Seastar Luxury Outer Great Barrier Reef Island and Reef Tour
Overview
Available languages
7 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
A maximum of 36 people.
Guided Snorkel Tours.
Glass Bottom Boat.
Optical Masks Included.
Free Facebook Photos (Posted daily).
Additional Info
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Introductory Divers note, Some medical conditions, medications and recent operations can and may prevent you from Scuba Diving. You may require a Dive Medical to Australian Medical Standard AS4005-1.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Seastar Cruises Reef Day Trips
Check in at 7.30 am at Cairns Marlin Marina, E finger directly on board Seastar.
Michaelmas Cay
Located 22 nautical miles (40 km) from Cairns, the same as the distance across the English Channel, and close to the outer reef systems, Michaelmas Cay is the largest of the uninhabited coral cays in the Cairns region; in fact it is huge in comparison. Seastar is the first vessel to arrive at Michaelmas Cay. Very few tour vessels are now permitted access to this sensitive island and now there are only two which travel daily that are permitted the right to use and access the Cay.
What‘s Included
Buoyancy vest and noodle
Luxury Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise
Buffet lunch
Island access to world famous Michaelmas Cay
Morning & afternoon tea
Wet-suit or stinger-suit (seasonal)
Guided snorkel Tour at Michaelmas Cay and Hastings Reef
Mask, Snorkel and Fins
Return Bus transfer - Cairns City Area or Northern Beaches and Outer Cairns City Area
Cold drinks and snacks
Introductory Diving and Certified Diving available as optional Extra
Options
Snorkel Only
Outer Great Barrier Reef Snorkel Tour includes luxury catamaran cruise all equipment and two guided snorkel tours
Reviews
1,039 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Extraordinary and awesome day!
Laurie A,May 2, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Seeing the Great Barrier Reef was a bucket list item for me and this outing helped check that off! The crew was phenomenal, professional and very welcoming. We loved our time at the reef!
Amazing Greeat Barrier Reef Day
lajolla22,Apr 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We met at about 7:30 am to head out to Michaelmas Cay and Hastings Reef. We chose this boat because it was smaller than many of the others and because it actually lets you go on shore at Michaelmas Cay. IT was an amazing day, great value,, very nice group working on the boat. My daughter did the intro Scuba and had a one on one with the instructor.
Great day on the Great Reefs with a Great Crew
ninathool,Apr 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had an Awsome day with a very nice crew. Very proffessional! Tried Scubadiving for the first time and it was great! Thank's to James for good preparations and for giving a good confidence to do it.
A family owned business...
Sophie D,Apr 12, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A family owned business with a crew that took great care of all of us and brought us to locations less visited for quality snorkeling.
Unprofessional and Poor
jacksI6719PK,Apr 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00We were very excited for our trip up to Cairns. Booked our trip few weeks in advance knowing it would be busy just after Easter. Flew up to Cairns with our trip for the next day…. I check my emails as I land at 8pm the night before we leave at 7:30am the next day. They had CANCELLED our trip with less than 24 hours notice. No explanation, nothing. I understand things happen but no communication whatsoever and not even any customer service such as ‘we will give you a full refund and have a little something on us’ as good customer service would entail for business but nothing. Very disappointing and unprofessional.
FABULOUS EXPERIENCE - Don't Miss This ONE!
randyfrym,Apr 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We hd a fantastic day on this Great Barrier Reef snorkeling tour. The weather was touchy as we were traveling; I reached out to this operator several times in advance and they were always very responsive. Our tour did go - safety and security were obviously important to them. They provided all of the needed equipment, and their equipment options were plentiful and in good condition. They provided some guidance on where to snorkel in each location and provided a good amount of time to explore each location. The Great Barrier Reef has WELL EARNED it's name, the reef is fabulous and definitely wonderful to snorkel. Locations that were chosen were not filled with a ton of other tour boats, so you really felt like you had space to explore. They provided a lovely lunch - with warm and cold foods - and more than ample quantities. They were judicious about not allowing alcohol until all snorkeling was done for the day. This was a wonderful day from start to finish, well orchestrated, by an outfit that clearly knows what they are doing and wants to ensure the safety and comfort of all their guest. Definitely a great experience!
Great experience
Navigator34595142629,Mar 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Outstanding, great trip, beautiful scenery, wonderful crew and experience
The crew was absolutely...
Anna N,Mar 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The crew was absolutely amazing! So attentive, so fun, and made the whole experience feel effortless and safe.
Amazing scenery of the reef bucket list checked off!
Lewis M,Mar 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00It was everything the itinerary stated. Our only issue was the snorkeling was challenging in the rough waters. Waves and currents made it very challenging, luckily our group had experience snorkeling and are in good physical shape. The crew were amazing and actually got my wife to go back in the water on the second stop which she was not going to do because of the rough waters. The boat ride out and back from the harbor was very uncomfortable. You had to be constantly holding on due to being in 2-4 foot waves going at full speed. My wife was almost thrown out of her seat but caught herself just before falling off her seat. Another passenger next to me injured his leg and was in quite a bit of pain for the hour and a half ride back to the harbor. The muffins, coffee, lunch and afternoon snack were top notch. I would have given this 5 stars if not for the rough ride out and in.
Extremely Professional and Friendly--GREAT Cruise!
FJVLS,Mar 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wow. Superb. We did a lot of TA research in selecting an excursion to the Great Barrier Reef. Even with the excellent reviews for Sea Star, they still dazzled us. We’ve been on a dozen or so snorkel excursions and have some professional mariner background. What impressed: - Captain Tim runs a smart, professional boat. The boat is clean and ship-shape. The safety protocols were excellent. - To a person, the crew was exceptionally friendly and helpful. Can’t imagine better hospitality or professionalism. The crew truly shined when it was time to swim/dive. The briefings were great to make the most of the experience, they were very conscientious in checking all the stinger suits, warm as tour guides, and diligent as life guards/on watch. Every aspect of their service felt very personal. - The size of the charter strikes a great balance of passengers, available deck space, and price. - The selected snorkel/dive sights provided two fairly unique habitats. They were different enough to make 3+ hours in the water interesting. - Very nice, homemade lunch. A nice variety, and plenty to eat. Other notes: There are lots of choices on the waterfront. From our perspective, here’s what Sea Star is not, all of which is what makes it so great: - 40, not 300 people. Large boats offer amenities of no interest to us: waterslides, party barges, etc. Read those reviews; crammed quarters and crowded swimming. - Party boat. Our cruise was very family friendly and had people of all generations. Everyone had a great time. This is superb choice for your GBR excursion!
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