To visit Great Barrier Reef - Airlie Beach or Cairns?

Hi,

On our Royal Carribean cruise in April, we can visit the Great Barrier Reef at two stops, either Airlie Beach or Cairns. Both are 7 hour excursions. Airlie Beach is $229 and Cairns is $259.

For anyone that has been, which would you choose?

Thanks

Angela

I would choose to do it on whichever stop is first, which is generally Airlie. The reason being that there are occasions when it can be too rough to go out to the reef and if it had to be cancelled on the first port you should still have to opportunity to try to book it for the second.

Also, if Airlie Beach is the first stop and you do it there, it gives you the opportunity to do some other things in Cairns, which is much larger and has more choices of sightseeing options.

I have been out to the reef from both locations, though not from a cruise. The experiences were pretty similar. I expect you would need to do the ship's excursion as the arrival and departure times of alternatives do not normally fit in with the cruise schedules. I would think that in both locations you would go out to a reef platform which I have to say I find to be a very enjoyable day.

Having said all that, May is a great time weatherise to be up there and you will hopefully find the excursions happening in both locations.

I would chose to do it at Airlie beach and give yourself time in Cairns to do the Kuranda skyrail and/ or rail. The skyrail gives spectacular views of the rainforest below and certainly sticks out in my memory. Cairns also has lovely markets and a beautiful public lagoon pool that anyone can use right in the heart of the city overlooking the bay.

In regards to the reef it is beautiful but don't expect to see it in vivid colours like you would in an aquarium it is a much more dull colour unfortuneately because there is not the lighting you would have in an aquarium to light up the colours.

hope you have a great trip.

I would chose to do it at Airlie beach and give yourself time in Cairns to do the Kuranda skyrail and/ or rail. The skyrail gives spectacular views of the rainforest below and certainly sticks out in my memory. Cairns also has lovely markets and a beautiful public lagoon pool that anyone can use right in the heart of the city overlooking the bay.

 

 

In regards to the reef it is beautiful but don't expect to see it in vivid colours like you would in an aquarium it is a much more dull colour unfortuneately because there is not the lighting you would have in an aquarium to light up the colours.

 

hope you have a great trip.

Agreed about the non vivid colors, but I think that is due to bleaching caused by warmer water (coral are dieing due to warmer water).

Also, we did the Kuranda sky rail and weren't that impressed. Besides, Kuranda is a tourist trap. We enjoyed the Australian experience (or whatever it's called) much more, located "next door" to the sky rail.

Having said all that, the OP should do the reef tour from Airlie and save Cairns for other tours.

Agreed about the non vivid colors, but I think that is due to bleaching caused by warmer water (coral are dieing due to warmer water).

Also, we did the Kuranda sky rail and weren't that impressed. Besides, Kuranda is a tourist trap. We enjoyed the Australian experience (or whatever it's called) much more, located "next door" to the sky rail.

 

Having said all that, the OP should do the reef tour from Airlie and save Cairns for other tours.

Coral is mainly affected by bleaching in the far North of the reef, where the hottest water accumulates. There is less around Cairns and almost none around the Whitsundays.

The colours of the reef are generally much more muted than you see on TV or pictures. Especially if it's overcast.

Kuranda is a tourist trap and not particularly interesting. I found the Skyrail a bit tedious.

For someone's first time in Cairns, I would suggest a day trip to Cape Tribulation that includes some croc spotting on the Daintree river.

Coral is mainly affected by bleaching in the far North of the reef, where the hottest water accumulates. There is less around Cairns and almost none around the Whitsundays.

 

The colours of the reef are generally much more muted than you see on TV or pictures. Especially if it's overcast.

 

Kuranda is a tourist trap and not particularly interesting. I found the Skyrail a bit tedious.

 

For someone's first time in Cairns, I would suggest a day trip to Cape Tribulation that includes some croc spotting on the Daintree river.

Good to know about the Whitsundays, thanks

Thank you so much for the feedback. I guess I waited too late. Now the GBR for Airlie Beach is showing that it can only be booked onboard so I think I'll go ahead and book for Cairns now in case that closes off as well.

Question, there are 2 options. One looks like it is on a 100 passenger boat and the other looks like it includes going on a platform/viewing area. Any recommendations on which to choose?

Thanks

Angela

Question, there are 2 options. One looks like it is on a 100 passenger boat and the other looks like it includes going on a platform/viewing area. Any recommendations on which to choose?

The platform is more comfortable, especially if you intend to spend some time out of the water.

If you intend to stay in the water, then it probably doesn't matter.

Thank you so much for the feedback. I guess I waited too late. Now the GBR for Airlie Beach is showing that it can only be booked onboard so I think I'll go ahead and book for Cairns now in case that closes off as well.

 

Question, there are 2 options. One looks like it is on a 100 passenger boat and the other looks like it includes going on a platform/viewing area. Any recommendations on which to choose?

 

Thanks

Angela

I looked at both of the GBR options for Cairns on Royal Caribbean--NW09 and NW20.

NW09 is the one that goes to the fixed pontoon on the reef and offers semi-submersible rides and an underwater viewing platform. The only boat that fits this description out of Cairns is Reef Magic. You can check their website and read reviews on Trip Advisor. They are a good choice for people that don't swim or are poor swimmers because you have options for seeing the reef without getting in the water. As for snorkeling, there is only one area where you can do that. Reef Magic has the capacity to carry several hundred people.

NW20 -- based on the description, there are a couple of boats that this could be. But no matter which boat it is, I would say it is preferable to the trip on Reef Magic because: 1) there are much fewer passengers and 2) you go to two different locations on the Outer Reef giving you the opportunity to see more coral and sea life than you would by snorkeling in just one spot.

So, if it were me, I'd choose NW20.

(Note: Whatever you do, do not choose NW17, the trip to Green Island, if you intention is to snorkel. The coral at Green Island in in poor condition, meaning that there is less sea life there as well. If you want to snorkel, go to the Outer Reef, not Green Island. It would just be a waste of your time and money.)

Thanks very much everyone for your help. I've gone ahead and booked us in on the 100 passenger vessel tour :)

Angela

Hi,

 

On our Royal Carribean cruise in April, we can visit the Great Barrier Reef at two stops, either Airlie Beach or Cairns. Both are 7 hour excursions. Airlie Beach is $229 and Cairns is $259.

 

For anyone that has been, which would you choose?

Thanks

Angela

We are sailing with Celebrity - does anyone know of good excursions to take besides the ship ones?

Thanks!

We are sailing with Celebrity - does anyone know of good excursions to take besides the ship ones?

 

Thanks!

Thanks for the information about Reef Magic - just what we wanted! Is there anything like this at Airlie Beach?