What To Expect

What‘s Included

Reviews

• Highly recommend for divers

  Michael M,May 20, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  The scuba dive team, especially Phil, were top notch and made the experience fantastic. They were so patient with everyone and knowledgeable about everything related to diving and the reef itself.

• Great Barrier Reef, Greater Crew

  Y1949OBkristinar,May 17, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Down Under Cruise and Dive was excellent! The staff were friendly, funny, and incredibly knowledgeable about everything they were teaching. The boat itself was clean, comfortable, and stylish. The snorkel spots were amazing, and there were staff members in the water making sure everyone was safe and having a memorable experience. The food was phenomenal as well. What really stood out, though, was the crew—they genuinely seemed to love their jobs and enjoyed working together, which created such a positive atmosphere throughout the day. I also did an introductory scuba dive and felt safe and comfortable the entire time. I ended up doing a second intro dive, which allowed us to explore a bit more independently in a controlled environment with the instructor. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone even slightly interested in scuba diving. The instructors meet you at your comfort level and provide a fantastic experience. Being on the Great Barrier Reef was surreal. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone!

• Fantastic experience...

  Sarah A,May 15, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Fantastic experience aboard the Evolution! The crew was exceptional. Incredibly helpful and attentive

• Awesome day on the reef

  Chris B,May 15, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  A must do experience in life! The crew and dive team are amazing and did a fantastic job. If you have the interest and abilities, do the scuba dives with this trip. There is an opportunity for up to 3 dives between 12-15 meters and the underwater environment and wildlife are very worth the bit of extra expense. The dive master Ajnumi was excellent with my daughter on her dives. The entire crew was excellent with learning names (much better than I for them - sorry) and made us all feel important. Would recommend for families or as a side day trip if here on business!

• Such a beautiful tour and experience

  Peter H,May 13, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Absolutely breathtaking experience and one of the biggest highlights of our Australia trip. Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef alone would have been incredible, but combining it with a helicopter ride over the reef made it unforgettable. Seeing the reef from both above and below gave completely different perspectives and really showed how massive and beautiful the area is. The crew was organized, professional, and made the day run smoothly from start to finish. We appreciated how safety focused they were as well, with constant head counts following each reef site and ensuring everyone was enjoying themselves. My father was unable to participate in the scuba diving experience due to medical reasons and they initiated a partial refund on their end for the difference of the experience which also streamlined the process and saved time on my end to reach out to Viator.

• Outstanding Staff and First-Time Diving Experience

  Alisha T,May 12, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  We booked a cruise to the Great Barrier Reef and had an amazing experience! The staff were incredibly cheerful, friendly, and helpful throughout the trip. I got really seasick during the cruise, but the team took great care of me, gave me medicine, and made sure I was okay the whole time. The scuba diving experience was so much fun, especially because it was my first time in the ocean with no experience at all. A special thanks to Philip, who was very patient, supportive, and made me feel comfortable and safe during the dive. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Barrier Reef!

• Check the weather before booking!

  Jonny Cabo,May 9, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  3.00

  High winds and overcast put a damper on the experience. Number of people getting sick 🤢 on the boat due to rocking, heavy cloud and winds made it rough snorkeling and diving was mediocre. Staff was great, food was pretty good, etc. if it wasn’t for the weather it would have been 4.5 stars!

• Awful and Horrible Scuba Diving Experience!!!!!!!!!!!

  ramak953,May 8, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  1.00

  Serious concerns regarding our scuba diving experience that was extremely distressing and fell well below acceptable standards of safety, care, and professionalism. I would like to clearly outline the issues we encountered. 1. First dive – Mask not treated with anti-fog. During the first dive, my mask was not treated with anti-fog solution, resulting in very poor and blurry visibility throughout the dive. I struggled to see and could not properly enjoy or safely experience the dive. During the second dive, the mask was treated correctly, and visibility was significantly improved, confirming that this issue was entirely avoidable and due to staff oversight. 2. Vaseline not provided prior to the first dive. No Vaseline was provided or suggested prior to the first dive. However, before the second dive, my husband was instructed by staff to apply Vaseline. This inconsistency reflects poor preparation and lack of clear communication. As a result, water continuously entered his mask during the first dive, making the experience extremely uncomfortable and stressful. The second dive was notably better after Vaseline was used. Additionally, during the second dive, my husband experienced issues with his oxygen tank, which was not tightened or balanced properly. This caused discomfort and difficulty maintaining balance underwater, further impacting his safety and enjoyment. 3. Forceful and unsafe conduct by a staff member. During the first dive, the female staff member assisting us into the water behaved in a forceful and rushed manner. I explained that I needed a moment to adjust to the seawater, as ocean/sea water and depth differ significantly from pool conditions, and I was feeling panicked. Despite this, I was not given adequate time to adjust and was pressured to proceed. I also observed that the group before me was allowed time to acclimatize, making my treatment feel noticeably different and, from my personal experience, discriminatory. Due to this lack of communication and rushing, I hit my head on the metal stairs and swallowed a significant amount of seawater. I do not know the staff member’s name, but her conduct was unsafe and unacceptable. 4. Severe illness and lack of medical follow-up. After completing the first dive, I became extremely unwell. While exiting the water and climbing the stairs, I began vomiting heavily and felt weak and disoriented. I was so unwell that I slept for 2–3 hours afterward. I approached staff at the bar seeking assistance, but the only advice I received was to “drink water.” What is most concerning is that no staff member checked on me or conducted any follow-up after I hit my head, despite this being a potentially serious injury. This lack of care and duty of care is extremely alarming. I still get headache till today. 5. Missed activities and financial loss. Due to my condition, I was unable to participate in snorkeling and could not eat lunch. I was unable to walk or balance properly and felt severely unwell. As a result, a significant portion of the experience we paid for was missed through no fault of my own. 6. Food quality concerns. The breakfast provided was also disappointing. The muffins were underbaked, and the date cakes were extremely hard and inedible. It was only after a fellow guest from the United States noticed my condition and advised me to drink hot tea that my symptoms began to improve. Within minutes, I felt well enough to attempt the second dive. During this dive, the mask was properly treated and Vaseline was used, resulting in dramatically better visibility and comfort. This further highlights that the issues experienced during the first dive were due to staff oversight, not environmental conditions. Overall, this experience demonstrated a serious lack of care, preparation, and communication from your staff, possibly due to the large number of guests onboard (approximately 150). However, guest volume should never compromise safety or wellbeing. We experienced physical distress, missed paid activities, and received no medical assessment or follow-up after hitting my head. I continue to have a bump on my head and ongoing headaches, and I am grateful the situation did not escalate into something more serious. We are still in disbelief for this experience because we went for Scuba diving as it was my birthday. Definitely an experience to remember and to be cautious about.

• Bucket List Experience with the Best Dive Team in Cairns

  Kenedie M,May 7, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We had an incredible experience completing both our Open Water and Advanced Open Water certifications with our instructor Frankie. Diving the Great Barrier Reef had been on our bucket list since we were kids, and this truly felt like a dream come true. My fiancé and I had both been certified years ago through other agencies, but since it had been so long since our last dives, we decided to completely redo the courses for a proper refresher and to earn our PADI certifications. Looking back, we are so glad we chose to do it here. If you’re traveling to Cairns and considering getting certified, this is absolutely the place to do it. Frankie was hands-down one of the best instructors we’ve ever had. He explained every concept and skill in a way that was easy to understand, practical, and confidence-building. His experience and teaching style made the entire process enjoyable, relaxed, and exciting instead of intimidating. You can tell he genuinely loves what he does, and it made a huge difference in our experience. The Evolution was also by far the best boat experience we had in the Cairns marina. The crew was professional, organized, fun, and incredibly welcoming. After finishing our certifications, we spent additional time in Cairns trying other dive companies and excursions — and it only made us realize how exceptional Down Under Cruise & Dive and their team really are. This was easily one of the highlights of our trip to Australia, and we cannot recommend Frankie and Down Under Cruise & Dive enough.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• Amazing experience, I...

  Jordan P,May 6, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Amazing experience, I highly recommend! The staff was super nice and you can’t go wrong with booking!

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