Dive, sail and snorkel the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns
Experience the adventure of snorkelling, diving and sailing on the Great Barrier Reef with Passions of Paradise. The 25 metre high-performance catamaran sails daily from Cairns to two unique locations, world-famous Michaelmas Cay and exclusive Paradise Reef, where you can dive and snorkel with turtles, colourful fish and see an amazing variety of corals.
Enjoy a personalised day on the Great Barrier Reef with a friendly crew dedicated to making your trip memorable and a local operator whose environmental credentials and attention to detail have earned many awards including the Australian Tourism Award for Adventure.
 | Vessel | Activities available on this boat | Ports | Choose from these sailing dates: | |||||||||||
| Passions of Paradise |  Diving  Snorkelling  Sailing  Swimming  Sunning  Sightseeing | Departs: Cairns Returns: Cairns Click on locations for more info |
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| Rate per 1+ Child | Rate per 1+ Adult | Rate per 1+ Family | |
 | AUD $89.00 | AUD $139.00 | AUD $409.00 |
Dive, sail and snorkel the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns
Experience the adventure of snorkelling, diving and sailing on the Great Barrier Reef with Passions of Paradise. The 25 metre high-performance catamaran sails daily from Cairns to two unique locations, world-famous Michaelmas Cay and exclusive Paradise Reef, where you can dive and snorkel with turtles, colourful fish and see an amazing variety of corals.
Enjoy a personalised day on the Great Barrier Reef with a friendly crew dedicated to making your trip memorable and a local operator whose environmental credentials and attention to detail have earned many awards including the Australian Tourism Award for Adventure.
Michaelmas Cay
Michaelmas Cay National Park is a world-famous bird sanctuary with a beautiful sandy beach, providing a rare opportunity to snorkel and dive straight off the beach in protected, calm waters. Sea turtles are common and you are also likely to see giant trevally, small black tip reef sharks, bat fish and hundreds of species of colourful reef fish.
Paradise Reef is an exclusive mooring just for Passions so there are no crowds as you snorkel or dive on the outer Great Barrier Reef. It is a hard coral reef featuring a ribbon of small reefs. With depths of up to 25 metres along the edge, water clarity is good and the area is host to many exciting fish species including Wally, our resident Maori wrasse.
What We Offer
- A stylish, fast and modern catamaran, taking you to the best reefs
- Great crew
- Air conditioned saloon
- A dedicated snorkeling instructor and FREE tuition for those who want to learn to snorkel
- A tropical buffet lunch of hot and cold dishes including prawns and fresh tropical fruit. Our lunch is fresh, chef prepared on the boat, and tasty.
- Highest quality masks, snorkels, fins and scuba diving equipment.
- Two unique destinations: Michaelmas Cay and Paradise Reef (weather permitting) • Exclusive mooring at Paradise Reef (no crowds)
- Free floatation vests to aid non swimmers
- Free guided snorkel tour
- Morning tea which includes fresh brewed coffee and muffins
- Cheese platter for afternoon tea
- An on-board marine naturalist presentation on coral and bird life
- 10 minute FREE SCUBA diving demonstration
- High caliber sailing. Passions of Paradise will always find time to turn their engines off and do some genuine sailing on the way home to Cairns.
- Staff trained to Advanced ECO Certification Standard
What to Bring: Bring, hat, sunscreen, bathing gear, sunglasses, towel, etc. as you would for travelling to the beach. We have credit card facilities on the boat.
| Vessel: Passions of Paradise | Type: Sail |
| Length: 82ft | Year: 2003 |
| Crew: Supplied | Engine size: 420hp |
| Hull type: Catamaran | Beam: 34.12ft |
| Draft: 5.25ft | Cruising speed: 16kn |
| Manufacturer: Jarkan Yachts |
Passions of Paradise was custom designed to the exacting standards of Sydney Naval Architect Graham Parker, and built in 2003 by famed Australian builder/racer Kanga Birtles, at his ship building facilities, Jarkan Yachts. At 25 meters in length she is one of the largest, most comfortable commercial sailing catamarans in Australia. The brief was to build a solid, fast and comfortable all weather sailing catamaran with a shallow draft to take advantage of the reefs at Michaelmas Cay and Paradise Reef. A fast passage means more time on the reef.
Vessel Facilities
Seating is designed so that all passengers have a clear view out of the saloon.
Large nets at the bow invite sun worshipping.
A flat carefully designed wrap-around deck means no obstacles to trip up unwary passengers.
The boat boasts a fully stocked bar and commercial galley.
Entrance in and out of the water is simple and easy through the double rear steps on the stern.
Sail plan was designed by Graham Parker, Whalespar, Kanga Birtles and Lee Sails (Sydney). These four companies are at the forefront of modern rig design.
Two large toilets, comprising normal household flush toilets, electric hand dryers, fresh water and space to change your clothing.
Vessel features:
LOA: 25 metres (26.7m with duckboards)
Beam: 10.4 metres
Build material: Fiberglass composite hulls and superstructure
Draught: 1.6 metres
Weight: 32.5 tonnes (light)
Mast height: 26.8 metres
Main sail area: 150 sq. metres
Jib: 70 sq. metres
Spinnaker: 275 sq metres
Sails: Lee Sails in Sydney
Deck Hardware: Harken
Electronics: Furuno and Navman
Main engines: Cummins 210 hp x 2
Auxillary: Cummins 31 Kva
Cruising speed: 12.5 knots
Max speed: 14 knots
Sailing speed: Up to 16 knots
The operator is a true local and one of the few left in Cairns. The family owned company built its first catamaran in Cairns in 1987 with the simple aim of providing a fun trip to the reef. In 1997, we cut the boat in half and extended the length by 4 meters. The result was a faster more comfortable ride, with the added bonus of an extended range to access more reefs. Then, in 2003 the "new" boat was built. At 25 meters and built for speed, she revolutionised a day trip to the reef and provided a real alternative to travelling on a motor boat.
Diving
Snorkelling
Sailing
Swimming
Sunning
Sightseeing
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is a fun and easy way to see the reef. At Michaelmas Cay, due to the protection afforded by the sandy beach, snorkeling is almost always in calm water no matter how hard the wind blows. This area is great for young families or inexperienced snorkelers, as the shallow sloping beach means you can try the equipment while kneeling in waist deep water. At Paradise Reef, snorkeling is directly off the stern of the boat. Here you will find the myriads of fish that are a blaze with colour. On Passions we want you to have fun so we provide a dedicated crew member who gets into the water and helps those who need assistance. Throughout the day we also offer a FREE guided snorkel tour at one of the selected reefs.
- A FREE "try before you dive" policy which means that you are welcome to join in the briefings, get into the water and use the apparatus for approximately 5 minutes before deciding to continue with the dive.
- Maximum of 4 students per Instructor. Less if nervous divers.
- Highest quality equipment.
- Oustanding safety record. Your safety is our highest priority.
- Highly experienced Instructors.
Please note, by law, all scuba divers must complete a Medical Questionnaire on the boat. A copy can be downloaded. This may preclude some passengers from scuba diving as scuba diving involves lung expansion and moderate exertion.
Please note: Under Australian scuba diving legislation, all Certified scuba divers are required to complete a dive medical form on board the vessel. A copy can be downloaded here.
Passions of Paradise Vessel
Cancellation Policy:
We have a very generous cancellation policy which allows you to cancel or change (subject to seating availability) up to 2 days before travel. After this time, there is a 100% cancellation fee.
We offer a two destination itinerary, Michaelmas Cay and Paradise Reef, however at times, the weather may make one of these destinations unsafe or impractical to visit. On those days, we may only visit one location (eg. Michaelmas Cay, where we receive excellent protection from strong winds).In poor weather it is up to the Skippers discretion as he travels to the reef to decide which locations will be visited. He will choose keeping in mind your safety, the safety of the boat and your comfort. There are no refunds when the itinerary is changed.
Should the trip be cancelled due to poor weather or mechanical breakdown, we will refund 100% of the amount we charged.
Coral Sea Dreaming Vessel
Cancellations Policy for individual travellers:
Cancellations between 33 days and 17 days prior to travel incur a 25% fee
Cancellations between 17 days and 10 days prior to travel incur a 50% cancellation fee
Cancellations within 10 days of travel will incur a 100% cancellation fee
Cancellations Policy for Groups:
Cancellations between 17 days and 10 days of travel incur a 25% charge
Cancellations between 10 days and 48 hours prior to travel incur a 50% cancellation charge
Cancellations within 48 hours of travel incur a 100% cancellation fee.
Should the trip be cancelled due to poor weather or mechanical breakdown it is a full refund.
Itinerary:
There is no set itinerary. We have more exclusive locations than any other sailing operator, but our itinerary will depend on the weather and your safety. The Skipper will choose on the day the best itinerary, however passengers are at all times consulted on what they would like to do.
There are no refunds when the itinerary is changed.
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.
