sprinkles.  Unfortunately, we can't guarantee you a picture-perfect sunset and  we will not cancel a "sunset sail" just because it's overcast!   The final decision to sail resides with  Sightsailing Inc.  If you've purchased a ticket and decide not to show up because of the weather and the boat sails, your ticket  is not refundable.  It's like the movies: if you buy a ticket for a show and don't show up, you do not get a refund.  Over the years, we have had many enjoyable trips in less than ideal conditions.

 

We don't call off our trips when we first get the five day forecast that calls for "a chance of thundershowers." There is an old saying in New England that "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute, it will change!"  There are many trips that we have sailed when it has stopped raining only 10 minutes before departure! As a result, a decision to cancel a sail is usually only made very close to departure time.

 

Large Groups

 

If you want to bring a large group on a public sail, the largest number of people part of one group that we will take on a public sail ion Aquidneck is 24. If your group is larger than 24 your party can start to overwhelm the rest of the vessel so we require that groups larger than 24 privately charter the vessel. If you have a large party, we require that the block of tickets be purchased under one name. Final passenger count numbers must be confirmed at least 5 days before sailing.