GBR Snokeling Tours

[chaswelf]

I'm trying to decide who, what, whens of these tours, we will be there next month. We are most interested in going on a snokeling only tour. I think this because my assumption is there are better dive spots and better snokeling spots and they may not be the same. From looking at our port times it looks like only the port douglas stop is an option, but what do I know?

 

Someone in another thread suggested that one post the day's/ports/times of my visit there and it would be easier to help, well here they are, we will be on the rhaposdy of the seas:

 

24-Nov Airlie Beach, Qld, Australia 7:00 AM 4:00 PM Tendered

25-Nov Cairns, Australia 9:00 AM 7:00 PM Tendered

26-Nov Port Douglas, Australia 7:00 AM 7:00 PM Tendered

29-Nov Brisbane, Australia 7:00 AM 6:00 PM Docked

 

The other thing I don't know is if these are local time or ships time or even if there is a difference, we are leaving out of Sydney.

 

So any suggestion would be welcomed. Even non-GBR things to see at any of these stops!

 

Thanks for you help in advance.

[MMDown Under]

I'm trying to decide who, what, whens of these tours, we will be there next month. We are most interested in going on a snokeling only tour. I think this because my assumption is there are better dive spots and better snokeling spots and they may not be the same. From looking at our port times it looks like only the port douglas stop is an option, but what do I know?

 

Someone in another thread suggested that one post the day's/ports/times of my visit there and it would be easier to help, well here they are, we will be on the rhaposdy of the seas:

 

24-Nov Airlie Beach, Qld, Australia 7:00 AM 4:00 PM Tendered

25-Nov Cairns, Australia 9:00 AM 7:00 PM Tendered

26-Nov Port Douglas, Australia 7:00 AM 7:00 PM Tendered

29-Nov Brisbane, Australia 7:00 AM 6:00 PM Docked

 

The other thing I don't know is if these are local time or ships time or even if there is a difference, we are leaving out of Sydney.

 

So any suggestion would be welcomed. Even non-GBR things to see at any of these stops!

 

Thanks for you help in advance.

 

As you have the most time in port at Port Douglas, I agree that would be the best port to visit the Great Barrier Reef from.

 

http://www.quicksilver-cruises.com/

 

You may like to email quicksilver direct with any queries.

 

If the ship offers any cruises to Whitehaven Beach from Airlie Beach, I would book a ship tour, because of your short time in port. Whitehaven Beach is spectacularly beautiful.

 

Otherwise you could research Whitsunday Islands, pick one, and just get a local ferry to one island (eg South Mole Island is a free National Park, with beautiful walks or Hamilton Island, if you prefer developed islands).

 

Cairns. The most popular tourist attraction is Kuranda - up by chair lift, over the top of the rainforest, down by train, or visa versa.

 

If you are interested in Botanical Gardens, Cairns has a beautiful tropical garden, with walks around lakes, so lots of tropical birds.

 

Cairns waterfront esplanade is a fun place, with free water play area for children and a huge outdoor pool, complete with lifeguards.

 

Airlie Beach, which doesn't have a beach, has a similiar pool very popular with backpackers.

 

Brisbane. You need to check where the ship berths, as this will effect the amount of time you have available in port.

[kenish]

There's a logistics problem; the best Reef tours go to the Outer Reef. It takes about 90 minutes each way. They leave around 8am and return at 4-5pm. Of course tendering makes the time crunch even worse. Also I believe the tender port is about 20-30 minutes north of the Marine Terminal in Cairns where the GBR tours are based. So I agree with the other post that Port Doug is the best bet and even then it will be tight.

 

Alternate suggestion is visit one of the closer-in islands such as Green Island near Carins.

 

But if it were me, I would get off in Port Doug and get a Daintree Rainforest tour. Go with an operator out of Cairns such as Billy Tea Tours; they can pick up in PD and return you to Cairns (about 40 miles south of PD). Get a hotel overnight in CNS, take a GBR tour to the Outer Reef the next day. Meet the ship in Cairns and resume the cruise.

[MMDown Under]

 

But if it were me, I would get off in Port Doug and get a Daintree Rainforest tour. Go with an operator out of Cairns such as Billy Tea Tours; they can pick up in PD and return you to Cairns (about 40 miles south of PD). Get a hotel overnight in CNS, take a GBR tour to the Outer Reef the next day. Meet the ship in Cairns and resume the cruise.

 

What a great idea. I'd second that.

[chaswelf]

There's a logistics problem; the best Reef tours go to the Outer Reef. It takes about 90 minutes each way. They leave around 8am and return at 4-5pm. Of course tendering makes the time crunch even worse. Also I believe the tender port is about 20-30 minutes north of the Marine Terminal in Cairns where the GBR tours are based. So I agree with the other post that Port Doug is the best bet and even then it will be tight.

 

Alternate suggestion is visit one of the closer-in islands such as Green Island near Carins.

 

But if it were me, I would get off in Port Doug and get a Daintree Rainforest tour. Go with an operator out of Cairns such as Billy Tea Tours; they can pick up in PD and return you to Cairns (about 40 miles south of PD). Get a hotel overnight in CNS, take a GBR tour to the Outer Reef the next day. Meet the ship in Cairns and resume the cruise.

 

Interesting I didn't know I could do this. I'll have to check with RCCL to see if this is an option. But I would have to do it the other way around since the Cairns stop is before Port Douglas.

 

Also thanks for all the great tips on the other ports as well.

[Aussieflyer]

If at all possible IMO you should do the Outer Reef. The coral at Green Island is not a patch on that on the outer reef - less fish, less chance of a turtle sighting, water is not at clear and when I was there last, annoying small jellyfish! Have used Quicksilver before and they are a big, well organised operation.MMDownunder - do you know if they are still owned by a Japanese company? I think they were at one stage - so everything runs very smoothly.

[MMDown Under]

If at all possible IMO you should do the Outer Reef. The coral at Green Island is not a patch on that on the outer reef - less fish, less chance of a turtle sighting, water is not at clear and when I was there last, annoying small jellyfish! Have used Quicksilver before and they are a big, well organised operation.MMDownunder - do you know if they are still owned by a Japanese company? I think they were at one stage - so everything runs very smoothly.

 

http://www.quicksilvergroup.com.au/intro.htm

 

Thank you for your interest in the Quicksilver Group

A pioneering reef tourism operator, the Quicksilver Group is Australia’s leading Great Barrier Reef cruise company and one of North Queensland’s largest private employers.

 

• 11 major vessels
  
• 4 reef activity platforms
  
• 500 local employees.
  

I thought they were always local. They are certainly big and professional.

[kenish]

We took Silversonic ex. Cairns and were very impressed with the boat, crew, reef sites visited, and buffet.

 

They have sister operations ex. Port Doug. which make more sense because CNS is visited first but too late for a reef tour from there. Dock in CNS, catch a Daintree tour that will drop you off in PD. Alternately go to Kuranda for the day on the railroad and Skyrail then catch one of the many shuttles up to PD. The next day do a reef tour.

 

Quicksilver Group offers tours on very large boats that take you to a "resort barge" with glass bottom boats, sun decks, underwater viewing rooms, etc. You will share facilities with 500 others. Or you can go on a smaller boat with 100 or fewer people, and visit 2-3 sites. It just depends on whether you want all the amenities and options, or just maximize your time in the water. There is a snorkel-only tour out of PD that gets great reviews on Tripadvisor; I don't recall their name.

[Aussieflyer]

MMDownunder - thanks for the information on Quicksilver - not sure where I heard that they were owned by a Japanese company but obviously incorrect! I agree they are large and very professional.