On a well-run phinisi the crew usually outnumber the guests — typically eight to eighteen people on a 30 to 50 metre vessel carrying six to twenty guests. That ratio is not extravagance. A wooden boat with generators, a watermaker, a compressor, tenders and a galley needs continuous hands, and a night watch is kept whether or not anyone is awake to see it. Knowing who does what makes you a better guest and a much better judge of a boat.
Who is on board?
| Role | Number | What they actually do |
|---|---|---|
| Captain | 1 | Navigation, weather, route decisions, safety authority. The final word on everything, including cancelling a site |
| First mate | 1 | Second in command, watch keeping, deck operations, anchoring |
| Engineer | 1–2 | Main engines, generators, watermaker, compressor, electrics. The reason the air conditioning works at 03:00 |
| Cruise director / guide | 1 | Your daily briefing, itinerary explanation, land excursions, the interface between guests and crew |
| Dive guides | 1–4 | Site briefings, in-water leadership, tank management, gas planning |
| Chef | 1 | Three meals plus snacks daily from a small galley with no resupply |
| Galley assistant | 1–2 | Prep, dishes, provisioning management |
| Stewards | 1–3 | Cabins, service, laundry on longer trips |
| Deckhands | 2–5 | Lines, anchor, tenders, maintenance, the endless varnish |
| Tender drivers | 1–2 | Drops, pickups, drift cover for divers and snorkellers |
Numbers vary with vessel size and itinerary. A 30-metre boat may combine roles; a 50-metre vessel with sixteen guests runs the full list. Silolona, at 50 metres, carries seventeen crew for ten guests in five suites — a useful benchmark for the top of the market.
Who has authority over what?
The captain. Always, and on everything that touches safety: whether the boat sails, which anchorage it uses, whether a dive happens, when the tender runs, and what happens in an emergency. A cruise director who overrides a captain’s weather call to keep guests happy is a warning sign, not a service.
Guests occasionally push back on a route change. Understand what is actually happening: a captain rerouting from north to south Komodo in January because a north-west blow is building is doing the thing you are paying for. The corresponding change in what you will see is explained in our Komodo dive site guide.
What happens at night?
A watch is kept. On a boat at anchor, someone is awake monitoring the anchor position, the weather and the bilges. On a boat under way overnight — the Sorong–Misool passage, a Banda crossing, the Bali–Komodo run — the wheelhouse is manned continuously in rotation, with the engineer available.
This is worth asking about explicitly when you charter. “Who is awake at 03:00?” is a question with only one acceptable answer, and it sits naturally alongside the twelve checks in our operator vetting guide.
What guide-to-diver ratios are acceptable?
| Conditions | Sensible maximum per guide |
|---|---|
| Sheltered reef, mild current, experienced divers | 4–6 |
| Komodo pinnacles, strong current | 4, with tender cover |
| Mixed experience group | 4, or split into two groups |
| Newly certified divers | 2–3 |
| Night dive | 4, with a surface marker system |
Eight divers behind one guide at Castle Rock is not a dive plan; it is a hope. If a boat’s dive-guide count divided by its guest capacity is worse than one to six, ask how they intend to split groups. The structure we use is set out on the dive charter page.
What does the crew do that you never see?
- Filling tanks at 05:00 so the first dive can go on the tide.
- Making fresh water, because a watermaker running badly is a week without showers.
- Anchoring on sand, not coral — often after two or three attempts, in the dark.
- Washing salt off every surface, daily, because salt is what destroys a wooden boat.
- Buying fish from a village boat so day five’s dinner is fresh.
- Rebuilding a tender outboard on the aft deck while you are diving.
Most of this happens between 04:30 and 07:00. The crew’s day starts well before yours and ends after it, which is worth remembering at the end of the week. What comes out of that galley is described in our seven-day menu.
How does tipping work?
Gratuity is customary on Indonesian charters and is normally pooled and shared across the whole crew, including the engineer and the galley — the people you interact with least and depend on most.
- One envelope to the captain at the end of the trip, for distribution, is the standard mechanism.
- Cash in rupiah, drawn before you board. There are no ATMs at anchor.
- A guideline, not an obligation. Ask the operator what is customary for the vessel and length of trip rather than guessing; nobody will be offended by the question.
- Do not tip individuals separately unless something exceptional happened. It undermines the pool and creates friction below decks.
- Non-cash thanks matter too — a written review that names the crew, and photographs sent to the operator afterwards, travel further than you would think.
Frequently asked questions
How many crew are on a phinisi?
Typically eight to eighteen on a 30–50 metre charter vessel, with crew often outnumbering guests.
Do the crew speak English?
The captain, cruise director and dive guides generally do. Deck and galley crew vary. A few words of Indonesian go a very long way.
Who decides if a dive is cancelled?
The captain, on the advice of the dive guides. Weather and current calls are not negotiable, and a boat that lets guests negotiate them is a boat to avoid.
How much should I tip?
Ask the operator for the customary range on that vessel and trip length. Pay it in rupiah, in one envelope, to the captain.
Are dive guides certified professionals?
They should hold recognised professional certification with current insurance and, critically, real experience on the specific sites. Ask for both.
Can I visit the wheelhouse or engine room?
The wheelhouse, usually, by invitation. The engine room, only with the engineer — it is hot, loud and genuinely hazardous.
Do crew live on board for the whole season?
Often, yes, with rotations. Crew accommodation is on the lower deck, which is one reason the boat is quiet where guests are.
What is a good crew-to-guest ratio?
Roughly one to one is normal on quality charter phinisi. Materially fewer crew than guests is worth a question.
Meet the crew before you book
Charters are operated by Komodo Luxury, part of Juara Holding Group, running Indonesian voyages since 2015. Ask us for the crew list of any vessel we propose — names, roles, certifications and years on the route — before you pay a deposit.
WhatsApp: +62 811 3823 875 · Email: sales@komodoluxury.com