In Cairns, Australia and wondering which Great Barrier Reef tour is best to do? This post will go over and review the Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Diving Cruise from Cairns based on my experience. I hope this post helps you decide to experience it, and gives you all the information you need to know to help better prepare you for your tour. I also provide some useful tips so you can spend more time enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime reef adventure.
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- Intro
- Tickets
- Check-In
- Boarding & Intro Briefing
- Scuba Briefing
- The Boat
- First Stop: Initial Look at the Great Barrier Reef
- Lunch On Board
- Second Stop: More Great Barrier Reef Magic
- Optional Reef Activities
- Cruise Back & Chill
- Tips to Make the Most of Your Adventure
- Final Words: Absolutely Worth It!
Check Out
Intro
Going to the Great Barrier Reef, one of the natural wonders of the world, is a bucket list item and a must-visit when making the trip to northwestern Australia, especially when in Cairns. No better way to experience the reefs than with an organized and professional tour who will best maximize your time (and fun!) on the famous Great Barrier Reef.
This review will go over my experience on the Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Diving Cruise from Cairns Tour so you know what to expect, as well as some tips to make the most of your reef adventure.
Tickets
When looking for a tour to do, you WILL find numerous Great Barrier Reef tours. I opted to go with a reef tour with Down Under Cruise & Dive and it was one the most unforgettable experiences I have ever been on! I always recommend booking tours in advance to guarantee your spot, and you can go on your desired date/time to fit in your schedule.
To experience the exact tour this post is on, click here or click “Book Now” in the widget below:
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Check-In
The check-in at the Reef Fleet Terminal, located at the Cairns Marina, was super quick and easy. The Terminal does have several other tour companies, but it was easy to find the “Down Under Cruise & Dive” check-in desk towards the far-right end of the terminal. There was a bit of a line, but it went by fairly quickly.
I do recommend arriving at the Reef Fleet Terminal a bit early. We arrived around 7:25 AM. This is in case you do have any issues finding the desk, if there is a long queue, or if you want to purchase any last minute reef items in the store next door. Items such as towels, GoPros, waterproof phone cases/pouches. Since we forgot to bring some towels from the hotel and I forgot my waterproof phone pouch at home, we bought these items before we went into the terminal to check-in.
During check-in we are given papers and assigned numbers that’s associated with our boat group and our cubby number. The check-in rep direct us to go to the dock so we head over to line up right away.
Boarding & Intro Briefing
Upon boarding, we gave our assigned numbers to a crew member and they direct us to sit in our designated area of the boat. Those who booked scuba dives (like us) were told to sit on the second middle deck. Snorkelers/non-divers seemed to have filled up the first bottom deck.
Once we sat at a table, we read and signed some papers and returned them to a crew member. Then once the boat started moving, the crew gave us an introduction briefing of how the day was going to go. They gave us information about how to get our snorkel mask, flippers, cubbies (matches our assigned numbers), and when to meet back for the dive briefing.
A nice surprise we didn’t expect was that they were also offering a guided snorkeling tour! On this, you have the opportunity to snorkel with a biologist and receive commentary about the reef life. This definitely piqued my interest. So once we got the chance to break from the briefing, we went straight to sign up downstairs to snag a spot! They informed us that we’ll be able to do both the guided snorkel and the scuba at the first stop, yay!
We then explored the boat a little and enjoyed the ocean views until we needed to meet back for our scuba dive briefing.
Scuba Briefing
When it was time for the scuba dive briefing, we went back to our seat and listened attentively to our dive master. The dive briefing was very informative and our dive master was hilarious!! This made listening to the briefing so much more enjoyable.
From start to finish, the boarding and intro briefing process was smooth and easy. We were given very clear instructions, meet-up times and always knew what to expect. A++
Scuba Dive Briefing Presentation • photos by Jeanie A
The Boat
The tour boat, Evolution, is decently-sized with three decks. Its bottom two decks have indoors sections with seats and tables, and the top deck is open-air but with a cover to provide shade. There is additional seating here as well.
Evolution’s bottom first deck has a path that leads to the bow of the boat, where there are more seats and padded areas where you can lay out on to sunbathe. The bottom deck also has 5 restrooms, a licensed bar, snorkel equipment, scuba gear, and all the cubbies. These cubbies are primarily to store the snorkel mask and flippers once you have them, and can also fit towels and other smaller belongings before going into the water.
Evolution boat and cubbies for snorkel gear • photos by Jeanie A
First Stop: Initial Look at the Great Barrier Reef
After 1.5 hours, we made it to our first snorkeling spot which was our first sight at the reef! We went to the top deck to get a better view where we can see all the clumps of underwater reefs!
Since we signed up for the guided snorkeling tour with a biologist, we didn’t get into the water until it was right about to start and just admired the views until then. Then once it was our turn for the tour we jumped into the water and followed our guide.
Flotation devices are provided if you want one, such as life vests and pool noodles. There is also always a crew member monitoring the swimmers from the stern of the boat as well. The crew definitely ensured everyone felt safe and comfortable in the waters.
Additionally, if you are nervous about being stung or if the water is too cold, lycra/stinger wetsuits are available if you want to wear them. The crew will advise if it’s recommended or not. During my visit, the potential for being stung was low and I made the personal call that the waters were warm enough, so I did not opt to wear a wet suit.
Then we got ready for our scuba dive and dove straight in! This was an amazing dive experience and I’m so glad I was able to tick off this amazing bucket list item. You see so much more reef life during a dive and get pretty close to it!
First Snorkeling Spot • photos by Jeanie A
Lunch On Board
The included lunch was already available once we got back to the boat from our scuba dive. It definitely gave me an appetite! The lunch was a hot buffet-style lunch and there were grilled meats, prawns, veggies, and bread. Simultaneously, as the last people returned to the boat, we also made our way to the second reef, where more reef magic will unfold 🙂
Second Stop: More Great Barrier Reef Magic
A short cruise brought us to our next stop: Hastings Reef. For those who booked the helicopter ride or the semi-submersible will experience these at this stop. We only booked the helicopter ride and were given an approximate time for when we’d be able to go. So in the meantime, we went to the waters and snorkeled some more! We saw more marine life here with tons of colorful fish. They were so beautiful!
Then once it was time for our helicopter ride, we went back to the boat and headed to the helicopter pad. The helicopter flight was an incredible experience where we were able to see the reef from the sky.
Optional Reef Activities
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is included in the base price of the tour. Even if you don’t participate in any of the other activities, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef is still a breathtaking experience. You get to see tons of marine life, such as various fish and coral species, and if you’re lucky, a turtle or reef shark!
And get ready to take tons of photos and videos of the underwater reef! You are allowed to bring your waterproof actions cameras (such as a GoPro or Insta360), and your phone (with a waterproof case) into the waters.
Guided Snorkeling with Biologist Commentary
We quickly signed up to snag a spot on the guided snorkeling tour since I love to learn more about places from an expert while I’m there. It is an added cost though that you pay towards the end of the tour on the way back to Cairns.
For our guided snorkeling tour, we were given a tour start time of 10:30 AM (at the first snorkeling spot). However we could see that the tour before us was running a bit behind. So we started our guided tour a bit late. This affected us towards the end of the guided snorkel because our scuba group was also getting called to ready up, where we had to leave our tour early and swim back to the boat. This wasn’t a huge deal to us but it would have been nice to experience the entire tour since we did have to pay extra for it. Hopefully we didn’t miss too much!
What I loved about the tour though is that the guided snorkeling goes beyond the roped off area of the snorkelers, so we won’t be obstructed by other people and can really hear and listen to our biologist guide. We got some amazing insight into the reef and received interesting facts and information about everything we were seeing underwater.
Snorkeling Tour out in the water & laminated boards of marine life • photos by Jeanie A
Scuba Dive
To me, scuba diving the reef is a MUST-DO if you’re going to visit the Great Barrier Reef. I may be a bit biased on this though since I am a certified scuba diver who is enthralled with marine life. My fiancé is not a certified scuba diver though, so we booked the introductory scuba so we both can dive together.
Once it was our turn to scuba, we were given our scuba vest and oxygen tank. And once we were ready, we went straight into the waters. Our dive master directed us to do a couple simple diving skills such as equalizing and clearing the mask from water. Then once he deemed us good to go, we each linked at the arms and dove towards the giant reef!
The scuba dive was AMAZING! We got so close to the reef teeming with so much life where we got to see it in such great detail. We saw marine life just inches away, such as a giant wrasse(!!!), giant clams, and crab! This was the best scuba diving tour experience I’ve been on and I’m glad I got to see the Great Barrier Reef this way.
If you’re going on an introductory dive, you cannot bring a camera (such as a GoPro or your phone) to take any pictures. If you are going on a second dive though, you are allowed to bring it. The dive masters do ask if you have a flight within 24 hours of the dive. If you do, then you can only do the one introductory dive. If you don’t then you can do a second dive. Certified divers can already bring cameras down with them.
Scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef! • photos by Jeanie A
Helicopter Ride
The helicopter ride is a bit of a pricey add-on, but to me is totally worth it and a must-do when visiting the Great Barrier Reef. Not only are you able to view it from the water, but seeing the reef from above is an unforgettable experience!
Once it was our turn for our helicopter ride, we lined up and boarded the little Duffy boat that brought us to the helicopter pad, just floating out in the water. And up we went! At this point, this was my third helicopter ride I’ve been on, and it was an amazing flight! We saw the reef and neighboring reefs from above and tried spotting turtles and sharks in the waters. The texture and color of the reef was really amazing and awe-inspiring that these are homes to so much marine life.
Helicopter Ride at Hastings Reef • photos by Jeanie A
Semi-Submersible
We opted to not do the semi-submersible since we already did the scuba dive. However, this is a great alternative to see the reef up close without getting wet. It’s almost like an underwater aquarium, except the aquarium is wild marine life in open water.
Cruise Back & Chill
After spending time out in the sun and in the waters, the cruise back to Cairns was a perfect time to wind down. We also enjoyed some beer and our free glasses of wine while admiring the surrounding ocean views.
Enjoying the cruise back to Cairns • photos by Jeanie A
Tips to Make the Most of Your Adventure
1. Book in Advance
I always recommend booking tours in advance to guarantee your spot, and you can go on your desired date/time to fit in your schedule. To experience the exact tour this post is on, click here or click “Book Now” in the widget below:
2. Consider the extra Reef ACtivities
If you’ve never scuba dived or even want to splurge on a helicopter ride, this is definitely the time to do so! Experiencing the Great Barrier Reef underwater and also high above will become unforgettable memories. You will be glad you did them, trust me 🙂
3. Bring a Towel
Towels are not provided, so bring towels from your hotel (if they are okay with that), or purchase beach towels. There is a store next door to the Reef Fleet Terminal where you can purchase towels.
4. Wear your Swimsuit Under Your CLothes
Since the tour is about being in the open water, wear your swimsuit already under your clothes. This removes the hassle of having to change into them so you can spend more time enjoying the cruise and water activities.
5. Bring a Waterproof Phone Case/Pouch
If you want a way to keep your phone on you and take photos while swimming, then bring a waterproof case/pouch to keep your phone nice and dry, and connected to you at all times. No worse way to lose your phone than to the ocean depths. Click here for a waterproof pouch from Amazon.
6. Don’t Worry if you’re not a Strong Swimmer
If you’re not a strong swimmer, don’t worry! There are life vests and pool noodles available for you to borrow while you snorkel. I opted to wear a life vest and my fiancé the pool noodle and we were perfectly fine out in the waters.
7. Bring Reef-safe Sunscreen
This is a must to keep the coral environment healthy and to not introduce chemical toxins that can be present in non-reef-safe sunscreen. Click here for a reef-safe sunscreen from Amazon.
Final Words: Absolutely Worth It!
If you’re going to experience the Great Barrier Reef with a tour then I 100% recommend going with Down Under Cruise & Dive’s Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Diving Cruise from Cairns Tour. They were organized, professional, and all the activities far exceeded my expectations. Joining this tour during my time in Cairns was one of the best experiences and I’m glad I visited the Great Barrier Reef with them. I hope this review urges you to book your Great Barrier Reef adventure with one of the best companies in Cairns! Bon Voyage!
Have you been to the Great Barrier Reef?
What was your experience like – Let me know in the comments below!
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