Evolution Reef Cruise

4.9 (38 Reviews)
FROM
$249
1
150
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Select Date and Passengers

Adult (17+)
0
Infant (0-3 years)
0
Adult + 3 Certified Dives
0
Family (2A+2C)
0
Adult - Semi Submarine Add On
0
Additional Child with Family Package
0
Child (4-16 years)
0
Child (12-16 years) + 1 Intro OR Cert Dive
0
Adult + 1 Introductory Dive
0
Adult + 1 Certified Dive
0
Adult + 2 Introductory Dives
0
Adult + 2 Certified Dives
0
Inclusions Icon | East Coast Tours Australia

Inclusions

Snorkel + Diving Gear

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Drinks

Drinks Available To Purchase

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Cairns

Great Barrier Reef Highlights

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Snorkelling

Unlimited Snorkelling

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Marine Life

See Tropical Marine Life

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Scuba Dive

Intro + Certified Dives

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Locations

Exclusive Outer Reef Sites

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Meals

Lunch + Snacks Provided

Overview

Experience the best of the Outer Great Barrier Reef onboard Evolution's Reef Cruise! The high-speed modern superyacht is the perfect way to cruise to the reef from Cairns. Spend 5 hours diving the depths of the deep blue, brushing shoulders with soft and hard corals, and coming face-to-face with the unique marine life. Look out for green sea turtles, friendly reef sharks, clown fish, giant clams and more! Try out scuba diving if you haven't already or snorkel for hours in two exclusive reef locations. 

  • Visit exclusive locations on the outer Great Barrier Reef
  • Relax onboard a modern and stylish air-conditioned three-level vessel
  • 5 hours of snorkel time with opportunities for scuba diving
  • See an abundance of marine life including tropical fish, giant clams and bright corals
  • The perfect day for groups, families, friends or solo!

Your Sample Itinerary

Two girls smiling in front of a boat with the sign evolutions on it

Depart Cairns

Check-in at the Reef Fleet Terminal at the Cairns Marina from 7:15am in preparation for an 8:00am departure. Spend 1 hour and 45 minutes cruising through the turquoise blue waters making your way to the outer Great Barrier Reef! Settle in and listen to safety briefings told by the friendly and knowledgable crew before you prepare for a fun-filled day on the reef.

Great Barrier Reef woman snorkelling

Visit the first exclusive reef location

Arrive at your first location which will either be Saxon Reef or Norman Reef (weather depending) and get ready to explore the world beneath the surface. This is where you can snorkel for up to three hours or go for your first dive of the day. Both introductory divers and certified divers are welcome! You'll be run through a briefing whether you're snorkelling, or diving. Then get ready to swim amongst the colourful corals and the kaleidoscope of tropical marine life! 

A plate of food consisting of salads and meats and bread

Enjoy a delicious buffet lunch

Feast on a gourmet buffet BBQ lunch. Enjoy barbecued steaks, prawns, fish and vegetable patties. Lasagne with quinoa and a bean sprout salad is available upon request. Indulge in potato salads, roast vegetable salads, sundried tomato pesto salads, cous cous salads, coleslaws and more! Morning and afternoon tea is also included on the trip!

A group of people in snorkelling gear in the ocean

Visit the second exclusive reef location

Time to visit the second location on the outer Great Barrier Reef! You'll arrive at Hastings Reef where you can enjoy two hours of snorkel time. If you haven't gone for your dive yet, now is your chance! Explore the reef one last time and look out for turtles, reef sharks, mantarays and more! Not only can you spend more time in the water, you can opt to go on a semi-submersible tour or a helicopter flight (both at additional costs but incredibly worth it!) 

A girl with red hair smiling out the window of a boat with her hand on the glass

Head back to Cairns 

After your busy day on the reef, you'll head back to Cairns around 3:00pm. On the speedy journey back you can enjoy cheese and fruit platters and a glass of wine. Have a nap or soak in the sea views before arriving back to the Reef Fleet Terminal around 4:30pm - just in time to find somewhere to go for dinner to really round out the good day!

What's Included?

  • Visit 2 exclusive snorkel and dive locations on the Outer Great Barrier Reef
  • 5 hours of water time
  • Snorkelling equipment 
  • Delicious lunch
  • Tea, coffee, and refreshments
  • Sun-suit hire
  • Free glass of wine and snack upon return
  • PADI qualified dive instructors and Master Reef Guide
  • Spacious air-conditioned lounges and an upper deck to relax on
  • Reef levy fee

What's Extra?

  • Scenic Heli Flight $199 pre-booked
  • Introductory Dive: 1st dive $80, 2nd dive $60, 3rd dive $45
  • Certified Dive: 1st dive $80, 2nd dive $60, 3rd dive $45
  • Marine Biologist Snorkel Tour $25
  • Semi-Submersible Tour $20 Adults, $10 Child
  • Return Transfers starting from $10pp
  • Wetsuit hire $10pp 
  • 10 Minute Helicopter Flight - $199pp
  • Underwater Camera Hire - $60

Terms and Conditions

Please read through our Terms and Conditions before booking your tour. 

FAQs

Where does the boat depart from and what time?
Check in starts from 7:15am at the Down Under Dive counter located inside the Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence Street, Cairns. The Evolution yacht is located at A Finger, Cairns Marlin Marina and departs at 8am sharp.
How many hours do we spend out on the reef?
Enjoy over 5 hours at the reef snorkelling, diving and relaxing at 2 outer reef sites.
What reef sites do Evolution visit?
Evolution has access to 12 exclusive moorings at six different reef spots. The locations you go to are chosen each day depending on weather conditions and water clarity to ensure the best experience for all activities. Generally, Evolution will travel to one of the two outer reef locations in the morning (Norman Reef or Saxon Reef), then travel to North Hastings Reef in the afternoon where they also conduct Helicopter Flights and the Semi-Submersible tour.
What if I get sea sick?
If you’re prone to seasickness, it’s advisable to take something around 20 minutes prior to boarding the boat. As Evolution is a catamaran, it is a more stable vessel in choppy weather compared to monohulls. You can purchase seasickness pills on the boat, but please note that tablets are a preventative and will not help if you are already feeling nauseous.
Are special dietary requirements catered for?
Evolution provides a delicious Aussie BBQ lunch including prawns, fish, steak, vegetarian option, vegan option and tropical salads. They can cater to guests with vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free diets - but you must advise reservations of your special dietary requirement at least 48 hours prior to travel. You are also welcome to bring your own snacks for morning and afternoon tea if you have any concerns regarding the options provided.
Are there sharks on the reef?
There are sharks in every ocean, but the ones you are most likely to encounter on the Great Barrier Reef are black and white tipped reef sharks. They are super timid creatures and pose no threat to humans. You should count yourself very lucky if you get to see one! Sightings of a reef shark is considered a good indication of a healthy reef and underwater ecosystem.
Is the Evolution boat wheelchair friendly, and is there disability access?
Evolution can accommodate guests with limited mobility, but it is advised to speak to staff when inquiring to ensure if the crew can meet your specific needs.
Where does the scenic helicopter fly?
The 10-minute scenic helicopter flight departs from Hastings Reef private helicopter pontoon. You’ll fly over Hastings Reef and surrounding areas before arriving back to the pontoon where the Evolution crew will transfer you back to the yacht.
Does Evolution visit an island or pontoon?
No, it doesn’t. Evolution is a beautiful 3 story luxury catamaran that moors on the outer reef while you enjoy the delights of the Great Barrier Reef.
How long does it take to get to the outer reef?
The journey takes about 90 minutes to reach the Outer Reef location from Cairns. Evolution is one of the fastest boat trips to the Outer Reef giving you 5 hours of snorkelling and scuba diving at 2 Outer Reef Sites.

Customer Reviews

Grace Oliver

Nov, 17 2024

Amazing day out on the reef! At Saxon reef I saw a reef shark, turtles, rays and hundreds of fish! Honestly the best snorkel I have had in a long time. The food was good and they catered to my dietary requirements well. Boat very comfortable and plenty of deck space. Thanks team!

Calum Burgess-Wylie

Nov, 15 2024

Great boat, lovely crew, great food! SCUBA dove on both Saxon and Hastings and they were both great in different ways. On Saxon we saw a fantastic selection of coral and fish, including multiple pufferfish, and a shoal of great barracuda. A large hawksbill turtle hung around eating off the coral without caring about us, and while we stayed with it we could hear whalesong. Awesome time!

Lilli Lengemann

Nov, 14 2024

I was looking for a tour where you could dive AND snorkel as I preferred to go for a snorkel but my girlfriend is a keen diver. The Evolitution Reef Cruise was recommended to us and we were excited to see what awaited us. Our expectations were exceeded! The boat was gigantic and the crew members were super nice. The reef was mega beautiful, they really took care to show us the most beautiful spots. My highlight was also the helicopter flight and the submarine tour that we had booked with them. I can recommend this trip to anyone who wants to have an unforgettable day!

Marta D.

Nov, 06 2024

We had a great day with our family on this comfortable big boat. Plenty of time to snorkel and the diving was excellent as well. The Great Barrier Reef really is special!

James Arena

Nov, 02 2024

10/10 a great time. Took the family and they had a great time using the floaties and sitting in the submarine boat.

Wayne Sorrenson

Nov, 01 2024

Had the best day ever, swimming with the fish all day on a great boat was so much fun. Great value for money

Alexandria Ramona Moore

Oct, 19 2024

Amazing! The whole trip from start to finish was so relaxing and peaceful. I truly loved every second! Sam and Joe were both incredible and so nice, both made it even more enjoyable. I easily could have spent another week out there sailing around with them!

Julia Eder

Sep, 22 2024

loved it - the best days i had so far in australia- its such a unique experience and i made friends super easy. also love going back to the roots for a few days without signal and just living in the moment.

Sebastian P.

Sep, 02 2024

pretty good, bit hard to socialize since we had two big groups

Marc Medley

Aug, 29 2024

easy way of transportation, very convenient

Beth & Guy

Jun, 16 2024

i loved it, this day was just perfect and the food was delicious

Emily Morrisby

Sep, 18 2023

Absolutely stunning day out on the reef, I have never seen anything like this place! Couldn't get over how bright and blue the water was, the marine life was so beautiful to see in real life. Plus the boat was super comfortable. Few sea sick people but otherwise it was great!

Craig Turner

Jul, 28 2023

Great day. Team were friendly and professional. Food was delicious. I even had seconds. Highly recommend.

Emile van Schijndel

Aug, 08 2022

This is a very big and comfortable boat with very nice crew. The bbq steak lunch is great and the underwater boat was very cool. I saw a little shark from the boat.

Rhys from Melbourne

Jul, 31 2022

Great experience, good crew, entertaining and very helpful. And a super big blue fish.

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