Reefstar Cruises
Reefstar Cruises
4.5
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Full view
About
Reefstar Cruises offers a relaxed, comfortable cruise of the Whitsunday Islands including the area's most iconic sites. Our full day tour operates, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and is great for all ages. Visit Fringing Coral Reef for a snorkel or Glass Bottom Boat Tour, join a guided bushwalk to the Hill Inlet Lookout and stroll the white, silica sands of Whitehaven Beach. Your day includes courtesy coach transfers, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. Come and meet our friendly, knowledgable crew and join us for a memorable day in the Whitsundays.
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
309 reviews
Excellent
257
Very good
32
Average
12
Poor
2
Terrible
6
bobclive47
Newent, UK22 contributions
Jan. 2019 • Couples
We hadn't expected to see any of the Great Barrier Reef on a 5 day stay in Mackay, but our hosts had kindly done the necessary research before we arrived and based on the brochures collected we decided on the day out with Reefstar Cruises.even though it meant a 2 hour each way drive to Airlie beach. Everything went very well and the days cruise was excellent except that it was spring tide and the water was very cloudy in the area around the actual reef. Suggest if you plan to do this day out our suggestion is that you avoid the full moon. The food was good and every part of the trip was first rate .
Written 3 April 2019
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.
willowrose2013
Sydney, Australia7 contributions
Jan. 2019 • Couples
Very professionally run Crew were amazing and kept everyone well informed with plans for the day They spoke to each group individually going above and beyond to make everyone welcome We chose to go with The Ultimate Experience which included the Hill End Inlet walk if I remember correctly It was well worth the small extra cost. There was plenty of food Lunch was delicious as was morning and afternoon tea Thanks again for a great day out
Written 27 March 2019
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.
Greg J
Gympie, Australia24 contributions
Jan. 2019 • Couples
The crew were great. Extremely well organised event, stinger suits and snorkeling gear was provided. Food was plentiful and they had gluten free options available.
Whitehaven was spectacular. Special mention of the indefatigable tour guide Vicki.
Well worth the money.
Whitehaven was spectacular. Special mention of the indefatigable tour guide Vicki.
Well worth the money.
Written 18 January 2019
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.
Thank you for the great review! We're glad you enjoyed the trip and Vicki's wonderful work as a guide. Hope to see you on board again soon.
Written 23 January 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
k0k0bunny
Geelong, Australia127 contributions
Dec. 2018 • Friends
We took the ultimate experience with snorkeling/glass bottom boat, hill inlet and whitehaven beach. It was raining a few days earlier but the weather was terrific on that day. The crew were so wonderful especially Victoria who was very energetic and friendly. For those that went snorkeling, stinger suits, snorkels, life jackets and noodle pools were provided. I went for the glass bottom boat so while waiting for the boat to arrive, I could see that the crew really took care of the safety of those that went snorkeling. There was a crew member on board with her binoculars to keep an eye on whether anyone needs help. The glass bottom boat experience was also nice as well as Victoria shared with us regarding the reefs. Lunch was done on board the ship at whitehaven beach. The faster you finish your lunch, the more time you have on the beach. The sand was so white and smooth. We then went for a short hike at the north end of the beach for the hill inlet. The views were fantastic!
Written 30 December 2018
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.
Thank you for the great review! So happy to hear you enjoyed your day out with Reefstar, and that the weather turned it on for you!
We hope you enjoyed your time in the Whitsundays, and that we see you again soon.
Written 5 January 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Steve F
Perth, Australia95 contributions
Nov. 2018 • Couples
An absolutely fantastic day aboard this cruise into the Magnificent Whitsundays 1st I would like to say the Crew are absolutely excellent they will look after you from the word go and make sure you have an awesome experience 2nd The food well it just kept coming from morning Tea to Buffet lunch ( And there is lots of Food then afternoon tea and a licenced bar and happy hour on your trip back The skipper is funny and a wealth of Knowledge and keeps you updated throughout the day the beaches we visited #1 stunning the whole day was brilliant Thanks to Ross ( The owner ) and your fantastic crew we will talk about this day for years to come.
Thanks again
Blanka & Steve Field ( Perth WA )
Thanks again
Blanka & Steve Field ( Perth WA )
Written 30 November 2018
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 Blanka and Steve,
Thank you for the lovely review! So pleased to hear you had a great trip with Reefstar, our crew love to hear feedback like this so it's very much appreciated. Hope you thoroughly enjoyed your Whitsunday trip, and that you come back again soon!
Many thanks and happy travels,
The team at Reefstar
Written 2 December 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dennis S
Kelowna, Canada80 contributions
I could say the heading says it all...here’s more detail:
Pros:
- EXCELLENT newer (2001) catamaran with ample room & facilities.
- VERY knowledgeable & friendly crew! A customer dropped her mobile phone into the water off the pier while boarding. They immediately sent in a scuba diver to find it even though the chances of recovery were remote.
- VERY knowledgeable Tour Guide - Victoria is a ‘bubbly’ well-informed & talented young lady! She can speak several languages fluently!
- Coffee, tea and buffet lunch included!
- Snorkel equipment provided.
- BEST of the tour groups - not over-crowded on the boat.
- Best price - special at $165pp
- Hotel pickup included - nice bus & funny driver!
Cons:
- If you have ANY type of medical make sure you call & resolve before you book - get a clear go/no go related to your condition - even for snorkeling and hiking. Ensure they interpret your history fairly.
-
Pros:
- EXCELLENT newer (2001) catamaran with ample room & facilities.
- VERY knowledgeable & friendly crew! A customer dropped her mobile phone into the water off the pier while boarding. They immediately sent in a scuba diver to find it even though the chances of recovery were remote.
- VERY knowledgeable Tour Guide - Victoria is a ‘bubbly’ well-informed & talented young lady! She can speak several languages fluently!
- Coffee, tea and buffet lunch included!
- Snorkel equipment provided.
- BEST of the tour groups - not over-crowded on the boat.
- Best price - special at $165pp
- Hotel pickup included - nice bus & funny driver!
Cons:
- If you have ANY type of medical make sure you call & resolve before you book - get a clear go/no go related to your condition - even for snorkeling and hiking. Ensure they interpret your history fairly.
-
Written 16 November 2018
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.
Thank you for your review! We're happy to hear you were pleased with the vessel and our crew!
We do take our guests safety and wellbeing seriously (particularly when it comes to snorkeling and hikes) so, your final point is good advice, we do hope you did not miss out on anything you were hoping to do, due to a misunderstanding related to a medical issue.
Written 21 November 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gregfox72
Gold Coast, Australia30 contributions
Nov. 2018 • Family
Thanks so much to all the cabin and crew they really made it awesome, my wife and I were a little worried ya out doing a day trip with a 4yo and a 2 yo but all the crew especially Victoria really helped out entertaining the kids really made it special, the rest of the crew were amazing too but I can’t remember names
Written 16 November 2018
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.
Thank you for your great review! It can be intimidating taking young children out on a big day of sightseeing, so we're so happy you found your Whitsunday experience to be smooth and special!
Written 21 November 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Pascal D
Ghent, Belgium11 contributions
Shoutout to the cute little french tour guide that can speak chinese (I think)! She's awesome!
Great photos taken by gary in the spiderman suit :) had a wonderful day, an experience to never forget. And oh yeah, the lunch buffet is great, not just sandwiches!
Great photos taken by gary in the spiderman suit :) had a wonderful day, an experience to never forget. And oh yeah, the lunch buffet is great, not just sandwiches!
Written 14 November 2018
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.
Thank you for the kind words, and yes our lovely tour guide Vicky can speak french and chinese, we are very lucky to have her :) Hope to see you on board again one day!
Written 21 November 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Johan K
Stockholm, Sweden4 contributions
Nov. 2018 • Family
Good service with hotel pickup and we got a good discount as well so price felt fair. Plenty of room on the boat and the staff were very nice and helpful. Still felt this was a little too much herding tourists around for our taste. We booked 3h on Whitehaven and no hill Inlet but got hill Inlet and a shorter 2h stop on the beach instead. This was not a choice we made but i think they did it cause it was few(30) People on the boat. Hill Inlet had high tide and was very crowded. would almost have preffered skipping this.
Beach was very nice but stinger suits, helicopters and other boats took the experience down a little. Still nice and cool place but very expensive to get to tbh. Would have been nice with lunch on the beach. Instead got crappy buffet (sandwiches and salads) on board. Windows dirty so you could hardly see from inside the boat.
OK tour but nothing extra.
Beach was very nice but stinger suits, helicopters and other boats took the experience down a little. Still nice and cool place but very expensive to get to tbh. Would have been nice with lunch on the beach. Instead got crappy buffet (sandwiches and salads) on board. Windows dirty so you could hardly see from inside the boat.
OK tour but nothing extra.
Written 13 November 2018
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.
We regret the Whitsundays did not meet your expectations. Sometime visitors are surprised at the popularity of these iconic sites.
We are disappointed you did not find the cutlery and dinner plates next to our selection of breads so you could have sampled our fourteen salads and four meat selections.
We do offer the most comprehensive food and drink package on day trips in the Whitsundays.
As we encountered rough sea conditions on your day of travel, the cabin windows do collect sea spray however the top deck has unimpeded views and also you are protected from the sea spray.
You are fortunate that you travelled with Reefstar as we offer up to twice the time at snorkelling and at Whitehaven Beach than other boats and also keep passenger numbers to one third the vessel capacity so there is no overcrowding and have four useable toilets.
We have tried providing lunch on Whitehaven Beach however due to the seagulls and wind blown sand and no seating, guests prefer the comfort of the air conditioning, table and chairs and other facilities of the vessel.
Written 21 November 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
MirkaYVR
Vancouver, Canada305 contributions
Nov. 2018 • Friends
My friend and I took a day trip to the Whitehaven beach with snorkel and bush walk to the Inlet Hill lookout with the Reefstar Cruises from the Airlie Beach. It was an excelently organized tour. They take you with 2 zodiac boats from the big catamaran boat to the snorkel spot and they divide people into two groups for the walk to the lookout point and take them there in a smaller boat. There was a French girl Victoria, who also speaks Chinese and English, in the crew, who was taking excellent care of each passenger. She took us for the walk to the lookout which is the best part of the day trip. She told us the history of the site.
They offered coffee and tea with cookies in the morning and nice lunch and then watermelon, cookies, crackers and cheese in afternoon.
I highly recommend this company and the tour.
They offered coffee and tea with cookies in the morning and nice lunch and then watermelon, cookies, crackers and cheese in afternoon.
I highly recommend this company and the tour.
Written 13 November 2018
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.
Thank you for the great review, we are glad to hear you enjoyed our tour and our lovely Victoria took great care of you!
Written 21 November 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David B
Whitchurch, UK164 contributions
Does the boat go right into the beach - we don’t swim and don’t do things like the dinghy in the photos.
Reefstar C
Airlie Beach, Australia
My apologies for the delayed reply. We use smaller 'dinghy' type Tenders to transfer guests to the beach.
David B
Whitchurch, UK164 contributions
How long is the boat trip from Airlie Beach before reaching Whitehaven Beach etc.
Reefstar C
Airlie Beach, Australia
My apologies for the delayed reply. It take approximately 1.5 hours to reach Whitehaven Beach.
Andrés B
Majorca, Spain3 contributions
Is there an excursion with a submarine type boat from airline beach?