Snorkel or scuba on 3 vivid coral reefs, swim with thousands of fish, soak up the Aussie sun and explore the Great Barrier Reef!
A wonderful day! 5 hours snorkelling on amazing reefs, tasty 5 star buffet lunch, morning and afternoon tea, scuba diving lessons, glass bottom boat tours. All the while travelling on our incredible modern diving vessel, meeting new friends and having fun!
Days
- 1 day
Group size
- Max 50
Start / finish
- Cairns / Cairns
- Cairns, back at the terminal at 4:30pm
Return
- Cairns, back at the terminal at 4:30pm
Transport
- The dive vessel Silverswift, boarding at 8:15am and leaving the Reef Fleet Terminal at 8:30am. Coaches back to your accommodation leave at 4:55pm. There are spacious sun decks and a licensed bar aboard.
Meals
- A light breakfast on boarding, a buffet lunch between reef sites and afternoon tea before the run home. Vegetarians are catered for.
Route
Included experiences
- Three outer reef sites — Flynn, Pellowe, Milln or Thetford, chosen for the day's conditions
- Unlimited snorkelling across all three sites, with a site briefing at each
- Guided snorkel tour — an option at the third reef
- Introductory dives — up to two, with an instructor alongside you the whole time
- Certified dives — up to three, all of them guided
- Coral formations and underwater gardens at each of the three sites
- All snorkel gear, lycra suits and diving equipment provided
Reviews
5.0
Based on 16 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 16 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the friendly, professional and helpful staff, who are frequently described as patient and attentive to safety, particularly with nervous or first-time divers and snorkellers. The most commonly highlighted feature is the snorkelling and diving across three reef sites, with reviewers reporting sightings of turtles, sharks, rays, fish and whales, alongside well-organised logistics, clear briefings and the presence of a marine biologist. Many also mention the included meals and the semi-submersible ride positively. The most frequent caveat concerns rough seas and seasickness on the trip out to the reef, with several travellers recommending sea sickness tablets. Some also note that, while the food was good, it did not match the five-star billing, and that visitors should decide in advance whether they prefer several sites or longer time at one location.
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.
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.
“Highly recommend - opportunity of a lifetime!”
I went on this trip for snorkeling and I had the greatest time - the trip could not have gone better! The staff were honestly what made the trip so smooth. I felt completely supported and well-informed on safety, equipment and information about the sea floor itself. Even those who were quite scared were closely mentored by the staff.
Highly recommend and definitely worth the money. Thanks Jef and Taku for looking after the snorkelers!
“Brilliant trip”
We pre-booked with silverswift from back in the UK. Really clear instructions with pick up details, what was included etc...
On the the day the pick up was punctual, the check in deck was easy to navigate and the wAlk to the boat was short.
Onboard a small breakfast was provided (coffee and muffins) and off we went.
The instructors were great. Approachable and friendly. We were kitted-out whilst travelling to the Great barrier reef to save time. They were all helpful when our toddler was sea-sick too.
We snorkelled 3 sites, had lunch and afternoon tea and headed back by 4.30. Incident-free!
Couldn't have had a better experience. Thoroughly recommend.
“Snorkel Trip”
We went with our kids aged 10 to 19 and spent the day snorkeling. We got to see whales jumping both on the way out to the reef and on the way back. Helpful friendly staff. There were lots of people on this boat but we always felt well taken care of. Food was good and the snorkeling was absolutely fantastic!! Three steps on the Great Barrier Reef. Huge turtle, reef shark, sting rays, many many different species of fish all up close. Really liked the set up they had at the back to get in and out of the water. Excellent day at sea!!!
“Day out to the great barrier reef”
Fantastic day out, staff were very friendly and helpful and made the day even better. Trip out was a bit rough and staff looked after is. Once we were out and in the see snorkeling it was worth it. Would really recommend this trip
“Amazing Day on the Reef”
The staff was friendly and helpful from the minute we boarded. The snorkel briefs were informative and they told us where we had the best chance of seeing turtles, sharks, coral, etc. We stopped at 3 different locations and all of them were full of sea life and amazing views.
“Excellent Way to Experience the Awesomeness of the Reef”
We set sail in the morning out to the reef. We had a light continetal breakfast on board, which was perfect for the 90 minute trip out to the reef. If you are not used to boats or there are choppy seas the day of your tour, take sea sickness pills, which are available on the catamaran. Although I did not need them, most passengers took them and they were all ok. We anchored in two places were everyone had the opportunity to snorkel, diver or sunbathe. I am challenged so I needed assistance. With about 60 passengers, I knew I may not get it, but the staff made it a point to get someone to help me out. It was great! I took some awesome picture and the catamaran photographer made it a point to get some of me in the reef. The pictures are for sale at the end of the tour. I was surprised by the lunch selection as I wasn't expecting anything special but people were lining up for seconds. I can't stress how friendly and courteous the staff was during the tour. A shout out goes to Niro and Shilo who each took turns getting me out on the water and guiding me. If you have a full day to experience the reef, this is the best way to do it!
“The Perfect Day!”
My husband and I did 3 dives with Silverswift in March 2019, Our Dive Master was
Marcus and he was the BEST dive master we have ever had and we've done 150+ dives.
Marcus was fun but serious about safety. He previewed each dive with us and afterwards we discussed all of the different fish, types of turtles, types of sharks, types of eels we had seen. He insured we had everything we needed for a comfortable dive at each site. We couldn't have asked for more in a Dive Master.
The lunch and snacks were great. The boat wasn't cramped or crowded and we had gorgeous weather. A great day that we will always cherish!
“Excellent”
I went for scuba diving on 12th January, had an amazing experience. They took us to 3 different sites. I am not a good swimmer and they guided me in snorkeling on the first site. On the second site, it was my turn for scuba diving. I was initially scared but Jan showed lot of patience and gave enough time to make sure I get comfortable in water and with equipment's before he took us around. I was so thrilled that I opted for my second dive on the third site. Later on the boat when I was talking to Jan and thanked him, he said "There is no benefit for me if you could not have done it , I would really like everyone who comes here could experience diving". Thank you Jan and team...Looking forward for my next visit.
“A great trip despite rough seas”
We had bad timing for our holiday and arrived between two cyclones. The sea was rough and ugly and so we put off our trip to the reef until right at the the end of the holiday when we could wait no more. Almost everyone on the boat was sick on the way to the reef, and snorkeling at the first site was hard work (swimming against the current, water down the snorkel - and poor visibility). BUT... we tried the introduction to diving (our first time) at the second site and it was amazing - we saw giant sea turtles, rays, colorful fish and coral. The visibility and tranquility was much much greater at depth and made it all worthwhile. Our dive instructor Eve was patient with us and made the dive so enjoyable. We wish we had done a second dive but were tired by then. Lunch and snacks were better than expected, and the staff were very professional when looking after those who were sea sick. Totally worth it.
“Good energy and high standards!”
Had a great day aboard the Silverswift. Impressed by the commitment to safety! Dive instructors were very patient and even let intro divers explore a bit on their own (provided they didn't stray too far -- safety first!). Didn't even feel high-pressure sales from the photo crew like many other attractions. I would only suggest that you don't go expecting a fabulous culinary experience. Although the food was good and there were options for most dietary restrictions, it didn't speak of 5-star quality as the ad says... Plenty of time in the water, too, although you'll have to decide up front if you are someone who would rather explore one place for a long time or three places for a shorter time: if you're the former, you should choose another tour.
“Consistently one of the best Reef trips from Cairns!”
We have been going out on the SiverSwift since the boat was new, and have always enjoyed the experience. You may pay a bit more, but it is good value. The dive sites and equipment are top shelf.
“Great day, very well organized”
We had a fantastic time snorkeling in 3 different locations and diving at one of them. The guides are particularly helpful, especially Yan our diving guide for the day. Really well organized and beautiful scenery.
HIGHLY recommend!
“Snorkel and dive”
The staff were very professional and made me feel safe, I was alittle scared, but the staff gave me confidence
“Breathtaking”
We chose this company based on the reviews by others. The day was well organised and the instructors were warm, friendly and helpful. There was plenty of food (I didn't quite enjoy the lunch as it was cold but that cant be helped) and tho spots chosen were good and it was clever too to end the day with the last diving /snorkelling site as it was perfect with very clear waters and big fish. We saw sharks and a turtle and the kids on board had an awesome time. The great weather was a definite bonus. Will strongly recommend.
“Amazing experience on the Reef!”
What a wonderful day we had exploring the Great Barrier Reef! From the experienced and professionalism shown by the staff of Ocean Spirit Cruises, it was certainly a trip to remember. The morning tea, buffet lunch, afternoon tea and sparkling wine and cheese and biscuits were also a treat. But it is the snorkelling and the semi-sub ride that were highlights as the real experience was seeing the Reef and all that it has to offer. The information delivered by the resident Marine Biologist, David was also an added bonus. Would highly recommend this for anyone wanting to try snorkelling in a comfortable environment.
“Breathtaking!”
Excellent and Outstanding! must do and a very well arranged trip.The boat rides were spectacular and very well explained. The staff and guides were friendly helping each and everyone.They went all the way to arrange vegetarian food for us as we were vegetarian. That's another story that we couldn't eat because we were all throwing up.
