-
travel_explore
Cairns & Port Douglas Explore New Zealand, Australia & Fiji!tune
Sunlover Reef Cruises - Reef Pontoon and Fitzroy Island Full Day Tour
Experience the ultimate reef and island adventure with the Reef & Fitzroy Island Full Day Reef Tour, a seamless blend of underwater wonders and tropical island paradise!
Highlights
- Experience the best of both worlds – up to 2.5 hours on the iconic Great Barrier Reef and up to 2.5 hours on Fitzroy Island in one epic day
- Snorkel among vibrant coral and marine life or take a thrilling ride down a 30-metre spiral waterslide
- Stay dry option - explore the reef with a glass-bottom boat tour or underwater observatory
- Enjoy a buffet lunch at Zephyrs restaurant on Fitzroy Island, surrounded by lush rainforest
Departing from Cairns, step aboard a comfortable, air-conditioned catamaran for a scenic 1.5-hour cruise to the Sunlover Moore Reef Pontoon, your gateway to the vibrant Outer Great Barrier Reef.
This floating hub is fully equipped for an incredible day of exploration, offering snorkelling gear for up-close encounters with dazzling coral formations, colourful marine life, and even graceful sea turtles.
Little adventurers can splash about in the enclosed ocean pool or take on the exhilarating 30-metre spiral waterslide, twisting straight into the warm, clear waters of the reef.
Prefer to stay dry? Glide through the reef’s beauty on a semi-submersible or glass-bottom boat tour, or head to the underwater observatory, where you can marvel at nature’s most breathtaking aquarium without getting wet.
Thrill-seekers can elevate their experience with optional extras like a guided snorkel tour, a Seawalker helmet dive, or a breathtaking scenic helicopter flight over the reef.
After an action-packed morning, the journey continues to the stunning Fitzroy Island, where a buffet lunch awaits at Zephyrs restaurant on Welcome Bay.
With 99% of the island covered in lush tropical rainforest, dotted with rugged granite outcrops, mangroves, and coral-fringed beaches, Fitzroy is a favourite escape for Cairns locals.
Whether you fancy swimming or relaxing on the beach, or exploring scenic walking trails, the island offers a perfect balance of adventure and tranquillity.
You get to experience the best of the Great Barrier Reef and the charm of Fitzroy Island in one incredible day, packed with unforgettable moments and picture-perfect scenery!
Itinerary
- 7:00am – Check in starts @ Sunlover Cruises counter inside the Reef Fleet Terminal
- 7:30 AM Check in Closes
- 8:00 AM Depart Cairns to Moore Reef Pontoon
- 9:30 AM Arrive at Moore Reef Pontoon
- 2 Hours of Pontoon Fun
- 12 PM Depart Moore Reef for Fitzroy Island
- 12:30-1:30 PM Lunch
- 2 Hours of Island Fun
- 3:30 PM Depart Fitzroy Island
- 4:30 PM Arrive Back in Cairns
All prices are shown in AUD ($)
- Adult$246.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Child$97.50
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$216.00
- Child$107.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$216.00
- Child$97.50
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$216.00
- Child$97.50
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$216.00
- Child$107.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$216.00
- Child$97.50
- Infant Free of Charge
Authenticated Reviews & Photos All of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme
Showing all 45 authenticated Bookme reviews
Jeremy Wooller from New Zealand wrote on 14 July 2026
Fab
The tour was incredible. I was thrilled by the reef and the fish. The Life underwater is thriving.
Shilpi Dewan from Australia wrote on 05 July 2026
Breathtaking experience
Beautiful experience, staff is very friendly and co-operative, thank you sunlover for making it one of the most memorable experience of our lives
Pragati Bhadauria from Australia wrote on 23 April 2026
Choose wisely
We had booked the cruise in advance as we were visiting Cairns only for a week with young kids. On the day, the weather turned bad. I raised concerns re going to the reef in bad weather but the staff told us it would be fine. The sail was horrible with most people throwing up around us. The water was too choppy to snorkel even for adults let alone the kids, so we barely snorkelled. We had booked a reef and island package and our island experience was washed out by heavy pouring. We stayed in the boat for a couple of hours before another horrible sail back. Sunlover should have canceled in the day giving option to either choose another day or get a refund rather than forcing such a poor experience. It was money and time wasted.
From Sunlover Reef Cruises - Reef Pontoon and Fitzroy Island Full Day Tour
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Pragati. We’re genuinely sorry your day did not feel like the family outing you had hoped for, especially when travelling with young children and only having a short time in Cairns. Weather on the Great Barrier Reef can be very changeable, and while we only operate when conditions are assessed as safe, we understand that “safe to travel” does not always mean “comfortable” for every guest. The crossing can be unpleasant for those prone to motion sickness when the sea is unsettled, and we’re sorry this affected your family’s day so heavily. We also understand your disappointment with the Reef & Island itinerary. Rain and wind can impact visibility, snorkelling comfort, and time spent enjoying Fitzroy Island, even when the tour is still able to operate safely. Our crew will always provide the best guidance they can based on the conditions at the time, but we appreciate that the day did not deliver the relaxed family experience you were expecting. We do not cancel departures lightly, as many guests are also visiting Cairns for a limited time, but safety remains the key factor in whether a tour proceeds. That said, your feedback is important, particularly around how conditions are communicated to families before departure, and we’ll share this with our operations team for review. We’re sorry your day felt like money and time wasted. That is never the outcome we want for any guest, and we appreciate you taking the time to let us know.
Petrus Van Der Walt from New Zealand wrote on 18 June 2026
Holiday
This was an excellent experience with great staff
Copyright © 2026 Bookme Limited.
When you see the Qualmark logo, your activity of choice is endorsed by New Zealand Tourism's official quality assurance organisation and backed by leaders in the industry. It's your trusted guide to iconic activities and experiences that are awarded for their exceptionally high level of quality, safety and sustainability.
Qualmark Gold
This award recognises the best sustainable tourism businesses in New Zealand. It denotes exceptional customer experiences at the heart of everything the company does. This business is leading the way in making the New Zealand tourism industry a world class sustainable visitor destination.
Qualmark Silver
This award is evidence of a sophisticated tourism business that consistently exceeds visitor expectations. Their proactive leadership and management ensure the business's focus on continuously improving their economic, social and environmental performance to create genuine, constantly evolving and sustainable tourism experiences.
Qualmark Bronze
The Qualmark Bronze award recognizes a business that operates with a high level of professionalism, is mindful of its environmental impact, and is dedicated to putting customers first.
Continue with Facebook
lisaf45 from Australia wrote on 05 April 2026
Great day out on the reef & Fitzroy Island
We unfortunately had a very rough trip to Moore Reef - there were pretty strong winds. No fault of Sunlover of course, can't do anything about the weather. Take some motion sickness meds before you go if you are prone to sea sickness. In spite of the bumpy seas, we enjoyed the snorkelling on the reef. The staff were great, the boat was very safe, the gear was fine & plentiful. The trip out was about 90 minutes. We returned to Fitzroy Island for a buffet lunch, which was very good. Then a walk over to Nudey beach before jumping back on board for the return to Cairns. Fortunately the weather had improved & we had a calm trip home. We all enjoyed our day & recommend the trip.