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OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef tours cater to snorkelers and divers, including those wanting to try diving for the first time and certified divers. The OceanQuest boat is permanently based on Cairns’ outer Great Barrier Reef, with daily transfers provided to and from Cairns on day boats. This means you can start your OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef tour any day of the week, and it can be anywhere from 1 night to 4 nights long. Their tour price has lots of inclusions, including transfers to and from Cairns to the reef, all meals and unlimited chilled water, tea and coffee, linen and a bath towel, all of your snorkelling equipment and unlimited snorkelling, plus the Sharks in the Dark experience. The OceanQuest boat has 18 twin cabins, 4 double cabins and 1 quad share room.
OceanQuest has access to 19 reef sites, on 3 different reefs, all of which are a part of the Great Barrier Reef. Their liveaboard reef trips stay on Cairns’ outer Great Barrier Reef and where they go at your time of travel will be dependent on weather, current and tides. OceanQuest has a tiered pricing structure, to accommodate snorkelers, divers and introductory divers. All diving is extra, but the dive price includes all your dive equipment.
What We Love About OceanQuest’s Cairns Liveaboard Reef Tours. There’s lots to love about this tour, and we’ll list some, in no particular order. 1. Great opportunity to get your dives up, which was something Ethan was keen to do. 2. Sunrise and sunset at sea, always amazing. 3. Early morning dives – the best way to start the day, plus night dives. 4. Great crew and customer service throughout. 5. Comfortable cabins. Read Our OceanQuest Trip Review.
We’ve been on all the tours we book. As a couple, as a family with a baby, then with a young child and now pre-teen. We’ve taken non-swimming friends and older relatives to the reef. So, we have first-hand experience and can help you make the right choice for your Cairns Reef Tour. Chat with us or send us an enquiry and we’ll get back to you.
Get In Touch Chat With UsOceanQuest’s Cairns liveaboard reef tours are suitable for people of all ages and cater to snorkelers, certified divers and those wanting to try introductory diving for the first time, with no experience necessary. The liveaboard boat is always at sea, with daily transfers provided by day boats, this means you can start your OceanQuest liveaboard tour any day of the week and it can last from 1 night up to 4 nights. The boat takes a maximum of 48 passengers, accommodated in 18 x twin cabins, 4 x double cabins and 1 quad share cabin. All cabins have their own ensuite, with shower and toilet.
OceanQuest’s Cairns liveaboard reef tours cater to scuba divers of all experience and certification levels. The number of dives you can do on these trips varies, pending the number of days and nights you book, but to give you an idea if you do a 2 day / 1 night trip, you can do up to 6 dives (which is 5 day dives and 1 night dive). For each extra day you add to your itinerary, you can add another 4 dives (which is comprised of 3 day dives and 1 night dive). So for a 3 day / 2 night trip, you can do up to 10 dives – 4 day / 3 night trip, up to 14 dives – 5 day / 4 night trip, up to 18 dives. In the night dive, you can participate in Sharks in the Dark (see below for more info). All the diving equipment and dive site briefings are included in the dive price. All diving on OceanQuest’s Cairns liveaboard reef tour is unguided, but there is the option to pay for a dive guide, which is $20 per person, per dive. All of the dive sites are suitable for those with Open Water certification level and above. Diving is done in buddy pairs. If you do not have a dive buddy, one will be allocated to you on the boat. Maximum dive time is 50 minutes. Water entry is giant stride. You will be required to show proof of your dive certification. You do not have to participate in all of the dives, but all are included in the tour price; there is no discount provided if you do less dives.
If you’ve never dived before, then an OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef tour is the perfect place and time to do it. There’s no experience necessary. The minimum age to participate is 12 years old. You can book up to 2 introductory dives on your initial booking, with the option to add more when you are onboard the boat, subject to availability. The introductory dive price includes all of your dive equipment, dive instruction and dive guide – who will be with you in the water the whole time. The maximum depth for introductory divers is 12m. Introductory divers can also enjoy the Sharks in the Dark experience, looking down from the deck, or laying down on the dive platform (weather permitting).
Please note certain health conditions can prevent you from trying scuba diving, this includes but is not limited to: asthma, epilepsy, chronic sinus conditions and ear problems, heart disease and sugar diabetes. It is not advised to try scuba diving if you are pregnant.
OceanQuest’s Cairns liveaboard reef tours are an excellent choice for snorkelers. During your time at sea, you will visit a range of Great Barrier Reef snorkel sites with unlimited snorkel time. All snorkel equipment, mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit or lycra sunsuit, is provided and included in the tour price. Flotation devices are available if needed. Site briefings are provided for each location. Water access to and from the boat is easy, thanks to a platform of stairs which is lowered into the water with ladders. Snorkellers can also enjoy the Sharks in the Dark experience, looking down from the deck, or laying down on the dive platform (weather permitting).
Fluoro diving is a great opportunity for certified divers to see the bio fluorescent properties of some of the Great Barrier Reef’s corals, fish and crustaceans. By using a special mask filter and ultraviolet torch, the underwater world will light up like something you have never seen before. All certified divers are able to participate in fluoro diving OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef tour, as long as you have had at least 1 prior night dive. If you don’t have this, make sure you book a 3 day / 2 night tour, so you can do it. The fluoro dive is $50 per person, per dive and is payable on board the boat. The fluoro dive lasts around 35-40 minutes.
Sharks are more active at night, so when you are on a liveaboard reef trip you have the opportunity to see more of them. The Sharks in the Dark experience on OceanQuest is a free activity, included in the tour price. Essentially after dinner, OceanQuest turns on the lights and this attracts fish which in turn attracts reef sharks. Only certified scuba divers are allowed in the water after dark, so they have a front row position for Sharks in the Dark. All other guests can see the sharks in the water from the decks, or pending weather, lay down on the lowered platform to get close to the action. Sharks in the Dark lasts around 45 minutes and is weather dependent.
OceanQuest is your boat for this Cairns liveaboard reef trip, a 34.5m catamaran which provides a stable time at sea. OceanQuest can accommodate up to 48 passengers at a time. The boat has 3 decks offering a range of shared spaces, including the air conditioned dining room and upstairs lounge and bar, to the exterior dive deck and back deck. In its early days OceanQuest provided liveaboard expeditions on the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea, and there’s a range of artefacts on board the boat from these days. The boat was purchased and refit in 2006 and has been providing Cairns Great Barrier Reef liveaboard trips ever since. It has a cruising speed of 8-12 knots and is 34.5m long x 14m wide.
The accommodation on OceanQuest is provided in 23 guest cabins, a range of twin share, double share and quad share. All of the cabins are air conditioned and have their own private ensuite bathrooms. Most of the cabins have windows, providing sea views. Bed linen, pillows and bath towels are provided. All cabins have power outlets, to charge devices. When you’re not in your cabin, you’re welcome to relax in the air conditioned lounge and bar area or on the external decks, including the top sundeck.
OceanQuest has 4 double cabins, which are allocated on a first in best dressed basis. The cabins are spacious and have their own ensuite for your privacy and comfort. Maximum number of guests in double cabins is 2 passengers.
There are 18 x twin share bunk bed cabins on OceanQuest. These all have their own ensuite for your privacy and comfort. Maximum number of guests in twin share cabins is 2 passengers.
There is 1 quad share cabin on OceanQuest. It has its own ensuite for your privacy and comfort. Maximum number of guests in the quad share cabin is 4 passengers.
OceanQuest has access to 19 reef sites, on 3 different reefs, all of which are a part of the Great Barrier Reef. The reefs they may visit include Norman Reef, Hastings Reef and Saxon Reef. Each of the reef sites are suitable for snorkelers and divers of all experience levels. The maximum depth is around 25m. When you are on their liveaboard reef trip, the boat will move around so you can dive and snorkel on a range of different reef sites. The night dive locations are usually at the same site as the last dive for the day, so you are already familiar with it. Which reefs and sites you will visit on your tour will be dependent on the weather, tides and current. Dive sites will change twice a day, weather permitting.
All meals are included in the OceanQuest price. On your day of transfer from Cairns to OceanQuest, you will enjoy morning tea and a tropical buffet lunch on the day boat. Then dinner and dessert on OceanQuest. For each of the full days you spend on OceanQuest, there is a hot and cold buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. All of OceanQuest’s meals are prepared fresh by the onboard chef and the menu changes from day to day. The meals are plentiful and there’s fresh fruit available throughout the day for snacks, as well as tea, coffee and chilled water. Additional snacks, such as crisps and chocolate bars, soft drinks and other beverages, can be purchased at additional cost from the onboard bar. Speaking of the bar, OceanQuest is licensed and alcoholic beverages are available for sale, including beer, wine and cider. However, please note that once you have consumed alcohol you will not be permitted to enter the water again until the following day. The purchase of drinks and snacks is in addition to the tour price and the cost will be added to your room tab, which will be settled every day before lunch. Credit cards and cash are accepted.
Dietary requirements can be catered too, please advise them at the time of booking and then let the chef know, once you are aboard.
When coming on a OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip, you should bring all of your clothing and swimwear (including warm clothes for the evening). A shower towel is provided in your cabin, but please bring an extra ocean towel. Also bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, toiletries and reusable water bottle, plus seasickness medication (if you need it). If you are scuba diving, then you will need to bring your dive certification card.
Sleeping bags, pillows, extra luggage (can be safely stored at the Divers Den office at check in). Extra shoes. You will not be wearing shoes on the boat.
OceanQuest provide complimentary pick-ups from city accommodation, which starts from 7.30am on the first day of your trip. If you are not using the transfers, then you will be checking in at the Divers Den office, which is located at 319 Draper Street in the city. All guests need to check in at the Divers Den office before 8.30am and will then be transferred to their day boat, which is moored at Cairns’ Marlin Marina and provides your ride to the reef and OceanQuest. On the final day of your Cairns liveaboard reef trip with OceanQuest, you will be returned to Cairns and the Divers Den office, with onward accommodation transfers (if required) from 5pm.
You need to check in at the Divers Den office no later than 8am, as this is when the transfers to the marina start to happen. You do not want to miss the boat. Complimentary transfers to and from city accommodation are provided if required, or you can self-drive. The day boat leaves Cairns at 8.30am.
Snorkelling and scuba diving on Cairns’ Great Barrier Reef. Unlimited snorkelling. 4 scuba dives on 2 different boats. 3 day dives and 1 night dive. Catching your first sunset over the Coral Sea – pretty spectacular too!
Morning tea is served on the day boat, on arrival. It departs Cairns at 8.30am and begins your Great Barrier Reef adventure. There will be the chance for snorkelling in the morning, and certified scuba divers have the opportunity to do 2 dives. A tropical buffet lunch is provided on the day boat, before you transfer over to OceanQuest at 2.30pm. Once on OceanQuest cabins are allocated and luggage put into the cabins. There is time for more snorkelling and one more dive this afternoon, from 3.30pm, with dinner served at 6pm. Remember, once you consume alcohol, you are out of the water until the next day. Sharks in the Dark is on after dinner and certified divers can do a night dive, with the briefing at 6.30pm. Dessert is served at 8pm.
Breakfast is served at 7.30am, with the chance to do 2 dives and/or unlimited snorkelling from 8.30am until 11.15am. As it’s your last day on board OceanQuest, you need to pack your bags and check out of your room by 12pm. This allows the crew to clean it for the incoming guests. Lunch is served at 12.30pm with free time until your transfer back to the day boat at 2.30pm for the return to Cairns.
Wake up and watch the sunrise over the Coral Sea. Buffet breakfast, before diving and snorkelling. Chance to do 2 dives today. If you’re leaving today, your in-water experience ends at lunch time.
Wake up to a hot and cold buffet breakfast, which is available in the dining room from 7.30am. After breakfast you have between 8.30am and 11.15am to go snorkelling and/or the chance to do 2 scuba dives – the dive briefings are at 8.15am and 10.15am. You need to check out of your room by 12pm with lunch served at 12.30pm. Then there’s free time to relax onboard and enjoy the views until 2.30pm, which is when you will transfer from OceanQuest back on to the day boat. You depart the Great Barrier Reef at 3pm and return to Cairns and your accommodation around 5pm.
Get into the routine of ship life and enjoy every moment of your OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip. Generally speaking, and weather permitting, OceanQuest visits 2 different reef sites each day. The boat will usually move before breakfast and before lunch. Site briefings are provided at each new reef site.
You can enjoy unlimited snorkelling at the reef sites, with set dive times: the maximum dive time is 50 minutes. For each full day spent aboard OceanQuest there’s the opportunity to participate in up to 4 certified dives per day, 3 day dives and 1 night dive (option to upgrade to fluoro diving for an extra $50 per person, per dive). Sharks in the Dark is on every night and is a free activity for snorkelers and divers.
OceanQuest has a set daily schedule which makes it easy to plan your day. Breakfast is served in the dining room from 7.30am. The first reef site briefing is at 8.15am, followed by snorkelling and diving. The second reef site briefing is at 10.15am, followed by snorkelling and diving. Lunch is served in the dining room at 12.30pm. Plenty of time to rest and relax, read, soak up the views and some sunshine after lunch. The next reef site briefing is at 3.15pm, followed by snorkelling and diving. Dinner is served in the dining room from 6pm. The final reef site briefing for the day is at 6.30pm – this is only for certified divers participating in a night dive or fluoro dive – with Sharks in the Dark – and then dessert served at 8pm. The onboard bar is open until 10pm every night. So it’s sleep – eat – dive – repeat.
The OceanQuest liveaboard reef trips go to Cairns’ outer Great Barrier Reef. They have 19 sites to choose from on 3 different reefs being Saxon, Hastings and Norman. All their reef sites are suitable for snorkelers and scuba divers, including introductory divers. The exact locations you will go to depend on the prevailing weather conditions. They will always pick the best sites to maximise your experience pending tides and current. Please note the OceanQuest boat generally moves twice a day, before breakfast and lunch. This boat does not go to the Ribbon Reefs or Osprey Reef.
OceanQuest caters to snorkelers and divers, so the snorkelling is excellent and the coral gardens rise up to within meters of the surface. All snorkelling equipment is provided in conjunction with the tour price – including mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit or lycra sunsuit – and a reef site briefing is provided at each location. Flotation devices are available if needed. If you are travelling with a diving companion, then you will be snorkelling on the same reefs and able to spend all the time with them, except when they are under the water.
No. You do not need to be a certified diver to go on an OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip. This boat accommodates snorkelers and scuba divers. In fact, it also provides the opportunity for snorkelers to try introductory scuba diving for the first time. There is no previous experience necessary, but you must be aged 12 years old or above. Introductory diving is in addition to the tour price, but it includes all of your dive equipment, dive instruction and dive guide. You can pre-book up to 2 introductory dives on this trip, with the option to do more on the boat, pending availability. The maximum depth you will go is 12m.
Please note certain health conditions can prevent you from scuba diving, this includes but is not limited to: asthma, epilepsy, chronic sinus conditions and ear problems, heart disease and sugar diabetes. It is not advised to try scuba diving if you are pregnant.
The introductory diving on an OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip is excellent. This boat has access to some awesome reef sites and the dive crew are friendly and professional.
Please note you can only pre-book a maximum of 2 introductory dives, with the option to get more introductory dives on the boat, pending dive crew availability. How many introductory dives you can do on an OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip, depends on how many nights you book. On all days except for the last day, there is the option to do up to 3 day dives – on the last day you can do 2 dives.
The diving on an OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip is excellent. All the reef sites are suitable for anyone with an Open Water certification and above. On all days except for the last day, there is the option to do up to 4 dives – 3 day dives and 1 night dive. You can upgrade your night dive to be a fluoro dive (extra $50 per person, per dive) which gives you a special mask filter and ultraviolet torch, which will ‘light up’ the bio fluorescent properties of some of the Great Barrier Reef’s corals, fish and crustaceans. This is very cool and highly recommended. NB: You must have done at least 1 night dive in your dive past, to be able to do this. On the last day of your trip, you have the opportunity to do 2 dives. All diving equipment and dive site briefings are included in the dive tour price. Certified divers will need to show proof of their certification.
This depends on how many nights you book. On all days except for the last day, there is the option to do up to 4 dives – 3 day dives and 1 night dive. On the last day you can do 2 dives. So to break it down, please see below for the most possible number of dives you can do across a few different OceanQuest itineraries. Please note you do not need to participate in all the dives, but all the dives are included in the dive price. There is no discount provided if you choose not to do all of the dives.
You can upgrade the night dive to be a fluoro dive (extra $50 per person, per dive) which gives you a special mask filter and ultraviolet torch, which will ‘light up’ the bio fluorescent properties of some of the Great Barrier Reef’s corals, fish and crustaceans. This is very cool and highly recommended. NB: You must have done at least 1 night dive in your dive past, to be able to do this.
No and yes. The ‘standard’ dive price for an OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip does not include dive guides. It does include reef site briefings, at each site. However, if you want, there is the option to pay for a dive guide. This is charged in addition to the tour price, at $20 per person per dive.
No, it’s not compulsory that you need to be able to swim to go on an OceanQuest liveaboard reef trip, but it is recommended. OceanQuest stays at the Great Barrier Reef for the duration of the trip. It does not have a glass bottom boat or semi submersible and does not visit a pontoon, sand cay or island. As such, the only reef experience you will have on this boat – without getting in the water – is to look down on it from above. That being said, if you don’t swim and you are travelling with someone who does, then you can still relax on the sundecks and enjoy the views. It is not compulsory to get in the water.
Yes – the OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip is suitable for families. We have been on it with our son and there were other families on it, when we went. A few notes regarding this though, as follows.
The food on an OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip is prepared fresh each day, by the onboard chef. They can accommodate dietary intolerance and allergies, but should be notified of these prior to you getting on the boat. Breakfast is a hot and cold buffet. Lunch varies, but will usually include a hot dish – same with dinner. Dessert is served after the last in-water experience for the day, around 8pm. All meals, as well as a selection of fresh fruit is provided in conjunction with the tour price. Additional snacks can be purchased, including crisps, lollypops and chocolate bars.
Please note OceanQuest is licensed and alcoholic beverages are available for sale, including beer, wine and cider. However, please note that once you have consumed alcohol you will not be permitted to enter the water again until the following day. The purchase of drinks and snacks is in addition to the tour price and the cost will be added to your room tab, which will be settled every day before lunch. Credit cards and cash are accepted.
There will be a maximum of 48 guests on an OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip, on any given night. Guests are accommodated in 23 cabins, a combination of 18 x twin share, 4 x double share and 1 x quad share. All the cabins are air conditioned and have their own private ensuite bathrooms. Most of the cabins have windows, providing sea views. Bed linen, pillows and bath towels are provided. All cabins have power outlets, to charge devices. When you’re not in your cabin, you’re welcome to relax in the air conditioned lounge and bar area or on the external decks, including the top sundeck.
Yes. Non-diving friends and/or partners can come with you on an OceanQuest Cairns liveaboard reef trip. Non-diving friends can enjoy unlimited snorkelling, with the opportunity to try an introductory dive (no prior experience necessary). You will be able to enjoy the entire trip together, except for the time when you are getting your dive gear on and off, and under the water.
Everything you need. Transfers to and from Cairns accommodation and the boat, then boat transfers to and from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef. All of your snorkelling and/or diving equipment is included in the relevant price for that activity / trip, as is reef site briefings at each destination. All accommodation is included, as is bed linen and bathroom towels. All meals on board are included, as is unlimited tea, coffee and chilled water, and fresh fruit. Sharks in the Dark is also included in the tour price.
The OceanQuest boat is good and well maintained. It was built in 1988 and started its life providing expeditions on the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea, and there’s a range of artefacts on board the boat from these days – including a fabulous selection of masks and wooden carvings. It was purchased by Divers Den in 2006 and refit to provide Cairns liveaboard reef trips. OceanQuest has 3 decks offering a range of shared spaces, including the air conditioned dining room and upstairs lounge and bar, as well as exterior dive deck, back deck and sundeck. It takes a maximum of 48 guests, which are accommodated in 23 guest cabins. It has a cruising speed of 8-12 knots. OceanQuest is 34.5m long x 14m wide.
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