Navila Liveaboard
Navila Liveaboard
Grandparents, parents and children on one boat, each with a bathroom of their own
Updated 3 November 2026
A Labuan Bajo family private phinisi works best when each generation has a room of its own. Navila has six en-suite cabins and a crew of six, and the captain sets a pace everyone can keep. On the 3D2N whole boat, six relatives pay IDR 12,830,000 (≈ USD 787) each; twelve pay IDR 6,830,000 (≈ USD 419) each.
Grandparents, parents, children: one vessel, a bathroom each
Three generations seldom keep the same hours. A grandparent is up at dawn, a parent wants the afternoon indoors, and a child would happily stay in the water until dinner. Navila copes by giving everyone room. All six cabins come with a bathroom of their own and a hot shower, so nobody queues in a corridor with a towel over one arm.
On a whole-boat charter the cabins, the jacuzzi, the relax areas at the bow, middle and stern, and the indoor dining room are your family's alone. The only other people aboard are Navila's crew of six, led by a cruise director; with every bed taken, that comes to about one crew member for every two guests.
Every cabin also has air conditioning and a safety box, which is the right place for passports and medicines. The plan below shows the beds. One limit should be said at the start: each cabin has a single double bed, so beds are shared by couples, or by a parent and a young child.
| Cabin | Rooms | Beds | Sleeps | with extra bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master Cabin 1 | 1 | 1 double bed (queen size) | 2 | 3 |
| Master Cabin 2 | 1 | 1 double bed (queen size) | 2 | 3 |
| Private Cabin 3 | 1 | 1 double bed (queen size) | 2 | 2 |
| Private Cabin 4 | 1 | 1 double bed (queen size) | 2 | 2 |
| Private Cabin 5 | 1 | 1 double bed (queen size) | 2 | 2 |
| Private Cabin 6 | 1 | 1 double bed (queen size) | 2 | 2 |
| Berths in total | 6 | 12 | 14 |
Allocating the six cabins among relatives
Start with whoever values quiet most. The two Master cabins have an ocean view and a wide window, and each can take one extra guest once the party goes past twelve. We would put the eldest couple in one and the parents of the youngest children in the other, so that help is close at night.
The four Private cabins come next: ocean view, one double bed, their own bathroom and the same fittings. Adult children with partners take one each. Teenagers who are sharing should know in advance that the bed is a double; twin beds are not offered.
Six relatives fill half the boat, eight fill four cabins, and twelve fill all six, two to a cabin. Every cabin has one double bed, so a family that needs separate beds should ask us before booking.
For a thirteenth or fourteenth relative the extra-guest fee applies, IDR 4,000,000 (≈ USD 245) per guest on the 3D2N route, and that guest sleeps in a Master cabin. We agree the bed in writing before you pay.
The same three days with fewer steps in them
The three-day route suits families because its days are not all the same weight. Day one is light: pickup at the harbour, the short climb on Kelor, then the evening at Kalong. Anyone who would rather not walk can stay aboard.
Day two is the long one. Padar at sunrise is a climb for whoever wants it; those who stay behind see the same light from the deck and meet the walkers again at Pink Beach. Komodo Island comes next, walked behind a park ranger. The afternoon goes to Taka Makassar and Manta Point, and there is a snorkelling set and a life jacket on board for each guest.
Day three is gentle, with a snorkel at Kanawa and then the harbour. On the open-trip timetable the boat is back between 12:00 and 13:00; a private charter sets its own hours around your flights. Book the flight home for after 15:00.
The captain fixes the running order each morning, and traffic, weather and tide all shift it a little. Read the plan below as a sample, not a promise.
Day 1
| What happens | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | Pickup from your hotel or Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo (open trip: meeting time 09:00 to 09:30) | passport or ID |
| 10:00 | On board at Labuan Bajo harbour (open trip: departure 10:00 to 11:00) | |
| · | Kelor Island, a short climb to the top | shoes with grip, hat and water |
| · | Manjarite | mask and snorkel |
| · | Kalong Island at sunset | a light layer |
| 🌙 | Night aboard. Where the boat anchors for the night depends on the weather and the captain's decision on the day. | |
Day 2
| What happens | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|
| · | Padar Island at sunrise | shoes with grip, hat and water |
| · | Pink Beach | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Komodo Island, to look for Komodo dragons with a ranger | closed shoes, park ticket |
| · | Taka Makassar sandbar | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Manta Point, to look for manta rays | mask and snorkel |
| 🌙 | Night at anchor | |
Day 3
| What happens | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|
| · | Kanawa Island | mask and snorkel |
| 12:00 | Back at Labuan Bajo harbour around 12:00 (open trip: trip ends 12:00 to 13:00) |
These stops swap order with tide and wind: Manta Point ⇄ Taka Makassar.
Times are operating patterns, not a timetable. Pickup is the only promise we make by the clock.
Child fares, age cut-offs and bed arrangements
Children from 0 to 2 years sail free of charge; at 3, the full fare begins. On a whole-boat charter the price belongs to the boat, so the rule matters mainly when children push the head count over a band edge. How an infant counts towards the bands and the twelve beds is confirmed in writing before you pay.
Beds follow the cabins. With one double bed in each, a child sleeps beside a parent or shares a cabin with a grandparent. Every cabin has one double bed; if a child needs a separate bed, ask us before booking rather than on the quay.
When you write, give us every child's age. It settles the fare, and it also tells us how to plan the walks.
Vests for small sizes, trail distances, the final word at sea
Life jackets are on board. Ask us to confirm sizes for small children before you sail. Snorkelling sets are supplied as well, though nothing on the route requires anyone to swim.
Park rangers lead the walks on Komodo Island and Rinca, and the group stays together on the trail; trail lengths are given on the stops pages and the Komodo page. The captain and the rangers decide every landing, and either may shorten or cancel one for weather or tide. Older relatives are welcome to stay aboard at any stop.
The host's note. The sun is strongest on the water at midday, so keep that hour for the relax areas or the dining room. Before Pink Beach, put a dry towel in a bag for each child.
Sums for six, eight and twelve relatives
The whole boat is priced by the size of the party. For three days it costs IDR 73,000,000 (≈ USD 4,479) for one to four guests, IDR 77,000,000 (≈ USD 4,724) for five to eight and IDR 82,000,000 (≈ USD 5,031) for nine to twelve. The family then divides one invoice.
Six relatives pay IDR 12,830,000 (≈ USD 787) each, the five-to-eight band shared six ways. Eight relatives on the same band pay IDR 9,620,000 (≈ USD 590) each. Twelve, in the nine-to-twelve band, pay IDR 6,830,000 (≈ USD 419) each. Thirteen relatives pay IDR 86,000,000 (≈ USD 5,276) for the boat, and that sum already includes the extra-guest fee.
These are 2026 prices, updated 3 November 2026. They cover the boat and its crew, three meals a day, free-flow coffee, tea and water, and the harbour transfer in Labuan Bajo. Left outside are the park package, tips and card fees, along with a guide and documentation, which can be quoted on request.
For more than fourteen guests overnight, a second boat is needed.
| Group size | 1D | 2D1N | 3D2N | 4D3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | IDR 24,250,000 | IDR 29,000,000 | IDR 36,500,000 | IDR 48,500,000 |
| 4 | IDR 12,120,000 | IDR 14,500,000 | IDR 18,250,000 | IDR 24,250,000 |
| 6 | IDR 8,080,000 | IDR 10,420,000 | IDR 12,830,000 | IDR 16,920,000 |
| 8 | IDR 6,060,000 | IDR 7,810,000 | IDR 9,620,000 | IDR 12,690,000 |
| 10 | IDR 4,850,000 | IDR 6,700,000 | IDR 8,200,000 | IDR 10,600,000 |
| 12 | IDR 4,040,000 | IDR 5,580,000 | IDR 6,830,000 | IDR 8,830,000 |
| 14 | IDR 3,460,000 | IDR 5,210,000 | IDR 6,430,000 | IDR 8,290,000 |
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per person · Whole boat ÷ group size
FAQ
What are the child prices, ages and bed arrangements on Navila?
Children from 0 to 2 years sail free of charge; at 3, the full fare begins. Every cabin has one double bed, so a child shares with a parent or a grandparent. If a child needs a separate bed, tell us the ages and ask before you book. We confirm the arrangement in writing before payment.
Is there a minimum age for young children aboard?
Give us each child's age in your message, and our written reply sets out what the boat and the walks allow. Life jackets are on board; ask us to confirm small sizes before sailing. Whether a child walks a trail is for the rangers and the captain to decide.
Must a guest be a strong swimmer to join Navila?
Nothing on Navila's routes requires a guest to swim, and snorkelling is entirely optional. Every guest has a life jacket waiting aboard. Those who do not swim can stay on deck or in the tender while the others go in. Mention it to the cruise director at boarding, so the crew knows whom to watch.
Is it safe to walk with children where Komodo dragons live?
Rangers lead the walks on Komodo Island and Rinca, and the group stays together behind them. The dragons are wild animals; a sighting is likely, yet never assured. Follow the ranger's instructions, keep children close, and accept it if the captain or the rangers cut a walk short when conditions change.
Check availability — Navila Liveaboard
Navila Liveaboard belongs to Navila Group; Komodo Explorer arranges your booking, your payment and every message before you sail.