Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas

Recommended by 97% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Port Douglas, Australia

Trending

Booked 5+ times in 12 hours.

8 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9

· Maureen_G ·

Mar 2026

Loved the snorkeling. Going to theee sites was fantastic and we only had around 60 people on board! Lunch was great and really enjoyed the talk by the marine biologist! Overall 10 out of 10!!

· RobynC_L ·

Feb 2026

Wonderful experience!! The staff was super nice, friendly, and helpful. Three different dive/snorkel spots; lunch; drinks. Professional photographer to take pics above & below the water. Would recommend this experience to everyone!!

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Overview

Visit the outer Great Barrier Reef in luxury and style on a full-day cruise aboard a custom-designed vessel. Travel from Port Douglas to Agincourt or Opal Reef for snorkeling opportunities at three superb sites, and the option to do an introductory scuba dive—no experience required. Certified diving is available for advanced divers. Includes lunch, morning and afternoon tea, use of snorkel equipment, and guide.

Full-day Outer Great Barrier Reef snorkel or diving tour, from Port Douglas
Visit three excellent snorkel or dive sites
Choose a Great Barrier Reef tour with options for all levels of experience
Includes lunch, snacks, use of snorkel gear, guide, cruise

What's Included

Lunch

Buffet lunch
Afternoon Tea & Coffee/Tea
Professional Local guide
Guided snorkel tour (Use of Snorkelling equipment) and Interpretive reef talk

Soft drinks / chocolate bars
Transfers from Port Douglas accommodation
Transfers from Northern Beaches of Cairns

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

44 Wharf St, Port Douglas QLD 4877, Australia
Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina, 44 Wharf Street, Port Douglas QLD 4877 **Transfers from Port Douglas and Palm Cove are available at an additional cost payable directly to the operator. Please contact Calypso Reef Cruises for more information**

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.8:20 am

What To Expect

When your boat departs, your guide provides a safety briefing and introduction to the day's activities, and scuba divers are briefed about the dive sites.

Custom built snorkel-only vessels allow access to renowned sites throughout the Barrier Reef. If you want to go diving, introductory divers are placed in small groups with a PADI Dive Instructor. Certified divers dive in small groups accompanied by PADI Dive Masters. Scuba diving is for an additional charge.

Arrive at your first dive site at either Opal or Agincourt Reef. Have time to snorkel and enjoy morning tea before moving on to the second site before noon. Guided snorkel tours are optional at the second site. Have lunch on board the boat, then listen to an interpretive talk about the Great Barrier Reef.

Move to the third site of the day and take the optional guided snorkel tour, then nibble your afternoon tea afterwards. Finally, depart for the mainland.

Calypso Reef Cruises

Agincourt Reef

Opal Reef

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Environmental Management Charge of $7.00 per person is included in the fare from 1st July 2023
Diving within 48 hours of flying is not recommended. All participants will be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to diving. Some pre-existing medical conditions (eg asthma, heart conditions, etc) may prevent you from diving, please consult your doctor
Additional dives may be booked and paid for on board (subject to availability). Maximum of three dives in a day.
Children under the age of 12 years are not permitted to dive.
Near public transportation

Evidence of dive certification is required from all divers wishing to participate in a certified dive
Infants must sit on laps
Children must be accompanied by an adult
If its raining on your day of travel, the tour will still go ahead. If Calypso cancels due to poor weather, mainly high winds, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
Cancellation fees may apply if less than 24 hours notice is given prior to departure
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 85 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Patrick_M

This was truly a bucket-list experience and one of the highlights of our trip. Snorkeling the outer Great Barrier Reef was absolutely breathtaking—the coral was vibrant, the marine life was incredible, and every stop offered something new to take in. The crew on the Calypso was outstanding. They were highly professional, organized, and clearly prioritized safety at every step, which made it easy to relax and fully enjoy the experience. Whether you’re an experienced snorkeler or trying it for the first time, you feel well taken care of. The day was very well run from start to finish. The snorkeling sites were excellent, the equipment was top-notch, and the included lunch, along with morning and afternoon tea, was a great touch and much appreciated after time in the water. One important note for future travelers: the ride out to the reef (about 1.5 hours) can be quite rough depending on conditions. Our day was very wavy, and several people experienced significant seasickness that lasted most of the day. I strongly recommend taking motion sickness medication well before departure—it will make a big difference in your overall experience. Overall, this tour delivers exactly what it promises—an incredible day on the reef with a top-tier crew. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Port Douglas.

Reviews

4.9

based on 1,400 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Amazing outer barrier reef trip

tamzenbury, Mar 2026

We loved this trip. We went to 3 different locations at Opal reef, where we had up to an hour’s snorkelling at each location. Saw some lovely fish and coral, and I particularly enjoyed the guided (middle) snorkel, where the guide pointed some fish & coral out, and gave some facts. After each snorkel stop there was a rest with light snack/drink (morning & afternoon), and at lunchtime drinks, fruit and a roll with choice of meats/veggie fillings. Due to my high blood pressure I was concerned I may not be able to snorkel for long if too much effort was involved, but they instructed me to use a life jacket for my snorkels, which worked perfectly. They also recommended all snorkellers used pool noodles as 3 lots of hour long snorkels would be pretty tiring otherwise. Most people used the noodles. On the way back, they stopped by the low isles for photo opportunities and some info, and we were lucky enough to see a small species of shark (black tipped maybe?). There’s also a photographer onboard so you can buy a photo of you snorkelling. We had an amazing day, the boat had plenty of seating inside and out, and the team were great I would definitely recommend this Calypso outer barrier reef trip.

Bucket List Trip

Patrick_M, Mar 2026

Loved the snorkeling. ...

Maureen_G, Mar 2026

Loved the snorkeling. Going to theee sites was fantastic and we only had around 60 people on board! Lunch was great and really enjoyed the talk by the marine biologist! Overall 10 out of 10!!

Fantastic day on the water!

RobynC_L, Feb 2026

Bucket list, check ✅

Michele_s, Feb 2026

This experience was amazing! The staff was excellent, we enjoyed this so much and learned a lot about the Great Barrier

Don't miss the Great Barrier Reef

Christopher_P, Feb 2026

No matter what your level of experience with snorkeling or diving, Calypso will make sure you get to see the beautiful Barrier Reef. The staff is ready to help in any way they can, even a really terrible swimmer like me got to experience the snorkeling experience and have a wonderful time. To me, the Great Barrier Reef is definitely a world wonder. Also the tour was just the right length, we got back in plenty of time to have a full evening of fun back in Port Douglas. My only minor complaint is that the food they served for lunch made me nauseous. Maybe, that's not the point of the cruise, but better food would make for a better day.

Calypso Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling

Chuck_M, Jan 2026

Wonderful experience. Crew was very attentive. Very comfortable ship. Lunch and Tea were great. Thank you Timmy and Crew. Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef was an experience of a lifetime.

Great Barrier Reef Tour

Angie_C, Dec 2025

We found the entire experience amazing! The crew and the snorkeling were absolute top notch. Would recommend to anyone.

Great day snorkelling around the reef

Patrick_P, Nov 2025

Great trip, well organised. Quite a lot of people on the boat so the guided snorkel tour was a bit cramped. It’s a long way out to the reef.

Great, but could improve…

Marius_L, Nov 2025

Insistence on barefoot onboard is outdated. Especially when you have so many area being exposed to direct sun.

Amazing tour. we have...

kelly_w, Nov 2025

Amazing tour. we have snorkled all over the world but this has to ne one of the best snorkling experiences EVER. saw so many fish, coral and even a shark. the staff were great and very experienced. lunch was great 100% would do again

10/10 Tour

Eve_O, Nov 2025

Loved this tour! The crew were all amazing! Really helpful and nothing was too much to ask! The food was great too and plenty of it

Absolute class day on the...

Steve_J, Oct 2025

Absolute class day on the reef, so glad we chose to go with Calypso. Professional yet easy going, we could not fault a thing

Crew, boat, and...

John_M, Sep 2025

Crew, boat, and snorkeling was great. The bathrooms were clean and well maintained. The food quality was less than expected. The meal is portions of cold meats and potato salad. We had much better food in Hervey Bay Whale Watching.

Great Snorkeling Tour

Khristine_C, Sep 2025

The crew were knowledgeable, helpful and welcoming. The boat was very clean and functionable. The large size boat handled the rough water well. I appreciated that the crew was honest with guests and recommended anti-nausea medication for the trip. We were very happy with the reefs selected and how the rough weather day was handled.

great trip, very...

StephanieAnn_W, Sep 2025

great trip, very enjoyable. the crew are very friendly and helpful. boat is in good order. They could do with a little more food as it ran out.

The team were awesome and...

Miranda_M, Aug 2025

The team were awesome and made sure we had all the gear and some idea of what we were doing. We got to see so much wildlife at all three spots which were all completely different from each other. A great day out, would 100% recommend

Incredible sights, on a very comfortable boat with helpful and friendly guides

David_M, Aug 2025

I acknowledge that this tour is expensive, but it was completely worth the investment. This was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, and none of our family of four will ever forget it. The boat was a very comfortable spot to spend the day (when we weren’t in the water) and the food was tasty (albeit not fancy — but we didn’t sign up for the food!) The places they took us to snorkel were absolutely amazing. We went to three different spots, and each on was more amazing that the last. At two different locations, the guides gave us tours of the reef, to point out interesting featured (like a GIANT giant clam). They also had free wet suits available for everyone, which we happily used to keep warm during the slightly cooler winter season. We spent over three hours in the water, which was more than enough. (In fact, I came back a bit early on the final dive as I was getting a bit tired and chilly — but others stayed out the whole time, including the rest of my family). We saw whales and a sea turtle from the boat too, which really added to the experience. The only aspect of the tour that wasn’t quite as polished as the rest was the talk that one of our guides gave between dive sights. Her facts seemed a bit muddled, and she contradicted herself with dates and ages. That was more amusing than anything else to us, as we were there for the sights — which we got in spades. But if you are seeking an educational tour, this one may not be for you.

Reef snorkelling

Karen_M, Aug 2025

Excellent day snorkelling over the Great Barrier reef. Calypso boat, and crew were very knowledgeable and happy to help everyone.

Exemplary

Kate_E, Aug 2025

Everything about this activity was excellent. The care and attention from the staff was exemplary. I couldn’t fault them on anything. We had a wonderful time and would recommend it to everyone.

Fabulous trip!

Suzanne_M, Aug 2025

It is amazing… do it! Really helpful, friendly staff and an unforgettable experience. Highly recommended.

Most Amazing Unforgettable Experience!

Danielle_N, Aug 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 11/10 Experience – Thank You, Calypso Reef Cruises! From the moment we stepped on board, the team at Calypso Reef Cruises were nothing short of amazing. So friendly, welcoming, and genuinely helpful — you can really tell they love what they do. We asked last minute if we could try scuba diving for the first time, and they went out of their way to make it happen. What we thought would be one dive turned into two incredible dives thanks to the confidence and support we were given. A massive shoutout and thank you to Delphine, our scuba instructor — she was absolutely amazing. So calm, kind, and patient. I was really close to backing out of the dive, but Delphine saw how much I wanted to do it and made me feel completely comfortable and safe. I’ll never forget that. This was one of the most unforgettable experiences of our lives — thank you again to everyone at Calypso, and especially to Delphine. Highly, highly recommend!

A must do

Linda_L, Aug 2025

A great experience. The coral and fish were amazing. The crew were super helpful and we felt safe at all times. The food was good also. It was a bumpy wet ride but all good fun

Amazing! The staff was...

Eliana_K, Aug 2025

Amazing! The staff was super friendly and helpful. The three diving sites were great and we got to see a lot of cool corals and fish.

Unreal day, people and experience. 5*

Justin_F, Aug 2025

An amazing day! From start to end it was so professional, but also really friendly and informative. We were doing our explore first scuba dive and was really put at rest by the instructors, and Astrid who took us down was just amazing, and really settled u'd, got us comfortable with all the practical things you need and found us a shark, Nemo, Dory and the rest of the gang you all want to see. The snorkeling was just as good, on the first one Astrid had to kindly tap me on the shoulder and ask me to come back because I was enjoying it so much, and the whole things was amazing. Shout out to the official photoapher who took some amazing shots of me and the boyfriend, and also they person who did our lunchtime talk (it could had been Freya, but not sure) as it really gave insight and some facts that blew our mind. I've anorklex elsewhere in Euraaia but this was literally wow! The icing on the cake was sering a blue fin great trevally which was literally wow!, and to cap it all we saw lots of whales, some close up as the captain made sure we were close but respectful when w we spotted some. Ecological best practice was first and foremoar it seemed which was great. Finally food was yummy and having a (inexpensive and reasonable) bar for the return journey was a nice touch. Great value, lovely people, modern clean boat, and such skill and care meant this is absolutely 5* and rated!