From Batam to Jakarta
From Batam to Jakarta ferry with PELNI FERRY
Booking
You can book the ticket online by using Pelni
Ferry website but the website booking section is in indonesian only. We tried
that option and with google translate on one of our phone and with the website on the
other. We were able to go through registration, but unfortunately for us, you need to
book at least 48 hours in advance if you want to book online.
So, we had to go to the physical counter of PT. Pelni - Sekupang - Batam on Batam
island to buy our ticket. The counter was at this adress
Address: Jalan RE. Martadinata, Tanjung Pinggir, Sekupang, Tj. Pinggir, Kec.
Sekupang, Kota Batam, Kepulauan Riau 29444, Indonesia
Once you get there it’s easy to find. Remember the counter is far aways (30 minutes by car) from the departure point. Once you get to the physical counter you need to pay in CASH, no credit card allowed (don’t listen to the beautiful visa sticker at the entrance) You will also need your passport for registration.
Class option
Thrid class
Hundred of bunk beds in a common room and no food included. It’s also the cheapest option. From what we have seen there’s no bed assignation by the company so first arrived, first serve. Which explained the “elbowy” ride to the boat…
Second class
Room with 8 bunk beds. You have an assigned bed and room and I think there’s food included… but I am unsure.
First class B
Room with 4 beds. You have an assigned room and bed. there’s food included. For that class, men and women are separated. There’s a room for women and men, if you are a couple you will be separated.
First class A
Room with 2 beds, with food included and a bathroom. If you are traveling alone you may be paired with someone else. If you are a couple, you will be able to have one room for yourselves (that’s what we got)
Boarding the boat
To board, you need to have your ticket ready. We pass through 3 different board stages. First one to get inside the port from the parking lot. You wait in the parking lot until they open the door of the building. Once you pass the door they check your ticket and scan your bags. You will then wait in a big room with not a lot of ventilation. From that room you will take a bus that will get you to the boat. The bus have a limited capacity so people push a lot to get on it. Last stage is getting on the boat where they will check your tickets again and direct you to your cabin. First Class are upstair, but there’s a lot of staff member along the way to guide you in the proper directions.
Amenities on the boat
Food
If your trip include food, there’s 3 meals a day. We stayed on the boat for 40 hours so we got 4 meals. It’s mainly chicken, rice, fish and a side dish that I still don’t know what it was. They give you a glass of water and/or juice, in the morning there’s coffee but they make ONLY one pot, so be there first! For the food or water, there’s also a small convenience store on the boat so you won’t starve or get thirsty, but it’s over price like on a plane… My advice is to buy supplies before getting on the boat and pack a lot of water!
Internet They were supposed to have wifi on the boat but it didn’t work when we were on. If you bought a SIM card in Batam before leaving, you will not have cell service. Only a few spots along the way had cell reception.
