A Raja Ampat private boat charter is priced per night for the whole boat, not per person, and on our board that runs from around US$1,750 up to more than US$55,000, with the median close to US$10,000. Where your trip lands in that range depends mostly on the boat's size and cabin count, and secondly on how much the rate genuinely includes.
What a Raja Ampat private boat charter includes
Whole-boat rates are quoted "from" and cover the crew, three meals a day, soft drinks and coffee, fuel for the standard route, the tender and snorkelling gear. Most boats also include kayaks or paddleboards. Tiger Blue's rate card, one of the clearer examples we work with, covers full-board accommodation, soft drinks and local beer, a professional crew and cruise director, snorkelling and dive kit, tenders and water toys, and airport transfers, fuel and VAT.
What is usually billed separately
The same Tiger Blue card excludes the marine park fee, wine and spirits, Starlink WiFi, PADI courses, domestic flights and gratuities, and that pattern holds across most of the fleet. The Raja Ampat marine park entry permit is charged per guest and its fee is set and revised locally, so we never quote it as a fixed number here: your operator's quote will list the current amount and say whether the boat's rate already covers it. The same goes for domestic flights, which change too often to state as a fact in a guide like this.
What moves the nightly rate
Cabin count and guest capacity are the biggest factors: a boat built for two guests in one cabin sits at a very different price from a 30-guest expedition ship with 15 cabins. Range matters too. Expedition vessels built for longer voyages, including crossings to the Spice Islands or Misool, tend to carry a premium over phinisi built mainly for a week in the Dampier Strait and around Wayag. Age, finish and whether the boat runs its own dive programme also factor in. A boat with nine or ten cabins spread across a similar length to a five-cabin yacht will usually sit lower on space per guest, which is one reason two boats of a similar size can carry noticeably different rates.
Dive programmes and other add-ons that shift the price
Boats with their own dive centre and dedicated dive guides, common on the larger expedition yachts, usually build that into the nightly rate or offer it as a fixed daily add-on rather than pricing each tank separately. On phinisi without a dive programme, diving is typically arranged through a local dive operator and billed on top of the charter, which is worth asking about early if diving is the main reason for the trip. Cruise directors, spa treatments, a private chef upgrade or a photographer on board are less common but do appear on some of the larger yachts, always as optional extras rather than part of the standard rate. None of these change the base nightly figure quoted on a boat's page; they simply widen the gap between the advertised rate and what a fully loaded week might actually cost, which is exactly why we ask for your group size and interests before quoting a real number.
Budget, mid-range and high-end examples
At the lower end, boats like Jinggo Janggo, from US$1,750 a night for up to 5 guests, put a full crew and a traditional phinisi within reach of a small family or group of friends. In the middle of the board, boats such as Tiger Blue, from US$6,600 for up to 10 guests across 5 cabins, are a common choice for a week with friends or extended family. Between the middle and the top of the range, phinisi such as Silolona, from US$18,700 a night for up to 10 guests across 5 cabins, show how quickly the rate climbs once a boat is built for a longer, more comfortable voyage rather than a short island-hopping week. At the top end, expedition ships like Aqua Blu, from US$55,430 a night for up to 30 guests across 15 cabins, suit larger groups or longer, multi-region voyages.
Season and length also change the total
Rates on the board are nightly, so the total scales with how many nights you book, and Raja Ampat trips tend to run longer than Komodo ones: six to ten nights is typical, against three to seven in Komodo. Peak weeks within the October to April season can also see less availability at short notice, which is worth factoring in if your dates are fixed. For the wider picture across Indonesia, see our guide to yacht charter costs.
Plan your charter
The clearest way to see what a trip like yours would cost is to send your dates with your guest count, and we will come back with real boats and real nightly rates. Or see which yachts are open now to browse the range for yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest Raja Ampat private boat charter?
The lowest nightly rates on our board start from around US$1,750 for the whole boat, typically a smaller phinisi with two to three cabins.
Is the marine park fee included in the nightly rate?
Sometimes, sometimes not. It varies by boat, so check the inclusions on the yacht's page and confirm on your quote before booking.
Does the price change by season?
The nightly rate itself is usually fixed by the operator, but availability tightens in the busier parts of the October to April season, so booking early gives you more choice at any price point.
Is a private charter more expensive than a shared liveaboard?
Per person it usually is, since you are paying for the whole boat rather than one cabin on a shared trip. Per family or group, split across several cabins, it can come out close to a shared liveaboard while giving you the whole boat and a route built around you.