Ocean Free 25 guest Great Barrier Reef & visit Green Island Tour
Overview
Available languages
9 hours
Mobile ticket
With only a maximum of 25 passengers this makes our Great Barrier Reef & Green Island tour very guest focussed! .In fact we are the only sail, reef and tropical island experience in Cairns catering for such a low guest number . Swim, snorkel or dive straight off the boat onto an exclusive magnificent GBR site - no crowds. The boat is moored just 1Km off Green Island - a highly protected Marine Park zone. From Cairns, sail to this reef site and Green Island in style on a two-mast schooner and enjoy a delicious buffet lunch on board. After snorkelling off the boat take a tender transfer to explore the beauty of Green Island, see the rainforest or laze on the white sandy beaches.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
A maximum of 25 people ensures a unique and personalized experience
Please note: All DIVERS will be required to complete a medical questionnaire on board prior to diving. Please only book the diving options if you have no medical conditions nor taking medication as some conditions/medication preclude you from diving
Tour requires you to be stable and mobile enough to move around a moving vessel and to transfer from main vessel onto tender and back
Guests come from many countries and many only have a small opportunity to visit the reef. The vessel will operate in all weather conditions (apart from gale force and severe weather warnings) and has extra procedures to make the day the best possible. If you are concerned about the weather, please visit www.bom.gov.au cairns coastal report - it will give you a 4 day forecast. 10-20 knots is a normal good day. Date of travel can be changed subject to availability and also full refund if cancelling with minimum 24hrs notice. Our vessels are open air with good boat movement so less likely to suffer seasickness than some other closed vessels however, if prone to motion sickness we recommend taking travel sickness tablets 20 minutes before boarding the vessel.
If intending to take part in diving all divers (whether certified or introductory diver) will be required to fill out a diving medical questionnaire on board. If diving is an important option for you, please advise if you have any medical issues (past or present) or taking any medications so we can advise if any QLD diving medical clearance is required. Some medical conditions and medication may preclude you from diving. It is imperative for your safety that you answer the questions on the form truthfully.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
These are the two most personal Great Barrier Reef tours in Cairns. Sail on Ocean Free - our 16M classical sailing schooner for this extremely personal Great Barrier Reef & Green Island Tour. Sail, snorkel , dive (optional extra) - reef and beach all in one day with only a small group of up to 25 guests - pure bliss!
Great Barrier Reef
Admire the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef on this very personal day tour .Ocean Free sails to its exclusive Great Barrier Reef mooring just 1 km off Green Island. Step straight off the boat and see a coral garden teeming with colourful reef-fish and marine life on this highly protected Marine Park zone of the Great Barrier Reef. Only our guests snorkel this site making it a very personal experience! Turtles and large schools of fish a common site amongst the coral "bommies" (outcrops) that rise form about 10-12M up to just under 1M under the surface making it an ideal area for great snorkelling Spend the morning snorkelling & / or SCUBA diving (optional extra) over an incredible reef system and view the most unique and colourful marine life under the guidance of our very attentive crew. Afterwards hop back on board your vessel for a scrumptious large smorgasbord lunch after which you can hop into the tender as the skipper takes you to Green Island beach - your 2nd site to explore!
What‘s Included
Large smorgasbord lunch with seafood
Reef talk by a marine interpreter
Complimentary glass of wine on the return sail to Cairns
Environmental Management Charge / Port / Ram fees
Sailing cruise to Green Island & the Great Barrier Reef
Exclusive reef site
Snorkeling equipment (snorkel, marks, flippers, buoyancy vests)
Transfers to/from the schooner to Green Island
Fish Feed
Coffee and/or Tea
Morning and Afternoon tea
Snorkeling tuition, tours and in-water crew assistance if required
Food and drinks, unless specified
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Only Pre-book diving if no medical conditions/taking medication - some may preclude you from diving
Optional diving - x 1-2 Certified / x 1-2 Intro dives possible on day .10-12m depth .
Options
Snorkel Family Pack (2ad+2ch)
Snorkel Only Family Pack: Green Island & Reef, Sailing Cruise Family Pack from Cairns including snorkeling (2 adults + 2 children 4- 14 years)
Tour + Two Certified Dives
Two Certified Dives: Some medical conditions and medication may preclude you from diving. Please contact supplier.
Tour + One Certified Dive
One Certified Dive: Some medical conditions and medication may preclude you from diving. Please contact supplier.
Tour + Two Introductory Dives
Two Introductory Dives: Some medical conditions and medication may preclude you from diving. Please contact supplier.
Tour + One Introductory Dive
One Introductory Dive: Some medical conditions and medication may preclude you from diving. Please contact supplier.
Tour Snorkelling
Green Island Sailing Cruise from Cairns including snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef
Reviews
665 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great Barrier Reef & Green Island
gc476,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mike, Rhys, Shea and Mia - the crew - were tireless in their efforts to please and keep everyone safe on the boat and in the water. Knowledgeable, friendly, enthusiastic and courteous to the nth degree, I cannot fault the trip nor the boat nor the crew. Excellent value for money. The trip was outstanding with just the right amount of people on board and I highly recommend this company for a memorable day at the Great Barrier Reef. Thank you!
Great staff, excellent diving/snorkeling and delicious food.
Daniel F,Feb 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent day at sea. Great food, kind and informative staff, beautiful sea life, two fun dives and snorkeling. Nice stop at Green island too. Couldn’t be any better
The not so great Barrier Reef.
michaelrS1117FX,Feb 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Sail boat, staff and food great. We were devastated upon snorkeling to find bleached coral and very little sea life. Locals say there are a few spots left but overall the reef is damaged.
Not really sailing
Richard M,Feb 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00The crew was very friendly and helpful and the food was good. Since the conditions weren't great, we elected to not do a second dive since they weren't willing to try a different spot. The problem with taking their sailboat vs the catamaran, was the slow speed leaving much less time on the reef/island. I expected to actually sail, but we "motor sailed" there and back. As someone who understands sailing, we didn't... we just took a slower motorboat both ways. I'd recommend taking their cat "The Ocean Freedom"
Ocean Free GBR tour
sallycJ8429DN,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was an amazing day trip! Our guides were fantastic, fun, and very knowledgeable of the reef and area around us. Mike, Storm, and Ryan were the best crew to have for this trip! The reef was amazing, and seeing green island was an added bonus. I highly recommend!
Fun, relaxing and a memorable day out on the great barrier reef.
Kiri D,Feb 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an amazing day out on Ocean Freedom, snorkeling and scuba Diving. The staff were friendly, welcoming and professional. There were no issues catering for us and we were well looked after all day. Thank you to all the staff for making my 50th a very memorable day.
Superb Great Barrier Reef tour company
Brion C,Jan 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We used Ocean Free Ocean Freedom for a snorkeling trip on the Great Barrier Reef. They are a superb tour company. They took us to Green Island, about 18 miles off the coast of Cairns. The crew was phenomenal - explained everything very clearly, helped get everyone ready to go into the water, watched everyone in the water and they were all friendly and knowledgeable- shout out to all 4 crew - Ryan, Blair, Amber and the other great woman whose name I forget.
They fed us a lot! I...
Ann H,Jan 29, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00They fed us a lot! I really liked the smaller group size. The guides were very nice and helpful. Beautiful tour spots as well.
Super fun day at the Great Barrier Reef
Chihwa T,Jan 27, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Captain Mike and his crew were great. We had a fun day snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef and visiting Green Island. The crew were attentive and I appreciated their focus on safety. I have been on enough of these types of tours to notice the wide range of snorkeling and swimming skills that the crew have to handle. I thought they managed the skill levels really well.
Perfect trip on a perfect boat
Elizaveta M,Jan 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Many thanks to the team and crew! Great yacht trip. The weather was bad, so we didn't really see the reef and its inhabitants. The water was muddy, there were few fish, but we managed to see huge fish in the water, which swim right up to the boat when it stops at the point of arrival. Perhaps this is such an inconvenient place to stop to explore the reef, or maybe it really is the weather. In addition to diving, we landed on the island, stayed there for about an hour and a half and returned back to the yacht to sail home. The one-way trip takes just under two hours. We were on the Ocean Free yacht, it's small and a lot of people can't fit there, which is a huge plus. The team treated us to tea with fruit and rolls, then there was a delicious lunch and more fruit. On the way back, in honor of the bad weather, so that we would not be sad, we were treated to a glass of wine/beer, cheese snacks and carrot cake. Thanks a lot to the team, because it was a pleasure to spend this day with them!
Related Experiences
Operated by Cairns Premier Reef & Island Tours