The short answer

What makes a Komodo cruise a luxury one

In Labuan Bajo the word luxury gets attached to almost anything with a bed on it, so it is worth being specific. On Neptune Cruise the claim rests on four things you can verify before you pay.

Every one of the seven cabins is en-suite and air-conditioned. The two top-deck masters have their own private balconies. The vessel carries satellite Wi-Fi rather than hoping for a phone signal. And the guest ceiling is twenty people on a forty-metre hull across three decks — the number most travellers underestimate, and the one that separates a comfortable week at sea from a crowded one.

Neptune Cruise Phinisi at anchor in Komodo National Park

The vessel

A modern phinisi, crewed in-house

Neptune Cruise Phinisi is a modern take on the Buginese schooner that has been built in South Sulawesi for generations — the same two-masted form, fitted out as a motor-sailing liveaboard.

She is owner-held and run by its own dedicated charter desk, which has run boats out of Labuan Bajo since 2015. The crew is employed directly and the vessel is maintained in-house against a published twelve-point quality standard, so the people looking after you are not a sub-contracted rotation.

Type
Phinisi — two-masted motor sailer
Built for
Komodo National Park liveaboard cruising
Operator
the charter desk · the vessel charter company
Base port
Labuan Bajo, Flores

Accommodation

Seven cabins, four grades

All seven are en-suite and air-conditioned. What changes between grades is the deck, the outlook and whether you get a balcony.

The Mansard I master cabin on Neptune Cruise Phinisi

Top deck

Mansard I

The forward master on the top deck: queen bed, en-suite, and a private balcony that looks straight down the bow.

USD 850 per person, shared 3D2N · additional guest USD 410

The Mansard II master cabin on Neptune Cruise Phinisi

Top deck

Mansard II

The second top-deck master, identical in size and finish, with its own balcony and the shortest walk to the sundeck.

USD 850 per person, shared 3D2N · additional guest USD 410

The Junior Suite on Neptune Cruise Phinisi

Main deck

Junior Suite

Main-deck cabin with a queen bed and full en-suite, a few steps from the indoor dining room and the lounge.

USD 730 per person, shared 3D2N · additional guest USD 410

A Deluxe cabin on Neptune Cruise Phinisi

Lower deck

Deluxe

Lower-deck cabin with a queen bed, en-suite and a sea-view window — the steadiest berths on board in a swell.

USD 610 per person, shared 3D2N · additional guest USD 310

The three bays of Padar Island seen from the summit ridge

The park

Why the route is worth the flight

Padar is the picture everyone arrives for — three bays in three different colours, seen from a ridge you climb before sunrise. It is a twenty-minute walk on cut steps, not a hike.

The rest of the route earns its place quietly: dragons on Rinca or Komodo Island, the rose sand at Pink Beach, manta rays feeding at Manta Point, and the sandbar at Taka Makassar that appears and disappears with the tide.

Shared cabin

Per-person rates on the 3D2N departure

Book a cabin rather than the boat. You sail with up to nineteen other guests on the signature three-day, two-night route.

CabinDeckPer personAdditional guest
Premium Mansard I & IITop deckUSD 850USD 410
Junior SuiteMain deckUSD 730USD 410
DeluxeLower deckUSD 610USD 310

Every cabin is en-suite and air-conditioned. Park fees are paid separately in cash.

Whole-boat charter

Private charter rates

One price for the entire vessel, all seven cabins and up to twenty guests. Rates are per charter, not per person.

DurationWhole boatAdditional guest
2D1NUSD 8,900USD 500
3D2NUSD 11,450USD 500
4D3NUSD 14,000USD 500
5D4NUSD 16,550USD 550
6D5NUSD 19,050USD 550
7D6NUSD 20,950USD 550

Rates exclude Komodo National Park entrance, ranger and activity fees, which are collected in cash on the day. Confirm the current rate card at this official site before booking.

What the fare covers

Included, and what to budget for separately

Included in the fare

  • Cabin accommodation for the full itinerary
  • All meals on board, prepared fresh by the galley crew
  • Mineral water, coffee and tea throughout
  • English-speaking cruise guide
  • Snorkelling equipment and life vests
  • Mainland transfers within Labuan Bajo
  • Drone, GoPro and mirrorless documentation of the trip

Budget separately

  • Komodo National Park entrance, ranger and activity fees (cash)
  • Flights to and from Labuan Bajo (LBJ)
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Scuba diving packages and equipment hire
  • Travel insurance
  • Crew gratuities

Before you book

Questions we are asked most

What is included in a luxury Komodo cruise on Neptune Cruise?

Cabin accommodation, all meals, mineral water, coffee and tea, an English-speaking guide, snorkelling equipment and life vests, mainland transfers in Labuan Bajo, and drone, GoPro and mirrorless documentation of your trip.

How much does it cost?

Shared 3D2N cabins run USD 610 for a Deluxe, USD 730 for the Junior Suite and USD 850 for a Premium Mansard, per person. Chartering the whole boat runs from USD 8,900 for 2D1N to USD 20,950 for 7D6N.

How many guests are on board?

Twenty at most, across seven cabins. On a private charter the number is whatever your party is.

Is there Wi-Fi?

Yes — satellite Wi-Fi, so it does not depend on a phone signal reaching the anchorage. Expect messaging and email rather than video calls.

Do I need to be a diver?

No. The route is built around snorkelling and island walks. Dive packages can be added for certified divers.

Reservations

Hold a cabin, or the whole boat

Tell us your dates, guest count, dietary needs and whether anyone in the party dives. We reply with live availability and a written quote — direct from the operator, never through an agent.