Day Trips
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
AU$272
per adult
Poseidon Outer Reef Cruises
Poseidon Outer Reef Cruises
4.5
Scuba & SnorkellingBoat ToursWater SportsEco Tours
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Poseidon Outer Reef Cruises offers a five star cruise to the Agincourt Ribbon Reefs, north of Port Douglas. Poseidon visits three spectacular sites on the very edge of the Great Barrier Reef. We cater for Snorkellers, certified and introductory divers who can enjoy doing up to three dives at different locations. Enjoy a guided snorkel tour and tropical buffet lunch. Limited passenger numbers ensures personal attention by our friendly crew.
Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.5
1,772 reviews
Excellent
1,396
Very good
252
Average
62
Poor
32
Terrible
30
Adrian
1 contribution
Jan 2020 • Solo
I did two introductory dives, where each dive was at a different site. Both sites had colorful fish and coral to see, and I also spotted a shark (a little one). There was a third site that we visited, where Poseidon provided us with a complimentary snorkel session which had plenty of different fish, a group of barracudas, and more coral.
The crew members were all amazing and full of energy, which contributed to a great experience. All customers were split up into small groups. I was part of a group of 4, which was supervised by Gordon, our dive instructor. He was fantastic in every sense. Gordon taught us all that we needed to know while also entertaining us. Funny guy, knew his stuff, definitely management material!
All in, the experience with Poseidon was great. The price was also very reasonable in comparison to the other tour companies. The next time I visit the Reef, I would definitely book with Poseidon again! No need to look elsewhere!
The crew members were all amazing and full of energy, which contributed to a great experience. All customers were split up into small groups. I was part of a group of 4, which was supervised by Gordon, our dive instructor. He was fantastic in every sense. Gordon taught us all that we needed to know while also entertaining us. Funny guy, knew his stuff, definitely management material!
All in, the experience with Poseidon was great. The price was also very reasonable in comparison to the other tour companies. The next time I visit the Reef, I would definitely book with Poseidon again! No need to look elsewhere!
Written 3 January 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.
Paul D
19 contributions
July 2020 • Solo
I took Poseidon the Quicksilver Dive and snorkel boat. Fantastic day at the reef. I was recommended not to go by the Hotel as it was red (weather forecast) day for high swells and winds. It did seem long, but not too bad. When at the reef I did 3 dives.
The reef was stunning. I have dived 3 other reefs. I think this is better than Hashtags Reef, the main one visited from Cairns. There are still loads of fish as my first visit 30 years ago. Less giant clams though. Still we saw huge colourful groups of Wrase, Parrot , Angel and many other fish I don’t know. Just one turtle and 2 reef sharks though. Saw humpback whales on route out which was exciting
Poseidon have a great dive boat. Gordon and Chris are both good Dive masters, thoroughly checking your equipment and sorting issues quickly. My first regulator had a leak. It was all fixed after the final check, changes reg, refilled bottle, done in under 5 minutes so none of the group were delayed
Fantastic day
The reef was stunning. I have dived 3 other reefs. I think this is better than Hashtags Reef, the main one visited from Cairns. There are still loads of fish as my first visit 30 years ago. Less giant clams though. Still we saw huge colourful groups of Wrase, Parrot , Angel and many other fish I don’t know. Just one turtle and 2 reef sharks though. Saw humpback whales on route out which was exciting
Poseidon have a great dive boat. Gordon and Chris are both good Dive masters, thoroughly checking your equipment and sorting issues quickly. My first regulator had a leak. It was all fixed after the final check, changes reg, refilled bottle, done in under 5 minutes so none of the group were delayed
Fantastic day
Written 30 July 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.
Victoria_Gr_K
Bideford, UK48 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
The whole experience was seamless from getting the tickets, getting on and off the boat on the water to leaving the trip.
The crew in the boat as well as the shop were attentive, friendly and clearly enjoy their job.
The ‘snorkelling guided tour’ at the third drop site was good. However I think it could have been a little smaller. Maybe an option to pay extra to have almost a 1:1. Because you’re looking at the wildlife the crew member is talking about you end up with a flipper or two to the face when the person who own the flippers isn’t aware of their surroundings.
We did three drop sites. My third was the favourite due to it being quite a high reef so you could almost touch it. My partner’s favourite was the second reef due to all the wildlife.
The lunch was delicious, I didn’t indulge as much as I wanted as I was suffering a little motion sickness, but staff were on hand with anti-sickness tablets.
When speaking to locals they all said that it is strenuous and tiring. My partner and I are in our 30s and we didn’t find this at all.
All in all this has been the best part of our trip in Australia so far.
The crew in the boat as well as the shop were attentive, friendly and clearly enjoy their job.
The ‘snorkelling guided tour’ at the third drop site was good. However I think it could have been a little smaller. Maybe an option to pay extra to have almost a 1:1. Because you’re looking at the wildlife the crew member is talking about you end up with a flipper or two to the face when the person who own the flippers isn’t aware of their surroundings.
We did three drop sites. My third was the favourite due to it being quite a high reef so you could almost touch it. My partner’s favourite was the second reef due to all the wildlife.
The lunch was delicious, I didn’t indulge as much as I wanted as I was suffering a little motion sickness, but staff were on hand with anti-sickness tablets.
When speaking to locals they all said that it is strenuous and tiring. My partner and I are in our 30s and we didn’t find this at all.
All in all this has been the best part of our trip in Australia so far.
Written 5 March 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.
mark w
Liverpool, Australia139 contributions
Dec 2019
My family have been regulars on Poseidon to the Great Barrier Reef for many years, but more recently the quality of this operator experience has taken a plunge. Where once Poseidon was reputed for the personal experience and its enthusiastic and stable crew members who ensured a great day out, things have changed, for the worse. This was particularly notable on our last two trips (December 2019 & April 2019) where the crew are impersonal, some outright rude, the gear is tired and the culture patronizing.
Written 18 January 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.
leaf2468
Brisbane, Australia181 contributions
July 2020 • Couples
We went out with Poseidon for the day, I went diving whilst my wife went snorkeling. It was a great day made all the better by professional, friendly and helpful boat and dive crew. Great work guys and girls, I’ll send all our mates up here to dive the reef with you.
Super easy logistics and laid back attitude was the best.
Super easy logistics and laid back attitude was the best.
Written 30 July 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.
Lisa S
Gold Coast, Australia7 contributions
Nov 2020 • Friends
Post Covid experience. Incredible attention to safety, hygiene, excellent briefings, our dive guide Roberto was incredibly comprehensive with safety instruction and review. I cannot rate this operator high enough. The food was excellent and they catered to dietary (gluten and dairy free) with ease. Lots of options. 5 star experience.
Written 13 November 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.
Kirsty P
4 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
I cannot express how much fun this was. My husband and I, having never dived before, did 2 intro dives and Daan and Kevin were outstanding. They were attentive and patient, especially when it counted. The boat had a smaller group size than the larger tours we could book, which was wonderful. This allowed for that personal touch from the crew. If you want to tick this off your bucket list, you can't get a better company.
Written 11 March 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.
Jim343
Katoomba, Australia69 contributions
Mar 2023
Very dissapointed that I did not take up the option to go diving. Previous vists to the reef have left me underwelmed with the dives. However after going snorkelling with the Poseiden Crew I am gfoing back sometime and going for a couple of dives. The marine life was great with plenty to see although you need to get away from the groups or risk collisions.
Lunch on board great with plenty of choice to suit everyone. The boat was not crowded and there was room to move around.
The crew were very helpful and freindly and run a safe operation.
Definitely a great way to see the reef and vist a number of sites.
Lunch on board great with plenty of choice to suit everyone. The boat was not crowded and there was room to move around.
The crew were very helpful and freindly and run a safe operation.
Definitely a great way to see the reef and vist a number of sites.
Written 18 March 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.
Gloria L
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Couples
Highly recommended experience of the Great Barrier Reef! My partner and I opted for 2x Introductory Dives and a snorkel. All three excursions were professionally run and the staff were very accommodating of all skill levels. Loved the energy of the crew and special shoutout to our host Faye!
Written 9 October 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.
Laura U
Nova Scotia, Canada29 contributions
Mar 2023
We had a fantastic experience with Poseidon outer reef tour! The staff were knowledgeable and welcoming. The boat was clean and comfortable. The food was excellent and they catered for our vegan diet. We were so glad we chose this tour and highly recommend it!
Written 16 March 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.
Hi, first time diver here. Just curious- Would you actually see anything on an intro dive that you wouldn’t see snorkeling? Would you recommend 2 intro dives on the same trip - do you get more bang for the time spent on the 2nd intro dive because you might be more at ease or less time is spent doing the same training?
Written 7 April 2019
Hi Limepunch,
Thank you for your question. Due to the nature of diving, there are no guarantees as to what you might see when you get in the water (which is half of the excitement of diving!), so it is hard to say whether you’d see anything different than if you snorkelled alone. One of the perks of diving, however, is being able to get up close and personal to marine life, as opposed to snorkelling which is more of a surface activity unless you consciously dive down. Further, your instructor is trained to look out for exciting marine life and will point them out to you during the dive, and they also know the dive sites thoroughly, including the locations of large coral formations, anemones with clown fish (Nemo) and common spots for turtles and other exciting creatures.
In regards to the second half of your question, you generally do have a more relaxed diving experience on a second introductory dive. Commonly, first-time introductory divers can be a little anxious about the experience and this can often affect their breathing- quicker, more rapid breathing which means the air tends to run low faster resulting in a shorter dive time. On a second dive, divers are usually a little more relaxed and at ease, which is reflected in more regular, deep breathing and the dive tends to be longer. For the best use of your time and experience on the Great Barrier Reef, we would highly recommend considering two introductory dives.
Written 9 April 2019
We’re looking into a tour of the outer reef in late May/early June. My husband & I would like to snorkel or possibly dive but our adult daughter prefers to view the ocean life from the boat. Do you offer that option or does everyone typically get into the water on your tours?
Written 13 February 2019
You have no obligation to dive or snorkel and you can view the beautiful scenery and everybody pattering about in the water from the deck . Of course the beautiful coral and marine life is not visible as it is well beneath the water surface . Personally , I had never done snorkeling or diving and was not sure about it , but I don't regret "diving in" to snorkel for the first time , pretty awesome and I think I ended up being one of the last to come back to ship !
Written 19 June 2023
Hi there, we will be in Port Douglas mid-late July. Are there usually seats available for last minute bookings? We’d prefer to wait to see what the weather is like to minimise sea-sickness. Thanks
Written 27 May 2018
I think it depend. We went in the rainy season which is off season so we got a same day booking
Written 5 July 2018
Hi would you recommend this tour for a for a family with a 5 1/2 year old?
Written 18 April 2018
I think it would depend how confident they are in the water. They took us out into open water and it was quite choppy. Having said that they provide life jackets and flotation devices and the staff are excellent. if they are a good swimmer, do it. it was awesome
Written 19 April 2018
Hi there,
Planning a trip to the GBR at the end of this month. We are a family of 4 with different swimming/water confidence levels.
We have a 4 yo and an 8yo. The 4 yo is very confident in the water but not able to swim on his own. Would he be ok to snorkel and is there anything for him to do in the boat if he decides he does not want to snorkel?
Thanks.
Written 17 April 2017
Hi,
Firstly your going to have an amazing time! Visiting the GBR is an incredible experience!
Poseidon is a roaming vessel so it doesn't moor to a pontoon at any point during the day it just moors to lines at different reefs, which gives the skipper freedom to pick the perfect reef to visit based on the weather and conditions on the day! The boat is catered to snorkelling and diving. Throughout the day the marine biologist on the boat will do a talk about marine life and discuss anything people have seen whilst in the water which is interesting and I'm sure the children would enjoy! It is the most amazing reef trip I have been on and I would certainly recommend it to anyone! Floatations devices can be provided for anyone from children to adults to help with fatigue and confidence however you would need to be with your children all day as there is no child care facilities on the boat. If you are worried the children would need entertaining I would take some colouring or an iPad with games etc to help entertain them. However the reefs that you visit would be amazing for the children to see, especially if they are confident in the water! You visit 3 separate reefs throughout the day so it's a pretty busy day with little time to get bored!
If you think the younger child might not be keen to snorkel at all though then then you may want to look into the quicksilver boat which leaves from port Douglas as well. This boat goes out to a pontoon. They have underwater viewing platforms and a semisubmersible and there is a lot more space, which is needed as this boat takes about 300 people out in a day as opposed to the 60-80 that Poseidon takes out.
I hope this helps!
Written 18 April 2017
Bearnie72
Holte, Denmark
How many divers (maximum) per dive master/instructor.
Kind regards
Torben
Written 23 August 2016
Can you tell us how many people roughly were on the boat and whether lunch is included
Thanks
Written 16 July 2016
Hello there were 71 but it didn't feel like that, as it's a great size boat. Heaps of room to move around upstairs downstairs and inside side. Plenty of room
Written 30 June 2017
Hi Janet, Poseidon only operates out of Port Douglas. If you want to leave out of Cairns we can recommend Silverswift.
While it goes to a different part of the reef, it offers a similar experience.
Written 7 September 2015
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