An 80th birthday or a golden anniversary at sea: what to ask the crew to arrange

In the sample 3D2N plan, day 1 runs from pickup to Kelor, Manjarite and sunset at Kalong. There's one short hill walk and not much else. Day 2 is the long one: Padar in the morning, Pink Beach, Komodo with a ranger, then Taka Makassar and Manta Point. Day 3 is a morning snorkel, lunch and the return to Labuan Bajo.

For a guest of 80, the celebration usually fits best on the evening of day 1, when nobody is tired, or on day 3 at lunch, when the hard part is behind everyone. Dinner on day 2 is the risky one. A grandparent who has walked, climbed in and out of boats and swum will probably want a quiet table, not a party. A 4D3N charter adds a lighter day and more choice.

The boat spends each night at anchor, and the captain chooses the spot once he's read the forecast. That means the exact place for dinner is settled on the day, so build a plan that doesn't hang on one beach.

Day 1, evening: the anchorage is chosen after the weather is read. The candles and decorations wait until it has been.

Everything here is on request. Each item is priced in a written quote, and nothing goes on your fare without one.

• A birthday cake served at the table you choose.
• Decoration of the guest of honour's cabin or of the deck.
• A dinner with a special request, whether dietary, a favourite dish or a toast at a set time.
• A private island dinner, or a seafood dinner or beach barbecue, as an optional event.
• A photographer. A private charter excludes documentation, so a photographer is quoted separately.

Drones are a different story. A drone needs a special permit applied for through the park's SiORA system, a fee of IDR 2,000,000 per drone per day under the park schedule, and in one operator's account at least 7 days' notice. We do not promise drone footage.

If the golden anniversary includes renewing vows, a gathering on board is something we simply arrange with the boat. A ceremony on an island outside the tourism zones needs a SIMAKSI permit, so tell us early.

The boat has a covered open-air dining deck with a long table, benches and a barbecue grill. Indoors, the saloon has a long wooden table and a wide screen on the wall. There is a bow jacuzzi, cushioned loungers on the upper sun deck and a chill area on the foredeck with a canopy and cushions, plus a karaoke set and a Smart TV. The Master Suite Ocean has a private terrace facing the sea.

On board: a long table, a canopy, a karaoke set, a terrace with two chairs and a small table. Ask us before you plan the table: how many people the dining table seats, whether a party of up to 16 fits at one sitting, how good the speakers are and what the lighting is like after dark. We confirm each answer in writing.

Plan the table with the crew once the guest list is fixed. If the party cannot all sit at one table, a second sitting on the sun deck is a better answer than a cramped dinner.

Two cabins compete for the eldest guest. The Master Ocean is the only cabin on the main deck, so it has the fewest stairs. The Master Suite Ocean is on the upper deck, with a private terrace and a freestanding bathtub, and a stair every time the guest goes below for a meal or a rest.

It's a genuine trade-off. A couple celebrating fifty years may want the terrace more than they fear the steps, and many are fitter than a younger relative expects. Others won't be. Ask the couple themselves, not the family group chat. If the answer is the Master Suite, the Master Ocean can go to the next eldest, and no one is left on the lower deck by default.

We do not claim wheelchair access. The photos show no ramp and no lift, and we have no number for the stairs between decks. Contact us first if mobility is a concern, and we will confirm in writing what we can.

Treks on Komodo and Rinca are led by park rangers, and walking alone is not allowed. Each island offers a short route, about 30 minutes on Rinca, and a long one. The Padar viewpoint is about 700 m one way and roughly 816 steps, 30 to 45 minutes up and 20 to 30 down by two operator guides. Seniors manage it with breaks and poles, and knees complain on the way down. Treat these as rough figures.

Padar is optional. Whoever stays aboard has the boat, the shade and a cold drink to themselves. Plenty of families find the guest of honour skips the climb and still gets the best of the day.

Bring the medicines in hand luggage, with prescriptions. For seasickness, health advice is to sit in the middle of the vessel, watch the horizon, get fresh air and avoid heavy or spicy meals. Mild menus can be requested, and dietary needs go to the chef in writing. We don't promise a halal kitchen, and hot water in the cabins is confirmed in writing before payment.

Put everything in one message when you book, and update it as things change. A good message holds six items: the date and the occasion, every guest's age, mobility notes, diets and allergies, a decoration brief with colours or flowers if any, and a yes or no on a photographer.

• At booking: the occasion, ages, mobility and diets. The deposit of 50 percent confirms the date.
• 30 days out: the cake, the decoration and the dinner request are agreed in a written quote, and the balance is due 30 days before departure.
• At least 7 days out: passport details for every guest, which the park tickets need, and any drone permit request.
• On the day: the crew reads the weather and the anchorage, and the plan bends to fit.

Caveat: a gift, a surprise and a cake all depend on the sea. If the captain moves the anchorage, the dinner moves with it.