Ocean Spirit Sail to Michaelmas Cay Snorkel or Dive, from Cairns
Overview
Available languages
8 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Sail from Cairns aboard a luxury sailing catamaran to Michaelmas Cay, a picturesque sand cay on Great Barrier Reef. Encircled by fringing reef of beautiful coral gardens with colourful fish, curious Green Sea Turtles and Blue-Spotted rays, it is also an important protected bird sanctuary for migratory seabirds.
Witness the reef's coral and marine life from a semi-submersible submarine, try scuba diving or snorkel from the cay to witness the beauty of the coral gardens.
Morning tea, Hot & Cold Buffet Lunch (including prawns), Afternoon Tea as well as complimentary bubbles and cheese/biscuits are served on board to satisfy your hunger while you explore Michaelmas Cay for 4 hours.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Minimum age for all diving activities is 12 years
After a single scuba dive a wait of 12 hours is recommended before ascending to an altitude of 300 metres or greater. If doing multiple dives an interval of 24 hours is suggested.
All participants will be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to diving. Some pre-existing medical conditions (For example: asthma, heart conditions, etc) may prevent you from diving, please consult your doctor
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Ecological presentations by qualified marine biologists
Buffet lunch
Use of snorkel equipment and lyra suit
Roundtrip cruise from Cairns to Michaelmas Cay
Coral viewing in air-conditioned semi-submersible,
Environmental Management Charge
Morning and afternoon tea
Drinks, unless specified
Hotel pickup and drop-off
What To Expect
Ocean Spirit Cruises
Arrive to the Reef Fleet Terminal from 07:30am and check-in at the Ocean Spirit counter. Obtain your boarding passes and be directed to the vessel boarding area at the marina. Boarding commences from 08:00am. Enjoy Muffins and Focaccia on your journey to Michaelmas Cay. Complimentary Tea & Coffee served prior to departure. Ocean Spirit departs strictly at 08.30am for a two hour motorized sail to Michaelmas Cay.
Great Barrier Reef
Sail aboard Ocean Spirit to the unique reef environment of Michaelmas Cay, a picturesque sand cay encircled by beautiful fringing reef. Watch our crew perform a safety demonstration, reef brief and snorkeling demonstration. This is followed by an informative Marine Biologist Reef Presentation.
Options
Cruise & 1 Introductory Dive
4 hrs on Michaelmas Cay. Includes 1 Introductory Dive, buffet lunch, snorkel & dive gear and semi-sub tour.
Cruise & 1 Guided Snorkel Tour
4 hrs on Michaelmas Cay. Includes 1 Guided Snorkel Tour, buffet lunch, snorkel & dive gear and semi-sub tour.
Cruise Only
4 hours at Michaelmas Cay for snorkeling and swimming. Includes morning and afternoon tea, buffet lunch, snorkel gear, use of lycra suits and coral viewing in semi-submersible
Reviews
169 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
5 star service with excellent crew
KYLIE H,
Oct 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The crew were very accommodating and experienced. They organised each part of the day really well. They provide all guests with the tools and equipment to obtain the most out of the day. The reef was very accessible and I really like that you can snorkel from the sand cay. The semi submerged sub was air-conditioned and views from either side. The presenter was very knowledgeable and presented very well. The lunch was amazing. Overall it was a very nice day out. I like the fact that there is plenty of shade on the vessell too.
Great Service but not the Best Fit for Our Family
232alisonc,
Oct 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Our family of two adults and two teenagers found this to be a very long day, and in hindsight it wasn’t the best fit for us. The boat, equipment, catering, and staff were all excellent – professional and friendly. Absolutely no complaints, and the trip delivered everything that was advertised. That said, the two-hour journey each way to Michaelmas Cay (known to locals as ‘Birdshit Island’) felt long, and was certainly pungent. Relaxing on the beach wasn’t really feasible, though birdwatchers will enjoy it, and the newly hatched chicks were adorable! The submersible is a nice option for those not keen on snorkelling, but it didn’t add much for those of us comfortable in the water. Lunch offered a good variety of food, but afternoon tea was poorly managed, with early groups taking more than their share and leaving limited options for those later in the line. Overall, the long travel time for limited activities made it less satisfying for our group. This was more a matter of the trip not being the right fit for us rather than any issue with the quality of the operator or experience.
An amazing experience with my family!
248sherryl,
Oct 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Beautiful location. We saw lots of turtles. Staff are very responsible and kind, always watching us for our safety, and kind to talk to us. We had an amazing time and experience.
The crew was amazing
Excursion66000199711,
Oct 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience, loved the whole day enough time at the reef (went snorkeling twice: 1 long one before lunch and a 20 min after lunch, then went on the included glass boat) and still time to enjoy the evening in cairns. Great spot to snorkel and good equipment. Wasn’t too touristy at all and the atmosphere the crew provided was lovely. Thanks for the great lunch and snacks 🫶🏻
Great day out.
Steve R,
Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great day out. Friendly staff who looked after everything. Delicious food, not overcrowded. Snorkelling gear was clean and good quality.
Absolutely the highlight of our vacation! A very well run operation with a great crew!
Razzmatazz,
Sep 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This trip was a highlight of our vacation! What an amazing day with a fantastic crew. The large catamaran easily accommodated everyone comfortably, and had six toilets/changing rooms. The equipment provided (masks, snorkels, fins, lyra suits) were clean and well stocked. During the two hour boat ride to Michaelmas Cay, the crew gave us a safety briefing, and there was a presentation/introduction to the fish and corals that we would be seeing. Such a pity that over half the passengers were too busy sunbathing or taking selfies and missed out on this valuable talk! Later we were able to identify all the corals that we saw through the submersible and during our swim, that we could not have done if we missed the talk. The crew served us coffee/tea and cake when we boarded, lunch was a very nice hot and cold buffet with a variety of food, and after the swim there was afternoon coffee/tea and cookies and finally some bubbly and dessert/fruit/cheese. It was much more than we were expecting and very much appreciated. The semi-submersible ride that is included in the tour accommodates about 20 passengers at a time, so they did several trips at various time slots. Again there was a marine biologist explaining all the different corals we were seeing through the glass. Note: we took the guided tour option (for an additional fee) and would highly recommend it. We are not very strong swimmers and would never have ventured into deep waters on our own. Doing it with a guide (Paul) allowed us to see so much more.
Ocean Spirit was an...
Nolan T,
Sep 21, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Ocean Spirit was an excellent way to see the reef! The marine biologist was very informative and the information helped us appreciate what we were seeing. The semi-sub was a great way to explore the deeper part of the reef and also provided details about our surroundings. We were so happy Ocean Spirit allowed us to book an hour before checkin as our other tours (different company) cancelled last minute due to boat technical issues.
Staff were amazing, they...
Glenda R,
Sep 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Staff were amazing, they couldn’t do enough for you. We had morning and afternoon tea plus a delicious lunch. It was easy to get on and off the boat when we went snorkeling and were looked after while on the sand island. I would suggest to take a jacket with you as it can become cold.
Worth every cent & saw turtles
JulieBrocks,
Sep 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This experience was good value for money, not on the cheaper side, but definitely worth the money. The boat was not overly crowded. The food was absolutely fresh and tasty. The submergible boat trip was extremely enjoyable, and the snorkeling location was ideal with staff patrolling in their boats, happy to tow you out to the outer reef to swim back in - very accommodating very friendly. We even saw 5 turtles. A most enjoyable day out. There were 9 people in our party, 8 adults in ages from 21 to 56 and an 8 year-old child - we all thoroughly enjoyed it.
Fun day
nameerfud,
Aug 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a good day. Right from the first greeting at the counter; welcome to the boat; safety briefing; and dive site understanding. The team was thorough, polite and safe. The marine scientists were fabulous. Especially Jayde The snorkeling was really good. Lots of every colour fish big and small. The water was crystal clear and smooth. Pity it wasn’t windy enough to flap the sails. The food was excellent All in all a very good day.
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Operated by The Quicksilver Group