Reviews of our liveaboard and day tours

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Liveaboard Reviews

Amy

January 16, 2020

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

AMAZING crew! Very efficient and organised. Everyone seemed to work well together. Meals were spectacular- completely exceeded our expectations. Accommodations were comfortable- pillows a bit lumpy but adequate. I wish I could have stayed on and that I had found your company earlier when I travelled with my kids. The friendliness of the crew and the efficient and safe way they got everyone in and out of the water would have made me feel comfortable as a Mom.

Jenna

January 16, 2020

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Amazing, helpful, kind, courteous- ALL crew members went above and beyond to make sure the stay was wonderful! All the crew members are the most extraordinary bad-ass people around! Thank you! Especially spending a holiday working and spending time with everyone on the boat. Chef was brilliant, food was amazing and filling! Variety and presentation extras were great! Everything was wonderful!

Jess

January 15, 2020

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Absolutely loved the Top Deck experience. Would book the same trip again. The food was incredible. Hats off to the Chef!! All the crew were fabulous! Cam is awesome. Don't think you could pay him enough. The rest of the crew could not have been better. Can't think of anything to make it better!

Alice Lee

January 15, 2020

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Honestly...bunch of most genuine crew I've ever met. They tried to fulfil any reasonable request and tells you if it can't be done. Real friendly people. Peter the chef- excellent. Big kudos to Taylor (runs everything so efficiently), dive guides/masters/instructors- Nelson, Heather, Chantal, Sam...you guys rock! Thank you! Everyone made my stay a beautiful experience!

Britia

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Amazing crew, great meals and rooms. Peter the chef gets five stars!

Nicholas

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Good operator, awesome crew. Really good compliments to the kitchen. Thank you for an awesome time!

Sam

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

AMAZING crew. This was my second time out on the boat and both times, staff were friendly, helpful and an absolute pleasure to be around. Peter is a fantastic cook and provided meals to suit my vegetarian diet with ease. Thanks Pete! Sam is also an absolutely amazing part of the team. He made this experience a "once in a lifetime" trip…..twice 🙂

Safia & Sebastian

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef DEAL – Liveaboard

The accommodation was way more comfortable than expected. Food was much higher quality than I thought- amazing lamb. Staff were excellent, friendly and helpful. Really enjoyed our chats and dives with Nathan, Thank you all for a great trip!

Winter

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef DEAL – Liveaboard

Great (also vegetarian) food! The crew were very friendly and happy to help all the time, there was always someone there. Thank you so much for 2 great days!

Kate

November 23, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Absolutely an amazing experience! Will come back in the future. The crew were excellent, so helpful, knowlegeable and fun to be with. The accommodation was very comfortable and the meals were great - very delicious! Thank you all so much for introducing me to scuba. Will recommend to all !

Rosalind

November 23, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The trip was incredible and I only wish I could have stayed longer. The crew were fantastic, friendly, enthusiastic and helpful - all you could ask for! The food was fantstic and the beds were very comfortable. Thank you for everything.

Stephanie

November 23, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The crew were great, friendly, accommodating, patient and professional. The meals and room was very good and I would defiently come again. An amazing experience and I loved the hot tub!

Casey

October 23, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The crew were amazing! Loved all of them and had such an amazing time! Both the meals and accommodation were 10/10! Especially the food! Pro staff, great conditions and beautiful reef..cant wait to come back!!

Reid

October 23, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The crew were fantastic, very helpful and accommodating. Definitely made the trip! The accommodation was great, clean and comfortable. The food was amazing. The whole experience exceeded our expectations.

Francesc

October 23, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The crew were really nice and helpful. The meals were great, wasn't expecting this quality from a boat kitchen. Really tasty and healthy. The accommodation was great and very comfortable.

Lily

October 23, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Wonderful crew, everyone is great especially Cam and Tito! We loved our room and the frequent change of towels. The food was great! We enjoyed our stay very much and will recommend to friends and family.

Andy and Steve

October 23, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The crew were so friendly and awesome and they all knew our names! Bailey was a fantastic guide. He showed us amazing finds along the reef and made our trip so special. The meals were great and deliscious, accommodations lovely. We loved our time on Reef Encounter, would highly recommend to all our friends. Thank you!

Quentin

October 23, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The crew were fantastic, very helpful and Oscar was extremely patient. Jade was super friendly amd made our experience very enjoyable. They have a brilliant chef and the whole experience was 6******!

Mairhead

October 22, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

There are not enough words - the crew were amazing, friendly, hard-working, fun, engaging, professional, great chef, love their jobs! Fantastic - they made the trip! The meals were excellent - HATS OFF to the chefs!! Aaron and Peter were legends. We loved diving with all the instructors! Kohler you were amazing and thank you for breakfast tea, nice touch! I will be back for sure - Thank you !

James Holtby

September 20, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Keep doing what you are doing and I hope to see ya'll again soon! The crew were absolutely perfect from knowledgeable to extremely friendly, I couldn't fault anyone. Accommodation was sound food was incredible!

Andreas Groenning Pouken

September 20, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The whole crew was just beyond friendly and helpful. I just loved the whole experience, will definitely look for an opportunity to get back and scuba dive more. The crew were very friendly crew. Feels like coming into a family where you're instantly welcomed. Very professional as well. Room was very good and cozy. The food was amazing through and through.

Annabel Blake

September 3, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The crew were Phenomenal!!!! Friendly, relaxed, accommodating, inclusive and competent. Our instructor Martin was 100/10. Super patient, encouraging, friendly and skilled. What a fantastic first diving experience. The meals and accommodation were 10/10 great, great, great! Loved the crew, loved the friendly PA announcements, we loved that the boat was quite and chilled (great sleeps and naps). Lots of locationchanges it was great! The photoswere also great, I loved not having to think about taking photos.

The McDougal's

July 31, 2019

Luxury Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

I would give more than 5 stars if possible- this is a must do if you are going to the reef! My husband and I were beyond impressed with the level of service that we received. The whole team is AMAZING! Every single person on that staff was friendly, helpful and fun. They work as a great team and made our time there so much fun we didn't want to leave. Special thanks to Sam who was phenomenal and took me out for my first dive ever! The food was so good the entire trip (we stayed 3 days) and the accommodations were very comfortable. Keep up the great work everyone! Thank you for everything Reef Encounter Team!

Leigh

July 24, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

I booked on a liveaboard Reef Encounter. Crew: Mike is AMAZING, so knowledgeable, attentive, truly made our experience outstanding. The meals were delicious and far exceeded our expectations. Everyone (staff) was incredibly friendly and made us feel welcome and safe.

Toby and Alice

July 22, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

I booked my overnight reef trip on a liveaboard Reef Encounter, Trip Advisor has the best recommendation, value for money and availability. Crew is friendly, patient, informative, approachable, knowledgeable. Great crew - made my experience extremely enjoyable. Accommodation clean and comfortable. Food terrific, great range, the risotto was excellent.

Joselyn

June 1, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Reef Encounter, the liveaboard, great reviews and diving opportunity! Amazing! So friendly and communicative. Wish I could getting to know everyone better. Thank you all !!! Accommodations and meals are comfortable and delicious. Really impressive on a boat! Really loved it, thanks for the great time.

Michelle

May 31, 2019

Luxury Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The crew were fabulous--Jade and Oli were Kick Ass! Really everyone was a friendly team and all very happy to help and answer all of our questions. Meals really yum--well done! Rooms were bigger than expected - and the hot tub in between water sessions was a lifesaver on cooler days! The crew were awesome - from hosties to kitchen crew, skipper and bar team, and of course the crew training and keeping an eye on us in the water. Knew their stuff. Was a really fabulous trip - THANKS TEAM!!! 🙂

Diego M

May 31, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

I chose this tour because of the affordable price and great reviews. Everything was excellent, no complaints. The crew were excellent. All crew members were attentive, kind, courteous, experience and approachable. The chef is really talented! I really like the opportunities provided to volunteer aboard. I think next time I come aboard the ship it will be as a "hostie." I am left very satisfied with my experience aboard the ship.

Courtney and Nelson

May 8, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

We loved our experience aboard reef Encounter! The crew were energetic, friendly, polite (Oscar was awesome). Food was excellent, accommodations were comfy.

Arman

May 7, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

The crew were great. They had a wonderful attitude and helped guide during snorkeling and diving. They were also very friendly and always had a smile. The meals were delicious and the accommodation was great. The crew made this experience amazing and I will never forget the amazing staff and wonderful wildlife that I saw. Reef Encounter was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Maria

May 7, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Fantastic, always helpful & smiling. Loved Holly, Rai, Maddi, Sean, Johnny, the chef<3!! Oscar, Ashley, Jaden, Holly's cheerful voice was a delightful sound track for a fabulous happy vacation. The rooms were very comfortable. Loved the cosy bed and coverlet + pillows + windows. The food was superb!! Every meal and snack was artistically arranged + tasty. Loved all the veggies! Best vacation ever + loved having so many opportunities each day to snorkel!! Love the big focus on fish.

Tara

May 7, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Amazing crew!! So friendly and helpful, nothing is ever too much to ask. Always offering help and making conversations with guests and always smiling and in a good mood. All seem to be one big happy family. Accommodation was comfortable, clean and tidy and everything needed was supplied. Thoroughly enjoyed staying here. Meals were super tasty and a wide variety of lovely foods. I had an amazing stay here and will 100% be coming back, nothing could've improved my experience. Will was amazing at doing my scuba cert course with me, very patient and all round good trainer. Thank you all so much! 🙂 Hollie was absolutely amazing, very friendly, helpful and always offering help!

David

May 3, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard

Amazing! Crew are very friendly and personable, catering to any and every need. Getting to know the crew was one of the best parts of the trip! Accommodation and meals were fantastic. Felt very lucky to have my own cabin and enjoy the great food. Thank you so much for having me. This was an experience I will never forget!

Day Tour Reviews

Natalie Hoff

March 18, 2020

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

AMAZING experience that couldn’t have been better thanks to the INCREDIBLE staff. They truly made my Cairns trip unforgettable.

Jacob Hand

February 26, 2020

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

The crew were excellent! Seeing a shark swim past was the best part of the day! Lunch exceeded expectations! We wish we could have stayed longer!

Nicole

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Person we spoke to on the phone was so helpful while booking. The crew were friendly, helpful and answered all our questions. Chantelle was a great lead for us- I hadn't dived in a while and she made it feel safe but let us do as much as possible. Seeing turtles was the highlight! Food and complementary drinks were great. Great day diving.

Amy

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Harry was awesome! And the chef too, both very friendly. The others were good too. Snorkeling was the best part of the day!

Ryan

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

The best bit was the scuba dive with the trigger fish swimming at us! Excellent team- engaging, friendly and knowledgeable. Marine biologist was great and the scuba instructor made the dive effortless. Fantastic experience and crew.

Ameilia

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Brilliant crew, loved the intro dive. Great day, would highly recommend.

Darin and Diana

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Affordable and best part of the day was seeing the sharks! Crew was super friendly- we were impressed by the quality of the experience and how professional they were. There were even dedicated chefs, biologists and photographers. We appreciated the plentiful food and drinks!

Hildah

December 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Affordable trip with amazing, patient staff. I went snorkeling for the first time in my life- after two attempts I got into the water without getting a panic attack, the crew is very calming.

RAINER Kroeger

November 20, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Budget Cruise

If you want to see Rea living reef, STAY AWAY FROM this tour. We swam through a reef cementary! And did not even know what to take a picture of with our under water camara. Pay $80 Aus more und get somewhere else what you came for to Cairns! - The crew was great. The boot old and slow!

Jim Rich

September 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

The crew were bloody great, knowledgeable and fun. Everyone was nice. The best part of the day was seeing a wobblegong mate! It made everyone only slightly jealous. Amy needs to see a manta ray. Nipples needs a better nickname. Dicker needs to be dubbed ''best diver'' instead of ''second best''. Pay rises all around.

Sienna

September 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

The best part of the day was diving with Valentina- She was amazing at helping me feel safe when I first went under. Also the whole day - everything was taken care of and food was great. I can't wait to come back.

Lee Haskell

September 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

I would definitely rebook this tour if I ever come back. The crew was amazing, all very attentive and helpful. The best part of the day was resting, relaxing, no deadlines, no pressure.

Sandra

September 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Zac put so much faith in my first time scuba diving. He held my hand the entire time and gave me confidence. Thank you Zac. The crew were helpful, resourceful and willing to assist. Nothing was too much trouble.

Cara Rogers

September 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

I cannot fault the experience Val was amazing and made the scuba diving happen! I was super nervous and she made it so much better :). Give her a pay rise!!

Kayleigh Mackay

September 4, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

The crew were friendly and very helpful. The best part of the day was scuba diving. Dive instructor Damian allowed me to hold on while diving and mademe feel safe when I was worried about diving.

James

August 1, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Budget Cruise

I booked my day reef trip with Compass Cruises, low price and good trip advisor review. Crew is excellent. The best part of the day were the reef and the food! Great food! Crew was friendly and good sense of humour.

Leonard

July 21, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

My dream was to dive in the Great Barrier Reef at least once. I booked with Reef Experience. Crew really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really awesome x 100. The high light of the day is 2nd dive, I saw turtle, shark, cuttlefish, pufferfish. Keep it up! It was definitely worth it and it was an unforgettable day (especially since these were my last days in Oz 🙁 So thanks for this cool day ! 🙂

Cielle

July 21, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Reef Experience is the best value tour yet with best inclusions. Crew very helpful, friendly and fun. Loved scuba diving. Thank you everybody, guys you were awesome 🙂 Thank you also for helping out with my dietary needs.

Linsey

July 21, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Budget Cruise

Diving was the best part of my day! The whole experience was amazing. The crew were great and good at singing 🙂

Julia

July 21, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Budget Cruise

Lovely and amazing crew! I saw Nemo and Whales!!!

Karen

July 10, 2019

VIP Reef Cruise

No you dont Nick. As long as you are medically fit according to the Queensland Regulations you can participate in an introductory dive.

Nick Heron

July 10, 2019

VIP Reef Cruise

Brilliant to hear but to scuba dive with this company did you need a diving certificate?

Amy

June 15, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

I chose my reef trip with Reef Experience. Very friendly and helpful, experienced too crew. Nicole was very helpful, she helped me to snorkel. Love today's experience, even though weather is rough, I enjoyed my trip and will come back next time. Five star! Food is excellent.

Kajal

June 15, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Reef Experience was a very good choice. Fantastic and awesome crew. Very efficient, most important very helpful. Snorkelling with assistance was the best as I had a surgery, so I could not swim on my own. Crew are fantastic, very hardworking.

Sailaja

June 15, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Reef Experience was the best choice, Top Deck. Extremely friendly and encouraging crew. Special mention to Nelson who helped me do my first dive and have an unforgettable experience. Introductory dive was the highlight of my day. Very friendly and patient crew. Got lots of support for sick. Chicken food was good and served on time. Instructors were extremely good for both snorkeling and dive.

Kaitlyn

June 15, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

I booked Reef Experience because I wanted to dive. Wonderful, very knowledgeable and helpful crew. I really enjoyed my dive! Dive instructors were so awesome, Ashley was especially great.

Maria

June 15, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

I booked my day reef tour with Reef Experience as it was the best offer. Crew is AWESOME! The best crew EVER! I had seasickness and once I recovered it was a bit hard for me to snorkel and the crew helped me going with me to the reef to do some snorkeling. Thank a lot! Jesus enjoyed so much the first dive that he wanted to do the second dive, and he was so so so happy after doing it because was fantastic. Thank you a lot for the experience and for your help.

John and Deb

June 2, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

You are a credit to Australian tourism. Thanks for making it such a pleasurable experience from start to finish. Crew were happy, positive, motivated and well trained. Such a pleasure to spend the day with them.

Tanya

June 2, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Great food options and happy not to have to pay for sea sickness medication. Thanks for a great intro to diving! All crew created a calm and relaxed atmosphere where I felt safe and excited the day.

Greg N

June 2, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

So friendly and hospitable, courteous and helpful! I think they enjoyed the day as much as the passengers! The best part of the day was snorkeling, followed closely by lunch - the food was delicious!

Nick P

May 8, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Great lunch! Awesome experience. Staff were helpful, nice, kind, patient, fun! 🙂 Seeing a turtle / guided dive / seeing a white tip reef shark was the best part of my day! Thank you!

Awele

April 30, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

Booked my day reef trip with Reef Experience as it was a bucket list item. The crew is incredible! The best part of the day was the lunch and 2nd swim. Absolutely beautiful day and team made us feel very welcomed.

Varda

April 29, 2019

Great Barrier Reef Tour, Reef Experience

I booked with Reef Experience to experience the Great Barrier Reef with the best offer! The crew was outstanding!!! The highlight of the day was snorkeling and seeing the reef. Thank you for an amazing day and for all the memories.