Cairns Premier Great Barrier Reef & Island Tours "Ocean Free" and "Ocean Freedom" TWO SMALL GROUP, GREAT BARRIER REEF AND ISLAND / CAY TOURS

Whether travelling up or down the beautiful eastern coast of Queensland, one of your highlights will be snorkelling and maybe even SCUBA diving the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, truly one of the greatest natural wonders of the world!

The Great Barrier Reef started to form 2 million years ago. It stretches over 2,300km, running from just north of Bundaberg to the top of Cape York Peninsula. It is actually made up of over 2,900 reefs, 300 coral cays and 618 continental islands, now you can see why it got its name. Here you’ll find 1,500 species of fish, 400 species of coral, 4,000 species of molluscs, 6 species of turtles (some on the endangered list) and some of the largest populations of dugong in the world.

There are numerous  reef tours to chose from in Cairns , but where the Cairns Premier Great Barrier Reef and Island Tours’ team stand out is their passion  to not only offer a snorkel and dive reef tour, but a total “feel good” day from the minute you board to the minute you depart – a truly unforgettable experience! Both of their day reef snorkel tours from Cairns , “Ocean Free” and “Ocean Freedom” offer  uniquely different  Great Barrier Reef and Island / Cay experiences so some guests chose to do both! Both these day reef  tours  depart from the Cairns marina.

Sail to Great Barrier Reef & Green Island on OCEAN FREE - only 25 guests!

Ocean Free is a true sailing tour where the engines really do get switched off (wind prevailing). Surveyed to carry 52, but Ocean Free limits its daily passenger numbers to just 25, ensuring a truly personalised and unforgettable Great Barrier Reef experience. This is Cairns’ only small guest number sailing tour to offer a Great Barrier Reef and tropical Green Island destination, in one day. You have over 4.5 hours to experience and explore these two great locations, and the amount of time spent between the reef and island is completely up to you!

Find out what makes Ocean Free Different.

Cruise to 2 Great Barrier Reef Destinations on OCEAN FREEDOM - 6hrs of reef time!

Ocean Freedom is a luxury motor boat, providing personalised tours to 2 unique locations on the Great Barrier Reef. Travelling at 23 knots, Ocean Freedom’s guests arrive at their first Great Barrier Reef destination, ‘Wonder Wall’ on the outer edge of Upolu Reef, in just over 1 hour. During lunch, cruise to the 2nd site at Upolu Cay Reef in just 10 minutes. The order of these 2 sites may change to suit the conditions on the day and ensure maximum enjoyment! With 6 hours to snorkel and dive these 2 very different reef destinations you are immersed in all that is the Great Barrier Reef, and still have time to relax and take in the true beauty of each destination above and below the surface! The tour price includes an informative and engaging  Glass Bottom Boat tour and Adventure Drift snorkel tour with a Master Reef guide or Marine Interpreter and all snorkelling equipment and tuition, wetsuit, seafood lunch, morning and afternoon tea. Small numbers ensure you are a name not a number.

Find out what makes Ocean Freedom Great!

Ocean Free Tour Prices ~ Green Island Sailing and Snorkeling Tour -Current until 30th June 2024

Tour Price Price Levy Total
Adult $259 $20* $279
Children $200 $20* $220
*$20 “Reef Levy” : Comprising of Environment Management Charge $8.00 / Port $1.43/$2.07 RAM/ $8.50 admin per person. Prices are current until 31st March 2026
Intro Dive Prices Price
First Dive $105 (Includes all tuition and equipment)
Second Dive $65 (Includes all tuition and equipment)
All divers whether Certified or Non-Certified (Introductory) will be required to fill out a diving medical form on board on day of travel to ensure there are no contra-indications to diving. If you have any medical issues (past or present) or taking any medication (apart from the contraceptive pill) please let us know on info@oceanfree.com.au so that we can advise what medical clearance from a diving doctor is required. Please enquire if unsure to avoid any disappointment on the day.
Certified Dive Prices Price
First Dive $80 (Includes all top equipment & complimentary dive guide)
Second Dive $55 (Includes all top equipment & complimentary dive guide)
All divers whether Certified or Non-Certified (Introductory) will be required to fill out a diving medical form on board on day of travel to ensure there are no contra-indications to diving. If you have any medical issues (past or present) or taking any medication (apart from the contraceptive pill) please let us know on info@oceanfree.com.au so that we can advise what medical clearance from a diving doctor is required. Please enquire if unsure to avoid any disappointment on the day.
Optional Island Activities Price
Glass Bottom Boat Adult $33
Glass Bottom Boat Child $23
Semi-Sub Adult $45
Semi-Sub Child $25
Please inform the skipper on boarding if you may be interested in these options / Pay direct to island
Transfers Price
Return Inner city Cairns $24
Return Northern Beaches as far as Palm Cove $35
Transfers must be pre-booked with minimum 24hrs notice, transfer cost is per person.
Notice
Dear all, we are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to have you visit our beautiful Cairns & Great Barrier Reef region! Once you visit the Great Barrier Reef - it casts a spell on you and the more you visit and learn about this amazing World Heritage Icon the more you want to return....and we also love to have you back! Both Ocean Free & Ocean Freedom follow all legislative and WPH&S requirements for recreational snorkelling and diving, are ATEC accredited for travel safety, and follow all Industry State and Federal requirements of the present time. If you have any queries please let us know on info@oceanfree.com.au or phone +61 7 40521111 – we are here to help! We would sincerely love the opportunity to give you all a great day on the Great Barrier Reef. Much love Taryn, Perry, Jazz and the Ocean Free & Ocean Freedom family.
Cancellation Policy
The company reserves the right to cancel the trip due to poor weather conditions or mechanical problems or, on rare occasions, to use another vessel or select the sites used. On very rare occasions, there may be a cancellation to a scheduled day due to low numbers. We will reschedule or endeavour to pick the other best reef options for that day to suit your preferences. If tour has been cancelled by the company a full refund given. No refund if tour cancelled or amended by customer within 24 hrs.

Ocean Freedom Tour Prices ~ Cruise to Outer Edge of Upolu Reef and Upolu Cay Reef - Prices on table current to 31st March 2026

Tour Price Price Levy Total
Adult (15 Years +) $259 $20* $279
Children (4 -14 Years) $180 $20* $200
Family (2 Adults + 2 Children) $790 $80* $870
*$20 “Reef Levy” : Comprising of Environment Management Charge $7.00 / Port $2.83 / $10.17 admin per person.
Intro Dive Prices ** Price
First Dive $105 (Includes all tuition and equipment)
Second Dive $65 (Includes all tuition and equipment)
All divers whether Certified or Non-Certified (Introductory) will be required to fill out a diving medical form on board on day of travel to ensure there are no contra-indications to diving. If you have any medical issues (past or present) or taking any medication (apart from the contraceptive pill) please let us know on info@oceanfree.com.au so that we can advise what medical clearance from a diving doctor is required. Please enquire if unsure to avoid any disappointment on the day.
Certified Dive Prices Price
First Dive $80 (Includes all top equipment & complimentary dive guide)
Second Dive $55 (Includes all top equipment & complimentary dive guide)
All divers whether Certified or Non-Certified (Introductory) will be required to fill out a diving medical form on board on day of travel to ensure there are no contra-indications to diving. If you have any medical issues (past or present) or taking any medication (apart from the contraceptive pill) please let us know on info@oceanfree.com.au so that we can advise what medical clearance from a diving doctor is required. Please enquire if unsure to avoid any disappointment on the day.
Transfers Price
Return Inner city Cairns $24
Return Northern Beaches as far as Palm Cove $35
Transfers must be pre-booked with minimum 24hrs notice, transfer cost is per person.
Notice
Dear all, we are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to have you visit our beautiful Cairns & Great Barrier Reef region! Once you visit the Great Barrier Reef - it casts a spell on you and the more you visit and learn about this amazing World Heritage Icon the more you want to return....and we also love to have you back! Both Ocean Free & Ocean Freedom follow all legislative and WPH&S requirements for recreational snorkelling and diving, are ATEC accredited for travel safety, and follow all Industry State and Federal requirements of the present time. If you have any queries please let us know on info@oceanfree.com.au or phone +61 7 40521111 – we are here to help! We would sincerely love the opportunity to give you all a great day on the Great Barrier Reef. Much love Taryn, Perry, Jazz and the Ocean Free & Ocean Freedom family.
Cancellation Policy
The company reserves the right to cancel the trip due to poor weather conditions or mechanical problems or, on rare occasions, to use another vessel or select the sites used. On very rare occasions, there may be a cancellation to a scheduled day due to low guest numbers. We will reschedule or endeavour to pick the other best reef options for that day to suit your preferences. If tour has been cancelled by the company a full refund given. No refund if tour cancelled or amended by customer within 24 hrs.

Testimonials

Great snorkeling tour. Was an overcast day but it didn't slow anything down. Had a glass bottom tour first off and that was a great suggestion on their part. Wonderful talk about the reef, it's inhabitants and protection of the area. Then we did a guided snorkel followed by a snorkel in a marked area. The lunch was fantastic and the snacks plentiful.... you need it with the swimming! Everyone was friendly and knowledgeable - was a great fun and relaxing day!
Kelly K.
Kelly K.
1771431388
Super Ausflug, tolle Organisation. Ein unvergesslicher Tag am Great Barrier Reef!! Danke an die Crew, für den tollen Tag!
A.D.A
A.D.A
1771401977
Captain Mike and crew were fantastic and made the day fun. Easy ride to the reef and great info provided about the reef on the glass bottom boat tour. Enjoyed the snorkeling and felt very safe based on the instructions provided. Fresh food and drink really hit the spot at lunch and the snack on the way back was perfect! Definitely recommend this experience!!
Don T.
Don T.
1771395312
We had the cruise today and enjoyed it very much. The snorkeling was fantastic the weather was more than fair, and above all the team of Matt, Marie & Paul were fantastic, focused, attentive to every request, generous and helpful when needed, the hospitality and the food were great.Thank you guys for a fantastic experience !!
Moshe S.
Moshe S.
1771144919
We went out on the Ocean Freedom today and it was an absolutely amazing experience. From start to finish everything was enjoyable, beautiful, and extremely well run. The crew was professional, friendly, and made the entire day feel relaxed and seamless.The scenery was stunning and the food truly exceeded expectations. It was some of the best food I have ever had on an excursion like this, which really stood out.You can tell the team genuinely cares about delivering a world class experience. I would highly recommend Ocean Freedom to anyone visiting Cairns and wanting an unforgettable Great Barrier Reef experience.
Gabriel C.
Gabriel C.
1770099480
Phenomenal service and spectacular way to get out to the reef for a day trip. We were looking for a way to see the barrier trip in a more intimate way with a smaller crowd and a fun crew. Oceans free delivered! Great food fun crew and same like minded folks choose this tour. 10/10 would recommend these guys.The dive site it self was a bit more limited but still wonderful. Got to see a mako shark, a sea turtle, and giant clams.
Christie C.
Christie C.
1769805440
The staff are very friendly 😊 the dive was beautiful as well
Olive M.
Olive M.
1769234638
Excellent arrangement and very memorable experience with Anna, Blare and Luke. Great work everyone and thank you for making this a life time snorkeling experience.Overall arrangement, seating, food options (plenty of food options), beverages, drinks etc was simply great. Snorkeling, Green Island experience supported by stories was a good combination from Ocean Free team.Highly recommended for everyone.
A J
A J
1769079357
This was an amazing tour to the Great Barrier Reef! The Skipper was so great at his job and very protective of his guests making sure we were safe! The staff was amazing and right there with us in the water! The food was perfect and the extra plates of fruit & desserts that were passed during the day was such an extra treat. We would 100% recommend using this company!!!
Dovie B.
Dovie B.
1768867045
We went on the Ocean Freedom cruise to Upolu Cay Reef and Outer Edge Upolu reef. It was an amazing day of snorkelling and scuba (opt-in). The staff provided incredible service the whole time with a vast range of food and snacks including some breakfast as the tour started at 8. The reefs were gorgeous and the staff on the guided snorkels were very knowledgable on the marine life. In particular Marie and Alma went above and beyond in providing an excellent reef and boating experience. They have sea sickness pills (non drowsy) available for purchase which was very useful. If you want to opt in to scuba on the day of as well that is possible and I would definitely recommend. The staff were also meticulous with safety and making sure everybody no matter swim or physical ability was able to see the reef. It is a physical day and can be very tiring but the guides take life rings out on the guided snorkels that can help those in need or if you just need a rest. The only negative was that the boat was not as nice as the one pictured and despite still being a good boat for this tour it was not “luxury” as stated in our booking. We only had 32 people on board but the full capacity is 75 so it may feel more crowded in peak season. Everything else was amazing and I would definitely recommend booking with ocean freedom. They also had a bar where you could purchase drinks throughout the day.
Natalia R.
Natalia R.
1768728738
10/10 staff. Even in the less than ideal weather conditions they did an excellent job taking care of us.The boat was great too. Well kept and offers a nice mix of fully enclosed spaces, covered and fully exposed.My biggest recommendation (not specific to this boat or operator): Take a seasickness pill. Even if you think you’ll be fine… Take it.
MegaMatthew1001
MegaMatthew1001
1767855815
Such a wonderful experience. The crew are highly skilled and passionate. They were also very empathetic to the needs of different passengers. It is a must do experience with this company.
Levinia M.
Levinia M.
1767776627
Great experience the condition weren’t that great but that didn’t stop up. They made you feel safe and looked after a very well oiled operating, professional crew and skipper can’t speak highly enough for there knowledge of the ocean and onboard vessel experience. Will do again.
Orion K.
Orion K.
1767755924
The crew were amazing and very accommodating. We had a very windy day on the ocean but the crew handled everything extremely well, I was very impressed!
Carolyn W.
Carolyn W.
1767696538
We did the Ocean Free Sail to Green Island & the Great Barrier Reef and booked two introductory dives and two certified dives. It was a great day, and the staff were very attentive to everyone on board. The number of people is quite limited because it’s a sailboat, which is really nice. There is a shaded area on the boat where you can relax. Lunch was good. The vibe was great, and the dives were very enjoyable as well, it felt much more intimate than on bigger boats.A big thank you to our divemaster Anna, who found my partner’s dive watch in the ocean and sent it back to us by post (to France). That was incredibly kind, thank you so much.You can book this company and this trip without hesitation. Thank you again!
Solène
Solène
1767627691
The best boat trip I've ever been on! Highly recommend!We opted for the 2 scubadives.Boarding 7:30 for 8am departure. Pastries, fruit and hot drinks were available on board.Lovely boat, clean and decent space for everyone.We had an intro talk for the scuba while we were making our way out to the first reef.The first dive lasted around 25 minutes. We had one instructor to 2 people and they linked arms and guided us around the reef. We saw a shark and various other fish.Then there was time for snorkeling and a glass bottom boat trip.Whilst snorkeling we saw a turtle and jellyfish.Lunch was a selection of prawns, salmon, meat, pasta, salad etc. it was delicious.We then headed to the 2nd dive site. Usually on the 2nd dive you may get chance to swim independently with instructor supervision but the current was so strong we stayed together same as the first dive. There wasn't as much to see here but we did see a stingray. Again lasted about 20 mins.There was more time for snorkeling before heading back.On the way back there was fruit, cheese and crackers and cake!The crew were all friendly, professional, organised and clearly take safety seriously.The sea did get a bit choppy but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting, for most of the day it was fairly flat but after lunch the waves picked up.This trip was the highlight of my holiday! Would highly recommend and would do again!
Suzie G
Suzie G
1767610348
Me an my partner did the trip to the reef with snorkeling and introductory diving sessions and we had such an unbelievable time. From start to finish everything was amazingly well organized, nothing was too much trouble for the staff! The food was a great addition and there was more than enough to keep you going, actually more than expected!We would like to say a special thank you to Tori who took us diving, she was the best teacher we could've wished for. She made us both feel extra comfortable and explained everything and looked after us whilst keeping the whole thing fun, so thank you Tori for making our trip!The glass bottom boat was also really well done and the lady who took us (sorry we've forgotten your name) explained how the reef works and talked us through the fish, the coral and everything else we spotted on our trip out in the the glass bottom boat.We would recommend this to anyone and everyone who wants to try this experience it genuinely was one of the best trips of our travels to Australia.John & Jess
john W.
john W.
1767425093
Had a great day out. The kiwi trio crew kept us well fed and looked after. The sail boat is a bit rough on the edges, I guess you have to expect that with a boat of that age. Highly recommend.
Brett S
Brett S
1767415631
Amazing experience, we got to see turtles, sharks and so many fishies! The staff are amazing, so friendly and helpful. 10/10 day out would highly recommend these guys!
Molly
Molly
1767160503
Had a great day out with the team. Thanks for the amazing diving experience.
Matthew J.
Matthew J.
1767160310
Every crew members are very patience and thoughtful. The best cruise I’ve had in my life. We will definitely come back again. Thank you Ryan and his team!
Sarah
Sarah
1766904718
Amazing day with Ocean Free. The crew were top tier - from diving the GBR to onboard service, Blair, Kelly, Marie and Ryan were awesome! When the motor decided to take a break on the way back in the afternoon, they were cool and calm while they worked diligently to sort out the issue.Highly recommend this small, personalized experience for anyone visiting Cairns - especially for diving. The dive groups were small (max 4) so we didn’t feel like we were diving on top of each other. Must do for your trip to Cairns!
Amy E.
Amy E.
1766877396
We had a fantastic day. The crew were all amazing, knowledgeable and so much fun. They were great with our kids and were able to work with all different abilities and levels of passengers. They went out of their way to ensure we had a great time and saw some amazing things. Fantastic!
Sam C.
Sam C.
1766789179
js_loader

© Ocean Freedom 2026

Website created by RJ New Designs

Google Rating
4.9
Based on 1376 reviews
Facebook Rating
5.0
Based on 438 reviews
js_loader
Google Rating
4.9
Based on 1376 reviews
Facebook Rating
5.0
Based on 438 reviews
js_loader