Providence Whitehaven Beach Sailing and Snorkeling Cruise

BREATH AWAY

Clever skipper, nice sailorman. Snorkelig very interesting and White heaven beach simply takes your breath away with his beauty. Very good trip in this old style boat!

Nice day

Very well spend day, even if the weather didn't help. Crew was amazing, always making their best to improve our experience

Lovely Whitsunday Cruise!!

Had an amazing time out on providence for the day!! The food was lovely we had coffee and tea served with banana bread, cookies, muffins, chicken wraps, frittata, laminations, and a fruit platter to name some! We did a snorkel on a beautiful reef and had time on whitehaven beach to explore and go up to see the lookout view of hill inlet. We put the sails up whenever we had enough wind and the crew was happy to explain how they worked and get us guest involved in hoisting up the sails with them:) I would definitely recommend this trip for any backpackers or groups coming through airlie!!

Great boat, top notch crew, just too crowded and slow

The crew is great and the boat is beautiful. But the ad photo belies how crowded the tour is. The is no room to lay on the deck on a towel, as depicted. We sat shoulder to shoulder on the cockpit lids and some had to stand for comfort. There was no wind, so no fault of the crew or operator, but it was a very long motor to and from the beach. Whitehaven is beautiful and the crew do a great job of getting you ashore. The snacks offered were plentiful and good. I knew this was not a private tour, but the photos give you the impression it will be staffed as such.

Highly recommended for the Jack Sparrow at heart!

We had such a fantastic time being Providence Pirates! We really enjoyed the casual, relaxed atmosphere that Providence offers (definitely not as regimented as others tours we noticed, which was our preference). Oscar and Jack were friendly hosts and very accomodating to all aboard.

Disappointing diesel sailing

Destination was amazing but despite that the trip was very disappointing. We were on a sailboat but the engine was running all the time. The sails were up for a couple of hours, but just for show. We were never near a true sailing experience. There was wind, but the schedule didn't allow for sailing as we got in just in time with full engine all day. Better to go for the faster and cheaper trips on a motorboat and save time, money and disappointment. To sell a sailing experience like they do and not deliver is misleading marketing. There was also no information that there would be no sailing. Also not about snorkling gear not including finns and no exposure suits for the swimming at the beach. All other operators hat suits for their guests due to the jellyfish.

Simply a great day!

Really enjoyed the day on the sailboat, even though there was not enough wind and the motors were used. The ocean was calm, the trip was relaxing, enjoyed chatting with the other travelers AND the fellows were great! We had morning tea, a wraps for lunch and several times throughout the day, trays were brought around with various goodies. The view at Hill Inlet Lookout was stunning! And the water/sand at Betty's Beach was simply incredible. We saw a couple of sea turtles, and there were sting rays just off shore. We didn't see much snorkeling however I really enjoyed the experience. I was delighted that on the way back, they raised a sail even though there was still not enough wind. All in all, it was a fantastic day! Thank you!!

Unsafe. Do not go on the Providence V! Check out our photos, and I’m not one to write a negative review.

Do not go on the Providence V! Check out our photos, and I’m not one to write a negative review. This was an awful, unpleasant and unsafe experience. Firstly, despite stating our address, they had the wrong one on file and didn’t collect us on time. We arrived on the boat, and were told the journey would take an hour but took three hours. The boat has open air seating where you literally sit on the wooden roof. No back support. No seatbelt. If you sit downstairs it’s dirty and very sensitive to the ocean’s choppy waters. My best friend flew off her chair and nearly slide off the boat. We spent three hours each way holding onto the railing with our hands and feet. So did the other guests. We were completely drenched. Offered ponchos later. We arrived at Whitehaven beach three hours later and the visit didn’t make up the the choppy and unsafe journey. We boarded the dingy to go from the sailing boat to the Island which felt incredibly unsafe. We then boarded the boat after visiting Whitsundays and the Hill inlet viewing point. We were there for two hours before we departed again. We were offered cold tea, and I had an order for a vegetarian, halal or pescatarian. See evidence. They only had chicken wraps. They didn’t have it on file despite me mentioning it three times when I booked. I was served disgusting cold frittata. On our return, the boat was at a 45 degree angle to the ocean and we were all very scared. There was a family with two boys and the parents were concerned for their safety. When I enquired with the captain he laissez faire dismissed my worries. We were told we wouldn’t get wet on the return journey which was incorrect. We were very wet on the way back which took about 2.5 hours. My best friend felt nauseous all evening and had to go to bed very early despite not experiencing sea sickness in the past. Overall, safety was not considered during this journey. The wind was dangerously strong. My dietary requirements weren’t considered. Another group who were on the journey, had the same worries. Another family on the same journey, felt the same way. We all complained to Sailing Whitsundays. I have been on sailing boats before which haven’t travelled in rough conditions. There were only two people sailing the boat, one was experienced but very relaxed. The other was very lovely and helpful but inexperienced and in training. Totally fine, but the boat needed more sailors than the two provided. Please see our photos. We aren’t exaggerating.

An exciting sail to experience the stunning scenery of Whitsundays

A lovely day on the water. Beautiful scenery. Stunning beaches. Friendly crew & plenty to eat. It would have been useful to have the waterproofs from the start before we got wet from the spray!

Magnificent day

We had a perfect day sailing the Whitsundays Islands. We sighted two whales, visited Whitehaven beach in my opinion the nicest beach I have seen in my life of 69 years. Oscar and offsider were fabulous. We did some snorkelling, the reef we viewed was average not a lot of colour. The weather was amazing hardly any wind and about 28 degrees The yacht was very comfortable and the food was ample and suited the needs of the day. Well done Providence.

Sailing to Whitsunday island

The day trip to Whitehaven included motoring yacht and hoisting sails. Snorkelling in the national park. Taken by tender ashore on Whitsunday Island, walk to the lookouts and then walk down to Whitehaven Beach. Oscar was skipper, had 2 crew and handled the boat well in more than a metre swell. Saw whales breaching, which was an added bonus. 17 passengers aboard. If you get sea sick take sea sickness tablets before you leave.

Not suitable for families

unfortunately, we have to rate this trip as poor. We habe done multiple cruises in Australia. All of them were really nice (e.g. Morten Island). This one is a bit of a rip-off. You spend about 5 hours on the boat, ending up having 45 minutes of snorkeling and 90 min at Whitehaven. Main problem: The staff does not really explain anything (except when to get back to the boat). Maybe we had a bad day, but we would definitely not do this trip again.

Perfect day

Can’t believe some of the negative reviews on here…you can’t go sailing and not expect to get wet 😂 Such an amazing day. We wanted a sailing cruise experience rather than a speed boat and Providence V certainly delivered! We enjoyed every moment out on the water, laying down, relaxing and taking in the views (as the other crowded speed boats zoomed past!). Hospitality was great with friendly company, fresh food and cool drinks. Highlight of the day was seeing a Sea turtle! Would certainly recommend this option if you’re after the true sailing experience of the Whitsundays and a relaxing day out on the water. Thank you guys for the perfect experience.

Awesome day on the Providence V

This was a really nice day going to Whitehaven beach under a blue sky! The sea was calm and the skipper and his deckhand did a marvellous job making us feel welcome and safe on board. We got little more than an hour at Whitehaven and going back we stopped for a snorkle between Hook island and Whitsunday island. I would have liked a little more time to snorkle but the day got a bit longer than planned with the time we had so we got as much as we could. I guess that it tge downside going with a slower boat but it brought so much more character to the tour compared to a faster katamaran.

Great days sailing

Great day spent at some beautiful locations. The tour guides did an excellent job, definitely recommend.

Saved by the inlet view

Boat was great, sailing and views were fantastic. Snorkelling area we stopped at was pretty poor and not much to see. Staff were friendly but lacked knowledge of area with not much interaction or knowledge sharing. Food looked good however after notifying of dietary requirements multiple times and being reassured it was catered for ultimately it wasn’t.

whitehaven

the trip was good but I perfer to stay in the whitehaven for more time….. food was really good! great time there

Perfect day out with family

We loved how layback and relaxing it was. Skipper was very knowledgeable about the area. Loved the snorkelling

Picturesque and memorable experience

The weather was beautiful, the sails were not able to be used but that didn't impact on the ambience or experience. It was unfortunate that there were so many on the cruise as there wasn't anywhere to lay down or lean against. It's a long journey sitting upright. Yes, we could stand but once again this was limited due to space available. The food was great we had a variety of options, with ample supplies and timing. We didnt' know we could purchase drinks and we also were a bit confused on where to go once we landed on Whitehaven beach due to not being able to hear instructions. (once again too many on the charter and not being able to get close enough) We will definitely do this trip again, however will ask how many will be on board first.

Wouldn’t recommend

A slightly disappointing trip. We had originally booked another ship, but the day before was told it was cancelled due to an essential part not being delivered in time meaning the boat was unable to sail…some notice on this would have been nice as we were then rushing to secure an alternative option at 5pm whilst offices were closing. On the day, the staff were lovely (included 1 trainee) and tried hard to keep guests happy, but the overall vibe was pretty miserable as the day went on. We got on board and struggled to find a seat -for our 9 hour ‘cruise’. There were 23 people which in our opinion is almost 10 people too many. Not as advertised with people laying down on the benches. We were given a brief introduction from the captain who didn’t seem very happy to be there. He mentioned we were able to grab a mouldy rain jacket that holes in to keep us dry. No where is it mentioned how wet you get and without spare dry clothes, we were all sat wet for the 2.5 hour journey to the beach. The food was quite basic, nice sandwiches but simple store bought cupcakes and banana bread for morning tea. Overall we wouldn’t recommend

Go for it without hesitation!

We had an amazing day thanks to Providence. We couldn't have asked for a better way to visit Whitehaven Beach and snorkel in the Whitsundays. Everything was perfect: the boat is incredible, the crew is friendly and smiling, the 3 meals provided are fresh and good. Maximum 20 on a boat compared to what is offered next door, it's a dream. Do not hesitate! Go for it, you will surely spend, like us, one of the most beautiful days of your life.

A great day out visiting the Whitsundays on a sailing boat

We definitely felt like we got the most out our day on The Providence sailing boat. We set sail at 07:30 from the harbour on a 3 hour journey to Whitehaven beach. The conditions were very rough on the way and did result in us all getting completely soaked on the way out there - nothing that could’ve been helped. There was approx 24 people on the sailing boat, so room wasn’t in abundance. We were served a tea/coffee and breakfast muffin on the way. At the whitsunday island we had 1.5 hours to explore the view point and gorgeous Betty beach before making our way back on the boat. From here we made our way back. We were served a couple of homemade wraps and quiche before stopping at a snorkelling spot. We had 45 minutes to snorkel, which was slightly disappointing as the water became very hazy and only got a blurred view of coral and minimal wildlife (I think it was because the conditions were rough in the morning so the clarity was reduced) From here we made our way back to the harbour, with the option to buy alcoholic or soft drinks. Overall we had a great day, and enjoyed our day charter to the whitsundays.

TAKE NOTE

BEWARE We booked this day trip without having read the reviews and since we have taken the time to do so, have realised there's a common thread amongst reviewers here and elsewhere which mimic the same story - 1. This is not a sailing trip. They need to get back for their sunset cruise so even if the winds are strong (as they were on our day) they won't put all the sails up and kill the engine. As a result, the engine runs for the duration, and slowly at that. So be aware. If you anticipate sailing on the day trip, you'll be disappointed. 2. The food is really substandard. It's a repeated theme in all reviews, and we had the same. Unfortunately the owners are not listening. Lunch was literally a thin wrap. Not even a great one, but more like one I'd make for the kids. Snack on the way out was an over cooked muffin - I'd be really surprised if a catering company provided this as it was - again- not even kids food standard. Felt badly home cooked. All food came out in plastic containers where you grabbed stuff out and ate with your hand, no napkin/plate. Good luck eating the slice of quiche. The photos are not accurate - there was no 'fruit platter.' 3. The equipment is not great. Noodles for snorkelling and rain jackets provided for the people at the front were moldy. I asked for life jackets for the children and the young girl came out with two adult sized jackets. I pointed this out, and she returned with two other jackets. One of them the top buckle was broken. No discussion on fit of jacket like other companies. Not great consideration for safety there. Toilet was blocked (again - other reviewers saying the same). I do not feel it's fair to be false advertising this day trip with outdated photos and the description is "set sail for the Whitsundays". Also in the photos there's no where near full capacity of the ship - we were squashed and shoulder to shoulder along the edges of the ship - certainly no space to lie about! The result of the engine running on the boat means you greatly limit the time spent snorkelling and on the beach - if this is important to you then get one of the speed boats out and give this a miss. Or hopefully, they'll start paying attention to these reviews, and manage the time to give everyone the experience they've paid for. Start the trip 45 minutes earlier and put the sails up - even for 45 minutes - there's a way to make this work. But simply saying to everyone "we can't put the sails up, otherwise we won't make it back in time" is not acceptable.

Whitehaven beach sail and snorkel

It was lovely. I wish we had longer to swim at Whitehaven beach; got 10 mins max. There was too long to look at view and to get to sandy side of the island. Another passenger said they’d previously gone to the other side of the island; that would’ve been a much better option. And snorkel was a bit brief too.

Great trip shame about the weather.

Great crew, just the day we picked was terrible weather, could just imagine how good the snorkelling and beach would be in sunlight. The trip back was fairly rough with the boat leaning to the side by we felt safe at all times with the experienced crew we had. No one can do anything about the weather but we still enjoyed the experience, would still recommend the trip.

Amazing experience

A truly memorable experience, it was a little cold and windy sailing off in the morning but the sun came out the the the skipper and crew (of one, Jarrah) were skilled, helpful, sharing their local knowledge and ensuring the comfort of all aboard. The Whitsundays just have to seen from the water to truly appreciate.

Overcrowded - poor service - rushed - misleading advertising

This was disappointing. We booked this sailing cruise as it was advertised as a luxury, romantic, intimate tour. That’s not what we experienced. When we got into the boat I noticed it was not in as good condition as the photos and the seating options were limited to old cushions on branch seats. It was also crowded, with everyone sitting down we were touching shoulders with other passengers. We were rushed out of the harbour with the engines on and given half a donut/muffin for “morning tea”. Then crowded in while the captain told us the plan for day and promptly informed us that we wouldn’t be stopping long as he had to get back for his sunset cruise. After taking a very crowded trip on a dingy to and from Whitehaven Beach we were all starving and given “lunch” which was a cold wrap with a lot of lettuce and a little bit of cold chicken and literally nothing else. We were then told that there was no hot water left for tea and coffee and charged for a can of drink and served a fruit platter from a Tupperware container. At no point during the day did the engines go off, we didn’t do any sailing - due to the fact that he had a deadline and didn’t have time to slow down at all. We also saw some whales that were having an amazing little play but motored right past them without even slowing - again due to the tight deadline. During the tour the two staff sat at the back of the boat vaping and played some music including some heavy metal / EDM which is not really the vibe for that kind of tour. There was no communication about any of the local landmarks or “learning the ropes” as described. Also we hired wetsuits from a local shop which was recommended by the tour, they told us to leave the suits on the boat as they are closed. When we politely said we were leaving them the skipper said “no what are we mean to do with it”. We ended up having to take them home with us and come back the next day to drop them off. Overall I feel that the tour was over advertised and it felt like a budget group tour not a romantic relaxing sailing tour. I’ve read some other reviews saying the same thing and they have been responded to by the owners very negatively, this is not a review meant to attack the company but they should seriously consider taking on the feedback given to them regarding the food and customer service. Most of the website photos don’t even resemble the actual boat we went on.

Sailing and sunshine-superb

We had a wonderful day sailing to WHITEHAVEN BEACH, snorkelling along the way. The day long tour provides great value. The beach does not have enough superlatives. Sailing to this site is the only way to go there.

Sailing is the big appeal

Favorite part was the sailing itself. Wind was brisk and the captain and crew were able to hoist all four sails (with helpful passenger volunteers) and shut off the motor for a good chunk of the route back. Whitehaven Beach was a stunner, too.

Relaxed day out, beautiful sights

Beautiful locations, both on sea and land. Relaxed crew that was very nice. Charming tall ship. Great lunch. Whitehaven Beach is must see. Snorkeling was very nice. Coral is bleaching in some places here. Let's hope we can all help to stop that... As a bonus, we saw a sea turtle and a couple of whales! Literally smooth sailing!

Really lovely experience

The crew was super nice. The boat was fantastic and the whitsundays are just beautiful. We saw a lot of fish and corrals. Worth it! We didn’t get our ordered dietary requirements and the food in general could have been more, but the whole crew was really exerted and figured out a solution.

Prepare to get VERY wet!!!

Perhaps it was my own inexperience with sailing, but this experience wasn’t what I expected. I wasn’t expecting buckets of sea water to be dumped on me for 3 hours straight. Even with the provided raincoat (which had a broken zip!), I was soaked through to my underwear by 8am and shivering. The captain just laughed at me & said “that’s sailing for ya!” When I stood up I tipped water out of all my pockets! It’s a big day out and I was left hungry from the lack of food. Lunch for a vegetarian was a bowl of salad leaves, definitely not enough sustenance. Pick the sunset cruise if you’re after a laid back, relaxing experience, this was not it!

Sailing the Whitsundays

Had a great day sailing and snorkelling around the Whitsunday Islands on-board the Providence V. The crew were fantastic and very knowledgeable about the reef and the surrounding islands. The only downside for the day was the small amount of food offered for morning tea and lunch. Everyone onboard was left hungry and wanting more especially after all the swimming, snorkelling and hiking of hill inlet.

Fantastic and memorable sailing experience

Had a really fabulous day out sailing on providence. Peter and Oscar were just lovely, informative and entertaining. The weather conditions were not the best but Peter made sure we were able to do the snorkeling and visit Whitehaven beach. The walk up to the lookout was easy and the views amazing!! The weather turned on the way back but it was superb to feel the waves crashing against the front of the boat - loved every minute of this sail!!

Magical Whitehaven

Relaxing and enjoyable day out, with a knowledge skipper and deckhand. Whitehaven was spectacular would of loved more time there

break away

Skipper Pete & Oscar where great, we did have a great day but this does not go out the front of white haven beach, there is quite a big walk up a lot of steps to the lookout and down the other side to get to it, the views are amazing, be prepared to get wet either by rain or waves coming over the sides of the yacht, which added to the fun of the trip, we were drenched but happy. The food supplied was cake, quiche and a wrap of either chicken or ham, and fruit for afternoon tea, compared to other yacht trips we have done previously i found this average.

BEST DAY EVER

Pete and Oscar were absolutely amazing. They made the trip the highlight of our Whitsunday holiday taking us to the best snorkelling spots. Then to Whythaven beach truly beautiful. Thank you so much guys worth every cent.

Fast and easy booking

From the start of my inquiry they are very accomodating. It was a quick and easy booking. They recommended a different cruise for as I have a 3 month old baby. So far it was a very good no hassle booking.

Great experience. Peter...

Great experience. Peter was a great guide. Snorkelling experience should was great! Sails were up, experience could be better if the engines were off for a little while to get the tranquility of the ocean.

Amazing trip, couldn't have asked for a better day!

What a dream come true! Such a beautiful area to explore by sail boat. The weather meant we saw Whitehaven in its full glory, absolutely breathtaking. The food and staff were fantastic! The sail home in the sun with music and champagne finished the trip off nicely. Would highly recommend this trip!

Awesome Airlie

Absolutely cracker of a day and the view from the lookout over Whitehaven Beach is absolutely awesome . Great boat and Captain and assistant were very obliging and friendly. Nice morning tea , lunch and afternoon tea.

One of a kind experience.

If you want to experience a little more friendliness & personal experience than the ‘sheep herding cruises’, I would recommend a trip on The Providence V. It is a unique sailboat built for a unique experience. The crew were friendly & added to the personal experience of the trip. The boat accommodated for a number of guests, but at no time did it feel crowded or if you were crammed together. The complete round trip was enjoyable with the skipper filling us in on what was coming up & had well versed local knowledge of the islands, the snorkelling spot, & the waters. Even though we did hoist the sails, the winds weren’t in our favour for the whole sail, so relied on the engine for a bit, but we cannot control nature. Overall, I would recommend this experience if you want a unique day trip (& a sunset sail).

Best cruise

Smooth sailing all the way. Loved the snorkelling and chance to cool off at Whitehaven Beach. Great job by the crew.

Crazy good

Did both the sunset sail and they snorkeling day trip. I’ve been to multiple countries and done these sort of trips but I’ve never had a better trip then with Pete and Oscar. You can tell how much they love there job and how hard the want to make people’s trip amazing. The snorkel spot was amazing, Whitehaven beach is crazy good, they answer any questions you have, the sail boat is awesome perfect for a cheeky tan there n back without being rocked around on the boat, food was quality good. But the best part was Pete and Oscar these lads took care of us all day no matter what these dudes are legends. If you come to airlie beach you have to do this trip. I did another like it and these guys amazed me.

WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YA! 😊

What a day!!!! Had the most awesome experience on the providence first off what a masterpiece the boat is! The crew did a fabulous job well organised all very friendly even let us help with the sail. The travel to the islands was lovely lying out in the sun and the snorkeling as well as Whitehaven beach just spectacular!! Cheers to you all 🥂

Fabulous Providence sailing

Fabulous informative crew. Delicious lunch should include a soft drink. More time needed at Whitehaven Beach. Very safe. Highly recommend!

Not sailing

Whitehaven beach was stunning and the snorkelling although not the best conditions was good. I thought the sailing would have been relaxing. The sales did go up but unfortunately the engine was never shut off. Apparently the yacht was needed the sunset cruise, so on a tight timeline. The crew were friendly however not very professional with little customer service experience. 2 of the 3 crew appeared very new and lacked the training for such a position. Next time I go to Whitehaven I’ll choose a faster boat with experienced crew.

A disappointment

Unfortunately, the online marketing did not match the experience. The boat is a lovely replica and moved through the choppy conditions nicely. The crew seemed mostly disinterested, with the captain speaking poorly to crew on a number of occasions. The food did not reflect the online marketing. The new deckhand (who indicated he had never been to the lookout) was left to guide guests on the island. He came with no watch and so made all the guests leave Whitehaven much earlier than required. Of the 2 hours allocated we had to sit waiting for the tender to return for over half an hour. The return home was punctuated by the crew having difficulty pulling down a single sail and a guest receiving a whip from the rope across the shoulder and neck.

A day to not forget

Whitehaven did not disappoint. The crew were amazing and super friendly. Sailing past the islands will never forget. Snorkelling was fabulous. Highly recommend.

Awesome day out

Had a great day on the boat to Whitehaven. The staff was really nice . Food was great aswell. I would recommend!