Sunlover Reef Cruises Cairns Great Barrier Reef Experience

great experience

Who accompanies you on your adventure day is experienced and knowledgeable about the activities the local area and safety procedures They provide clear instructions demonstrations and guidelines to make sure you feel confident and have a good time while participating in the various activities

Bucket List Check!

The trip was a bucket list item for me. It was such a privilege to get to go out. The weather made for a bumpy ride but the staff took care of all very kindly and professionally. The diving experience was safely done with excellent support personnel. The glass bottom boat was a lovely experience. The fish feeding observatory was a 10! Such a joy to get to dive the Great Barrier Reef!

Mezmering day at the GBR

It was mezmerising day at the GBR💎! Everything was organized and taken care of professionally. There was many options to do at the GBR. I absolutely recommend this tour.

Amazing day

Amazing day, we loved every minute of it. Staff friendly and helpful. Would recommend. Hope to do it again next time we get down under.

Great day out

What a great day out. Loved the relaxed vibe here. No rush to do the snorkelling. Everything at your own pace. Lunch was really good.

Great staff and a great experience

Headed out on an overcast day with a warning of rough seas. Wife and I made sure we popped an avomine (Travel sick tablet) an hour before departure and glad we did! Plenty of people used their provided bags........and not to put their lunch in! This is where I saw the wonderful staff kick into action. One poor lady spent the whole day with her head in a bag and the staff were so kind and considerate to her, never leaving her side even sitting next to her on the trip home. Well done to those staff! The snorkelling went really well and we even scored some sunshine while in the water. The food provided for lunch was plentiful and tasty with the staff always cleaning up tables and left overs...they never stopped working. Anytime any person needed anything, from directions to the toilets through to another snorkel, I found the staff to be pleasant and always willing to help. Everything about the experience was well organised and lived up to the advertised experiences. I have done these trips previously and felt this was just as good, if not better. Sure, it is quite expensive but who knows how long the reef will be there!!!!! Thanks to all the staff.

Terrible

Terrible food, attitude. So many kids running around yelling.. Not peaceful at all. Also a lot of jellyfish

Fabulous way to visit the Barrier Reef

Thoroughly enjoyable experience. Spacious and comfortable vessel to travel to/from the reef. Great on board service from the helpful team and lunch was great. Plenty of well organised activities to take part in from the pontoon in the reef - scuba, snorkel, boat rides etc. Fabulous day out, thanks 👍

Great trip, well worth it

The whole experience was great. Staff were all brilliant. All the activities were great , we enjoyed everything.

Beautiful reef

Beautiful views of the reef. The experience was a bit less handicapped accessible than expected. The entry ramps didn't extend all the way to the ground so he had to get off scooter and be helped on board, then the scooter carried on. Same with accessing the platform. However, he was able to do several things and was happy with what was available. We appreciate being able to do this, as several other providers (in another town) all just said ' not for those with walking difficulties'.

Wonderful!

Amazing from start to finish! Everything was organised very well. Staff was friendly, helpful and informative.

Wished I booked this twice!

What an amazing experience! We arrived around noon to the pontoon. We enjoyed the glass bottom boat and submarine tour. The lunch was super delicious but our favourite part was a private tour with marine Biologist Chris. This was an extra cost but worth every penny! We seen turtles and parrot fish. Snorkeling in the ropes was just as amazing and not necessary to pay the extra but it was really Awsome extra. The amount of fish and coral was crazy and we seen so many different species!

Once in a lifetime experience!

I booked a day trip flight and no tours started after my scheduled landing time of 8:30a except this one and finished perfectly on time for me to reach the airport and make my afternoon flight of 6:30pm on time. I did the guided snorkel with Chris, he took us beyond the tours limited barriers and showed us all kinds of cool things surrounding the reef. Overall I have told people I would do it again!

Very Poor Performance by the Company-AVOID

Let me start by saying several things. First I have done over 30 Trip Advisor reviews and have given only 1 3star review. All others were 4-5 and I rarely criticize, so this is my first 2. We took this excursion from our Royal Carribean Cruise ship. When you do this you pay a premium to be picked up at the cruise ship and delivered to and from your destination only with your fellow passengers and returned on time. At your destination you may share the location with multiple other tourists which is perfectly acceptable and understood. We were to be on the Sunlover's catamaran and sailing by 8:30 with 1.5 hours traveling to Great Barrier Reef. Then 4 hours at the reef leaving at 2 and back to ship by 3:30. We were returned to our ship at 5:45 and missed our dinner reservation. So where to begin to outline the multiple problems. Let's start with incompetence. Within 15 minutes of sailing the crew discovers 4 passengers who are on the wrong excursion. This problem could have been avoided by simply checking our tickets when boarding, which was NOT DONE. It necessitated a stop at Cairns to let these unfortunates off the catamaran. An unnecessary stop you think, BUT NO! Crew realizes they do not have enough food for the passengers at lunch, so they have to bring on more food. How efficient of them. Instead of counting the number of tickets sold in advance and planning appropriately we maximized our waste of time by stopping at Cairns for 2 unnecessary reasons. Despite this by 2:30 they had run out of soda for sale. We next stop at Fitzroy Island for reasons unexplained at the time. It turns out Sunlovers picked up passengers not associated with our RC Cruise. We arrive at the snorkeling pontoon 1/2 hour late at 10:30. The Captain promptly announces we are 30 minutes EARLY! He either assumes we are incapable of elementary school math or is deliberately misleading us. It turns out to be the latter as the published schedule on the pontoon has events going until 3:30 (when we should have back to the cruise ship). Clearly they catered to the other tourists from Fitzroy. RC is already aware of this & I can only hope they contract c another snorkeling company in the future. The problems continue below. No one has an issue c a tour company making a profit but keep in mind we already paid hundreds of dollars for the excursion. Ideally, company profits are the sideline to what, for the tourist should be a memorable day. Once on board there is an almost constant barrage of sales pitches for (IMO) overpriced add on such as guided snorkeling/helicopter rides etc. Perhaps most disturbing though just as we approached open water, which had a very mild chop, the crew not very subtly distributes barf bags while wearing latex gloves. By this point I was not shocked to find Sunlovers has anti sea sickness meds conveniently for sale; accompanied by dire warnings that it won't help if taken when already ill feeling (true). They fail to mention it takes 30 minutes to be fully effective; time we did not have (Yes I am a physician). Lunch was served promptly and to be fair the food was adequate in quantity and taste given our location. However, keeping in mind what we paid for the excursion and ambient temperatures approaching 90 F. there was NOTHING TO DRINK FOR FREE. I have no problem c a charge for wine/beer. But Sunlovers could not find the means to provide complimentary ice tea/lemonade or even water! On returning I realize my cell phone and I did not capture the underwater photos I desired. Reluctantly, but with the help of staff, I located one professional photo of myself snorkeling taken by Sunlovers that I agreed to have printed for a fee of $20 US. For security I had left my credit cards on the ship but I was assured that contactless payment via smart phone and Google pay would work. Sunlovers accepts payment c one of those portable hand held charge card devices. Trepidation began when watching persons cued ahead of me charged via card only to have salesperson take said device, lift it over her head, and begin to vigorously wave the machine until the charge went through somehow. When my turn comes the charge will not process due to no internet connection. Sunlovers has a prominently displayed user ID and password for WIFI. As I began to enter it the clerk informs me not to bother because it doesn't work! So we all wasted our time again. In general, few things annoy me as much as when a company makes it difficult to GIVE THEM MY MONEY! I left without the photo. In closing I gave this review a 2. Reef Snorkeling is a wonder. The young staff works hard and tries to be pleasant. The equipment at the pontoon was adequate for the number of people and was in good shape. Management is fortunate to have an attraction such as the REEF that demands attention and keeps them operational. IMO, their business management style is very off putting. Look elsewhere.

Day at the reef

Staff was great and very informative. They provided a lot of activities. Captain was wonderful. Would highly recomend it

A bucket list experience!

Snorkeling the GBR was a bucket list experience. There were good options to view the reef based on comfort level in the water. The boat was very crowded and the number of snorkelers in the designated area was at times uncomfortable. The staff and crew were amazing!

A wonderful experience

Seeing the coral was amazing. The food was excellent. Wonderful day. Crew were tremendous. Whole day was well organised

Reef was gorgeous. A lot...

Reef was gorgeous. A lot of people on the pontoon 300+, but well organized. Some original lines but could do everything.

Heeks / winters

It was not one of the best days to visit the reef due to the weather Because we had pre booked that day we had to go so don’t pre book wait till you get there to visit the reef There are plenty of boats to get on We had to wear wet suits due to jellyfish worth seeing but on a good day

This is a wonderful experience. The only regret is we missed the glass bottom boat, submarine

It is a wonderful tour and the best part of Cairns and Australia trip. But in the tour introduction, it mentioned about glass bottom boast. It did not mention how and where to go to the boat. So, we enjoyed the snorkeling and missed the glass bottom boat and even submarine. That is a big regret. Sunlover is the only company offer the unlimited glass bottom boat that is the reason we choose it. We felt that we missed the most important part of the Australia trip. I hope to be specifically tell this part, so that other people would not the same mistake.

Very helpful

First time snorkeling in over 40 yeas. Every yers old now and the crew made it easy. Had a wonderful day.

We had a great day and...

We had a great day and got to see Great Barrier Reef by snorkelling, sub looking and through glass bottom boat. Experience was enjoyed by everyone. Would definitely recommend to anyone going

Loved the guided snorkeling tour.

Great day on the reef. Highly recommend the guided snorkeling tour. Good lunch. Didn’t enjoy being surrounded by a bunch of seasick people. Maybe more advanced warning is necessary to avoid that problem.

A bit disappointing.

We booked this trip because there were options for swimmers and non-swimmers. Unfortunately, of the four non-swimmer options, only two were offered that day (glass bottomed boat (included) and helicopter ride ($$$extra). The other included options of the semi-submersible and the underwater viewing platform were not available. I was able to do a certified scuba dive and the equipment and my dive master were both top notch! Not a place for serious experienced divers, though. Moor Reef is more for families with kids who just want to snorkel.

A great trip to the barrier Reef

They were very professional informative, well run, beautiful lunch and great staff. A lovely spot to snorkel. All equipment was supplied and very good. Overall a great day

Underwhelming

Snorkel equipment was not available for larger people or smaller. My 4 year old could not wear the equipment and neither could my husband. Snorkel area was crowded, small and did not really allow for very good reef viewing. Semi submersible windows were very dirty and difficult to see through.

You gotta do it!

They pretty much deliver what they promise in the glossy brochure. Even though we copped a cold wet, rainy day, we still had a blast!

Fab day on the Reef

Overall a fantastic day. Well organised tour. Very good staff. Clean amenities. No hassles with check in. Lucky it was a bright sunny day

An exhilarating experience

It was an exhilarating day, starting with scuba diving, underwater submarine and glass bottom boat. A special mention for the tourist guide Viktor of the glass bottom boat,who explained everything well and ensured safety of all those onboard.

Great Barrier Reef

The reason I am rating this low is not because of the company but mainly my experience at the reef. For starters, the food was not good and only a two hour window to eat. Drinks were not included. People told us the Great Barrier Reef was a must see and how colorful it is but to my surprise it wasn’t colorful and wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. I saw plenty of fishes and coral but that was it.

Magnificent

This was something we have never done before but wow we were blown away, what a wonderful experience we will definitely be doing this again. Glass Bottom Boat was fantastic and the submarine was amazing. All the staff were amazing we had a great time overall

Would recommend

Well organised trip crew excellent . Great safety briefing. Snorkelling equipment well maintained. Lunch excellent

My family and I had an...

My family and I had an amazing experience with Sunlover. The staff were very friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. The whole day was extremely well organized. Snorkelling was the best I’ve ever experienced. Would highly recommend and go again.

Must do in Cairns!

One of the best trips ever. Extremely safe and the entire staff were super meticulous. A must do in Cairns

Regret we didn’t go with a smaller group.

The Freat Barrier Reef was amazing but the boat was so crammed full of people so that by the time we got our equipment, there wasn’t that much time in the water. Also, we signed up for a guided snorkel tour and got much better snorkel gear to use. For the amount the overall experience cost, better equipment should have been provided for all.

Spectacular day out at the reef

Brilliant day out at Moore reef. Great setup with the pontoon, Sunlover staff were great and all snorkel gear needed is provided. Lunch was a decent spread and the extra activities with glass bottom boat and semi submersible give different perspectives. Would go another time to try diving.

Fun in the sun!!

Brilliant day with friendly crew and lots to do! The boat was busy but we managed to get seats outside in the shade as it was very hot - I recommend boarding early to secure these. The boat trip was good with plenty of refreshments available at the bar. The platoon hosted a lovely buffet lunch which also catered well for vegans. Snorkelling was fun and we enjoyed the glass bottom boat for seeing the coral. Kids loved the slide while we enjoyed sunbathing on the top deck! Good value for money and a great day all in.

not the best snorkel experience

We did this tour in Dec 2023. Mainly for the purpose of snorkeling. Did not see any fish. In 2020, we did another snorkeling tour which was amazing, and we thought we are going to have same experience with another provider which unfortunately was not the case. Considering this one may say it was overpriced.

What happened this year ?

Guys done this exact trip last year was absolutely awesome, so much so we recommended to other people arranged to come back and wow, wasn’t half the trip it was last year. Boat over loaded, food was very poor compared to last year, if you blinked you missed the buffet, pontoon was over crowded, no guided snorkeling, no helicopter tours were over the reef …..getting photos was an absolute disaster due to the over crowding, then when we did get pics they weren’t the correct ones !! Could have cryed at the difference since last year, brought family and friends this year on my recommendation, didn’t even stand up to half the trip we had last year,

A great way to experience the reef

I enjoyed the variety of experiences available included in the price. We snorkeled. We went on the semi-submersible and the glass bottom boat. The last two allowed us get pictures so we didn’t have to struggle with a camera while snorkeling.

Great and easy

The seawalking was easily the best part. Highly recommend it, and it's very easy. Do remember your own towel, do know the lunch is meh, and do know that if you sit on the one open outside deck it will fill with exhaust olif you don't sit on the sides.

Poor - avoid - go with another company

Do not take this horrendous tour company. Cost more than $800 for two days trip to Fitzroy and Moore Reef. At Moore reef They told us the semi submarine and glass bottom boat would set out at different times. We missed the semi submarine because we took their crap advice and THEY CHANGED THE TIMINGS AND DID NOT GET THE GLASS BOTTOM BOAT BACK IN TIME. CHEATERS AND POOR COMMS. that was what we really wanted to do this trip. Poor, rip off. Many better reviewed companies out there - stay away from this one.

An Exhilarating Journey to Moore Reef with Sunlover

Embarking on the Sunlover cruise to Moore Reef in the Great Barrier Reef was an adventure of a lifetime! The highlight of this incredible journey was undoubtedly the impeccable service and guidance provided by Victor and Dylan. Their expertise and enthusiasm transformed our experience into something truly magical. Victor, with his extensive knowledge of the reef, shared fascinating insights that deepened our appreciation of this natural wonder (Happy Birthday)! Dylan, on the other hand, was the epitome of professionalism and friendliness, ensuring everyone's comfort and safety throughout the trip. The boat itself was comfortable and well-equipped, making the journey to Moore Reef a pleasure. Once there, we were mesmerized by the stunning underwater world. The clarity of the water and the abundance of marine life were beyond our expectations. The whole experience was not just a sightseeing tour but an educational journey that left us with a profound respect for marine ecosystems. Sunlover's commitment to sustainability and conservation was evident, adding an enriching layer to our adventure. I can't recommend this tour enough. Whether you're a marine enthusiast or simply seeking a unique experience, this trip with Sunlover to Moore Reef, especially with the guidance of Victor and Dylan, is an absolute must-do. It's an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime.

An excellent way to see the Barrier Reef

As we aren't keen on swimming but wanted to enjoy the barrier Reef, this was the perfect experience for us. A smooth ride there and back, then plenty to do whilst at the Reef. An enjoyable day out, with professional and friendly staff. Well organised.

Very disappointed

I'm extremely disappointed with this cruise and your service. We booked cruise to great barrier reef but we had to get off at Fitzroy island because my grandson and my wife were incredibly sick. The crew left us without snorkeling equipment, without lunch and they didn't even tell us what we could do on this island. It was absolutely ridiculous that we had to paid extra $200 for lunch and had to organized snorkeling equipment ourselves. They should have this equipment on-board in case of a situation like mine. The crew didn’t help in anything and refused to refund request. Whatever you do, don't book with this company. This was very expensive tour, and we feel robbed.

Well Run Cruise with Great Buffet Lunch!

It was a well run cruise with a very nice buffet. I did not snorkel but I did the semi-submersible and the glass bottom boat. I had about an hour to relax before we went back. All in all, it was totally worth the money.

Great day on the reef

Such a beautiful day on the reef! My friends and I could not have enjoyed it more. The pontoon is in an amazing location with really interesting underwater scenery. Heaps of fish, including some big ones I had never seen before. I felt really safe being inside the netted zone. That was probably the winning factor, knowing I wasn’t swimming too far out, while also being left to my own devises. The buffet lunch was fantastic and the sun chairs on the top level of the pontoon were perfect for tanning. Thanks so much Sunlover Reef Cruses! Can’t wait to see you again soon!

Fitzroy island day trip

had a great time on the cruise to Fitzroy island all the crew were wonderful and helpful checking to make sure we were all comfortable on our way and if anyone needed a sick bag also shout-out to Geoff & Hannah on the glass bottom boat at fitzroy island we had a ball with them very funny and cheerful

Must do the reef

Amazing wonderful and memorable experience. Highly recommend. A must do bucket list! Wonderful staff too.

A day out on the Reef

The trip was amazing, the reef was spectacular, staff very helpful and both the boat and pontoon were good, Got to see lots of sea life, colourful corals