• See the northern Ribbon Reefs of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, simply the most awesome liveaboard luxury dive tour 
• Swim with Dwarf Minke Whales June - July
• Dive with Giant Potato Cod at the Cod Hole on the Coral Sea
• Scuba dive with hundreds of Sharks above you fighting for food
• The big highlights of our Cairns dive trips is our exclusive adrenaline pumping dive with sharks and our dives with the family of giant potato cods.

This is the premier liveaboard scuba diving tour on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Our luxury liveaboard dive boat travels out to the Ribbon Reefs, Osprey Reef and the famous Cod Hole where open water divers have the chance to experience some of the most diverse coral and marine life on the reef.

Our Cairns based luxury liveaboard dive boat caters to only 26 pampered dive guests with its 11 spacious air-conditioned cabins which include ensuite bathrooms and a daily housekeeping service.

The boat is manned by a highly skilled crew of 10 service staff who look after your every comfort and need. 

Liveaboard cabins and facilities

Each premium-style cabin has its own flatscreen television and DVD/CD players whilst other guests can use the communal lounges for relaxation and entertainment amenities such as televisions and internet.

The Top Deck is the place for some time out to catch some rays or watch the sunset in the evening and there is no better place to be in the evening than the ships bar so you can swap your Coral Sea underwater scuba diving stories.

There are three entertainment areas on the vessel where passengers can kick back and relax; the dining saloon, lounge bar and sundeck where you have the occasional barbeque under the stars.

Visit the onboard library and have usage of the on-site computer with CD burner where you can download your stunning dive photos.

3 and 4-day liveaboard trip

During your 3 and 4-day liveaboard scuba diving trips you will get a bonus low-level scenic flight from Cairns airport to Lizard Island for the 4 Day Liveboard and from Lizard Island to Cairns on the 3 Day Liveaboard where you can travel 500 metres above the world's largest living organism, the Great Barrier Reef.

View the vastness and beautify of the reef from above while spotting turtles, manta rays, sharks whales, dugongs and many other sea creatures. 

For your low level scenic flight please ensure that baggage weights don't exceed 20 kilos and that only soft-sided baggage is taken.

If you have other luggage that you need to be stored then please advise at time of booking.

Gourmet meals are prepared throughout the day for guests, and Australian wines and soft drinks are served nightly with dinner.

On this liveaboard dive boat, you will never go hungry, if anything you will be sitting out some of the freshly prepared gourmet meals by the chef on offer.

Whether you try the 3-day, 4-day or 7-day dive excursion, be prepared for a life-changing experience, one that you will remember for a long time. 

Three-Day Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs
Our Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs trip begins every second Thursday from Cairns and travels along the rarely visited Ribbon Reefs, finishing 150 miles to the north at the world famous Cod Hole. Over two and a half days you will encounter colourful tropical fish, an incredible variety of vibrant, healthy corals, giant clams, anemones, huge schools of cruising pelagic fish, and a family of giant potato cod.
Your last night is spent on board the ‘Spirit’ in the bay at Lizard Island. Enjoy time ashore at Lizard Island the next morning, before boarding your return flight to Cairns, arriving on Sunday morning.
• Departs Cairns 12pm Thursday
• Returns Cairns 12pm Sunday
• Opportunity for up to 11 dives
• Includes scenic flight from Lizard Island to Cairns
• Dive Level: Open Water Diver, minimum 10 ocean dives including 5 in last 12 months

Four-Day Coral Sea & Ribbon Reefs
This trip begins every second Sunday, with a flight along the coastline from Cairns, over the reef to Lizard Island. The first day will see you diving the very top of the Ribbon Reefs, before steaming overnight to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. Two days are spent diving the spectacular walls of Osprey Reef, an old volcanic atoll lying 225km (140mi) off the coast, including our famous shark dive at North Horn!
The last day is spent at Ribbon Reef Number 3 before our overnight journey back to Cairns, arriving early on the Thursday morning.
• Departs Cairns 8.30am Sunday
• Returns Cairns 8am Thursday
• Opportunity for up to 15 dives
• Includes scenic flight from Cairns to Lizard Island
• Dive Level: Advanced Diver, minimum 20 ocean dives including 5 in last 12 months

Seven-Day Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs & Coral Sea
Combine our 3 and 4 night itineraries into a 7-day, 7-night liveaboard dive expedition from Cairns and see the best of the Ribbon Reefs and Coral Sea in one amazing trip!
Maximise your time in the water with up to 26 dives over this one week itinerary. Includes an overnight stay in secluded Watson’s Bay, with a couple of hours to explore Lizard Island, and two full days at Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. In between dives, relax and enjoy the comforts of Spirit of Freedom's spacious cabins, welcoming lounges and sundecks, and hearty chef-prepared meals.
• Departs Cairns 12pm Thursday
• Returns Cairns 8am Thursday
• Opportunity for up to 26 dives
• Includes Lizard Island visit
• Dive Level: Advanced Diver, minimum 20 ocean dives including 10 in last 12 months

3-Day, 3-Night Cod Hole and Ribbon Reef Scuba Dive Adventure

Dive the world famous Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs of Australia's Great Barrier Reef where you will encounter giant Potato Cods, masses of colourful tropical fish, anemones, Moray eels, giant Napoleon Maori Wrasse, and pristine coral gardens.

This scuba dive adventure departs Cairns at 12.00 Noon on Thursday and returns back to Cairns via a low-level scenic reef flight from Lizard Island at 10:00am on Sundays.

During your liveaboard scuba dive tour, you will have a chance to do up to 11 day and night dives.

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard Dive Itinerary

Day 1: Thursday

On Thursday you will be picked up from your Cairns holiday accommodation by a courtesy shuttle and taken to Cairns Marlin Marina to board the luxury liveaboard dive boat.

Before departure, you will meet the crew and undergo a simple orientation of the vessel.

Enjoy a gourmet lunch as you cruise to the Great Barrier Reef arriving in the first dive spot for an afternoon orientation dive and a twilight or night dive subject to the weather conditions.

After dinner, sit back and relax as you cruise on to the northern Ribbon Reefs where you will wake up to your new surroundings ready for a day of spectacular scuba diving, snorkelling and exploring the amazing underwater attractions of Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Day 2 & 3: Friday & Saturday

After your first exciting day, you should be well rested and ready for Friday & Saturday as you will be these days diving the most northern ribbon reefs Number 9 & 10.

When you wake, be prepared for an adrenaline rush on Friday as you finally reach the Cod Hole, made famous by the legendary Giant Potato Cod that just love to interact with scuba divers.

The first dive will be at the monolith at Challenger Bay and the unforgettable Cod Hole.

This family of Potato Cod find you just as interesting as you find them and they love to receive a pat as they come up to you for a look.

Next, it is time to do a drift dive at Dynamite Pass which got its name because of the many species of sharks and other predators who hang around this channel waiting for dinner to pass between the reefs with the strong currents and straight into their mouths.

They do not even have to fight for their meal it comes straight to them so not may chances of them even noticing your presence.

At day's end, the boat will have reached Watson's Bay at Lizard Island where an Aussie barbeque dinner will be held on the top deck for your last evening.

A great time to say goodbye to your new found friends and maybe swap contact details so you can meet in another one of the worlds amazing scuba diving locations.

Day 4: Sunday

Sunday morning, after a satisfying leisurely breakfast, explore the brilliant blue beaches and bays at Lizard Island and have a snorkel or join the guided walk around the historical sites on Lizard Island.

At 10.00am, board the light twin-engine aircraft for your low-level scenic flight back to Cairns where you will be shuttled back to your holiday accommodation with a camera full of pictures and many amazing memories and stories to share with your friends and family back home.

4-Day, 4-Night Dive With Sharks on The Great Barrier Reef

This Coral Sea dive with sharks scuba diving adventure departs Cairns at 8.30am Sundays and returns at 8.00am on Thursday.

This exciting shark diving tour will take you to 16 diverse dive sites and includes a scenic low-level flight over Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Experience a dive at the world famous Cod Hole and travel out 200km to the remote Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.

It's here wher you will dive with a huge amount of predatory sharks, manta rays and schools of pelagics with your backs up against sheer walls laced with Gorgonian fans and underwater visibility of an amazing 30 - 100 metres.

Our shark diving expeditions are guaranteed to get your heart racing and increase your attraction to these apex predators. 

Liveaboard Dive Itinerary

Day 1: Sunday

At 7.30am Sunday morning, a courtesy shuttle will collect you from your Cairns holiday accommodation and bring you to the Cairns general aviation airport.

From there you will board a light twin-engine aircraft for a wonderful low-level scenic flight to Lizard Island where you can take some great images of the reef and sea creatures below.

As you discover Australia's Great Barrier Reef from the sky you will be more excited than ever to venture into the deep blue and discover all the magnificent creatures in the ocean below.

After arriving at Lizard Island you will be ferried across to your liveaboard boat by tender and introduced to the dive and service crew, and then taken on an orientation of your home for the next few days.

You are able to do four or five dives a day at some of the following sites: Cod Hole, Challenger Bay, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Wall and Pixie Pinnacle and a night dive on Friday evening.

After your first day's dives, settle in and get comfortable, enjoy some good meals and get to know your new dive buddies because it is now an eight-hour journey overnight to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.

Day 2 and 3: Monday and Tuesday

Monday and Tuesday are both spent at Osprey Reef (Weather permitting). Osprey Reef is packed with so much action two days hardly does it justice. The waters of the Coral Sea are renowned for their transparency and feature visibility of up to 100 metres.

It's the day for our Shark Attraction dive so get ready to be scared.Here at Osprey Reef, you will see a huge amount of sharks and the likes of Gray Whaler sharks, Silvertip sharks, reef sharks, schooling barracuda, trevally, other pelagics and even Hammerhead Sharks.

Be amazed at the fantastic coral at Osprey Reef that features sheer walls laced with Gorgonians, sea whips, and bright yellow soft corals rising from the ocean's floor thousands of feet below.

Saturday night you will be travelling most of the night to reach the Ribbon Reefs so tuck yourself in and enjoy the ride.

Day 4 and 5: Wednesday and Thursday

The itinerary for Wednesday and Thursday are weather dependent. You will spend Sunday at Ribbon Reef Number 3 diving the sensational spot at Steve's Bommie, The Temple of Doom and Flare Point.

If the weather allows, you will also go out to Bougainville Reef in the Coral Sea and dive an old shipwreck and underwater caverns. Wednesday night will be spent cruising back to Cairns whilst you are are peacefully sleeping in your comfortable cabin.

On Thursday morning wake up to enjoy your last breakfast onboard with your dive buddies as you return back to Cairns at approximately 6.30am and then catch courtesy transfers back to your Cairns holiday accommodation.

If you are a keen fan of scuba diving with sharks we have some more dedicated shark diving tours on offer.

7-Day, 7-Night Cod Hole/ Ribbon Reef and Coral Sea Adventure on Australia's Great Barrier Reef

This is the ultimate scuba diving experience in Australia that allows passengers to truly discover the vastness and uniqueness of the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef in Queensland Australia.

During your seven days and nights of diving, experience the two diverse ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea.

Your cruise will include the Ribbon Reefs, the Cod Hole, a chance to explore Lizard Island, Osprey and possibly Bougainville Reef in the Coral Sea.

This 7-day, 7-night adventure departs Thursday mornings at noon and returns the following Thursday at 8.00am. During your trip, you will be able to experience up to 26 amazing dives!

Day 1: Thursday

Late Thursday morning a courtesy shuttle will pick you up from your Cairns holiday accommodation and take you to Cairns Marlin Marina where you will be introduced to the crew and your dive buddies, and given an orientation of your liveaboard boat, your home for the next seven days.

No time is wasted and soon you will be enjoying your first lunch while cruising out to the Great Barrier Reef coral gardens and your first taste of the scuba diving locations you are about to explore.

During the afternoon you will do an orientation dive and a twilight dive. Then it is time to settle in for some dinner as you cruise northwards to the Ribbon Reefs.

Day 2 and 3: Friday & Saturday

On waking you will see you have arrived at the beautiful Ribbon Reef Numbers Nine and Ten. On Friday and Saturday, you will get to experience several sites with up to four to five dives a day including a night dive on Friday.

Some of the spectacular scuba diving sites you will experience are Permission Bommie, Wonderwall, Pixie Reef Pinnacle, Lighthouse Bommie and the Clam Gardens. Be amazed at the abundance of giant clams and colourful coral.

In the afternoon you'll head to High Five where you do your first drift dive and then it is an evening dive at Georgie's Wall.

Saturday morning you will arrive at the Cod Hole, famous for its humongous Potato Cod. You will also get to do a dive at Challenger Bay.

If you are game, try a drift dive at Dynamite Pass; a renowned channel where sharks hang around to catch the fish that pass through the fast currents between the reefs.

In the afternoon you will have a dive in the Snake Pit full of Olive Sea Snakes. All scuba diving locations may vary according to the weather and ocean conditions at the time of the journey.

On Saturday evening you will arrive at Lizard Island where you will enjoy the much-anticipated rooftop sunset drinks and Australian barbeque.

Day 4: Sunday

Sunday morning you will have a great chance to explore the historical locations on exclusive Lizard Island before heading back to your liveaboard, then out to the coral reef gardens again before lunch for more scuba diving.

You will have a chance during the afternoon to do two or three dives on Ribbon Reef Number Ten, the Cod Hole, Challenger Bay, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Wall, and Pixie Pinnacle. Next, it is a ten-hour journey overnight to Osprey Reef.

Day 5 and 6: Monday and Tuesday

You will wake up Monday morning to find yourself at Osprey Reef where the waters are clear, giving you up to 100m of visibility in some dive locations.

Both Monday and Tuesday are spent diving at Osprey Reef at a multitude of different sites and this is the day you have been waiting for, our Shark Attraction dive! 

As you sit with your backs against the coral walls watch as Grey Whaler sharks, Silvertip sharks, reef sharks, and the occasional hammerhead sharks, schooling barracuda, trevally, and other pelagics all fight for food.

Tuesday night you will then sail to the Ribbon Reefs whilst you are enjoying a well-earned rest.

Day 7 and 8: Wednesday & Thursday

On Wednesday you will head to Ribbon Reef Number 3 and do three dives at Steve's Bommie, Temple of Doom, and Flare Point.

If weather permits, you will do a fourth dive at Bougainville Reef with its underwater swim thru caverns and submerged wreck.

After the final dive of the day, it is time to settle in for the final boat cruise back to Cairns.

On Thursday morning you will enjoy your final breakfast onboard before you reach Cairns at 6.30am. 

You will have the whole day back at your hotel accommodation ahead of you to rest, recover and reflect on the amazing scuba diving you have just experienced over the last seven days in Queensland Australia on the Great Barrier Reef.

Liveaboard Accommodation

The liveaboard accommodation offers eleven spacious air-conditioned cabins all contain their own private bathroom and are serviced daily. A range of cabin types is available and the three premium cabin types contain TV/DVD and CD player.

Entertainment facilities include a widescreen TV Projector unit and DVD movie library. Passengers are also welcome to view their own digital images or videos through the projector. Computer and CD burner are available for digital image download. Digital cameras (Sony DCS-P9) and housings are available for hire.

Meals

The onboard chefs provide first-class restaurant quality meals and can cater to specific dietary requirements with enough advance notification. Australian wine and soft drinks are complimentary with the evening meal.

For more liveaboard scuba diving trips on the Great Barrier Reef see here   or for more specialised dive trips take a look at our swim with whales and dive with sharks expeditions.

Swim With Whales Great Barrier Reef - Australia

Our boat has an exclusive licence to swim with Dwarf Minke Whales when they are sighted on the Great Barrier Reef. This means that the boat will stop and a long line is put in the water and 10 people at a time are allowed to enter the water and wait for the Dwarf Minke Whales to approach and swim around them.

Swimming with whales is one of the most pure animal interactions you will ever experience, as these little 8 meter whales are so inquisitive and friendly and happy to interact and come close to have a good look at you.

Please note: As whales are wild animals this interaction is just a bonus to the Great Barrier Reef tour if whales are sighted.

Read more here about whales on the Great Barrier Reef.

Departs From

Cairns

Departure Instructions

• Thursday tours depart Ex: Trinity Wharf, Cairns.
• Sunday tours depart Ex: Hinterland Aviation, General Aviation Airport.

Pickup Locations

Cairns

Destinations

• Great Barrier Reef
• Three-Day Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs
• Four-Day Coral Sea & Ribbon Reefs
• Seven-Day Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs & Coral Sea

Months of Operation

January - December

Days of Operation

Thursday, Sunday

Duration

Choice of 3, 4 or 7 Days

Available for Purchase / Hire

T Shirts, Polo, Caps, Jumpers, Jackets, Vests, Stubby Cooler plus more!

Fitness Level Required

Medium

Restrictions

On 3 & 4 Day Cruise there are light aircraft restrictions, your total weight of your luggage is limited to 20 kilograms/ 45 lb per person, including your dive gear and carry on luggage.

IN-WATER RESTRICTIONS

Scuba Diving Restrictions

• Certain medical conditions and medications may preclude some people from scuba diving.
• Participation is subject to a medical questionnaire completed on board with the tour operator
• Minimum age for scuba diving is 12 years.
• Flying after scuba diving: a wait of 12 hours is recommended after one dive, 18 hour after 2 dives and at least 24 hours after multiple dives, before ascending to an altitude of 300 metres or greater.

Read more about Diving Safety on the Great Barrier Reef.

Additional Information

• We will endeavour to adhere to the scheduled itinerary, but we cannot accept financial responsibility for cancellation or adjustment of advertised itinerary due to weather conditions or medical emergency. Trip itineraries are subject to change at the sole discretion of the Master of the Vessel. We do not accept responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged property. Trip fees will not be refunded should passengers be unable to board in time for the scheduled departure or be unable to complete all available dives.
• All passengers are required to complete an on-line Diver Information form which requires them to agree to our passenger terms and conditions, advise details of their diving experience, and complete our medical statement. A link to this on-line form will be sent at time of booking, this form needs to be completed at least 30 days prior to departure.
• Scuba diving on board our dive trip is only available for Certified Divers. We do not offer Learn to Dive courses, “resort dives” or any form of scuba diving activities for anyone who is not a Certified Diver.
• We require divers to present a valid Certification Card and be equipped with a safety sausage, whistle and alternate air source (included in our Hire Equipment package).
• Some divers may be required to produce a current dive medical clearance from their doctor or specialist, to be able to participate in scuba diving. Our tours are subject to the risks and perils of scuba diving in changeable conditions in an open water environment. We reserve the right, for your client’s safety and/ or the safety of our crew or other scuba divers, to prevent your client’s participation in scuba diving if your client is deemed unskilled, or physically or medically unfit to do so, at our sole discretion. No compensation is offered if your client is unable to complete all offered dives. We strongly recommend a wait of 24 hours after your client’s last dive, before taking a flight.
• Diver Experience Recommendations:
• 3 Day Cod Hole & Ribbon Reef tour: Open Water certification with a minimum of 10 ocean dives, including 5 dives in the last 12 months.
• 4 Day Coral Sea and 7 Day Cod Hole & Coral Sea tour: Advanced Diver Certification with minimum of 20 ocean dives including 5 dives within the last 12 months
• Non-English Speaking Divers:
• The main language spoken on our dive trips is English, with Japanese guides available on request. Non-English speaking passengers are to travel with an interpreter. The interpreter must have a good understanding of English and scuba diving, and be able to accurately translate the safety and dive briefings. Standard tour rates apply for accompanying interpreters.
• Medical and Travel Insurance:
• We strongly advise all passengers participating in our tours to hold a comprehensive Travel Insurance policy that includes Trip Cancellation insurance, and Evacuation & Medical cover for Scuba Diving. For Far Northern Itineraries insurance for emergency evacuation is mandatory. In a Medical Emergency any evacuation, vessel relocation or medical expenses will be the financial responsibility of that diver.
• Luggage Restrictions: 
• For all itineraries that include flights, the total luggage weight is limited to a maximum of 20 kilograms (45 lb) per person. Secure storage is available at the Cairns office.
• Cabin Share Advice:
• Same gender cabin share is not guaranteed in twin and quad share cabins.
• Ocean View cabins contain Double beds only and rates are based on double occupancy. The Stateroom contains a Queen bed only and rates are based on double occupancy.
• Snorkelers:
• Snorkelling is in waters which are exposed and not ‘calm sheltered waters’.  Our itinerary is to suit Scuba Diving and you may not be able to snorkel at every site.  There are opportunities to snorkel as the reef top of the Ribbon Reefs are relatively close to the surface. Most of our guests are scuba divers, however experienced snorkelers with a good level of fitness are welcome to join this tour. Please note that a snorkel buddy may not always be available, you may be required to snorkel alone and to wear our floatation equipment.  You will be safe under the watchful eye of the 'look-out' crew.

Eco Certifications

Personal items and toiletries, swimwear, hat, and sweatshirt in the winter (May - September).

• A minimum age of 16 and full fare applies. All children must be accompanied by a parent at all times, including when diving or snorkelling.
• We cannot guarantee that a crew member will be available to dive with a Junior open water diver (limited to 12m depth) on all dives.
• Spirit of Freedom does not supply child sized scuba equipment or wetsuits. Diving in ill- fitting equipment is not allowed.