Dive trip with Queenesia 1 - 5 nights

Boat

Queenesia 1, also listed simply as Queenesia, is the smaller vessel in the Queenesia Fleet and is purposefully scaled for close-knit Komodo journeys. Built in traditional Indonesian wooden-phinisi style in 2014 and reported as renovated in 2022, she measures 22 metres long with a 6-metre beam. Her maximum complement is only eight guests, so the experience feels closer to travelling with a small dive club or private group than joining a large expedition ship.

The red-and-white hull supports an enclosed timber dining room, a shaded open-air dining area, a relaxed main-deck space and an upper sun deck. The interior is practical and warm rather than hotel-like: polished wood, simple bench seating and broad windows set the tone. Outside, guests can eat under cover, watch Komodo's dry island ridges pass by or move upstairs for an unobstructed sunset. Queenesia 1 accepts shared departures and private charters, making the layout especially attractive to a family or group of friends that can occupy all three cabins.

Two Mitsubishi 6D16 engines provide a published cruising speed of 8 knots and maximum speed of 12 knots. Fuel capacity is stated as 2,000 litres and freshwater capacity as 8,000 litres. The operator advertises continuous electrical power from two generators, although its published generator rating appears technically inconsistent and should be confirmed before using it in a formal specification sheet. Charging ports are available in all cabins, but high-draw appliances should be discussed with the crew.

Meals are served around the diving schedule. Current descriptions refer to breakfast, lunch, dinner, refreshments, snacks, mineral water, tea and coffee, with local produce, fish and a mixture of Indonesian and Western-style dishes. Dietary restrictions should be supplied at booking, especially allergies and religious requirements, because provisioning takes place before the boat leaves Labuan Bajo. Soft drinks and alcoholic drinks are normally separate purchases rather than part of the base package.

The vessel carries a detailed navigation and safety inventory for its size: radar, GPS, depth sounder, fish finder, searchlights, satellite telephone and VHF/DSC/SSB radio; EPIRB distress beacon, emergency life rafts, life jackets, fire alarm and extinguishers, flares, bilge alarm, engine-room CCTV, medical oxygen and first-aid kits. Public seller records also state that crew members receive first-aid training.

Cabin

Queenesia 1 accommodates exactly eight guests in exactly three lower-deck cabin units. The bed and bathroom arithmetic is unusually clear:

• 1 Double Cabin — lower deck: one double bed for a maximum of 2 guests; one private ensuite toilet-and-shower room; one individually controlled air-conditioning unit; charging ports; sold as a non-sharing cabin
• 1 Twin Cabin — lower deck: two separate single beds for a maximum of 2 guests; one private ensuite toilet-and-shower room; one individually controlled air-conditioning unit; charging ports; sold as a non-sharing cabin
• 1 Quad Bunk Cabin — lower deck: four separate single bunk beds for a maximum of 4 guests; two private ensuite bathrooms and two individual air-conditioning units; charging ports; expressly shareable and suitable for a family, group of friends or individually sold berths when the departure permits

This reconciles to 3 cabins, 8 beds and 4 private bathrooms. There are no upper-deck sea-view cabins, no triple rooms and no convertible double/twin category on the published Queenesia 1 plan. The Double and Twin Cabins each fill as one private unit; booking one berth does not automatically entitle another traveller to share it. The Quad is the only category publicly identified as shareable.

Cabins use varnished timber walls and compact floor plans typical of a small traditional phinisi. The Double has one mattress sized for two; the Twin provides two adjacent but separate single mattresses; the Quad arranges four singles as two bunk sets. Photos show limited open floor space, so soft luggage is more practical than rigid suitcases. Towels and complimentary toiletries are currently listed as included, but guests should confirm exact linen changes and bathroom amenities on the departure document.

The two bathrooms and two air-conditioning units in the Quad are important operational details, not two extra cabin categories. They reduce congestion for four occupants but the room remains one shared sleeping space. Families should confirm minimum ages and upper-bunk suitability; individual travellers should confirm gender-sharing arrangements and whether a specific lower or upper berth can be requested.

All three cabin types are below deck and air-conditioned. Natural light and ventilation are therefore more limited than in a main-deck cabin, and machinery or compressor noise may be noticeable at certain times. Guests who need step-free access, unusually large beds, private single occupancy or medical equipment storage should request written confirmation before paying—the boat is not currently advertised as wheelchair accessible.

Diving

Queenesia 1 is built around a compact Komodo program rather than long inter-island crossings. The published 6-day / 5-night itinerary numbers up to 16 dives, including several possible night dives, while shorter 4-day / 3-night programs and private charters may carry a different total. Actual diving depends on tides, current, weather, park permission, guest experience and travel time. A current detailed seller record asks for Advanced Open Water or equivalent and at least 50 logged dives on the five-night Komodo safari.

The operator lists 24 aluminium 12-litre cylinders, an Alkin W32 compressor, DIN adaptors, underwater dive lights, assorted equipment and a diving tender. A current package description includes tanks and weights in the diving price and advertises a guide ratio of approximately one guide for four divers. Rental BCDs, regulators, wetsuits, fins, masks and computers remain chargeable and should be reserved with sizes before arrival.

Published sources disagree about whether the boat operates one or two tenders: the operator equipment page and DiveBooker describe a diving tender, while LiveAboard.com's technical table states two. The safest commercial wording is therefore “tender-supported diving” without promising a particular number until the final voucher confirms it. The selected photo set shows Queenesia-branded small craft and the stern boarding area.

Nitrox is not currently advertised by the detailed booking record, so standard planning should assume compressed air. Wi-Fi is likewise listed as unavailable. Divers should bring a computer, surface marker buoy, exposure protection suitable for both warm northern water and cooler southern upwelling, and any personally fitted mask or prescription equipment.

Komodo diving ranges from gentle coral slopes to fast channels and exposed pinnacles. Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, Shotgun and Siaba Kecil can produce strong or rapidly changing current; Batu Bolong requires disciplined depth and reef positioning; Manta Point and Mawan are usually planned around cleaning or feeding activity. Southern areas may fall below 24°C, while northern and central sites are often approximately 26–29°C. Visibility and current vary markedly across the park.

The boat manager and dive guides can relocate a dive, reduce the group, require a check dive or prevent a guest entering conditions beyond their demonstrated ability. Wildlife—including manta rays, reef sharks, turtles, dolphins and schooling fish—is possible but never guaranteed. Night dives and land activities are conditional, not automatic entitlements.

Other Information

• Destination: Komodo National Park, Indonesia
• Home port: Labuan Bajo, Flores
• Airport: Komodo Airport (LBJ)
• Vessel: Wooden Indonesian phinisi, built 2014 and reported renovated 2022
• Dimensions: 22 m × 6 m
• Capacity: 8 guests in 3 lower-deck ensuite cabins
• Bathrooms: 4 private cabin bathrooms in total
• Engines: 2 × Mitsubishi 6D16
• Speed: 8 knots cruising; 12 knots published maximum
• Fuel / freshwater: 2,000 L fuel; 8,000 L freshwater capacity
• Standard tanks: 12 L aluminium; 24 cylinders published
• Nitrox: Not currently advertised
• Wi-Fi: Not currently available
• Languages: English is listed for the crew
• Trip styles: Shared departures and whole-boat charter

Included in the current detailed diving package: accommodation in the booked cabin or berth; scheduled guided dives; standard tank and weights; airport and hotel transfers within the stated Labuan Bajo service window; breakfast, lunch and dinner; snacks or refreshments; mineral/drinking water, tea and coffee; eligible night dives; listed land excursions; naturalist and snorkelling guide services; cabin, beach and deck towels; and basic complimentary toiletries. A reseller also offers short-term DAN diving cover on request, but this is seller- and departure-specific and should not replace comprehensive personal insurance.

Normally excluded or separately charged: Komodo National Park admission; Padar trekking ticket; Komodo-dragon trek and ranger fees; complete scuba equipment and individual rental pieces; dive computer; underwater camera; soft drinks and alcoholic beverages; domestic airport tax where applicable; personal purchases; crew gratuities; flights, hotels outside the package and travel/diving insurance. Nitrox should be treated as unavailable unless the operator confirms otherwise in writing.