Vinca
Vinca Deluxe Phinisi
Seasickness on a Komodo boat: which cabin, which month, which leg
Updated 10 October 2026
Vinca Deluxe Phinisi has no stabilisers. The lower-deck Balinese Rooms move least and sit nearest the engine, the main-deck Western Rooms are in the middle, and the upper-deck Japanese Rooms move most and are quietest. Pick the cabin by your stomach, take a motion tablet before overnight legs, and avoid January, February, July and August if you can.
Why the deck decides
A boat rolls around a point near its waterline. The higher you sleep, the longer the arc your bed travels, and the more you feel it. That is physics, not marketing. Vinca Deluxe Phinisi has three decks, no stabilisers and a wooden hull, and our own list says so. The brochure lists no stabilisers.
So the cabin ratings follow the deck. The upper deck gives the most motion and the least noise. The main deck is moderate on both. The lower deck gives the least motion and the most noise, because it sits closest to the engine. These are the general deck rule, not measured figures, and we mark them that way.
The cabin you want therefore depends on which problem you would rather have. A guest who has never been seasick but sleeps lightly should take the upper deck. A guest who has been sick on a ferry should take the lower one and buy earplugs.
| Cabin | Rooms | Beds | Sleeps | with extra bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Room | 2 | 1 double + extra bed option | 4 | 6 |
| Western Room | 2 | 1 double + extra bed option | 4 | 6 |
| Balinese Room | 2 | 1 double + 1 single + extra bed option | 6 | 8 |
| Berths in total | 6 | 14 | 18 |
Extra beds add up to 20; the vessel's licensed maximum is 18 guests.
Cabin by cabin
Japanese Rooms, upper deck
Most motion, least noise. Large windows, a balcony and a tatami table. Beautiful when the sea is calm, and the worst choice for a nervous stomach on a rough night.
Western Rooms, main deck
Moderate motion, moderate noise. A bathtub and a balcony. A sensible compromise, although a full tub on a rolling afternoon is a bad idea.
Balinese Rooms, lower deck
Least motion, most noise. Portholes and no balcony. They are the cheapest rooms on the open trip at IDR 6,950,000 (≈ USD 426) per person, and the right answer for a seasick-prone guest on a budget.
Whichever you pick, spend the daytime legs on deck. Fresh air and the horizon help more than any cabin, and the sundeck bean bags are the best place on the boat to be when you start to feel odd.
When the boat moves most
Most of the trip is at anchor or on short hops, and the longest legs are the ones to plan for. The overnight leg from Kalong to Padar on the 2D1N is roughly three to four hours. On the 3D2N, the leg from Taka Makassar toward Padar is estimated at two to three hours. The first sail to Sebayur takes 90 to 120 minutes.
Month matters as much as deck. The roughest seas are January, February, July and August. Calm months are April to June and October to November. March, September and December sit in between.
The 1D day trip has no night aboard, which removes the overnight leg, although the boat still crosses to Padar and back inside a day. The 4D3N has more nights, but its first-day sail is shorter than the 3D2N's.
| From | To | Minutes | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labuan Bajo | Kelor | 50–70 | Verified |
| Labuan Bajo | Kanawa | 60–90 | Operating range |
| Labuan Bajo | Sebayur | 90–120 | Operating range |
| Kelor | Manjarite | 30–60 | Operating range |
| Manjarite | Kalong | 50–70 | Operating range |
| Kalong | Padar | 180–240 · Overnight run | Operating range |
| Padar | Pink Beach | 60–90 | Operating range |
| Pink Beach | Komodo | 30–60 | Operating range |
| Komodo | Manta Point | 30–60 | Operating range |
| Manta Point | Taka Makassar | 20–30 | Operating range |
| Taka Makassar | Siaba | 60–90 | Operating range |
| Siaba | Kanawa | 60–90 | Operating range |
| Rinca | Kalong | 30–60 | Operating range |
| Taka Makassar | Padar | 120–180 · Overnight run | Estimate |
| Sebayur | Manta Point | 60–90 | Estimate |
| Kelor | Labuan Bajo | 50–70 | Operating range |
| Month | Sea | Visibility | Mantas | Crowds | Rain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Wet and rough, with the lowest visibility of the year, and mantas at their best. Take the lower deck if your stomach is shaky. |
| February | rough | low | peak | low | wet | The roughest, wettest month, and a peak for mantas. The supplier calendar has listed no February sailings. |
| March | moderate | medium | good | low | wet | The last wet month. Showers ease, seas settle and mantas are still good. |
| April | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | The dry season starts, the sea calms and visibility is among the best of the year. |
| May | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Dry, calm and clear: the dependable month for snorkelling and the Padar climb. |
| June | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Calm and clear, with the south-east wind beginning to build toward July. |
| July | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | Windier and busier, with mantas picking up. Expect company at Padar and Pink Beach. |
| August | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | The windiest dry month and the busiest anchorages. Book early, and take the lower deck if you are motion-sensitive. |
| September | moderate | high | peak | medium | dry | The wind eases, visibility returns and mantas are still around: a strong shoulder month. |
| October | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Calm, clear and hot, with fewer boats than July and August. |
| November | calm | high | fair | low | dry | The end of the dry season: calm water, clear visibility and the quietest sites of the year. |
| December | moderate | medium | peak | medium | wet | The wet season returns and so do the mantas. Late December fills with holiday travellers. |
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What to do, and what we cannot tell you
Take a motion tablet before the first overnight leg, not after the first wave. The itinerary says so, and so does most advice. Ask a pharmacist, since some tablets cause drowsiness and they may not suit everyone, young children included. We are not doctors.
Eat light on the first evening. Keep your eyes on the horizon, stay in the open air, and avoid reading in a rolling cabin. If you start to feel ill, tell the crew early. The crew of 7 has seen all of it before, and will move you to a better place on the deck.
Do not count on switching cabins on the night. Talk to us before booking instead. Tell the desk you get seasick, and we will point you at the lower deck and the calmer months. If the thought of a night at sea is too much, the 1D day trip has none. Better to know that now.
Who this boat suits
- Couples who want a bathtub at sea: the Western rooms on the main deck.
- Guests who want a tatami table, big sea windows and a balcony strip: the Japanese rooms on the upper deck.
- Families sharing a Balinese room with an extra bed, with children under 3 travelling free.
- Groups of up to 18 who want a whole 31 m phinisi with 6 ensuite air-conditioned cabins and 7 crew.
- Snorkellers and paddleboarders who want sunset on the sundeck and a fixed 3D2N departure on Monday & Friday.
Who it does not suit
- Divers who need a compressor and tanks aboard: this is a snorkel boat.
- Anyone who needs reliable internet at sea: Wi-Fi is local only, no satellite link.
- Guests who need a stabilised steel hull, stabilisers or a lift between the three decks.
- Anyone expecting a jacuzzi on deck.
When this is the wrong boat
- You have one night and want the whole park: the 2D1N puts Kelor and Kalong on day one and Padar and Komodo on day two, with only one of Manta Point or Taka Makassar.
- You book a Balinese room expecting a balcony or sea-view windows: it has portholes on the lower deck.
- You are a light sleeper on the lower deck: engine noise is strongest there.
FAQ
Which cabin on Vinca is best for seasickness?
The Balinese Rooms on the lower deck move least, but they are nearest the engine and have portholes, not a balcony. The Western Rooms on the main deck are moderate on motion. The Japanese Rooms on the upper deck move most. Prices start at IDR 6,950,000 (≈ USD 426) for Balinese.
Does the boat have stabilisers?
No. The brochure does not list them, and our equipment list marks them as not fitted. The boat is a 31 m wooden phinisi, and a beam sea makes her roll. Deck choice and a motion tablet before overnight legs are the tools.
Which months are roughest?
January and February, in the wet season, and July and August, in the windy dry months. Calm months are April to June and October to November. The overnight leg from Kalong to Padar takes roughly three to four hours, so the month matters on the 2D1N.
Is there a route with no night at sea?
The 1D day trip. It removes the overnight leg, the longest stretch of motion on the other routes, but it is still a long day: Padar, Pink Beach and Komodo with a drop-off at 20:00, and the Padar to Pink Beach leg alone takes 60 to 90 minutes.
Can children take motion tablets?
We cannot advise on doses. Ask a pharmacist or a doctor, and test the tablet at home before the trip. Some cause drowsiness, which is awkward on a steep path at Padar. Children under 3 travel free, and a Balinese Room is the calmest place for them.
Check availability — Vinca
Vinca is owner-held and run by its own dedicated charter desk.