Spirit Of Freedom | 3 Night Minke Whale & Ribbon Reef Trip

What To Bring

• Dive Certification Card
• Hat and Sunscreen
• Personal items and toiletries (personal soap for each guest is provided)
• Swimwear
• Warm clothing if you’re travelling in the winter months (May – September)
• Quick-dry towel or chamois for the dive deck
• Money for bar and other on board purchases
• Soft luggage (max 20kg)

What's Included

• Accommodation transfer from Cairns City accommodation
• Scenic flight – Lizard Island to Cairns
• Opportunity for up to 11 dives
• Quality, chef-prepared meals, Australian wine with evening meals
• All linen and cabin towels 
• Tanks and weights 
• Dives on the Outer Great Barrier Reef
• Dives at the world famous Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs

What's Extra

Extra costs: 

• Gear hire, Nitrox fills, any courses taken on board, drinks outside of the evening meal time, seasickness tablets, and any souvenirs purchased.

Optional Extras:

• Full Equipment Rental (if required)
• Nitrox Fills Package
• PADI Advanced Course
• Nitrox Course
• Minke Whale Specialty Course

 Please read the medical questionnaire for more diving information.

Terms and Conditions

Important Information

• The minimum age on board is 10 years. 
• Children must be accompanied by a parent 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 (limited to 12m depth) on all dives. 
• Spirit of Freedom does not supply child-sized scuba equipment or wetsuits. Diving in ill-fitting equipment is not allowed.
• Diver experience recommendation: Open Water certification with a minimum 10 ocean dives including 5 dives in the last 12 months
• Less experience may result in limited diving due to environmental conditions. We recommend a Scuba Diver Refresher course prior to your trip
• Snorkelling on Spirit of Freedom takes place in waters that are exposed, not calm or sheltered. Our itinerary is to suit scuba diving and you may not be able to snorkel at every site. There are opportunities to snorkel at the reef tops of the Ribbon Reefs are relatively close to the surface. Most of our guests are scuba divers; however, experienced snorkellers with a good level of fitness are welcome to join this tour. 
• Due to light aircraft restrictions, the total weight of your luggage is limited to 20kg/45lb per person, including your dive gear and carry-on luggage.

All information provided at any time by Cairns Tours and our affiliates is subject to these Terms & Conditions. This includes but is not limited to tour information, pricing, blog posts, travel advice, itinerary information and availability.

Your Responsibilities:

Please advise us before booking if any passengers are under 18 years old to ensure this is the appropriate trip. 

You must reconfirm all booked tours prior to travel as specified on your voucher. If applicable, notes such as dietary requirements, pick-up locations and additional fees should also be confirmed at this time. Reconfirmations cannot be actioned through Cairns Tours/Mr Travel, and must be done so directly through the Service Operator as specified on each ticket.

It is your responsibility to notify us of ticket discrepancies. Please read through the details on your voucher thoroughly to ensure all details such as passenger names, ages and dates of travel on vouchers are correct.

It is the responsibility of all passengers travelling to advise both your travel agent at the time of booking and vessel check-in agent before boarding of any medical conditions including food allergies you may suffer from.

You need to allow adequate time to check-in prior to the specified departure time. 

Prices/Extra Costs:

All prices are stated in Australian dollars and include GST. Surcharges over peak holiday seasons may apply. 

The Service Operator reserves the right to alter prices and extra costs. Extra costs may include EMC fees, Stingersuit/Wetsuit Hire, Luggage Storage, Insurance, Linen Hire, National Park Fees, Fuel Levies, Dietary Fees, etc. Bonds may also apply.

We will also endeavour to communicate these extra costs with you at the time of booking, and on your ticket. However, it is your responsibility to confirm which (if any) additional costs apply with each Service Operator upon reconfirming your trip.

Travel Risk/Insurance:

It should be noted that adventure travel involves risk. Whilst we make every effort to safeguard clients, we cannot be responsible for personal injury or loss due to the actions of our clients which are beyond our control. We highly recommend that all clients have travel insurance covering illness, injury, loss or damage to personal belongings and not being able to travel on the confirmed date of departure. You should also ensure your travel insurance will cover special circumstances including weather events preventing guests from travelling to their tour departure destination and cancelled flights due to unforeseen circumstances. 

Transfers:

The Service Operator reserves the right to limit courtesy transfers to select local accommodations. Private residences or Airbnb properties may be asked to meet at the closest confirmed location. Failure to meet at the specified pick-up location may be treated as “No Show”, for which the Client Cancellation Policy applies.

Merchant Fees:

Please be aware operators pass on credit card merchant fees so there is a non-refundable 1% surcharge for VISA and MASTERCARD card purchases.

Other: 

Terms and Conditions (including the Cancellation Policy) are subject to change. The most recent versions can be found online on the relevant product pages. 

All ticket/voucher reissues attract a $20 administration fee.

Open Date Vouchers / Gift Certificate:

Shipping Costs are in addition to the ticket price and will be added at check-out. Shipping costs are non-refundable and do not makeup part of the ticket value. 

E-Vouchers incur no shipping fees.

You have 5 years to use the value of the voucher. Seasonal Price Rises will apply if travelling out the current seasons pricing. Vouchers can be exchanged for free up to the full value of the voucher excluding credit card fees and charges.

Cancellations

Client Cancellations:

All cancellations forfeit 25% of the recommended retail price (RRP) - not the discounted/sale price. No shows or client cancellations made within 30 days of departure forfeit 100% of the total ticket price. 

Group Cancellation Policy - Groups with a minimum of 6 paying passengers are required to cancel at least 91 days prior to travel to avoid a cancellation fee.

Cairns Tours is required to notify the operator of any cancellations within the specified cancellation period. It is your responsibility to make sure you submit your cancellation request with adequate time, and during standard business hours, to allow us to contact the tour provider.

Transfers between tours can be made at the suppliers discretion, however, it should be noted that supplier fees may apply. Tour transfers also incur a $20 administration fee. A $40 per person transfer fee applies to all name or date changes.

It is compulsory that all cancellation requests are in writing and sent via email to admin@mr-travel.com. Cancellations attempted via online chat or phone will not be actioned.

Supplier Cancellations:

The Service Operator reserves the right to alter prices, alter itineraries, apply a fuel surcharge, cancel departures, arrange alternative transport and vary itineraries and services if necessary.

All departures and itineraries are subject to weather. Tours may be changed or cancelled for any reason at the discretion of the Service Operator. If the Service Operator has to cancel the trip or activity (prior to departure) and we cannot offer a suitable alternative, then a refund will be given minus a 20% administration fee and any associated card fees. We strongly recommend that you have travel insurance, especially during the wet season.

In the unlikely event of your trip being cancelled or stood down, all guest communication is required to go through our Online Store via telephone or email. While there is a Travel Shop retail outlet located in Cairns, please be aware that they operate as a separate entity and are unable to access reservations made by the Cairns Tours/Mr Travel online department.

Refunds:

All refunds are in Australian Dollars and must be made to the card of payment. Cairns Tours/Mr Travel is not liable for exchange rate fluctuations or fees, or any other merchant/bank fees associated with domestic and/or international transactions.

Where a full refund is applicable, there is the option to transfer the whole cost of the tour to another tour or “Credit” to avoid the administration fee. A transfer fee of $20 will apply.

You will be emailed confirmation once the refund has been processed. Once the refund has been processed, it may still take time for the banks to clear the amount. Please allow 7-10 business days for the funds to clear into Australian accounts and up to 21 business days for international accounts.

Accountability/Misconduct:

All Service Operators have the right to provide client feedback and to cancel bookings based off of feedback from other Service Operators. 

Please enjoy your travel experience in a kind and responsible manner.

Cairns Tours/Mr Travel will treat this as any normal client cancellation and therefore the cancellation fees stated in the Client Cancellation Policy will apply.

Information & Advice:

All information, advice or pricing provided by Cairns Tours and our affiliates, or through any of our team, is subject to change. Cairns Tours articles and products are provided online for general information purposes only and are intended as guides. Any advice interpreted from information on the website (including but not limited to financial, immigration, employment and tax information) is not specialist advice and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional instruction. Cairns Tours does not guarantee that any information provided is up-to-date or accurate. Please obtain professional advice before actioning any advice, including but not limited to tax, immigration, employment, travel restrictions and finances.

Thank you for booking with our East-Coast travel experts here at Mr Travel/Cairns Tours. If you would like any further advice, assistance in arranging accommodation, transfers or additional tours please get in touch.