The Reef Encounter liveaboard is a 35 metre long steel hull catamaran (and 13 metre wide) designed foremost with stability and safety in mind, but also for your diving pleasure and fun. Permanently stationed on the Cairns Outer Barrier Reef, the Reef Encounter liveaboard is reachable in a flash by the speeding Reef Experience shuttle boat or, if you just can't wait, you can request a helicopter transfer.
On-board luxuries and creature comforts abound for the capacity of 40 guests. The roomy cabins in twin and double bed configurations all have en-suite bathrooms and ocean views. The liveaboard cabins, dining area, fully licensed bar, and enclosed recreational areas are all air-conditioned, yet there is a heated spa at the ready for all guests at any time you feel like a relaxing soak. Other onboard activities include a sun deck with sun loungers, and TV and games in the lounge.
Speaking of luxuries, the Reef Encounter Top Deck Club is something a little extra for the VIP diver. As a Top Deck Club member you will be assigned a dive or snorkel guide who will act as your personal valet in and out of the water. You will enjoy benefits such as a personal crew member for private scuba/snorkel guided tours, late check-out times, Australian Sparkling wine upon arrival, evening turndown cabin service (complete with a chocolate on your pillow), luxury 3 course evening meal served under the stars. All guests who join the Top Deck Club are assured of the best top deck liveaboard cabins with splendid sea views.
All diving operations are conducted from the mothership and a hydraulic diving platform makes getting in and out of the water effortless. You will dive at some of the 5 best Outer Great Barrier Reefs. And with 5 snorkel sessions per day, Reef Encounter offers superb snorkel experiences to people of all ages and abilities too. With the daily transfer service, you have maximum flexibility with travel dates since you can come when you want and stay for as long as you like.
One unique feature of this Cairns liveaboard is that guests can get certified onboard without the need for class and pool time. Simply complete the e-learning pre-study then finish off all the other course components onboard during your dive trip. The Reef Encounter liveaboard is an SSI Diamond Dive Centre which is the highest achievable level worldwide and it is Australia’s Number One SSI training centre, making it an ideal choice for novice and less-experienced divers.
Reef Encounter has 21 cabins, one of which will be reserved for luggage storage. 14 of the cabins are on the upper deck, including 6 double bed and 8 convertible double/twin bed cabins. On the main deck there are a total of 7 cabins, including 4 convertible double/twins and 3 twins. All cabins have ensuite bathrooms and ocean views. All are the same price unless you elect to join the Top Deck Club.
All the cabins have:
Air-conditioning
En-suite bathroom with hot water shower
Hand basin, towels and toiletries
Seaview window
Reading lamp
Mirror and shelves
Bedding and luggage space
24-hour, 240v electricity supply with Australian power outlets
Intercom fire warning system
Life jackets
No. of bathrooms / showers - 21 / 21 - unlimited hot water
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
Enjoy delicious meals onboard the Reef Encounter liveaboard, served in the air-conditioned dining saloon. Guests who book the exclusive Top Deck Club option may also enjoy breakfast delivered directly to their cabin. Each day features hearty and satisfying dishes designed to keep you energised between dives.
Breakfast (7:30 am):
Hot and cold buffet breakfast featuring a selection of cereals, bacon, eggs, toast, fresh fruit, hash browns, mushrooms, and roasted tomatoes..
Lunch (12 pm):
Buffet-style lunch with a rotating menu that may include make-your-own burgers with fries, fresh salads, stir-fry dishes, pasta, pizza, curry with rice, and more. Salad options include Rocket, poached pear, ricotta, lime and chilli salted cashews with lemon and honey vinaigrette, and Papaya, lime, mint, chilli and peanuts.
Dinner (6 pm):
Plated dinner service featuring a protein such as steak, chicken, or fish, paired with vegetables and a choice of rice or pasta.
Alternative mains may include dishes like lasagne or curry with vegetables and rice.
Top Deck Club guests enjoy an additional entrée such as bruschetta.
Dessert (8 pm):
Complimentary dessert served after dinner, including options like pastries, pannacotta, meringue, cheesecake, or ice cream.
Snacks:
Complimentary fresh fruit available throughout the day.
Additional snacks such as crisps, cookies, and chocolate bars are available for purchase.
Complimentary Beverage Selection:
Tea and instant coffee are available throughout the day.
Available for Purchase:
Espresso coffee;
Soft drinks and fruit juices;
Alcoholic beverages including beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails.
Top Deck Club guests receive a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine.
"The crew was so helpful and friendly. They made the experience super easy and made sure we were taken care of. Liz, our dive guide, was so great and knowledgeable and went above and beyond during our stay. The equipment was set up perfectly and the schedule gave us ample amount of time to dive and snorkel." - Bryana Nguyen, United States, 5 January 2026 ...
"The staff were excellent, however the boat is in serious need of a refresh and maybe teach the crew to clean the old bar of soap out of the shower when a new guest arrives.
Our itinerary was moved around due to needing to refuel so we had to skip the morning dive the next day and do it as soon as we stepped on the boat. We never changed dive sites because of the fueling and then the next day the captain was gonna take us to the same reef. Only being able to see one reef on the Great Barrier Reef on a liveaboard for 5 dives isn't the trip I planned on. I feel very let down by my experience.
Dive The World were very helpful and easy to book through." - Renee Marquis, United States, 7 December 2025 ...
"I've dived at many sites around the world, but diving at the Cairns Great Barrier Reef will remain one of my most unforgettable dives. A huge THANK YOU to the entire team that manages the Reef Encounter cruise and the dives; it was perfect. The cabins are nice too, and it's well worth the price! I will always cherish this wonderful memory thanks to the photographer on board, Kozel Carthew, who takes magnificent photos and photographed me during my dives and snorkelling.
Everything is already prepared by the team before each dive; all you have to do is put on your BCD and jump in! (the tanks are filled, then attached to the BCD and connected to the octopus)." - Catherine Corvellec, France, 19 November 2025 ...
"Our family of 3 reserved 2 rooms on the top deck and were assigned a wonderful host named Sofi. She made sure we were comfortable throughout our 3 day - 2 night trip. She was very patient during the scuba dives, escorting, coaching, and encouraging throughout every dive. My daughter and I were already open water certified, but we both increased our skills under the support of Sofi. When my wife wanted to see the reef but lacked the swimming skills, Sofi pulled her 80 yards against the swift current just so she can see the corals and some fish. Sofi also arranged special picture time with the professional camera person, Kelsey. Kelsey took the most amazing photos. The type of pictures seen in scuba magazines, over 300 pictures. She was the one that pointed out a huge school of large fish which made for a perfect backdrop for my daughter as she was as scuba diving. Truly breathtaking photos. Thank you for the experience, well worth it, these 3 days were the highlight of our vacation. Sofi is the best - Friendly, encouraging, patient, and very caring. We had nothing to worry about, she took care of everything.
" - Stan Lehrman, USA, 30 June 2025 ...
"Loved it. Too bad that 4 out of 5 dives included were in the same place where visibility was bad and the coral was not the greatest. The second day we moved to Norman Fingers and it was wayyy better.
Very well organized; the Scottish guy works very well along with the other people. Captain was very polite and helpful and some open water diver like Eleanor very, very friendly and helpful. Didn't like the fact we had to vacate the room early on the second day and not be able to rest after a the last dive. But I will def be back if I have the chance." - Elliott Bolivar, United States, 26 April 2025 ...
"Excellent food, diving, and crew!
Everything was exactly as described by Dive The World. I appreciate how everything was handled. Definitely a top company to work with." - Tina Stanco, United States, 10 March 2025 ...
"The trip was great, organization very good, crew - wonderful people. The only problem was with my course. I booked to upgrade to Open Water Diver and I needed only 2 dives with the instructor. Unfortunately they didn't understand my certification and made me do 5 dives with all the exercises that took 2 days - almost the whole trip." - Daria Chrzczonowicz, Poland, 9 January 2025 ...
"The crew were super helpful and friendly.
Dive The World helped find me an operator and time that fit my schedule." - Matthew O'Malley, United States, 21 October 2024 ...
DEPARTURE SCHEDULE & PRICES
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MORE TRIP DETAILS
Notes: Top Deck Club: This is a VIP upgrade on Reef Encounter which guarantees you: own personal dive/snorkel guide and valet, top deck cabin, deluxe 3-course evening meal with private dining under the stars option, continental or cooked breakfast prepared to your specifications, breakfast in bed option, sunset cocktails, evening turn-down service, late check-out. It is designed for people who want to enjoy the best of the Great Barrier Reef in style.
Dive experience: Scuba divers simply need to be certified Open Water Diver level or higher and bring proof of their qualification with them to be checked by the Dive Supervisor. All divers in Queensland must submit a medical questionnaire and seek medical clearance where necessary.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinking water, hot drinks, port and park fees, dive briefings, scuba equipment (except wetsuit, incl. dive computer), wetsuit (Top Deck Club only), private guide (Top Deck Club only), tanks (12 litre, DIN and yoke), weights, weightbelt, sales tax.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Dives (1 night: USD86, 2 nights: USD155, 3 nights: USD223, from 1 Apr 2026 - 1 night: USD82, 2 nights: USD151, 3 nights: USD220), wetsuit (USD3 per day) payable on board, peak season surcharge (USD69 per person) is applicable for all travel from the 23 Dec - 1 Jan. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid in advance.
Optional extras: Snacks, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, return transfers to the port from Cairns city hotels (USD14 per person) to be paid in advance, nitrox fills (USD10 per tank) to be paid in advance, guided dives (USD7 per dive, max. 6 divers per guide) to be paid in advance, dive insurance, underwater camera rental, prescription mask, helicopter transfer. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash AUD or Visa/Master credit card with surcharge). Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: Daily sea transfers to and from the Reef Encounter liveaboard are provided by its sister vessel, Reef Experience, from Cairns Marlin Marina. Please be at the marina 'A-Finger' at 7:30 am on the morning of the tour to check in. Reef Experience will take you directly to Reef Encounter. Land transfers from the outer suburbs, northern beaches and Port Douglas to Marlin Marina are all available at additional cost. A helicopter transfer option is also available upon special request.
The final dive of the tour will be at 10:30 am on the last day. You will depart the reef at around 3 pm, arriving back in Cairns at 4:30 pm. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.
For more information on getting to Cairns, including airlines, see our How to get there section. Note: Guest needs to call to reconfirm their trip 48 hours prior departure. Please ask us for more details.
Non-diver rate: Displayed prices are non-diver (snorkeller) prices. Costs of diving are disclosed in the 'Prices exclude' section.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional (in Standard cabin only) - single travelers may choose to share a cabin (no guarantee of same gender sharing) or pay a 100% supplement for their own cabin. This is a compulsory additional charge on single travelers for the sole occupancy of double/twin accommodation in Top Deck Club.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 10 cabins and 1 extra cabin (2 persons) can join the cruise free of charge.
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Please contact us to enquire for a full charter.
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