Our Terms and Conditions are revised on a regular basis. Please read them carefully before making your booking. We reserve the right to reject reservations from groups that do not meet these Terms and Conditions. Deposits will not be refunded. HMS Belfast is an historic ship and maintenance work may be required at short notice.

Who can Book?

Kip in a Ship is only available to UK schools and youth groups with children aged 8-18. We are not able to accept bookings from UK higher education groups, overseas schools/groups, families or individuals. We can accommodate a maximum of 52 children plus six adults. The minimum charge will be for 20 guests. Smaller groups will be charged an under-occupancy supplement.

Sleeping Accommodation

The accommodation is divided into two mess decks, separated by a door. Each mess deck has 26 1950s-style bunks with mattresses and pillows, two toilets and two showers for children, and a group leader cabin containing three bunks with mattresses and pillows, a shower and a toilet.

If you are bringing a mixed-gender group the maximum number of guests we can accommodate is 26 girls and 26 boys. Every guest (adults and children) will need to bring a sleeping bag, pillowcase and personal items including towels and toiletries. For Child Protection, safety and supervision reasons group leaders must sleep in the adult cabins. If you have children with special needs please email us prior to making a reservation to ensure that we are able to meet your requirements.

Supervision

We require one group leader supervising adult for every ten children. All group leaders must be adults aged 18 and older who have undergone an enhanced CRB check. Group leaders must be appropriate to the gender of the children. If a group includes girls then there must be at least one female group leader.

Each group will have an overnight concierge who will assist and advise them throughout their stay. The concierge is responsible for the health and safety of the group and any instructions they issue must be followed immediately. The group leaders remain responsible for the supervision of group members at all times.

Access

Access to the mess decks is by steep ladder only. Unfortunately, Kip in a Ship is not suitable for wheelchair users. All guests should wear appropriate clothing. We recommend trousers and flat shoes and suggest luggage is kept to a minimum.

Once the ship has closed to the public you will be required to stay within the mess decks when on board. If you would like to go ashore you will be escorted by your concierge. There is a DVD player with TV (for showing DVDs only). There is no access to a fridge for the storage of medication.

If you have children with special needs please email us prior to making a reservation to ensure that we are able to meet your requirements.

Refreshments

A kettle, tea, coffee, milk and sugar are provided in the adult cabins. There are no facilities within the mess decks for evening meals, food preparation or cold storage. You may bring non-perishable snacks. However, we would advise that you visit one of the many local restaurants for dinner.

Breakfast is served in the Walrus Café at 8am. You can notify us of any special dietary requirements on your booking confirmation form. Full packed lunches and/or sandwiches can be ordered.

Alcohol and smoking are not permitted on board.

Kip in a Ship Prices

For visits from 1 January – 31 December 2012 (special arragements apply during the London Olympic and Paralympic Games)

• £38 per person per night, including breakfast.
• £50 per person per night for additional guests booked within four weeks of the visit date.
• Packed lunches £5.50 or sandwich-only £2.10.
• Goody bags at £5.00, £7.50 and £10.00.

How to Book

All group leaders are advised to make a preliminary visit to the ship during public opening hours only. Access to the Kip in a Ship mess decks is limited and is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm by appointment only. Please email hmsbsleepover@iwm.org.uk with a requested date and time. We will send group leaders two complimentary tickets.

All Kip in a Ship reservations must be made online. A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit of £100 must be made by credit or debit card to secure your visit date. The deposit will be deducted from your final bill.

We are not able to make provisional bookings or take any booking via telephone, fax or email.

You will receive an email acknowledgement confirming your deposit payment and visit date and giving you a booking reference. Please email us on hmsbsleepover@iwm.org.uk if you don’t receive this.

We will contact you via email approximately eight weeks before your booking date with an Excel form for you to complete to confirm all the booking details:

• Number and gender of leaders and children
• Names of leaders
• Names and ages of children
• Arrival and departure time
• Packed lunch requirements with any dietary requirements
• Luggage storage requirements

Your Visit

Your Kip in a Ship booking is from 6pm to 9am the following morning. Groups can arrive on the day of their booking during HMS Belfast opening hours for a self-guided tour of the ship only. Groups can only access the mess decks after their booking begins at 6.00pm and when they have received a full health and safety brief from their concierge.

Luggage may be stored on board in a secure area at pre-set times and according to staff availability.

All children must be under the direct supervision of their group leaders (ratio 1:10) at all times. Group leaders must ensure that following the closure of the ship to the general public the group remains either within the Kip in a Ship mess deck or ashore.

All group members must arrive and depart at the same time. Anyone arriving or departing when the ship is closed to the public must be accompanied to/from the shore by the concierge.

Groups staying Sunday to Thursday are offered a free learning session in our classroom at 9am the following morning, subject to staff availability. Groups staying on a Friday and Saturday evening are offered an activity box including a DVD about the history of HMS Belfast.

Payment

The final balance will be calculated four weeks prior to the visit date. You will be charged for all guests and additional items listed on the booking confirmation form, and an invoice will be issued by email. We are not able to refund any charges for individual guests or groups who do not arrive.

We will endeavour to accommodate late notice changes but any additional guests added within four weeks of the arrival date, including anyone not on the register who arrives on the night, will be charged at £50pp.

All payments must be made in one single payment either by BACS or cheque made payable to Imperial War Museum Trading Company Limited. Cheques must be sent with the remittance advice to:

The Cashier, Finance Office
Imperial War Museum
Lambeth Road
London SE1 6HZ

We are not able to accept payment on arrival. Non-payment of invoices will result in future bookings being declined to all IWM branches. Any future reservation deposits paid online will not be refunded and the Kip in a Ship reservation will not be honoured.

Cancellations

All cancellations must be in writing and emailed to hmsbsleepover@iwm.org.uk. Cancellations received in writing more than four weeks prior to arrival will not be invoiced. Deposits will not be refunded. Cancellations received in writing within four weeks of arrival must be paid in full. Deposits will not be refunded.

Conduct and Discipline

The group leader will be responsible for the supervision and behaviour of the Kip in a Ship guests at all times. The group leader will ensure that nothing occurs which constitutes a breach of the law or in any way causes a nuisance. The group leader is responsible for any damage to the ship and or loss/damage to any items on board. The group will be invoiced for any loss/damage and may be refused future bookings.

Smoking is not permitted in any part of the ship. Alcohol is not permitted on any part of the ship.

HMS Belfast reserves the right to refuse a Kip in a Ship booking.

HMS Belfast reserves the right to refuse admissions.

HMS Belfast reserves the right to remove any guest from the ship at anytime.

HMS Belfast reserves the right to cancel any Kip in a Ship booking.

Enquiries

Please read our FAQs before contacting us.

Any queries should be emailed to hmsbsleepover@iwm.org.uk. We endeavour to answer all emails within two working days.