Senada Phinisi
Senada Phinisi
How to organise a trip for 12 to 18 without losing the plot
Updated 26 October 2026
Organising a Komodo boat trip for 12 to 18 people starts with a head count; after that, book Senada Phinisi, which takes up to 18. On 3 days 9 to 12 guests share IDR 78,000,000 (≈ USD 4,785), each further guest adds IDR 3,000,000 (≈ USD 184), and the deposit is 50%.
Start with the head count and the dates
Count heads first, then pick the dates. A list with 15 names and no dates is a wish; a list with dates and 8 names is a plan. Write both in the first message.
Shared 3-day sailings start on a Friday, and a private trip goes on any day the boat is free. Offer the group two dates and let them vote.
Find out who cannot come on which day. Do it once, in one message, and close the vote on a day you name. Then send us the head count, the dates and the ages of any child.
If the head count is still moving, give us the range. A group of 11 to 14 is a fine first message, and we price both ends so the group sees the whole spread.
Who pays, and in which order
The organiser pays first, so collect first. Tell everyone the share before the deposit is due, and ask for the money in two parts.
At 50% of the price, the deposit comes first. Pay the rest of the price 30 days before the boat leaves. The table shows both. Divide the boat price by the number of guests, and add the park ticket, which each person pays for themselves.
A group of 15 pays IDR 5,800,000 (≈ USD 356) each for the boat on 3 days. Fix the share in the chat before anyone transfers money to you.
One person should hold the money, and it should be the same person who writes to us. That keeps one thread of payments and one thread of confirmations, and nobody has to reconcile two.
| Deposit | 50 percent of the total |
| Balance | 30 days before |
| Bookings inside 30 days pay in full | |
| Children | Under 3 free, accompanied by a parent |
| Prices include 11 percent VAT · Passport details 7 days before sailing |
Deposit 50% to confirm, balance 30 days before departure. You can also settle the balance in Labuan Bajo on the departure day, in cash or by card on the EDC machine. Fees: card payment link 3%, PayPal 7.2%, EDC card machine 3%. Your issuing bank may add its own charges.
Who sleeps where, decided once
Decide the cabins once, and post the plan. Four in each upper Panoramic Suite, three in the main-deck Panoramic Suite, three in the Deluxe Ocean Suite, two in each Superior Suite takes all eighteen.
With fewer, use the queen beds first, two to a cabin, and give extra beds to the Panoramic Suites and the Deluxe Ocean Suite. Never plan a third person into a Superior Suite.
Only three cabins have a balcony. Ask who wants one before you assign, and do it by drawing lots if two families both do. We confirm the plan in writing before you pay.
If a family wants to stay together, count the extra beds first. A family of four fits an upper Panoramic Suite exactly, and a family of three fits a main-deck Panoramic Suite or the Deluxe Ocean Suite.
| Cabin | Rooms | Beds | Sleeps | with extra bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panoramic Suite Balcony (upper deck) | 2 | 1 queen + 2 extra | 4 | 8 |
| Panoramic Suite Balcony (main deck) | 1 | 1 queen + 1 extra | 2 | 3 |
| Deluxe Ocean Suite | 1 | 1 queen + 1 extra | 2 | 3 |
| Superior Suite | 2 | 1 queen bed | 4 | 4 |
| Berths in total | 6 | 12 | 18 |
The message to send before anyone pays
Send the group one message before anyone pays. It lists the route, the dates, the share per person, what is not in the price, and the cabin plan.
What is not in the price: park tickets, flights, hotels before and after, tips, and on a private trip the guide and the documentation. On request, we quote the last two.
Add the pickup: before an 11:00 start from the hotel or the airport. One more rule for flights: on the last day of a 3-day or 4-day trip, choose one after 14:00. Add our reply in writing so nobody asks twice.
Keep the message short enough to read on a phone in one go. A cabin plan, a share, a date for the money and a line saying we confirm everything in writing: that is the whole message.
The week before: flights, hotel, packing
Land the day before. Book the same hotel for the group in Labuan Bajo, so one pickup collects everyone. Hotels are not in any price.
The packing list is short: passport or ID, shoes with grip, a hat, reef-safe sunscreen, swimwear and a light layer for the sunset. Snorkel gear is supplied. Wi-Fi on board is local only, so download maps, tickets and playlists.
In the week before, ask each person to confirm the flight number and the hotel. Send us the names as they appear on the passports.
Three days before, ask for the final list of names, flight numbers and hotel. Two days before, send us the list. One day before, post the pickup time, which we confirm in writing, in the chat.
When someone drops out
Someone will drop out. Tell us as soon as you know. How much comes back depends on how early you tell us: 50% from 60 days before departure, 25% from 30 to 59 days, and beyond the table below nothing is promised.
A reschedule costs IDR 500,000. If the boat is full at 18 and a friend leaves, the cabin can be filled by another friend, and we confirm the new name in writing.
The price follows the head count and the band. From 12 to 9 guests the boat stays in the 9 to 12 band, so its price does not change and each person pays more. From 9 to 8 it moves to the 1 to 8 band. Beyond 18 the boat is full, and we say so plainly.
| Notice | Refund |
|---|---|
| 60 days or more | 50 % |
| 30 to 59 days | 25 % |
| 29 days or less | 0 % |
| Notice | Fee |
|---|---|
| 30 days or more | Free |
| 14 to 29 days | IDR 500,000 |
| 13 days or less | Treated as a cancellation |
If we cancel, you are refunded 100 percent · Refunds are paid within 14 days.
FAQ
How do we collect money from 15 people?
Ask the group in one message for a share and a deadline. For 15 guests on 3 days the boat is IDR 5,800,000 (≈ USD 356) each. Collect before the deposit date, pay us, and keep the transfers in one thread. We confirm every payment in writing.
Can we change names after the deposit?
Send us the new name and we confirm in writing whether the change is possible and at what cost, according to the terms. Every name, spelt as on the passport or ID, reaches us by the balance date, 30 days ahead of departure.
What if two people drop out?
Tell us as soon as you know. The refund depends on how early: 50% from 60 days, 25% from 30 to 59 days. The price band moves only if the head count crosses a band. We confirm the new total in writing.
Who is the contact on the boat?
The captain leads the trip on the day, and the crew of 7 belongs to the boat. Before and after the trip, you deal with us, PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia. Booking, payment and pickup run through us.
Do we need a group leader?
One organiser makes the booking easier: one person sends the head count, collects the money and receives our confirmations. The organiser forwards our written messages to the group chat.
Check availability for Senada Phinisi
Senada Phinisi is booked through PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia. We confirm your cabins, take the payment and arrange the pickup. The boat sails with its own crew of 7.