The service fee is a small amount added on top of a boat's rental price to help run the platform. It's separate from the commission the owner pays us -- commission comes out of the owner's earnings, while the service fee is charged to you, on top of the rental, and the owner's payout is unaffected by it.
What it's calculated on
The service fee is based on the rental price plus any mandatory extras, such as a required captain fee. It does not change if you add optional extras afterwards, since it's fixed once your dates and required extras are set.
Where you see it
It appears as its own line in your price breakdown before you pay, alongside the rental subtotal and any extras. The total shown there is exactly what's authorized on your card -- see when is my card charged for how that turns into an actual charge.
Not every booking carries a service fee -- it depends on current platform settings and may be zero.
If the booking is cancelled
The service fee isn't refunded if you cancel a confirmed booking. The rest of your refund follows the cancellation terms shown before you booked. If the owner never confirms your request, nothing is charged, the fee included. If the boat owner or tour operator cancels your booking, you get everything back, the fee included.
Didn't answer your question? Get in touch.