Coach transfers are an optional extra
The reef tax (Environmental Management Charge) and all government charges are already in the fare, so there is nothing to pay at check-in for the cruise. A return coach pick-up is separate: $36 adult and $23 child from Cairns, $46 adult and $25 child from the Northern Beaches. One way is half price. Add it to your booking and we'll arrange it.
GuestTours Review
Ocean Spirit Cruises Review
Ocean Spirit is a 32-metre sailing catamaran, and the sails go up on the run home when the wind allows. You get four hours at Michaelmas Cay, a National Park and seabird sanctuary, reached by beach buggy from the boat. The fare is broad, with a hot and cold buffet lunch, snorkelling gear, the semi-submarine and sparkling wine on the way back, and there is a family fare for two adults and two children.
GuestTours Verdict
GuestTours award: Best Sailing Experience. GuestTours rating: 4.6 / 5.
What's Included
Inclusions and Exclusions
- Return Ocean Spirit cruise from Cairns
- 4 hours at Michaelmas Cay, beach buggy transfers
- Snorkelling equipment and instruction
- Lycra suits and buoyancy vests
- Lifeguard supervision
- Semi-submarine discovery tour with commentary
- Marine biologist presentations
- Fish feeding presentation on arrival
- Hot and cold buffet lunch, including prawns
- Morning tea with muffins and focaccia
- Afternoon tea with tropical fruit platter and cake
- Glass of sparkling wine or juice on the way home
- Reef tax and government charges
Coach transfers are offered from Cairns and the Northern Beaches, which covers Palm Cove, Kewarra Beach and Trinity Beach. Fares for children aged 3 and under are not published, so we'll confirm those when you book.
Day Schedule
What Happens on the Day
Check-in is at 8:00am, Ocean Spirit departs at 8:30am and is back at the Reef Fleet Terminal at 5:00pm. About 8.5 hours from departure to return, four of them at the cay.
8:00am
Check-in for boarding passes
Check in at the Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence St, Cairns, and board the 32-metre sailing catamaran. Morning tea with muffins and focaccia is served from boarding until departure.
8:30am
Depart Cairns for Michaelmas Cay
Safety demonstration, reef brief and snorkelling demonstration on the way out.
9:30am
Marine biologist presentation
An informative Great Barrier Reef presentation by the marine biologist on board, included for every guest. The dive brief for scuba divers follows at 10:00am.
10:30am
Arrive Michaelmas Cay, activities begin
Fish feeding presentation on board on arrival. Snorkelling is from the island, the semi-submarine tour departs from Ocean Spirit, and scuba dive times are advised on the day. The beach buggy's last transfer from boat to beach is around 1:30pm.
12–1:30pm
Hot and cold buffet lunch on board
Buffet lunch including prawns, served on board, then more time for reef activities.
2:30pm
Afternoon tea and depart the cay
Afternoon tea with a tropical fruit platter and cake is served on board. After the safety head count, Ocean Spirit departs Michaelmas Cay for Cairns.
4:00pm
Reef presentation and sparkling wine
A final reef presentation, then a complimentary glass of sparkling wine or juice. This is when the sails go up, weather permitting.
5:00pm
Arrive at Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal
Back at 1 Spence St, Cairns. If you booked a coach transfer, we'll confirm your pick-up and drop-off details with you.
Practical Details
Before You Book
Departure Point
Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence St, Cairns. Check-in 8:00am, departs 8:30am.
Duration
Approximately 8.5 hours
Child Age Range
Children aged 4 to 14 pay the child fare. Children aged 3 and under cruise free of charge.
Cancellation
Free cancellation 48+ hours before departure. Non-refundable within 48 hours. Weather cancellations: full refund.
Coach Transfers
Optional return pick-up: $36 adult / $23 child from Cairns, $46 adult / $25 child from the Northern Beaches. One way half price. Offered from Cairns and the Northern Beaches only.
Non-Operating Days
Ocean Spirit does not operate on Christmas Day, New Year's Day, ANZAC Day or Easter Sunday.
What to Bring
Reef-safe sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, swimwear, towel. Snorkelling equipment, lycra suit and buoyancy vest are provided.
Full Review
The full review
Ocean Spirit is a 32-metre sailing catamaran, and the sails go up on the run home when the wind allows. You get four hours at Michaelmas Cay, a National Park and seabird sanctuary, reached by beach buggy from the boat. The fare is broad: hot and cold buffet lunch with prawns, morning and afternoon tea, snorkelling gear and lycra suits, the semi-submarine, marine biologist presentations and sparkling wine on the way back. The reef tax is already in the price.
Against SeaStar, the trade-off is reef sites and group size: SeaStar caps at 36 guests and adds Hastings Reef. Ocean Spirit answers with a family fare of $734 for two adults and two children. Budget for coach transfers, which cost extra, from $36 per adult return.
Questions and Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Check-in for boarding passes is at 8:00am at the Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence St, Cairns, and morning tea is served from boarding. Ocean Spirit departs at 8:30am, arrives at Michaelmas Cay around 10:30am, leaves the cay at 2:30pm and is back at the Reef Fleet Terminal at 5:00pm.
About two hours out: Ocean Spirit leaves Cairns at 8:30am and arrives at the cay around 10:30am. The trip home leaves the cay at 2:30pm and is back at the Reef Fleet Terminal at 5:00pm, about two and a half hours, part of it under sail when the weather allows.
The Environmental Management Charge and all government charges are already included in the fares on this page. Coach transfers, the introductory scuba dive and the guided snorkel tour are optional extras you choose when you book. Ocean Spirit also states that a surcharge may be applied in unforeseen circumstances, collected on departure.
Yes. The Environmental Management Charge is levied on every adult and child aged 4 and over entering the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, and it is already built into the fares shown here.
Return coach transfers are an optional extra, not included in the fare. From Cairns it is $36 adult and $23 child. From the Northern Beaches, which covers Palm Cove, Kewarra Beach and Trinity Beach, it is $46 adult and $25 child. A one-way transfer is half price. Add transfers to your booking and we'll confirm the pick-up details with you. Transfer fares for children aged 3 and under are not published, so we'll confirm those when you book.
Four hours. Ocean Spirit arrives around 10:30am and departs the cay at 2:30pm. The beach buggy runs you between the vessel and the sand through the day, with the last transfer from boat to beach around 1:30pm.
The semi-submarine cruises one metre under the water and gives you a diver's view of the reef without getting wet. The tour comes with commentary, is included in your fare and departs from Ocean Spirit at the cay. It is the answer for anyone in the group who would rather stay dry.
Yes. The family fare of $734 covers two adults and two children of the same family, children aged 4 to 14 pay $149, and children aged 3 and under travel free. Snorkelling is from the shallow water off the cay rather than off the back of a boat, there is lifeguard supervision, and the semi-submarine means a nervous swimmer still sees the reef.
Yes. An introductory scuba dive for first-time divers is $174 and no experience is needed, with a professional instructor beside you for a guided tour of the reef. The dive brief is at 10:00am on the way out. Minimum age and medical requirements are not published, so we'll confirm those with you when you book.
The Reef Discovery Snorkel Tour is the marine biologist's guided snorkel tour of the reef, an optional extra at $89 adult, $50 child and $228 family. The marine biologist presentations on board are included for every guest.
The return cruise from Cairns, four hours at Michaelmas Cay, morning tea with muffins and focaccia, a hot and cold buffet lunch including prawns, afternoon tea with a tropical fruit platter and cake, snorkelling equipment and instruction, lycra suits and buoyancy vests, lifeguard supervision, the semi-submarine discovery tour, marine biologist presentations, the fish feeding presentation on arrival, and a glass of sparkling wine or juice on the way home.
No. Michaelmas Cay is a National Park and an important protected sanctuary for migratory seabirds, so access on the cay is limited to the roped beach area. You snorkel from the cay's protected shallow waters, and the reef here is renowned for giant clams and sea turtles.
Ocean Spirit does not operate on Christmas Day, New Year's Day, ANZAC Day or Easter Sunday.
Both sail to Michaelmas Cay from Cairns. Ocean Spirit is the 32-metre sailing catamaran, with the semi-submarine, marine biologist presentations, a family fare and sparkling wine on the way back. SeaStar caps at 36 guests, adds a second stop at Hastings Reef and has a cheaper introductory dive at $95. Adults chasing two reef sites lean SeaStar, families lean Ocean Spirit.
Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, swimwear and a towel. Snorkelling equipment, a lycra suit and a buoyancy vest are provided, and morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea are included. Sun cover matters on a sand cay, so bring more of it than you think you need.
Free cancellation if you cancel 48 hours or more before departure. Within 48 hours the booking is non-refundable. If the tour is cancelled due to weather or sea conditions, you receive a full refund or can reschedule at no charge.
It is a 32-metre sailing catamaran. The itinerary puts the sails up on the run home from around 4:00pm, weather permitting, which is when the sparkling wine comes out. Whether you sail depends on the wind that day.
Ocean Spirit Cruises
Michaelmas Cay Full Day · Cairns
Fares (reef tax included)
Adult
Full day · buffet lunch incl.
$288
Child (4-14)
$149
Child (3 and under)
Free
👪 Family Fare
2 Adults + 2 Children of the same family
$734
🚌 Return coach transfer is optional: $36 adult / $23 child from Cairns, $46 adult / $25 child from the Northern Beaches.
Not operating on Christmas Day, New Year's Day, ANZAC Day or Easter Sunday.