Quicksilver Outer Great Barrier Reef Snorkel Cruise from Palm Cove

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Departing from Port Douglas, your 90-minute high speed catamaran cruise takes you directly to Agincourt Reef, located on the Outer Great Barrier Reef The permanent pontoon moored here provides a sheltered base for your day on the reef. During the trip a snorkeling demonstration will get you ready for your adventure, and the staff will take you through your options for the day.

   4 hAdmission included

2. The clear water of the provides great underwater visibility and encourages rich coral growth which supports a wide variety of fish life, both large and small. Schools of damsel fish, solitary clown fish and small reef sharks are common visitors to this part of the reef, along with some brightly-colored parrotfish and elegant angel fish. You'll have around 3.5 hours to enjoy the reef at your leisure. Grab a snorkel and fins and hit the water on your own, or join an optional guided snorkeling tour with a qualified marine biologist. Snorkeling is a great way to explore the Great Barrier Reef, and there are friendly staff on hand to show you how. Prefer to stay dry? You can explore the stunning reef from the comfort of a semi-submersible submarine. You'll take a leisurely cruise through colorful coral gardens, giving you a snorkeler's view of the marine life without getting wet. For a little more adventure, why not try an introductory scuba dive. or a unique Ocean Walker Helmet Dive

   4 h

3. Included Activities:Sorkeling at Agincourt Reef, Semi Submersible coral viewing: The semi submersibles cruise slowly through the colorful coral gardens giving passengers, the opportunity to experience a snorkelers-eye view of the marine life without getting wet. Underwater Observatory: Watch the fish feeding from the unique viewing platform and underwater observatory. From here, you can also see the "first time" divers taking part in introductory dives. Optional Activities (book and pay in advance): Introductory Snorkel Tour: Led by a marine biologist, this tour provides an introduction to the Great Barrier Reef. Designed for the novice or beginner snorkeler. Introductory Dive: If you've never dived before, and would like to experience the magic of SCUBA, try an introductory dive with a highly qualified dive instructor. Ocean Walker - Helmet Diving: Breathing fresh air delivered from the surface into your helmet, you'll walk underwater on a reef platform

   6 h

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 45 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5Great Experience at the Great Barrier Reef

  Great Experience of the Great Barrier Reef...decent lunch buffet with Vegetarian salad options as well as a Veg Korma ( pretty bland) with Rice on the Pontoon which you reach at 11.30 am in 90 minutes from Port Douglas travelling at 30 knots in their largest Quicksilver 8 boat which has a capacity of 435,but we were 280 today ...lunch is open till 1.30 pm only while you need to step back to your boat from the Pontoon at 2.30 pm latest for the return journey to Port Douglas that begins at 3 pm ....the lower deck affords minimum motion and you're safer there as it's fully enclosed ...the upper deck has both inside and outside seating while the top deck is whoosh windy and fully exposed to the elements,quite an experience if you want the wind like that as long as you can keep your balance ! ....did a wee bit of snorkeling in their complimentary lycra suit and gear...the other complimentary semi submersible for 25 mins gives a great view of the reefs below the ocean surface....if you're going to get into the water ,just take a towel and a change of clothes ...shorts and a pair of rubber slippers will suffice ....the lower deck ...there are paid options of a helicopter ride or scuba diving ...the bar on the boat serves complimentary tea and coffee while other beverages and liquor needs to be purchased .The bathrooms are only on the boat and not on the Pontoon which has only changing cubicles The Crew is quite hands on and friendly and there are lifeguards that keep an eye on you while in the water ....saw young kids and even 80 year olds try snorkeling Worth an Experience at least once in your life

  Gaurav_POctober 2026via Viator

• 5Fabulous!

  A great full day out at sea. The Quicksilver staff were all so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Amenities on the boat and pontoon were high quality and clean. Lunch was delicious. All in all, a great way to experience the wonders of the reef!

  Jen_ASeptember 2026via Viator

• 3Good, but did not meet expectations

  The tour was good, but I felt disappointed by the day. I became extremely seasick on the way there, and all the staff on board were so friendly and helpful. They all asked me several times during the day how I was feeling, I felt they went above and beyond to help me. Thank you for that, it was greatly appreciated. Become my condition, I chose not to snorkel. The underwater viewing platform was disappointing it had two windows, I was expecting quite a lot more. The semi submersible sub was good and the marine biologist was informative. I'm not sorry I did the tour, but probably would not do it again.

  Noddy041September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Amazing!

  This was my favourite trip so far. Everything was perfect! The pickup was early, bus driver chatty and full of advice. Boarding seamless, no queue, tea and coffee as we boarded. Crew were all fabulous - the guy on the semi sub was hilarious. Food excellent. During the sail out we had talks on snorkelling/diving/safety (reassuringly was taken extremely seriously) and a marine biologist taking about the reef. We stuck to snorkelling - equipment excellent, life jackets for the kids, plenty of help getting ready. Reef was beautiful and we saw so many fish. We hired a go pro and left with a memory disk of our pictures. There was also a professional photographer who took images you could buy (air dropped) on the way back. My overall opinion of the day was of a trip which was well organised, well run,l with the utmost respect for safety and the protection of the reef. The only downside is that it was over too soon.

  GillS77August 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Excellent experience, will do again

  Fantastic experience, great service from the crew very helpful and the food was excellent.

  B675CXphillipcJuly 2026via Tripadvisor

• 4Refund processed due to cyclone

  We were quite looking forward to our reef cruise however an impending cyclone meant the tour was cancelled. There were a few hiccups with customer service - I did not get an email confirmation of the online booking, rang the day before and was told it was cancelled, the customer service rep said she would check with the manager re a refund as the booking showed the wrong date, so there were a few anxious days where I wasn’t sure the hefty $ I paid would be refunded. I rang again a few days later and they said it was processed and re sent the email confirmation of the of the refund which I hadn’t received, and it was processed into my account a few days later. Phew!

  SATCSydneyGirlJanuary 2026via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Palm Cove

• Its from-price is 30% above the median of the 20 day trips we list in Palm Cove.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 9 of 20.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Palm Cove

Palm Cove is a small beachside village north of Cairns, where old paperbark trees shade a long Coral Sea beach below rainforest-covered ranges.

Palm Cove lies on the Captain Cook Highway a short drive north of Cairns, one of a string of Northern Beaches facing the Coral Sea. The Esplanade runs behind the sand beneath tall paperbark trees, lined with low-rise resorts, restaurants and a short jetty that people stroll out on at sunrise. Behind the village, rainforest-covered ranges rise inland.

Top-ranked sights in Palm Cove: Hartley's Crocodile Adventures.

See all 37 experiences in Palm Cove