Skip to main content

If the Experience Maker Needs to Cancel an Experience

FOR EXPERIENCE MAKERS: What happens when you cancel a booked Experience — for weather or safety, personal emergency, or no-show.

At Fernwayer, we strive to provide exceptional experiences for our Travelers. We understand that unforeseen circumstances may occasionally compel an Experience Maker to cancel a booking.

Fernwayer's cancellation policy is designed to be fair while protecting the Traveler and the platform. We expect these situations to occur rarely, if ever.

Before you cancel: consider rescheduling

If possible, message the Traveler through Fernwayer Chat first to see if rescheduling is workable.

If you both agree on a new date or time — especially one that falls after the original scheduled date — message Fernwayer Support immediately so the new date is reflected on the booking. This protects the Traveler, because Fernwayer's system processes payouts automatically after the original scheduled date, and if the rescheduled Experience is later cancelled (without changing it to the new date), a refund is no longer possible.

If rescheduling isn't possible, contact Fernwayer Support to cancel. We'll notify the Traveler, process the refund, and update your Booking Calendar.

Cancellation reasons and penalties

Case 1: Weather or safety emergency

Whenever weather or environmental conditions raise safety concerns, we fully support your decision to cancel. Cancellations due to severe weather that creates a genuine safety concern carry no financial penalty.

The Traveler receives a full refund, and you receive no payout for the cancelled booking. Fernwayer covers the Stripe transaction fee associated with the refund to the Traveler.

For mild rain or minor discomfort, we expect you to continue with the Experience and adapt where needed — for example, swapping one activity for an equally valuable alternative. Cancellation is reserved for conditions that make hosting genuinely unsafe or impossible. For guidance on handling weather situations, see When Weather Threatens an Experience.

Case 2: Personal emergency initiated by Experience Maker

If a personal emergency means you cannot host, inform Fernwayer Support immediately through Chat, and message the Traveler directly with the reason and a brief explanation. Fernwayer will handle the cancellation and refund on our end, but a personal note from you helps the Traveler feel cared for through the disruption.

The first two personal-emergency cancellations you initiate per calendar year carry no financial penalty. If the Traveler has already been charged (Travelers are charged 15 days before the Experience), Fernwayer covers the Stripe transaction fee associated with any refund.

From the third cancellation onward, you are responsible for 15% of the booking amount, plus the Stripe transaction fee if the Traveler has been charged. This is payable within 7 days via a payment link from Fernwayer.

Case 3: Experience Maker no-show

An Experience Maker no-show occurs when you fail to arrive at the meeting point within 15 minutes of the start time.

The Traveler receives a full refund, and you receive no payout for the booking. This counts as a no-show, and you are additionally responsible for:

  • 15% of the booking amount

  • The Stripe transaction fee associated with the refund to the Traveler

This is payable within 7 days via a payment link from Fernwayer.

Even when you're running only slightly late by a few minutes, please let the Traveler know. A short Chat message ahead of time turns a stressful arrival into a manageable delay. Silence is what turns lateness into a no-show. Communicate with the Traveler and with Fernwayer Support as soon as you know there's a problem — the situation is very different when you've reached out.

Documentation

For any cancellation, Fernwayer may request documentation to confirm the reason for a personal emergency, weather advisories for a safety cancellation, and so on. Please provide what's asked promptly.

What happens after you cancel

Once you've informed Fernwayer Support:

  • We contact the Traveler to explain the cancellation and confirm the refund

  • You receive a cancellation confirmation email

  • You can then reach out to the Traveler personally

A warm, honest note from you often means as much to a Traveler as the Experience itself would have. Travelers who feel cared for through a cancellation will likely consider booking again on a return visit.

A note on repeated cancellations

We know cancellations are sometimes unavoidable, but repeated cancellations can affect the trust Travelers place in your Experiences. Over time, this may mean we need to consider whether to keep an Experience listed — a conversation we would always have with you directly first.

A note on policy updates

Fernwayer reserves the right to update this cancellation policy at any time. Changes will be communicated by email and on our website, and the revised policy applies to all cancellations made after the update date.

Did this answer your question?