Quicksilver Outer Barrier Reef Cruise: A Detailed Review

If you’re thinking about seeing the Great Barrier Reef up close, a trip on the Quicksilver Outer Barrier Reef Cruise might just be the ticket. We took the trip and thought we’d put together a pretty detailed look at our experience, kinda highlighting what made it cool, where things could improve a little, too it’s almost like you are right there. We are going to talk about the whole deal: what it’s gonna set you back, what you can do when you’re out there, what they offer as far as options, and how good their customer service really is. We figure that should hopefully give you a really well-rounded sense of whether this particular cruise is gonna be right for you.

What’s Included and What Can You Expect?

Alright, so, before handing over your money, you’re probably wondering about the actual inclusions and what’s really involved, so to start, the Quicksilver cruise will whisk you away on a big catamaran, usually leaving from Port Douglas, and then taking you way out to Agincourt Reef which happens to be right on the very edge of the Great Barrier Reef. From start to finish, that trip can last nearly the entire day. Expect a buffet lunch to be included and this often includes a pretty reasonable array of hot and cold grub and different things like seafood and salads. If it interests you, they often have guided snorkeling trips with the crew, that way it’s like someone who knows the reef really well showing you the hotspots. You might find that certain extras, like trying out scuba diving or zooming around underwater with something like a scooter, well, that might mean shelling out a little bit extra. You might be glad to know that things like using snorkeling gear are already part of the package.

A Look at the Activities

Once you’re actually there on the reef, it’s almost like there is a smorgasbord of options for what you can get up to, and this part’s the real charm of the trip for loads of people. So snorkeling is, naturally, super popular and, in some respects, a great shout for folks that are keen on seeing marine life in all it’s glory but maybe they aren’t ready to, like, get all suited up for proper diving. If it’s your cup of tea, they will likely have intro scuba sessions which can be a super good option if you have never ever dived but you have always wanted to give it a whirl under the watchful eyes of instructors. Then again, you could simply chill out on the platform, enjoy the sun and take in the striking ocean views from there. To be honest, the cruise also incorporates some handy educational bits too, typically with marine biologists on board that share facts about the reef and things they do to protect it.

The Cost Factor: What to Budget

Chatting money isn’t the best, is that not the truth, yet getting a proper handle on the costs involved for the Quicksilver cruise is really important, like, dead important, for sussing out your travel budget. You might discover that the standard day trip might sit somewhere between $250 to $350 per person, apparently this depends a bit on the time of the year, and apparently what deals are actually running, too it’s almost like it varies. Just so you know, you may need to think about whether there will be additional costs. Think about things like drinks onboard or the cost of those fancy optional activities like scuba diving. And I think most people don’t realize but when you get there they often hit you up with an environmental management charge which I am guessing goes straight back into maintaining the reef; budget for that on top of everything else. Make sure that before you decide, double check everything in terms of payment – suss out what you get for your money and be aware of those extra sneaky costs so there are absolutely no horrible surprises when you get there.

Finding Value for Money

Thinking about getting a bang for your buck is natural, you might feel a bit better if you did a little research to discover any deals, or it could be worth seeing what family packages are on offer, particularly when travelling as a group or people are traveling with little children. It’s seemingly pretty well known that if you happen to book directly on the Quicksilver website, you might occasionally find they have some special promotions running which can help you shave a bit off the overall cost. At the end of the day, find out precisely what is actually included – for instance, find out if lunch is part of the deal and so you know exactly what stuff you have to pay extra for. What can make it well worth it too is that, as a matter of fact, Agincourt Reef itself is regarded as one of the prettiest sites on the entire Great Barrier Reef, and for a few, it’s getting to this incredible place alone makes a spend worthwhile.

What Do People Say?: A Review Round-Up

What people who actually have had the experiences have to say usually will point you in the right direction, very true. Now, quite a few people praise the Quicksilver cruise for having knowledgeable crew members and those marine biologists as well as what seems to be very well organised tours. Lots of comments tend to highlight the caliber of the food, people seem genuinely surprised by the lunch buffet. Then again, it might be worth reading multiple reviews because many customers mention that, depending on the amount of people there on a given day, it really can feel very crowded, both on the boat and out there on the platform. And one recurring criticism is what seems to be the price of additional stuff, so really having to shell out on top of everything for drinks and optional extras might upset some. Overall, seemingly past passengers generally concur that if you’re happy to put up with pretty big crowds, as a matter of fact, the experience tends to offer up a super reliable and safe approach to seeing the Great Barrier Reef.

Highlighting the Positives

One aspect that shines through a fair bit when people share the highs of the Quicksilver Outer Barrier Reef Cruise, tends to be all about just how remarkable Agincourt Reef is. If you love color, clear water, and seemingly heaps of different types of sea life, it’s likely that you are just going to have your mind blown. The setup is just pretty thoughtful, there is seemingly something there for people regardless of your age, ability, be that seasoned divers or people who are a bit timid. Lots of passengers mention that what makes it really brilliant is getting that commentary on the reef and it’s residents – which just might turn you into an advocate for looking after and preserving these sensitive environments. The crew’s professionalism is also often mentioned, giving passengers confidence that you are in safe and capable hands while out at sea, more or less.

Addressing the Negatives

No tour is 100% perfect for every single person, naturally. Among the complaints that might crop up again and again regarding the Quicksilver trip includes crowd management. Now, you might feel a bit disappointed if there’s just too many people all trying to enjoy the reef all at once; this may somewhat take the edge off it, kind of reducing the experience a fair bit. Lots of individuals point towards the seemingly steep prices of extras such as underwater activities and all sorts of refreshments which are not part of the basic package. Another bit of negative stuff that seemingly appears is the potential for a pretty choppy ride out to the reef, it may not be ideal then, especially if you happen to be prone to motion sickness so I recommend having some preventative measures at hand to mitigate things. Ultimately, have a really proper look at the cons together with the great points so that your anticipation can be somewhat grounded and far more realistic.

How to Make the Most of Your Day

Getting the best from your cruise over to the Outer Barrier Reef kinda involves a bit of planning, too it’s almost a strategy if you like. Number one, slip slop slap is real important, and also it can protect you from the sun, it can seemingly get strong when you are out there all day; loads of reef-safe sunblock needs to be one of the things on your packing list. Just so you know, don’t leave things till the last second, so you might want to plan up front for any of those extra activities such as scuba diving, it could fill up so quickly if you leave it for the day of the cruise. And to enjoy things well, be there on time – and then take full advantage of being there nice and early so you could secure a really decent spot on the boat so you can properly unwind on the journey. A hot tip might be for you to spend a few moments simply asking crew for where the coolest snorkeling spots are, they’ve often got brilliant insights that may help enhance what you get out of it.

Tips for a Smooth Trip

Loads of small but smart decisions can turn an acceptable day out into a brilliant one. If motion sickness tends to be something that gets to you, maybe get onto those preventative meds prior to leaving dry land so that your stomach feels totally content on the rougher stretches out in the ocean. Don’t get caught out, take a waterproof camera, after all you are gonna want to document everything you see beneath the waves; basically, that’s what people usually wish they’d packed. If you value your alone time maybe see whether it is possible to suss out spots far away from some of those louder sections; the top deck could be the best option in that case. If it strikes you as smart, be certain you double-check what’s going on with that booking some days out just so everything will seemingly stay totally smooth when getting to the location.

Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?

So here’s the million dollar query – actually, loads cheaper than that – is taking the Quicksilver Outer Barrier Reef Cruise worthwhile? Should it float your boat, as it were. You will find that loads of reviewers will confirm it as a definite highlight if you fancy experiencing the Outer Great Barrier Reef up close. Just so you know, there’s a good pick of gear with very reliable boat trips, a well informed crew who seem committed to everything reef related. While there seemingly may be busy spells when there is just an awful lot of other visitors at the same time, as a matter of fact the natural beauty is generally thought of highly in spite of that. But weigh things up against other possible competitors out there and whether they have perhaps different stops or quieter reef access before setting the plan. Fundamentally, should a carefully selected day be decided, which tends to involve advanced planning and awareness concerning any additional spend, this Quicksilver trip stands as the pretty awesome option if seeing one of the greatest places around seems really attractive.