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).
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.
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.
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
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Outer Great Barrier Reef Snorkel Tour includes luxury catamaran cruise all equipment and two guided snorkel tours
1,050 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Debbie J,May 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
Great snorkeling experience. The crew was wonderful-very helpful and the snorkel sites were great! Highly recommend
Rebecca C,May 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
To start: I am terrified of open water and the ocean, BUT, i also want to see the GBR and the marine life there. I booked this particular tour as it focuses on a small group (under 40 passengers) and was not disappointed! From the moment i stepped on board i felt i was in safe hands. The crew were welcoming, friendly, and shared interesting information about the reef and the fish and coral that lives there. The snorkelling at the Cay was fantastic, i felt comfortable with the tour, and the glass bottom boat tour pointing out various things to see was great as well. When we got to the second stop for snorkelling, i was a little nervous, but Carla (i hope thats right) went out with me and helped show me some of the corals and fish. Unfortunately the water here was a little choppy and i got a little overwhelmed, thankfully Carla was right there, and was able to guide me back to the boat whilst helping keep me calm. I am very thankful for that, this crew are fantastic for this. Overall, i would totally recommend this tour for anyone, especially if you are nervous like i was. The attention to safety and care, whilst still being informative is top notch. If i was to ever tour the reef again, it would definitely be with Seastar. Shoutout to Mimi as well, she kept great conversation which helped allay my fears. As a bonus, there is also the option to snorkel with a pool noodle, and/or floatation to help if you aren't a strong swimmer.
rsc829,May 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Great tour of barrier reef. Small group - 17 ( could have been up to 36). Good boat, good dive location. Great staff. Good onboard food.
Jessica W,May 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
Don’t waste your time searching for another Barrier Reef excursion. This is it! Extremely professional, knowledgeable and personable. The entire crew made sure that we were safe and comfortable while enjoying the trip.
Sebastian L,May 12, 2026
- Review from Viator
So one’s experience is a bit weather dependent. I was cery lucky with great sunny weather with brilliant visibility under water. The day was well organised. We’re relatively smaller group so I can tell it’s definitely better than those of the bigger companies. Also the first reef didn’t disappoint and not all companies go there.
Sophie H,May 11, 2026
- Review from Viator
The crew were extremely helpful, friendly and made sure everyone enjoyed the trip. The locations are beautiful, and the fact that we were the only boat at both spots, made it all the more special. If you're looking for a lovely crew and to go snokelling in amazing locations, I'd highly recommend.
Sydney M,May 11, 2026
- Review from Viator
Crew was great and very helpful! We had such a great experience and appreciated that this was much smaller of a group then most other tours!
Luda B,May 8, 2026
- Review from Viator
We had such a great snorkeling trip with Seastar. The weather was really windy that day (obviously not their fault), but the experience was still amazing. We saw beautiful corals, so many fish, a turtle, and even a shark which was definitely a highlight. The crew was friendly, everything was well organized, and the lunch provided was really good. Overall such a fun day and definitely worth it!
sfjessica,May 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
The day we went out snorkeling with the Seastar for an all day snorkeling trip just happened to be my birthday. We really lucked out with Captain Tim and his great crew; every single one of them was friendly and helpful. We selected this tour primarily for the small size and we're really glad we did. We chatted with virtually everyone on the trip and the water never felt overcrowded. The first stop was a nice calm area, with plenty of fish to see and we were fortunate to spot a resting turtle as she made her way back up to the surface for a breath of air. Lunch wasn't dynamic, but did the trick; if you were still hungry, there was plenty for seconds. The second snorkeling spot was in a deeper area and a bit choppy. Shortly after getting into the water, we lucked out and spotted a shark. Unfortunately, a little after that, I wound up getting stung by a blue bottle jellyfish on my forehead, one of the few spots not covered by our stinger suits. Then, one after another, others joined me back onboard also having been stung (all of us on our faces). Not much any of us could have done about the situation, just a bit of Mother Nature taking control of the situation. So, we all cleaned ourselves up before heading back to shore. The small numbers allowed the crew to give us a bit more attention both in and out of the water. I'd definitely recommend this for those who have snorkelled before as well as newbies.







dieters194,May 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Wonderful, very dedicated team! (Tim was the skipper!) Careful briefing! Great importance is attached to safety! Dreamlike coral reefs seen, including reef shark! Sibylle and Dieter 👍
Operated by Seastar Cruises