Not only is the Great Barrier Reef a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s also one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World! As one of the largest living structures on Earth (even visible from space!), it consists of over 600 types of both hard and soft coral.
With threats such as pollution and increasing acidity, we unfortunately don’t know how long the reef will be around to visit, so I highly recommend doing so if you’re in the area.
I’ve detailed the 7 top Great Barrier Reef cruises available, that are well worth the time and money. Now, let’s jump right in!
Best Cruises of the Great Barrier Reef
| Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas | Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Premium Catamaran From Cairns | 2-Day Great Barrier Reef: Reefsleep Experience | |
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| Location: | 44 Wharf St, Port Douglas QLD 4877 | 1 Spence St, Cairns City QLD 4870 | Hotel pickup and drop-off available |
| Start: | 8:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 7:30 AM |
| Duration: | 8 hours | 9 hours | 2 days |
| Includes: | Lunch, afternoon tea & coffee, professional local guide, guided snorkel tour (Use of Snorkelling equipment) and Interpretive reef talk | Fast modern catamaran visiting 2 exclusive outer reef locations, coffee and/or tea, lunch, snacks, snorkeling equipment, marine naturalist presentation | All meals, overnight accommodation in a Reefbed, round-trip cruise, underwater viewing chamber, snorkeling equipment, |
Quick Answer: The 7 Best Great Barrier Reef Cruise Tours For 2025
- Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas
- Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Premium Catamaran From Cairns
- 2-Day Great Barrier Reef: Reefsleep Experience
- Seastar Luxury Outer Great Barrier Reef Island and Reef Tour
- Sunlover Reef Cruises Cairns Great Barrier Reef Experience
- Wavedancer Low Isles Great Barrier Reef Sailing Cruise
- Full-Day Cruise Tour to Frankland Islands Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef Cruises Reviews
1. Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas
- Duration: 8 hours
- Departure: 44 Wharf St, Port Douglas QLD 4877
- Departure Time: 8:20 AM
- Includes: Lunch, afternoon tea & coffee, professional local guide, guided snorkel tour (Use of Snorkelling equipment) and Interpretive reef talk
Australia is full of fun in the sun, but if you really want to enjoy it to its fullest, look no further than this first tour.
Imagine cruising across the sparkling waters from Port Douglas, with the breeze blowing through your hair and the sun shining on your skin as you head to one of the most amazing natural wonders on Earth.
If that sounds like fun to you, check out the Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas tour! Starting out around 8 am, you’ll meet at the wharf where your guides will escort you onto a beautiful, custom-designed vessel for a full-day cruise!
Depending on weather and water conditions, you’ll head to either Agincourt or Opal Reef to snorkel at 3 fantastic sites, with the option to do an intro dive, as well! This is perfect if you’ve never gone scuba diving before, and would like to try under the supervision of professional divers.
The cool thing is that this tour is really ideal for any experience level, as they customize the dive site visits and type of diving/snorkeling based on your specific skills.
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After we had time to snorkel around at our first stop and explore the beautiful underwater world, we had morning tea and set off to the second one. We then had a delicious lunch onboard, which was nice and varied – suiting everyone’s tastes.
We then had a break to digest and enjoy an interpretive talk about the Great Barrier Reef, which made me appreciate the natural wonder even more!
We then went to the third site for an optional snorkel tour, where we saw many big and bright, colorful fish! All in all, it was a wonderful experience that gave me a whole new perspective on sealife and the reef – oh, and I learned how to actually snorkel properly!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
2. Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Premium Catamaran From Cairns
- Duration: 9 hours
- Departure: 1 Spence St, Cairns City QLD 4870
- Departure Time: 8:00 AM
- Includes: A stylish fast modern catamaran visiting 2 exclusive outer reef locations, coffee and/or tea, lunch, snacks, complimentary snorkel tour and tuition, use of Snorkeling equipment, marine naturalist presentation, all marine park fees and levies, winter wet suits or summer sun suits
If you’re looking for one of the most magical and convenient ways to see the wonder that is the Great Barrier Reef, this is one of the best ways to go!
The Passions of Paradise Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Catamaran tour is educational, with a fantastic crew that will make sure you’re safe and having a great time. This is a tour I’d recommend to even my dearest friends and family, so put it toward the top of your list if it’s your first time out here.
We started out by meeting with our crew at the Reef Fleet Terminal, where we did a quick check-in and received a briefing about what to expect. I immediately knew I’d made a good decision, with their incredible customer service and clear knowledge of the area.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge fan of entertaining crews, and that’s exactly what you’ll get here. We then boarded the luxury catamaran, which was one of the most beautiful, sleek, and spacious of any I’d been on.
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The crew has access to nearly 30 different destinations on the outer Great Barrier Reef, and they will select the best 2 of those, depending on weather and water conditions that day. We were also able to select if we wanted to snorkel or dive, depending on our preferences and experience level.
No matter which one you choose, you’ll receive full instruction by professional guides, who made sure we all felt safe and were well watched after in the water. We saw such a wonderful spectrum of tropical fish, turtles, and of course, corals!
Pair all that with morning and afternoon tea, a delicious buffet lunch, and many beverages available for purchase, you have everything you could want, and more!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
3. 2-Day Great Barrier Reef: Reefsleep Experience
- Duration: 2 days
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off available
- Departure Time: 7:30 AM
- Includes: Dinner, breakfast, overnight accommodation in a Reefbed, round-trip cruise, semi-submersible coral viewing with reef appreciation talk, underwater viewing chamber, use of snorkeling equipment, lunch (2)
This is hands-down the most immersive, comprehensive way to see the Great Barrier Reef. Imagine spending your days snorkeling among breathtaking marine life and the legendary coral, filling up on delicious meals, and waking up to incomparable ocean views.
You’ll get all that and more, with the 2-Day Great Barrier Reef: Reefsleep Experience tour. Rather than have to head to a meetup point like the previous tours have required, this tour includes a convenient hotel pickup so you don’t have to lug your bags around.
The crew was amazing from the very get-go, making all of us feel welcome, setting the tone for a fantastic experience. We got to choose whether we took our high-speed catamaran to either the Port of Airlie or Hamilton Island (I personally prefer Hamilton as it tends to have less tourists).
One of the highlights for me was transferring to a cool pontoon that came with an interactive underwater viewing chamber, so we could see all kinds of sealife without getting wet!
It even comes with a semi-submersible and a big sun deck that I thoroughly enjoyed soaking up the rays on while sipping on a cool beverage.
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I had a fantastic time trying my hand at scuba diving, and felt comfortable and confident thanks to our experienced guides who showed me not only how to put on all the gear, but how to actually dive correctly.
When it was finally time for bed, we stayed in a swag, which is essentially a tent complete with a comfy mattress and bedding that zips up. With one breakfast, 2 lunches, and one dinner included (along with all the tea and coffee I could down),
I felt like literally everything was taken care of. We spent our evenings eating well, enjoying laughing and storytelling with the crew, and these 2 days flew by way too fast!
