Emperor Raja Laut

Raja Laut means 'King of the Sea' and stepping on board the MY Emperor Raja Laut, it is clear that this sleek, gaff-rigged schooner is true ocean-going royalty. Built in the tradition of the Borneo tallships, Emperor Raja Laut is available for 12 guests. June to September you can dive the Komodo National Park, and cruises are offered in Raja Ampat from November. Additionally some longer trips are available which include diving the Banda Islands.

There is a small, cosy air-conditioned lounge area on the lower deck featuring TV, DVD, music system and minibar. Meals can either be enjoyed in the indoor main deck dining area, or on the upper deck in the open air where there is adequate shade to allow you to dine in comfort. Most social time is spent above deck in one of the many comfortable relaxation spots, lounging either in the sun or under shade, and drinking in the ever-changing views.

Guests are accommodated in double or twin en-suite cabins and nitrox is available for certified divers. Note that there is a single travellers' guarantee: Emperor Raja Laut guarantees you a same sex cabin share. If you cannot be 'roomed' with someone of the same sex and a cabin is free, then you will get a cabin to yourself with no single supplement. Also note that the price includes all marine park fees. There are no hidden extras (fees, taxes, fuel surcharges) with this operator.

All diving is done from 2 large RIBs with outboards to get you to the perfect dive spot every time. She offers free nitrox, 2 dive guides. and SMBs are provided free of charge on-board. The Emperor Raja Laut is a beautiful ship and the act of cruising around the Indonesian archipelago is an experience in itself, allowing you to indulge in a sense of pioneering discovery. That they take you to sites of some of the world's finest diving, makes the experience unforgettable.

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Notes: All Emperor Raja Laut sailings are guaranteed no matter how many guests.

Dive experience: All divers are required to have a minimum of 30 logged dives and have an Advanced Open Water qualification or equivalent to join Raja Ampat cruises. 50 logged dives are recommended for all other destinations including Komodo, Banda Sea, Alor and Flores.

Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, port and park fees. return transfers to the boat from airport, dives (as detailed in the trips above), nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers, tanks, weights and weightbelts, 2 experienced English-speaking divemasters, island excursions (e.g. to see the Komodo dragons) and one island cocktail party (weather permitting), all taxes.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment (incl. dive computer US$ 31 per day), reef hook, dive insurance (available onboard). Unless otherwise stated, all listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash - USD, EUR, GBP, IDR, or credit card).

Optional extras: Alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, 15 litre tank (US$ 7 per day), torch (US$ 7 per day). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.

How to get there: Komodo: Fly direct to the port of Labuan Bajo which has direct flights from Jakarta and Bali.
Flores: Fly direct to the port of Maumere (direct from Bali, or via Makassar from Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur).
Raja Ampat: cruises from Waisai (via Sorong, your ferry transfer is included), Fly direct to Sorong from Jakarta or Ambon.
Raja Ampat and Banda trips from Sorong (Waisai) or Ambon (these trips sometimes run in reverse), and some more infrequent itineraries use other ports. If departing Ambon, fly direct to Ambon from Jakarta (or from Sorong or Surabaya). For departures from Waisai, guests are asked to arrive in time to take the 09:00 ferry. A representative will meet you at Sorong airport and accompany you to the ferry. Departures (and check-out dives) may be on day 1 or day 2, depending on guest arrival times.
For more details, including airlines, see our: travel information section. Domestic flights can be arranged. There is a transfer service from the relevant airports to and from the boat. Note that the departure time, and number of dives on Day 1 depend on guest arrival times - although departure is targetted by 13:00 hrs, the Emperor Raja Laut will only depart once all guests are onboard.
The last dive of the trip will be at around 13:00 hrs, and the boat will return to port during the evening of the second last day of the trip. Disembarkation will take place after breakfast and in time for your flight. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.

Non-diver rate: None.

Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travellers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of 50% of the published price. See the single travellers' guarantee in the main boat description above.

Dive clubs and group discounts: See whole boat charter rate below.

Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 11 guests and 1 extra person can join the cruise free of charge (total 12 guests).

Komodo National Park (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, cage diving, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving

Dive sites and activities: Gili Lawa Lawa, Tatawa, Sebayor, Makasar Reef, Wai Nilu, Batu Bolong, Padar, Nusa Kode, Manta Alley

Day 1
You will be met by a representative of Emperor Raja Laut on arrival at Labuan Bajo Airport at the main exit after luggage collection; you will then be transferred to the boat. Once onboard you will be shown to your cabin, get to know your fellow divers and meet the crew and listen to the full safety briefing for the cruise ahead. The meals served on your day of check-in are dependent on your arrival time. After a good night's sleep on board it is time for your first full dive day!

Day 2-7
Komodo is known for strong currents. Normally these cruises take in the central and southern sites of the park (Cannibal Rock, Manta Alley). However, depending on conditions, the captain may instead choose to visit the northern sites (Sangeang Volcano, Gili Banta). In either case you can expect pristine corals surrounded by schools of reef fish, amazing hard and soft coral formations, playgrounds for barracudas, trevallies, tuna and reef sharks. the amazing riot of colour to be seen on Komodo's reefs is really something to behold!
Similar to most liveaboards, Emperor Raja Laut follows the schedule of light breakfast, dive, full breakfast, dive, snack, lunch, dive, snack and on occasion night dive and then dinner, sleep and repeat. Note that the southern dive sites can be a little cooler, dropping as low as 20 deg C, so a 5 mm wetsuit and hood are recommended for this region.
In addition to all the spectacular diving you can expect an unforgettable trip ashore to see the famed dragons of lore! The second last day of the cruise sees you return to port at around 16:00 hrs to overnight for the final evening in port.

Day 8
After a hearty breakfast it is time to pack your gear and say your farewells before disembarking and being transferred to Labuan Bajo Airport in time for your onward flight.

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Raja Ampat National Park North & Central (8 Days / 7 Nights - 20 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, cage diving, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving

Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat: Gam, Penemu, Melisa's Garden, Airborek, Manta Sandy, Cape Kri Sardine Reef, Blue Magic, Mioskon and Mike's Point, Wayag, Kawe and Aljui Bay

Day 1
You will be met by a representative of Emperor Raja Laut on arrival at Sorong Airport at the main exit after luggage collection; you will then be transferred by ferry to Waisai. Guests are advised to arrive in Sorong in time for the 9 am ferry. Once onboard you will be shown to your cabin, get to know your fellow divers and meet the crew and listen to the full safety briefing for the cruise ahead. The meals served on your day of check-in are dependent on your arrival time. After a good night's sleep on board it is time for your first full dive day!

Days 2-7
Similar to most liveaboards, Emperor Raja Laut follows the schedule of light breakfast, dive, full breakfast, dive, snack, lunch, dive, snack and on occasion night dive and then dinner, sleep and repeat.
Welcome to Raja Ampat, a scuba diver's paradise in the heart of the Coral Triangle where you will enjoy 3 daily dives and a night dive for most of the full diving days of your safari. Experience a great variety of environments such as deep dives around pinnacles surrounded by schools of fish, walls covered with soft corals and gorgonian fans that are home to nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses, mantas hanging out at cleaning stations, bigeye trevally, wobbegongs, crocodilefish, and an endless list of other underwater possibilities. On night dives you will discover nocturnal critters, mainly crustaceans like lobsters, crabs and shrimps.
In addition to all the spectacular diving, you will also enjoy some land visits on your cruise. In Raja Ampat those may include a birds of paradise tour and speedboat lagoon tours.

Day 8
After a hearty breakfast it is time to pack your gear and say your farewells before disembarking and being transferred to Sorong Airport in time for your onward flight.

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Raja Ampat, Banda Sea & Ambon (13 Days / 12 Nights - 33 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, cage diving, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving

Dive sites and activities: Banda Islands, Raja Ampat - Misool: Daram, Wayilbatan, Fiabacet, Pele, Gam, Penemu, Airborek and Cape Kri. Land excursions.

Day 1
You will be met by a representative of Emperor Raja Laut on arrival at Sorong Airport at the main exit after luggage collection; you will then be transferred by ferry to Waisai. Guests are advised to arrive in Sorong in time for the 9 am ferry.. Once onboard you will be shown to your cabin, get to know your fellow divers and meet the crew and listen to the full safety briefing for the cruise ahead. The meals served on your day of check-in are dependent on your arrival time. After a good night's sleep on board it is time for your first full dive day!

Days 2 - 12
After a good night's sleep on board it is time for your first full dive day! On this cruise you will experience plenty of unforgettable underwater encounters. From the amazing macro life sites around Ambon, searching for weird critters, to beautiful coral gardens surrounded by schools of surgeonfish, bigeye trevally and turtles when you reach the Banda Islands. Even encounters of large pelagics are possible during this amazing dive safari! In Banda's amazingly clear waters you will encounter barracuda, bumpheads and myriad smaller creatures hiding in gardens of table corals.
Raja Ampat is a scuba diver's paradise in the heart of the Coral Triangle. Experience a great variety of environments such as deep dives around pinnacles surrounded by schools of fish, walls covered with soft corals and gorgonian fans that are home to nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses, mantas hanging out at cleaning stations, bigeye trevally, wobbegongs, crocodilefish, and an endless list of other underwater possibilities. On night dives you will discover nocturnal critters, mainly crustaceans like lobsters, crabs and shrimps.
In addition to all the spectacular diving, you will also enjoy some land visits on your cruise, such as Banda Neira’s nutmeg plantation, historic forts and maritime museum. In Raja Ampat these may include the Aljui Bay pearl farm and Mt Pindito in the north, plus a birds of paradise tour and speedboat lagoon tours. In the south you can visit the caves of Misool.
Similar to most liveaboards, Emperor Raja Laut follows the schedule of light breakfast, dive, full breakfast, dive, snack, lunch, dive, snack and on occasion night dive and then dinner, sleep and repeat.

Day 13
After a hearty breakfast it is time to pack your gear and say your farewells before disembarking and being transferred to Ambon Airport in time for your onward flight.
Note: this trip sometimes runs in reverse so please check exact port details above.

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Banda, Ambon, Alor & Forgotten Islands (13 Days / 12 Nights - 33 Dives)

Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, cage diving, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving

Dive sites and activities: Alor: Boardroom, Babylon, Cave Point, Clown valley and Wall of Pura plus, Kalabahi Bay, Banda: Pohon Miring, Batu Kapal, Batu Kapal Pinnacle, Banda Neira Jetty and Lava Flow, plus Wetar, Gunung Api, Tebang and Nil Desperandum, plus Banda Neira land excursion

Day 1
You will be met by a representative of Emperor Raja Laut on arrival at Kalabahi Airport in Alor, at the main exit after luggage collection; you will then be transferred to boat. Once onboard you will be shown to your cabin. get to know your fellow divers and meet the crew and listen to the full safety briefing for the cruise ahead. The meals served on your day of check-in are dependent on your arrival time. After a good night's sleep on board it is time for your first full dive day!

Days 2 - 12
Similar to most liveaboards, Emperor Raja Laut follows the schedule of light breakfast, dive, full breakfast, dive, snack, lunch, dive, snack and on occasion night dive and then dinner, sleep and repeat. The sites around the Alor archipelago have some amazing critters like hairy frogfish and Halimeda ghostpipefish, rhinophias, hairy and tiger shrimps, wonderpus octopus, pygmy seahorses. The diving in this area is more than just macro though. Whitetip reef sharks, bamboo sharks, schools of fusiliers, oversized bumphead parrotfish. Spanish Dancers and other nocturnal critters can be seen on several dives. It will be a blast of colours and emotions.
The Banda Sea never fails to deliver great diving on pristine and luxuriant corals that attract hundreds of different species of fish, from big pelagics to tiny critters, with high a chance to see endemic species like the Ambon scorpionfish. Even dolphins and whales can be spotted from the boat in the Banda Sea. Schools of fish will welcome you in their habitats, especially reef fish such as damsels, anthias, soldierfish and angelfish. The remote Forgotten Islands act like magnets to attract large schools of surgeonfish, silky and hammerhead sharks, giant trevally, barracuda, rainbow runners, even thresher sharks and mola mola, and lots of sea snakes.
This cruise takes in the Banda islands so you will also enjoy land visits such as Banda Neira’s nutmeg plantation, historic forts and maritime museum .

Day 13
After a hearty breakfast it is time to pack your gear and say your farewells before disembarking and being transferred to Ambon airport in time for your onward flight.
Note: this trip sometimes runs in reverse so please check exact port details above.

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Raja Ampat National Park (10 Days / 9 Nights - 22 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, cage diving, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving

Dive sites and activities: Raja Ampat - Gam, Penemu, Airborek, Cape Kri area, Wayag, Kawe, Aljui Bay, Misool: Daram, Wayilbatan, Fiabacet and Sel Pele

Day 1
You will be met by a representative of Emperor Raja Laut on arrival at Sorong Airport at the main exit after luggage collection; you will then be transferred by ferry to Waisai. Guests are advised to arrive in Sorong in time for the 9 am ferry.. Once onboard you will be shown to your cabin, get to know your fellow divers and meet the crew and listen to the full safety briefing for the cruise ahead. The meals served on your day of check-in are dependent on your arrival time. After a good night's sleep on board it is time for your first full dive day!

Days 2 - 9
Similar to most liveaboards, Emperor Raja Laut follows the schedule of light breakfast, dive, full breakfast, dive, snack, lunch, dive, snack and on occasion night dive and then dinner, sleep and repeat.
Welcome to Raja Ampat, a scuba diver's paradise in the heart of the Coral Triangle where you will enjoy 3 daily dives and a night dive for most of the full diving days of your safari. Experience a great variety of environments such as deep dives around pinnacles surrounded by schools of fish, walls covered with soft corals and gorgonian fans that are home to nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses, mantas hanging out at cleaning stations, bigeye trevallies, wobbegongs, crocodilefish, and an endless list of other underwater possibilities. On night dives you will discover nocturnal critters, mainly crustaceans like lobsters, crabs and shrimps.
In addition to all the spectacular diving, you will also enjoy some land visits on your cruise. In Raja Ampat those may include the Aljui Bay pearl farm and Mt Pindito in the north, plus a birds of paradise tour and speedboat lagoon tours. In the south you can visit the caves of Misool.

Day 10
After a hearty breakfast it is time to pack your gear and say your farewells before disembarking and being transferred to Sorong Airport in time for your onward flight.

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(10 Days / 9 Nights - Dives)

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, cage diving, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving

Dive sites and activities: zz

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(8 Days / 7 Nights - Dives)

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, cage diving, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving

Dive sites and activities: zz

zz

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[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].

Cabins consist of 3 doubles and 3 twins all with air conditioning and en-suite facilities. The cabins are located on the lower deck and are situated around a central lounge, with windows and portholes that allows natural light to enter along with beautiful sea views.

All the cabins have: No. of bathrooms / showers - 7 / 6 - hot water