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Phinisi liveaboard deck with seating area

Shared departure vs. private charter

Understand how fixed departures differ from hiring an entire liveaboard, including privacy, flexibility, and how pricing is usually presented.

Most phinisi voyages are sold in one of two formats: a shared departure, where individual cabins are booked on a fixed itinerary, or a private charter, where a group books the entire vessel. The right choice depends more on group size and flexibility than on budget alone.

Shared departures

On a shared departure, the operator sets the dates, route and cabin categories in advance, and individual travellers or small groups book one or more cabins. The price is quoted per person, and the itinerary is fixed once enough cabins are booked to run the trip.

Fixed dates and routeSet well in advance, so planning around flights and other travel is more predictable.
Priced per personYou pay for your cabin, not the whole vessel, which usually makes it the more affordable format for individuals, couples or small groups.
Shared with other guestsYou will likely share the boat with travellers outside your own group, similar to a small group tour.

Private charters

A private charter reserves the whole vessel for one group. The price is usually quoted for the boat as a whole, often based on a maximum guest count, with the group free to negotiate dates, pace and, within reason, the route with the operator.

Flexible dates and routeSubject to the operator's schedule and local conditions, but generally more adjustable than a shared departure.
Priced for the whole vesselUsually the better value once a group is large enough to fill most or all of the cabins.
PrivacyThe group has the boat to itself, which suits families, dive clubs, or groups of friends travelling together.
Group size is usually the deciding factor.

A couple or solo traveller will often find a shared departure more affordable. A group of six or more filling most of a vessel's cabins may find a private charter comparable in per-person cost, with considerably more flexibility.

What to check either way

Whichever format you choose, confirm the guest count the price is based on, the cabin arrangement, and whether the quoted rate is per person or for the whole vessel. These basics are easy to assume incorrectly when comparing two different operators.

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