Ship Excursion near the Great Barrier Reef

[eddieg07410]

We are an older couple looking for the best Great Barrier Reef excursion from our ship without having to go into the water. We would also like to include the rain forrest as well. Thank you in advance.

[MMDown Under]

2 minutes ago, eddieg07410 said:

We are an older couple looking for the best Great Barrier Reef excursion from our ship without having to go into the water. We would also like to include the rain forrest as well. Thank you in advance.

You need to go on a ship excursion to the Great Barrier Reef because they are not in port long enough to do independent GBR tours.  You don't have to go into the water as they have glass bottom boats.  Check what ship tours are available from Port Douglas as it is close to the Daintree National Park (rain forest.  If you are in port long enough at Port Douglas you could visit the Daintree rain forest independently. 

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, eddieg07410 said:

We are an older couple looking for the best Great Barrier Reef excursion from our ship without having to go into the water. We would also like to include the rain forrest as well. Thank you in advance.

Can't help with a reef option. For a taste of rainforest, Mossman Gorge cultural centre is an easy excursion to do from Port Douglas. https://www.mossmangorge.com.au/ Most ships have a tour that go there, or you can book independently as well.

[Aussieflyer]

Most (all?) reef tours are full day. If you want to do both the reef and Mossman Gorge you would need to take a reef tour from one port (check carefully which ports you are going to stop at and what is offered) and Mossman from Port Douglas. Depending on the ship's itinerary you could be at either Yorky's Knob, Airlie Beach or Cairns with reef trips from each from memory. I was on the Coral Princess and went to the outer reef from Port Douglas. The one from Cairns did not go to a platform and so there were not glass bottomed boats or underwater viewing areas.The Cairns excursion seemed to be more geared for snorkelling. I know in the past passengers boarded the boat for the reef trip at  Yorky's Knob directly from the ship.

[buchhalm]

From Port Douglas (or even Cairns), I'd do the drive to the Daintree rain forest and Daintree village.

At the rain forest there are a few lovely and very easy walking tracks. Go really really quietly and step softly and look left and right and above your heads. You are likely to see plenty of wildlife. 

From Daintree village (it's really TINY) they do short river cruises for crocodile watching. AWESOME beasts. So not the place to go for a dip. 

🦎🐍🐊🐊

The drive from Cairns to Port Douglas is lovely. Wonderful ocean and beach views. If you are on a coach,  sit on the right side.

Port Douglas itself is a pretty small village with excellent restaurants,  cafes and bars and the usual gift shops.

Do make sure you try BARRAMUNDI. That's the local fish up there and it should be fresh (unlike in the rest of Australia, where it's more likely that the Barra comes from Vietnam...)

 

[cruiser3775]

Eddie, the Great Barrier Reef is not close to shore from either Cairns or Port Douglas. It takes 1.5 hours to get there in a fast catamaran, so three hours in total.   The big companies have pontoons moored at the reef and offer glass bottom boat tours for those who do not want to swim.  You will have to book via the official ship excursion, because they will provide tours than are shorter to fit in with ship arrival and departure times.