What to Expect

Set sail on a 2-day, 1-night sailing adventure in the stunning Whitsunday Islands, where the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef unfolds around you. This intimate Whitsundays cruise aboard a 60ft sailing ketch accommodates just 15 guests, ensuring a personalized and comfortable experience. Navigate through some of the most beautiful islands, snorkel vibrant coral reefs, and relax on unspoiled beaches away from the usual crowds.

Features and Highlights

Intimate Sailing Experience:

• Your yacht, a classic 40-year-old ketch, offers spacious decks and roomy interiors, ideal for enjoying the serene environment of the Whitsundays. With 8-foot headroom, it caters comfortably even for taller guests, ensuring everyone can move around freely without the cramped conditions found on many boats.

Flexible Itinerary:

• While the exact route can vary based on weather and group preferences, destinations like the renowned Whitehaven Beach are staples. This allows you to immerse in the spectacular natural beauty and pristine conditions of one of Australia's top beaches.

Marine Life Encounters:

• The waters of the Whitsundays are teeming with life. Snorkelling at renowned spots like Peter's Bay and Hook Passage to see an array of marine species in their natural habitats, including colourful coral gardens teeming with diverse aquatic life.

Relaxation and Adventure:

• Whether you're up for an active holiday or just want to soak up the sun and sea air, this tour balances relaxation with adventure. Participate in sailing the ketch or kick back and enjoy the journey as your experienced crew navigates through the islands.

Spectacular Sunsets and Social Atmosphere:

• End each day with stunning sunsets, which you can enjoy from the deck with a drink in hand, providing perfect moments to socialize with fellow passengers and share experiences of the day.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1:

• After setting sail from Airlie Beach, your first adventure is snorkelling in the vibrant reefs of Hook Passage. Lunch on board precedes an afternoon snorkel in the hidden waters of Border Island. As the day winds down, enjoy a picturesque sunset on deck, followed by a communal dinner under the stars.

Day 2:

• Start with a morning visit to Hill Inlet for breathtaking views from the lookout above Whitehaven Beach. Spend the morning basking on the silica sands or exploring the beach. Post-lunch, enjoy one last snorkelling session before sailing back to Airlie Beach, arriving by 4 PM.

Culinary Delights

The onboard menu is designed to complement the sea-going experience, featuring fresh ingredients and a variety of dishes to suit all palates, with options for special dietary needs upon request.

• Breakfasts: include a selection of cereals, fruits, yogurts, and pastries alongside coffee and tea.
• Lunches: showcase a delightful mix of salads, cold meats, and freshly prepared sandwiches.
• Dinners: are hearty and fulfilling, perfect after a day of adventure, ranging from local seafood to international favourites.

Accommodation Details

• Shared Saloon Accommodation: Offers a convivial atmosphere with shared facilities, perfect for solo travellers or groups.
• Private Double Cabins: Ideal for couples seeking more privacy, these cabins provide a cozy retreat from the communal areas.
• Private Double Ensuite Cabins: For ultimate comfort, opt for a double cabin with private bathroom facilities, ensuring personal space and convenience.

Additional Information

Wildlife and Marine Life:

• The Great Barrier Reef is a sanctuary for diverse species, including six of the world's seven sea turtle species. You may also encounter Maori Wrasse, Clownfish, and during migration season, even whales.

Environmental Commitment:

• The overnight sailing tour emphasises sustainability, with efforts to protect the local ecosystem while providing an unforgettable experience of the natural beauty of the Whitsundays.

Our T&Cs

All cancellations must be in writing.

We understand things may change, so we have made cancellations very easy.

In every instance we always recommend you purchase travel insurance for life’s last-minute hiccups.

Please see our terms and conditions for details prior to booking.

Additional Tour Operator's T&Cs

Terms and Conditions - Effective: August 2024

Terms, Conditions and Travel Policies

Explore Whitsundays highly recommends that guests read the following policy:

Cancellation Policy for Individual Travellers.

We RECOMMEND ALL GUESTS have Travel Insurance which covers cancellation for a variety of reasons.

Day Tour Cancellations

DAY TOURS – If you or your guests don’t show or cancel within:

• 24 hours, you forfeit 100% of the full ticket rate.

Extended / Overnight Tour Cancellations

Overnight Tour Cancellations

If you or your guests cancel:

• Between 60 and 30 days of departure, you will forfeit 25% of the ticket price.
• Between 14 to 30 days before departure, you will forfeit 50% of the ticket price.
• Within 14 days of departure, you will forfeit the full trip fee.

Private Charter Tour Terms and Cancellations

• Booking will be confirmed on payment of deposit.
• Balance payments are to be made in full 30 days before charter commencement.
• Cancellations 60 days before departure result in a loss of 50% of the deposit.
• Cancellations 30 to 60 days before departure result in loss of deposit.
• Cancellation within 30 days of departure date will result in forfeit of Full Charter Price.
• We highly recommend that all charterers have travel insurance to protect against unexpected cancellations.

Travel Insurance

The Operator strongly recommends that guests have travel insurance to:

• cover valuable items (e.g. Cameras, Luggage)
• protect against unforeseen flight or coach cancellations, road closures or late arrival into Airlie Beach for any reason which subsequently leads to missing the scheduled departure time,
• cover medical conditions that may occur during carriage, and the associated extra costs of accessing medical care around the islands, including returning to port or emergency air evacuation.
• cover against an emergency where you need to return to port urgently, e.g. a family member becomes very ill,
• cover against full ticket refunds, including the agent commissions component
• Please ensure that the guests understand the details of the cover included for the Travel Insurance to ensure that it covers the above for their peace of mind.

Liability

Guests should note that sailing, snorkelling and aquatic activities can be dangerous, and while our Crew will make every effort to ensure guest safety, Explore Whitsundays and the Operator cannot be accountable for the actions of guests that are beyond the Crew’s control. Guests should be aware that marine stingers and other marine life live in the tropical waters of the Whitsunday Islands.

Guests will be required to complete a pre-departure questionnaire and sign a travel agreement during the check-in process. The Operators have the applicable Shipowners insurance to cover public liability for our guests and staff. A copy of the certificate will be forwarded if required.

Travel Agent Fees

We recommend that guests who book through an Agent read the agent’s terms and conditions before booking. The Operator will not be responsible for the refund terms and conditions of your travel agent if for whatsoever the trip is cancelled.

Itineraries and Weather

The Operator reserves the right to alter the tour or the itinerary of any of its tours and organise alternative carriers to those advertised if necessary. The Operator will always consider the safety of guests and staff, and as a result, some locations may not be visited if the wind, visibility or wave/tidal conditions are not suitable or parts of the park have been closed by the managing authority. If it is raining, our tours still operate, as the guests can still experience the Whitsundays, including swimming and bushwalking. If the winds are light, the tours will still run; however, it will be necessary to use the motors on the boats to travel between locations.

We do not provide any guarantee that the winds will be consistent and from a suitable direction to make sailing possible. The Whitsundays is deemed partially smooth waters, and tours will only be cancelled if the Regional Harbour Master closes the area due to gale warnings or the Operator deems it unsafe to travel. If tour cancellations are necessary and ticket balance payment or pro-rate refunds are approved, the amount being paid for the ticket to the Operator will be refunded. Explore Whitsundays does not cover additional costs over or above the ticket amount. We do not guarantee a refund of the travel agent commission component or any other costs associated with the guest’s travel arrangements.

Meeting Expectations

If your tour expectations weren’t met, please email us at res@explorewhitsundays.com within five (5) business days of your return to Airlie Beach. We will contact the tour operator to discuss the circumstances and assist you in resolving the issue. Any compensation will be paid through your Travel Agent. Please allow up to 7 days for the transfer of funds.

In accordance with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland legislation, abuse directed towards our team will not be tolerated.

Minimum Guest Numbers

All vessels require a minimum number of guests to operate. The Operator reserves the right to cancel a scheduled trip if the minimum number of guests is not met. Where possible, the Explore Whitsundays will offer an alternative TOUR of a similar or higher standard.

Dietary Surcharges

Please be advised that guests on overnight vessels who request alternative dietary requirements (Such as vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free and dairy/lactose-free) will incur a surcharge payable on check-in. Please contact our Reservations Team to confirm your dietary surcharge as it varies from vessel to vessel.

Please note that we are unable to accommodate Halal and Kosher requirements.

The majority of vessels represented by Explore Whitsundays are owner-operated, with a small team provisioning for the vessels. Airlie Beach is a remote location and does not have the same access to alternative foods as metropolitan areas.

We believe food is very important for our guests’ experience and re-fuelling for a day of activities.

Luggage

Guests are asked to limit luggage as storage on yachts is minimal. Guests should pack in soft-sided bags, NO hard case trolley bags, please. Please note that there is NO luggage storage available at the Marina. There are options available on the Main Street of Airlie Beach.

Guest Behaviour

The Operator has the right to refuse to board guests who arrive intoxicated or who appear to be under the influence of illegal substances. While on tour, guests must abide by instructions from the Crew. Guests must also abide by the Law, and public nuisance, harassment, abusing our staff or anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. Guests who refuse to follow instructions and jeopardise the safety and security of the Crew, guests, themselves or the vessel may be restrained and removed from the tour. All associated costs of removal will be borne by the guest, and no refund of ticket monies will be provided.

English Language Comprehension

We ask that all guests (or at least one member of your party) have a good understanding of English. This is especially critical when guests are participating in water sports, swimming and snorkelling.

If customers cannot understand English, it is important that a companion traveller speaks English and can translate for the non-English speaking guest.

We do have snorkelling summaries in other languages, which are provided for guests to read. If guests have any concerns at all, please get in touch with us before departing.

Open Dated Vouchers

Approved agents may sell open dated vouchers that are valid for 12 months from the issue date. This open-dated ticket must be rebooked in association with your Explore Whitsundays booking number. Open dated tickets without an Explore Whitsundays booking number are considered invalid and will not be accepted.

Open Dated Voucher requests are accepted based on availability and are not guaranteed for your preferred date.

Guest Bed or Cabin Allocation

We will always try our best to accommodate our guest’s cabin requests.

Due to limited resources, this cannot be guaranteed. Alternatives will be offered, and if accepted, the booking will be completed.

Check-Out Times

The Operator will ask guests to vacate their accommodation and pack up their luggage on the final day to allow commencement of accommodation servicing.

For Solway Lass Guests, after lunch on the final day, guests will be asked to pack and vacate the cabin so servicing can be started.

Checking in for your tour

Guests on overnight tours must check-in before boarding   

• Guests are required to check in via an online wavier which is to be completed no later than 72 hours before travel. A confirmation email will be sent to the confirmed traveller.

Guest on day tours must check in before boarding

• Guests are required to check in via an online wavier which is to be completed by 6.00 pm, the day before travel. A confirmation email will be sent to the confirmed traveller.

Delayed guests, please phone our office on 07 4767 7074

Explore Whitsundays – Children and Age Range Conditions

Age ranges vary depending on the vessel and conditions.

It is important to contact our Reservations on a case by case basis. The owner/operator of the vessel may be flexible based on the load factors, time of year, ages of children, number of children, and other age range restrictions may be amended.