Sunlover Reef Cruises: An Incredible Great Barrier Reef Experience from Cairns

Experience the incredible Great Barrier Reef with Sunlover Reef Cruises. Explore the vibrant coral and marine life, enjoy free inclusions, and add on thrilling optional extras for an unforgettable adventure.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Great Barrier Reef - Sunlover’s pontoon at Moore Reef on the Outer Great Barrier Reef is teeming with colourful coral and abundant marine life in every colour of the rainbow.
What's Included
  • Environmental Management Charge (EMC)
  • Underwater observatory and ocean enclosed pool
  • Great Barrier Reef and fish feeding presentations by marine experts
  • Glass bottom boat tour
  • Snorkeling equipment
  • Sunlover waterslide and spacious sun deck
  • Fresh water showers and change rooms
  • Tea and coffee
  • Lunch
What's Not Included
  • Additional cost: Wetsuit and prescription snorkel mask
  • Snacks
  • Additional cost: Guided Snorkel Tour, Intro or Certified Diving, Seawalker Helmet Dive, Heli Filghts
  • Additional cost: professional photos or camera hire
  • Additional cost: Secure lockers
  • Additional Cost: Hotel Transfers can be added directly with Sunlover
Additional Information

Travel by air-conditioned catamaran from Cairns Marina to our Moore Reef Pontoon located on the Outer Great Barrier Reef, perfectly positioned and equipped for you to explore this reef that is teeming with colourful coral and fascinating fish.
Spend 4 hours exploring the reef by taking advantage of the free inclusions such as glass bottom boat tours, all…

Location
Sunlover Reef Cruises
Spence Street
The Sunlover reservations desk is inside the Reef Fleet Terminal on the ground floor. All guests must check in and collect their boarding pass between 8:45 am and 9:45 am. (CHECK-IN CLOSES 09:45 - Late check-in may result in the tour being missed with no refund).
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.3
(842 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Joji_s
Jan 8, 2026
The best experience in Cairns 😊😊👍 - Excellent. Caring crew. Enjoyed each moment of it. Glass bottom tour was the best experience for some of us. Snorkeling was also fun. Lunch had many options to choose from.
Review provided by Viator
Liliana_g
Jan 2, 2026
Suitable for families! - It was wonderful to swim a few centimeters from the Barrier Reef and among brightly colored fish! Well organized tour and very family friendly. Recommended!!
Review provided by Viator
Tamarial2025
Nov 25, 2025
Amazing experience on moore reef. - This was a wonderful day trip to the moore reef pontoon. The crew were friendly, attentive and knowledgeable The atmosphere if the tour was brilliant. One of the crew members, Sandy, helped out with our 3 year old daughter to have a snorkelling expierence. She went above and beyond to make the day special for our little girl. It was wonderful, I cant thank the crew enough for the amazing day we had.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karen_h
Nov 14, 2025
Pontoon Fun - Great day on the pontoon, good food and fun. Snorkeling was great and all the equipment was perfect.
Review provided by Viator
Juliad1221
Nov 12, 2025
The Great Barrier Reef experience - Absolutely amazing trip from start to finish. The staff were friendly and informative. The food on the pontoon was delicious
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amber_d
Jan 1, 2026
It takes about 90 min to... - It takes about 90 min to get to the reef and most of the seating is indoors which is hard if you get sea sick. Once you get to the reef they want to clear off the first floor so staff can eat. Lunch is served on the reef but you can go back on the boat to eat. It is a lot of people and a lot of moving parts so be careful with packing too much or you will be left holding a buffet plate in a very crowded line with your bag and towel looking for a place to sit down. Lots of extra activities for purchase with a price tag around $150. Bring your own towel they do not provide on the boat. You get about 3 hours at the reef.
Review provided by Viator
Deepeka_s
Nov 18, 2025
Great experience - Great experience. Submersible activity was not available but we were informed when we went to collect tickets. They should have informed earlier when we were buying tickets I would have used a different provider.
Review provided by Viator
Martha_l
Jan 3, 2026
It was hard to know what... - It was hard to know what else you could do if you did not choose to snorkel Most of the activities were based on snorkeling Also the buffet lunch was not very good And drinks were not included only free drink was water from sink extra activities without snorkeling Weren’t very well known Had to find it ourselves like glass bottom boat and submarine activity. Not much information given to passengers from the beginning of the trip The information for selling this experience misleading
Review provided by Viator
David_p
Jan 13, 2026
Bad experience - They will cancel whenever there is a risk of weather. This happened to us twice in the same week while other carriers were still operating.
Review provided by Viator
H8659ztnadial
Dec 17, 2025
Disappointing, Unsafe and Frustrating. - This Great Barrier Reef tour was three years in the making for our family and something we prioritized specifically so our children could experience it. Sadly, the experience fell far short of expectations — and much of it was preventable. On the morning of December 17, torrential rain and thunderstorms were already underway. I called Sunlover’s office and again asked at check-in whether the tour was still proceeding, given the conditions. Each time, I was reassured it would continue. Once onboard, however, crew members mentioned these were some of the roughest conditions they had seen. The two-hour journey to the reef was extremely rough. Once we arrived, it took time to suit up, and after entering the water we were called back within 20–30 minutes due to safety concerns from worsening weather. Heavy rain, strong winds, and waves made it unsafe to remain at the pontoon. The advertised 2.5 hours at the reef did not happen. This raises an important question: if conditions were unsafe enough to immediately end the reef portion, why did the tour depart at all? There was also a lack of communication regarding snorkelling equipment. Guests who wear glasses were not advised in advance that prescription goggles would be required, something that should be clearly stated at booking or check-in. After leaving the reef early, we were dropped at Fitzroy Island nearly an hour before lunch, in heavy rain, with no guidance on where to wait or what to do. Families with young children who had endured seasickness and disappointment were left confused. A Resort staff member later approached us in a rude and condescending manner, which was especially upsetting to witness in front of children. We understand that weather is unpredictable, but safety decisions and communication are within a company’s control. With better judgment and clearer communication, this experience could have been avoided or handled far better. Unfortunately, our children’s memory of the Great Barrier Reef is being rushed out of the water without seeing a single fish. We would not book Sunlover again and cannot recommend this tour to families.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $203
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).