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Our liveaboard vessel OceanQuest is the ultimate Great Barrier Reef overnight experience from Cairns. Spend your days and nights exploring the best outer Great Barrier Reef dive sites aboard our floating accommodation, with snorkel, intro dive and certified dive options available.
When just one day at the reef isn’t enough, an overnight trip from Cairns gives you all the time you need. Visit our colourful dive and snorkel sites during the day, and at night everything from the air conditioned cabins with en suites, lounge and bar, are designed for your comfort.
Our three-deck, 35m catamaran is purpose built for a top class dive holiday, with a spacious dive deck, large open sundecks and hot, fresh water showers. All delicious meals are prepared by our onboard chef, including hearty breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Enjoy a well-deserved dessert treat after your day in the water!
Choose to stay one or two nights on board, with departures on Fridays and Saturdays (see itinerary options below).
Overnight (liveaboard) Great Barrier Reef trips from Cairns are truly a remarkable adventure. With more than 14 permanent moorings at Saxon and Norman reefs, and selected sites at Hastings Reef, snorkellers and divers of all levels can explore the reef and its diverse marine life from early morning to night.
At night, relax in the lounge and bar. Or if you’re keen for more undersea adventures, try a unique night dive experience like Sharks in the Dark or Fluoro Diving to make your time on board our floating reef hotel truly unforgettable.
An overnight experience is also the perfect time to complete or enhance your practical dive training at the outer Great Barrier Reef. With our expert dive instructors, you’ll be in the best possible hands.
Please click the blue ‘More Info’ button under your preferred activity below to see multi-night pricing and booking options.
Snorkel some of the reef's best sites, then stay overnight and do it all again tomorrow
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Learn to dive on an overnight trip and enjoy extra opportunities to practise your new scuba skills
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For the ultimate Great Barrier Reef dive trip, choose our liveaboard vessel with its exclusive dive experiences
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Take a night dive from our overnight vessel and encounter friendly reef sharks and other critters
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With our special equipment you'll see coral and marine life like never before - an amazing night dive experience
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Join our 2021 overnight minke whale trips for close up interactions with these inquisitive creatures
More info7.30am-8am: Pick up from your city accommodation (if booked) and check in at our dive centre at 319 Draper Street, before transferring to the marina
8.30am: Depart Cairns Marina on board OceanQuest for the outer Barrier Reef. Along the way you’ll settle into your cabin, select your equipment and receive in-depth safety briefings.
11:30am: Arrive at the reef
12pm: Lunch is served
1pm: First dive or snorkel
3pm: Second dive or snorkel
6pm: Dinner is served
7pm: If you’re keen for more fun in the water, try a Fluoro Dive or Sharks in the Dark experience! There’ll be a briefing before you try these exclusive experiences.
8pm: Dessert
10.30pm: Bar closes
7.30am: Breakfast time! Sit down to a full cooked breakfast to fuel you for the day ahead.
8.30am: Dive or snorkel session
10.30am: Dive or snorkel session
12pm: Check out of your cabin
12.30pm: Lunch
2.30pm: Our transfer vessel arrives to return you to Cairns
3pm: Depart Outer Barrier Reef
5pm (approx): Return to your Cairns accommodation
7.30-8am: Pick up from your city accommodation (if booked) and check in at our dive centre at 319 Draper Street before transferring to the marina
8.30am: Set off from Cairns Marina on board ReefQuest, our fast and modern transfer boat, for the 90 minute transfer to the Outer Barrier Reef. Select your equipment and receive in depth safety briefings along the way.
10am: Arrive at the reef for your first dive
12pm: Enjoy lunch while we move to our second dive site
12:30pm: Second dive or snorkel opportunity
2.30pm: Transfer to OceanQuest and settle into your cabin. During the afternoon you’ll have the opportunity for more diving or snorkelling, and to relax on board.
6pm: Dinner is served
6.30pm: If you’re keen for more fun in the water, try a Fluoro Dive or Sharks in the Dark experience! There’ll be a briefing before you try these exclusive experiences.
8pm: Dessert
10.30pm: Bar closes
We’ll move to a new location early in the morning, with a chance to see the sunrise ready for the dawn dive.
6.30am: Dive briefing
7am-8am: Dive
8.30am: Full cooked breakfast service begins
9.15am: Dive briefing
9.30am-10.30am: Dive or snorkel session
11.15am: Dive briefing
11.30am-12.30pm: Dive or snorkel session
1pm: Lunch is served
1.30pm: Vessel begins cruising back to Cairns
4-4.30pm: Approximate arrival in Cairns
7.30-8am: Pick up from your city accommodation (if booked) and check in at our dive centre on Draper Street, before transferring to the marina
8.30am: Set off from Cairns Marina on board ReefQuest, our fast and modern transfer boat, for the 90-minute transfer to the Outer Barrier Reef. Select your equipment and receive in depth safety briefings along the way.
10am: Arrive at the reef for your first intro dive
12pm: Enjoy lunch while we move to our second dive site
12:30pm: Second dive or snorkel opportunity
2.30pm: Transfer to OceanQuest and settle into your cabin. During the afternoon you’ll have the opportunity for more snorkelling or diving, and to relax on board
6pm: Dinner is served!
6.30pm: Gear up for one of our unique liveaboard dive experiences, or simply chill out on board
8pm: Dessert is served
10.30pm: Bar closes
7.30am: Breakfast is served
8.30am: First dive and snorkel session
10.30am: Second dive and snorkel session
12.30pm: Lunch is served
3.30pm: Third dive and snorkel session
6pm: Dinner
6.30pm: Briefing and night dive/sharks in the dark/fluoro dive
8pm: Dessert
10.30pm: Bar closes
7.30am: Breakfast
8.30am: Dive/snorkel session
10.30am: Dive/snorkel session
12pm: Check out
12.30pm: One final lunch before you board the transfer vessel for the trip back to Cairns.
3pm: Depart Outer Barrier Reef
5pm (approx): Return to your accommodation
Bedding and bath towels are supplied on board. Excess baggage can be stored at our Draper Street office at check in.
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“We stayed on OceanQuest for 2 nights and 3 days and it was truly an unforgettable experience. The staff were amazing – extremely friendly and professional at all times. The trip was well organised and the diving/snorkel spots were amazing. The boat itself was really clean and comfortable.”
– Hayley
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“We wish we could’ve stayed one more night on the overnight liveaboard. The staff were really friendly and made it super enjoyable – Tobi was a great instructor – he ensured we were safe but also independent. I got my open water cert thanks to his good training. The rooms and food were great. I look forward to making it back one day.”
– Jessica
All introductory scuba participants must meet medical questionnaire requirements and some conditions or medications may prevent you from diving.
Currently the rules state that for a single no decompression dive, you should not fly/go to altitude for at least 12 hours, or 18 hours after multiple dives. Divers Den recommends waiting a minimum 24 hours whenever possible. These are guidelines only, there is no guarantee that these recommendations will prevent decompression sickness. There are no current guidelines regarding diving after flying.
Altitude is defined as 300m/1000ft above sea level. This includes going to the Atherton Tablelands (a popular local scenic attraction), so be careful if booking tours to follow your dive trip. Under normal circumstances, you should be out of the water on your last dive at 12pm (midday).
