Despite the fast turns arounds and the amount of people doing different courses, different dives, different levels, they catered for everyone as an individual. Bright colorful soft and hard coral colonies can be found in 6 to 12 meters of water on top of the reefs. We had good visibility throughout and the weather was incredible! Overall a fantastic live aboard, would return in a heartbeat. Loved every moment of it! This option might not be so good for people with less dive experience or if you prefer a dive guide. Night dives, seeing sharks, turtles, octopus, moray eel during dives. It was an amazing experience! Still amazed at this natural wonder even this is not the first time diving a the great barrier reef. I look forward to making it back one day.. An overnight experience is also the perfect time to complete or enhance your practical dive training at the outer Great Barrier Reef. My husband and I spend 4 nights and 5 days aboard OceanQuest. Every member is supportive and experienced. Large dive deck with easy access to the water for divers and snorkelers. So this is something to think about if you are looking at this option. You can also find swim throughs or coral caves for a unique diving experience. The outer reef walls you can find a depth of around 22 meters. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Required Extras: National Park Fees (60-80 AUD per trip), Port Fees (20 AUD per day), Visas and Fees. I would only recommend this liveaboard if you are on a tight budget and can't skimp anywhere else. The sun decks are perfect for soaking up the warm Australian sun between dives. Operates JUNE / JULY! The Great Barrier Reef is still an amazing place to dive, with thriving marine life, both big and small. Emily has a great personality and communicated well with us in terms of explaining logistics and guiding us through the experience. Divers Den recommends waiting a minimum 24 hours whenever possible. Day Areas: Large Sun Deck, Large Saloon. It was all worthwhile and every dime was well spent. We came back as we knew the quality we would get for the time and money. LIVEABOARD DIVE TRIPS DEPARTING FROM CAIRNS: Far Northern Scuba Diving Expeditions Australia, Dive Seasons In Cairns | Month By Month Guide, Need Help Choosing A Trip? Should you prefer to cancel instead of reschedule your trip, you will be refunded 90% of the trip value up to 30 days before departure date (no refund 30 days before departure or less). Was lucky with my buddies. I had an equalizing problem and couldn't dive ( heart broken ) but the crew still made sure I had a good time and got to enjoy the reef. Good dive sites, great dive briefings, good fun crew. Day boat transfers you to the mothership so people boarding and disembarking daily, also not a really a negative as it actually allows you to book this boat 7 days a week. They really took good care of everyone on board and were very friendly. Positives - Great for experienced divers that do not want a dive guide and want to dive by themselves. Optional Extras: Gratuities, Airport Transfer, Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Snacks, Nitrox, Private Dive Guide (15 AUD per activity), Scuba Diving Courses. Bedding and bath towels are supplied on board. Included: VAT, Hotel Transfer, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Diving Package, Rental Gear. Amazing dives, the professional and friendly crew together with the atmosphere among the divers aboard made this to a memory that will last! Not enough food. Show prices. Ocean Quest vs Reef Encounter vs Pro-Dive Cairns which is the best Cairns Liveaboard? All the diving is unguided (So this is where it pays to be an experienced diver) you will need to buddy up with a friend or if you are alone they will buddy you up with someone of similar experience. (Aqua Quest is the newest addition to the Deep Sea Divers Den fleet of boats, it is their newest dive and snorkel operation departing from Port Douglas). Send us an email with your questions and or requirements and we will do our absolute best to point you in the right direction. They did allow my husband to join the guided groups for free as my dive buddy. Not much room for photographers cameras. Cruise: 14 knots Includes Cairns Hotel bus pickups. Diving with Reef Encounter at Norman, Saxon and Hastings Reefs you can expect time find large bright colorful coral gardens located in around 6 to 8 meters of water on top of the reefs. The equipment was mostly in good shape, but there was a shortage of medium- and large-sized gear (wetsuits and booties) and it wasn't very organized so there was a bit of a scramble every time. Pro-Dive Cairns have a fantastic reputation for being one of the best dive training companies in Cairns. Sharing experiences and conversations with like minded people. The food was really good, and they always make sure you dont go hungry. The luxurious OceanQuest liveaboard was refurbished in 2017 and has 22 cabins, each with an en-suite bathroom, air conditioning, and a TV. Nitrox: Yes Positives - Great for both experienced and the not so experienced diver. I felt like I was treated differently by the dive supervisor because of this. Completed my Advanced Certification while onboard. The accommodations were very comfortable. Length: 25 metres / 83 feet The diving. Our three-deck, 35m catamaran is purpose built for a top class dive holiday, with a spacious dive deck, large open sundecks and hot, fresh water showers. Good dive sites, great dive briefings, nice spacious rooms with private ensuites, good fun crew with yummy meals, include Cairns Hotel Bus Pick Ups. Reef Encounter is also a large stable twin hull vessel that offers a comfortable on board experience in most weather conditions. Beautiful diving on the outer reefs. So, if you are on a budget you can book the Multishare room (3 x people in one room) please note all passengers must be over 18 years to go in the Multishare rooms. Not to mention the sharks and turtles, Night snorkelling with sharks
If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We had our own masks and one had a tank set on top of it while we turned away to hang up our suits. A large stable vessel, very good handling in most weather conditions. Day Areas Small Sun Deck, Medium Saloon. . I would recommend this trip to anyone, scuba diver or snorkeler. Beautiful weather . Sharks in the dark was really cool! The staff should have separate portions from the guests so they don't have to worry about not getting enough if they're busy/late! Everything. If you answer yes to any or all the above, then you should choose Pro-Dive Cairns. Fill in the form below and LiveAboards customer service will get back to you as soon as possible. Reef Encounter offers 2-3-4 day trips from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef. Excess baggage can be stored at our Draper Street office at check in. (There are no departures on Tuesdays). 3-Day/2-Night Liveaboard dive trip departs Cairns Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays. Our room was comfortable enough but nothing about the boat is "luxurious," as described by Liveaboard. There are no current guidelines regarding diving after flying. The skipper will move the boat twice each day for maximum exploration of these dive sites. Pro-Dive Cairns are a single hull design vessel. we choose liveaboard trip as our honeymoon, overall okay.. Includes Cairns Hotel bus pickups. We can help you choose the best tour, to suit your experience and budget. What an amazing trip we had in tough circumstances- despite being the last trip the crew made before the Coronavirus took hold they were amazing in the face of being out of work the next day. Travel time with Pro-Dive Cairns to this part of the reef is 2.5 hours. But you can still get a dive guide for just $15 per dive. Sharks, Ray's, turtles, lots of fish and coral. Pro-Dive Cairns are the only boat that runs a true start to finish liveaboard departing and returning to Cairns every three days. With more than 14 permanent moorings at Saxon and Norman reefs, and selected sites at Hastings Reef, snorkellers and divers of all levels can explore the reef and its diverse marine life from early morning to night. Reef Experience transfers passengers from the mainland to the liveaboard daily. Seeing a whale shark! Dive eat dive sleep repeat. Our liveaboard vessel OceanQuest is the ultimate Great Barrier Reef overnight experience from Cairns. The diving was fabulous despite poorly weather conditions. (Now thats service!). Good dive sites, great dive briefings, nice spacious rooms with private ensuites, good fun crew with yummy meals. They really tried to make sure I was comfortable and checked in with me frequently. Reef Encounter take it that one step further for creature comforts with the TOP DECK service. Toby is hilarious. The food on board was also not very good - this was our first live aboard but several others on board said that it was the worst food they've had on a live aboard. The corals are also beautiful. Split over 3 decks, the OceanQuest liveaboard offers plenty of space for relaxing after a full day of diving. You can reschedule or cancel your trip any time up to 24 hours before departure with no penalty. Many, many dives
Always ready to help or answer stupid questions. Or if youre keen for more undersea adventures, try a unique night dive experience like Sharks in the Dark or Fluoro Diving to make your time on board our floating reef hotel truly unforgettable. This will help you to decide which is the best liveaboard dive boat for you. This includes going to the Atherton Tablelands (a popular local scenic attraction), so be careful if booking tours to follow your dive trip. All introductory scuba participants must meet medical questionnaire requirements and some conditions or medications may prevent you from diving. We had storms every night, after all the diving had been done, which only made the experience better. Not the worst deal, but we were paying customers and we would like to have been clean for our long journey home. The trip was well organised and the diving/snorkel spots were amazing. Do you have a few dives under your belt but maybe not so recent? Reef Encounter have a roll away bed / cot for small children. The destination country prevents you from entering due to their governmental guidelines and restrictions on your country of residence. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies. This is an extra charge. You can dive without a guide, which I think is kind of crazy from a liability perspective but does allow you to explore at your own pace. Operates JUNE / JULY! Dive guides cost extra. A service that neither Ocean Quest or Pro-Dive Cairns offer is the TOP DECK service. Many cleaning stations with smaller cleaner wrasse can be found in the shallows, these attract larger predatory species like giant trevally, mauri wrasse and coral trout. BUT one thing i was truly disappointed the service by manager. We wanted to give a shout out to Emily from the Divers Den Volunteer crew. Hope company can training to staff to care the purpose of trip and respect every guests. Good dive sites, great dive briefings, nice spacious rooms with private ensuites, good fun crew with yummy meals. Thats easy it is the reef sites they visit. The routine made things easy to constantly dive or eat, it was very easy to get in five dives and not miss any meals. As setting it by the other equipment is obviously not safe (that's where our mask was, by the BCD), and throwing it in with Ocean Quest's is not ideal either. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. We will both be back. These dives sites are located 65 km East from Cairns. Night Diving
We only saw a few sites twice, and still always saw new things each dive as we explored sites at morning, day, and night. I felt super safe despite being quite an unconfident diver when I started. It was pretty uncomfortable to feel like we were taking food out of somebody else's mouth. Highlights were waking up before the sun hit the water, new reef locations to explore every day, turtles, sharks, fish, fun staff and making new diving friends. All delicious meals are prepared by our onboard chef, including hearty breakfasts, lunches and dinners. #bringbackthehotchocolate
Definitely more spacious. Currently the rules state that for a single no decompression dive, you should not fly/go to altitude for at least 12 hours, or 18 hours after multiple dives. Well- run and organized diving, great guides who were very knowledgeable and looked after divers safety. Positives - Great for both experienced and the not so experienced diver. Night diving was completly magical - I had never done it before and I was so completly shocked by the awe and beauty of it. 8.30am: Set off from Cairns Marina for the 90-minute trip to the Outer Barrier Reef. Seriously, it was a complete blast. Slight hiccup in dive authorization that crew handled and managed better than hoped for. The sharks in the dark on the rear duckboard
Had Emily as my dive instructor for my Advanced Open Water certification and she was the best. Jen was my favorite, although she never actually led one of the dives I was on. Sharks in the Dark was such a great experience - unlike anything I've ever done. Lack of top sheet is clearly another way that management cuts costs/labor, but that is just gross and unacceptable. Getting to see the reef up close. Negatives Sometimes you can have small children on board, this is not a negative but some people might not like this. Gear was high-quality, always prepared and dive operations were efficient. I sent an email to company cause i wanted give good experience to my husband for our honeymoon trip and as the first trip in Australia for my husband that also mention email to company before we book the trip. Obviously diving the great barrier reef! Photo opportunities of large fish and clown fish. My 1 only complaint would be that I personally need the boat needs to be renovated/updated in the rooms and dining areas. Can't decide? My GF and I are extremely experienced divers, but the boat was full of everyone from snorkelers, to first-timers, to people getting their licenses, to people like us. 2) It is staffed almost entirely by young people who are paid in room, board, and diving and clearly have zero customer support training/interest and little training as dive guides. Everything was great, the staff was very professional and structured with safety. Twin Cabin with En-Suite / same gender cabins are not guaranteed. Spend over $550.00 AUD on your Great Barrier Reef tour with us and receive the latest Digital Underwater Camera Hire. To really help you choose it pays to start out asking yourself a few questions. The rooms and food were great. We show you the positive and negative characteristics of each boat e.g. Staff and dive guides are very professional and friendly and everything is neatly organized! Dive guides cost extra. The food was good and the crew was nice. Guests can explore numerous outer Great Barrier Reef dive sites with OceanQuest and enjoy up to five dives a day; 4 day dives and 1 night dive. Copyright 2022 LiveAboard.com. 55 The Esplanade, Cairns, Queensland, Australia 4870. Divers: 48 Purpose built for carving thru rough seas, and getting to the destination intact. They also operate a day boat called Reef Experience. We can help you choose the best tour, to suit your experience and budget. (There is no option to do guided diving on this boat). 3) Food is basic and essentially rationed. 8.30am: Set off from Cairns Marina and cruise out to the reef, either on our day trip vessel AquaQuest with two dive/snorkel sessions before you transfer onto OceanQuest (Thursday Saturday departures), or directly on board OceanQuest (Wednesday departures only). Heated Jacuzzi and the option to upgrade to TOP DECK. Its a little out dated and worn out. Each dive was limited to 50 minutes, which was a bummer, since both my husband and I would come up with enough air we could have been down for an extra 10-20 minutes (even with a minimum amount left in our tanks). Maybe you and your wife are traveling together, you would like nice diving and a nice hot meal and comfy room to lay your head at the end of the day. We have been diving in Fiji, Mexico, and the British Virgin Islands. Professional Crew
Bright colorful anemones housing the Great Barrier Reefs most famous fish the clownfish (Nemo) can be found in around 8 meters of water. Staff complained in front of guests about not getting enough to eat. Dive guides cost extra. Beam: 7 metres / 25 feet The Reef was never more than a few fin-kicks from the boatno wasted time. Snorkel some of the reef's best sites, then stay overnight and do it all again tomorrow, Try scuba diving on an overnight trip and enjoy extra opportunities to explore the underwater world, For the ultimate Great Barrier Reef dive trip, choose our liveaboard vessel with its exclusive dive experiences, Take a night dive from our overnight vessel and encounter friendly reef sharks and other critters, With our special equipment you'll see coral and marine life like never before - an amazing night dive experience, Already Open Water certified? Nitrox: Yes 2.30pm: Our transfer vessel arrives to return you to Cairns, 5pm (approx): Return to your Cairns accommodation, 7.30-8am: Pick up from your city accommodation (if booked) and check in at our dive centre on Draper Street, before transferring to the marina. I also loved that you did NOT have to go with a guide and could go as a buddy team. Guide Natalie (Nat). All dives are unguided, so still good for those that want their freedom like underwater photographers and experienced divers. A shame that the weather wasn't cooperative so our choices for dive sites were limited for safety reasons. Hull Type: Twin Hull Diving Fish Bowl on Saxon Reef was absolutely magical. Reef Encounter Cairns have reef permits for Norman, Saxon and Hastings Reefs. The boat usually holds around 60-75% newly certified students completing their certification and first fun dives. The outter reefs are full of life and there are a ton of things to see. The amount of diving was great and the comfy bed a delight to fall into after a long day diving. It is hard trying to choose between the top 3 liveaboards in Cairns, is it Ocean Quest or Reef Encounter or Pro-Dive Cairns? Enjoy a well-deserved dessert treat after your day in the water! Negatives Smaller rooms, all shared cabins, no private en-suite bathrooms, meals are simple, no dive guides, not allot of room on the dive deck. They limet the diving time because they run a schedule during the day. Pro-dive Cairns have 3 purpose built liveaboard dive boats that depart and return to Cairns every 3 days. Whale fans can even join an OceanQuest liveaboard Meet The Minke whale diving safari (available in June and July). Expect to find large schools of juvenile barracuda (seasonal), beautiful white and yellow sweetlips, giant mauri wrasse, schools of humphead parrot fish and many species or sea turtle including the rare and endangered hawksbill sea turtle. A suggestion would be to provide an area where divers could set their personal equipment while all the prep is happening if they are still getting out of their wet suits etc. The Crew was so amazingly awesome, helpful and fun. The reef was fantastic - and I look forward to going back soon! Special thanks to Paulo & dive team. The OceanQuest team provides 3 meals per day, served buffet style in the large dining area. Their attention to safety is something that is also exceptional. Dive guides are available at extra cost. Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. Why? Includes all chef-prepared meals and accommodation & 11-Dives with full gear! Find out what to expect on a liveaboard. EXTRA FLEXIBLE BOOKING This liveaboard offers a free trip reschedule within 24 months if you are unable to travel due to Covid-19 related restrictions. Pro-Dive Cairns spend all their time at Flynn, Milne and Pellowe Reefs (located 65 km East of Cairns). Day Areas Large Sun Deck, Large Saloon, Heated Jacuzzi. Ocean Quest is comfortable. The food was also not bad, not gourmet cooking, some meals were better than others, but overall pretty good. Ocean Quest is much larger than Pro-Dive, it is a TWIN Hull vessel so allot more stable in the water. Some places have good coral, some have wildlife, some have colors. Easy access for divers to get in and out of the water. Saw a cuttlefish, sharks, sea turtles, giant clams, all kinds of fish. All equipment was well maintained and well organised to ensure confidence and familiarity iver the course of the trip. Altitude is defined as 300m/1000ft above sea level. I am an hotel manager for 15 years.. i was really shocked on speechless situation .. and my husband has limited English luckily who kept asked me to check either Manager really asked the bacon off from his plate. If you do not have your dive license, like the PADI open water or similar then you should check out the section on the best learn to dive courses from Cairns. All cabins are air conditioned with en suite bathrooms. We had a double room with ensuite. Or try the form below, we have personally been on every Cairns reef and diving trip. See below for further details on inclusions and pricing. You could tell the staff valued pleasing divers (and snorkellers) in water and on the boat. The night dives were fun, although the fluoro dive felt a bit underwhelming. 10/10 And will recommend to all. Pro-Dive Cairns are the largest learn to dive training company in Cairns, they do have a great reputation for this. Multiple opportunities to dive at multiple sites with or without guides. You also need to supply your own SD Camera Card and drop the camera off back at our shop before 5:30pm. Food was great. We took the open water advanced dive course. So many beautiful fish and corals. Other than that I would still highly recommend this experience as one thoughtless individual shouldn't represent the entire experience. The diving is unreal. We have personally been on every Cairns reef and diving trip. I also saw 7 turtles on one of the morning dives. The OceanQuest liveaboard is permanently moored at the Outer Reef and guests are transferred by fast boat from Cairns. The food was excellent and plentiful. Their dive instructors/masters were very nice. If you are already a certified diver, then why choose Pro-Dive Cairns? Cabins were actually quite spacious, the en suite was a lovely touch, and the beds were heavenly comfortable. I was in a lot of pain but not confident enough to surface on my own (huge error on my part). We werent the only ones, another diver had his personal regulator snatched and thrown in with the others. I would recommend booking far in advance to make sure you have a private cabin if you are traveling as a pair, if not they will put you in bunk beds. There is a large air-conditioned lounge to enjoy, a well-stocked bar area with an entertainment system, and a spacious dining room. Everything was awesome the staff were exceptional and happy to be there. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. Low number, overnight sailing adventures from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef for divers and snorkelers. The dive master, Tobias, was professional and serious about safety checks. Sea turtles galore. There was plenty of room to relax. The Divers Den staff made us feel safe at all times. Non-diving guests are also welcome aboard. Pro-Dive Cairns are a PADI Certified Diver training facility. I really liked how the crew remembered everyones names too! Friendly atmosphere. I really enjoyed my time on the boat, and the guided tours were very helpful since the guides pointed out so much sea life that I would have never noticed if diving unguided! The experts since 1974. Scuba diving beside immense walls of coral is a once in a lifetime experience. It does cost more, but if you are looking for a more unique experience on the Great Barrier Reef choose Reef Encounter. Please fill in your contact details in the form below and LiveAboards customer service will get back to you. The crew are friendly and always willing to give you hand. We will then get into the nitty gritty to define the positive and negative differences. First time visiting the Great Barrier Reef and my husband and I were blown away. Great staff
Barring the food which was hit or miss, everything else exceeded expectations! Dolphins, Sharks, Turtles, Octopus, Cuttlefish. This was our second trip with Divers Den. The food was very reasonable and the crew friendly, chipper, and very accommodating. This article is written for the already certified diver. Single hull vessels do allow more movement in the ocean than twin hull vessels. If departing on Wednesday, youll set off on board OceanQuest and settle into your cabin on the way. Read on to find out what these are. These offer great value for money and are good for a group of friends traveling together and wanting to dive the Great Barrier Reef on a budget. What the meal options are and most importantly what the dive sites offer in what you can expect to see diving with these 3 liveaboard dive boats. I am an Australian citizen, so i took my husband to Aus. I think they tried too hard - simpler dishes would have been better. I recovered my confidence and pleasure in diving with the crew. I was not allowed to talk to their doctor to get an explanation. The night dives with sharks were amazing. The boat is large enough to have your own space but also socialize with the other guests. Positives - Great for both experienced and the not so experienced diver. The staff was also great, again some better than others, but overall fantastic. Positives - Great for experienced divers that do not want a dive guide and want to dive by themselves. 2.30pm: During the afternoon youll have the opportunity for more snorkel and dive sessions, and to relax on board. Food and bedding was glorious and better than expected. Your country of residence prevents you from departing due to their governmental guidelines and restrictions on the embarkation point for the liveaboard. We saw scorpion fish, lion fish, octopus, giant traveli, turtles, trumpet fish, sharks, titan trigger fish, and too many others to list. I got my open water cert thanks to his good training. I loved the dives even though the water was not that clear because of the weather. I lied to my husband that could not translate 100%. This includes valet service, champagne on arrival, breakfast served in your room, sunset cocktails, turn down service, romantic dinner under the stars (weather permitting), personal snorkel / dive guide available at all times. Good dive sites, great dive briefings, good fun crew. On the one hand, the diving while on OceanQuest was wonderful. Reef Encounter is also owned and operated by a passionate local Cairns family. **Rescheduling is subject to availability. With two room types, you can choose from TWIN share (2 x beds in one room) or double (1 x double bed in one room). Day boat transfers you to the mothership so people boarding and disembarking daily, also not a really a negative as it actually allows you to book this boat 7 days a week. You can also bring an infant or young child in the stateroom with the parents. The crew was absolutely amazing! Seemed to be an older demographic than other liveaboards. If departing Thursday or Friday, youll be on our day boat AquaQuest and select your equipment and receive in depth safety briefings along the way. No one owned up to it and they seemed very unconcerned that that had happened. They also operate another day boat called compass cruises. Seeing my partner go from a novice diver with anxiety to a competent diver, even doing her first night dive. Dive guides are available at extra cost.