Elbark Cruises
Elbark Cruises
One phinisi out of Labuan Bajo, and the people who book her
Updated 27 October 2026
Elbark Cruises, who we are: a 37 m boutique phinisi out of Labuan Bajo, 9 cabins, room for 18. Two parties make a trip happen: PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia handles your enquiry, deposit and pickup, and the boat's own crew does the sailing.
A phinisi called Elbark, also written El Bark
Her name is Elbark Cruises, though you will meet Elbark Cruise, Elbark and El Bark as well. All four mean the same boat; this site sticks to Elbark Cruises or plain Elbark.
She is a boutique phinisi, custom-built from locally sourced wood: 37 m, three decks, two masts. Labuan Bajo is home, and every trip on this site begins and ends there without leaving Komodo National Park. The nine cabins are named after Indonesian islands; the names are all they borrow, and the boat never sails to any of those islands.
The photographs here come from the boat's own gallery. The crew belongs to the boat, and we publish no headcount or names for it.
The booking team, and the people who run the boat
Behind every trip stand two sets of people, and it helps to know which is which. The booking team sits at PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia, NIB 1805260128363; it is who you deal with first. The crew belongs to the boat. Keeping the two apart is deliberate, since the company that sells a trip and the crew that sails it answer different questions. Remember that while planning and you will always know whom to ask.
Write to us and you reach the first. Step aboard and you meet the second. Each answers for its own share of the trip and leaves the other's alone, which is why a question about cabins or money is ours and a question about the sea goes to the captain.
Who you are booking with
- Legal entity
- PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia
- Business ID (NIB)
- 1805260128363
- Address
- Jl. Trans Flores 35, Desa Gorontalo, Labuan Bajo, NTT 86763
- +6285190096797 · +6287727777677
- info@komodoexplorer.com
- Booking team hours
- every day, 08:00 to 20:00 WITA
The boat sails with its own crew. PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia arranges the booking, the payment and the pickup.
What we do between your deposit and the pickup
Our busiest stretch runs from the deposit to the pickup. Boat, dates and cabin plan are confirmed in writing first; your 50% deposit then holds the dates. After that we gather everyone's names and ages, along with the passport spellings the harbour and the park want on their lists.
We organise the pickup from your hotel or anywhere in the city area, and the drop-off afterwards. Nothing is bought for you without a written quote first. A guide, a photographer or an extra dinner can be requested; each is priced on its own and agreed in writing before payment.
Finding a replacement is also our job if Elbark cannot sail. Your party gets a phinisi of matching or higher class for the original dates, free of any surcharge, or the whole payment back within 14 days.
Work that belongs to the boat's own people
Sailing her is the crew's work. Each day the captain settles route, stops and the night's bay, and the weather has much of the say. The crew serves the meals, drives the tender and keeps the snorkelling gear, the paddleboard and the canoe in order.
We cannot answer for the sea and do not pretend otherwise. What we can tell you is who decides: the captain afloat, the ranger on the trail, the harbour authority at the pier. Everything else, from the price to a refund, comes back to us. Ask for a fact this site leaves out, the names of the crew for instance, and we will tell you it is unpublished rather than guess.
FAQ
Who owns Elbark?
Elbark has her own owner and her own crew; you book her through PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia, NIB 1805260128363. We handle the enquiry, the payment and the pickup, and the boat's people sail her. Anything about the booking comes to us.
Who is on the crew?
The crew is the boat's, and we publish no headcount, roles or names for it. We can tell you who decides what: the captain sets the route and the night's anchorage, and on the park islands the ranger chooses the paths.
Who do I contact on the day?
Until you board, message the booking team on WhatsApp, every day, 08:00 to 20:00 WITA. Once aboard, the captain is the person for the sea, the stops and the day's plan. Give us the party's phone numbers when you book, and the pickup details arrive in writing.
Is the boat insured?
This site makes no claim about the boat's insurance. If it matters to you, ask, and a written answer reaches you before payment. Travel insurance sits outside the fare. Take a policy that covers medical care, evacuation and cancellation.
Is El Bark the same boat?
Yes. Elbark Cruises, Elbark Cruise, Elbark and El Bark all mean one boat: 37 m, 9 cabins, home port Labuan Bajo. Names such as Misool or Savu belong to her cabins, not to other boats.
Check availability for Elbark Cruises
Elbark Cruises is booked through PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia. We confirm your cabins, take the payment and arrange the pickup. The boat sails with its own crew.