Summer Jo

Dive Liveaboard, 2 or 3 Nights · Airlie Beach

4.8 / 5 | GuestTours Rating
2 or 3 nights
Mon and Wed, or Friday
Ensuite cabins
Private, air-conditioned
Dive crew
Instructor and Dive Master every trip
From $695
per person
Our Review

Summer Jo Review

Summer Jo is a 100ft liveaboard with a Dive Instructor and Dive Master on every trip, night dives and the option to do your Advanced course on board. The two-night trip stays on the fringing reefs, while the three-night voyage reaches the Outer Great Barrier Reef. Cabins are private, air-conditioned and ensuite.

See full review ↓

GuestTours Verdict
GuestTours award: Best for Scuba Divers. GuestTours rating: 4.8 / 5.
Summer Jo
Dive Liveaboard, 2 or 3 Nights · Airlie Beach
4.8 / 5 GuestTours Rating
Summer Jo
2 day, 2 night escape
Guest
12 years and over
$695
Also bookable
3 day, 3 night Outer Reef voyage
per person
$958
Options & Prices

The 2 night escape or the 3 night Outer Reef voyage

2 day, 2 night escape

From $695 per person

Fringing reefs, Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet. Departs 4:00pm, back 2:00pm on day 3. Departs Monday and Wednesday.

3 day, 3 night Outer Reef voyage

From $958 per person

Outer Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet. Departs Friday 4:00pm, back Monday 2:00pm. Departs Friday.

Fares are from prices. Scuba diving is an optional extra paid per dive. Summer Jo lists dive prices that differ between its own pages, so we confirm the current dive prices when you book.

Inclusions

What your fare covers

  • Two or three nights on board, linen and bath towels
  • All meals, filtered tap water, tea and coffee
  • Snorkel gear, and stinger suits when needed (November to April)
  • All dive equipment, if you dive
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park fees
  • Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Lookout on both trips
Who It's For

Is Summer Jo right for you?

Great fit
✅
Certified divers
Night dives and the Advanced course on board, with the Outer Reef on the 3 night voyage.
Great fit
✅
First-time divers
Introductory dives with an instructor, and snorkelling if you change your mind.
Great fit
👨‍👩‍👧
Couples and families with teens
Private ensuite cabins, and the minimum age is 12.
Look elsewhere
⚠️
Tight budgets
Dives are extra on top of the fare. Prosail or Avatar cost less.
Look elsewhere
⚠️
Outer Reef on two nights
The 2 night trip visits fringing reefs only. The Outer Reef is the 3 night voyage.
Your Day

How the day runs

Summer Jo publishes highlights rather than a fixed timetable. Every itinerary depends on weather and conditions.

Day 1, 4:00 PM
Depart Port of Airlie
Board at Port of Airlie (The Beacons) and head out into the islands. Fresh fruit on arrival, dinner on board.
Day 2
Dive and snorkel
Fringing reef dive and snorkel sites. On the 3 night voyage, the Outer Great Barrier Reef.
During the trip
Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet
Time on Whitehaven Beach and the walk to Hill Inlet Lookout on both trips.
Evenings
Night dives
Certified divers can dive after dark.
Last day, 2:00 PM
Back at Port of Airlie
The 2 night trip returns on Wednesday or Friday, the 3 night voyage on Monday.
Practical Information

Before you go

ℹ️
Departure point
Port of Airlie, The Beacons, Airlie Beach
ℹ️
2 night escape
Departs Monday and Wednesday at 4:00pm, returns Wednesday and Friday at 2:00pm
ℹ️
3 night voyage
Departs Friday at 4:00pm, returns Monday at 2:00pm
👶
Minimum age
12 years
ℹ️
Cabins
Private, air-conditioned cabins with ensuite. Hot showers via the onboard desalinator.
ℹ️
Diving
Dive Instructor and Dive Master on every trip. Bring your certification card, logbook and a dive medical dated within 12 months.
ℹ️
Alcohol
BYO in cans or plastic bottles, no glass or red wine. No alcohol in the 8 hours before a dive.
ℹ️
Luggage
Small soft bag or backpack, no hard suitcases
↩️
Cancellation
Cancellations within 30 days of departure, and no-shows, lose 100% of the fare.
Full Review

The full review

On most Whitsunday boats diving is an add-on. On Summer Jo it shapes the whole trip, from first-timers doing an introductory dive to certified divers going out at night.

Choose the voyage carefully. If the reef is the reason you came, book the Friday departure, because the extra night takes you to the outer reef that most boats never reach. The two-night trip is a comfortable island sail with good diving, but it stays among the islands.

The boat is a clear step up in comfort from the backpacker sails, with ensuite cabins and hot showers far out on the reef. Keep in mind that every dive is paid on top of the fare, so a diver's total is well above the headline price.

Also on GuestTours: Viper Outer Reef day trip · Prosail maxi yachts · All Whitsunday sailing trips compared

Frequently Asked Questions

Summer Jo FAQs

The 2 day, 2 night escape starts from $695 per person and the 3 day, 3 night Outer Reef voyage from $958. Scuba dives are paid on top.
Only on the 3 day, 3 night voyage, which departs on Friday. The 2 night escape visits the fringing reefs around the islands.
The 2 night escape departs Monday and Wednesday at 4:00pm and returns Wednesday and Friday at 2:00pm. The 3 night voyage departs Friday at 4:00pm and returns Monday at 2:00pm.
Port of Airlie, The Beacons, in Airlie Beach.
Yes. Summer Jo runs introductory dives with an instructor, and you can snorkel instead whenever you like.
Yes. Summer Jo offers SSI Open Water and Advanced certifications, and certified Open Water divers can complete their Advanced course on board.
Yes, for certified divers.
Dives are paid per dive. Summer Jo lists different dive prices on different pages of its website and notes that rates may change, so we confirm the current prices when you book.
Private, air-conditioned cabins with an ensuite bathroom. Hot showers come from the onboard desalinator.
12 years.
Yes, in cans or plastic bottles. No glass and no red wine. You must not drink in the 8 hours before a dive.
Yes, for $15 per person per night: $30 on the 2 night trip and $45 on the 3 night trip, paid on board.
Yes, stinger suits are provided when needed, from November to April.
Cancellations made within 30 days of departure, and no-shows, lose 100% of the ticket price. Book with that in mind.
Summer Jo
Dive Liveaboard, 2 or 3 Nights · Airlie Beach
4.8 / 5 GuestTours Rating
Summer Jo
2 day, 2 night escape
Guest
12 years and over
$695
Also bookable
3 day, 3 night Outer Reef voyage
per person
$958
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.

CompareCairns or the Whitsundays?

50 km offshore against 105 km. The numbers.

Read the guide → DivingLearn to Dive in Cairns

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

Read the guide → ChoosingSnorkelling or Diving?

Snorkelling is not the compromise you think.

Read the guide → ExpectationsWhat You'll See on the Reef

Why healthy coral is brown, and what surprises people.

Read the guide →

Ready to book Summer Jo?

From $695 per person