Northern Beaches Transfers

Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises includes return hotel transfers from Northern Beaches accommodation on this Green Island day trip, with reef tax included. It rates 4.5 across 14 reviews, a small sample. Free cancellation applies.

Overview

This Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises day trip runs for 8 hours and is the version with return hotel transfers from Northern Beaches accommodation built in, so travellers staying north of Cairns city do not need to arrange their own way to the marina. The core of the day is a catamaran crossing to Green Island, roughly six hours of time on the island itself, and the sail back.

On board the air-conditioned catamaran, morning tea or coffee is served and a buffet lunch is available if that option is selected. The standard package also includes a choice between a glass-bottom boat tour or snorkelling gear for the day, plus the Environmental Management Charge, the reef tax visitors sometimes expect to pay separately. A semi-submersible coral viewing tour can be added, either in advance as an option or locally, subject to availability.

Once ashore, the time is unstructured. Reviewers describe easy snorkelling close to the beach, turtles in the shallows, and resort facilities on hand, with one noting the run out takes about 75 minutes. The trip suits most travellers, including families with infants on laps, though the listing caps the group at a maximum of 9 travellers and notes wheelchair access is limited rather than full.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Northern Beaches pickupReturn hotel transfers from Northern Beaches accommodation are included with this product.
2. Catamaran crossingCruise to Green Island on a modern air-conditioned catamaran, with morning tea or coffee served. One reviewer put the crossing at about 75 minutes.
3. Green Island and reef timeAround 6 hours on Green Island, within Green Island National Park and on the Great Barrier Reef. Snorkel gear or a glass-bottom boat tour is included; a semi-submersible tour can be added for a local fee.
4. Buffet lunchBuffet lunch on board, included if that option is selected at booking.
5. Return cruise and transferSail back to the mainland and transfer to your Northern Beaches accommodation.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points worth knowing before booking this version of the day trip.

• Getting there. Hotel pickup from Northern Beaches accommodation is included, so confirm your hotel details when booking. One reviewer described the boat as comfortable and the crossing as calm.
• Food and drink. Morning tea or coffee and a buffet lunch come with the package if the lunch option is selected, and a reviewer called the buffet good for what it is. Other food and drinks are available to purchase.
• Reef gear. The ticket includes either a glass-bottom boat tour or snorkelling gear for the day, which reviewers appreciated as a choice for non-snorkellers. Flotation vests and lycra suits are not included and can be hired.
• Optional extras. Extra activities are booked and paid locally, subject to availability. The listing prices an introductory scuba dive at AU$152, a Seawalker helmet dive at AU$165 and a semi-submersible coral viewing tour at AU$20.
• Weather swings. Weather off Cairns can change across the crossing. One reviewer left in a tropical downpour and reached the island in sunshine with a turtle near the shore, so a wet departure does not necessarily mean a wet day.
• Underwater variety. Reviews are mixed on the reef itself. Several described plenty of fish, turtles and coral close to the beach, while one reported mostly sand and seagrass in the designated snorkelling areas.

Common issues. The tour needs a minimum number of travellers to run and requires good weather; if either cancels it, travellers are offered a different date or a full refund, and cancelling less than 24 hours before start time forfeits the payment. Wheelchair accessibility is limited, with passengers needing some mobility or a carer to assist, and infants must sit on laps. One reviewer found the snorkelling disappointing, reporting little coral and few fish, and another noted bird droppings around the island. Optional activities such as scuba, the Seawalker dive and the semi-submersible tour cost extra and depend on local availability.

Choosing A Tour