Discover the ultimate Great Barrier Reef adventure with Spirit of Freedom liveaboard cruises! As one of Australia’s largest and most luxurious dive vessels, Spirit of Freedom redefines liveaboard diving with unmatched comfort, space, and world-class facilities. Previous winner of Dive The World’s Operator of the Year award, this 37-metre steel-hulled diving yacht delivers the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation on the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea.
Step onboard and experience spacious, modern cabins, all featuring private en-suites for your comfort. Choose from Ocean View cabins with sea-view windows or other well-appointed accommodations, each equipped with TV for in-room entertainment.
After a day of scuba diving, unwind in the elegant lounge bar or the saloon, which doubles as a dining area with a flat-screen TV, DVD player, and movie library. Enjoy gourmet meals paired with complimentary wines from the onboard cellar, or dine al fresco on the upper deck under the stars.
With a 6,000-nautical-mile range, Spirit of Freedom ventures to the most pristine and remote dive sites in the Northern Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Its electronic stabilisers ensure a smooth voyage, so you can focus on diving, meaning the only green gills will be those of the colourful fish on the reef! Key highlights of the Spirit of Freedom include:
* Minke whale encounters - one of the few liveaboards with permits to swim with dwarf minke whales (seasonal).
* Nitrox diving - extend your bottom time with the onboard nitrox membrane system (for certified divers).
* State-of-the-art dive deck- designed for convenience, with ample space, camera stations, and digital photo facilities to capture your underwater memories.
For guests on 3-4 night itineraries, fly between Cairns and Lizard Island on a thrilling low-level scenic flight (cost included). Soar just 200 metres above the reef, capturing aerial photos of turquoise seas and coral formations - an unforgettable start or finish to your Spirit of Freedom liveaboard trip.
Spirit of Freedom has 11 large, en-suite cabins across 4 cruise price brackets. All cabins are on the lower deck except 2 on the upper deck: the Oceanview Deluxe double bed cabin, and the Oceanview Standard double bed cabin. The lower deck has 1 queen bed Stateroom', 7 Standard double/twin bed cabins and 1 Quad share bunk bed cabin.
Deluxe and Standard cabins are equipped with CD Players (the Standard cabins also feature a TV with USB input for media from a hard drive). It is possible for a 3rd person to share a double/twin cabin for the same price as a berth in a quad cabin.
These Oceanview cabins have windows, allowing in natural light, while the other cabins feature cabin lighting.
All the liveaboard cabins have:
Air-conditioning
24-hour electricity (Aus 3 pin 240v)
Private en-suite bathroom with hot water shower, toilet and hand basin
Trip highlights: shark action, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Coral Sea: Osprey Reef, Great Barrier Reef - Ribbon Reef 10: choice of sites including Challenger Bay, Lighthouse Bommie, Pixie Gardens, and Pixie Pinnacle; Ribbon Reef 3: Steve's Bommie, Temple of Doom, and Flare Point
Day 1
Your diving safari starts at Cairns General Aviation Airport, where you will board a twin-engine light aircraft for a low-level scenic flight with Lizard Island as your destination. Upon your arrival, the welcoming crew of the Spirit of Freedom will greet you and escort you via tender boat directly to the liveaboard vessel. After a brief introductory tour, your journey towards the spectacular Ribbon Reefs commences around noon.
A buffet style lunch will be served. Then it's time for your first underwater adventure - an initial 'check dive' to test your gear. After resurfacing, you have ample time to unwind: choose a movie or book from the onboard library, or simply relax on the comfortable sun loungers atop the deck. Later, you'll be called for your 2nd dive, typically scheduled for a dusk or night dive. Dinner is then served as the liveaboard sets sail, navigating towards the incredible dive sites that await you in the coming days.
Days 2-4
You'll immediately be immersed in the Ribbon Reefs' vibrant underwater world, beginning at sites like Challenger Bay with its sprawling coral gardens, Lighthouse Bommie teeming with reef fish, or the delicate soft corals of Pixie Gardens and Pixie Pinnacle.
Later, journey out in the Coral Sea to the legendary Osprey Reef, a remote atoll in the Coral Sea renowned for its thrilling shark action and dramatic drop-offs. With visibility often exceeding 50 metres and its untouched coral gardens, Osprey Reef offers some of the most exhilarating and pristine diving in the South Pacific. Descend into the famous North Horn, where you’ll witness shark feedings amidst swirling schools of trevally and curious reef sharks. Drift along sheer walls adorned with vibrant soft corals, and explore swim-throughs teeming with marine life. Keep an eye out for manta rays in the deep blue.
Upon returning to Ribbon Reef nr 3, discover iconic sites such as Steve's Bommie a magnet for giant potato cod and swirling schools of trevally, the intricate coral labyrinths of Temple of Doom, and Flare Point, where reef sharks patrol vibrant slopes. Throughout these dives, marvel at the hard corals, swaying anemones, and vast clouds of pelagic fish. Giant potato cod, curious and majestic, are a highlight of your daytime explorations, often approaching divers at Cod Hole.
Day 5
Following an overnight cruise, Spirit of Freedom arrives in Cairns at dawn. Prior to disembarkation, guests are invited to partake in a light breakfast and a final group photograph commemorating their trip alongside fellow divers and crew members. This concludes your Great Barrier Reef liveaboard dive adventure, after which coordinated transfers return guests to their respective Cairns city hotels.
Trip highlights: shark action, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Coral Sea: Osprey Reef; Great Barrier Reef - Cod Hole; Ribbon Reefs 9 and 10 (including Dynamite Pass, Wonder-wall, Pixie Gardens, Pixie Pinnacle, Challenger Bay, Two Towers, Lighthouse Bommie, and the Snake Pit), Ribbon Reef 3: Steve's Bommie, Temple of Doom, and Flare Point, Outer Great Barrier Reef
Day 1
Your trip begins in the morning when we pick you up from your hotel in Cairns and take you to Trinity Wharf. There, you'll meet the crew and board the Spirit of Freedom liveaboard. After a quick tour to help you get familiar with the boat, you set sail for the Great Barrier Reef around noon. The 1st dive of the trip (a check dive to make sure you're comfortable) happens after lunch in the afternoon. After that, you have free time. You can watch a movie, borrow a book, or relax on the sunny top deck.
Later, you'll do a 2nd dive, usually around dusk or at night. Once everyone is back on board, dinner is served and the boat travels north overnight to reach the dive spots for the next few days.
Days 2-7
Prepare to be awestruck as you descend into the underwater Eden that is the Great Barrier Reef. At the legendary Cod Hole, curious, massive potato cod, some as big as you, glide alongside divers, while schools of trevally and barracuda swirl overhead. Nearby, Dynamite Pass thrills with its exhilarating drift dives where grey reef sharks patrol the blue, and green turtles graze peacefully on lush seagrass meadows. Explore the sheer drama of Wonder-wall, draped in soft corals where eagle rays soar past. Feel the grandeur at Challenger Bay and Two Towers, where towering coral cathedrals attract swirling baitballs hunted by tuna. This is the Ribbon Reefs, where every descent unveils the breathtaking scale and intricate detail of the world’s most iconic marine wilderness.
Then, push into the deep blue heart of the Coral Sea to Osprey Reef. This solitary seamount delivers heart-pounding encounters with massive schools of sharks, swirling tuna, and other pelagic giants against a backdrop of stunningly clear, deep-water vistas, adding a wild, blue-water dimension to the reef experience.
Day 8
Following the overnight passage, Spirit of Freedom arrives in Cairns at dawn. Prior to disembarkation, guests are invited to partake in a light breakfast and exchange warm farewells with fellow travellers and crew. A commemorative group photograph will be offered as a memento of your expedition.
Trip highlights: turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Great Barrier Reef: Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs 9 and 10 (including Dynamite Pass, Wonder-wall, Pixie Pinnacle, Challenger Bay, Two Towers, Lighthouse Bommie, and the Snake Pit), Outer Great Barrier Reef
Day 1
The tour starts at Trinity Wharf, where Spirit of Freedom and its crew await your arrival. A brief tour of the boat and then at noon it's time to start your journey to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Boost your energy reserves with a buffet style lunch before the 1st dive (check dive) of your safari. Back on board, enjoy a movie or a book taken from the resource library, or simply relax on comfy sun loungers on the top deck before you are called for the 2nd dive: usually a dusk dive or a night dive. Dinner is then served after the dive: a mix of international cuisine influences this meal, freshly prepared by the onboard chef. After dinner the liveaboard makes its way north, to the dive sites for the next few days.
Days 2-3
Begin your morning dive by descending into vibrant coral gardens alive with swaying anemones and schools of shimmering pelagic fish. Your journey starts at the iconic Cod Hole, where massive potato cod some exceeding 2 metres in length gracefully approach divers, creating a truly memorable experience. From there, the exploration moves across Ribbon Reefs 9 and 10, each offering its own distinct highlights. Drift through the lively coral channels of Dynamite Pass, take in the dramatic, life-rich walls of Wonder-wall, and orbit the breathtaking coral spires of Pixie Pinnacle.
Further along, uncover the hidden marine life among the bommies of Challenger Bay, swim through the bold formations of Two Towers, and witness the swirling fish aggregations at Lighthouse Bommie. For an unforgettable night dive, explore The Snake Pit, where the glow of dive lights reveals delicate black coral trees and prowling nocturnal predators. Beyond these signature locations, the untouched Great Barrier Reef presents thrilling drift dives along soft coral-lined walls, with sightings of reef sharks, turtles, and massive schools of trevally and tuna. Every dive offers a new glimpse into the extraordinary scale and biodiversity of this underwater world.
Each afternoon provides additional opportunities to explore the captivating marine life and vibrant reef systems that make the Great Barrier Reef so renowned. On select days, a 5th dive is also offered typically conducted at night, allowing divers to experience the reef's nocturnal wonders.
Day 4
Say goodbye to the Spirit of Freedom liveaboard, as after breakfast all the guests disembark to Lizard Island where it is possible to have a guided walk around. Then board the twin engine aircraft that will take you back to Cairns. It is about a 1 hour journey. A driver will meet you at the Cairns General Aviation Airport for your pre-arranged transfer.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
Onboard the Spirit of Freedom liveaboard, all meals are enjoyed in either the comfortable air-conditioned lounge or the scenic open-air dining area, where guests can choose between indoor or outdoor seating. Meals are timed between dive intervals and each dish is prepared by a skilled onboard chef.
Your culinary experience begins with lunch upon boarding and continues with 4 delicious meals a day. Each diving day starts early with a continental breakfast (including a variety of yoghurts, fresh fruit salad, cereals, toast, and hot beverages such as coffee and tea), followed by the 1st dive of the day.
Upon surfacing, guests are treated to a cooked breakfast with bacon, sausages, hash browns, baked beans, fried or scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, danishes, and even pancakes or bacon and egg rolls on select days.
A 2nd dive typically takes place mid-morning, leading into a buffet-style lunch around midday. Lunch usually includes a wide variety of freshly prepared dishes, with choices such as pulled beef hot dogs, smoked fish and prawn platters, seared tuna and king salmon sashimi, pork katsu, gyoza, hiyayakko tofu, garden salads, spinach and ricotta tortellini, beef bourguignon, lemon herb chicken, and build-your-own taco wraps.
In the afternoon, Spirit of Freedom guests enjoy their 3rd and 4th dives, followed by freshly baked snacks served in between, including chocolate chip cookies, flapjacks, macaroons, carrot cake, chocolate mousse, and sticky date pudding, at no extra cost.
On some days, a 5th dive is offered in the evening, often a night dive for those wanting to experience the reef after dark. Dinner is a highlight of the day, served after the final dive and designed to bring guests together. Meals feature expertly crafted Australian and international cuisine, with options including salmon with mushroom risotto, chicken supreme with squash purée and mushroom sauce, lamb loin chops with potato gratin and balsamic reduction, Moroccan chicken Maryland with couscous and stewed vegetables, and beef osso bucco with creamy parmesan polenta and rosemary butter.
Desserts such as tiramisu, caramel cheesecake, lemon cake, chocolate fondant brownie, and ‘dessert of the day’ follow each evening meal.
A complimentary selection of Australian wines and soft drinks is served with the evening meal, while additional beverages including soft drinks, beers, and spirits are available for purchase at the bar throughout the day.
As a special treat, the liveaboard cruise often includes a top-deck BBQ night, where guests and crew dine under the stars in a relaxed, informal setting. This themed evening offers grilled favourites, lively conversation, and the chance to socialise in a more casual atmosphere.
Special dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-conscious meals, are accommodated with advance notice.
"Excellent experience of liveaboard. Well handling the tide and waves for the dives. Captain and crews were professional on everything. They were lovely and friendly. I would love to be there again soon.
Dive The World replied quickly. I got nice and different options when my ideal favorite trip was fully booked." - FAN CHIH YU, Taiwan, 24 March 2024 ...
"An amazing and totally awesome crew. Every single person went above and beyond to make the entire trip comfortable and enjoyable. Facilities, equipment, everything was to standard and expectation. A special shout out to Daniel, who worked tirelessly from dawn to dusk to keep us well fed and happy. Thank you, you've all made my first liveaboard an experience to remember...and quite possibly got me hooked on liveaboards! I hope all others that I go on will be able to be at least be on par with Spirit of Freedom!
The agents from Dive The World have been so patient with me when I was in the planning stages of the trip. They've tried their best to assist with all my questions.
" - Ruth Lo, Malaysia, 21 October 2023 ...
"Good facilities, great food, excellent crew. The crews are super friendly. It's all good." - Abbey Chau, Hong Kong, 29 October 2022 ...
"The best operator service. The crew, food and dive sites - all excellent." - Jarol Espinosa, Australia, 06 March 2020 ...
"Great service. Staff were friendly and attentive. Meals were good. Boat was in good condition." - Vincent Chuakaew, USA, 27 December 2019 ...
"A very professional Crew gave us an excellent time. We were lucky that we could see Osprey and Bougainville reef. Awesome shark viewing, spectacular cave diving, beautiful corals, even whale watching, Very informative briefing by Nick before each dive. Perfect explanations by reef master Michelle and Alice!! Altogether an incredible diving tour!!! We were very happy that we decided to take the 4 night tour! Thanks to all the crew! " - Henry Schroeder, Germany, 13 August 2019 ...
"The vessel, crew and service were great with no place for improvement! Special thanks to the cook, who created incredible dishes." - Natalie Hauser, Germany, 18 October 2015 ...
"Excellent! Would recommend it to any avid diver." - Benjamin Fallon, USA, 12 September 2014 ...
"Professional. Well Organised. Friendly. Top quality." - Chris James, UK, 12 July 2014 ...
"My wife and I were very pleased with the dive operator's equipment, staff and facilities of the Spirit of Freedom liveaboard. The staff was friendly and competent and the equipment seems well cared for. I had difficulty with some personal equipment and they were helpful in trying to fix my equipment and to provide me with substitute equipment when their efforts were unsuccessful. I would like to know why the boat ran aground. I have some experience with boats and it was a surprise when a well instrumented boat with an experienced captain made this sort of mistake. I was also surprised that some of the dives were not more closely supervised by divers from the Spirit of Freedom, particularly the night dives. I am accustomed to diving in the Caribbean and normally the dive masters make sure the divers are following the dive plan. Perhaps this is not the case with Australian operations. I was never in danger or concerned for my safety but I was concerned for some of the less experienced divers." - Dale Strickland, USA, 14 October 2010 ...
"The system for safe diving is the best. Food is also very good." - Jae-Yeon Jang, South Korea, 5 July 2010 ...
"Great ship, very comfortable, excellent food, fun staff, good safety procedures. Overall very good, would love to go again. " - Kenneth Jorgensen, Denmark, 3 October 2009 ...
"Crew was excellent, friendly, professional without being offputting; organization on the boat was the key. Normally 26 divers seems more crowded/hectic, especially for a small dive deck area, but the crew and their system was seamless. Food was excellent and plentiful. " - Tila Duhaime, USA, 13 March 2009 ...
DEPARTURE SCHEDULE & PRICES
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MORE TRIP DETAILS
Notes: Age restrictions - Minimum age on board Spirit of Freedom is 16 years (full fare applies). All guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times, including when diving or snorkelling. We cannot guarantee that a crew member will be available to dive with a junior open water diver on all dives.
All dive guests over 65 years old will now need to obtain a dive medical certificate prior to departure. The certificate must be less than 12 months old on the cruise start date.
Dive experience: We strongly recommend that you have at least PADI Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent and have minimum of 20 oceanic dives logged prior to joining the Osprey Reef trips and have dived at least 5 dives within 12 months to date of departure. Cod Hole and Ribbon Reef trips recommendation is a Open Water Certification and a minimum of 10 ocean dives including 5 dives in the last 12 months.
All guests must submit a medical questionnaire to dive in Queensland and seek medical clearance where necessary.
Cruise price per person includes: Low-level scenic flight to or from Lizard Island (for 3 and 4 night trips only), cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, wine/beer with evening meals, transfers to the boat from Cairns City hotels, marine park fees, dives (as detailed in the trips above), in-water observation divers, GPS units, SMBs, torches, cyalume sticks, 10.5/12/15 litre tanks, weights and weight belts, all taxes.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Flights to/from Horn Island (where applicable), scuba equipment (incl dive computer: payable in advance: 3 night USD100, 4 night USD128, 7 night USD228), dive insurance. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash or credit card).
Optional extras: Soft drinks, alcoholic drinks (wine with evening meals is complimentary), nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers (payable in advance: 3 nights USD87, 4 nights USD128, 7 nights USD193). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: The Spirit of Freedom departs from either Trinity Wharf in Cairns or Lizard Island depending on the itinerary.
3 night trips departing on Thursday in Cairns and ends in Lizard Island on Sunday (involve a flight from Lizard Island back to Cairns). 4 nights trips departing on Sundays in Lizard Island (involve a flight from Cairns to Lizard Island) and ends in Cairns on Thursdays. 7 night trips departing Thursdays start and end on the boat in Cairns with no need for flights. For more details, including airlines, on getting to Cairns see our How to get there section.
Cruises that start from Cairns - 10:30 am hotel pick up, boarding 11 am, port departure 12 noon.
Cruises that start from Lizard Island - 7 am Cairns hotel pick up for 8:30 am flight to Lizard Island, boarding the boat at 11 am, port departure 12 noon.
Cruises that end at Cairns - boat returns to port at 6:30 am, disembark at 7:30 am.
Cruises that end at Lizard Island - disembark boat at 8 am, flight back to Cairns lands at 12 noon.
The last dive of each trip will end at around 5 pm on the second last day of the trip. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.
Non-diver rate: Deduct USD128 for 3 & 4 night trips, or USD257 off for 7 nights.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travellers may choose to share a cabin (no guarantee of same gender sharing) or pay a supplement of approximately 85% of the published price for their own cabin.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 11 guests and 1 extra person can join the cruise in a 4-bed cabin free of charge (total 12+ guests).
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 22 guests and 2 extra persons can join in a 4-bed cabin free of charge.
Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow
