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Island Paradise Unveiled: The Best Of Whitsundays

If you visit a new beach in Australia everyday for the rest of your life, it would take more than 32 years to see them all. The 74 stunning islands of the Whitsundays are like emeralds scattered on a sapphire-blue ocean.

Posted on Aug 04, 2023

32 The Promenade, King Street Wharf, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Cruise Whitsundays - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Whitehaven Beach & Hill Inlet
• Great Barrier Reef Adventures
• Camira Sailing Adventures
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Highlights & Inclusions

What to bring, before you go.

• Optional extras

• Arrive at your unique accommodation via a scenic cruise through the Whitsundays
• Overnight accommodation in our super comfortable Reefbeds
• All meals including breakfast, morning and afternoon teas, lunch and dinner
• All beverages including beer and wine (cocktails and spirits at an additional cost)
• Spectacular dining experience under the stars
• Activities at the reef including snorkelling with all gear provided
• Semi-Sub guided tour
• Access to the underwater observatory
• Optional activities (own expense): scuba diving and private guided snorkelling tour

• Small overnight bag
• Change of clothes
• Swimwear and Beach Towel
• Protective clothing, hat and sunscreen
• Light jacket or sweater for cool or windy days
• Cash/credit card optional activities (guided snorkelling safari and scuba diving)

Before you pack your bags for your Reefsleep experience, we need to get some additional details from you. Please complete the medical declaration and meal selection forms below, your details will be automatically sent to our Reservations team when you click ‘submit’.

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Cruise Whitsundays

Things to do airlie beach , whitsunday , queensland.

Cruise Whitsundays is the region’s largest and most experienced marine operator, offering a range of day cruises and island resort connections.

Cruises visit the Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven Beach and islands, the multi-award winning Reefsleep overnight experience and Australia’s first underwater accommodation, Reefsuites is one of Australia’s most unique accommodation options.

Resort Connections provide services between island resorts and the Whitsunday Coast, and connect the region’s airports arrivals and departures.

From $40 to $61.9

Cruise Whitsundays operates a resort connections service in the Whitsundays. This service connects Great Barrier Reef Airport at Hamilton Island to Daydream Island and Airlie Beach.

It also connects Whitsunday Coast Airport at Proserpine through to Daydream Island and Hamilton Island, and connections between the islands and the mainland.

The service provides a seamless, hassle free and fast transfer for arriving and departing guests with modern, purpose built vessels.

The ferries are comfortable vessels with air-conditioning, plasma screens providing information on resorts and the Whitsundays, a full range of drinks and snacks.

Disabled Access

The jewel of the Whitsunday Islands, seven kilometre-long Whitehaven Beach is a divine natural environment and an essential Queensland destination.

Board your vessel for the scenic cruise through these picture-perfect isles and spend two hours on the dazzling Whitehaven sand, swimming or just relaxing on the shore.

Whitehaven Beach truly is Mother Nature at her best – it’s the most photographed beach in Australia and is regularly named ‘Queensland’s Most Beautiful Beach’.

Morning and afternoon tea is included in your tour. Sandwiches, snacks and a range of beer, wine and soft drink is available for purchase onboard.

From $650 to $900

Their permanently moored pontoon is located on Hardy Reef, 40 nautical miles from shore on the Great Barrier Reef – one of the most spectacular stretches of the reef. This is the destination for day visitors, but for a lucky Few, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime, breathtaking and memorable overnight experience.

Reefsleep guests travel to hardy reef on board their high-speed modern, well-appointed vessel, arriving around 11am with the day guests. By day, all the amazing activities offered on the Great Barrier Reef Adventure are there to be enjoyed – diving, snorkelling, swimming with thousands of fish and scenic helicopter Flights. By mid-afternoon, the day guests will depart and you get Hardy Reef and the Reefworld pontoon all to yourself and your fellow Reefsleep and Reefsuite Guests.

Watch the sun set over the reef then see the reef really come to life in the darkness of the night.

Gaze up at a million stars from your custom built queen size Reefbed before the tranquillity of being in the middle of the ocean lulls you to sleep. In the morning, guests enjoy more private time with the reef before the day guests join.

The Great Barrier Reef is truly one of the great wonders of the natural world and a “must-see” for any visitor to the region. Formed millions of years ago, this colourful living reef continues to grow and flourish just off the coast from the Whitsundays. Hundreds of different types of fish and hard and soft coral thrive in the sheltered lagoon.

Discover the underwater wonderland at one of the regions most acclaimed outer Great Barrier Reef sites. The pontoon features an underwater viewing chamber, semi-submarine and a spacious sun deck to lounge on. The colourful corals and abundance of marine life will blow you away as you enjoy sheltered snorkelling and diving all year round.

Diving on the outer Great Barrier Reef is an experience not to be missed! Whether you are a first timer or an experienced diver, their fully certified, experienced instructors will ensure you have an unforgettable dive experience.

Morning tea, afternoon tea and a delicious lunch are included.

From $121 to $136

If you enjoy having the freedom to explore at your own pace, Hamilton Island Freestyle is the perfect choice. It allows you to go where you want to go, when you want to go.

Hamilton Island Freestyle includes a return ferry to Hamilton Island, a delicious lunch and use of the island shuttle buses. Head off for your day exploring, armed with a Hamilton Island Pocket Guide and map or the Hamilton Island iPhone App.

Hamilton Island has a multitude of activities on offer. Stroll the Marina Village main street, visit the boutiques and galleries or get active and enjoy bowling, target shooting, mini-golf or a go-kart challenge! Visit Wildlife Hamilton Island (additional cost) and get up close and cuddly with a Koala, lounge beside the pools or relax on Catseye Beach – the choice is yours.

Note: all optional activities at own cost.

Lunch at Marina Tavern or Popeyes Fish & Chips Included

Experience the wonders of the Whitsundays on this full day cruise on board Camira – the big purple catamaran! Sail through the azure blue waters of the Whitsunday Islands, walk to Hill Inlet, snorkel the inner reef and enjoy a sumptuous barbecue lunch.

See Hill Inlet from the lookout, one of the most photographed locations in Australia. Learn about the history, flora and stories from the informative displays along the way that provide an insight into this picture perfect area.

Snorkelling, Hill Inlet, beautiful beaches, a delicious barbecue lunch and the thrill of sailing – put it all together and you have an awesome day out.

Cruise Whitsundays’ well informed, experienced and knowledgeable crew will give you the best sailing experience possible and ensure you have a memorable day.

This is a fully inclusive day cruise – all activities, morning and afternoon tea, a delicious barbecue lunch and drinks are included whilst on board.

From $189 to $191

Visit Hamilton Island in the morning and Whitehaven Beach in the afternoon, or vice-versa – the choice is yours.

At Hamilton Island, jump on a shuttle bus and tour around the island. The driver will tell you tall tales and true of the things you see stopping off at some spectacular scenic lookout points. The shuttles circuit the island all day so hop on and off as you please.

Go walking, bowling, hire a golf buggy or visit the boutiques and galleries. There is a generous choice of swimming pools, including the Main Pool with its swim-up bar or hit the long sandy curve of Catseye Beach for seaside fun. Be sure to visit the Hamilton Island Wildlife Park too!

Enjoy a pub lunch at Marina Tavern or Popeyes Fish & Chips.

Whitehaven Beach, which is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, stretches for a spectacular seven kilometers. The sand is almost 100 per cent silica, which gives it a vivid white colour. Have a swim in azure waters or entertain yourself with beach games in the sand.

Spend the whole day experiencing all the wonders of the magnificent Whitehaven Beach area. Indulge in the ultimate experience of Whitehaven Beach; from the northern end exploring the spectacular Hill Inlet, to the southern – swimming, hiking, sunbathing, soaking up the sun. No other day cruise offered allows you so much time to explore the wonders of Whitehaven beach.

From $1050 to $1850

Slip between the sheets below the waterline – it’s an intimate and totally unique encounter with this amazing underwater world. Moored offshore at the spectacular Hardy Reef, 40 Nautical miles from Airlie Beach, Reefworld is a sophisticated setting for the overnight Reefsuite experience.

Reefsuites are a premium accommodation offering but the real attraction here is the spellbinding tropical marine life beyond the suites’ full-height glass walls and floor panels.

Reefsuite guests travel to Hardy Reef onboard our High-speed, modern, well-appointed vessels, arriving Around 11am with the day guests. After lunch, guests can snorkel, dive, swim or take a scenic helicopter flight to see famous Heart Reef. Day visitors depart mid-afternoon, after which overnight guests have Hardy Reef and Reefworld all to themselves. Watching the sunset over the reef with a drink in hand is a memorable experience, followed by a starlit long table dinner on the pontoon’s upper deck. Food is served Family style, but you can still sit at a table for two if you choose to. After dinner, Reefsuite guests can retreat to the hushed privacy of their undersea accommodation. Reefsuites give a whole new meaning to ‘a room with a view’

Nearby Things to Do

Lady Enid Sailing

Airlie Beach, Whitsunday

Sundowner Cruises

Airlie Beach Dive and Swim Centre – Dive Courses

Salty Dog Sea Kayaking

Shute Harbour, Whitsunday

Whitsundays Sailing Adventures

Skydive Airlie Beach

Flametree, Whitsunday

Also In This Location

• Accommodation

Cruise Whitsundays

Review Highlights

“ We took a cruise and stayed the night out on the Great Barrier Reef back in mid/late November. ” in 7 reviews

“ We did the full day at Whitehaven and Hill Inlet and it was an incredible day. ” in 2 reviews

“ It's a 3 hour boat ride out there. ” in 3 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

24 The Cove Rd

Airlie Beach Queensland 4802

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

We did the half-day Whitehaven morning trip with Cruise Whitsundays. Everything went super smooth and it was a great trip. We left from Hamilton Island - make sure to check-in when you arrive. Since we were a half-day trip the full-day people got on the boat first, but there were still plenty of seats for us. We were given morning tea (coffee, tea, biscuits, muffins and fruit) and also stinger suits since it is jellyfish season. On the beach there are beach toys (sandcastle stuff, cricket, volleyball, etc), as well as drinking water. There is also a photographer that will go around and take great photos of you and your party. We took full advantage of the photographer and she was really patient and happy to get a great photo of the full family/individual/kids/etc. All the photos cost $80 digitally or cheaper if you only select some. Getting on the boat and traveling back was just as easy. The half-day trip was great for the kids, a couple hours on the beach was enough to exhaust them (and us). If you want to do any exploring you would need to do a full-day, but it's enough for seeing and having fun at the beach. I would do it again!

Check In on Hamilton Island

We did half day afternoon tour.. boat was nice and clean and well maintained.. service was very unfriendly .. hardly any "guidance" .. basically a ferry service from Airlie to Hamilton through daydream Islands. Then change boat to whitehaven Beach.. served very substandard sausage sizzle .. no drinks at all (not even water) and had to buy beer .. no activities on the beach .. just spend 2 hours doing nothing .. on return free beer but they took down the credit card numbers .. dont know why .. was punctual .. was an ok experience but once is enough

One of the boats

Airlie Port terminal

We took a cruise and stayed the night out on the Great Barrier Reef back in mid/late November. Andy and his crew were amazing. Andy, made everyone feel at home and over 24 hours become one of the best parts of our Australian Trip. The service was great and food was amazing with fresh seafood and coffee in the AM. Waking up for a 5:30am sunrise on the barrier reef was something I'll never forget. Kids had a great time snorkeling and learning about the reef while my wife and I could enjoy time together and relax. Thank you Andy and crew.

How incredible it has been to have had the experience of going on a tour with this company. I went on the lilac catamaran called the Camira. We headed out around 8 am and set sail. There was tea, coffee and snacks upon departure and they also provided so fruit shortly after. We headed to whitsunday Island first, which was beautiful. Then we went snorkeling at a different island. There was also a delicious lunch provided with several meats and salads to choose from. Too bad the weather was not very good, but the staff kept our spirits up and we had a grand time!

See all photos from Aftin J. for Cruise Whitsundays

We did the great barrier reef day trip from Airlie Beach. It's a 3 hour boat ride out there. The vessel has 3 levels, with both indoor & ourdoor seating. The last hour of the ride is in open water & gets choppy. They advise to take dramamine beforehand. We took some before the ride out & again before the ride back & we were fine. Most of the day there is a coffee/water/tea station open, with cookies. Then mid morning the crew puts out fruit. A cold lunch buffet was kept out over a 3 hour time period while at the reef. Then in the afternoon another snack is put out. There is also a cash bar with soda, alcohol, & additional snacks. They had plenty of gluten free & vegetarian options. You get 4 hours at the reef. The ship docks with a pontoon that is always out there next to the reef. You can go freely between both. They provide stinger suits (for iellyfish) & all snorkelimg equipment. The pontoon also has an underwater viewing area. We chose to do a 10 minute helicopter tour over the area- it cost $102 US per person. It was awesome. We had a great time & it was a good 10 hour day! We paid about $180 US per person

They shot me in the chest with a hose and then told me I should have been holding my flip flops differently

I can't say enough about Cruise Whitsundays. Friendly, knowledgeable, and experienced crew take you on amazing excursions throughout the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef! Their charter boats vary in size, and offer indoor or outdoor seating, plus drinks, snacks, and amazing views of the Whitsunday Islands. Excursions last anywhere from 1/2 day to overnight (Reef Sleep!) depending on what you want to see / experience while you're there. We went to Whitehaven Beach (WOW) and the Hill Inlet one day, which included snorkeling, beach activities, lunch, drinks (tea, sodas, alcoholic bevy's, etc.), and hiking! We also went to the Great Barrier Reef (double WOW!!). It took about an hour and a half to two hour boat ride to the reef. Part of this was over open water and got pretty choppy in the afternoon on the way back! Once there, we were able to snorkel for several hours, had a delicious buffet lunch, and did a glass bottom boat tour of the edge of the Reef. Don't miss these amazing excursions while you're staying in the Whitsundays! I will definitely be back! :)

See all photos from Casey K. for Cruise Whitsundays

We did two Whitsundays cruises. Both were amazing! They thought of everything to make the day as memorable and safe as possible. We did the full day at Whitehaven and Hill Inlet and it was an incredible day. First they took us to Hill Inlet where we went on a bush hike and swim. Our guide, Jacob, was so knowledgable and lovely. Then they took us to Whitehaven beach for a barbecue lunch. Then we went snorkeling and paddle boating and swimming. We also did the day at the Great Barrier Reef. This was an absolutely incredible day. We scuba dived for the first time. They took a lot of care to ensure we felt safe and saw amazing marine life. Then we went snorkeling around the corral reef. They also have an underwater observatory and a glass bottom submarine to observe the marine life. It's an experience I will never forget!

Must admit, I wish we'd done further research about which tour operator to use to snorkel The Great Barrier Reef. Although the tour staff was friendly, knowledgeable, all equipment was spotlessly clean, the food was First Class, etc etc, we were disenchanted that we took a two hour boat ride from Hamilton Island out to Hardy Reef and snorkeled in an area where most of the coral was bleached white, dead and crumbling. We were very disappointed. For all the money we spent, we expected to see live and vibrant coral. One minor detail which almost prevented me from going into the water. The wire steps and platform that we had to walk on to get into the water, was extremely sharp and prickly. So much so that I almost couldn't walk on it. It was EXTREMELY PAINFUL on my feet.

The family and I took Fantasea's Great Barrier Reef day trip from Hamilton Island. It was a perfect intro to both the reef and snorkeling generally for our kids aged 5, 7 and 9. I've been on a number of snorkeling trips over the years, including another one to the Outer Reef from Port Douglas, and would rate this one by far the best for families. In particular, the destination pontoon makes it all work... way more spacious, stable and accessible than trips where you try to snorkel/dive directly from the boat. They also had plenty of life jackets, wetsuits and floatables available, all making it much less intimidating for the kids. Once you're ready to get out of the water, the groper-viewing hole, underwater viewing chamber and semi-submersible (think the submarine ride from Disneyland) offer plenty to see/do the remainder of the day. Even the food wasn't bad. Last but not least, the staff was very easy going and helpful. We'd bought tickets for an earlier day, but when it turned out to be lousy weather that day, they encouraged us to just switch our booking for the next day (and then keep doing that until the weather cleared or until we ran out of days).

Reefworld - from Fantasea website

2 other reviews that are not currently recommended

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The Whitsundays

Untouched but accessible, The Whitsundays are quintessentially Queensland. Perfectly placed for some laid-back beach time, a Great Barrier Reef encounter, a sailing adventure or some luxe resort relaxation, these 74 tropical islands are paradise found.

Spend a magical night in Australia’s first underwater accommodation and have a front row seat to the dazzling underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef. Be prepared for an intimate experience that will stay with you forever.

CAMIRA SAILING ADVENTURE

A sleek catamaran offers an unrivalled way to experience the water wonderland of the Whitsundays. Sit back and enjoy the salt air as your experienced crew takes you from one idyllic location to the next. This all-inclusive adventure will take you to the region’s showstopper locations, including Whitehaven Beach, widely considered the world’s most beautiful beach. You’ll also enjoy a guided, small-group walk to stunning Hill Inlet and snorkelling with the complete kit provided.

Sometimes all you need is a little inspiration