How I meet Pearl of Papua staff at departure pick-up point?
Our ground staff wearing Pearl of Papua T-Shirt will be waiting at the arrival gate of Sorong Airport (for Raja Ampat cruise destination) or Manokwari Airport (for Cendrawasih Bay cruise destination) upon your arrival.
For pick up on next day please be ready at the lobby of the Hotel, Sorong/Manokwari at 10.00 AM. Please be patient, stand by the lobby of your hotel or at the arrival gate of Sorong airport and call contact number given only if the delay is greater than 30 minutes.
When should I arrive to get on board?
All guests to arrive in Sorong/Manokwari by plane / ferry boat in the morning between 6 AM – 11 AM on the check in trip date.
Transportation from Sorong airport to the Pearl of Papua will take about 10 minutes by car to the Port of Usaha Mina, then we will use the speed boat to the vessel. For Manokwari, it takes 30 minutes driving by car to the Pearl.
Pearl of Papua staff will pick up as plane schedule / hotel / ferry boat which has written in the enrollment form.
If any guest arrives 1 day before the trip date and willing to stay 1 night at the hotel in Sorong, we will provide a free pick-up service from the airport to the hotel. The guest / travel agent could just put a pick up information in the enrollment form.
Pick up service only valid one way from airport / hotel / port to vessel (vice versa). Meanwhile, if the guests want to stop by the souvenir shop / supermarket, it will incur additional costs.
What time should I be ready for pick up?
Our boat leaves the Port at 11AM. Choose the flight schedule to be arriving in the morning on your departure dates. We could wait till 12 or 1 pm till the last guest arrives in case of delayed. Do not take the flight that arrives in the afternoon on the departure date.
If you could choose, take Garuda Indonesia, Sriwijaya or Batik Air from Jakarta (stop over half hr or couple hours in Makassar/Ujung Pandang).
Should I arrive a day early before the departure dates?
If you want a peace of mind, we advise to be arriving a day early, rest one night in a hotel in Sorong or Manokwari and get on board for your departure schedule feeling fresh. Some of our guests use this way for more relax and avoid fatigue from long flight. Let us know if you take this option, so we can arrange two-time pickup (transfer from Sorong/Manokwari Airport to your hotel, and pick up from your hotel next day to our boat.
In case of any delay or cancelation, what’s the latest time I can arrive?
In case of flight delay, inform our staff with Whatssup text message/call or email. Our boat can only wait for you till 1 PM. We will fix another way of getting you on the boat using public transportation (local ferries) and manage to jget you joining the cruise later.
How about luggage?
Expect excess baggage charges due to different weight restrictions between domestic and international airlines. On average, domestic passengers are allowed to check-in up to 20kg (44 lbs) of luggage. Pack lightly and use soft bags when possible for easier storage during the liveaboard.
Do I need a visa to visit Indonesia?
Travelers arriving into Indonesia must have a minimum of a 6-month validity left on their passports. Citizens of most countries can obtain visa-on-arrival at their first point-of-entry in Indonesia (USD 25 for 30 days, extendable for another 30 days). Certain nationalities, however, are required to obtain a visa from the Indonesian Embassy in their home countries before travel to Indonesia.
How I should schedule my return flight? What approximately the time that we can be back?
We will be arriving in Sorong or Manokwari in the night of your final night staying with us. You could book the morning or noon return flight on your return day.
We suggest you to book the flight leaving between 11am-2 pm so you can disembark from the vessel in leisure in the morning after big breakfast. Official check out time is 10-11 am. No lunch is served on the final day. If you want to, you could also take earlier flight to match your connecting flight and we can take you to the airport. Light breakfast with a toast, cereal, coffee and teas available for your self-service before catching your morning flight.
How I check out?
Pearl of Papua will drop the guests to the airport/hotel/ harbor on the day of check out according to the information in the enrollment form.
Before disembarkation, make sure there are no items left in the cabin or other places.
All bills (if any) should be paid before check out time; all payments can be paid to Cruise Director. We only accept cash payment in Rupiah and USD currency, if you use other currency; we will convert it to Rupiah using Pearl of Papua official currency exchange.
Do you have any recommended agents?
Yes, we recommend these agents that we have worked with for several years of reliable service:
Dive The World Liveaboards
