Full Day Great Barrier Reef Tour and 10 Minute Scenic Flight

The helicopter trip was cancelled because of bad weather and I had paid £100 for this. The subboat broke down and we had to be towed back to the pontoon so I didn’t see the barrier reef at all! I had planned this to be the highlight of my stay and ended up being very disappointed. I’ve got no refund or communication from tripadviser after paying £249 .Total disaster.

On a very choppy day with most of the travellers throwing up around me on the boat outbound it was never going to be perfect. The sea was rough and snorkelling was a struggle, the boat was delayed in collecting the helicopter passengers from the pontoon and as a result I was unable to go on the submersible due to organising the available time around the immovable helicopter flight. The buffet was mostly curry which I don’t like so it was a few slices of cold ham and some salad. But look, it’s still a four star experience despite all the setbacks so you can tell it was good. The staff were very helpful and seemed very caring and on the ball to the sick people. You can hire a GoPro on the boat to take into the water, which was handy and easy to use. All equipment was provided and was in good condition. There was lots (too much!) to do. Despite there being many many people on the tour it never felt crowded; there was lots of space for everyone. The helicopter flights were in small groups so everyone can get a window seat. There was no commentary on the heli flight, just so you know. It wasn’t necessary though as we were all speechless. What else can I say? A turtle swam beside me and that was great, although my GoPro attempt at a selfie with the big guy was not quite as impressive. Maybe next time.

I had my helicopter flight be cancled on that day. They told me that i will have my refund for it but no one contacted me

Bring water bottle, towel, sun screen, and maybe a hat. All in a backpack. Really didn't need anything else. Water provided to top off bottles. Other beverages available to buy. Our time was packed. We did the sub, chopper, lunch, snorkeling. Barely had time to rest. Just the right amount of time as we didn't want to do Green Island.

A fantastic way to see the reef. The staff were fantastic! Friendly, approachable and informative. Very accommodating to my husband’s shellfish allergy also with the buffet lunch. Be sure to take advantage of the activities onboard. Great value for money

I had a great time on that trip! We did so much in one day between the boat trips, the snorkeling, the semi-sub experience, etc! Of all the snorkeling I have done around Cairns, this was definitely the one in which I saw the most. And it was gorgeous! All the multicoloured fish, the diverse coral... If I can give one piece of advice, it would be to get a good underwater camera! You'll see my pictures don't do it any justice. I was also supposed to do a helicopter trip but weather conditions wouldn't allow it and they refunded me straight away. The crew was also very friendly. I definitely recommend this trip!

Overall, this was an unforgettable and enjoyable trip, though there were quite a few flaws along the way. Paul, one of the crew members on the boat, was extremely friendly, kind, and proactive in offering various kinds of help, which truly enhanced our experience. We departed at 10:30 AM. The boat carried passengers joining different tour packages. The first stop was Green Island. At this first stop, some passengers disembarked while another group boarded. I found this arrangement rather chaotic. I was on the Outer Reef day trip, which did not include Green Island. I had to proactively ask the crew for clarification about the details; otherwise, I might have mistakenly disembarked at the first stop. I'm not sure if it was because we sat outside the cabin and couldn't hear any announcement.....) We arrived at the reef platform at 12:30 PM. My package included a 10-minute helicopter scenic flight. The helicopter operation was managed by separate staff, and the flight time was only announced on the spot. I was informed to wait at the assembly point on the platform at 1:15 PM. Before that, we did a 30-minute semi-submersible tour. We arrived punctually at the assembly point at 1:15 PM, but due to organizational issues, we still hadn't boarded the helicopter by 1:45 PM, nor did any staff inform us how much longer we'd have to wait. During this waiting period, we couldn't start snorkeling or have lunch. Given that we only had a total of 3 hours for activities, by the time we finally took the helicopter flight (after 2:00 PM), we had to rush to grab lunch and change into our snorkeling gear. We only ended up with about 45 minutes for actual snorkeling. The snorkeling equipment provided on the boat was quite new, and the staff were very friendly. The coral was breathtaking, and we saw many large fish swimming around us. Both the adults and the children were thrilled. However, considering the round-trip boat journey took a total of four hours, the highlight – snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef – lasted less than an hour. I felt that most of the time were spent on transit and waiting. I was extremely dissatisfied with the helicopter company's arrangements. That said, we didn't let this ruin our mood. In the end, we still consider this journey unforgettable and pleasant. However, now Ithat I'm fully aware of all the details, if I given another chance, I believe I wouldn't choose this exact tour package.