Green Island Full-Day and Half-Day Cruise from Cairns

About This Experience

Great Adventures Reef & Island Cruises runs the fast catamarans between Cairns and Green Island, and this listing is its flexible island trip. With 1,917 reviews at 4.4, it is one of the most-booked Green Island days on this site, and prices start at $79 per person.

Boats leave the Cairns waterfront at 8:30am, arriving at 9:15am, or at 10:30am, arriving at 11:15am. The return runs leave Green Island at 2:30pm, back in Cairns at 3:15pm, or at 4:30pm, back at 5:15pm. Mix these to build a half day or a full day of up to seven hours on the island. Morning tea and coffee are available on board before departure. Green Island is about 27 km from Cairns, so the crossing is short enough to feel like a ferry ride.

You choose your fare when booking. The cruise-only fare gets you there and back; the others add either a glass-bottom boat coral viewing tour or snorkel equipment for swimming straight off the beach. The $79 from-price reflects the lowest fare on the listing, so adding an activity raises the price. Every fare includes the marine biologist reef talk and island walk, use of the island swimming pool reserved for Great Adventures guests, the national park walking tracks and boardwalks, and the day visitor showers, toilets and shade.

Green Island is a coral cay and national park with a resort, rainforest trails and white sand beaches. Turtles, stingrays and reef fish are often seen from the shore. Optional extras are paid separately: scuba diving, offshore snorkel trips, Seawalker helmet dives, canoe, windsurf and beach volleyball hire, and helicopter flights. You can also visit the Marineland Melanesia crocodile habitat on the island.

It suits families, non-swimmers who pick the glass-bottom boat fare, and anyone who wants an easy day at their own pace. Lunch is not in the fare, but the island has a poolside bar, restaurants and food outlets. Bring a hat, swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and a camera. The swimming pool and showers make it easy to rinse off before the boat home.

Highlights

• Fast catamaran of about 45 minutes each way to Green Island
• Half-day or full-day timings, with up to seven hours on the island
• Choice of cruise only, glass-bottom boat tour or snorkel gear
• Marine biologist reef talk and island walk
• Island swimming pool reserved for Great Adventures guests
• Rainforest boardwalks and walking tracks in Green Island National Park

What's Included

• ✓ Return air-conditioned fast catamaran cruise from Cairns
• ✓ Up to seven hours on Green Island, depending on the timings you choose
• ✓ Glass-bottom boat tour or snorkel equipment, if your fare includes it
• ✓ Marine biologist reef talk and island walk
• ✓ Use of the island swimming pool
• ✓ Island day facilities, including showers, toilets and shaded areas

Not Included

• Introductory and certified scuba diving
• Offshore boat snorkel trips
• Seawalker helmet diving
• Canoe, windsurf and beach volleyball hire
• Scenic helicopter flights

What to Bring

• Swimwear and a towel
• Hat and sunscreen
• A camera
• Money for lunch on the island
• Seasickness tablets if you are prone to them

Good to Know & Caveats

• Boats leave Cairns at 8:30am and 10:30am and leave Green Island at 2:30pm and 4:30pm; each crossing takes about 45 minutes.
• What the fare includes depends on the option: cruise only, cruise with a glass-bottom boat tour, or cruise with snorkel gear.
• Lunch is not included, but there are restaurants, food outlets and a poolside bar on the island.
• Tours run in most weather; activities may change with sea state or visibility, and if a departure is cancelled for safety you can reschedule or get a full refund.
• Changes need at least 24 hours' notice, and cancellations within 24 hours may incur fees.
• Guests often find beach snorkelling better around high tide, and turtles are common but not guaranteed.

Meeting Point

Check in on the Cairns waterfront at the Marlin Marina and Reef Fleet Terminal before your chosen 8:30am or 10:30am departure.