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Pro Dive Cairns runs Advanced Open Water Diver courses on its 3 day / 2 night liveaboard trips to the Great Barrier Reef. There’s no better classroom on earth to extend your scuba skills, with warm waters, vibrant corals and an abundance of marine life. You will do up to 11 dives on this trip, including the 5 training dives needed to complete your Advanced Open Water Diver certification and 2 night dives. There’s no formal classroom learning involved with this one, but there is some theory which you will complete on the boat with a Dive Instructor. The learning and training dives are scheduled to ensure you still maximise your enjoyment of the liveaboard trip on the reef. Once you’ve passed your course, you will have new scuba skills and be able to dive to a maximum depth of 30m / 100 feet.
Pro Dive have been operating since 1983 and have certified over 190,000 divers, so you know you are in good hands. Their inclusive pricing covers the theory and PADI manuals, dive insurance, all diving equipment and instruction, and all meals and accommodation on their liveaboard boat. Accommodation will be in double or twin share cabins. The Pro Dive Cairns Advanced Open Water Diver course can be booked for departures every day of the week, except Tuesday.
PADI Advanced Open Water Course. 3 day / 2 night Great Barrier Reef liveaboard. 11 dives.
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Pro Dive Cairns are recognised as delivering scuba diving courses, to gold standard levels. They are a dedicated dive operator, focused on delivering exceptional service and taking you to outstanding Outer Great Barrier Reef dive sites. You are with your allocated dive instructor for the duration of your course. You will be staying on one of Pro Dive Cairns’ liveaboard boats, which accommodate a maximum of 32 guests in 14 x twin cabins and 2 x double bed cabins, all with shared bathroom facilities. Passengers will be a combination of dive students and certified divers.
To be eligible to participate in this course you should already have a PADI Open Water Diver certification (or equivalent from another training agency). As such, there is no formal classroom sessions required for this course. There is some theory, which is covered onboard by students reading through the PADI Advanced Open Water manual and completing knowledge reviews at the end of each chapter. This is reviewed with your Dive Instructor. Four sections you will cover includes Deep Dive, Underwater Navigation, Night Dive and Peak Performance Buoyancy. There will be an additional topic to choose from, which might be Nitrox, Underwater Naturalist or Boat Diver.
*Please note all students wishing to participate in a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course must complete a self-assessed medical declaration prior to commencing training. This is because your health and circumstances may have changed since you became a certified Open Water Diver. You can download the Diver Medical Self Assessment questionnaire here. Please ensure you complete this honestly and accurately, this is vital for your safety when underwater. If further assessment is required, you’ll need to get a doctor’s letter / medical clearance before you start the course, this clearance must be dated no older than 90 days before time of issue and time of course commencement. Some health conditions, including asthma, epilepsy, heart conditions, chronic sinus concerns and more, may prevent you from participating.
Pro Dive Cairns Advanced Open Water Diver courses are held on their 3 day / 2 night liveaboard trip to the Great Barrier Reef. You will be staying on 1 of their 3 boats – ScubaPro 1, ScubaPro II or ScubaPro III – which have all been custom designed and built to maximise diver comfort when at sea. Pro Dive Cairns has 19 moorings across several reefs, including Flynn, Thetford, Milln and Pellowe Reef. You will complete all 5 of the necessary training dives on the Great Barrier Reef. These are all completed with your Dive Instructor. On successful completion, you’ll be a certified PADI Advanced Open Water Diver able to dive to a maximum depth of 30m (100 feet) with a buddy, anywhere in the world. This course also provides the opportunity for you to enjoy 6 unguided buddy dives, with the freedom to explore the reef at your own pace. Which reef sites you will be diving on will be determined by the prevailing weather at the time of your course, the best sites will be chosen to maximise diver comfort on the day. Pro Dive moves during your time at sea, so you will dive on a few different reef locations.
The Pro Dive Cairns ScubaPro vessels accommodate guests in twin-share and double cabins, with a maximum of 2 people per cabin. Bed linen and pillows are supplied, but you must bring 2 x towels. Please note there are no ensuite cabins. Bathroom facilities are shared, with 8 shower and toilet areas available throughout the vessel. The boat’s interior and cabins are all air conditioned and each cabin includes twin 240-volt power outlets for charging cameras and personal devices. When you’re not in your cabin, you’re welcome to relax in the air conditioned saloon area or on the external decks, including the top sundeck.
Pro Dive’s ScubaPro boats have 2 x double bed cabins, which are allocated on a first in best dressed basis.
Pro Dive Cairns has moorings at 19 established dive sites, located on 4 of Cairns’ Great Barrier Reef outer reefs. These include Pellowe, Milln, Thetford and Flynn Reef. During your Cairns Advanced Open Water Diver course, you’ll most likely complete dives at 6 different sites, with the boat moving location each day. Dive site selection is based on prevailing weather, tides and current conditions, ensuring dive safety and comfort for student divers.
All meals are included in your Pro Dive Cairns Advanced Open Water Diver course price. Meals are prepared fresh onboard and served buffet style for breakfast, lunch and dinner. All meals are accompanied by a selection of fruits, salads and bread and there is unlimited tea, coffee, milo and chilled drinking water provided. Please note it’s important to stay hydrated while diving, so please bring your own refillable water bottle. Soft drinks, juice and snack items such as chocolate bars, are available for purchase at additional cost. Any onboard purchases are settled at the Pro Dive retail store at the end of the trip. Alcohol is not supplied by Pro Dive Cairns. Guests may bring their own alcohol to enjoy after diving has finished for the day. Alcohol consumption is strictly limited to post-dive periods; once alcohol has been consumed, guests will not be permitted to dive again until the following day.
All meals are prepared by onboard cooks, not specialist chefs. This means complex dietary substitutions can be difficult to accommodate. Gluten-free bread and pasta are available, along with soy milk. Guests who are vegan or have specific dietary needs are strongly encouraged to bring their own non-perishable snacks, as refrigeration space is limited. All dietary requirements must be advised prior to travel.
You should bring all clothing and swimwear required for the trip, including warm layers for evenings. You’ll need 2 x towels, one for ocean use and one for showering, along with a hat, sunscreen, toiletries, seasickness medication (if you need it) and a personal drink bottle. If you plan to consume alcohol after diving hours, bring your own supply.
Sleeping bags and pillows are not required, as bedding is provided. Excess luggage should be left behind and can be securely stored at the Pro Dive Cairns retail store during your trip. Additional footwear is unnecessary, as shoes are not worn onboard.
The Pro Dive Cairns PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course starts every day, except Tuesday. It takes 2 days and 5 training dives to complete, making it an easy fit into the 3 day / 2 night liveaboard experience, with lots of time for recreational dives. All dives are undertaken on the Great Barrier Reef. Please note: The itinerary below is based on the usual course schedule and is provided as a guide only. The timing and number of training dives completed each day may change due to weather, sea conditions or operational requirements. All 5 training dives required for the Advanced Open Water Diver certification will be provided as a part of the course.
Great Barrier Reef. Check in at the Pro Dive Cairns retail shop at 6.20am. It’s on the corner of Shields and Grafton Streets, in Cairns city. Hotel transfers are available if required. You will need to bring all you need for the 3 day / 2 night trip to the Great Barrier Reef. The boat leaves Cairns at 7am.
Scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. Today you will do 4 dives on the reef, including 1 night dive.
Check-in at the retail shop at 6.20am. Be on time, as transfers are provided from here to the Scubapro vessel, which is at Marlin Marina. Make sure you bring everything you need for your time on the reef. The boat departs Cairns at 7am and a light breakfast is served on board. Your first dive is at 11am. This is an opportunity to familiarise yourself with the water and surface conditions. There is the option for a Dive Guide if you haven’t dived in a while. Lunch is at 12.30pm. This afternoon you commence your Advanced Open Water Diver training, if you have selected Peak Performance Buoyancy as one of your electives, this will be done on this dive. The next training dive, for Underwater Navigation, is at 4.30pm. Dinner is served at 6pm and at 7.45pm you will do a Night Dive. Your Dive Instructor will assist with dive planning and you will complete some more navigation skills.
Great Barrier Reef. Settle into liveaboard life where your day is structured around diving, eating and repeating.
Continuing Advanced Open Water Diver training. Explore more of the reef. Another night dive tonight.
Wake up early for your first dive of the day at 7am. It’s the Deep Dive first up, where you move beyond the 18m limit of Open Water Diver certification. This is followed by breakfast at 9am. At 11.15am there is the Underwater Naturalist dive, where you’ll learn to identify the main families of fish on the reef and different types of coral. Lunch is at 12.45pm. The Underwater Photography dive is at 3.15pm. If you don’t have your own underwater camera, you can rent one onboard or at the Pro Dive Cairns retail store: this is at extra cost to your dive course. Dinner is at 5.45pm. Night Dive at 7.30pm, no guide this time, you must put your newly acquired skills into action.
Great Barrier Reef. It’s your last day on the reef. You’ll get back to Cairns around 4pm.
Becoming an Advanced Open Water Diver. Congratulations on this achievement.
Start your day early with a 6.30am dive on the reef, this is a magical time of day and one of the best for diving. If you have not already completed your training dives, this will be done today. Breakfast is served at 7.30am, with diving at 9am and 11am. Lunch is served at 12pm and while you’re eating, the crew pack-up Scubapro and you commence return to Cairns. You arrive back around 4pm and there’s hotel transfers provided, if required.
You must already hold a PADI Open Water Diver certification or an equivalent entry-level scuba certification from another recognised training agency. You should also be comfortable completing recreational dives with a buddy, as several dives during the liveaboard trip will not be instructor-led training dives.
The Advanced Open Water course is completed during Pro Dive Cairns’ 3 day / 2 night Great Barrier Reef liveaboard trip. The 5 required training dives are usually completed across the first 2 days, although scheduling may change due to conditions or operational requirements.
The liveaboard itinerary provides up to 11 dives across 3 days, including 2 night dives. Five of these are Adventure Dives completed as part of the Advanced Open Water Diver course. The remaining dives are recreational buddy dives, subject to successful course progress, conditions and the operating schedule.
The course includes 5 Adventure Dives. Deep Diving and Underwater Navigation are required components. Pro Dive Cairns commonly includes Peak Performance Buoyancy and Night Diving, with other options potentially including Underwater Naturalist, Underwater Photography, Boat Diving or Enriched Air Nitrox theory.
The exact Adventure Dives available may depend on reef conditions, instructor scheduling and operational requirements.
No formal classroom days are required. Students complete knowledge development relating to each Adventure Dive, usually by reading the relevant PADI course material and completing short knowledge reviews. Your Dive Instructor will review the material with you aboard the liveaboard boat and explain the planning, skills and safety considerations before each training dive.
The Advanced Open Water course does not usually include a major final examination like the entry-level Open Water course. Assessment is based on completing the required knowledge development and successfully demonstrating the skills associated with each Adventure Dive, during the dives.
After successfully completing the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course, adult divers are trained to dive to a maximum depth of 30 metres or 100 feet. Your actual diving depth should always remain within your training, experience, comfort level, local regulations and the conditions at the dive site.
The course gives you broader training and additional supervised diving experience. As you will complete up to 11 dives during this trip you will most certainly be a more experienced diver afterwards, than before you did the course. The Advanced Open Water Diver course on its own does not instantly make you a highly experienced diver. It is designed to develop your skills, confidence and underwater awareness while introducing you to different types of diving.
Continuing to dive regularly after the course is the best way to consolidate what you have learned and become an experienced diver.
Pro Dive Cairns has access to 19 dive sites located across Flynn, Thetford, Milln and Pellowe reefs. These are Outer Great Barrier Reef locations east of Cairns. The ScubaPro boat will move between several reef sites during the trip. The exact locations are selected according to weather, tides, currents, visibility and diver safety.
Yes. The 5 training dives required for the Advanced Open Water Diver certification are completed under the supervision of your allocated Dive Instructor. You will also have the opportunity to complete several unguided recreational dives, with a certified buddy.
No. Solo travellers are welcome and Pro Dive Cairns can usually arrange a suitable buddy from among the other certified divers aboard. Buddy arrangements may change during the trip depending on certification level, experience and the dives being completed.
A certified diver can join the same liveaboard departure without enrolling in the Advanced Open Water course. They may be able to complete recreational dives while you are undertaking training. You may also be able to complete some recreational buddy dives together, when you aren’t participating in the training dives.
Pro Dive Cairns liveaboard trips are primarily designed for scuba divers. If your travelling companion is a non-diver, then maybe the Divers Den Advanced Open Water Diver course would be a better fit you.
All students must complete a current diver medical questionnaire before beginning the course, even if they already hold an Open Water certification. A medical examination or doctor’s clearance may be required if you answer yes to certain questions or have a relevant health condition. Any required clearance must be obtained before the course and meet the operator’s documentation and validity requirements.
Standard scuba equipment rental is included in the course price. This generally includes a mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit, buoyancy control device, regulator, dive computer, tanks and weights. Dive torches are also provided for night dives.
Yes. A dive computer is an important part of planning and monitoring deeper and repetitive dives. Rental equipment is included with the course, and your instructor will explain how to read and use the supplied computer.
The Deep Dive introduces the planning and procedures used when diving beyond the standard 18-metre Open Water depth limit. It covers depth-related air consumption, no-decompression limits, buoyancy, communication and how increased depth can affect colours, equipment and diver awareness. The dive is supervised by your instructor and remains within the limits of the course.
The Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive develops your ability to navigate using an underwater compass and natural reef features. Skills may include swimming a compass heading, following a reciprocal course, estimating distance underwater and identifying natural references that can help you return to a planned location.
Night Diving is commonly included in Pro Dive Cairns’ Advanced Open Water course. The liveaboard itinerary includes two scheduled night dives, providing an opportunity to complete one with your instructor and potentially another as a recreational buddy dive. Night diving is a valuable part of the course because it develops navigation, communication and awareness in reduced visibility.
It can be suitable for recently certified divers who are comfortable with the basic Open Water skills and want more supervised experience. The liveaboard format provides repeated diving over three days, which can help improve familiarity and confidence. However, students should be comfortable diving from a boat, staying offshore for two nights and completing dives in open-ocean conditions.
The trip provides excellent opportunities for underwater photography, and an Underwater Photography Adventure Dive may be available as one of the elective dives. Underwater cameras are available to hire at additional cost. Availability should be confirmed before departure, particularly if photography is an important reason for choosing the course.
Yes. The course price includes 2 nights of liveaboard accommodation and meals aboard the vessel. Accommodation is in double or twin-share air-conditioned cabins with shared bathroom facilities. Bed linen and pillows are supplied, but passengers need to bring their own towels.
Pro Dive Cairns can accommodate some common dietary requirements when advised before travel. Gluten-free bread and pasta and soy milk may be available. More complex dietary needs can be difficult to cater for aboard a liveaboard vessel. Guests with strict requirements should advise Pro Dive Cairns in advance and may need to bring suitable non-perishable snacks.
Alcohol can only be consumed after all diving has finished for the day. Once you begin drinking, you cannot complete any further dives until the following day and only when fully fit to dive. Pro Dive Cairns does not supply alcohol, but guests may bring their own limited supply for consumption after diving.
Bring swimwear, comfortable clothing, warm layers, toiletries, reef-safe sun protection, a hat, a refillable water bottle and any seasickness medication (if you need it). You will also need 2 towels, 1 for showering and 1 for use on the dive deck. Bedding is provided, and shoes are generally not worn aboard the vessel.
Seasickness medication generally works best when taken before symptoms begin and before the boat departs Cairns. Speak with a pharmacist or doctor about an appropriate option, particularly if you take other medication or have an existing medical condition. Remaining hydrated, spending time in fresh air and looking towards the horizon may also help.
You must leave a suitable surface interval between your final scuba dive and flying or travelling to altitude. As this trip includes multiple dives over several days, we recommend allowing for a 24 hour interval from your last dive to your flight. Do not book a flight for the evening the vessel returns to Cairns. Travelling to elevated destinations such as Kuranda or parts of the Atherton Tablelands should also be planned carefully.
Booking early is recommended, especially during school holidays and peak travel periods. As soon as you know your dates, you should lock them in.
The Pro Dive Cairns liveaboard trip allows you to complete your 5 training dives, during a 3 day / 2 night stay on the Great Barrier Reef. This provides time for 6 recreational dives, maximising your time and experience on the reef. Added bonus – the extra dives allow you to put your new navigation, buoyancy, night diving and deeper diving skills into practice while they are still fresh.
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