The Kanha fleet: three phinisi that leave from Labuan Bajo

Moor the three phinisi side by side in the same harbour and their characters show at once. Kanha Citta is the sociable one, with a bar area and a master room that holds the only private balcony aboard. Kanha Loka has the family cabin, a cabin for 4 with its own balcony. Kanha Natha is the small, quiet sister.

Between them, 19 cabins; Citta and Loka sail with 7 crew each, Natha with 5. We book Natha for up to 12 guests; a party of 13 or more should look at Citta or Loka. The guest numbers refer to the shared trip; chartered privately, Citta and Loka are priced up to 10 guests with a per-guest add-on to 20, while Natha is priced to 12 guests. The compare page sets the three side by side.

On Kanha Citta, 7 cabins have their own bathroom, and a Sharing Cabin for 8 guests holds 4 single beds and 2 double beds, with 1 bathroom inside. Kanha Loka has 6 cabins with private bathrooms and a Sharing Cabin for 8 guests in 4 double beds, served by 2 bathrooms outside the cabin.

Natha keeps it simple: 2 Private Ocean View cabins with bathrooms, and 2 Sharing Cabins of 4 single bunk beds each, which share 1 bathroom outside. Other bed sizes are confirmed in writing before you pay. Every cabin on all three boats has air conditioning, and hot water is listed for each. One limit: a Sharing Cabin is shared with other guests, and the bathroom set-up described here is part of what its lower fare buys.

Citta and Loka each have a restaurant and bar area, along with a sun deck set with bean bags. The bar is where a reunion settles in once the boat is back from the water. Natha has a dining area, a sun deck and a lazy deck for lounging, and no bar. If a drink on deck in the evening matters to your party, that one line settles the choice. Karaoke appears on all three, so a sing-along will never tip the balance between the sisters.

Each boat carries a Bluetooth sound system and karaoke, along with snorkelling gear, life jackets and a first-aid kit. Citta and Loka hand out a bath and a pool towel; Natha, a bath towel. The bean bags live on the sun deck, and that is where most parties drift once the snorkelling is over and the light begins to drop.

In common: the same 3D2N route, and a Friday start from Labuan Bajo. Pickup falls around 09:00 on day 1, drop-off around 12:00 on day 3. Meals, free-flow coffee and tea, a mineral drink and toiletries are provided aboard. If the weather calls for it, the captain adjusts the route and makes that decision on the day.

Where they differ: Citta has the Gayatri room and the highest fares, Loka the Family Ocean View for 4, and Natha bookings for up to 12 guests with no bar area. Each boat names its cabins in its own way for much the same idea, which is why the cabin pages take one boat at a time. The Kanha edit, if you want a starting point: a lively party of 20, Citta; a family of 4 who want one cabin, Loka; 8 friends after quiet, Natha.