Raja Bintang 01
Raja Bintang 01
Booking in four messages
Updated 4 November 2026
To book a private phinisi in Komodo, pay a 50 percent deposit, then the balance 30 days before sailing on Raja Bintang 01. A card link adds 3 percent and PayPal 7.2 percent; Wise and Revolut are accepted. You receive a written quote before you pay anything.
Four messages from hello to a quote
We take bookings on WhatsApp, because dates and seats change by the hour and a chat shows the current state. The first message is yours: the dates, how many guests, and the route you have in mind, whether the 2D1N, 3D2N or 4D3N, or else a seat in a cabin on the open trip.
The second message is ours. We reply the same day, daily from 08:00 to 20:00 (WITA), with what is free and a written quote. The third is your confirmation, and the fourth is the invoice and the deposit link. Passport details follow, because the park and the harbour need the names of everyone aboard.
Nothing is charged before the quote is in writing, and nothing is added to it afterwards without a new written quote.
- Same day, 08:00 to 20:00 WITASend dates, group size and route
- 50 percent of the totalDeposit confirms the date
- 30 days beforeBalance before sailing
Deposit now, balance a month out
The deposit is 50 percent of the fare and confirms the booking. The balance is due 30 days before sailing. If the date is nearer than that, we ask for full payment at booking.
The balance can also be paid on departure day itself, in cash or on the card machine, with the machine fee of 3 percent. Identity documents for every guest are due 7 days before sailing.
The table below sets out both payments. Refunds and date changes are on the terms page, and the cancellation table is repeated there.
| 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 are all-in and rounded · 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.
Sending money from another country
A card payment link works from anywhere and adds 3 percent. A card machine in Labuan Bajo adds 3 percent, which is useful if you pay the balance on arrival. PayPal adds 7.2 percent. Wise and Revolut transfers are accepted, QRIS is available for Indonesian wallets, and Alipay works too. WeChat Pay runs through a payment partner.
Your own bank may add its own charges on top, and we cannot see those. For the cheapest route, a bank transfer through Wise or Revolut costs us nothing in fees, and the amount you send is the amount we receive.
Tell us how you would like to pay, and the invoice will show that method and its fee as a line of its own.
Payment — all methods available
Secure payment by Stripe, Airwallex, American Express, Visa, Mastercard.
Fees: card payment link 3%, PayPal 7.2%, EDC card machine 3%. Your issuing bank may add its own charges.
Verification and payment
- Who you are paying: PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia, NIB 1805260128363, in Labuan Bajo. The boat has its own owner and crew; we arrange the charter and take the payment.
- Pay against an invoice: only to the account the invoice names. A request without an invoice, from a personal account or from a number that is not ours, is not from us.
- Our numbers: two WhatsApp numbers, CS 1 and CS 2, and no others.
- Amounts: 50 percent deposit, the balance 30 days before sailing. The invoice shows the payment method and its fee as a line of its own.
- Keep: the chat and the invoice until the trip is over.
Changing a date, or a replacement boat
Booking for tomorrow is possible while seats remain, but the latest practical day is the day before departure, because park tickets and the passenger list must be registered first. With the date only days away, we ask for full payment, and pickup follows the boat's schedule.
If the date moves, a change 30 days or more ahead is free; from 14 to 29 days it costs IDR 500,000.
- The boat cannot sail: a boat of equal or higher class on the same date at no extra charge, or a full refund within 2 days. You choose.
- We replace the boat: the same two options, with the replacement boat's name and cabins confirmed in writing before the date.
- The harbour master closes sailing for weather: handled the same way. We never sail against a closure.
- You arrive late: if you miss the pickup, a taxi boat takes you to the phinisi at your own expense.
For your flight
- Arrive: land the day before sailing.
- Open-trip pickup: 09:30 to 12:00, from your hotel or Komodo Airport.
- Trip ends: 12:00 to 12:30 at the harbour.
- Fly home: after 13:00, or the next day.
- Private charter: times are set with your flights.
FAQ
How can I pay from abroad, and what are the fees?
Use a card payment link (3 percent), PayPal (7.2 percent), or a transfer by Wise or Revolut with no fee from us. A card machine in Labuan Bajo adds 3 percent. Your own bank may add charges, and we cannot see them. The invoice states the fee as a line.
What are the deposit, balance deadline and cancellation policy?
The deposit is 50 percent, and the balance is due 30 days before sailing. If you cancel 60 days or more ahead, 50 percent is refunded; from 30 to 59 days, 25 percent; under 30 days, nothing. A date change 30 days ahead is free.
Can I book last minute, for tomorrow or today?
Yes, while seats remain, but the latest practical booking is the day before departure, because park tickets and the passenger list must be registered. For close dates, cabins are limited and we ask for full payment. Send us the date and your head count, and we check what is free.
What time should my flight land, and when can it leave?
Land the day before sailing. On an open trip, pickup runs from 09:30 to 12:00 and the trip ends between 12:00 and 12:30, so book a flight home after 13:00, or the next day. On a private charter, times are set with your flights.
Is Komodo Explorer a real company, and which account do I pay into?
Komodo Explorer is PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia, NIB 1805260128363, based in Labuan Bajo. Pay only into the account named on our invoice, never to a personal account. Our two WhatsApp numbers are CS 1 and CS 2. Ask for the invoice before you pay.
What happens if the boat is replaced or cancelled?
If the boat is unable to sail, a boat of the same or higher class is yours on the same date at no extra charge. If you prefer, we refund in full within 2 days. Weather closures by the harbour master are handled the same way.
Check availability — Raja Bintang 01
Raja Bintang 01 sails with its own crew; Komodo Explorer sells the cabins and the whole boat, and arranges your booking, payment and pickup.