A full day at Michaelmas Cay on the sailing catamaran Ocean Spirit with your first scuba dive already paid for. No experience is needed: an instructor starts you in the shallows by the cay, then takes you down onto the reef.
Days
- Full day, about 8.5 hours
Age
- 12 years and over for the dive
Group size
- Shared day cruise
Start / finish
- Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal / Michaelmas Cay / Cairns
- Cairns, about 5pm
Return
- Cairns, about 5pm
Transport
- 32 metre sailing catamaran Ocean Spirit
Meals
- Morning tea, buffet lunch, afternoon tea, sparkling wine
Route
Included experiences
- Introductory scuba dive — first dive on the reef with an instructor
- Michaelmas Cay — snorkel from the beach in a shallow lagoon
- Seabird sanctuary — thousands of nesting terns, noddies and boobies
- Semi-submersible — guided coral viewing tour
- Marine biologist — talk on the reef on the sail out
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
5.0
Based on 10 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 10 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the friendly and professional crew, the quality and abundance of food provided, and the well-maintained diving equipment. The introductory scuba dive stands out as the most frequently highlighted aspect of the trip, with visitors appreciating the patient instruction, clear explanations and the sense of safety and confidence that staff helped them develop, even when nervous or inexperienced. The pristine condition of the reef, the shallow waters at Michaelmas Cay that suit various swimming abilities, and the relatively quiet, uncrowded nature of the experience also receive regular commendation. The most common caveat is that some travellers mention nervousness before their first dive, though in all cases staff assistance effectively addressed these concerns.
How we collect and publish reviews
Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour. Some longer trips are made up of shorter tours we also sell, run back to back — where a review was written about one of those legs, the review says so.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
We did the diving day and loved it. The food was plentiful, the gear was in great shape and the crew were friendly. Our instructor Antonella explained everything clearly and patiently, and although I was nervous she made me feel safe and confident the whole way.
A great experience in a beautiful spot. The introductory scuba dive was precise and well explained and the staff were attentive. Thanks to Carlos for his professionalism and kindness underwater, with a little shark for company.
An unforgettable reef trip with friendly, helpful staff who shared lots of interesting information. Trying beginner scuba for the first time was the highlight, the semi-sub made it even more special, and the island was a beautiful bonus.
A friend and I were greeted by charismatic staff and the buffet food was outstanding. The highlight was our first scuba dive: we were nervous, but instructor Will calmed us with his knowledge and easy manner. A glass of bubbly at the end topped it off.
A perfect day trip, and I'm glad we chose this over the crowded options. The location is outstanding and quiet, and the staff, food and gear were great. My dive with instructors Vanessa and Carlos was wonderful.
As non-swimmers and first-time snorkellers we were told Michaelmas Cay's shallow water would suit us, and it did. Our scuba with Vinnie and Isaho was amazing and the catamaran was top class.
