Friends on a whole boat: who pays what

Friends choose cabins by habit, not by rank, so start with the bed list. Up on the upper deck, the Master cabin has a queen bed plus a single, a balcony and a private bathroom. The Deluxe cabin: a queen bed, a balcony, a private bathroom. Those two go first, to whoever asks first or wins the toss.

The two Private cabins each take a pair, on a queen bed with a single sofa bed. The two Sharing cabins hold up to four guests each on two double beds, so four friends who can tolerate each other fill one. Their bathroom is shared between the two cabins, and we say so before anyone books.

Suits: six friends in three pairs, or twelve in six, or sixteen filling every bed. Four cabins have a bathroom of their own; the other two share one.

Friends do their sums before they commit, so here they are. Six friends on the three-day route pay IDR 13,000,000 (≈ USD 798) each. Twelve friends on the four-day route pay IDR 7,080,000 (≈ USD 434) each, which is the four-day whole-boat fare of IDR 85,000,000 (≈ USD 5,215) divided by twelve. Sixteen friends on the three-day route pay IDR 4,880,000 (≈ USD 299) each.

The fare is one figure for 1 to 16 guests, so the price does not move when a friend drops out; the share per head does. That is the risk of a whole boat, and it belongs to the group. Agree who covers a gap before the deposit of 50 percent is paid.

The park package sits apart from the fare, and so do the guide and documentation on a private charter. The table below shows the range of head counts.

The four-day route is a sample route, so the stops are set down in writing before you pay. A reunion rewards the extra day because nobody has to hurry out of bed. The core of the three-day plan stays: Kelor, Manjarite and Kalong on the first evening, then Padar, Pink Beach, Komodo Island or Rinca, Taka Makassar and Manta Point.

The extra day buys slower mornings. Padar at sunrise is optional, and a group that would rather sleep can take Pink Beach later in the morning instead. The order is the captain's, made with the weather, and the boat stays at anchor overnight in an anchorage the captain chooses.

The harbour comes at 12:00 to 12:30 on the last day. Friends flying out the same day book flights after 13:00.

One payer is easier than twelve. Pick the friend who likes a spreadsheet, let them collect from the others, and pay us in one go. A deposit of 50 percent holds the boat, and the balance falls due 30 days before departure.

Fees depend on how you pay: a card link 3 percent, PayPal 7.2 percent, EDC 3 percent. The fee is added to the payment, and we state it before you pay. Nothing else is added without a written quote.

Agree two things in the group chat before the deposit goes in: who covers a gap if a friend drops out, and who decides when the plan changes with the weather. The first is money, the second is temper. We send the quote, the schedule and the payment steps to the payer in writing, so that one person holds the whole record.