Since the company’s beginning, both Ombak Putih and Katharina have welcomed families on board with open arms. In that time, we have hosted a great number of children and teenagers on board, and they have enjoyed the cruises immensely. The opportunities and experiences for nature, culture, and the great outdoors that we offer on our cruises provide more in one week for a child’s education and outlook on life than any school can teach in the classroom.

During school holidays, June through August and December through January, children and teenagers are very welcome on board.

It’s not an easy road trying to please all our guests, but all we can do is try our best to accommodate everyone, so in the interests of openness and honesty, we would like our guests with children to consider the following simple rules and recommendations regarding boat safety and the comfort of other passengers.

Many of us have kids and know how difficult it can be at times to keep their youthful exuberance under control, especially when on holidays. But there are times and places to be wild, and times and places to not. While we love for kids to have a good time, our boats are not big, and it’s very easy to disrupt or disturb other people who are trying to relax or simply enjoy the world go by. With this in mind, we ask that you talk to your kids about keeping their noise and youthful energy to a minimum on board. When we get to shore, they can run around to their hearts’ content.

Please be aware of the potential dangers that surround us on the ships and in the tropical environments, both on land and on water, that we cruise through. When on land or in the water, please try to get your children to refrain from getting too close to animals or straying off the path. Ours are working ships and have many potential hazards, so please let your kids know to be careful when moving around. Both boats have been built with child safety in mind, and to this day they still have a clean bill of accident-free cruises, but to keep things this way, we need the attention of parents, and it is of utmost importance for them to be vigilant and to watch their children at all times. For your peace of mind and added safety, the side railings on both ships have been built higher than on normal traditional pinisi, and we advise you to keep a close eye out in the lounge area, especially where the stairs to the cabins can be steep.

While our crews are great with kids and will show them all a fun time, please try not to let your children get in the way of the crews going about their daily duties, as this reduces productivity and will slow down how we go about our cruise. When the work is over, and it comes time for play, our crews will be more than happy to entertain your kids all they like.

Small babies and toddlers like to cry, so we do have a policy of not allowing children under four on board our FIT cruises.

We know that kids get bored and frustrated, so we’d like to help keep them occupied during the day. We have many games and activities on board, but if there’s a particular board game or activity they like, just let us know, and we will do our best to accommodate. We don’t have electronic games on board, but most kids have their own. We do not have Internet on board, so online gaming will not be possible.

Travelling with Teenagers

Older kids tend to get the most out of these cruises, and we’ve had many teenagers aboard over the years. There’s a great deal for them to throw themselves into: snorkeling straight off the boat, paddle boarding and kayaking whenever we’re at anchor, island hikes, and the chance to spend a week alongside a crew who will happily teach them a few words of Indonesian and hand them a guitar for an evening. We’d be dishonest, though, if we didn’t mention the obvious hurdle — there is no Internet on board, and for a teenager used to being connected all day, that first day or two can be an adjustment. In our experience, they come round quickly once the snorkeling starts, but it’s worth a conversation at home before you book rather than a discovery on day one. Do also have a look at the itinerary with them; some of our cruises are more active than others, and a trip that suits a keen young snorkeler is not always the same one that suits a family looking for a gentler pace.

Families and the Triple Cabins

Each boat has two ‘triple’ cabins consisting of a double bed below and a full-size single bunk above, which we reserve for families with one child or three so that parents can share with their one child or that the three kids can share together. For the third child, we charge only 50% of the full fare. Our rule of thumb is that the child must be 12 or under, but we will look at each case on a case-by-case basis.