The Tour Specialists Tour Blog

Great Barrier Reef Cruise Ship Tours 3, 4 & 7 Day Itineraries – What to Expect What to Bring

Photo Courtesy of Coral Expeditions

Our small expedition style cruise ships ply the brilliant waters of the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef all year round with only 44 pampered guests on board.
Our smaller style of cruising personalises the whole experience for not only the guests but also the crew and the islanders that we may come in contact with.

We have put a little bit of detail down below for you to get to know our cruise ship and the things you can expect on a day to day basis when taking one of our 3, 4 or 7 day cruises on the Great Barrier Reef.

Meals & Beverages

Let’s start with our cuisine as this is normally a high priority on guests lists when going to sea on a cruise ship tour.

As we are only catering to 44 guests our chefs are given the creative freedom to prepare a variety of meals from buffet to a combination of table d’hote.
Breakfast and lunch are buffet style, whilst our dinners are a combination of buffet and table d’hote so you can be assured there will always be something delectable for you to taste.

Our dining room does not have reserved seating so should you have made some new friends on board you may choose to sit with them at meal times.

Photo Courtesy of Coral Expeditions

We provide delicious morning and afternoon teas along with 24 hour access to tea and coffee.
All soft drinks are complimentary and around the ship you will find water stations.

Bar Hours

Another important consideration for some cruise ship passengers is the beverages that are available on board.

On our cruise ships we have 3 bars that are fully stocked with an excellent selection of beers, wines and spirits and our team just love to make interesting cocktails for those brilliant sunset occasions overlooking the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

Photo Courtesy of Coral Expeditions

Please note guests are not permitted to bring alcohol on board our cruise ships.

Dress Code

Next up is what to wear and what to pack for your cruise?
As our ships tours are small boutique expedition style, our ambience is relaxed and casual with no formal dress code required.
Just bring along smart casual clothes to dine with the other guests for dinner.

Photo Courtesy of Coral Expeditions

Dependant on time of year we recommend lightweight clothing for the peak warmer months and a wrap for the ladies and jacket for the men over the winter period.

Photo Courtesy of Coral Expeditions

No need for the high heels ladies and gentlemen no thongs for dinner and no singlets in the dining room.

Bring along your best swimming costumes as you will be exploring the corals and brilliantly coloured fish on the Great Barrier Reef.
For your feet grab some water shoes for beach landings to protect your feet, protective outer wear like good hiking pants.

Photo Courtesy of Coral Expeditions

Please note: we do not have a laundry service onboard however there is a small wash line in your shower just like they have in hotels for you to do some small laundry items.

Your Luggage

Of course when you are packing you may have to consider international flights and domestic flight weight limits so this may assist in your luggage inclusions.
We have ample room for storage in your room under your beds or in the wardrobe

Photo Courtesy of Coral Expeditions

Cruise Ship Shopping

When packing our luggage make sure you leave some space for souvenirs and ship shopping for those last minute items, trinkets and gifts for friends and families.
We have various items for our guests who may have forgotten certain things or those that would like a hat, sun shirt, back pack for our island adventures or other small items.

Cruise Ship Library

If you wish to sit back relax and learn all about the Great Barrier Reef from our extensive array of books on the subject you are more than welcome to thumb thru the pages of our extensive library.
Our range of books are not only on the subject of the reef but also novels that you can get lost in and games to enjoy with new found friends.

Bathroom Provisions

We, of course, provide the basic toiletries including shampoos and conditioners, body wash, lotion and hand soaps.
Each cabin has its own hair dryer and swim towels are provided for those lovely dips in the ocean.

Photo Courtesy of Coral Expeditions

Marine Biology Presentations

You will want to be all ears when our onboard Marine Biologist tells you what they have in store for you.
These presentations may take the form of Marine Biologist led tours, touch tank demonstrations, lectures and or documentary screenings.

Well that’s it for this blog, we hope you enjoyed the read and are now more prepared for what to expect on your Great Barrier Reef cruise.

Should you have any more questions you can call our Great Barrier Reef experts at The Tour Specialists on 07 4059 5959 or 1300 761 612 or follow this link here to read more on all of your cruise ship options.

Keep an eye out for our next blog on what to expect on our Cruise Ships Facilities