Cairns Cruise Combos
Cairns is Australia’s gateway to two of the world’s most extraordinary wonders: the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. Most visitors only manage to see one before their trip ends. However, Cairns combo packages solve that problem by delivering multi-day adventures. Each package pairs a luxury Great Barrier Reef cruise with complementary experiences like helicopter flights, Rainforest Cableway rides, Kuranda Railway rides and guided Daintree Rainforest tours.
The Great Barrier Reef cruise is the centrepiece of every combo, which is then paired with one, two or three other experiences. These Cairns cruise combos maximise your time by offering convenience, value for money and great perspectives of World Heritage-listed landscapes— from the water, air and rainforests.
The GBR Cruise, Common to Every Combo
Every Cairns cruise combo includes a full-day cruise aboard a luxury superyacht that takes you to two secluded Outer Great Barrier Reef sites, like Norman Reef or Hastings Reef. At these uncrowded sites, you’ll get more than five hours of snorkelling time, with all snorkelling gear, stinger suits and flotation aids included. To make the experience more interesting, you can also choose an introductory or certified scuba dive as an upgrade.
Choosing the Second Experience
FAQs
What is included in a Cairns cruise combo package?
Every Cairns cruise combo includes a full-day Outer Great Barrier Reef cruise, along with one or more additional experiences such as a scenic helicopter flight, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Kuranda Scenic Railway ride or a guided Daintree Rainforest tour, depending on the package you choose.
Are the experiences completed on the same day?
Not always. While the Cruise + Helicopter Tour takes place on the same day, the other combo packages let you choose separate days for each experience, so you can fit them around the rest of your Cairns itinerary.
Which reef sites do the cruises visit?
The cruise visits two Outer Great Barrier Reef sites, typically Norman Reef or Saxon Reef and Hastings Reef.
Which Cairns cruise combo is best for first-time visitors?
If it’s your first visit to Cairns and you want to experience the region’s biggest attractions, the all-in-one combo is the best option. It combines the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway into one itinerary.
Can I customise my itinerary or choose the travel dates?
Most combo packages offer flexible scheduling, allowing you to complete the included experiences over separate days during your stay in Cairns. Specific availability may vary depending on the tour.
How many days should I allow for a Cairns cruise combo?
Depending on the package you choose, you'll need between one and three days. The helicopter combo is completed in a single day, while the other combinations are designed as multi-day experiences.
Is snorkelling gear included, or do I need to bring my own?
All snorkelling gear, stinger suits and flotation aids are included in every combo. You don’t need to bring or hire anything separately.
Can I go scuba diving instead of just snorkelling?
Yes, an introductory or certified scuba dive can be added as an upgrade to the cruise.
The Great Barrier Reef cruise is the centrepiece of every combo, which is then paired with one, two or three other experiences. These Cairns cruise combos maximise your time by offering convenience, value for money and great perspectives of World Heritage-listed landscapes— from the water, air and rainforests.
The GBR Cruise, Common to Every Combo
Every Cairns cruise combo includes a full-day cruise aboard a luxury superyacht that takes you to two secluded Outer Great Barrier Reef sites, like Norman Reef or Hastings Reef. At these uncrowded sites, you’ll get more than five hours of snorkelling time, with all snorkelling gear, stinger suits and flotation aids included. To make the experience more interesting, you can also choose an introductory or certified scuba dive as an upgrade.
Choosing the Second Experience
- Cruise + Helicopter: For travellers who want multi-angle views of the reef, the combo pairs the cruise with a 10-minute scenic helicopter flight departing from Hastings Reef itself. It happens on the same day, at the same location.
- Cruise + Kuranda Railway + Skyrail Cableway: After the cruise experience, on a separate day of your choosing, this combo allows you to glide over Wet Tropics Rainforest—on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Explore the village of Kuranda and return via the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway that takes you through the Barron Gorge National Park.
- Cruise + Daintree Rainforest: Here the day trades the cableway for a guided tour deep into the Daintree Rainforest, with a river cruise for crocodile and birdlife spotting, a boardwalk walk through the national park, a freshwater swim and a stop at Cape Tribulation Beach.
- The All-In-One Combo: For travellers who want it all, choose the all-inclusive combo that brings the GBR cruise day, the Skyrail and Kuranda day, and the full Daintree day together in a three-day itinerary (flexible schedule). It is the best option for those wanting to experience Cairns’ biggest natural attractions in one comprehensive itinerary.
- Avoids the back-and-forth of coordinating pickups and terminals across different operators
- Easy way to experience Cairns’ two biggest drawcards without the risk of missing one due to scheduling
- One booking, multi-day adventures
- Greater value and deals than booking separately
- A mix of marine, rainforest and scenic adventures within a single holiday
- Most combos include Cairns CBD accommodation transfer
FAQs
What is included in a Cairns cruise combo package?
Every Cairns cruise combo includes a full-day Outer Great Barrier Reef cruise, along with one or more additional experiences such as a scenic helicopter flight, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Kuranda Scenic Railway ride or a guided Daintree Rainforest tour, depending on the package you choose.
Are the experiences completed on the same day?
Not always. While the Cruise + Helicopter Tour takes place on the same day, the other combo packages let you choose separate days for each experience, so you can fit them around the rest of your Cairns itinerary.
Which reef sites do the cruises visit?
The cruise visits two Outer Great Barrier Reef sites, typically Norman Reef or Saxon Reef and Hastings Reef.
Which Cairns cruise combo is best for first-time visitors?
If it’s your first visit to Cairns and you want to experience the region’s biggest attractions, the all-in-one combo is the best option. It combines the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway into one itinerary.
Can I customise my itinerary or choose the travel dates?
Most combo packages offer flexible scheduling, allowing you to complete the included experiences over separate days during your stay in Cairns. Specific availability may vary depending on the tour.
How many days should I allow for a Cairns cruise combo?
Depending on the package you choose, you'll need between one and three days. The helicopter combo is completed in a single day, while the other combinations are designed as multi-day experiences.
Is snorkelling gear included, or do I need to bring my own?
All snorkelling gear, stinger suits and flotation aids are included in every combo. You don’t need to bring or hire anything separately.
Can I go scuba diving instead of just snorkelling?
Yes, an introductory or certified scuba dive can be added as an upgrade to the cruise.
