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This page does two things the seat-listing sites will not. It names the five variables that actually move a per-seat price, so you can compare quotes like-for-like. And it lays the published whole-boat arithmetic alongside, so you know the exact group size at which you should stop buying seats altogether.
What moves an open trip seat price
| Variable | Effect on the seat price | What to ask the seller |
|---|---|---|
| Cabin class | The biggest swing — open-deck mattress, shared cabin, or private en-suite are different products at different multiples | "Which bed, exactly, and who shares it?" |
| Boat size and age | Bigger, newer hulls charge more and ride open water better | "How many guests at full occupancy?" |
| Season | July–August and Christmas sell out first and price highest; December–March discounts carry weather risk | "What happens if the captain cancels?" |
| Duration and route | 2D1N harbour loops, standard 3D2N circuits and 4D3N crossings are not comparable per night | "Which islands, in writing?" |
| Inclusions | Park fees, ranger charges, gear rental and transfers are the classic add-ons that surface after payment | "Itemise everything not included." |
On the ex-Lombok crossings, our published Lombok to Komodo route guide compiles the 2026–2027 market bands: from about IDR 2.5 million per person for open-deck sharing to IDR 6–8.5 million for private-cabin phinisi on the 4D3N passage. Those are market ranges across operators, not a Lamborajo quote — scheduled seat inventory changes weekly, so for a live per-seat price on your dates the honest answer is to ask the desk on WhatsApp rather than trust a stale number on any website, including this one.
The charter alternative, from the published card
Whole-boat rates are public and stable, which makes the per-person arithmetic checkable. Here is Lamborajo 1 — the fleet's value boat — on a 3D2N, divided by group size:
| Group size | Charter total | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | USD 3,700 | ~USD 463 |
| 12 | USD 3,700 | ~USD 308 |
| 16 | USD 3,850 | ~USD 241 |
| 20 | USD 4,000 | ~USD 200 |
| 24 (full) | USD 4,880 | ~USD 203 |
Read the break-even off that table. At eight people, USD 463 a head buys the whole boat — still more than most shared-cabin seats, so seats win. At twelve, USD 308 is already competitive with mid-class cabins. From sixteen up, USD 200–240 per person undercuts nearly every scheduled cabin on the harbour, and the group answers to nobody's timetable but its own. The same logic at higher comfort levels runs through the full fleet cost-per-person tables.
When a seat is still the right buy
No charter split works below eight; scheduled departures exist precisely for you. Cabin-class departures run across Labuan Bajo liveaboard departures.
Seats on a boat already sailing beat a charter you would have to fill.
A shared boat is a social product; a charter is a private one. Neither is wrong — they are different purchases.
How to compare two seat quotes honestly
Strip both quotes to the same skeleton: bed type, boat capacity, islands named in writing, park fees in or out, gear in or out, transfer in or out, cancellation terms. The regulated park entrance alone is IDR 250,000 per foreign visitor under PP No. 36/2024, before ranger and local charges — a "cheap" seat that excludes it is not cheap, it is unfinished.
Bed type · boat capacity · islands named in writing · park fees in or out · gear in or out · transfer in or out · cancellation terms. Any quote that will not answer all seven is not a quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Komodo open trip per person?
There is no single number: the seat price moves with cabin class, boat, season, duration and inclusions. Compiled 2026–2027 listings on the Lombok crossing run from about IDR 2.5 million open-deck to IDR 6–8.5 million private-cabin. Get a live quote for your dates and compare it against the charter split.
At what group size does chartering beat buying seats?
Roughly twelve people. A 3D2N on Lamborajo 1 with twelve is about USD 308 each on the published card; from sixteen up it drops to USD 200–240, below nearly all scheduled cabin pricing.
Does Lamborajo sell individual seats?
The published Lamborajo card is whole-boat only. Scheduled shared departures vary by date and season, so seat availability is answered live by the reservations desk on WhatsApp rather than published as a fixed grid.
Why do open trip prices for the same route differ so much?
Because the products differ: an open-deck mattress and an en-suite cabin can share an itinerary and still be priced multiples apart. Boat size, season and what is excluded from the quote do the rest.
Are park fees included in open trip prices?
Often not. The regulated entrance component is IDR 250,000 per foreign visitor per visit under PP No. 36/2024, with ranger and local charges on top, collected at the park. Ask every seller to itemise.
Send your dates and group size. You will get what is actually sailing, priced, in one reply.
Charter figures are arithmetic on the operator's published Lamborajo rate card for 2026–2027 sailings. Per-seat market bands are compiled from publicly listed departures and referenced from our route guides; they are ranges, not quotes. Park fees follow PP No. 36/2024. Confirm any live price before paying a deposit.
