Shared cabin
Backpacker / basic
Mixed dorm layouts, fan rather than air-conditioning, simpler food.
$250–$450 pp
- Mixed dorm or bunk-style berths
- Fan-cooled
- Simpler galley
- Not a tier we book
Pricing · Lombok ↔ Komodo
Lombok–Komodo cruise packages, and what they really cost
The spread between an entry-level cabin and a private charter is too wide to answer with one number. Here are the bands, the inclusions, and the costs that arrive later.
- $250–$1,000+
- per person, shared cabin bands for 4D3N
- $4,000–$12,000+
- whole-boat charter for 4D3N
- +20–30%
- for the 5D4N reverse route
The bands
Five price tiers on the 4D3N route
Realistic 2025–2026 ranges for four days and three nights, starting around Bangsal Harbour or Senggigi and ending in Labuan Bajo.
Shared cabin
Comfort / mid-range
The first tier we are comfortable putting in front of a guest.
$450–$860 pp
- Air-conditioned cabin
- Hot water
- A proper chef
- A real tender boat
Shared cabin
Premium / luxury
Larger cabins, fewer guests aboard, more staff per guest.
$430–$1,000+ pp
- Larger cabin, better bedding
- Lower guest count
- Higher crew ratio
- Upper-deck cabins where they exist
Whole boat
Private phinisi charter
The traditional wooden hull taken whole, for four days and three nights.
$4,000–$8,000+
- Per charter, not per person
- Driven by size, finish and season
- You set the schedule inside the safe window
- Menus and activities customised
Whole boat
Private yacht-style vessel
Boutique or yacht-style hulls with fewer, larger cabins.
$6,000–$12,000+
- Per charter, not per person
- Fewer, larger cabins
- The best staff ratios on the route
- Peak dates book far ahead
For the 5D4N reverse route, expect roughly 20–30% more for the extra day. We recommend budgeting at least $600 per person for a comfortable — not budget — shared cabin if service and safety matter to you.
Inclusions
What the number should already cover
Price tags often look similar while the inclusions differ sharply. Read this list against any quote before you compare two boats.
- 01 Three or four nights aboard, from Bangsal or Senggigi-region pickup to Labuan Bajo
- 02 All meals aboard: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, tea, coffee, drinking water
- 03 Guided hikes — Padar at sunrise, a Rinca or Komodo dragon walk
- 04 Snorkelling at Manta Point, and visits to Pink Beach and Kelor
- 05 Masks, snorkels and fins, lifejackets, and a tender for beach landings
- 06 The cabin category you actually booked, stated in writing
The costs that arrive later
Komodo National Park fees run roughly $40 to $100 per person across entry, ranger, camera and activity surcharges. Gratuities are customary at around $5 to $15 per guest per day. Soft drinks and alcohol carry island mark-ups.
Where it goes further
Senggigi and Mataram pickups are usually included; Gili Trawangan and Gili Air pickups often attract a supplement for the Bangsal transfer. A $250 ticket routinely reaches $350 to $400 once fees, drinks and tips land.
Hull type
Does the boat change the price?
Almost as much as the duration does. The phinisi dominates this corridor; modern motor yachts mostly appear as private charters inside Komodo National Park.
- Phinisi: a very wide band, from basic dorm layouts to air-conditioned suites
- Modern yacht: expect at least 25–60% more than a comparable phinisi for the same nights
- Premium boats carry fewer passengers, which is most of what you are paying for
- Newer yachts run a little quieter; bigger hulls handle swell better
- Comfort-class phinisi, shared cabin: $450–$860 per person for 4D3N
Group size
When a charter starts beating a cabin
Run the arithmetic before you assume private is out of reach. The crossover sits lower than most people expect.
Up to 3
Book a cabin
A shared cabin product is almost always the smartest use of the budget at this size.
Rule of thumb
Cabin wins
4–8
Run the numbers
A modest private phinisi can land close to a higher-end shared product once you divide it across the group.
Rule of thumb
Genuinely close
8+
Charter the boat
Private charter usually becomes better value, and delivers a far higher level of control over the day.
Rule of thumb
Charter wins
+1 day
What an extra night adds
Roughly 20–30% on the total, though the per-day rate can soften slightly on private charters.
Rule of thumb
Per extra day
Before the deposit
Five questions that separate the operators
01
Which category is this boat, and why?
Budget, comfort or luxury — and ask them to justify the label rather than assert it.
02
Exactly which cabin am I buying?
Cabin type, deck, and whether the bathroom is ensuite or semi-private. Get it in writing before you pay.
03
What is the maximum guest count?
Fewer guests means more space. It usually costs more, and it usually feels better.
04
What will park fees be for my dates?
They are complex and they change. A clear estimate is a sign the operator is actually paying them.
05
What if weather makes sailing unsafe?
Ask for the cancellation and postponement policy before the deposit, not after it.
If an operator cannot or will not answer these clearly, treat that as your first real review of them.
Cabin or charter
Two ways to buy the same route
Shared cabin, join-in
Best value, fixed weekly departures from Bangsal or Senggigi, logistics handled and no boat to fill. The itinerary and timing are fixed, and the pace is set for the group average.
Private charter
You set the schedule inside the safe sailing window, and menus, activities and sometimes anchorages bend to you. Bigger upfront cost, more planning, and popular dates go early.
Both run the same map
Padar, Pink Beach, Manta Point, Kelor and a dragon walk on Rinca or Komodo appear on both. What changes is the pacing, the privacy and the cost structure.
Starting point
Lombok, Labuan Bajo or Bali
Where you begin changes the trip more than the boat does, and it changes what the same money buys.
4D3N eastbound
Start in Lombok
Bangsal or Senggigi to Labuan Bajo via Sumbawa, then into the central Komodo islands. A gradual build-up rather than a park-only trip.
- You get a real sense of distance and island life
- Gili area, Sumbawa, then Padar, Pink Beach and the dragons
- Longer time at sea than a day-trip model
1–3 days
Start in Labuan Bajo
Park trips or liveaboards straight out of Labuan Bajo port. Easier for a short stay, and very competitive on price.
- A huge range of boats
- Best for park-only itineraries
- You miss the Lombok–Sumbawa chain entirely
Then cross
Start in Bali
Fast boat to Bangsal or the Gilis, ferry and overland, or a short flight to Lombok International with a road transfer to Senggigi.
- Suits guests who want land and sea time
- Pair a villa week with the sailing
- Plan the crossing around fixed departure dates
At least $600 per person for a comfortable, not budget, shared cabin on the 4D3N route if you care about service and safety. Below that you are usually buying compromises on maintenance, guiding or food.
Budget roughly $40 to $100 per person, covering park entry, ranger fees, camera fees and snorkel or dive surcharges depending on what you do. They change, so ask for an estimate against your actual dates.
Tipping is not mandatory but it is very common. Plan for around $5 to $15 per guest per day, scaled to the service and the class of boat.
Four days and three nights is the minimum for a route that does not feel rushed, and it is what we recommend for first-timers. Five days and four nights or longer if you want remote bays or focused diving.
If the budget allows, yes. You get sunrise and sunset access when the day boats have gone, shorter tender rides to sites like Manta Point, and no daily rush back to port.
Next in this silo
Where people go from here
The desk
Send the window and we send the shortlist
Give us dates, guest count, starting point and a rough budget. You get a handful of suitable boats with estimated park fees and transfers written into the comparison, not left off it.
Desk open 9AM–6PM WITA