Snorkeling in Cairns

[princegeorge]

I am looking for any information you can give me on Snorkeling in Cairns. We dock at 10am and depart 7pm March 31, 2010. I am having trouble finding a snorkeling tour that fits into the time frame we have. Can anyone help? TIA

[Aus Traveller]

You could go to Green Island, the closest snorkelling spot to Cairns. Here is some information

 

Green Island Ferry Half Day Tours

The Green Island ferry half day tours allow you to enjoy the beauty of Green Island when short on time or simply want to get to the reef for a couple of hours. Choose to snorkel, dive, stay dry or view the spectacular underwater reefs in our semi submarine or glass bottom boat, or simply laze on the white sandy beach. These are only a few of the many reef and island activities available at Green Island. Our friendly crew will help you to organise your activities to make the most of your time. Green Island, a Marine National Park is a beautiful coral cay on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Green Island boasts unique rainforests, surrounded by white sandy beaches and magnificent coral reefs and abundant marine life. A half day reef cruise departing Cairns at 9.00am allows 2 hours on Green Island and arrives back in Cairns at 12.45pm. A half day reef cruise departing Cairns at 1.00pm allows 2 hours on Green Island and arrives back in Cairns at 5.00pm. “Reef Rocket” is a modern comfortable air-conditioned high speed catamaran with a relaxed atmosphere. Travel time to Green Island is 45 minutes from Cairns.

Packages / Prices valid until 31st March 2020	Adult	Child	Family
Pak 5 Standard	$98.00	$49.00	$245.00
Pak 6 Semi-Submarine	$118.00	$59.00	$295.00

• Inclusions
• Additional Information
• Availability Information

Pak 5 Choice GBB or Snorkel – Standard cruise

• Cruise to Green Island aboard “Reef Rocket” a modern catamaran
• 2 x Green Island half day tour options with a 9am or 1pm departure allowing 2 hours on Green Island
• Choice of Snorkelling Gear or Glass Bottom Boat tour
• Snorkelling demonstration & reef presentation en route to Green Island
• Use of Big Cat vessel during time at island as an air-conditioned base

Pak 6 Choice GBB or Snorkel – includes above and semi-submarine tour

[SinbadThePorter]

6 hours ago, princegeorge said:

I am looking for any information you can give me on Snorkeling in Cairns. We dock at 10am and depart 7pm March 31, 2010. I am having trouble finding a snorkeling tour that fits into the time frame we have. Can anyone help? TIA

 

Are you on Sea Princess? She's one of the few cruise ships capable of docking in Cairns. Most of the others tender from Yorkey's Knob to the north of Cairns.

 

I'm afraid that the coral at Green Island is a bit worse for wear, but there is also Fitzroy Island.

 

https://www.fitzroy-island.com.au/

 

Half day tour departs Cairns at 11am.

 

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by SinbadThePorter

[Porky55]

princegeorge

if you can get to Port Douglas, just an hour & half north of Cairns -  this reef is wonderful - the Low -Isles:

https://www.queensland.com/destination-information/low-isles

Port Douglas itself is a great small rainforest town to visit anyway, unless this port is on your cruise itinerary anyway?

Tripadvisor is always helpful - 

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowUserReviews-g255070-d1158238-r545176181-Reef_Sprinter-Port_Douglas_Queensland.html

 

 

Edited July 21, 2019 by Porky55

[Porky55]

On 7/18/2019 at 3:11 AM, princegeorge said:

I am looking for any information you can give me on Snorkeling in Cairns. We dock at 10am and depart 7pm March 31, 2010. I am having trouble finding a snorkeling tour that fits into the time frame we have. Can anyone help? TIA

Leslie,

hi, you are on our cruise to NZ before this one. Know how you feel about ship tours already and really the outer barrier reef probably isn’t what you want to see any way, up to an hour to get to from Cairns.

I will attach some photos of Low-isles and maybe you can organise something with the tour operators from Port Douglas to pick you up from ship. When you are in Cairns you should also try to get up to Kuranda on the Skyrail.

Rose 🌹

NB - please wear stinger suits 🥺

 

Edited July 21, 2019 by Porky55

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, Porky55 said:

Leslie,

hi, you are on our cruise to NZ before this one. Know how you feel about ship tours already and really the outer barrier reef probably isn’t what you want to see any way, up to an hour to get to from Cairns.

I will attach some photos of Low-isles and maybe you can organise something with the tour operators from Port Douglas to pick you up from ship. When you are in Cairns you should also try to get up to Kuranda on the Skyrail.

Rose 🌹

NB - please wear stinger suits 🥺

 

 

 

I have gone on a snorkelling trip to the Low Isles a couple of times. I went with Reef Sprinter who take small groups on a jet boat, not a catamaran, so the travelling time is less. The times shown above would be for the jet boat. Reef Sprinter are based in Port Douglas and (the last time I was there) they had an office in the small shopping centre at the marina.

 

Only ship-organised tours would leave from the ship. Everyone else has to go ashore by tender to the marina. There are always several tour operators set up on the walkway from the tender to the shops.

[Porky55]

They are on Sea Princess, every chance they could actually dock in Cairns for this itinerary.

I’m sure princegeorge knew what I meant by having them meet the ship, but to be clearer - they should try to get the tour operator to meet up in Cairns where they disembark. (Either the tender or the ship). 

We are full of helpful information today, shame the closer, smaller reefs aren’t actually nearer to Cairns.

Rose.

Edited July 22, 2019 by Porky55