Twelve questions separate a properly run Komodo boat from a cheap gamble — and all twelve can be answered in one message before you transfer a deposit. They cover certification, equipment, crew, weather policy and payment structure. An operator who answers all twelve without hedging is the operator you want.
The checklist — copy this and send it
- Does the vessel hold a current seaworthiness certificate, and when was its last inspection?
- What is the vessel’s licensed passenger capacity, and how many guests are booked on my departure?
- Are the captain and engineer licensed, and how many crew sail on this boat?
- Is there a lifejacket for every passenger, including child sizes, plus lifebuoys?
- Does the boat carry navigation lights, fire extinguishers and a stocked first-aid kit?
- For dive boats: is emergency oxygen carried, and are the dive guides certified professionals?
- What is the guest-to-crew ratio, and how many guests per in-water guide?
- Who decides whether the boat sails in bad weather, and what is the written stand-down policy?
- What happens to my money if the trip is cancelled, shortened or rerouted for weather?
- Is the deposit paid to a registered company account, and will I get a written itinerary and terms?
- Are park fees included or passed through at cost, and which route ticket applies?
- Can you send a photograph of the actual cabin I am booking, and confirm its deck position?
Why do certificates and inspections matter now?
Because enforcement in Komodo waters has tightened considerably. Following incidents in Indonesian tourist waters, requirements around valid seaworthiness certification, periodic inspection, licensed captains and engineers, and capacity limits are applied more strictly than they were a decade ago — including on adverse-weather departures, where the harbourmaster can restrict sailing.
The practical implication for you is simple: a compliant operator has this paperwork and is entirely comfortable being asked about it. An operator who deflects, or who says the question is unusual, is telling you where they sit. You do not need to read the certificate; you need to see that asking for it produces a calm, specific answer rather than friction.
What equipment should be on board?
| Item | Requirement | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Lifejackets | One per passenger, appropriate sizes | “How many, and do you carry child sizes?” |
| Lifebuoys | Carried and accessible on deck | “Where are they stowed?” |
| Navigation lights | Functioning — boats move at night | “Do you transit at night, and with what lighting?” |
| Fire extinguishers | Serviced, in galley and engine areas | “When were they last serviced?” |
| First-aid kit | Stocked, with a crew member trained to use it | “Who on the crew is first-aid trained?” |
| Emergency oxygen | Mandatory on dive boats | “Is O2 carried and is it full?” |
| Communications | Radio and satellite or Starlink | “How do you call for help from Gili Lawa?” |
| Tender | Sound, with engine and its own safety kit | “How many tenders, and what capacity?” |
The communications question is underrated. Cellular coverage inside the park is patchy — reliable near Labuan Bajo and Rinca, weak around Komodo Island, Gili Lawa and the southern bays. A boat’s ability to summon help from an anchorage where phones do not work is a real safety feature, not a luxury. Our connectivity guide covers how coverage actually behaves.
What does the crew ratio tell you?
More than almost any other number. Labuan Bajo phinisi typically carry eight to fourteen crew on small and mid boats, and fifteen to twenty-plus on large luxury vessels. Guest capacity runs eight to sixteen on budget boats, twelve to twenty on standard and deluxe, and a deliberately capped ten to eighteen on luxury vessels.
Sixteen guests on a 28-metre hull with a small crew feels different from twelve guests on the same hull with ten crew — not just in service, but in how quickly someone notices a snorkeller drifting off the group. Ask two versions of the question: total crew, and how many guests per in-water guide. Four divers or snorkellers per guide in current is reasonable; eight is thin.
Guest capacities by boat class are listed on our 2027 boat comparison table.
Who makes the weather call — and what happens to your money?
These two questions belong together, because an operator with a financial incentive to sail will sail. The good answer sounds like this: the captain makes the call in consultation with the harbourmaster, the policy is written into the booking terms, and a weather-shortened trip triggers a defined refund or credit.
The bad answer is vague reassurance — “we always find a way” — which means either they modify itineraries silently or they sail when they should not. Full trip cancellations are uncommon; route modification is normal and honest. What matters is that you are told at the briefing rather than after the fact, and that the commercial consequences were agreed before you paid.
This matters most in the December-to-March wet season, when exposed southern and open-water routes become unworkable for days at a time — see the month-by-month conditions guide.
What are the payment red flags?
- A personal bank account. Deposits should go to a registered company account. A request to transfer to an individual’s account is the single clearest warning sign in this market.
- No written itinerary. You should receive a day-by-day plan, with the caveat that order varies with tide and park slots. “We’ll decide on the day” as a total answer is not acceptable.
- No written cancellation terms. Deposit amount, refund windows and weather policy, in writing, before payment.
- Pressure to pay immediately for a “last cabin” that has been the last cabin for three weeks.
- Prices far below the market band. A 3D2N shared cabin sits around IDR 2.5–5 million per person by class. A quote at a fraction of that is buying something out of the boat — usually crew, maintenance or safety equipment.
- Vagueness about park fees. A real operator knows whether they file the plain daily entrance or a bundled route ticket, and can explain the difference. See our fee breakdown.
- Photos that never match the cabin. Ask for the specific room. The cabin types guide explains what each class should actually include.
How do you verify an operator’s track record?
Reviews help but are gameable. Better signals: how long the company has operated under the same name and legal entity; whether it has a physical office in Labuan Bajo or Bali you could walk into; whether the same staff appear across years; whether it responds specifically to specific questions rather than sending brochures; and whether it will put you in touch with a past guest for a comparable trip.
And notice the tone. An operator willing to tell you that your requested itinerary does not fit your dates, or that a cheaper cabin would suit you better, has an interest in your trip working rather than in closing the sale.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a Komodo tour operator is legitimate?
Registered company account for payments, written itinerary and terms, current seaworthiness documentation, a named office, and specific answers to specific questions. Any one of these missing is worth pausing over; two or more is a no.
Is it safe to book a Komodo trip online?
Yes, when you pay a registered company and hold written terms. The risk is not the internet — it is transferring money to an individual with no paperwork.
What deposit is normal?
Typically 30–50%, with the balance before or at boarding. Holiday-period departures often require the higher end with tighter cancellation windows.
What if the boat differs from what I booked?
Substitutions happen for genuine mechanical reasons, but you should be notified in advance and offered an equivalent or better vessel, or a refund. Have that stated in the terms before you pay.
Should I book through an agent or direct?
Either works if the questions above are answered. What matters is who holds the operational responsibility for the boat — ask explicitly who operates the vessel, not just who sold you the ticket.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, including medical evacuation, and dive cover if you are diving. Labuan Bajo has basic hospital facilities and serious cases evacuate to Bali. It also protects against weather cancellation and flight disruption — see the cost breakdown for where insurance sits in a realistic budget.
Ask us the twelve
We would rather answer this checklist than have you not ask it. Send all twelve questions to us and you will get twelve specific answers, in writing, before any deposit. All vessels are operated by Komodo Luxury, part of Juara Holding Group, working in Labuan Bajo and Bali since 2015. Compare fleet classes on the boat comparison table, see charter specifications on the luxury phinisi page, or discuss whole-boat hire on the group and corporate charter page.
WhatsApp +62 811 3823 875 · [email protected]