On the one hand, the diving while on OceanQuest was wonderful. The boat usually holds around 60-75% newly certified students completing their certification and first fun dives. Not to mention the sharks and turtles, Night snorkelling with sharks Our favourite was Troppos! The staff were amazing extremely friendly and professional at all times. Wetsuits cost extra, Cairns Hotel Bus Transfers cost extra. Both room types have private ensuite bathrooms. My husband and I spend 4 nights and 5 days aboard OceanQuest. Sharks in the dark, the Dwarf Minke Whales, the sea life at the reefs, the night diving. Visit our colourful dive and snorkel sites during the day, and at night everything from the air conditioned cabins with en suites, lounge and bar, are designed for your comfort. Sea turtles galore. Negatives Sometimes you can have small children on board, this is not a negative but some people might not like this. We can help you choose the best tour, to suit your experience and budget. Food and bedding was glorious and better than expected. Day Areas Small Sun Deck, Medium Saloon. Our liveaboard vessel OceanQuest is the ultimate Great Barrier Reef overnight experience from Cairns. First time seeing a turtle, cuttlefish and doing a night dive. Please click the blue More Info button under your preferred activity below to see multi-night pricing and booking options. Copyright 2022 LiveAboard.com. First time visiting the Great Barrier Reef and my husband and I were blown away. Some places have good coral, some have wildlife, some have colors. Seeing sharks, turtles, cuttlefish and so many different varieties of sea life. Havent experienced an overnight dive or snorkel trip before? Their attention to safety is something that is also exceptional. Sit down to a full cooked breakfast to fuel you for the day ahead. Suitable for divers and snorkellers. Improvement area: Dinner options could be better. Friendly staff. Twin Cabin with En-Suite / same gender cabins are not guaranteed. This will help you to decide which is the best liveaboard dive boat for you. Overall we felt less like guests and more like intruders. If you are already a certified diver, then why choose Pro-Dive Cairns? My husband is a very experienced diver (~250 dives) and says that ReefQuest was the worst "dive boat" he has ever been on (in quotes because it is clearly really for snorkelers). 10/10 And will recommend to all. Travel time from Cairns is with day boat Reef Experience and takes 1 hour 15 minutes to arrive at the Reef Encounter Liveaboard. Maybe you and your wife are traveling together, you would like nice diving and a nice hot meal and comfy room to lay your head at the end of the day. Guests were admonished for taking more than one slice of toast at breakfast (seriously? The diving was also unforgettable! 3) Food is basic and essentially rationed. I lied to my husband that could not translate 100%. Cabins were actually quite spacious, the en suite was a lovely touch, and the beds were heavenly comfortable. The Reef was never more than a few fin-kicks from the boatno wasted time. We wanted to give a shout out to Emily from the Divers Den Volunteer crew. Good Meals. At night, relax in the lounge and bar. Negatives Sometimes you can have small children on board, this is not a negative but some people might not like this. Or if youre keen for more undersea adventures, try a unique night dive experience like Sharks in the Dark or Fluoro Diving to make your time on board our floating reef hotel truly unforgettable. Guides Peleg and Hayden were great! Met really cool people (guests and crew), enjoyed hanging out in the various chill zones, my room was great. Would do it again and would encourage others to as well. Pro-Dive Cairns are a single hull design vessel. Divers Den is a great set up - more for people who like their own space and company rather than a party boat. All equipment was well maintained and well organised to ensure confidence and familiarity iver the course of the trip. Seeing the Great Barrier Reef. You can reschedule or cancel your trip any time up to 24 hours before departure with no penalty. This brand new liveaboard dive expedition has commenced for the 2021 Minke Whale Season. Please call PH: +61 7 40411 638 or Email: [email protected], View our range of hand-selected Cairns liveaboard dive tours. but after a few dives, we were extremely comfortable navigating. Seemed to be an older demographic than other liveaboards. It was pretty uncomfortable to feel like we were taking food out of somebody else's mouth. 2.30pm: During the afternoon youll have the opportunity for more snorkel and dive sessions, and to relax on board. I was able to do guided dives, buddy dives, a night dive, snorkeling, and sharks after dark activity. Highly recommend. The diving was epic, I've dove around the world, and I was thoroughly surprised by the qualities of dives. Having the opportunity to dive 5 dives a day was absolutely fantastic. Several dive locations with knowledgeable guides. The skipper will move the boat twice each day for maximum exploration of these dive sites. liveaboard quest This includes valet service, champagne on arrival, breakfast served in your room, sunset cocktails, turn down service, romantic dinner under the stars (weather permitting), personal snorkel / dive guide available at all times. Expect to find large schools of juvenile barracuda (seasonal), beautiful white and yellow sweetlips, giant mauri wrasse, schools of humphead parrot fish and many species or sea turtle including the rare and endangered hawksbill sea turtle. We took the open water advanced dive course. Please fill in your contact details in the form below and LiveAboards customer service will get back to you. Length: 36 metres / 119 feet All of the staff were so kind and had great knowledge about all the dive sites, with informative briefings and the option for dive guides. I loved the dives even though the water was not that clear because of the weather. Seeing a whale shark! Reef Encounter operates a large twin hull liveaboard. Amazing dives, the professional and friendly crew together with the atmosphere among the divers aboard made this to a memory that will last! Not much room for photographers cameras. liveaboard Everything worked to clockwork precision. On the outer reef walls, a maximum depth of around 25 meters can be found in the deepest sections. Should you prefer to cancel instead of reschedule your trip, you will be refunded 90% of the trip value up to 30 days before departure date (no refund 30 days before departure or less). Great place to be. Divers: 32 Bright colorful soft and hard coral colonies can be found in 6 to 12 meters of water on top of the reefs. There were not enough seats for everyone to sit comfortably and nowhere to store gear securely or out of the way. EXTRA FLEXIBLE BOOKING This liveaboard offers a free trip reschedule within 24 months if you are unable to travel due to Covid-19 related restrictions. All dives are unguided, so this trip is still good for those that want their freedom like underwater photographers and experienced divers. My experience on ocean quest was excellent. Or still confused? The trip was well organised and the diving/snorkel spots were amazing. Great meals all prepared by the onboard chef. Was lucky with my buddies. Great experience, very worth it, Seeing half a dozen turtles. Spend your days and nights exploring the best outer Great Barrier Reef dive sites aboard our floating accommodation, with snorkel, intro dive and certified dive options available. These dives sites are located 65 km East from Cairns. Day boat transfers you to the mothership so people boarding and disembarking daily, also not a really a negative as it actually allows you to book this boat 7 days a week. This is a BIG deal when you are attempting 4 dives a day with 40 other divers entering and exiting the water. Overnight (liveaboard) Great Barrier Reef trips from Cairns are truly a remarkable adventure. You may also like the creature comforts of a private ensuite bathroom? My only complaint is that after our final dive, one of the crew members decided to prioritize speed of prepping the equipment for the next passengers over watching out for our equipment. Overall a fantastic live aboard, would return in a heartbeat. The food was splendid, good spread, I'm vegetarian and I loved the salads and veggies, oh and that risotto! 2022 Cairns Dive Adventures Website. Spend Over $550 Recieve 1 x Free Digital Underwater Camera Hire*. Every member is supportive and experienced. liveaboard Special thanks to Paulo & dive team. liveaboard The private Staterooms are either in TWIN bed or Double bed format are perfect for friends or couple. I am an hotel manager for 15 years.. i was really shocked on speechless situation .. and my husband has limited English luckily who kept asked me to check either Manager really asked the bacon off from his plate. Bedding and bath towels are supplied on board. The food was good and the crew was nice. No one owned up to it and they seemed very unconcerned that that had happened. liveaboard liveaboards There is a large air-conditioned lounge to enjoy, a well-stocked bar area with an entertainment system, and a spacious dining room. We saw scorpion fish, lion fish, octopus, giant traveli, turtles, trumpet fish, sharks, titan trigger fish, and too many others to list. Connect with our expert travel consultants to plan your next trip. This article is written for the already certified diver. Single hull vessels do allow more movement in the ocean than twin hull vessels. Especially after a full day of dives. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. You have contracted the virus within 30 days to departure and can provide medical evidence (certificate/statement) to support this. The sharks in the dark on the rear duckboard Seeing a hammerhead shark We never had to wait for any of our dives, and all of the dive sites were briefed before each session. I saw an eel, manta ray, orangutan crab, sharks, and a turtle. Reef Encounter is also owned and operated by a passionate local Cairns family. The routine made things easy to constantly dive or eat, it was very easy to get in five dives and not miss any meals. You may also like the creature comforts of a private ensuite bathroom and maybe the option to go Top Deck with a private concierge, private meals and all private guided dives. The cabin was big, clean and quiet. Hope company can training to staff to care the purpose of trip and respect every guests. That aside however, our experience with Ocean Quest exceeded all expectations. Book your Outer Great Barrier Reef Dive adventure today. They really tried to make sure I was comfortable and checked in with me frequently. (There is no option to do guided diving on this boat). liveaboard I think they tried too hard - simpler dishes would have been better. #bringbackthemusic, it was the Great Barrier Reef! Dive eat dive sleep repeat. I also loved the sharks in the dark, they come very close to us it was amazing. The equipment was mostly in good shape, but there was a shortage of medium- and large-sized gear (wetsuits and booties) and it wasn't very organized so there was a bit of a scramble every time. While serving food at the breakfast buffet, the manager asked to my husband to take the bacon off from the his plate, saying he had too much bacon on the plate, i thought that made a jock but eventually he asked me to share his bacon so i did not touch. But the Great Barrier Reef has ALL these elements. But you can still get a dive guide for just $15 per dive. highly recommended, Diving with turtles, sharks, cuttlefish, soo many different fish. I felt super safe despite being quite an unconfident diver when I started. Sharks in the dark was really cool! Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. If you answer yes to any or all the above, then you should choose Pro-Dive Cairns. Thats easy it is the reef sites they visit. The staffs left us a sort of freedom on each spot. See below for further details on inclusions and pricing. You need to come into our shop located on the Cairns Esplanade the day before departure to pick up the camera before 5:30 pm. Sharks, Ray's, turtles, lots of fish and coral. If you finish a dive early you can get back in and snorkel, which is also wonderful. An overnight experience is also the perfect time to complete or enhance your practical dive training at the outer Great Barrier Reef. It does cost more, but if you are looking for a more unique experience on the Great Barrier Reef choose Reef Encounter. Day boat transfers you to the mothership so people boarding and disembarking daily, also not a really a negative as it actually allows you to book this boat 7 days a week. The cabine was comfortable. All rights reserved. Under normal circumstances, you should be out of the water on your last dive at 12pm (midday). both you and your buddy? both you and your buddy? Theres no way that the individual at fault wouldn't have noticed as the glass of the mask was smashed to bits and they would have felt it and heard it smash. The idea of a single hull vessel is they can handle a harsher environment when it comes to extremely high wind and rough seas. I was not allowed to talk to their doctor to get an explanation. Hull Type: Twin Hull Marine life was amazing. Seeing the reef even at 10 to 15 meters is amazing and nothing else we have seen compares to it! quest ocean liveaboard australia cabin double suite The diving was of course the highlight. Friendly atmosphere. The diving is unreal. Included: VAT, Hotel Transfer, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Diving Package, Rental Gear. Includes Cairns Hotel bus pickups. Loved every moment of it! It was all worthwhile and every dime was well spent. These are guidelines only, there is no guarantee that these recommendations will prevent decompression sickness. 4-5 dives each day. the number of dive opportunities, well organised, easy, relaxed, awesome diving and snorkelling. Good dive sites, great dive briefings, good fun crew. Enjoy a well-deserved dessert treat after your day in the water! We had our own masks and one had a tank set on top of it while we turned away to hang up our suits. Bright colorful anemones housing the Great Barrier Reefs most famous fish the clownfish (Nemo) can be found in around 8 meters of water. CALL US: 07 4041 1638 Common sighting of giant Green Humphead Parrot Fish in large schools of 6 or 8 animals (Usually very early morning). This will help you work out which is the best liveaboard for you. On our first dive I couldn't see a thing and also had trouble equalizing my ears after our too-rapid descent, but our clearly inexperienced guide kept going despite my hand signals. If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. liveaboard Hull Type: Single Hull Positives - Great for experienced divers that do not want a dive guide and want to dive by themselves. My partner had a personal encounter with a turtle that was beyond her imagination and would be hard to imagine unless you saw it. The announcement for meals, dives and so forth were a good point (can be sure to not miss anything when having a nap). There really is something for everyone with the OceanQuest liveaboard, with options for certified divers, introductory divers, and snorkelers. There were some inter individual difference from guide to guide. Twin share and double cabins. Snorkel some of the reef's best sites, then stay overnight and do it all again tomorrow, Try scuba diving on an overnight trip and enjoy extra opportunities to explore the underwater world, For the ultimate Great Barrier Reef dive trip, choose our liveaboard vessel with its exclusive dive experiences, Take a night dive from our overnight vessel and encounter friendly reef sharks and other critters, With our special equipment you'll see coral and marine life like never before - an amazing night dive experience, Already Open Water certified? No doubt they are expertise and offer great opportunities exploring Great Barrier Reef. The food was also not bad, not gourmet cooking, some meals were better than others, but overall pretty good. Definitely the diving. Each dive was limited to 50 minutes, which was a bummer, since both my husband and I would come up with enough air we could have been down for an extra 10-20 minutes (even with a minimum amount left in our tanks). You have the option of diving with a buddy or hiring a guide. Good dive sites, great dive briefings, good fun crew. Staff complained in front of guests about not getting enough to eat. 3 Crew. Pro-Dive Cairns choose 2 dives sites every day. The dive deck is a little cramped and there is not much room to put your cameras but the dive site locations offer great diving. Operates JUNE / JULY! Had Emily as my dive instructor for my Advanced Open Water certification and she was the best. Obviously diving the great barrier reef! The luxurious OceanQuest liveaboard was refurbished in 2017 and has 22 cabins, each with an en-suite bathroom, air conditioning, and a TV. I am an Australian citizen, so i took my husband to Aus. Exploring the wonders of the great barrier reef with some wonderful people. Dive guides cost extra. This site has been prepared to provide unbiased advice and information on Cairns snorkel and dive day tours, liveaboard dive trips and learn to dive courses on the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea. Night diving was completly magical - I had never done it before and I was so completly shocked by the awe and beauty of it. The deeper outer reef walls are home to white tip and black tip reef sharks (usually sleeping in the sand during the day). This is an extra charge. I sent an email to company cause i wanted give good experience to my husband for our honeymoon trip and as the first trip in Australia for my husband that also mention email to company before we book the trip. Unfortunately our trip was cut short due to a gale force wind warning - we only managed one day of dives and spent the night at Cairns wharf. Below is a quick rundown of the main distinguishing features of each boat. We also show you what the main differences are in each trip itinerary and what marine life you can expect to see at each dive location! Read on to find out what these are. Good cabin, bed and meals. Travel time takes 1 hour 15 minutes from Cairns. Try Our Tour Finder, PRO DIVE Ribbon Reef Minke Whale Liveaboard. Multiple opportunities to dive at multiple sites with or without guides. The outer reef walls you can find a depth of around 22 meters. This incredible dive uses specialist torches and mask filters to bring the reef to life in an array of fluorescent colours (extra charge applies). If you have ever considered Liveaboard diving, book with these guys, you will not regret it. The diving was fantastic. I certainly wasnt by the end. Travel time with Pro-Dive Cairns to this part of the reef is 2.5 hours. Visit our Can I Dive page for more information. The dive sites provided a nice variety and there are many opportunities to dive every day. liveaboard epic Read on to see where each liveaboard goes, and what you can expect to see diving at each location. We basically never felt like we were waiting around for the next thing but instead welcomed the hour or so pockets of downtime. So many beautiful fish and corals. The staff are very hard workers, professional and very helpful. Fluoro night Dive was incredible! What the meal options are and most importantly what the dive sites offer in what you can expect to see diving with these 3 liveaboard dive boats. We have been diving in Fiji, Mexico, and the British Virgin Islands. Day boat transfers you to the mothership so people boarding and disembarking daily, also not a really a negative as it actually allows you to book this boat 7 days a week. all the equipment is great and very professional, you couldn't ask for more great, very happy for everything, cleaning diving equipment, food, the rooms, everything 10 a great team. Toby is hilarious. Hull Type: Twin Hull I also loved that you did NOT have to go with a guide and could go as a buddy team. 7.30am: Breakfast time! The schedule throughout the day works well for divers, the crew and new guests. Beds were comfy, showers were hot. Day Areas: Large Sun Deck, Large Saloon. Getting to see the reef up close. Other than that I would still highly recommend this experience as one thoughtless individual shouldn't represent the entire experience. Pay by bank transfer or online with Best Price Guaranteed. The diving equipment was subpar and included snorkel-grade masks that wouldn't stay dry or clear inside. I got my open water cert thanks to his good training. Night diving is so awesome. I look forward to making it back one day.. I enjoyed no Wi-Fi, (could send texts and access the internet with Telstra on my phone), very relaxing. Dive guides are available at extra cost. The staff was also great, again some better than others, but overall fantastic. Reef Encounter is also a large stable twin hull vessel that offers a comfortable on board experience in most weather conditions. Our three-deck, 35m catamaran is purpose built for a top class dive holiday, with a spacious dive deck, large open sundecks and hot, fresh water showers. Negatives Sometimes you can have small children on board, this is not a negative but some people might not like this. Staff was great! Seeing my partner go from a novice diver with anxiety to a competent diver, even doing her first night dive. 8.30am: Set off from Cairns Marina and cruise out to the reef, either on our day trip vessel AquaQuest with two dive/snorkel sessions before you transfer onto OceanQuest (Thursday Saturday departures), or directly on board OceanQuest (Wednesday departures only). We will both be back. Sharks in the Dark was such a great experience - unlike anything I've ever done.