Upolu Cay snorkelling tours from Cairns: What’s different?

The Upolu Cay snorkelling tours on board the Ocean Freedom from Cairns include six hours on the Great Barrier Reef and a glass bottom boat trip.

The Ocean Freedom snorkelling cruise from Cairns, Queensland, is one of several Great Barrier Reef cruises departing from the city. But what makes this reef tour different?

The main points of difference for the Ocean Freedom snorkelling cruise from Cairns are:

Travelling on a luxury 20 metre catamaran.
Six hours of reef time.
Visiting two Great Barrier Reef sites instead of one.
Bonus guided tours, including a glass bottom boat trip and a snorkelling tour with a marine naturalist.
The option of doing an introductory guided dive.

To skip the explanation and book the tour, head this way…

How does the Ocean Freedom reef cruise work?

The Ocean Freedom tour to the Great Barrier Reef is longer than many competitors, with the operators keen to push the idea of getting a full six hours reef time.

Departing from Cairns, passengers board a luxury 20m catamaran and set sail for one of two snorkel and dive destinations.

The first stop is the Upolu Cay reef, where guests are introduced to the reef’s amazing marine life from the comfort of a glass bottom boat.

Save time queuing – Book these Cairns attractions in advance

From the air: Outer Reef helicopter flight | Sunrise hot air balloon ride | Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
At night: Sunset dinner cruise | Pub and club tour | Aquarium by Twilight experience.
For wildlife: Birdworld Kuranda | Kuranda Koala Gardens | Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome | Cairns Aquarium | Rainforestation Nature Park
For culture: Cairns Museum tickets | Street art walking tour | City and surrounds highlights bus tour.
For thrills: AJ Hackett giant jungle swing | High speed jet boat tour | Barron Gorge white water rafting | Mulgrave River tubing.

Glass bottom boat tour on Upolu Cay

It’s a chance to learn about the graceful blue-spotted stingrays, tenacious green sea turtles, bright damselfish, and other creatures that call this reef their home. You’ll then have the chance to see these creatures up close as you snorkel in the clear water.

Next up is the ‘Wonder Wall’ on the outer edge of Upolu Reef. Here you can snorkel above the top of the wall for easy viewing of the marine life and coral.

You’re likely to see giant clams, colourful tropical fish, turtles and both hard and soft corals.

Should you wish to dive deeper, sign up for the optional certified or introductory guided dive.

Find your ideal Great Barrier Reef tours by location

Great Barrier Reef tours run from numerous destinations along the Queensland coast. Different tours cater to different tastes – some make sure they go to the best snorkelling spots, others build in beach time and some throw in extra such as underwater observatories and glass bottom boat tours.

Use the following links to start picking the best Great Barrier Reef tour options where you’re going on holiday.

The best Great Barrier Reef tours in… 1770 | Airlie Beach | Bundaberg | Cairns | Cape Tribulation | Mackay | Magnetic Island | Mission Beach | Palm Cove | Port Douglas | Townsville.

Lunch on Ocean Freedom reef cruise

In between visiting these two sites, there’s a smorgasbord lunch with smoked salmon, prawns, three types of cold meat, a chicken platter, three fresh salads, and a variety of breads.

The Ocean Freedom reef tour is eco-certified, ensuring that the experience is sustainable and minimizes the impact on the environment.

The tour includes a live English-speaking tour guide, snorkelling gear, including prescription masks, Lycra stinger suits, wetsuits (seasonal), and flotation devices.

Guests also have access to fish feeding, fresh water showers, Danish pastries, fresh fruit, tea, and coffee upon boarding.

Trip-booster! 8 great day trips from Cairns to power-up your holiday

Kuranda combo package – take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up and the Skyrail cable car down.
Green Island tours with beach time, glass bottom boat and snorkelling. (Or pick a Fitzroy Island trip instead).
Moore Reef day tour – with underwater observatory, snorkelling gear, glass bottom boat & semi-submersible cruises.
Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with snorkelling stops at two excellent spots on the Reef.
Cape Tribulation rainforest day tour – with Mossman Gorge Aboriginal cultural experience and Daintree River crocodile-watching cruise.
Atherton Tableland waterfalls and rainforest tour – including wildlife-spotting and a swim in a volcanic lake.
Outback 4WD tour – visiting Chillagoe Caves, Aboriginal rock art and Granite Gorge.

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Upolu Cay snorkelling tour cost

The Upolu Cay snorkelling tour on the Ocean Freedom costs $231.50 at the time of writing. For mobile-friendly tickets and instant confirmation, book here.

Other Great Barrier Reef tours from Cairns include the Sunlover Cruises trip to Moore Reef and the Evolution cruise to Hastings Reef.