Princess Great Barrier Reef Tours

[SuzyQ123]

Looking at the Princess tours for the Great Barrier Reef. Looking at both the Great Barrier Reef Experience in Arlie Beach and the Best of Port Douglas: The Great Barrier Reef in Port Douglas. Has anyone done these? Trying to decide if one is better than the other. They look similiar and I don't think we need to do both.Any suggestions?

[SinbadThePorter]

11 hours ago, SuzyQ123 said:

Trying to decide if one is better than the other.

 

Either is good. There is less of interest in Airlie Beach (apart from Whitehaven Beach), so I would do the GBR from Airlie and maybe do Daintree River/Cape Tribulation from Port Douglas.

[Yehootu]

On 5/9/2022 at 12:29 AM, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Either is good. There is less of interest in Airlie Beach (apart from Whitehaven Beach), so I would do the GBR from Airlie and maybe do Daintree River/Cape Tribulation from Port Douglas.

What I see is that from Arlie the transit time is 2:30 with 3:00 at platform and then 2:30 back

 From Port Douglas :30 morning tea 1:30 transit, 3:30 at platform, 1:30 transit back

 Is there any big difference in the platforms that they go to? Whats the difference in the tender time between Arlie Beach and Port Douglas, if one just wanted to go ashore?

[possum52]

1 hour ago, Yehootu said:

What I see is that from Arlie the transit time is 2:30 with 3:00 at platform and then 2:30 back

 From Port Douglas :30 morning tea 1:30 transit, 3:30 at platform, 1:30 transit back

 Is there any big difference in the platforms that they go to? Whats the difference in the tender time between Arlie Beach and Port Douglas, if one just wanted to go ashore?

The tender time at Airlie Beach is quite long, more than just a few minutes if I remember, depending on where the tender is docking and whether you are on a ship's tender or one of the high speed catamarans that are used as well. There are two marinas that may be used, one each on either side of the town. It is best to do a ship's excursion if doing the reef from Airlie as you will be picked up and returned directly from the ship and don't have to tender. Sorry I don't know how long the tender trip is in Port Douglas.

[SuzyQ123]

Thanks for your input! This will help us decide between the two!

[ilovesparky13]

On 5/9/2022 at 12:29 AM, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Either is good. There is less of interest in Airlie Beach (apart from Whitehaven Beach), so I would do the GBR from Airlie and maybe do Daintree River/Cape Tribulation from Port Douglas.

Thanks for the suggestion. If the snorkeling is good at Airlie, then I’d love to see Daintree at Port Douglas.