Rum Runner
Rum Runner
4.5
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Full view
About
WELCOME ABOARD S.V. RUM RUNNERWe are Australia’s Premier Budget Dive Expedition and Cairns most affordable Outer Reef Liveaboard dive and snorkel tour operator. Rum Runner offers the very best Liveaboard dive and snorkel deals to both Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the remote Coral Sea. Dive, snorkel and sail away with us on trips of 2 Day / 1 Night duration depart from Cairns to Australia’s top attraction - The Great Barrier Reef, to the outer reefs that we visit, with still abundant healthy tropical reefs, rich with marine biodiversity. Dive Expeditions of 3 nights / 3 days duration depart weekly from Cairns to one of the world top 50 dive destinations – Holmes Reef. Shark dives, sheer walls laced with massive soft corals, schooling barracoota and big eye trevally, and if you’re really lucky manta-rays, whale sharks and hammer head sharks, are just some of the high-lights you'll experience with Rum Runner shark diving Expeditions.
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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4.5
219 reviews
Excellent
149
Very good
39
Average
12
Poor
4
Terrible
15
Rachel H
Ocean Grove, Australia22 contributions
June 2021 • Couples
Where does one start…. this trip was fantastic in so many ways…..
This company has bounced back and is so ready to support anyone looking for a comfortable, friendly, relaxed, intimate experience to explore the Great Barrier Reef like no other of their competitors can offer!
The best value Cairns can offer.
Knowledgeable, experienced staff whom are also very friendly. In the small boat with billowing sails you can get very close to the best reefs. You are also very well fed with a range of differing tastes catered for! You can bring your own gear or make use of their quality masks, wetsuits etc.
I had the best ever snorkeling experience - one place especially so many colourful fish and corals- both hard and soft. And so many colourful giant clams! My husband who has had years of diving experience across many countries and dives regularly at our home thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you are looking for a value experience that also provides the intimacy of a family sized group you need not look anywhere else!
This company has bounced back and is so ready to support anyone looking for a comfortable, friendly, relaxed, intimate experience to explore the Great Barrier Reef like no other of their competitors can offer!
The best value Cairns can offer.
Knowledgeable, experienced staff whom are also very friendly. In the small boat with billowing sails you can get very close to the best reefs. You are also very well fed with a range of differing tastes catered for! You can bring your own gear or make use of their quality masks, wetsuits etc.
I had the best ever snorkeling experience - one place especially so many colourful fish and corals- both hard and soft. And so many colourful giant clams! My husband who has had years of diving experience across many countries and dives regularly at our home thoroughly enjoyed it.
If you are looking for a value experience that also provides the intimacy of a family sized group you need not look anywhere else!
Written 20 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Isja V
42 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
I went on an overnight trip to the reef with Rum Runner, and I had a great time! It’s a motor sailingboat, so it’s not the most luxury and spacious boat, but is has got everything you need! At night you sleep in small bunks, but they all have a comfortable pillow and clean sheets. The schedule allowed us to do 6 dives in 2 days, with enough time for good surface intervals. I really liked that the dive time wasn’t too limited; we were allowed to do 50min dives, and were encouraged to do long safety stops at the end of each dive, for extra safety. We also got told that the best part of the reef is the shallower part, and that was very true. This makes it a good tour for snorkelers as well! There isn’t always a guide available, and as a certified diver you’re expected to know how to dive with a buddy. I found that navigating the dive sites was quite easy, so this shouldnt be something to worry about. On our boat there was still a divemaster who took some people out that were a bit less confident diving without a professional. Because it’s a small boat with max 16 people on board there isn’t a lot of crew on board. They were all working really hard to make sure all our needs were met and we had a great time! I especially liked JP’s special fish show at night and him playing guitar after the night dive. The food was really good as well, every meal there was more than enough for everyone! Since there aren’t too many people on board and the boat isn’t very big, it was very easy to socialise and hang out with the others on board, that was definitely a big plus of this tour! I can really recommend this trip to backpackers and solo travellers on a budget, who like to meet new people and explore the Great Barrier Reef!
Written 28 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew T
3 contributions
Oct 2020
My partner and I did the 2-day/1-night liveaboard and it was just amazing. We both had recently gotten our open water diving certification and this was the perfect way to dive the GBR for a very reasonable price.
The vessel itself is charming and unapologetically utilitarian. We felt it was the ideal size as many other companies use boats that are too big and too crowded.
The crew members were super friendly and knowledgeable.
The dives themselves were just stunning. We easily had at least 18 meters of visibility and saw a range of marine life including turtles, reef sharks, barracuda, parrotfish, etc.
We will undoubtedly use Rum Runner again when we're next looking for a dive trip in Cairns.
The vessel itself is charming and unapologetically utilitarian. We felt it was the ideal size as many other companies use boats that are too big and too crowded.
The crew members were super friendly and knowledgeable.
The dives themselves were just stunning. We easily had at least 18 meters of visibility and saw a range of marine life including turtles, reef sharks, barracuda, parrotfish, etc.
We will undoubtedly use Rum Runner again when we're next looking for a dive trip in Cairns.
Written 26 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacob R
12 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
Other reviews encompass this wonderful Great Barrier Reef overnight experience, and I'm not sure what else we can add! The ship crew were fantastic, both professional in their work and fun as hosts of the trip, cooking delicious meals, leading us on introductory scuba dives (making us feel comfortable and confident, it being our first dives) and making everyone comfortable. This trip isn't for the faint of heart, though! It's raw, it's classic, an old boat that doesn't have luxuries. If you're looking for that, look elsewhere. But if you're happy to sleep in a tight cabin, be rocked around a little by the waves, and not have your creature comforts then this is the trip for you! They offer the best price for more budget-travellers, but even for those with a bit more money I'd recommend this crew for the authenticity they provide and adventure you'll have. 10/10 experience, would recommend to friends and anyone who reads this.
Written 3 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
shazzam123
Melbourne, Australia54 contributions
Jan 2021
A wonderful 2 days exploring the reef!! we went to some excellent dive spots. The crew are exceptional. Even in the bad weather it was still a great outing. We took kids (9 & 10 years old) and they enjoyed the trip too. The food was excellent. Considering all the gear, food, distances and skills needed by the crew this was really good value, especially when compared to the 'pack 'em in and charge $300 for the day' nature of the outter reef tours.
Written 17 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MaxHannan
Lancing, UK19 contributions
July 2021 • Solo
Super 2 day trip on the Great Barrier Reef. Richard and the crew were all so friendly and helpful and really wanted us to have a good time. There are 6 options to dive/snorkel so plenty to see. I hadn't dived in a long time but the staff were really reassuring and I felt super safe the whole time. The night dive was my favourite! There is also an opportunity to try diving for people that haven't done so before. We were fed really well (hot meals, plus snacks + tea/coffee and soft drinks/beer to buy, which were not expensive) and dietary requirements were catered for.
Because it is a small boat, it can feel a bit cramped at times, this is not a luxury cruise! But it is insane value for money! I would recommend this company to anyone who wanted a close up personalised trip to the reef with knowledgeable, friendly guides.
Because it is a small boat, it can feel a bit cramped at times, this is not a luxury cruise! But it is insane value for money! I would recommend this company to anyone who wanted a close up personalised trip to the reef with knowledgeable, friendly guides.
Written 8 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yann B
2 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
If you’re looking for diving, diving, diving, with genuine and experienced crew that will hang out when the days done, rum runners the place for you.
The dives are spectacular, the ship comfortable, and the experience unforgettable.
The ship is no frills, but the crew and time aboard makes you feel like a contributing part of the family owned and operated “last pirate ship of cairns”.
The crew cares about making sure you the best sites with max visibility, great spots and you’ll see sharks, turtles, and more.
They truly care about the reef, and will jump in with certified drivers to help clear up the reef of invasive starfish and snails. In the crews off time they dive without passengers doing the same to keep the reefs healthy.
Great dives and you won’t regret it, labyrinth reef was unreal!
The dives are spectacular, the ship comfortable, and the experience unforgettable.
The ship is no frills, but the crew and time aboard makes you feel like a contributing part of the family owned and operated “last pirate ship of cairns”.
The crew cares about making sure you the best sites with max visibility, great spots and you’ll see sharks, turtles, and more.
They truly care about the reef, and will jump in with certified drivers to help clear up the reef of invasive starfish and snails. In the crews off time they dive without passengers doing the same to keep the reefs healthy.
Great dives and you won’t regret it, labyrinth reef was unreal!
Written 19 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sam C
6 contributions
July 2023 • Couples
Unfortunately not a good review. Run runner didn't send me any emails to the email address I provided then cancelled the trip last minute. They told me I could get a full refund.
We were already on the plane up to cairns, so we booked another diving tour. We were then told by the tour agency that we would lose 20% as an 'admin' fee if we wanted a refund in cash.
Appreciate going out on the boat is weather dependant, but the lack of communication costed us.
We were already on the plane up to cairns, so we booked another diving tour. We were then told by the tour agency that we would lose 20% as an 'admin' fee if we wanted a refund in cash.
Appreciate going out on the boat is weather dependant, but the lack of communication costed us.
Written 5 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Departure53289860218
Cairns, Australia3 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
Can't thank Richard, JP , Massy enough for providing a truly memorable experience that was second to non on affordability and enabled our party to have 6 certified dives (inc night dive) .
Other providers make it too expensive but Rum Runner tries by affordable prices and delivered to the point that as locals we will for sure be back!
Even privided food - Awesome!!!
Other providers make it too expensive but Rum Runner tries by affordable prices and delivered to the point that as locals we will for sure be back!
Even privided food - Awesome!!!
Written 6 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robin A
2 contributions
Jan 2023 • Friends
The reef! Amazing sights and a wonderful experience. The. Rum Runner Crew were experienced in their toles and very nowledgeable about diving and the reef. The boat is funky and not for those expecting high end accommodation, you get all your meals and there is entertainment at night if the captain brings his guitar! All equipment is supplied and snorkels have just as much fun as the divers. In our group there were really inexperienced people (me) through to certified divers. The will teach you or problem solve your needs so the you can experience the reef. I loved it and will bring more of my visirors to experience the reef on the Rum Runner.
Written 12 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience