Tour operator advice for Liveaboard Cairns/Great Barrier Reef Australia

[sharpysharpy]

Hi all,

I'm headed to Cairns in Australia mid-December and would like to dive the Great Barrier Reef. I have my PADI advanced open water qualification. Can anybody recommend a diving operator/tour within Cairns and also advise a fair price to pay? I’m looking at a 3 day/2 night live-aboard with full kit hire. I’ve been quoted around $800 Aussie dollars which is approx. £500 sterling.

Thanks very much

 

[WetPup]

That's not bad to be honest.

It would include accommodation, food, diving, and gear hire. For $800 in Australia, that's pretty good.

Considering the cost if you had to book it all separately:
2 nights hotel in Cairns: $200
Eating out for 3 days: $100
3 diving day trips (with gear hire): $750

There's $1000 without even trying - so $800 is good

 

[MA]

You can eat out for $33 a day here in oz?

 

[WetPup]

If you're willing to eat fast food, yep. If you're at a hotel with some basic kitchen facilities, you could cut that even more by buying and preparing your own food from Coles or Woolies (our Aus equivalents of Tesco or Sainsbury's).

Certainly couldn't eat at a proper restaurant or cafe for that, I admit.

 

[sharpysharpy]

Thanks for the response, appreciate it.
Nice to understand what is a realistic price, no one likes getting ripped off!

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

You can get 2 day 1 night from AUD$530 or 3 day 2 night from $675. That's out of Cairns and includes equipment, transfers, taxes, and all food etc. on board.

There are more expensive trips out there but you do get what you pay for. These trips are pretty good and as already mentioned add up food and accommodation on top of a day trip and its an easy choice.

December is peak season and you will be lucky to get a decent hotel for $100 a night to be honest. There are various motels or hostels that you can get that are cheaper. Eating in cairns for $33 a day I doubt it unless you want to live off of Maccas and noodles!

 

[OnTheSpot]

If you want as cheap as possible then you mustn't come away complaining that the GBR is rubbish. The very short trips recommended above go to the Outer Barrier Reef which will only satisfy beginners and not someone with experience. You say you are an Advanced diver but without knowing your experience it cannot be said if the Outer Barrier Reef is for you. The only way to REALLY have a quality GBR liveaboard experience is to spend the cash and get on one of the boats that does the Coral Sea (not the Outer Barrier Reef). That's where the world-class diving is. So go cheap by all means but don't have expectations that the Barrier Reef (the bit that you visit) is gonna be Great.

 

[Searcaigh]

So go cheap by all means

I would not call AUS$800 cheap for 3 days/2 nights, but perhaps in Oz that is cheap!

I have just added up the cost of my upcoming planned 7 days diving and for the same cost I could have 3 weeks at Lembeh Resort with 3 boat dives per day (nitrox) for 21 days and unlimited dives on the house reef, not to mention the great food and accommodation.

I was surprised when my daughter told me that the cost for a weekend diving the SS Yongala it was cheaper to fly to Bali and dive up at Tulumben, and she lives in Townsville.

 

[Tbar]

I have just added up the cost of my upcoming planned 7 days diving and for the same cost I could have 3 weeks at Lembeh Resort with 3 boat dives per day (nitrox) for 21 days and unlimited dives on the house reef, not to mention the great food and accommodation.

Its a bit meaningless doing these types of comparisons. If someone want to dive the GBR then those are the costs. The outer reefs /coral sea is a long way out, there are plenty who want to go and only a few operators.

Oh and I am off to Indonesia on a liveaboard, 15 nights and its near $AU8,000, extra for nitrox. So it depends on what you want and where you want to go. (Sorry another meaningless comparison)

 

[WetPup]

I would not call AUS$800 cheap for 3 days/2 nights, but perhaps in Oz that is cheap!

I have just added up the cost of my upcoming planned 7 days diving and for the same cost I could have 3 weeks at Lembeh Resort with 3 boat dives per day (nitrox) for 21 days and unlimited dives on the house reef, not to mention the great food and accommodation.

I was surprised when my daughter told me that the cost for a weekend diving the SS Yongala it was cheaper to fly to Bali and dive up at Tulumben, and she lives in Townsville.

Well, yes. And this is why those of us who live on the GBR actually rarely dive here. It's cheaper to fly to Bali and dive than it is to dive locally.

I know why it costs so much, mandatory compliance costs, etc.

It is what it is. You either pay it and dive, or you don't pay it and you don't dive. And if you can afford to own and operate a boat of sufficient size to get to the reef, then you're well off enough to not be complaining about the cost in the first place.