5 Day / 4 Night Liveaboard Snorkel & Dive
Enjoy an overnight liveaboard at the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns with snorkelling and dive options, air-conditioned twin cabins, delicious meals, and unique night experiences at Saxon, Norman, and Hastings Reefs.
Key Highlights
- Overnight liveaboard adventure aboard the OceanQuest
- Snorkel and dive at Saxon, Norman, and Hastings Reefs
- Comfortable air-conditioned cabins with en-suite bathrooms
- Onboard lounge, bar, and large sun decks
- Night dive and unique Fluoro Diving experiences available
- Delicious meals prepared fresh by the onboard chef
- Suitable for all levels with introductory and certified dive options
What’s included
- Overnight accommodation in a twin cabin on OceanQuest
- Access to snorkel sites at Saxon, Norman, and Hastings Reefs
- Use of snorkelling and diving facilities
- Hearty breakfasts, lunches, and dinners
- Desserts and refreshments
- Hot, fresh water showers
- Lounge and bar facilities
Overview
Experience the best of the Great Barrier Reef on this overnight liveaboard trip from Cairns onboard the OceanQuest. Enjoy unforgettable days and nights exploring iconic dive sites at Saxon, Norman, and selected sites at Hastings Reef, with plenty of time for snorkelling, introductory, and certified diving experiences.
Your floating accommodation features air-conditioned twin cabins with comfort-focused amenities, en-suite bathrooms, a spacious dive deck, large sun decks, and inviting lounge and bar areas for you to relax after a day in the water.
All delicious meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and special desserts, are freshly prepared by the onboard chef. Spend your evenings unwinding in the lounge or bar, or take your adventure further with a night dive or the unique Fluoro Diving experience (for certified divers).
Whether you are looking to try snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef for the first time, enhance your dive training, or simply take your time exploring Australia's most famous reef, the OceanQuest offers the perfect overnight retreat for adventurers of all experience levels.
Commonly asked questions.
OceanQuest visits selected sites on the Outer Great Barrier Reef, including Norman Reef, Saxon Reef and Hastings Reef. The crew chooses the locations according to weather, visibility and sea conditions, giving guests access to a variety of coral gardens, bommies and reef walls.
Staying aboard OceanQuest gives you more time to experience the reef, with additional snorkelling and diving opportunities outside the usual day-trip schedule. You can explore the reef in different light conditions, enjoy evening activities and wake up surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef rather than returning to Cairns each afternoon.
Yes. OceanQuest caters for snorkellers, introductory divers and certified scuba divers, so people with different interests can travel together. Everyone can enjoy the reef, while those who choose to dive can participate in additional underwater activities appropriate to their experience and booking option.
The package includes onboard accommodation, meals, snorkelling, snorkelling equipment, and drinking water, tea and coffee. Diving packages also include the applicable scuba equipment and air fills. Transfers from selected Cairns CBD accommodation are available, subject to the operator's arrangements.
OceanQuest has air-conditioned cabins with private ensuite bathrooms. The vessel offers twin-share cabins and double cabins, making it suitable for couples, friends and solo travellers. Cabin allocation depends on the booking selected, and same-gender cabin sharing cannot be guaranteed.
All main meals are prepared onboard by the vessel's chef, including breakfast, lunch and dinner, with dessert and snacks also available. Tea, coffee and chilled drinking water are provided. Soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and additional snacks are available to purchase separately.
Yes. Night diving is available for certified divers, subject to conditions and the scheduled activities. Exploring the reef after dark offers a different perspective, with nocturnal marine life becoming active. Divers who have not previously completed a night dive may need to use a dive guide at an additional cost.
Sharks in the dark is a unique after dar experience for anyone not doing a night dive. The crew lower the dive platform until it's just underwater, allowing passengers to lay on the platform and watch the sharks and other marine life attracted to the lights from an underwater perspective without leaving the boat.
Using specialised blue lighting and fluorescent viewing equipment, this experience reveals glowing colours in certain corals and marine organisms that are not normally visible under standard lighting. It is an unusual way to experience the reef after sunset, availability is limited and additional charges apply.
Yes. OceanQuest offers opportunities for eligible guests to undertake further practical dive training on the reef, including advanced diving courses on selected packages.
Diving packages include the applicable scuba equipment, tanks and air fills, while snorkelling equipment is included for snorkellers. Some optional extras, such as Nitrox fills, guided dives and underwater camera hire, will incur additional charges.
Transfers are available from selected Cairns CBD accommodation, making it easier to reach the dive centre and departure point.
Bring swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, toiletries and comfortable clothing for relaxing onboard. Certified divers should bring their certification card and logbook if required. An underwater camera, spare batteries and charging equipment are also useful. Pack light, as cabin storage is limited compared with a hotel room.