Outerknown Adventures on the Great Barrier Reef Cruise

Arrive at Cairns Pullman International Hotel at 3pm for SailSAFE check-in. A transfer from here to the ship is provided. Board at 4pm, where there is time to settle into your stateroom before our 5pm departure. Take the time to become acquainted with all the facilities on board before joining your fellow explorers on the Sun Deck for Captain’s Welcome drinks.

At Fitzroy Island, enjoy a walk through the Secret Garden rainforest or, for the more adventurous, a hike to the decommissioned lighthouse for panoramic views of the Coral Sea, islands and mainland mountain ranges.

Snorkel over the fringing reef, relax on the beach and there may be an opportunity to lend a hand to the volunteers at the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, where sick and injured turtles are cared for before being returned to the wild.

Premium accommodation: Coral Discoverer

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Late in the afternoon, we arrive at Sudbury Cay, a tiny sand cay that barely rises above the Coral Sea. Far removed from the bustle of civilisation, we slip off our shoes and feel the sand between our toes as the tropical waters lap against the shoreline. Surrounded by glistening sea and bathed in the glow of twilight, we enjoy sundowner drinks and the company of like-minded explorers as we relax and watch the sun sink below the horizon.

Premium accommodation: Coral Discoverer

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Relax on picturesque Mackay Cay and snorkel the pristine reef around it. Mackay Reef is a mid-shelf platform reef, where vibrant hard and soft corals abound. The northern side enjoys additional protection from the cay, making it the perfect playground for turtles. There’s also a giant clam garden in the area, with some clams growing as big as 3.9ft (1.2m), all with unique colours and patterns.

On a clear day, you can look back from the cay to the mainland and see mountains covered by the Unesco-listed Daintree Rainforest. You can see Cape Tribulation and Mount Sorrow as named by Captain Cook during his eventful sail through the Great Barrier Reef. The Kuku Yalanji are the traditional owners of this region and have lived in harmony with the environment for more than 50,000 years. Dreamtime stories explain the unique shape of Mount Peter Bot.

Premium accommodation: Coral Discoverer

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Come ashore in historic Cooktown and learn the history of the Guugu Yimithirr, the first people of this ancient country. Discover recent European history with a visit to the site where Lieutenant James Cook beached HMB Endeavour to effect repairs in 1770. Wander through the rare flora collection at the Botanic Gardens and visit James Cook Museum, where the story of Cook’s landing is told from an Aboriginal perspective and where artefacts are on display.

Later, we cruise towards Lizard Island, arriving in time for sunset.

Premium accommodation: Coral Discoverer

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We spend a whole day at Lizard Island where there is time to hike to the summit of Cooks Look and enjoy the same view Cook did when searching for safe passage through the maze of coral reefs. Snorkel over giant clam gardens from the beach at Watsons Bay, relax on the white-sand beach beneath shady she-oak trees and learn about the tragic story surrounding Mary Watson.

There may be an opportunity to visit the Lizard Island Research Station, which is operated by the Australian Museum to facilitate coral reef research and education on the Great Barrier Reef.

Premium accommodation: Coral Discoverer

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

One of the best dive sites in the world, Osprey Reef is a submerged atoll in the Coral Sea. The top of a mountain rising from the seafloor, surrounded by a vast ocean, it draws many beautiful and rare marine creatures to its plummeting walls. It is a highly prized tropical dive location among scuba divers, called an ‘oasis for living creatures of all kinds’ by Sir David Attenborough.

Here we spend time in the water exploring the 100ft (30m) deep lagoon and drift diving the walls, where you may see large pelagic fish, rays, and sharks drawn in from the surrounding deep blue to enjoy the richness of this ocean oasis.

Osprey Reef is a true expedition-style destination and our visit is subject to appropriate weather conditions.

Premium accommodation: Coral Discoverer

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

With a spot far from the Australian coast, the Ribbon Reefs are a narrow line of outer coral reefs on the edge of the continental shelf. Enjoy the rare opportunity to snorkel and dive in this location renowned for its prolific marine life and extensive coral species.

Ribbon Reef No.9 is a favourite for diving and snorkelling, with a wide variety of marine life and coral-cloaked pinnacles. Join a guided snorkel tour led by our expert Expedition Team and witness this extraordinary ecosystem up close. These northern reefs are renowned for their iconic marine species such as potato cod, wrasse, sharks and turtles.

Premium accommodation: Coral Discoverer

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our Great Barrier Reef adventure concludes in Cairns this morning as we bid farewell to new-found friends, the Master and crew, disembarking at 8am.

A complimentary transfer is provided to CBD hotels or the airport. You must advise and prebook with Exodus at least one month before departure if you wish to have a departure transfer. Transfers to the Northern Beaches or Port Douglas can be arranged on board with the Purser (at cost), if not already arranged prior to embarkation.

Meals included: Breakfast