• 8 Day Dives, 2 Night Dives over 4 spectacular Outer Barrier Reef Locations (weather permitting)
• All Dive equipment including Wetsuit & Night Torch Hire
• All Chef Prepared Meals
• Coffee and Tea
• Snorkel Equipment and Instruction
• Scuba Diving Demonstration and Instruction
• Glass Bottom Boat and Marine Life Commentary
• Reef Video Presentation
• Overnight Twinshare Cabin

TOP DECK PACKAGE INCLUSIONS

Enjoy all the inclusions above and also the following:

• Personal valet for the day
• Champagne on arrival
• Sunset Cocktails
• Romantic dinners for two under the stars (weather permitting)
• Breakfast served to your room
• Turn down service
• Plunger coffee & tea
• Personal snorkel / dive guide
• Stateroom Accommodation with private facilities, Australian bed linen, silk doona, cotton sheets and feather down pillows
• Gourmet Chef Prepared meals (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
• Glass bottom boat tour and commentary
• Wine & cheese/fruit platter on return

Don't forget that you can easily add Additional Nights to any of the rates for an extra cost. Simply indicate how many extra nights you would like in the Optional Extras field when you Make Your Discounted Price Enquiry.

WHAT TO BRING

• Hat
• Towel
• Sunglasses
• Camera
• Sunscreen
• A big smile!

Please Note: Sleeping Bags are not permitted.  Reef Encounter has a fully licensed bar so BYO is not permitted.

DEPARTURE DAY

7:45am - Boarding
Welcome aboard our new high speed air-conditioned catamaran, at Marlin Jetty.
Enjoy complimentary coffee and tea as well as a barbeque breakfast.

8:00am - Departure
Depart Marlin Jetty, Cairns and transfer to Reef Encounter waiting out at the Reef.
Scuba dive and snorkel briefing.

9:00am – 9:30am Arrival Outer Barrier Reef
Welcome aboard Reef Encounter.
Scuba dive, snorkel, sunbake and relax.

3:00pm - Evening Mooring
Cruise to Hastings, Norman or Saxon Reef for the night.
Scuba diving, snorkeling, sunbaking & relaxing time.

Evening
Dinner, night scuba dive, swimming and relaxation time.

RETURN DAY

6:30am - Breakfast
Scuba dive followed by breakfast.

10:30am - New Location
Cruise to new spectacular outer barrier Reef location.
Scuba diving, snorkelling and sunbaking, relaxing time.

1:00pm - Lunch
Lunch time.
Departing guests board transfer vessel.

1:45pm - Breaking Patches
Cruise to Breaking Patches.
Scuba dive, snorkel, sunbake, relax.

2:00pm - Final Transfer

3:30pm - Departure
Depart Breaking Patches for Cairns.
Enjoy complimentary wine and cheese on your return journey.

4:30pm - Arrival
Arrive back in Cairns.

PLEASE NOTE:

Itinerary and locations may change due to weather conditions.
Skipper will decide which spectacular outer barrier reef location depending on weather and Reef Encounters schedule.
Please advise if vegetarian or vegan is required.

Reef Encounter is a 35 metre luxury catamaran designed for the utmost stability & comfort at sea. The vessel is air-conditioned throughout & features spacious decks as well as roomy dining & recreation areas to dine and relax in.

Reef Encounter offers an outstanding accommodation base for visitors to Cairns to experience the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef whether they have a night or a week to spare. Accommodation facilities onboard the fully air-conditioned vessel are terrific. Staterooms are modern, spacious & bright with plenty of storage space, & all have en-suite bathrooms.

Reef Encounter has its own onboard water desalination plant so guests have the luxury of unlimited showers. The dining room is big & fresh, our onboard heated spa is perfect to relax after a night dive or watch the sunset with a glass of champagne. Our hydraulic scuba dive / snorkel platform makes scuba diving & snorkeling a breeze. Reef Encounter is large enough to provide all the comforts of larger cruise ships, yet small enough to enable access to spectacular reef locations inaccessible to other vessels.

Our Top Deck Club is designed to meet the expectations of the most discerning of guests, offering an unhurried, relaxed ambience. Our modern staterooms have a private ensuite and are spacious and air-conditioned with ample space for clothes and luggage.

Reef Encounter is available for Private Charter for the ultimate vacation experience. Reef Encounter offers an outstanding opportunity to live aboard & spend a night or several nights on the Great Barrier Reef. Reef Encounter is a team of like minded individuals who share a passion to provide the best environment for people to experience the Great Barrier Reef in comfort & style. We cater for peoples individual requirements & our aim is always to provide people with the best possible experience they will remember forever.

Liveaboard accomodation
Liveaboard accomodation offers you a unique way to see and experience The Great Barrier Reef and the chance to stay for a longer period of time. In fact liveaboard accomodation on Reef Encounter can be catered to suit your every requirement. Stay as long as your itinerary will allow.

Your liveaboard accomodation consists of staterooms, which have double or twin beds. All cabins have their own storage areas and private bathrooms. Reef Encounter has its own on board water desalination plant so guests have the luxury of unlimited showers. This really is the best luxurious liveaboard accomodation available at the Reef.

Friendly and experienced dive crews make Reef Encounter liveaboard accomodation, the ultimate scuba diving and snorkelling adventure vessel. You can even enjoy the on board spa.

Of course liveaboard accomodation offers you the chance to really explore The Great Barrier Reef at your own leisure. The vessel has a large easy access water platform, which allows hassle free scuba diving and snorkelling. You can also experience the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef and enjoy a night dive. This is a unique opportunity to see the night time activity of the Reef.

Relax on Reef Encounter and visit places that you may never have had the opportunity to see otherwise. Reef Encounter, your liveaboard accomodation base, is spacious enough to provide all the comforts of larger cruise ships, yet small enough to enable access to spectacular reef locations inaccessible to other vessels.

Facilities available for liveaboard accommodation onboard Reef Encounter:

* 21 twin/double staterooms (all have private bathrooms).
* Air-conditioning.
* Fully Licensed Bar.
* Complimentary Tea, Coffee & Milo all day.
* Dining Room - Chef prepared meals made fresh daily on board.
* Heated Spa
* Easy access to snorkelling / scuba dive platform.
* Snorkel & Dive Equipment
* Dive Tender vessels.
* Spacious Sun Deck with sun lounges.
* Glass Bottom Boat.
* TV / Video Room.
* Heli Pad.
* Reef fishing is available - advanced bookings are essential.

Cairns Diving

The operator is a premier dive tour company based in Cairns. Diving tours can take the traveller on a number of adventures, whether for a couple of hours or for a couple of days.

With departures from Cairns, the operator can offer some of the most spectacular diving in the world.

The area can be explored with a Compass Cruises Day Trip departing from Cairns. Diving & snorkelling enable holidaymakers to explore vast coral reefs, amazing underwater caves surrounded by an array of beautiful marine life.

Compass Cruises depart daily from Marlin Jetty in Cairns. Diving & snorkel tours are a fabulous way to experience the Great Barrier Reef and it’s magnificent underwater world.

There are many opportunities for travellers wishing to experience the magical experience of snorkelling or even scuba diving. Cairns is a vibrant city in the heart of the Tropical North & can be used as an excellent base for exploring the vast region.

Reef Encounter offers an outstanding accommodation base for visitors to Cairns – diving the magical water of the reef. Accommodation facilities onboard the fully air-conditioned live-aboard vessel are outstanding.

The vessel provides a water platform allowing travellers to get easy access to snorkelling & scuba diving. Cairns is the point of departure for cruises from Marlin Jetty, but transfers can be organized from Port Douglas, Palm Cove or the heli-pad if required.

Reef Encounter have a fabulous team aboard who share a passion of the Great Barrier Reef. It can offer the experience of seeing the Great Barrier Reef in comfort & style.

With a professional, experienced dive crew, the Reef Encounter offers the ultimate snorkelling adventure while living aboard a well-equipped vessel.

Reef Encounter is small enough to be able to access spectacular reef locations that are inaccessible to larger vessels.

By contacting contacting us diving enthusiasts can plan a spectacular diving trip to a more adventurous location. Certified divers are able to explore more reefs, with a greater variety of sites and less divers exploring the location.
Compass Cruises and the Reef Encounter both depart from Marlin Jetty at Cairns. Diving & snorkelling trips with either vessel will go to a variety of reefs and dive sites on the Great Barrier Reef – the only difference being the expertise of the diver and the amount of time available to explore.

Cairns Dive:
The tropical region of Far North Queensland has many attractions to explore. These include the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef, tropical rainforest & unique Australian outback.

Many travellers touring Far North Queensland will set up base in the tropical city of Cairns. The dive operator can offer quality Great Barrier Reef tours departing from Marlin Jetty in Cairns. Dive into one of the fabulous day trips of the Great Barrier Reef with up to 5 hours of swimming, snorkelling and diving.

For travellers wishing to scuba dive, Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef offer some of the most beautiful and unique diving and snorkelling experiences in the world. The Great Barrier Reef is an endless chain of coral reefs made up of beautiful living corals and an abundance of marine life.

Snorkelling is a simple and safe way to see the reef, requiring no expertise or intricate equipment. Snorkelling enables people of all ages and abilities to experience this unique underwater world.

The operator offers fabulous tours departing from Marlin Jetty in Cairns. Dive into one of the amazing wonders of the world and return with beautiful memories.

Reef Encounter & Compass Cruises are manned by an experienced crew who share a passion to provide the best experience of the magnificent reef.

The Reef Encounter offers the best value for divers and snorkellers wishing to live-aboard a diving vessel as part of their reef experience. For those that wish to try the excitement of scuba diving, there is a free 10 minute scuba dive demonstration.

There are diving options for the certified diver looking for the extreme adventure. By contacting our qualified staff in our office in Cairns, dive sites that are off the beaten track and are for the more adventurous scuba divers can be planned.

The Reef Encounter live-aboard cruise and Compass Cruise day trips cater for divers of varying levels of experience, all departing from Cairns. Dive or snorkel by choosing from a variety of diving options, all needs are catered for by our staff.

The Reef Encounter departs from Marlin Jetty in Cairns. Dive with Reef Encounter and you will find a luxury catamaran is designed for utmost comfort at sea. Reef Encounter is air-conditioned throughout with spacious decks, large dining and recreation areas.

Cairns Diving Cruise:
A Cairns diving cruise is the perfect way to experience nature’s wonderland, The Great Barrier Reef. Whether you visit the reef with Compass Cruises for a day trip or stay for longer on the Reef Encounter (a luxury catamaran), Cairns is the perfect base to begin your journey.

Your Cairns diving cruise and day trip begins bright and early, 7:45 am in fact, at Marlin Jetty in Cairns. Compass Cruises let you spend a full five hours at the Reef visiting two spectacular locations. At each one you’ll come face to face with schools of tropical reef fish and amazing coral formations.

First stop on your Cairns diving cruise is Hastings Reef, renowned for its 10 square kilometres of coral gardens, its tame, friendly reef sharks, Wally the Giant Wrasse and thousands of colourful tropical fish. At this point on your Cairns diving cruise you can swim, snorkel and explore. You can even try scuba diving and if it’s your first time, try a free ten minute diving demonstration.

Second stop is Breaking Patches where you will be amazed by its forest staghorn coral, large sea fans, black coral trees, yielding some 400 species of coral, and a vertical wall teeming with marine life.

At both locations on your Cairns diving cruise you can enjoy a glass bottom boat tour and viewing learning all about the Great Barrier Reef, one of nature’s most precious assets.

A longer Cairns diving cruise is available on board the Reef Encounter where you can appreciate and enjoy the Reef for a longer period of time. One of the highlights of this Cairns diving cruise is the night dive, made easy by the large easy access water platform. See the differences of the Great Barrier Reef at night.

Great Barrier Reef - Scuba Dive:
Great Barrier Reef Scuba diving is one of the best ways to truly experience the Great Barrier Reef. Scuba dive, snorkel or swim and explore one of the world’s most important natural assets. A Compass Cruise day trip or a stay on Reef Encounter’s liveaboard 35 metre luxurious catamaran specially cater for visitors who want to experience the beauty and wonder of The Great Barrier Reef. Scuba dive in a friendly and safe environment.

Compass Cruises to the Great Barrier Reef
On a Compass Cruise day trip to The Great Barrier Reef, scuba dive and enjoy a full five hours at the reef including visits to two spectacular locations, Hastings Reef and Breaking Patches. Meet Wally the friendly Wrasse, be amazed by the colour of thousands of tropical fish and at Breaking Patches, look in awe at the vertical wall literally teeming with marine life.

Our friendly and experienced staff will introduce you to the magic of the underwater Great Barrier Reef. Scuba dive, whether you’re an experienced diver or even if you’ve never been for a scuba dive before. For those who are a little nervous before their first scuba dive there are free ten minute scuba dive demonstrations designed specifically to put your mind at ease.

Reef Encounter – Longer visits to the Great Barrier Reef
For longer visits to the reef, Reef Encounter offers you an outstanding accommodation base from which to explore The Great Barrier Reef. Scuba dive, as much or as little as you like, overnight or a week if you prefer. Accommodation facilities on board the fully air-conditioned vessel are modern, spacious and bright with plenty of storage and each cabin has its own private en-suite bathroom.

The heated spa on deck is the perfect place to relax at the Great Barrier Reef. Scuba dive during the day and watch the evening sunset with a glass of champagne. Scuba diving and snorkeling are easy with our hydraulic scuba dive/snorkel platform. Reef Encounter is large enough to provide all the comforts of bigger cruise ships, yet small enough to allow access to spectacular reef locations usually inaccessible to other vessels.

Testimonials
Reef Encounter - The best competent and friendly crew!

30 years diving many times to the Great Barrier Reef been on several liveaboard just experienced the best value, best service, best equipment and best food, best crew – this is the best package I have experienced for the first time a good value for money dive experience

Mr John van der Laan – Australian- June 2007

The crew were excellent! Very friendly and helpful but also extremely professional. It was very obviously safety first throughout our stay.

Really enjoyed it thank you so much. It was the crew that really made it – like being in a little happy family and I always felt 100% safe to try anything because the high safety standards were obvious from the beginning.

The food was absolutely gorgeous thank you for being so accommodating about my allergies – the chef really knew his stuff.

The marketing that we saw didn’t do it justice – get some customer comments on there. The atmosphere should be a really selling point.

Thanks again! Katherine Dunn - Irish

We very much enjoyed the crew they were helpful and cheery – Reef Encounter was an excellent experience Thank you so much for a wonderful memory

David Mary & Jason Gillum USA

Leaving Australia in 2 days, we could not go without telling you THANK YOU !!!!!

What an amazing journey ! We had such a good time on board with you. This would be unforgettable birthday and honeymoon.

Thanks to all the team ! .... and special ones to :

- Micky for bringing Leo underwater and for him to love this experience.
- John and Cristel for having giving us a lift to Palm Cove, luggage and people !

Please give this e-mail to anybody concerned and say hi to George (the Compass photograph) for us !!!

Payment Policy:
The initial deposit and balance are payable upon confirmation.

Cancellation Policy:
The initial deposit paid is non-refundable. In addition to forfeiting your deposit, the following charges also apply:
5 days notice is required for booking alternations or cancellations. NO refunds on uncompleted dives.

Locations, Pirces, Itinerary are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances without notice. Scuba Diving- for both first time and certified divers. A history of certain medical conditionsand taking of certain prescribed drugs may preclude a guest from Scuba Diving unless current Queensland Diving Medical Certificate can be shown to the Dive Instructor. All divers are subject to a medical questionnaire on board the vessel before diving and their fitness will be assessed by the Dive Instructor. Passengers intending to dive but restricted due to the above will not be offered a refund. Please remember you need to a allow between 12-24hours from your last dive before flying.

Please note: Pets are not allowed onboard. Smoking is prohibited on board Reef Experience, However Reef Encounter our liveaboard vessel has a smoking section located on the back deck area.

Diving Rules & Regulations:
Introductory or Resort Dives:
You will need to fill in the Medical Questionnaire given to you by the company you are diving with, & similar to that shown below. Answering YES to any question will not necessarily disqualify you from diving, but will indicate the need for a medical assessment by a qualified physician prior to diving that conforms to Australian Medical Standard AS4005-1.

Children need to be a minimum of 12 years in age to participate in scuba diving.

Learn To Dive Courses and Referral Programs:
You will need to pass a Dive Medical which has been done in accordance with Australian Standards (AS4005.1) Please be well aware of this and only do a medical outside of Australia if your doctor conducts it in accordance to those exact standards and clearly states it on the top of the medical certificate that he issues. If yours does not state this, there is a very high chance you will have to do another medical in Australia. A dive medical is relatively cheap in Australia at approximately AUD $45.

Experienced Divers:
Prior to diving, you may be asked to fill out a Medical Questionnaire; this is not a legal requirement but is done in your own best interest. Some companies make it policy and some don't, unfortunately it is still quite a grey area and the rules are not hard and fast.

The purpose of the questionnaire is to determine whether you should be examined by a doctor. There may be a pre-existing condition that has not stopped you from diving in your own country, but one that Australian laws do not allow; or perhaps there could be a new condition developed since you became qualified to dive which may well affect your safety while diving now.

So, basically if you answer YES to any of the conditions listed on the Medical Questionnaire (see sample below), we strongly recommend you to see a physician for further assessment. As mentioned above it is far better to visit a physician whilst in Australia, as a valid medical in Australia is one that complies with Australian Standards (AS4005.1).

There have been many cases where a qualified diver has been disqualified from diving when they have already made the trek to the reef, simply because their medical condition becomes known to the dive instructor. At the end of the day the dive instructor is controlling the dives, and your safety is their responsibility whether you like it or not!

Sample Medical Questionnaire
Please note that this is a sample only and may not be same as the questionnaire that you are issued onboard your dive/snorkel trip.

* Could you be pregnant or are you attempting to become pregnant?
* Are you presently taking prescription medications? (with the exception of birth control )
* currently smoke a pipe, cigars or cigarettes
* have a high cholesterol level
* have a family history of heart attack or stroke
* are currently receiving medical care
* high blood pressure
* diabetes mellitus, even if controlled by diet alone
* Have you ever had or do you currently have:
* Asthma, wheezing with breathing or wheezing with exercise?
* Frequent or severe attacks of hayfever or allergy?
* Frequent colds, sinusitis or bronchitis?
* Any form of lung disease?
* Pneumothorax (collapsed lung)?
* Other chest disease or chest surgery?
* Behavioural health, mental or psychological problems (panic attack, fear of closed or open spaces)?
* Epilepsy, seizures, convulsions or take medications to prevent them?
* Recurring complicated migraine headaches or taking medications to prevent them?
* Blackouts or fainting (full/partial loss of consciousness)?
* Frequent or severe suffering from motion sickness (seasick, carsick, etc)?
* Dysentery or dehydration requiring medical intervention?
* Any dive accidents or decompression sickness?
* Inability to perform moderate exercise (example: walk 1.6klm/one mile within 12 mins.)?
* Head injury with loss of consciousness in the past five years?
* Recurrent back problems?
* Back or spinal surgery?
* Diabetes?
* Back, arm or leg problems following surgery, injury or fracture?
* High blood pressure or taking medicine to control blood pressure?
* Heart disease?
* Heart attack?
* Angina, heart surgery or blood vessel surgery?
* Sinus surgery?
* Ear disease or surgery, hearing loss or problems with balance?
* Recurrent ear problems?
* Bleeding or other blood disorders?
* Hernia?
* Ulcers or ulcer surgery?
* A colostomy or ileostomy?
* Recreational drug use or treatment for, or alcoholism in the past five years?

Don't let yourself find out after you reach the reef that you don't qualify medically. Please note that dive medicals are performed by independent doctors, not dive companies, and it is ultimately the decision of the doctor whether to pass you as medically fit to dive. If you are diving in North Queensland, your dive medical must be to Australian Standard 4005.1 (2002) or, due to Government regulation, it will not be accepted.

The following Medical Centres in Cairns specialise in dive medicals.

Cairns 24 Hour Medical Centre
Cnr Florence and Grafton Sts, Cairns
Ph: 07 4052 1119
Email: thedoctors@iig.com.au

Cairns Central Medical Centre
112a Cairns Central Shopping Centre, McLeod St, Cairns
Ph: 07 4031 3717
Email: ccmc@iig.com.au

Cairns Sports Medicine
121-124 Mulgrave Rd, Cairns
Ph: 07 4051 3944
Email: auscarecmc@bigpond.com

Cairns Tourist & Local Medical Services
15 Lake Street, Cairns
Ph: 07 4041 1699
Email: ctlmed@iig.com.au

Terms of booking on this website

Information disclaimer
The rates on this website are often heavily discounted. This is due to our negotiated rates and bulk buying power. On very rare occasions, a rate may be displayed incorrectly due to our, or a supplier's error. In such a case, if you book with us at a quoted rate that is incorrect, we will notify you of any price change and give you the option to proceed or cancel. We make every effort to keep information on our site up to date, but we cannot guarantee this website is free of errors or omissions and retain the right to update or change the information published at any time.

Liability
To the extent permitted by law we/the owners of this website will not be liable to you or to any third party (whether in contract, tort, or otherwise) for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage (including but not limited to any accident, injury, delay or loss of enjoyment) arising out of your reliance upon information contained on this website, including but not limited to your use (or inability to use) any products or services described or procured through this website.

On departure day, before you commence your trip, you may be required to sign a rental agreement (in the case of boat charters) with the supplier of the vessel. Your rental and use of the vessel will be governed by the terms of the rental agreement and any other documentation or information provided to you by the supplier at the time you pick up your vessel. The rental agreement is between you and the supplier and we will not be liable to you or to any third party in relation to the terms of the supplier rental agreement or any other documentation provided to you by the supplier at the time of pick up.

While we will make reasonable efforts to ensure we are representing only reputable suppliers, we make no warranty about the fitness or suitability of any third party (supplier) product or service and will not accept responsibility for the quality or fitness of any vessel. We welcome feedback from our customers on their experience with our suppliers. We may, at our discretion, provide you with reasonable assistance in resolving any dispute you may have with a supplier.

Our total liability to you in relation to your use of this website and the information contained on this website will not exceed the dollar amount of the deposit we have received from you in relation to your booking/rental. Refunds will not be made for bookings cancelled due to inclement weather. Again, we strongly recommend that you take out travel insurance. Your use of this website is governed by the laws of New Zealand and the jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts.

Booking information
To make a booking, you must complete our no-obligations reservations enquiry form which is easy to follow and secured with the latest encryption technology. Once we receive your enquiry, we will contact you via phone or email, to advise of availability and confirm the final price is correct - and discuss payment options. A booking is confirmed when you have been emailed a confirmation notice and at this stage the deposit is processed on your credit card and becomes non-refundable and any cancellation fees stated in the terms apply. Upon receipt of your confirmation, please check your details carefully and notify us immediately if there are any incorrect details, as it may not be possible to make changes at a later date.

Please note we accept Visa and Mastercard and the credit card fees are: 
1) 1.75% for the deposit amount.
2) 1.75% for the balance of payment.

If you are booking via phone, please first make sure you have read the terms and conditions of your selected sailing adventure. Our reservations consultant will ask you if you have read the terms and agree to them before proceeding. The onus is always on the renter to ensure they make themselves fully aware of the terms displayed on our website.

Information disclosure
In booking on this website you acknowledge that we disclose your information to your selected Supplier in order to provide the requested rental, trip or charter services.

Amendments
Please check the terms of each vessel to see whether amendment fees apply. Please also note that for some vessels an amendment is treated as a new booking and the rate current at the time the amendment is made to recalculate the entire booking amount (not just the days changed). In the case of boat rental/yacht charter, if the hire or number of days is increased, an additional deposit may be required, while reduction in rental periods or price may reduce the total, but the deposit amount will remain unchanged.

Vessel Capacity and fitness to charter (for Bareboats only)
Under no circumstances are you permitted to carry more passengers than the vessel you charter is legally registered to carry, and if you do your insurance may be invalidated. The number of passengers allowed is indicated next to each vessel on this website. It is your responsibility to choose a journey that is within your capabilities. A boat or trip supplier can refuse to hire a vessel to any person who is in their opinion unfit to skipper or does not meet eligibility requirements. In such circumstances we will have no further liability to you.