Elbark Cruises
Elbark Cruises
The terms of a booking, in plain words
Updated 27 October 2026
In brief, Elbark Cruises asks for a 50% deposit to confirm a booking and the balance 30 days ahead of departure. A cancellation returns 50% from 60 days out and 25% from 30 to 59 days. A boat that cannot sail is replaced, or the booking is refunded.
Paying in two instalments, deposit and balance
You pay twice. The deposit equals 50% of the total; it confirms the booking and reserves the boat for your dates. Settle the balance 30 days ahead of departure. If the booking itself is made within 30 days of departure, the full amount is due at confirmation. You receive a written confirmation of boat, dates, cabin plan and price before the deposit, so the whole party knows what it is paying for.
The prices we quote already contain 11% VAT. No price includes park tickets, flights, hotel nights, travel insurance, alcohol or personal expenses, and the fare gains nothing extra without a written quote.
A private charter price does not carry a guide or photo and video documentation. Both are on request, quoted on a separate line, and confirmed to you in writing before payment. An open-trip cabin fare includes the cruise director guide and the photographer. The booking page lists the payment methods, and any fee attached to one is displayed before you pay.
| Deposit | 50 percent of the total |
| Balance | 30 days before |
| Bookings inside 30 days pay in full | |
| Children | Under 3 free, accompanied by a parent |
| Prices include 11 percent VAT · Passport details 7 days before sailing |
Rescheduling, or withdrawing from, a booking
Withdrawing 60 days or more ahead of departure returns 50%. Withdraw from 30 to 59 days before departure and 25% is refunded. Inside 30 days, nothing is refunded. The table shows the bands, and the invoice states the rupiah amount before you pay. Refunds are paid within 14 days. The organiser withdraws for the whole party, in writing.
Moving a date costs nothing up to 30 days before departure, if the new date is free. From just under 30 days down to 14 days before departure, the change costs IDR 500,000. A date change inside 14 days is handled as a cancellation, with the refund set by the bands.
A change in the number of guests changes the price, and the new figure reaches you in writing before it applies. Party size moves the whole-boat fare. Each guest from the eleventh up to 18 adds the amount shown on the price list. Tell us as soon as the count moves.
| Notice | Refund |
|---|---|
| 60 days or more | 50 % |
| 30 to 59 days | 25 % |
| 29 days or less | 0 % |
| Notice | Fee |
|---|---|
| 30 days or more | Free |
| 14 to 29 days | IDR 500,000 |
| 13 days or less | Treated as a cancellation |
If we cancel, you are refunded 100 percent · Refunds are paid within 14 days.
Replacement vessel or refund
A park order, a port order or a breakdown can keep the boat in harbour. Either a phinisi of the same class or better covers your dates, free of any surcharge, or you take a full refund inside 14 days. We set down in writing which boat it is, what changes and what stays as it was, before the party commits.
The replacement is a phinisi, and it is not this boat. No particular deck or cabin on the new boat is promised; the cabin plan is confirmed in writing prior to any extra payment.
The rule applies to the boat itself and equally to any order from the harbour or the park that stops it from sailing. The weather on the day is a different matter. The captain decides the stops and the night anchorage by the sea. The harbour authority decides when boats may sail. The ranger decides the paths on the park islands. A dragon, a manta and good snorkelling visibility are all things we cannot promise.
Young guests, insurance and costs beyond the fare
Children of 0 to 2 travel free when with a parent or guardian. From age 3 the full fare applies. Include the ages in your message, and the cabin plan and head count come back to you in writing before payment. Ask us first when the party needs a child-sized life jacket, a child seat or a cot. Our reply is written and arrives before payment.
Travel insurance is not in the fare. Our advice is a policy that covers medical care, evacuation and cancellation for every guest by name, and lists the activities on the route: snorkelling, paddleboarding and walks.
Alcohol is excluded from the fare, and entrance fees, flights and personal expenses are paid by you. The booking falls under Indonesian law, and any dispute is taken to the Indonesian courts. If a term is unclear, ask us. A written answer is given, ahead of any payment.
FAQ
How much is the deposit?
The deposit is 50% of the total. It confirms the booking and reserves the boat for your dates; the balance follows 30 days ahead of departure. Before payment we send in writing the boat, dates, cabin plan and price, with 11% VAT already inside that price.
What is refunded if we cancel?
A cancellation made 60 or more days before departure returns 50%. Between 30 and 59 days before departure, 25% comes back. Inside 30 days nothing is returned. A refund is paid within 14 days. If we cannot provide the boat, you get a replacement phinisi or a full refund.
Do children pay?
Children of 0 to 2 travel free when with a parent or guardian. From age 3 the full fare applies, in a cabin or as part of the whole-boat fare. Put the ages in your message, and the written confirmation of cabin plan and head count follows before payment.
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.