11am Start, Full Day

Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises runs this later start full-day trip, with the boat leaving at 11:00am and about six hours in all. It rates 4.3 across 273 reviews. Free cancellation applies.

Overview

This cruise trades the usual early reef departure for an 11:00am start from Cairns Marlin Marina, a schedule the listing promotes as a chance to avoid rushing the morning. Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises runs the day on a modern, air conditioned catamaran, with the crossing to Green Island taking roughly 45 minutes according to one traveller's account. The full experience runs about six hours.

Once on the island, the day splits between water and land. Snorkel gear is supplied on options that include it, so travellers can swim over coral gardens and among reef fish, or simply settle on the white sand. A guided boardwalk stroll through the island rainforest is part of the package. On the water side, the listing offers a glass-bottom boat tour and a semi-submersible submarine tour, though one or both may be optional extras depending on the option booked, and lunch can be added the same way.

The later schedule suits families with children and travellers who would rather not wake before sunrise. Diving is not included and no hotel transfers are provided, so the trip works best for people who can make their own way to Spence Street.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Cairns Marlin MarinaCheck in at 1 Spence St, Cairns City. The departure is a later one, at 11:00am, and no hotel pickup is provided.
2. Catamaran cruise to Green IslandBoard an air conditioned catamaran for the crossing. A reviewer described the boat trip to the island as about 45 minutes.
3. Glass-bottom boat tourView coral and marine life from above through the glass bottom. This activity is included only on options that list it.
4. Semi-submersible tourSee the reef from a fish-eye perspective through the windows of a semi-sub. One reviewer called it the highlight of the day and another recommended it for the fish that come right up to the windows. Optional, depending on the option booked.
5. Rainforest boardwalk strollA guided walk through the island's rainforest on a boardwalk, included with the cruise.
6. Snorkelling and beach timeSnorkel among reef fish and coral gardens with the provided gear, where the option includes it, or relax on the white sandy beach.
7. Lunch on the islandAvailable only on options that include lunch; otherwise food and drinks can be purchased on the island.
8. Return catamaran to CairnsCruise back to Cairns Marlin Marina to close out the roughly six hour day.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will shape the day, drawn from the listing and from what repeat comments in the reviews agree on.

• Getting there. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off. Travellers need to make their own way to Cairns Marlin Marina at 1 Spence St, Cairns City, in time for the 11:00am departure.
• Choose options carefully. Snorkel gear, lunch, the semi-sub tour and the glass-bottom boat are all included only on selected options. Reviewers recommend the semi-sub in particular, with fish coming right up to the windows. Check what the chosen option bundles before booking.
• Marine life reality. One reviewer travelling with children noted the corals are pale but that fish and turtles were plentiful. Travellers hoping for vivid coral may want to weigh that account when choosing this trip.
• Overlapping tours. One reviewer who booked both the glass-bottom boat and the semi-sub said the two covered the same sights with the same commentary, something the description had not flagged at booking. Travellers booking both may want to factor that overlap in. A different reviewer felt the glass-bottom boat showed less than advertised.
• Food and drink. Lunch is only included on certain options, and otherwise food and drinks must be purchased. Reviews are mixed: several praised the lunch and its generous quantity, while one mentioned cold chicken wings and another wanted better lunch options and clearer timing announcements.
• Pace and freedom. A reviewer noted there is plenty of free time to swim or explore the island.

Common issues. The glass-bottom boat drew complaints from two reviewers, one saying they did not see much and another noting it repeats the semi-sub's route and commentary. Lunch quality is inconsistent in the accounts: some called it delicious and plentiful, while one reviewer reported cold chicken wings and another wanted better options and clearer meal timing. The listing itself flags that diving activities and food and drinks, unless the option includes lunch, are not covered, and there is no hotel transfer. One reviewer cautioned that the corals are pale, so travellers expecting vivid coral may be disappointed even with plenty of fish and turtles about.

Choosing A Tour