Bali Boat Charter Private FAQ — The Atelier Answers Common Questions
The questions below are the ones we field every week from prospective charter guests. Answers are short and direct — for operating detail beyond an FAQ entry, see the curated day-charter offer, the 2026 cost guide, or the vessel options page.
How much does a Bali boat charter private cost in 2026?
Day rates 2026 range from USD 950 (entry speedboat for up to 8 guests) to USD 4,800 (72ft sport yacht for up to 14 guests). Most couples and small families book in the USD 1,400–2,400 band — a 38–45ft sport yacht or a 50ft catamaran with full crew, fuel, lunch, snorkel kit, and hotel transfers included.
Where do private charters depart from?
Three departure points: Benoa Marina (the main commercial yacht harbour, used for sport yachts and larger catamarans), Sanur Beach (jetty boarding, used for some catamarans and traditional phinisi), and Serangan Harbour (used for smaller speedboats and selected catamarans). We assign the departure point based on your booked vessel; most south Bali pickups are 30–60 minutes by road.
What routes can I do in a single day?
Three core routes: Bali to Nusa Lembongan (45-minute crossing, easiest), Bali to Nusa Penida — Crystal Bay or Manta Point (75-minute crossing, the flagship route), and Bali coastal to Tanah Lot sunset (afternoon-only). Most guests combine Lembongan and Penida into one day; phinisi schooners are slower so we run them on Lembongan-only or Tanah Lot routes.
What is included in the day rate?
Default inclusions: hotel pickup and drop-off in private SUV, captain plus 2–4 crew, fuel for the contracted route, Indonesian or Western set lunch on board, soft drinks plus beer plus house wine and basic spirits, snorkel kit per guest, paddleboard, towels and basic first aid, marine park entry fees, and accident insurance on the registered vessel manifest.
What is not included?
Premium upgrades: chef tasting menu (USD 280+), wine pairing flight (USD 220+), drone-and-stills photographer (USD 480), Seabob underwater scooter (USD 180/day), PADI Discover Scuba session (USD 220 per diver), hair-and-makeup stylist (USD 320), floating breakfast in swim platform (USD 180 per couple), Ubud-to-Benoa transfer surcharge (USD 80 each way), and crew gratuity (industry-standard 10% of vessel hire).
How many guests can a private charter take?
Capacity by vessel: 28–38ft speedboat takes 8–10 guests, 38–45ft sport yacht takes 6–8, 50–55ft sport yacht takes 8–10, 60–72ft sport yacht takes 10–14, 45–50ft catamaran takes 10–12, 55–60ft catamaran takes 12–14, 60–80ft phinisi takes 12–16, 80–100ft phinisi takes 14–18. Numbers above are day-charter capacity, not overnight berth count.
Which vessel is best for a motion-sensitive guest?
Catamarans, every time. Twin-hull stability beats any single-hull monohull in beam seas. If anyone in your group gets queasy on car windows, book a 50ft+ catamaran regardless of preferred aesthetic. The cost gap to an equivalent sport yacht is small; the comfort gap is large.
Is the Penida route safe for children?
Generally yes from age 6 upwards on a catamaran or 50ft+ sport yacht. We do not recommend Penida day trips for children under 5 because the 75-minute crossing each way exceeds most under-5 attention spans. For families with small children, book the Lembongan-only day instead — 35-minute crossing, calmer water, more beach time.
Can we sleep onboard or is it day-only?
The vessels in our fleet are configured for day charter only. Overnight stays in the cabins require a separate cruise-charter contract with different crewing, provisioning, and harbour clearances. If you want an overnight, brief us and we direct you to our sister curator that handles multi-day cruise charters around Bali, Lombok, and Komodo.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Captain holds final weather authority. If the morning brief reads above the safety threshold (typically 1.8m forecast swell or 25-knot wind), the captain cancels the route. You receive a full refund or a free reschedule within 12 months. We do not run vessels in conditions our partner captains will not run, and we do not negotiate weather calls.
How far in advance should I book?
For peak season (June–August and December–January), 60–90 days ahead. For shoulder season (March–May, September–November), 21–30 days. For low season (February, June through monsoon transition), 7–14 days is usually fine. Specific vessels (the 80ft phinisi for an anniversary, for example) book out 90+ days for peak dates.
Do you accept credit card or only bank transfer?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express via Stripe checkout (3.4% surcharge applies), or international wire transfer to our Indonesian rupiah account in BCA bank. A 30% deposit secures the booking; the balance is due 14 days before charter day. Inside 14 days bookings are full payment up front.
What is the cancellation policy?
Standard policy: 60+ days prior — full refund less USD 80 admin fee. 30 days prior — 50% refund. 14 days prior — 25% refund. Inside 14 days — no refund unless operator-cancelled for weather. Some specific vessels carry stricter operator-imposed terms which we flag at quotation.
Can the chef accommodate dietary restrictions?
Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, and kosher menus all available with 7 days notice. Severe allergies (peanut, shellfish) need to be flagged at booking so the chef provisions separately. Standard set menu features a balance of grilled fish, chicken, and vegetable plates with rice and salad — most guests find it easy to navigate without a special request.
Do you offer dive or scuba options?
Yes through partner PADI dive centres on Lembongan and Penida. We can arrange Discover Scuba (no certification required, USD 220 per diver), single certified dive (USD 180 per certified diver), or PADI Open Water course over 3 days (USD 480). All add-ons are run by certified instructors with full vessel insurance. See PADI for credential standards.
Can I customise the itinerary?
Yes. The default day plan is a starting framework, not a fixed schedule. You can shift the cast-off time within a 30-minute window, swap routes (Lembongan-only or Penida-only or combo), extend any segment that is going well, add a sunset extension to Tanah Lot, request specific anchor points based on photos you have seen, and add or drop upgrades up to 7 days before the charter. The captain holds final safety authority — anything outside vessel sea-state envelope or marine-park regulations is a hard no — but inside that envelope you have full control.
What is the difference between booking through you and booking direct with an operator?
An operator only sells you their boats. We curate across 24+ partner vessels and assign you the best fit for your day. We give honest sea-state advice (we will downgrade your route if needed), contingency reshuffle if your assigned vessel hits a service issue, and a single point of contact rather than juggling captain phone numbers. Direct booking can save you 5–10% on headline rate but loses the curation and contingency value. Most repeat guests who tried direct booking once come back to us.
Where do I contact you?
Email bd@juaraholding.com or WhatsApp +62 811 3941 4563. Reply within 90 minutes during Bali daylight hours. We work in English, Bahasa Indonesia, and conversational Mandarin and Russian. For travel-planning context, see the Indonesia.travel national portal and the Bali provincial tourism office.