Komodo Cruise Sharing Trip: How a 3D2N Open Trip Works
A Komodo cruise sharing trip, called an open trip in Indonesia, sells places on a fixed-date sailing by the person instead of chartering the whole boat. On Ayvara, a 7-cabin VIP phinisi owned and operated by Komodo Luxury, the open trip is a 3-day, 2-night voyage from Labuan Bajo that departs Friday to Sunday and Monday to Wednesday every week of the year, priced from IDR 6,750,000 (USD 450) per person in a Superior Cabin to IDR 8,500,000 (USD 570) per person in the Master Cabin (2027 publish rates, rate sheet dated 11 September 2026; Komodo National Park fees are not included). Guests share the decks, guide and itinerary with a group of no more than 15, while every cabin has its own air conditioning, en-suite bathroom and sea view.
What a Komodo cruise sharing trip is
A Komodo cruise sharing trip sells places on a boat by the person. The operator fixes the boat, the dates and the route, and travellers who do not know each other book cabins on the same sailing. In Indonesia the format is called an open trip; it is also sold as a share trip, shared trip, join trip or liveaboard sharing trip.
The alternative is a private charter, where one party pays for the whole vessel and picks its own dates. A Komodo open trip suits solo travellers, couples and pairs of friends who want a multi-day voyage without paying for cabins they will not use.
Ayvara’s open trip starts in Labuan Bajo, the harbour town at the western end of Flores and the gateway to Komodo National Park. The park was founded in 1980, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, and takes in the three larger islands of Komodo, Padar and Rinca plus many smaller ones.
This guide uses Ayvara Cruise as the worked example. Ayvara is a VIP-class wooden phinisi with 7 above-deck, sea-view cabins for a maximum of 15 guests. Komodo Luxury owns and operates the boat and runs it on a published 3D2N open trip programme (3 days, 2 nights) as well as private charters.
How the pricing works: cabins by the person
On a sharing trip the fare is quoted per person, per voyage, and it depends on the cabin type. There is no charter fee to split. Ayvara has three cabin types, and the figures below are the 2027 publish rates, rate sheet dated 11 September 2026.
| Cabin type | Cabins on board | Sleeps | Main difference | Open trip rate, per person, per 3D2N voyage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master Cabin | 1 | 3 | Private balcony; queen bed plus 1 extra bed | IDR 8,500,000 (USD 570) |
| Deluxe Cabin | 2 | 2 | Private balcony; queen bed | IDR 7,750,000 (USD 530) |
| Superior Cabin | 4 | 2 | Large panoramic windows; queen bed | IDR 6,750,000 (USD 450) |
The Open Trip Ayvara 2027 sheet also prints an additional pax rate of IDR 4,500,000 (USD 330); the reservations desk confirms when it applies. Children aged 3 and above are charged the full rate. Rates apply to the year in which they are issued and may change annually.
The Superior Cabin is the lowest fare and, with four on board, the most numerous type. The Master Cabin and the two Deluxe Cabins are the only ones with a private balcony, so couples who want one should ask for those first. The cabin guide compares all three, and the rates page carries the full sheet. Solo travellers should confirm occupancy arrangements with the reservations desk before paying a deposit.
Fixed weekly departures
An open trip only works if the dates are fixed, because strangers have to plan around the same sailing. Ayvara runs two departures every week of the year:
- Weekend trip: Friday to Sunday
- Weekday trip: Monday to Wednesday
In July 2027, for example, the weekend sailings are 02–04, 09–11, 16–18, 23–25 and 30 July–01 August, and the weekday sailings are 05–07, 12–14, 19–21 and 26–28 July. Komodo Luxury lists Ayvara among the vessels on its open / share trip page and keeps a separate page for the Monday to Wednesday weekday open trip.
Pick-up on day one is arranged between 8 and 9 a.m. within the Labuan Bajo mainland area near the harbour. Accommodation on other islands or in the Manjaga area is not covered. Travellers landing on the morning of departure should clear their arrival time with the desk first. On day three the published schedule has snorkelling at Sebayur Island at 08:00, then lunch and the return to Labuan Bajo from 09:30. No arrival time is published, so a same-day onward flight should be checked with the desk before it is booked.
What is shared and what is private
On Ayvara the split looks like this.
| Shared with the other guests | Private to each cabin |
|---|---|
| The route, the daily timings and the guide | The cabin itself, with a sea view |
| The 360° rooftop deck and the shaded sundeck | Air conditioning |
| The indoor dining area and meal times | An en-suite bathroom |
| Snorkelling stops and island treks | A balcony in the Master and Deluxe Cabins |
| Starlink internet and the drone, GoPro and mirrorless documentation | Panoramic windows in the Superior Cabins |
The group is never larger than 15 guests. What an open trip guest gives up is control: the schedule is set for the whole group, not for one cabin, and participants are required to follow the guide’s instructions throughout the trip.
The 3D2N route in brief
- Day 1: Kelor Island for a trek and photos, snorkelling around Manjarite, then sunset at Kalong Island, where flying foxes are usually seen from the boat.
- Day 2: a 06:00 trek on Padar Island, Pink Beach, a trek on Komodo Island to look for the dragons, snorkelling at Manta Point, where mantas are often seen when conditions allow, and Taka Makassar for photos and snorkelling.
- Day 3: sunrise and breakfast on board, snorkelling at Sebayur Island, lunch and the return to Labuan Bajo.
Destinations may change depending on weather and field conditions, and wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. The full itinerary has the hour-by-hour schedule.
What the fare covers
Included in the per-person rate:
- The stay on the boat and meals during the trip
- Mineral water, coffee and tea
- Guide, snorkelling gear and life vests
- Documentation with drone, GoPro and mirrorless camera, delivered as raw footage only
- Pick-up and drop-off within the Labuan Bajo mainland area near the harbour
Not included: Komodo National Park fees, which are set by government regulation at the time of the trip, crew gratuities, flight tickets, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, personal snacks and expenses, and the optional drone permit for the park, which has to be requested 7 days before the trip.
Payment and cancellation terms to read first
Fixed dates make the terms matter. A 50% down payment secures the booking and is non-refundable. Full payment is due no later than 30 days before departure, and trips less than 30 days away are paid in full. Cancellations forfeit 100% of payments made: they cannot be refunded, rescheduled or transferred to another trip, although a replacement guest may be nominated. Force majeure, including weather and flight cancellations, may change or cancel a trip without refund, so travel insurance is worth arranging.
How to book Ayvara: bookings are not taken on this site. Choose a departure date and cabin type, then reserve on the Ayvara Cruise page at Komodo Luxury, or contact the Komodo Luxury reservations desk on WhatsApp +62 811-3823-875 or at sales@komodoluxury.com with the date, cabin type and number of guests.
Sharing trip or private charter?
The open trip is priced per person. A private 3D2N charter of Ayvara is priced per charter for the whole boat: IDR 104,000,000 (USD 6,200) for 1–8 guests and IDR 118,000,000 (USD 7,000) for 9–15 guests, on the same 2027 publish rates, rate sheet dated 11 September 2026.
One or two cabins on a fixed date is an open trip decision. A group that would fill most of the seven cabins, or that wants its own dates and pace, should compare the charter rate, which stays the same within each guest band however many cabins are used. The article on open trip versus private charter works through the choice in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Komodo cruise sharing trip?
A Komodo cruise sharing trip, known in Indonesia as an open trip, sells places on a fixed sailing by the person instead of chartering the whole boat. Guests who do not know each other share the decks, guide and itinerary, and pay a rate set by cabin type. On Ayvara the format is a 3-day, 2-night voyage from Labuan Bajo with a maximum of 15 guests.
How much does the Ayvara open trip cost per person?
On the 2027 publish rates, rate sheet dated 11 September 2026, the Ayvara 3D2N open trip costs IDR 6,750,000 (USD 450) per person in a Superior Cabin, IDR 7,750,000 (USD 530) per person in a Deluxe Cabin and IDR 8,500,000 (USD 570) per person in the Master Cabin. Rates are per person, per 3D2N voyage. Komodo National Park fees are not included and are set by government regulation at the time of the trip.
Which days does the Komodo open trip on Ayvara depart?
Ayvara runs two fixed departures every week of the year: a weekend trip from Friday to Sunday and a weekday trip from Monday to Wednesday. Pick-up is arranged between 8 and 9 a.m. within the Labuan Bajo mainland area near the harbour.
Is a Komodo open trip suitable for solo travellers?
The fare is charged per person, so a solo traveller can join a multi-day Komodo voyage without chartering a boat. Ayvara's open trip rates are set by cabin type, and solo travellers should confirm occupancy arrangements with the Komodo Luxury reservations desk before paying the 50% non-refundable deposit.
What is not included in the Ayvara open trip fare?
The fare excludes Komodo National Park fees, crew gratuities, flight tickets, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, personal snacks and expenses, and the optional drone permit for the park. The stay on board, meals, mineral water, coffee and tea, a guide, snorkelling gear, life vests, raw documentation footage and pick-up and drop-off within the Labuan Bajo mainland area near the harbour are included.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- en.wikipedia.org
- whc.unesco.org
- Vessel facts and rates: Komodo Luxury, Ayvara page and the 2027 rate sheet dated 11 September 2026
