Not only is the Great Barrier Reef a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s also one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World! As one of the largest living structures on Earth (even visible from space!), it consists of over 600 types of both hard and soft coral.
With threats such as pollution and increasing acidity, we unfortunately don’t know how long the reef will be around to visit, so I highly recommend doing so if you’re in the area.
I’ve detailed the 7 top Great Barrier Reef cruises available, that are well worth the time and money. Now, let’s jump right in!
Best Cruises of the Great Barrier Reef
| Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas | Passions of Paradise Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Catamaran | 2-Day Great Barrier Reef: Reefsleep Experience | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Location: | 44 Wharf St, Port Douglas QLD 4877 | 1 Spence St, Cairns City QLD 4870 | Hotel pickup and drop-off available |
| Start: | 8:20 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM |
| Duration: | 8 hours | 9 hours | 2 days |
| Includes: | Lunch, afternoon tea & coffee, professional local guide, guided snorkel tour (Use of Snorkelling equipment) and Interpretive reef talk | Fast modern catamaran visiting 2 exclusive outer reef locations, coffee and/or tea, lunch, snacks, snorkeling equipment, marine naturalist presentation | All meals, overnight accommodation in a Reefbed, round-trip cruise, underwater viewing chamber, snorkeling equipment, |
Quick Answer: The 7 Best Great Barrier Reef Cruise Tours For 2024
- Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas
- Passions of Paradise Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Catamaran
- 2-Day Great Barrier Reef: Reefsleep Experience
- Seastar Luxury Outer Great Barrier Reef Island and Reef Tour
- Sunlover Reef Cruises Cairns Great Barrier Reef Experience
- Wavedancer Low Isles Great Barrier Reef Sailing Cruise
- Full-Day Cruise Tour to Frankland Islands Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef Cruises Reviews
1. Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas
- Duration: 8 hours
- Departure: 44 Wharf St, Port Douglas QLD 4877
- Departure Time: 8:20 AM
- Includes: Lunch, afternoon tea & coffee, professional local guide, guided snorkel tour (Use of Snorkelling equipment) and Interpretive reef talk
Australia is full of fun in the sun, but if you really want to enjoy it to its fullest, look no further than this first tour.
Imagine cruising across the sparkling waters from Port Douglas, with the breeze blowing through your hair and the sun shining on your skin as you head to one of the most amazing natural wonders on Earth.
If that sounds like fun to you, check out the Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas tour! Starting out around 8 am, you’ll meet at the wharf where your guides will escort you onto a beautiful, custom-designed vessel for a full-day cruise!
Depending on weather and water conditions, you’ll head to either Agincourt or Opal Reef to snorkel at 3 fantastic sites, with the option to do an intro dive, as well! This is perfect if you’ve never gone scuba diving before, and would like to try under the supervision of professional divers.
The cool thing is that this tour is really ideal for any experience level, as they customize the dive site visits and type of diving/snorkeling based on your specific skills.
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After we had time to snorkel around at our first stop and explore the beautiful underwater world, we had morning tea and set off to the second one. We then had a delicious lunch onboard, which was nice and varied – suiting everyone’s tastes.
We then had a break to digest and enjoy an interpretive talk about the Great Barrier Reef, which made me appreciate the natural wonder even more!
We then went to the third site for an optional snorkel tour, where we saw many big and bright, colorful fish! All in all, it was a wonderful experience that gave me a whole new perspective on sealife and the reef – oh, and I learned how to actually snorkel properly!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
2. Passions of Paradise Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Catamaran
- Duration: 9 hours
- Departure: 1 Spence St, Cairns City QLD 4870
- Departure Time: 7:00 AM
- Includes: A stylish fast modern catamaran visiting 2 exclusive outer reef locations, coffee and/or tea, lunch, snacks, complimentary snorkel tour and tuition, use of Snorkeling equipment, marine naturalist presentation, all marine park fees and levies, winter wet suits or summer sun suits
If you’re looking for one of the most magical and convenient ways to see the wonder that is the Great Barrier Reef, this is one of the best ways to go!
The Passions of Paradise Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Catamaran tour is educational, with a fantastic crew that will make sure you’re safe and having a great time. This is a tour I’d recommend to even my dearest friends and family, so put it toward the top of your list if it’s your first time out here.
We started out by meeting with our crew at the Reef Fleet Terminal, where we did a quick check-in and received a briefing about what to expect. I immediately knew I’d made a good decision, with their incredible customer service and clear knowledge of the area.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge fan of entertaining crews, and that’s exactly what you’ll get here. We then boarded the luxury catamaran, which was one of the most beautiful, sleek, and spacious of any I’d been on.
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The crew has access to nearly 30 different destinations on the outer Great Barrier Reef, and they will select the best 2 of those, depending on weather and water conditions that day. We were also able to select if we wanted to snorkel or dive, depending on our preferences and experience level.
No matter which one you choose, you’ll receive full instruction by professional guides, who made sure we all felt safe and were well watched after in the water. We saw such a wonderful spectrum of tropical fish, turtles, and of course, corals!
Pair all that with morning and afternoon tea, a delicious buffet lunch, and many beverages available for purchase, you have everything you could want, and more!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
3. 2-Day Great Barrier Reef: Reefsleep Experience
- Duration: 2 days
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off available
- Departure Time: 7:30 AM
- Includes: Dinner, breakfast, overnight accommodation in a Reefbed, round-trip cruise, semi-submersible coral viewing with reef appreciation talk, underwater viewing chamber, use of snorkeling equipment, lunch (2)
This is hands-down the most immersive, comprehensive way to see the Great Barrier Reef. Imagine spending your days snorkeling among breathtaking marine life and the legendary coral, filling up on delicious meals, and waking up to incomparable ocean views.
You’ll get all that and more, with the 2-Day Great Barrier Reef: Reefsleep Experience tour. Rather than have to head to a meetup point like the previous tours have required, this tour includes a convenient hotel pickup so you don’t have to lug your bags around.
The crew was amazing from the very get-go, making all of us feel welcome, setting the tone for a fantastic experience. We got to choose whether we took our high-speed catamaran to either the Port of Airlie or Hamilton Island (I personally prefer Hamilton as it tends to have less tourists).
One of the highlights for me was transferring to a cool pontoon that came with an interactive underwater viewing chamber, so we could see all kinds of sealife without getting wet!
It even comes with a semi-submersible and a big sun deck that I thoroughly enjoyed soaking up the rays on while sipping on a cool beverage.
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I had a fantastic time trying my hand at scuba diving, and felt comfortable and confident thanks to our experienced guides who showed me not only how to put on all the gear, but how to actually dive correctly.
When it was finally time for bed, we stayed in a swag, which is essentially a tent complete with a comfy mattress and bedding that zips up. With one breakfast, 2 lunches, and one dinner included (along with all the tea and coffee I could down),
I felt like literally everything was taken care of. We spent our evenings eating well, enjoying laughing and storytelling with the crew, and these 2 days flew by way too fast!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
4. Seastar Luxury Outer Great Barrier Reef Island and Reef Tour
- Duration: 7.5 hours
- Departure: Marlin Parade, Cairns City QLD 4870
- Departure Time: 7:30 AM
- Includes: Luxury Outer Great Barrier Reef, cruise morning & afternoon tea, lunch, mask, snorkel and fins, wet-suit or stinger-suit (seasonal), buoyancy vest and noodle, island access to famous Michaelmas Cay, guided snorkel Tour at Michaelmas Cay and Hastings Reef
I know that committing to a couple of days out on the Great Barrier Reef is not something that everyone is able to do. However, you can still get the full reef experience in just one day with the Seastar Luxury Outer Great Barrier Reef Island and Reef Tour.
This all-inclusive cruise has all you could ever want from a tour of this kind, and is the perfect outdoor activity if you’re only going to be in Cairns for a short amount of time.
Starting off early in the morning, we headed to the Cairns Marlin Marine, where we met up with the crew and boarded the beautiful Seastar. The crew was super friendly and knowledgeable, asking us about anything in particular we were interested in to try and tailor the day to us.
We were then served some tasty morning tea and set off toward Michaelmas Cay, known for its unique species of seabirds, giant clams, and more.
Not only that, but it’s known for being the biggest uninhabited coral cay in the area, by a long shot. As we arrived so early, we were actually the first vessel to arrive at the Cay, which already has very limited access due to the environment being so vulnerable to damage.
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We got to choose if we wanted to go snorkeling or scuba diving, though no matter which one you select you can count on experienced guides to instruct you carefully.
We then stopped at Hastings Reef, which is part of the outer Great Barrier and is a typical outer reef with a shallow top and steep sides that look like cliffs! This one was actually pretty intimidating to me for some reason, though still absolutely fascinating to see and learn about!
After that, we headed back on board the luxury catamaran for a tasty lunch and drinks, making for the perfect day out on the water!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
5. Sunlover Reef Cruises Cairns Great Barrier Reef Experience
- Duration: 8 hours
- Departure: Reef Fleet Terminal (Bottom floor, 1 Spence St, Cairns City QLD 4870
- Departure Time: 10:00 AM
- Includes: Snorkeling equipment, Glass bottom boat tour, Sunlover waterslide and spacious sun deck, Great Barrier Reef and fish feeding presentations by our marine experts, Underwater observatory and ocean enclosed pool, Lunch Coffee and/or Tea, WiFi on board, fresh water showers and change rooms, Environmental Management Charge (EMC)
If you’re in Cairns, please do yourself a favor and take a trip out to see the Great Barrier Reef! This natural world wonder is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose beauty and promise of adventure call travelers from all over the world!
The Sunlover Reef Cruises Cairns Great Barrier Reef Experience will take you on a sleek and modern vessel across the Coral Sea, with professional guides to lead the way to the underwater wonderland.
Our tour started out by heading to the Reef Fleet Terminal around 10:00 am, which allowed us to sleep in more than we were able to with the other tours! After going through a briefing with the crew, we hopped on our air-conditioned catamaran and headed out to the reef.
If you’re on the hunt for a tour of the Great Barrier Reef that’s perfect for children or entire families, this one takes the top spot, for me.
I know that it can be a bit stressful thinking about kids snorkeling or diving around something as large as the Great Barrier Reef, but I’d recommend this tour to anyone with younger ones.
The guides do a phenomenal job at keeping everyone safe, with precise instructions, patience, and expert knowledge that will give anyone the confidence to venture underwater.
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Expect to see plenty of neon fish, colorful coral, and other wonders under the sea.
With free inclusions like a glass bottom boat tour, a kid’s enclosed ocean pool, underwater observatory, fish-feeding presentation, and the only theme park waterslide on the reef, there’s no shortage of fun activities to participate in!
I enjoyed the pontoon that came complete with a large sundeck, and the buffet lunch was delicious, and filling. You can even choose to add on other activities like diving, Seawalker Helmet Dive, Guided Snorkel Safari, or even a breathtaking helicopter tour!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
6. Wavedancer Low Isles Great Barrier Reef Sailing Cruise
- Duration: 7 hours
- Departure: 44 Wharf St, Port Douglas QLD 4877
- Departure Time: 10:00 AM
- Includes: Cruise from Port Douglas to Low Isles, Use of Snorkeling equipment, Guided snorkel tour with marine biologist, Glass bottom boat coral viewing, Guided beach walk with marine biologist, Lunch, Use of lycra suit, Morning tea/coffee on boarding, afternoon tea, Environmental Management Charge, Complimentary glass of sparkling wine on homeward journey
Next up is the Wavedancer Low Isles Great Barrier Reef Sailing Cruise tour, which is another great option for entire families with kids. If you’ve never seen the Great Barrier Reef before and would really like to experience it to its fullest in one, well-organized tour, don’t pass this up.
You’ll get to learn from the best of the best, including participating in a marine biologist-led snorkel tour!
We met up with our guides at Port Douglas, which was very easy to get to and didn’t really call for a hotel pickup. We also started the tour at 10:00 am, which was definitely preferable as we had kids in our party that would definitely not have been emotionally ready any earlier than that.
Our luxury, 98-foot catamaran was nice enough that I probably would’ve been happy just hanging out onboard the comfy, air-conditioned cabins!
The highlight for me was the onboard presentation by the marine biologist about the unique landscape of the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef: the largest collection of coral reefs in the world!
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We arrived at Low Isles, where we were given all necessary snorkeling gear, heading onto the soft sand to explore the countless sea critters under the surface of the cool waters!
\If you don’t want to get wet, you can check out the dry cabin of a glass-bottom boat, or simply stroll along the white sand beaches (or the tropical forest guided nature walk!).
No matter which activity you choose, you’re sure to have worked up an appetite, so refuel with a tropical lunch buffet! There are unlimited soft drinks available, as well as a fully licensed bar if you’d like to purchase some tasty cocktails.
This was one of the most exciting tours I’ve ever taken in my life, so if you’re someone who gets bored easily, grab your tickets now!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
7. Full-Day Cruise Tour to Frankland Islands Great Barrier Reef
- Duration: 8 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off available
- Departure Time: 8:00 AM
- Includes: Use of Snorkeling Equipment, Kayaks and Stand Up Paddleboards, Guided Snorkelling Tour and/or Adventure Snorkel tour, Morning, afternoon tea and Tropical buffet lunch, Protection suits (seasonal)
Located right off the coast of Cairns sits one of my favorite places in Australia: the Frankland Islands. Full of breathtaking natural beauty, adventure, and opportunities to see rare native wildlife, you won’t regret taking the Full-Day Cruise Tour to Frankland Islands Great Barrier Reef tour!
I loved this tour for how private and exclusive it felt, free of crowds, which isn’t always the case on these kinds of high-demand experiences!
Something that I really loved about this tour was that it started off with an early-morning hotel pickup, so we didn’t have to worry about calling a taxi or figuring out our way to a meet-up point.
Our guide was very outgoing and warm, answering any questions we had, and offering an educational commentary as we cruised along. We then got to our luxury boat, and as we got settled, cruised down the Mulgrave River, which was absolutely beautiful.
After that, there was a brief open water crossing, which lead us to our tropical island spot where we spent the next 4 to 5 hours.
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This is a very secluded part of the reef, where just dozens of people are able to visit per day! It felt like we had the reef practically to ourselves, where we were able to choose if we wanted to hang out on the beach, or go snorkeling.
I chose to go snorkeling, and there was an expert marine biologist who gave us an amazing guide to the various corals and fish, breaking down how this complex ecosystem operates.
Afterward, we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch right in the middle of this island paradise, along with endless coffee and tea. This was such a fun time and gave me a whole new appreciation for the reef and its inhabitants!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Sites Seen
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The Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas is our Editors Choice for the best Great Barrier Reef cruise
