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Tusa Snorkel & Dive

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40
SingleDay
5.0 (3 Reviews)

Departure Times

Departs: 8:00am - Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
Returns: 4:30pm

Departure Point: C Finger Jetty, Cairns Marlin Marina

Pricing Options

$460 AUD / Person - General (12+) (Between: 01 Apr 2025 and 31 Mar 2025)

Join Tusa Reef Tours for an amazing all inclusive day of diving and snorkelling on the mesmerising Great Barrier Reef!

  • Small group of only 40 people max
  • Enjoy two included intro or certified dives!
  • Indulge in all inclusive food and drinks
  • Cruise the reef on a comfortable and spacious vessel
  • State of the art equipment and guided snorkel tours included!

Tusa isn't your ordinary outer reef trip. From the moment you step onboard, every aspect of your day is catered for. On this exclusive, all inclusive reef trip you won't need to worry about anything else. Start the day right with a delicious brekkie spread, cruise on out to the reef and gear up for your first included scuba dive or snorkel of the day! Enjoy a guided snorkel safari with an expert marine biologist, or go solo with state of the art underwater headsets that provide interesting facts about the reef and marine life. Trips are restricted to 40 people only, ages 12 and up to ensure all guests have the ultimate reef experience! 

Tusa Reef Tours Purple Anemone

Highlights

  • Fresh chef prepared food and beverages included (incl. soft drinks, wine and beer)
  • Enjoy table service for lunch and beverages
  • Explore more of the underwater world with 2 introductory dives (uncertified)
  • Certified divers get to enjoy 2 long dives or 3 x 40min dives (guided or unguided)
  • State of the art Scubapro dive and snorkel equipment
  • Wetsuits made from eco-friendly plant-based foam
  • Take a guided snorkel tour with a marine biologist
  • Stay hydrated with a Free insulated Tusa Reef Tours stainless steel water bottle 
  • Enjoy underwater commentary with prerecorded headsets on reef and marine life info.
  • Rinse off with the hot freshwater showers on board
  • Return transfers from Cairns City accommodation if required
  • With 16 dive sites to choose from, the crew will select the best spots to visit on the day for the most suitable conditions.

Tusa Reef Tours - Aerial Shot

Important Information

  • Please note: divers are subject to a medical questionnaire before diving. Please click here for more diving information and to read the medical questionnaire.
  • Certified divers are required to provide their Certification Cards upon boarding.
  • This tour is exclusively for guests 12 years and over. 

Sample Itinerary

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7:30am
Check in onboard the Tusa Reef Tours at C Finger Jetty, Cairns Marlin Marina and be greeted by the friendly crew who will be taking care of you for the day! 
An indigenous elder performs a welcome to country smoking as you board the boat. 
You'll be assigned a safety number and directed to find a seat and make yourself comfy for the journey out to the reef. 

Cairns Marlin Marina

8:00am 
Breakfast will be served...

Read More

7:30am
Check in onboard the Tusa Reef Tours at C Finger Jetty, Cairns Marlin Marina and be greeted by the friendly crew who will be taking care of you for the day! 
An indigenous elder performs a welcome to country smoking as you board the boat. 
You'll be assigned a safety number and directed to find a seat and make yourself comfy for the journey out to the reef. 

Cairns Marlin Marina

8:00am 
Breakfast will be served with a delicious selection of bacon and egg, or Mediterranean roasted veggie rolls, along with tea, coffee and orange juice.
The crew will provide a safety briefings, including safety talks for both introductory and certified divers.
Browse the interactive iPads with interesting marine maps and visuals.

Breakfast Baguettes

9:45am 
The aft deck is open for business as you arrive at the first reef site! 
Certified divers should be all geared up to go. Enjoy the choice of 2 short dives or 1 long dive (60 mins)
Introductory divers will gear up with their PADI instructor for a guided 20 min dive
A light morning tea of danish pastries will also be served during this time. 
Snorkellers are free to grab their snorkel equipment and jump straight in! Join a guided tour or venture out on your own. 

Saxon Reef Sargent Fish

12:00 - 1:00pm 
Lunch is served inside the main cabin. Take a seat while the crew come around to serve you lunch and drinks. 
During lunch the skipper will drive the boat to the next reef site. 

1:00pm 
Arrive at the second dive and snorkel spot for the day.
Certified divers can enjoy 1 dive up to 60 mins, Intro divers get to spend up to 45 mins with their PADI Instructor.
Snorkellers can simply spend a cruisy afternoon exploring at their leisure. Maybe even join the guided snorkel tour with the marine biologist!

Tusa Scuba Gear

2:30pm 
Depart the outer reef and make your way back to Cairns.
Drinks and charcuterie platters are served. 
Check out your underwater photos from the day and select which ones you'd like to take home with you. 

4:30pm
Arrive back into Cairns after spending an incredible day out on the Great Barrier Reef!

More Information

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What To Bring

  • Swim wear
  • Towel
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat
  • Sunscreen
  • Camera or GoPro
  • Change of clothes 

What's Included

  • All food - breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon snacks
  • Beverages (incl. soft drinks, wine and beer)
  • Table service for lunch and beverages
  • Two introductory dives (uncertified)
  • Two long dives or three 40min certified dives (guided or unguided)
  • State of the art Scubapro dive equipment
  • All snorkel equipment - snorkel, mask, suit ...

Read More

What To Bring

  • Swim wear
  • Towel
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat
  • Sunscreen
  • Camera or GoPro
  • Change of clothes 

What's Included

  • All food - breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon snacks
  • Beverages (incl. soft drinks, wine and beer)
  • Table service for lunch and beverages
  • Two introductory dives (uncertified)
  • Two long dives or three 40min certified dives (guided or unguided)
  • State of the art Scubapro dive equipment
  • All snorkel equipment - snorkel, mask, suit and fins
  • Wetsuits made from eco-friendly plant-based foam
  • Guided snorkel tours with marine biologist
  • Finderella services - crew will help you put fins on and take them off
  • Insulated Tusa Reef Tours stainless steel water bottle 
  • Underwater headsets with prerecorded reef and marine life info
  • iPads with reef and marine slide presentation on each table
  • Hairdryers upon request
  • Prescription masks if required
  • Return transfers from Cairns City accommodation if required

What's Extra

  • Souvenirs or merchandise
  • Sea Sickness Tablets

Terms and Conditions

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 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. Please refer to the specific tour page for full check-in instructions.


Prices/Extra Costs:

All prices are stated in Australian dollars and include GST. 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. 


Transport:

It should be noted that any transport you have booked (buses, flights and ferries) through Cairns Tours is non-refundable and non-transferable. It might be possible to change flights however do note this must be done directly with the flight operator and we are unable to offer any support with this. This may incur change fees or cancellation fees, it depends on the T+Cs of the flight operators themselves. As we acted as a booking agent for you, it is possible to liaise with the airline directly should there be any unexpected events and the airline is forced to cancel your flights. If there are any changes to your flight times or days, we will get notified and send this email directly to you in a reasonable time.


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.


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. Not all tours offer transfers, please refer to the individual product to see if this is applicable to your tour.


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:

This is meant to be a guideline. Full cancellation policies for each tour can be found on that individual product page's terms and conditions as policies vary from operator to operator. 

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. 

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.

All add-on activities (including but not limited to scuba diving, stand-up paddleboarding, helmet diving, guided snorkel tours, banana boat rides and waterslides) are subject to availability and price changing, and may not be available during your tour without notice. Guests are not eligible for refunds on the grounds of non-operating extra activities.

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.com. If you would like any further advice, assistance in arranging accommodation, transfers or additional tours please get in touch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the boat depart from and what time?

Check in starts at 7:30 am onboard the Tusa vessel located at C Finger Jetty, Cairns Marlin Marina. Departure is at 8:00 am.

Which reef sites does Tusa visit?

Depending on the day, the crew will decide which reef sites are the best based on the weather conditions and visibility. You’ll have up to 2 stops at either Pretty Patches, Michaelmas Reef, Hastings Reef, Thetford Reef, Norman Reef or Saxon Reef.

Is this trip suitable if I’m prone to motion sickness?

The Tusa vessel is a large catamaran, which offers greater stability and a smoother ride than monohull vessels. If you are prone to motion sickness, it is recommended you take advantage of the complimentary natural ginger tablets. You can also purchase Travacalm travel sickness tablets on board. But please note that these are preventive tablets and won’t help if you are already feeling nauseous.

Is there Wi-Fi onboard?

Tusa has free Wi-Fi for you to enjoy when in range. The satellite connection has a limited bandwidth and high-speed broadband is not available.

Are hairdryers available on board?

Yes! Tusa has hair dryers that you can use on board your trip. Please ask the crew to provide you with one, if desired.

Are there showers on board?

Yes, there are freshwater showers located on the back deck and in the lower aft bathrooms.

Are special dietary requirements catered for?

A variety of high-quality dishes are served throughout the day for breakfast, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. You’ll find a mix of options to suit vegetarian and gluten-free dietary requirements. If you have any other dietary requests or allergies, please let us know at the time of booking so the chef can prepare ahead of time.

What if I'm not a very confident swimmer?

As long as you’re comfortable in the water, you should be able to snorkel and even do an introductory dive. The crew can provide you with flotation/buoyancy devices to use while snorkelling.

How deep can I dive?

The maximum depth for recreational diving is 18m if you hold the standard PADI Open Water Diver Certification (or equivalent), and 30m if you hold the PADI Advanced Open Water certification (or equivalent). Some of the best dives on the Great Barrier Reef, however, can be done in less than 15m of water, where stronger light can result in an even better view of the abundant marine life!

Can I Freedive on this boat?

Tusa currently does not allow freediving with the use of weight belts due to the inherent risks involved. Duck diving while snorkelling is allowed, but hyperventilation or other breath-hold techniques are not encouraged.

How soon can I fly after diving?

It is recommended to wait at least 24 hours after diving before going to altitude or flying to minimise the risk of decompression sickness. Altitude is defined as 300m/1000ft above sea level. This includes travelling to the Atherton Tablelands, Kuranda and taking the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.

What is the minimum age for this trip?

Tusa is excusively a trip for those aged 12 and above. 

Reviews

Overall Rating

5.0 / 5.0

Based on 3 reviews

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Reviews by our Cairns Tours customers

Amber-Jaed Hain, 23 Apr 24
Had an amazing day on the Tusa cruise today. The staff went above and beyond to make it such a special day. Even when we got sea sick they were right there helping us. Sandra was our snorkel guide and she was amazing. So friendly and helpful. I 100% recommend these guys for your next reef tour. Could not have been better service!!
Jacqueline Khoo, 30 Jan 24
I recently had the pleasure of experiencing Tusa Reef Tours in Cairns, and I must say, it exceeded all expectations. My dive guide, Annabelle, was not only incredibly knowledgeable about marine life, but her passion for her job truly shone through. She expertly spotted all the marine animals. After the dives, Annabelle also discussed the marine animals we encountered in the waters and enriched our experience with fascinating information. The onboard experience was equally impressive. Julianne, one of the staff members, went above and beyond to ensure our comfort, pampering us with delicious food and drinks. The display of food was not only appetizing but of excellent quality, complemented by a free flow of alcohol. Furthermore, the professionalism and teamwork exhibited by all staff members were commendable. They were meticulous in their service, even assisting us with putting on and taking off our fins before and after each dive. This attention to detail truly made it feel like a holiday, and without a doubt, it was the best dive experience I've had in Cairns. Overall, Tusa Reef Tours provided an excellent service, leaving me with unforgettable memories and a desire to return.
Jess Munro, 21 Jun 23
Jumped on Tusa for the first time since the refurb and it was a beautiful boat. the crew were incredible and helpful. They offered breakfast baguettes, juice, tea and coffee on arrival. during the cruise out to the reef, divers split up into intro and certified for their briefings. I did an intro dive and had a nice small group of just 2 of us. They only take max 40 guests on the boat so nice and spacious. the weather was a little choppy, but once you're in the water itself was nice and calm. The snorkelling at Saxon reef was unreal! saw giant groups of humphead parrot fish, seargeant fish, a moray eel, reef hark, lagoon ray, christmas tree worms and other interesting marine life. Lunch was served to you by the crew with plenty of options to choose from. They also offer a "Finerella" service where they take your fins off for you as you're getting out of the water. It's all inclusive, including soft drinks which you normally have to pay extra for on other boats. Highly recommend.
Taylor
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