Great Barrier Reef & Michaelmas Cay Sailing Cruise from Cairns

It was so much fun. The crew was great and so helpful. The food was really good as well. Would recommend

It was a super day! We were there for the first time together with our kids and really enjoyed the trip to the Great Barrier Reef. The team treated our daughters, 12 and 9, incredibly well and took touching care of them. The food was great. The trip in the small submarine is absolutely worth it. I have gone with the Ocean Spirit team for the 4th time over the course of 20 years and can only recommend them. The photos that were taken were absolutely recommendable.

There are a few Japanese crews and they explained everything in Japanese prior to the activity, which was a huge help!

I had an amazing day with Ocean Spirit visiting michaelmas cay at the barrier reef. The whole thing felt so professional and the guides were so great and knowledgable about the marine life. I liked that you could join various activities at your leisure while the boat was docked at the cay during the day, like snorkelling from the beach or taking a ride around with the semi-sub. I did both and it was incredible, saw turtles and many different kinds of fish - even clownfish! The submarine felt very special as I’ve never seen a reef this vast, I don’t think there’s anything else like it in the world. We also had morning snacks, a big buffet lunch and afternoon snacks with sparkling wine which was a lovely touch. I’d definitely join Ocean Spirit for another tour one day :)

Definitely recommend this tour, all the staff were friendly and the food was fabulous! The day we went was overcast and a bit miserable but it didn’t matter we still had a great time. The water was so warm and the snorkeling was great. You can have a snorkel and go back to the boat eat lunch and go back out snorkeling. The guest’s safety is top priority there is someone at all times in a little run about boat making sure everyone is okay in the water.

Fabulous experience and so worth it to do the guided snorkel tour for the extra money. We ended up with Jayden as our private guide for just my husband and me and she knew where all the special fish, blue starfish giant clams etc were and took us there. Water was warm and so shallow that the reef was right below us only about 8 inches at times. Gorgeous colors and the marine talks were most informative. Only disappointment was that we were on a catamaran and they never put the sails up and the wind was blowing nicely. The food and tea times were great and the champagne on the way back was a nice touch to top it all off. had the most wonderful time overall .

The crew were very accommodating and experienced. They organised each part of the day really well. They provide all guests with the tools and equipment to obtain the most out of the day. The reef was very accessible and I really like that you can snorkel from the sand cay. The semi submerged sub was air-conditioned and views from either side. The presenter was very knowledgeable and presented very well. The lunch was amazing. Overall it was a very nice day out. I like the fact that there is plenty of shade on the vessell too.

+4

Our family of two adults and two teenagers found this to be a very long day, and in hindsight it wasn’t the best fit for us. The boat, equipment, catering, and staff were all excellent – professional and friendly. Absolutely no complaints, and the trip delivered everything that was advertised. That said, the two-hour journey each way to Michaelmas Cay (known to locals as ‘Birdshit Island’) felt long, and was certainly pungent. Relaxing on the beach wasn’t really feasible, though birdwatchers will enjoy it, and the newly hatched chicks were adorable! The submersible is a nice option for those not keen on snorkelling, but it didn’t add much for those of us comfortable in the water. Lunch offered a good variety of food, but afternoon tea was poorly managed, with early groups taking more than their share and leaving limited options for those later in the line. Overall, the long travel time for limited activities made it less satisfying for our group. This was more a matter of the trip not being the right fit for us rather than any issue with the quality of the operator or experience.

Beautiful location. We saw lots of turtles. Staff are very responsible and kind, always watching us for our safety, and kind to talk to us. We had an amazing time and experience.

Great experience, loved the whole day enough time at the reef (went snorkeling twice: 1 long one before lunch and a 20 min after lunch, then went on the included glass boat) and still time to enjoy the evening in cairns. Great spot to snorkel and good equipment. Wasn’t too touristy at all and the atmosphere the crew provided was lovely. Thanks for the great lunch and snacks 🫶🏻