Luxury Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard Liveaboards

A liveaboard trip you will treasure forever.

The VIP Top Deck Club on the ‘Reef Encounter’ is the ultimate way to experience the best of the Outer Great Barrier Reef. Whether you’re a snorkeler, scuba diver, or simply want to spend time in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, the Top Deck Club ensures a relaxing reef vacation that’s uniquely you!

Ideal for those seeking a luxury getaway, groups looking for VIP treatment, or anyone looking for personalised in-water care.

What Is Reef Encounter’s Top Deck Club?

It’s a trip tailored to your personal needs, much like ‘first class’ on an airline, so everyone’s Top Deck experience will be highly individualised.

Top Deck liveaboard tours include numerous extra perks such as (but not limited to) a dedicated personal valet, late check-out times, and deluxe three-course evening meals.

A crew member solely for you!
Your personal crew member ensures that your vacation runs smoothly, whether it’s a professional in-water guide for private snorkel/scuba tours, a marine biologist, or all of the above.

Activities

Scuba divers please check our quick can I go Diving? questionnaire.

First Class Accommodation

  • Guests enjoy the best rooms on the boat
  • Spacious cabins with uninterrupted ocean views, crisp Australian bed linen, plush bath robes, towels and toiletries (soap, shampoo)
  • All cabins have their own en-suite toilet & shower
  • Champagne and a fruit platter await you on arrival*
  • An evening Turn Down Service for your cabin
  • Towels and toiletries are replenished
  • *If you’re getting in the water, complimentary champagne will be served with your evening meal instead

Gourmet Meals

  • A deluxe three course evening meal, freshly prepared by our onboard Chef each night of your stay*
  • Choose to dine privately under the stars or join the rest of the guests in the spacious dining saloon
  • Enjoy an Australian continental or cooked breakfast served to you just the way you like it, or join the rest of the guests for a buffet style breakfast served in the dining saloon*
  • Complimentary sunset cocktails
  • Appreciate ocean views from the deck or outdoor spa as you sip an Australian cocktail with sunset over the Coral Sea …a perfect setting for photography lovers!

Itinerary

Liveaboards on Reef Encounter are an excellent alternative to a resort-based vacation, with daily boat or helicopter transfers from Cairns. You have the freedom to choose the length of your stay on the Outer Reef.

View a sample ‘Reef Encounter’ Liveaboard itinerary.

 

Highlights

  • Discover the World’s largest living structure
  • Wake Up on the Great Barrier Reef
  • Interact with thousands of brightly coloured fish and coral
  • Delicious meals
  • VIP service

Included

Top Deck Club Liveaboard Packages Include

  • Top Deck Club accommodation including ensuite (guaranteed cabin located on Top Deck – please note we only have 2 x cabins with a double bed with front windows, and these will be allocated on a first-in-best-dressed basis)
  • Delicious chef-prepared meals
  • Personal valet
  • Private guided in-water tours (please note diving is an upgrade, but your guide will already be included)
  • Dinner under the stars
  • Breakfast in bed
  • Sunset cocktails
  • Late checkout
  • Evening turndown service
  • Snorkel equipment
  • Scuba diving equipment (if scuba diving)
  • Sleep on the Great Barrier Reef with Reef Encounter
  • A variety of spectacular outer Great Barrier Reef locations during your stay
  • Glass bottom boat tour (weather-permitting)
  • Marine Biology presentation
  • A free luggage storage facility in Cairns City
  • Daily transfers via Reef Experience to Reef Encounter

Optional Extras

  • Introductory dive
  • Certified dive
  • Scuba lessons
  • Professional photographs
  • Barista coffee
  • Drinks and snacks
  • Merchandise
  • Helicopter transfers
  • City/Beaches bus return transfers

What to bring

  • Reef Encounter is a barefoot product
  • Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Light jacket
  • Camera
  • Socks
  • Casual resort wear
  • Scuba divers need to bring their certification card and logbook

How to get there

How to get to Reef Encounter?

Two Choices to get to Reef Encounter:

The first option is our transfer vessel Reef Experience, which departs Cairns daily at 8 am.

Reef Experience departs from the Cairns Marina, Marlin Jetty, Finger A.

Guests check in directly onboard the vessel.

The second option is via a spectacular scenic helicopter flight over the Great Barrier and landing directly onboard Reef Encounter’s exclusive helipad.

Important Information

Important information for scuba divers

This information is for all guests participating in scuba diving.

Australia has the strictest scuba diving rules globally and the safest diving record. Please make sure you understand the scuba diving laws in Queensland, Australia.

We are regulated by the Queensland Government Code of Practice and comply with all rules, including the requirements for a dive medical, where applicable, as required by law.

We recommend that all passengers complete our dive medical questionnaire. Some medical conditions, age, and medications may prevent you from scuba diving.

Our mission is always to provide our passengers with the very best Great Barrier Reef tour.

We are delighted to help you with any questions you may have. Please contact our office on +61 7 4037 2700 or email our helpful team today.

Alternatively, you may like to consult your Doctor for a Queensland Dive Medical using the Australian QLD Standard Form AS.4005.1 

Flying after Scuba Diving

You should not fly or go to altitude for at least 18 hours after a scuba dive for a single no decompression scuba dive.

You should not fly for 24 hours after your last dive for multiple dives.

If Skydiving or Hot Air Ballooning, you must wait 24 hours after your dive. We recommend waiting a minimum of 24 hours whenever possible.

Check-In: 10:00 am

Check-Out: 2:00 pm

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Luxury Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard Liveaboards

5

5 Reviews for “Luxury Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard”

  1. The McDougal's
    5

    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!

    Reply
  2. Michelle
    5

    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!!! :)

    Reply
  3. Cath P
    5

    The crew are very helpful, friendly and accommodating! I really appreciated the extra assistance with my scuba gear! The meals were amazing! Nicole gave us wonderful service throughout our entire stay from coffee and tea in the morning to our wonderful dinner on the deck. Well done! We had a great time and will recommend to our friends and family!!!

    Reply
  4. John & Ali
    5

    The crew were great! Super friendly and generous with their time. Funny and helpful. They were also having the adventure of a lifetime -- it shows!!! The food and rooms are excellent. Mackensea, our concierge, was just great. Ensured our time on the reef was super special without being too intrusive. She was a great guide and nothing was too much trouble--she is a great asset to your organisation!!

    Reply
  5. Laura
    5

    Top Deck liveaboard bliss! I really can’t say enough about our Reef Encounter experience. My husband and I booked the Top Deck 2 day/1 night trip at the end of March. We looked at TONS of other dive companies and tours and chose the Reef Encounter based on its reviews and I’m so, so glad that we did. We went back and forth for a while about doing Top Deck due to the additional cost but it was absolutely one of the best decisions we made on our trip! We had both just been scuba certified a month before so we wanted to make sure we had a personal guide instead of a group (we didn’t want to hold anyone back as novices). From the moment we checked in we were well taken care of. Kari was our guide and she was amazing. Friendly, patient, funny— and she anticipated needs we didn’t even know we had (like throwing our towels in the dryer so that they would be warm when we got out of the water!). She also knew where to look for everything in the reef which was incredibly valuable. We would have been swimming around aimlessly, although the GBR is stunning, obviously. I wasn’t feeling well the first day, but I was able to go out with another guide (Nick Paul was incredible, too!) so the staff’s flexibility was really appreciated. It’s been said many times, but in addition to the service, the food was also outstanding. We wanted for nothing— except more time on the reef. It was an experience that we’ll cherish forever— book this trip, you won’t regret it.

    Reply

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