Spirit of Freedom

37 metre liveaboard · Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole and Coral Sea, ages 16+

4.8 / 5 | GuestTours Rating
37 metres
Three decks
Every cabin
Has its own bathroom
Up to 26 dives
On the 7 night trip
From $2,500
per person
Our Review

Spirit of Freedom Review

Spirit of Freedom is a 37 metre liveaboard where every cabin has its own bathroom. The 3 night trip dives the Ribbon Reefs, always includes the Cod Hole and flies you back from Lizard Island. The 4 and 7 night trips add the Coral Sea. Guests must be 16 or older, and you dive with your buddy rather than a guide.

See full review ↓

GuestTours Verdict
GuestTours award: Best Liveaboard for Ensuite Cabins. GuestTours rating: 4.8 / 5.
Spirit of Freedom
37 metre liveaboard · Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole and Coral Sea, ages 16+
4.8 / 5 GuestTours Rating
Spirit of Freedom
3 nights, Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs
Guest
16 years and over
$2,500
Also bookable
4 nights
per person
$3,200
7 nights
per person
$4,750
Options & Prices

3, 4 or 7 nights

3 nights, Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs

From $2,500 per person

11 dives, a night at Lizard Island, scenic flight back to Cairns. Departs Thursday 12:00 noon, back Sunday about midday. Departs Thursday.

4 nights

From $3,200 per person

Up to 15 dives, scenic flight to Lizard Island. Departs Sunday 8:30am, back Thursday 8:00am. Departs Sunday.

7 nights

From $4,750 per person

26 dives: the Ribbon Reefs plus the Coral Sea, scenic flight to and from Lizard Island. Departs Thursday 12:00 noon, back Thursday 8:00am. Departs Thursday.

Prices are per person in the Quad Share cabin (four bunks, private ensuite). A Standard double or twin cabin starts from $2900 (3 nights), $3600 (4 nights) or $5600 (7 nights); Ocean View and Stateroom cabins cost more. Tell us your preferred cabin and we will confirm the price when you book. GST and all reef levies are included.

Inclusions

What is included on Spirit of Freedom

  • Chef-prepared meals and snacks, wine and soft drink with dinner
  • Tanks, air fills, Nautilus Lifeline and weight belt
  • Mask, snorkel, boots and fins
  • Daily cabin service
  • Hotel or airport transfers in Cairns
  • Scenic flight to or from Lizard Island
  • GST and all reef levies and fees
Who It's For

Is Spirit of Freedom right for you?

Great fit
🤿
Independent, confident divers
You plan your own dives with your buddy, up to 5 dives a day.
Great fit
💑
Couples who value comfort
Every cabin has its own bathroom, with double-bed cabins available.
Great fit
🐟
Cod Hole fans
The 3 night trip always includes at least one dive at the Cod Hole.
Look elsewhere
⚠️
Under 16s
Guests must be at least 16 at departure.
Look elsewhere
⚠️
Divers who want a guide on every dive
There is no full guided dive service on board.
Your Day

How the day runs

Itinerary for the 3 night trip. Dive sites change with the weather.

Thursday, 11:00 AM
Hotel pick-up
The courtesy bus collects you from your Cairns hotel and takes you to Trinity Wharf. Departure at 12 noon.
Thursday afternoon
Outer reef
Lunch on board, a check-out dive and a twilight dive, then the boat runs north overnight.
Friday and Saturday
Ribbon Reefs and the Cod Hole
4 to 5 dives a day including a night dive on Friday. Saturday night at Watson's Bay, Lizard Island, with a BBQ on the top deck.
Sunday morning
Lizard Island and the flight home
A guided walk on the island, then a one hour flight to Cairns, arriving about 11:15 to 11:45am, and a transfer to your hotel.
Practical Information

Before you go

📍
Departure
Trinity Wharf, Cairns, with hotel pick-up
🗓️
3 night trip
Thursday 12:00 noon to Sunday about midday, 11 dives
🗓️
4 night trip
Sunday 8:30am to Thursday 8:00am, up to 15 dives
🗓️
7 night trip
Thursday 12:00 noon to Thursday 8:00am, 26 dives
👶
Minimum age
16 years at departure
🤿
Dive level
3 nights: Open Water with 10 ocean dives (5 in the last 12 months). 4 and 7 nights: Advanced or 20 ocean dives.
🩺
Over 65
A valid dive medical is required
🤿
Diving style
Buddy diving, no full guided dive service
↩️
Cancellation
No refund within 60 days of departure, or for weather. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Full Review

The full review

The first thing you notice is the space: three decks, air-conditioned cabins and a private bathroom in every one, even the four-bunk Quad Share. After four or five dives a day, that counts for a lot.

The 3 night trip leaves Cairns at noon on Thursday and dives the outer reef that afternoon. Friday and Saturday are spent along the Ribbon Reefs, with at least one dive at the Cod Hole. On Saturday night you anchor at Lizard Island for a barbecue on the top deck. On Sunday you walk the island, then fly home.

Know how the diving works before you book. You and your buddy plan your own dives, with crew on deck and safety divers for newer groups, but there is no guide on every dive. The 3 night trip asks for Open Water and 10 ocean dives. The longer trips ask for Advanced or 20 dives.

Why it earns Best Liveaboard for Ensuite Cabins and a 4.8: every cabin has its own bathroom, meals, wine with dinner and hotel transfers are included, and Libby calls it world class. The catch: no refunds within 60 days, so insurance is a must.

Also on GuestTours: Mike Ball Dive Expeditions · OceanQuest overnight trips · All Cairns reef tours compared

Frequently Asked Questions

Spirit of Freedom FAQs

From $2500 per person for 3 nights, $3200 for 4 nights and $4750 for 7 nights in the Quad Share cabin. A Standard double or twin cabin starts from $2900 for 3 nights.
Yes. Every cabin, including the four-bunk Quad Share, has its own ensuite or private bathroom.
16 years at the time of departure.
For the 3 night trip, Open Water with at least 10 ocean dives, 5 of them in the last 12 months. The 4 and 7 night trips ask for Advanced or 20 ocean dives.
No full guided service. You plan and dive with your buddy, with surface support and safety divers for less experienced groups.
Yes, the trips are listed as suitable for snorkellers.
Yes, it always includes at least one dive at the Cod Hole.
Yes. The 3 night trip flies back from Lizard Island, the 4 night trip flies to Lizard Island and the 7 night trip both ways.
Mask, snorkel, boots, fins, tanks, weights and a Nautilus Lifeline. Other gear can be hired.
Wine and soft drinks are served with dinner.
Diving is good all year. May to August brings clear days, with minke whales in June and July. September to December is usually calm and clear, and January to April is the wetter season.
There is no refund for weather cancellations, so comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended, especially from November to May.
Choose your trip below and send the request. We check the date and cabin and confirm everything with you.
Spirit of Freedom
37 metre liveaboard · Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole and Coral Sea, ages 16+
4.8 / 5 GuestTours Rating
Spirit of Freedom
3 nights, Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs
Guest
16 years and over
$2,500
Also bookable
4 nights
per person
$3,200
7 nights
per person
$4,750
Before you book

Planning guides from our team in Cairns

We live in Cairns and we book these tours every week. These are the guides we send guests before they choose.

DivingScuba Diving from Cairns

Diving without a certification, and what it costs.

Read the guide → DivingLearn to Dive in Cairns

No course, no card. What a first dive costs.

Read the guide → ReefThe Cairns Reef Sites Explained

Flynn, Saxon, Hastings and the rest, boat by boat.

Read the guide → WildlifeWhere to See Turtles on the Reef

A routine sighting, not a lucky one.

Read the guide →

Ready to book Spirit of Freedom?

From $2,500 per person