Terms

To help you make the most of your visit, we've put together a few terms to help you plan your day.

  • 1. Admission Terms

     
    1. Anyone wishing to gain entry to the Oceanarium must have a valid ticket, membership or prior authorisation. Contractors or business visitors must sign in at the admissions desk prior to entering the Oceanarium.
    2. We reserve the right to refuse entry to, eject or ban individuals or groups without refund for :
      • - Attempting to gain access without a valid ticket, membership or prior authorisation
      • - Using threatening, foul or abusive behaviour and giving reason to believe the ambience, safety or general enjoyment of the attraction or visitors may be compromised in any way
      • - Being in possession of offensive weapons or dangerous items
      • - Not adhering to written or verbal health and safety instructions
      • - Feeding any of the creatures, outside of Oceanarium’s pre-booked feeding experiences
      • - Being under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or other substances
    3. We reserve the right, if deemed necessary, to search any visitor or their belongings.
    4. We do not allow any animals to be brought into the Oceanarium except guide dogs or ADUK registered assistance dogs. For health and safety reasons, we can only accommodate a maximum of one dog per customer.
    5. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times throughout their visit.
    6. For the health and safety of all our visitors and staff, we do not allow any of the following to be brought in/ used within the Oceanarium:   
      • - Bicycles
      • - Children’s scooters
      • - Roller skates or blades
      • - Skateboards
      • - Footballs
      • - Frisbees 
    7. We do allow child ride-along equipment with adult-controlled steering. 
    8. Re-entry to the Oceanarium on the same day of your visit is allowed - hand stamps are available at admissions – you will need to show your stamp along with your receipt for re-entry on the same day.
    9. Clothing that we deem to be offensive to other visitors must be removed or covered whilst in the Oceanarium. Footwear and tops must be worn at all times.
    10. Promotional vouchers may not be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount and we reserve the right to refuse promotional vouchers without providing a reason.
    11. We accept Tesco Clubcard Days Out Tokens  at our admissions desk as either part or full payment against full paying adult tickets, senior, child, disabled adult, disabled child, carer and family tickets.  The physical vouchers must be exchanged for entry – at present we can't accept online voucher codes.
    12. Visitors with pre-paid tickets (online, ticket agents, members or complimentary) can use the Fast Track till when operational.
    13. We reserve the right to change admission prices at any time without prior notice.
    14. It is our aim to have all of the Oceanarium’s displays  attractions available for all visitors. However, when deemed necessary some creatures may be off-show to the public, some areas restricted, some changes made to opening hours or talks / displays cancelled, all without refund or recompense.
    15. Photographs and videos taken by authorised visitors should be taken without obstructing or inconveniencing other visitors. Anyone found crossing barriers or entering non-public areas without prior written permission for the purposes of obtaining images will be asked to leave.
    16. Smoking is not permitted within any area of the Oceanarium, including Bay View Terrace.

    Ticket Definitions

    Adult - aged 16 – 59 years
    Senior - aged 60 years +
    Student - must show valid student ID
    Child - aged 3- 15 years inclusive and must be accompanied by a responsible adult
    Family - maximum of 2 adults
    Disabled - must show proof of disability – DLA/PIP, blue badge or letter from GP
    Carer - any adult accompanying a person with disabilities (carer proof required)
    Group - pre-booked with minimum 10 people
    Under 3s - Children aged 2 years and under are admitted free of charge to the Oceanarium (and do not require a ticket)

  • 2. Online Ticket Terms

     
    1. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times throughout their visit.
    2. You will receive your e-tickets by e-mail which can either be printed or presented via your mobile device on arrival.
    3. Tickets are non-refundable or date transferable.
    4. If you require assistance with your online purchase, please call 01202 311993 ext 208
    5. For our online meal deals allergens information, visit http://www.oceanarium.co.uk/allergens-information
  • 3. Membership Terms

    The terms and conditions under which the membership is offered are listed below:

    1. The membership types detailed here are the only options of Membership that we offer.
    2. 2024 Memberships and benefits expire on 31st December 2024
    3. The pass can only be used for admission by the named/pictured cardholder. All membership cards MUST display a passport sized photograph and a name.
    4. Memberships and membership cards are non-transferable
    5. In the interest of safety, child passes (3-15yrs) can only be purchased in conjunction with an adult or family pass (or linked to an existing adult or family pass). Under 16's must be accompanied by an adult at all times during their visit.
    6. Family memberships have a maximum of 2 adults.
    7. The pass is only valid for admission during normal opening hours.
    8. The membership card must be presented at admissions upon every visit and membership cards must be presented at each till point to gain any member benefits/ discounts (e.g. retail and catering)
    9. Membership upgrades are valid with all tickets except promotional tickets, Tesco vouchers and Prepaid tickets. Purchaser must pay the difference between the full Membership price and their original day admission. Upgrades are valid on the same day of entry only - ticket receipt MUST be presented at the till. 
    10. Members, when visiting as part of a group, school visit or birthday party, must pay group or school rate.
    11. Any change of address must be notified in writing either by post or email: info@oceanarium.co.uk 
    12. Under 3’s are free of charge. Any child of a current member reaching their third birthday will be charged a full day admission or a membership may be purchased.
    13. For Gold membership pass holders, half price admission to Blackpool Zoo, Nickelodeon Adventure Lakeside and Lakes Aquarium is valid on full price adult & child tickets only.
    14. The pass and associated guest passes remain the property of the Oceanarium and cannot be re-sold, refunded or transferred. Any misuse of the pass or guest passes will result in confiscation without compensation.
    15. There are no short term memberships (except children turning three) or pro-rata refunds should you wish to terminate a membership prior to expiry
    16. If available, any renewal price and associated benefits are offered subject to membership being renewed prior to expiry
    17. Member benefits are reviewed annually and are subject to change
    18. The Oceanarium reserves the right to withdraw or make changes to the pass at any time.
    19. The Oceanarium is open 364 days a year. If we are forced to close due to circumstances beyond our control, we regret membership cannot be extended or money refunded. 
  • 4. Animal Experience Terms

    1. The stated duration of any experience is approximate and may differ slightly on the day of your experience.
    2. Each Animal Experience has its own individual Terms and Conditions detailed on each experience page http://www.oceanarium.co.uk/animal-experiences 
    3. The Oceanarium reserve the right to cancel or amend an Animal Experience if deemed necessary due to animal welfare, health issues or unforeseen circumstances.
    4. Participants must listen to and follow all instructions from the Aquarists. The Oceanarium reserve the right to end any Animal Experience if a participant is deemed to be putting a person, animal or property at risk.
    5. Whilst every effort is made to accommodate everyone, regrettably some of our Animal Experiences are not suitable for certain visitors – see individual T&C’s.
    6. All Animal Experiences are non-refundable, so please carefully check eligibility if purchasing as a gift, availability if you require certain dates and all other terms before you purchase.
    7. Full payment must be made when purchasing the Animal Experience.
    8. Bookings are made on a first come first served basis. Once booked, you will receive confirmation and full health and safety instructions.
    9. No changes to dates are allowed less than 5 days before the experience.
  • 5. Complaints Procedure

    We aim to provide an excellent standard of customer care, creating a warm and friendly environment which will ensure our visitors get the best experience during their visit.

    We acknowledge that occasionally things can go wrong, leading to visitors wanting to make a complaint and we welcome this feedback as we can review and adjust our operation to better suit the needs of our visitors.

    It is usually best to resolve the complaint at the time by speaking to one of our members of staff. If they are not the right person for you to speak with they will be able to contact the relevant person for you and there is always a Duty Manager available.

    If you are unable to make a complaint at the time, please contact us as soon as possible, detailing the following information:

    1. Proof of visit
    2. Date and time of visit
    3. Name or description of any member(s) of staff spoken to or involved
    4. Nature of the complaint (including time and location within the Oceanarium if applicable)

    You can contact us by email to info@oceanarium.co.uk or by post to Oceanarium, Pier Approach, Bournemouth, BH2 5AA

    The sooner you can get in touch with us, the sooner we’ll be able to help you. We aim to resolve complaints within 14 days of receiving them.