A Raja Ampat private cruise reserves one phinisi or yacht, its full crew and its route for your group alone, sailing round-trip from Sorong on voyages of 5 to 14 nights. Komodo Luxury quotes whole-boat charters on request for the specific vessel, dates, duration, guest count and inclusions, subject to a written quote.
This page covers the private format itself: who it suits, how to size a boat to your group, how one bill divides between guests, and how the booking runs. For every vessel’s nightly rate side by side, use the Raja Ampat cruise price guide. For the VVIP and superyacht class, see Raja Ampat luxury cruise.
What changes when the whole boat is yours?
The schedule changes first. On a private charter your group and the captain agree the day: an early start for Cape Kri, a longer lunch at anchor, an overnight repositioning so you wake near Wayag. The captain still has the final word on crossings and safety.
On a share-cabin departure, those calls are made once for a boat of strangers, and you pay by the cabin.
| Question | Private cruise | Share-cabin cruise |
|---|---|---|
| Who is aboard | Only your group | Guests booked cabin by cabin |
| Who shapes the daily plan | Your group with the captain | A fixed programme for everyone |
| How it is priced | Whole vessel, per night | Per cabin or per guest |
| Dates | Yours, subject to vessel availability | Set departure dates |
| Suits | Families, friend groups, dive clubs, celebrations | Solo travellers and couples watching cost |
Private also means one brief for the whole boat. Dietary needs, a birthday dinner on deck, a photographer who wants golden-hour anchorages: the crew plans around one group, not twenty separate requests.
Which boat size fits your group?
Count cabins before you count guests. A boat listed for 12 guests may sleep them as twin shares across 6 cabins. That works for a dive club. It does not work for three families who each want their own room.
The examples below come from the vessel list on Komodo Luxury’s Raja Ampat luxury cruise page, checked in September 2026. Capacities only; nightly rates sit on the price guide.
| Your group | Example vessels | Cabins | Max guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| One or two couples | Senja; Dewata | 2; 3 | 4; 6 |
| Family or friends up to 10 | Anne Bonny; Calico Jack | 3; 5 | 9; 10 |
| Two or three families, 12-15 | Supraba; Celestia; Mutiara Laut | 6; 7; 7 | 12; 14; 15 |
| Dive club or company group, 20-26 | Sea Safari 6; Sea Safari 8 | 10; 12 | 20; 26 |
A few sizing rules the reservations team applies:
- Couples: a small boat with one master cabin keeps the vessel total down. You pay for the whole boat whether two or four people sleep aboard.
- Families with children: Komodo Luxury points families to shallow-reef anchorages such as Pianemo and Arborek. Tell the team children’s ages up front.
- Divers and non-divers together: scuba is an add-on with a dive master, tanks and equipment, booked per diver. Many Raja Ampat reefs show sharks, turtles and reef fish in 1-3 m of water, so snorkellers are not left on deck.
- Bathrooms: en-suite or shared varies by vessel. Ask for the cabin plan before you allocate rooms.
- Groups of 20 or more: the larger boats fill fast. Start the enquiry about six months out.
How is a private cruise priced, and how does one bill split?
Per yacht, per night, for the entire vessel. There is no per-person rate on a private charter. Each charter is quoted on request for the specific vessel, dates, duration, guest count and inclusions. Some vessels quote Indonesian government tax separately, and the written quote shows it.
To see what that means per guest, divide the quoted vessel total by the number of guests sharing. Real boats carry different rates for different sizes, but the lesson holds: a full boat is efficient, a half-empty one is expensive.
For groups, the money logistics matter as much as the rate:
- Name one lead booker. One person signs the booking agreement and pays the deposit.
- Collect shares before the deposit. A 30-50% deposit secures the vessel and dates, so gather commitments first.
- Agree the split rule in writing. Equal per head, or per cabin when a couple takes the master suite.
- Budget the extras per person. Flights, park fees, diving, alcohol and insurance fall outside the charter rate.
What does the private rate include, and what stays outside?
According to Komodo Luxury, the whole-boat rate covers:
- The vessel and full crew: captain, first mate, chef, steward or stewardess, naturalist guide
- Full board: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, plus non-alcoholic drinks
- Snorkel equipment and guided excursions
- Tender and kayak use for shore trips
- Private transfers between Sorong airport and the harbour, both ways
Outside the rate: flights to and from Sorong, scuba diving, alcohol, personal travel insurance, and two government charges: the Marine Park Entry Permit (PIN card) and the Raja Ampat Regency Visitor Entry Ticket. Komodo Luxury arranges both. The fees are set locally and can change; the charter manager confirms the current amounts before departure.
How many nights, and which route?
Every private cruise starts and ends in Sorong, at Domine Eduard Osok Airport (SOQ), roughly a three-hour flight from Bali. The team meets you at arrivals and handles the transfer to the boat.
| Nights | Where the voyage goes | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Dampier Strait only: the densest marine life in the shortest window | A first visit with limited leave |
| 7 | Dampier Strait and Wayag in the north, plus Misool in the south | The recommended minimum for both regions |
| 10 | The same regions with deeper Misool coverage and extra time at Wayag | A slower pace, photographers |
| 12-14 | A Komodo to Raja Ampat crossing through the Banda Sea on larger vessels, or far-north sites such as Ayau Atoll | Expedition groups; book about 6 months ahead |
A private route also flexes inside those blocks. A group of hikers can give a morning to the Mount Pindito climb above Wayag. A group of kayakers can take an afternoon in Kabui Bay. The captain sequences it around tides and weather.
When should a private group sail?
Komodo Luxury describes three seasons:
- Peak, November to March: generally calmer seas, visibility around 20-30 m, the most reliable manta encounters at Manta Sandy and Blue Magic, and the tightest availability.
- Shoulder, October and April: mostly calm, fewer boats, sometimes better value.
- Wet, May to September: rougher seas possible around southern Misool, while the northern Dampier Strait usually stays sheltered. Some vessels offer value-season rates.
For 2027, it sets out two luxury windows: January to April and October to December. No operator can guarantee weather, wildlife sightings or a specific anchorage.
How does booking a private Raja Ampat cruise work?
- Send the brief. Headcount, cabin split, children’s ages, divers and certification levels, dietary needs, a date window, nights and a budget band.
- Receive vessel options. Komodo Luxury says it sends 3-5 matched vessels within 24 hours.
- Confirm and pay the deposit. 30-50% secures the boat and dates.
- Plan the details. Itinerary, menus, dive certifications, celebrations and add-ons are finalised; park fees are arranged.
- Fly to Sorong. The crew meets the group at arrivals.
Lead times, per Komodo Luxury: 3-6 months for November-March departures, 2-3 months for other months, and about 6 months for groups of 10 or more. VVIP superyachts and the Komodo crossing sell out first.
Cancellation, standard policy: 90 or more days before departure refunds the deposit in full; 60-89 days forfeits half of it; inside 60 days is non-refundable. Date changes depend on vessel availability. The binding terms are the ones in your own booking agreement, so read them and consider cancellation cover in your travel insurance.
> Plan your private Raja Ampat cruise with the Komodo Luxury reservations team. Three lines are enough to start: how many guests, which dates, which region. WhatsApp 628113823875 or email sales@komodoluxury.com. Komodo Luxury (PT Komodo Bahari Nusantara) was founded in 2015, is headquartered in Denpasar, Bali, and runs its operations base in Labuan Bajo, as listed on Komodo Luxury (checked 2026-09-16). It issues every quote directly. Rates are quoted per yacht on request and subject to availability and tax.