• The biggest highlight is the VIP Captains Club and the free inclusions of a scuba dive, free coach transfers in Cairns, chef prepared meals in the VIP cabin, and the wonderful valet who will be attending you all day
• Your very own private concierge service onboard and express check-in will make you feel like a true VIP for your day on the reef. You will be treated like a celebrity all day long.
• Why do your own selfies when you have a personal guide who can take all your photos underwater? Underwater digital cameras are available to hire onboard. You might even get photobombed by a passing turtle!
• If you loved the dive at the first site then it’s possible to do it all again on the second site (extra cost).  This is especially good for first time divers. Your second dive you will be so much more relaxed now you know what to expect. You’ll finish your day feeling that you are a real dive pro!

This is Cairns most unique Great Barrier Reef tour, offering a VIP Captains Club day tour experience with your very own private valet for the day.

What to Expect

Not only is this Great Barrier Reef tour unique but it provides the best inclusions on any day tour reef trip from Cairns. It’s the most exclusive Great Barrier Reef tour, offering an unparalleled VIP experience with the Captains Club Day Tour options included in the price. This unique adventure provides personalised service, ensuring a memorable and comfortable experience from start to finish. Enjoy the privilege of your own private concierge looking after you for the day, luxurious amenities, and fully tailored activities throughout the day. It is one of the best Great Barrier Reef tours in Cairns and it is certainly a one-off unique diving and snorkelling tour. Must be booked with a minimum of two persons. Check out all the value-added inclusions.

Features and Highlights

Exclusive Captains Club Access

Personal Concierge/Valet:

• From the moment you arrive on the Great Barrier Reef Day Tour, your dedicated valet will assist you, handling everything from gear setup to personal needs, ensuring a seamless experience.

Luxurious Amenities:

• Travel in style with access to the Captains Wheelhouse top deck lounge, offering VIP seating, and exceptional views of the Coral Sea.

Gourmet Dining Experience

Chef-Prepared Meals:

• Indulge in a culinary journey with a la carte breakfast and a sumptuous lunch served at your table by your concierge, complemented by a selection of beverages.

Elegant Refreshments:

• Celebrate your adventure with a glass of sparkling wine accompanied by a cheese and fruit platter as you cruise back to Cairns.

Immersive Reef Activities

Extended Reef Time:

• Spend up to 5.5 hours at two distinct outer reef locations, chosen daily based on optimal conditions for clarity and marine activity.

Diving and Snorkelling:

• Whether you're a certified scuba diver or prefer snorkelling, explore vibrant coral ecosystems and interact with diverse marine life. First-time divers can try a guided introductory dive.

Education and Engagement

Marine Biology Presentation:

• Gain insights into the ecological significance of the Great Barrier Reef through engaging presentations by onboard marine experts.

Additional Luxuries and Personal Touches

Complimentary Transfers:

• Enjoy free transfers from your Cairns City accommodation, adding convenience to your luxurious Great Barrier Reef tour.

Private Guided Tours:

• Enjoy the personalisation of your in-water experience with private guided snorkelling or diving tours, ensuring attention to detail and a focus on the best sights.

Relaxation on the Reef:

• After your water activities, relax in the comfort of the top deck lounge, soaking in panoramic views and basking in the tropical sun.

This VIP Great Barrier Reef tour is the epitome of luxury and exclusivity, designed to offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience with every detail tailored to exceed your expectations. It is simply the best Great Barrier Reef tour on offer in Cairns. 

View the full itinerary below.

Do you want to experience the best overnight Great Barrier Reef tour in Cairns? Take a look at Captains Club liveaboard dive and snorkelling tours on offer with all the VIP inclusions.

See our Townsville and Whitsundays tours.

Great Barrier Reef Tours - Cairns

Our Scuba Diving & Snorkelling Locations on Our Great Barrier Reef Tours

Hastings Reef

A fabulous coral reef in all types of weather conditions, and we are fortunate to have many different locations around this reef to explore dependent on which way the wind blows.

Being the largest coral reef we visit, its provides good protection and calm underwater conditions all year round. Favourites are the “coral gardens”, “fish bowl” and “compass mooring”.

Breaking Patches Reef

One of our popular afternoon destinations when the weather is good. This is a small reef location just north of Michaelmas Cay – a tropical sand island and protected marine turtle breeding ground.

As the name suggests, this is a patchy reef which is great for viewing some of the Great 8 of the Great Barrier Reef icons such as the giant clams, blue spotted stingrays, sea turtles and lots of other marine life.

Breaking Patches is also home to one of our well-loved marine friends the friendly resident turtle “Gus” so make sure you get a selfie with him underwater.

Saxon Reef

Dependant on the time of year this reef system can be a hive of frantic marine activity. In the right conditions and time of year you may just see families of cuttlefish, white tip reef sharks and migrating humpback whales.

The popular dive and snorkel spots here are “magic mooring”, “turtle bommie”, and “twin peaks”.

Norman Reef

The furtherest northern reef location that we usually visit under very calm conditions. The coral here is simply breathtaking and it is also home to another friendly resident called “Frank” who is a giant Maori Wrasse and he too loves to take a good selfie.

Jorgensen Patch

With walls, gullies, small caves, overhangs and swim-throughs you will find lots of interesting marine life to explore. The sandy bottom is home to giant clams and sea cucumbers, blue spotted rays, white tip reef sharks, schools of damsels and fusiliers.

Great Barrier Reef Tour Highlights & Inclusions

• Personal guide both onboard and in the water. Your personal crew member ensures your trip flows the way you want it to
• Private guided snorkel tours and/or scuba dive tours for that extra in-water care and attention (Scuba diving is subject to medical conditions)
• VIP Seating. Reserved table seats in the Captain’s wheelhouse for the entirety of your trip
• Dine in style. You will be served to your table with fresh, Chef prepared meals. Enjoy a special lunch menu, plunger tea and coffee and a cheese & fruit platter & complimentary sparkling wine on return journey. (All dietary requirements catered for – please advise upon booking)
• Up to 5.5 hours at two pristine Outer Great Barrier Reef locations
• Unlimited Snorkeling at morning and afternoon reef locations
• FREE Scuba Dive* (Certified Dive OR Resort/Introductory Dive no-experience necessary) at the first reef location for everyone over age 12 and medically fit to scuba ((Scuba diving is subject to medical conditions)
• FREE Glass Bottom Boat Tour – combined with other passengers (weather permitting) - not currently operating
• FREE Return transfers to your accommodation in Cairns City Accommodation
• FREE Marine Biology presentation – combined with other passengers
• Large Sun Deck with padded loungers – combined with other passengers

See our other VIP Great Barrier Reef tour The Admirals Club  and our liveaboard Captains Club extended dive tour.

All Inclusive Great Barrier Reef Tour

From the moment you check in on board the boat in Cairns you will be looked after through all of your reef experiences making you feel just like a rock star! Free Scuba dive, Free guided snorkel tour, Free glass bottom boat tour (not currently operating), Chef prepared meals in the VIP Captains Club. 

You will be accommodated in the comfortable air conditioned Captains Wheelhouse for the time of your dive and snorkel day tour and provided with a chef prepared breakfast, delicious luncheon and afternoon tea.

With your personal valet as guide you will be escorted to the in-water activities and taken on a free personalised snorkel tour and or a free guided introductory or certified scuba dive.

Then it’s time for your VIP guided glass bottom boat tour to see the coral reef and fish from inside the boat whilst the crew member provides and informative commentary.

Join in on the marine biology presentation on deck and spend some time in the sun lounging on the padded sun loungers on the top deck with the other guests.

Just imagine this could be you being met on the dockside of the jetty in Cairns by your personal valet who is to be your host for your day on this Great Barrier Reef tour.

They will be at your beckon call all day long whilst you are out enjoying the reef on this boat tour.

To add to your VIP reef trip you will be settled into the air-conditioned Captains wheelhouse for the day and be served a chef prepared breakfast, delicious luncheon, afternoon tea, cheese and biscuits and a cold glass of sparkling wine.

Other fabulous inclusions on this VIP Great Barrier Reef tour are a free introductory or certified scuba dive, free glass bottom boat tour, free coach transfers in Cairns, marine biology presentation, unlimited snorkelling, private guided snorkel tours and much more.

This really is one of the best and most unique Great Barrier Reef tours in Cairns Australia. 

Our boat has permits to roam certain coral reefs and each day the skipper makes a decision on which of them would be the best dive and snorkel experience for the guests based on the winds, currents and tides to ensure good water clarity and abundance of marine life. 

We will spend around 6 hours visiting these two different sites on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and learning all about the reef and its inhabitants from the on-board marine naturalists.

We are not restricted to visiting the same reef each day as we have 5 roaming permits to choose from.

After your free scuba dive you may purchase another dive or spend some time just relaxing on the upper sun deck with the other boat passengers.

View all Great Barrier Reef tours.

Tour Languages Offered

• English

Departs From

Cairns

Departure Time

8.00am

Departure Instructions

• Boarding at 7.30am for an 8.00am departure
• Arrive back in Cairns at 4.30pm

Pickup Locations

• Cairns
• Cairns Northern Beaches
• Port Douglas

• Complimentary transfers from Cairns CBD properties
• Transfers from Outer Cairns, Northern Beaches & Port Douglas available at additional cost (subject to availability)

Destinations

• Great Barrier Reef
• Hastings Reef
• Breaking Patches
• Saxon Reef
• Norman Reef
• Jorgensen Patch

Months of Operation

January - December

Days of Operation

Daily

$100 surcharge applies to Christmas Day departures - payable onboard the day of travel
A Surcharge of $50 per person applies to all other Queensland public holidays listed below - payable onboard the day of travel:
26 December 2023 – Boxing Day
01 January 2024 – New Year's Day
29, 30 & 31 March and 01 April 2024 – Easter

Duration

8.5 hours

Available for Purchase / Hire

• Return transfers from Outer Cairns, Northern Beaches or Port Douglas - need to be prebooked (subject to availability)
• Additional Introductory Dive
• Additional Certified Dive

Fitness Level Required

Low, Medium

Restrictions

• Scuba Diving – minimum age 12
• Dive medical forms to be completed prior to all diving

IN-WATER RESTRICTIONS

Scuba Diving Restrictions

• Certain medical conditions and medications may preclude some people from scuba diving.
• Participation is subject to a medical questionnaire completed on board with the tour operator
• Minimum age for scuba diving is 12 years.
• Flying after scuba diving: a wait of 12 hours is recommended after one dive, 18 hour after 2 dives and at least 24 hours after multiple dives, before ascending to an altitude of 300 metres or greater.

Read more about Diving Safety on the Great Barrier Reef.

Additional Information

Please note this tour requires a minimum of 2 guests

• Swimming costume
• Towel
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Rash vest for sun protection
• Dive certification for certified Scuba divers
• Cash or credit card for additional purchases such as drinks, lycra suit hire and souvenirs
• Camera (charged)
• Sunscreen 30+

• Family Fare: 2 Adults and 2 Children (4-11 years old)
• Children under the age of 4 travel free of charge