10 Exceptional
Henricus R
Australia

Best drive trip ever

Amazing service by the staff. Nature delivered: abundant sea life Highlight was the Minke whales

Recommended for: Minke whales, the reef, the crew

8.0 Very good
Yura C
South Korea

Amazing!!

Enjoyed diving thanks to well organized system

Recommended for: Hot shower, nice diving gear, well organized

10 Exceptional
Peter B
Australia

This trip has made me want to do more liveaboards

Seeing the Great Barrier Reef from underwater, diving with sharks, could not fault the trip

Recommended for: Staff being organised, friendly helpful staff, great atmosphere

10 Exceptional
Kevin O
United States

Fantastic. This was one of our most memorable trips in a long time.

Night diving was completly magical - I had never done it before and I was so completly shocked by the awe and beauty of it. Highlights were waking up before the sun hit the water, new reef locations to explore every day, turtles, sharks, fish, fun staff and making new diving friends. Seriously, it was a complete blast.

Recommended for: If you diving and the sea, I can't imagine doing the reef any other way - completly worth the money and time.

10 Exceptional
Jiexiong W
China

Brilliant!

Night diving is so awesome. The corals are also beautiful.

Recommended for: Diving Crews and Individual bathroom

10 Exceptional
Blake S
Australia

The only way to dive the GBR

Our trip was saw the Ocean Quest with only 5 guests on board. The crew was fantastic with spending time with us and having great chats about the reef and any dicing questions we had. My wife and I are both advanced open water certified and were able to buddy dive which we haven't been able to do with other companies. The highlight was the night dive with many many reef sharks swimming around us, a true bucket list experience. The food is homely, delicious and plentiful so don't worry about going hungry. 10/10 And will recommend to all

Recommended for: Diving effcienfy, knowledge of reef by staff, the food

10 Exceptional
Pavel R
Australia

Scuba fun

Super friendly staff Swimming with sharks

Recommended for: The staff, the vessel, & the dives

8.4 Very good
Silvia S
Italy

Just what I needed to start 2021!

The crew was absolutely amazing! They really took good care of everyone on board and were very friendly. The diving was also unforgettable! We had good visibility throughout and the weather was incredible! We had storms every night, after all the diving had been done, which only made the experience better. Seeing the lightening show from the boat was really cool! I recommend and will be back for more!

Recommended for: The crew, the diving and the experience!

10 Exceptional
Paul R
Australia

Awesome

Everything was awesome the staff were exceptional and happy to be there

Recommended for: Staff food dives

8.8 Fabulous
Sibylla L
Canada

Good experience. Staff are very helpful and supportive ifyou forget things.

I loved the dives even though the water was not that clear because of the weather. I was worried about doing 6 dives in 2 days, but guides were very encouraging and supportive. Would do it again and would encourage others to as well.

Recommended for: Fun people. Very supportive staff. Well organized.

7.2 Good
Anton D
Sweden

Very nice experience!

Guide Natalie (Nat). Very friendly and showed us around under water in a good way. There were some inter individual difference from guide to guide. Getting to see the reef up close.

Recommended for: Get close to the reef. Diving.

9.6 Exceptional
Michael F
United States

So good I immediately booked a follow-up trip!

The Reef was never more than a few fin-kicks from the boat—no wasted time. Abundant fish life—day and night. Gear was high-quality, always prepared and dive operations were efficient. This is a BIG deal when you are attempting 4 dives a day with 40 other divers entering and exiting the water.

Recommended for: Crew were wonderful, diving was accessible, captain and crew handled adversity with great professionalism

10 Exceptional
ruben S
Spain

an amazing experience

all the equipment is great and very professional, you couldn't ask for more great, very happy for everything, cleaning diving equipment, food, the rooms, everything 10 a great team

Recommended for: the food, the equipment on board, a great service

10 Exceptional
Ryan L
United Kingdom

Great live aboard experience!

Loved the shark night dive!

Recommended for: Sharks, food, service

10 Exceptional
Svetlana G
United States

Exceeded Expectations

The diving. Hands down. First time visiting the Great Barrier Reef and my husband and I were blown away. That aside however, our experience with Ocean Quest exceeded all expectations. The accommodations were very comfortable. Cabins were actually quite spacious, the en suite was a lovely touch, and the beds were heavenly comfortable. Especially after a full day of dives. The food was very reasonable and the crew friendly, chipper, and very accommodating. The curriculum throughout the day leaves pockets of downtime but most of the time you do find yourself engaged somehow. We basically never felt like we were waiting around for the next thing but instead welcomed the hour or so pockets of downtime. We did the Shark Experience as well which was a really nice experience as an alternate do doing a night dive (had some ear problems earlier so decided to sit the night dive out). You have the option of diving with a buddy or hiring a guide. My husband and I buddied up which was a bit of a new experience and it was great! Everything is very structured but somehow doesnt feel that way and is instead very self paced and relaxed. My only complaint is that after our final dive, one of the crew members decided to prioritize speed of prepping the equipment for the next passengers over watching out for our equipment. We had our own masks and one had a tank set on top of it while we turned away to hang up our suits. No one owned up to it and they seemed very unconcerned that that had happened. Theres no way that the individual at fault wouldn't have noticed as the glass of the mask was smashed to bits and they would have felt it and heard it smash. I understand that there is a certain rush but it doesnt excuse not watching out for divers personal equipment. We werent the only ones, another diver had his personal regulator snatched and thrown in with the others. A suggestion would be to provide an area where divers could set their personal equipment while all the prep is happening if they are still getting out of their wet suits etc. As setting it by the other equipment is obviously not safe (that's where our mask was, by the BCD), and throwing it in with Ocean Quest's is not ideal either. Other than that I would still highly recommend this experience as one thoughtless individual shouldn't represent the entire experience.

Recommended for: Comfortable cabins, great crew, amazing diving

9.2 Superb
Laura T
Australia

Fabulous trip! Wish I stayed longer!

The diving was fabulous despite poorly weather conditions. Fluoro night Dive was incredible!

Recommended for: Beautiful staff, great food and so many diving opportunities!

10 Exceptional
Tanja W
Denmark

Amazing

The Crew was so amazingly awesome, helpful and fun. Always ready to help or answer stupid questions. The dives were amazing, utterly serene. The food was really good, and they always make sure you don’t go hungry. It was all worthwhile and every dime was well spent

Recommended for: Crew, dives, food

8.4 Very good
Josh B
Australia

Amazing trip

What an amazing trip we had in tough circumstances- despite being the last trip the crew made before the Coronavirus took hold they were amazing in the face of being out of work the next day. The reef was fantastic - and I look forward to going back soon!

Recommended for: An amazing trip - great crew, great dive sites, great value

9.6 Exceptional
Wolfgang K
Germany

Great diving with friendly people

The fluoro dive on the last night

Recommended for: Excellent organisation, friendly crew, great dive sites.

6.0 Review score
Alexa B
United States

Great Barrier Reef on a budget (and it shows)

Summary: Good diving on OceanQuest but terrible first few dives on ReefQuest. Unprofessional staff. Not enough food. We had very mixed feelings about our experience with Divers Den. On the one hand, the diving while on OceanQuest was wonderful. Despite having many divers on board, we were able to space ourselves out a bit and see the amazing reef. The dive sites provided a nice variety and there are many opportunities to dive every day. (Sharks in the Dark is also an option at night, and was a huge highlight of our trip.) If you finish a dive early you can get back in and snorkel, which is also wonderful. You can dive without a guide, which I think is kind of crazy from a liability perspective but does allow you to explore at your own pace. The dive master, Tobias, was professional and serious about safety checks. The equipment was mostly in good shape, but there was a shortage of medium- and large-sized gear (wetsuits and booties) and it wasn't very organized so there was a bit of a scramble every time. Unfortunately, our first several dives were done from ReefQuest, a really uncomfortable and overcrowded transfer boat that caters mostly to day snorkelers (young backpacker-types). There were not enough seats for everyone to sit comfortably and nowhere to store gear securely or out of the way. During our van ride to the marina, the staff joked amongst themselves about working on "SnorkelQuest" and that turned out to be so true. The diving equipment was subpar and included snorkel-grade masks that wouldn't stay dry or clear inside. On our first dive I couldn't see a thing and also had trouble equalizing my ears after our too-rapid descent, but our clearly inexperienced guide kept going despite my hand signals. I was in a lot of pain but not confident enough to surface on my own (huge error on my part). I had to sit out the next two dives (which we still had to pay for obviously) because of my ears but thankfully was able to continue the next day. My husband and I went on our own instead of with a guide, took a reasonable amount of time to descend, and everything was fine. My husband is a very experienced diver (~250 dives) and says that ReefQuest was the worst "dive boat" he has ever been on (in quotes because it is clearly really for snorkelers). As far as we could tell, OceanQuest is affordable for three reasons: 1) Your first day of dives are done on ReefQuest because there isn't enough capacity on OceanQuest for the people already on-board and the new arrivals. 2) It is staffed almost entirely by young people who are paid in room, board, and diving and clearly have zero customer support training/interest and little training as dive guides. Staff turnover is presumably very high. 3) Food is basic and essentially rationed. Guests were admonished for taking more than one slice of toast at breakfast (seriously? whose serving size of toast is less than 2 slices?). Staff complained in front of guests about not getting enough to eat. The staff should have separate portions from the guests so they don't have to worry about not getting enough if they're busy/late! It was pretty uncomfortable to feel like we were taking food out of somebody else's mouth. Overall we felt less like guests and more like intruders. Our room was comfortable enough but nothing about the boat is "luxurious," as described by Liveaboard. One thing that really bothered me is that the bed didn't have a top sheet and there is zero chance the comforters are getting changed/laundered between every set of guests. Lack of top sheet is clearly another way that management cuts costs/labor, but that is just gross and unacceptable. I would only recommend this liveaboard if you are on a tight budget and can't skimp anywhere else.

Recommended for: dive sites, unprofessional staff, rationed food

10 Exceptional
Chet B
United States

Can't believe the value for money

I have to say for the price, I was a bit skeptical about this cruise, but in the end, I have to say I was extremely surprised. I would recommend this trip to anyone, scuba diver or snorkeler. My GF and I are extremely experienced divers, but the boat was full of everyone from snorkelers, to first-timers, to people getting their licenses, to people like us. We were also a tad concerned, even at our experience level, that there is no dive guide with each dive, you must pay a $15/pp fee for a guide. Out of everywhere we've ever dove we've always guide. but after a few dives, we were extremely comfortable navigating. Newbies, I'd recommend staying close to the boat, but it worse comes to worst they can always come and pick you up if you can't get back to the boat. The cabin was great, we had a private room. I would recommend booking far in advance to make sure you have a private cabin if you are traveling as a pair, if not they will put you in bunk beds. The food was also not bad, not gourmet cooking, some meals were better than others, but overall pretty good. The staff was also great, again some better than others, but overall fantastic. Toby is hilarious. The diving was epic, I've dove around the world, and I was thoroughly surprised by the qualities of dives. The outter reefs are full of life and there are a ton of things to see. My only complaint is that the boat was going in for dry dock for the season and the Capitan didn't process enough fresh water. So after our last dive, we were covered in saltwater for the rest of the day. Not the worst deal, but we were paying customers and we would like to have been clean for our long journey home.

Recommended for: Private Cabin/Freedom of Diving/Experience

10 Exceptional
Corey S
United States

Very good dive /snorkel trip

Seeing half a dozen turtles. Seeing the Great Barrier Reef. Dive eat dive sleep repeat

Recommended for: Lots of dives. Helpful crew. Great in water guides

9.6 Exceptional
TJ B
United States

17 Dives in 4 Days!

Dolphins, Sharks, Turtles, Octopus, Cuttlefish. Great experience, very worth it

Recommended for: Crew, 5 dives a day, Food

9.6 Exceptional
michael W
United States

Fantastic experience

Many sharks and large fish. The best coral I have ever seen in 34 years of diving.

Recommended for: Great dives, great staff, friendly people

8.8 Fabulous
Mike W
United States

Perfect in all ways

The routine made things easy to constantly dive or eat, it was very easy to get in five dives and not miss any meals.

Recommended for: Fantastic Captain, energetic crew, spectacular diving

10 Exceptional
Nellie M
Australia

All the staff were brilliant, super friendly and I always felt very safe

You could tell the staff valued pleasing divers (and snorkellers) in water and on the boat. Particular shout out to chill Phil, knowledgeable Clara and "always right" with the best recommendations Mickie. The food was splendid, good spread, I'm vegetarian and I loved the salads and veggies, oh and that risotto! I enjoyed no Wi-Fi, (could send texts and access the internet with Telstra on my phone), very relaxing. Beds were comfy, showers were hot. Recommend bringing cash for tipping the staff for their attentiveness and above and beyond service. #bringbackthemargaritamachine

Recommended for: Diving, relaxing and lovely staff

8.8 Fabulous
Davina S
Australia

The diving was fantastic and of a very high standard in regards to equipment and crew.

Definitely the diving. Seeing sharks, turtles, cuttlefish and so many different varieties of sea life. Having the opportunity to dive 5 dives a day was absolutely fantastic.

Recommended for: The night dive. The crew. Meeting people from all around the world.

10 Exceptional
William H
United States

I will be back!

Meeting long term friends.

Recommended for: Efficient schedule of day’s events, ease of doing multiple dives per day, convenience at Every step

9.6 Exceptional
Mark O
United States

great time diving the GBR

seeing all the life at the great barrier reef, and how it changes throughout the day (especially early morning and at nighttime)

Recommended for: lots of dives, great staff/guides, very organized

10 Exceptional
Jordyn L
Canada

Fantastic Stay

The dives were great and there are lots of them in almost all different locations on the reef. The staff is friendly and accommodating. Had Emily as my dive instructor for my Advanced Open Water certification and she was the best.

Recommended for: Amazing staff, clean facilities and lots of diving

8.4 Very good
Carlos G. L
Venezuela

Overall, an amazing diving experience

The scuba diving was definitely the highlight of the trip. The Great Barrier Reef is still an amazing place to dive, with thriving marine life, both big and small. Scuba diving beside immense walls of coral is a once in a lifetime experience. On top of that, the Ocean Quest is an amazing vessel, with all the comforts required to make your experience out of the water as enjoyable as possible. The crew are friendly and always willing to give you hand. Their attention to safety is something that is also exceptional.

Recommended for: Dive sites, crew friendliness, efficiency of diving operation

7.6 Good
Ritty C
Australia

Once-in-a-lifetime experience

Still amazed at this natural wonder even this is not the first time diving a the great barrier reef.

Recommended for: Beautiful sites, comfortable cabin, helpful crew

9.2 Superb
Rickard E
Sweden

Wonderful and nice trip!

Amazing dives, the professional and friendly crew together with the atmosphere among the divers aboard made this to a memory that will last!

Recommended for: The crew, the atmosphere, the diving

10 Exceptional
Robert B
United States

Awesome Experience!!

Our family of five had a marvelous time. There was plenty of room to relax. Multiple opportunities to dive at multiple sites with or without guides. If you have ever considered Liveaboard diving, book with these guys, you will not regret it. They’re among the best.

Recommended for: 1) Friendly crew and fellow passengers. 2)Organized and efficient 3) Multiple dive sites

10 Exceptional
Debashis B
United Kingdom

Great experience and a must do

The crew was efficient and friendly. Food was great. The camaraderie amongst the guests and crew was fantastic. Everything worked to clockwork precision. Great place to be

Recommended for: 1. The organisation of the crew 2. Food 3. Camaraderie

8.4 Very good
Shifali G
India

Great experience

Barring the food which was hit or miss, everything else exceeded expectations!

Recommended for: The guides, the dives, the amenities

6.4 Review score
Jason L
United States

Great diving, but bad food and management.

My husband and I spend 4 nights and 5 days aboard OceanQuest. While we were on our way to the reef, we filled out the standard medical forms. I had put that I was on a medication that I had never had any issues with diving before. When I went to dive, I was told I was not allowed to go out with my dive buddy because I had to go with a guide because of my medication. I was not allowed to talk to their doctor to get an explanation. I felt like I was treated differently by the dive supervisor because of this. . I also had a cold was was not able to equalize for several dives, but the dive instructors/masters on board allowed me to snorkel (but the dive supervisor made sure it was with a guide). The food on board was also not very good - this was our first live aboard but several others on board said that it was the worst food they've had on a live aboard. I think they tried too hard - simpler dishes would have been better. Their dive instructors/masters were very nice. They did allow my husband to join the guided groups for free as my dive buddy. Jen was my favorite, although she never actually led one of the dives I was on. Michy, Guy, Kris, Ron, and John were all great (there were a few others but I don't remember them all). Each dive was limited to 50 minutes, which was a bummer, since both my husband and I would come up with enough air we could have been down for an extra 10-20 minutes (even with a minimum amount left in our tanks).

Recommended for: Dive instructors/dive masters, seeing the diversity of fish, diving in the Great Barrier Reef

9.2 Superb
Lauren P
United Kingdom

Best holiday ever, my dream come true

Diving with turtles, sharks, cuttlefish, soo many different fish. Diving with my daughter. Great staff especially Tobi, Jess, Rich, Emily

Recommended for: Diving up to 5 times a day, fantastic staff and guides, guided night dives

9.6 Exceptional
Larry W
United States

Great Crew!

Saxon Reef

Recommended for: Crew Crew Crew

9.6 Exceptional
Reno M
Malta

Amazing experience

The reef is so beautiful. Our favourite was Troppos! Marine life was amazing. We managed to see some turtles and white tip sharks as well. The staff are very hard workers, professional and very helpful. The cabin was super comfortable and very clean. We had a double room with ensuite. It was an amazing experience! highly recommended

Recommended for: The reef and marine life, the cabin and the staff

8.8 Fabulous
Hugh C
Australia

An absolutely fantastic week spent out on the Great Barrier Reef.

Seeing the wild clownfish

Recommended for: The best three things on the live aboard were definitely the Diving, the staff and the exploring of different sections of reef

9.2 Superb
Scott W
Australia

Great trip, would go it again in a heartbeat.

Diving Fish Bowl on Saxon Reef was absolutely magical. The Divers Den and Ocean Quest are a very professional, smoothly run diving outfit.

Recommended for: The ease of diving, the amount of diving and knowing when dives were going to happen.

9.2 Superb
Raneem A
Syria

Totally worth it!

Obviously diving the great barrier reef! The diving was amazing! Staff and dive guides are very professional and friendly and everything is neatly organized!

Recommended for: Dives, views, friendliness of staff

8.8 Fabulous
sushant P
India

Wonderful and safe experience

Exploring the wonders of the great barrier reef with some wonderful people.

Recommended for: Friendly crew, safety, comfort

10 Exceptional
Aleks K
Australia

Great driving experience!

Well- run and organized diving, great guides who were very knowledgeable and looked after divers safety.

Recommended for: The boat was very comfortable and well equipped, the staff were awesome and most importantly superb diving!

8.4 Very good
Kelsey G
Canada

Very fun! Diving was amazing, crew was professional and fun

The diving is unreal. I also loved that you did NOT have to go with a guide and could go as a buddy team. This was a bonus as group diving can be frustrating. Everything was great, the staff was very professional and structured with safety. My 1 only complaint would be that I personally need the boat needs to be renovated/updated in the rooms and dining areas. It’s a little out dated and worn out.

Recommended for: The diving , the crew , the amount of space on the boat

8.0 Very good
Tatiana S
United States

Great 3 Day Liveaboard!

Sharks in the Dark was such a great experience - unlike anything I've ever done. The schedule throughout the day works well for divers, the crew and new guests. The boat is large enough to have your own space but also socialize with the other guests. Great trip!

Recommended for: Sharks in the Dark, high quality gear, knowledgeable crew

10 Exceptional
Joshua W
United States

Better than expected.

Sea turtles galore. Friendly atmosphere. Felt welcome, safe and encouraged to have a good time. I had an equalizing problem and couldn't dive ( heart broken ) but the crew still made sure I had a good time and got to enjoy the reef.

Recommended for: Crew sets you up for a good time. You stay well fed. Plenty of room.

8.4 Very good
Ron N
United States

Beautiful reef

So many beautiful fish and corals. Staff always friendly and smiling.

Recommended for: Diving, diving and diving

7.6 Good
David T
United States

Crew very friendly and helpful, well organized for large ship

Glad I did it, one item off the bucket list

Recommended for: Any length trip, organization, friendly crew

7.6 Good
Joseph C
United States

Very enjoyable experience

Made 7 dives over a day and a half Made a night dive Guides were very helpful

Recommended for: Plenty of diving, diving was very good

8.8 Fabulous
Rachel D
United States

Ocean Quest- 3 day/2 night

Staff was great! They were friendly, knowledge, and helpful. Planning of daily activities was very well managed/executed. I was able to do guided dives, buddy dives, a night dive, snorkeling, and sharks after dark activity.

Recommended for: Staff, dive sites, snorkeling

8.4 Very good
Ifigenia G
Greece

Amazing snorkelling! Great and friendly dive guides and staff!

Amazing underwater experience and sea life. 4-5 dives each day. Great guides sharing info and tips as we were snorkelling and very helpful and friendly with the kids.

Recommended for: Snorkelling locations excellent. Great dive guides. Very friendly with kids.

8.8 Fabulous
Pierre H
Canada

Great

I went for buddy dive And had a great experience with them. Indication from personnel onboard were clear enough so we did not need a guide, Ihad an experienced team and we shared this knowledge with less experience with other divers

Recommended for: Personnel, sites and xleanliness

6.0 Review score
Shirley R
United States

Was able to dive the Great Barrier Reef in the time frame needed and at the price point I had budgeted.

it was the Great Barrier Reef! (I'm from a land locked state in the US)

Recommended for: price, convenience, people

9.6 Exceptional
Auriane B
Brazil

Great Barrier Reef... amazing spot to dive.

Nice crew on board, ready to help you, shark experience on boat platform.

Recommended for: Sleep in a boat, meet people from many places around the world, enjoy nature life in its real state.

10 Exceptional
Michael C
United States

Fantastic trip!

Night diving,Seeing multiple species of underwater organisms, seeing the reef at various sites. Overall a fantastic live aboard, would return in a heartbeat. #bringbackthehashbrowns #bringbackthehotchocolate #bringbackthemusic

Recommended for: Justin the cook was fantastic, the dives were fantastic, everything was well organized which was great.

8.4 Very good
Larry A
Canada

The clarity of the water was disappointing but overall there was lots of fish and coral.

Photo opportunities of large fish and clown fish.

Recommended for: Fluorescent diving, well organized crew, great dive guides

8.0 Very good
Heidi D
Australia

Awsome

the number of dive opportunities, well organised, easy, relaxed, awesome diving and snorkelling

Recommended for: staff, cabin, dive set up

9.2 Superb
Jerome K
United States

Best way to dive the GBR.

Night dives, seeing sharks, turtles, octopus, moray eel during dives. Guides Peleg and Hayden were great!

Recommended for: Dive guides, food, attention to safety details.

7.6 Good
Nicole G
Australia

I had a lovely time on Ocean Quest, amazing dive sites, cool crew and value for money!

The amount of dives you get to do for the price is amazing.

Recommended for: Value, Dive sites and Crew.

8.4 Very good
Ray M
Australia

Professional and supportive

The diving I am visually impaired and the support of the dive guides was appreciated Why are there no hash browns for breakfast?

Recommended for: Diving night diving and the support of the guides

8.4 Very good
Guillaume L
France

Good trip.

The cabine was comfortable. The announcement for meals, dives and so forth were a good point (can be sure to not miss anything when having a nap). Deck was pretty big. The staffs left us a sort of freedom on each spot.

Recommended for: Fluorescent dive! Food and locations

10 Exceptional
Julie Ann R
United States

Phenomenal experience, best vacation ever.

The diving was of course the highlight. Of the many creatures we saw, turtles, sharks, innumerable coral but the treasure of the sea had to be the Humphead parrot fish.

Recommended for: The staff of Ocean Quest were ALL so friendly, knowledgeable and professional.

6.8 Review score
Andy H
United States

Decent boat, good value, great diving

Saw a cuttlefish, sharks, sea turtles, giant clams, all kinds of fish.

Recommended for: 1. They go to good sites, 2. You can do 5 dives a day, 3. It is a good value

10 Exceptional
Chris J
Australia

Awesome time, friendly and professional

Night snorkelling with sharks Many, many dives Great staff Beautiful weather 👍

Recommended for: Flexibility, cost and dives

9.6 Exceptional
Paul M
Australia

Good fun, would consider doing it again

The diving was fantastic. The amount of fish was ridiculous. Not to mention the sharks and turtles

Recommended for: Dive setup, the dive sites, the atmosphere

10 Exceptional
Stefano A
Italy

Absolutely incredible

First time seeing a turtle, cuttlefish and doing a night dive. I also loved the sharks in the dark, they come very close to us it was amazing.

Recommended for: The food, the dive sights and the crew

9.2 Superb
Nikolai G
Israel

We are happy that we have done it.

Snorkel and relax

Recommended for: Nature, weather, service

10 Exceptional
Nicola B
Australia

absolutely fantastic crew, cabin, crew, dive planning, dive gear and support!

The crew were amazing - helpful, organised, professional. The cabin was big, clean and quiet. The dive sites were perfect - constant changes and good divebriefings before each dive. Excellent safety standards too - just brilliant!

Recommended for: Crew - organised, happy, friendly, helpful / cabin was big and clean / food was yummy, fresh and plentiful

8.8 Fabulous
Ellie H
United States

Awesome trip!

The highlights of my trip include the shark snorkel experience where I got to see several reef sharks up close. I also saw 7 turtles on one of the morning dives. The crew knew everyone by name and were incredibly friendly. I really enjoyed my time on the boat, and the guided tours were very helpful since the guides pointed out so much sea life that I would have never noticed if diving unguided!

Recommended for: The best things were the crew, the dive sites, and the food.

9.2 Superb
Anuj S
India

Great service, crew with good sense of humor & new dive equipment

Night dives Great barrier reefs Swimming with nurse sharks Improvement area: Dinner options could be better. Meat every night gets unappetizing very soon.

Recommended for: Location, dive frequency & times, people & crew

8.8 Fabulous
Paul R
Australia

Relaxing time on a comfortable boat.

All dives were great.

Recommended for: Big boat friendly crew and comfortable

9.6 Exceptional
Dylan M
Ireland

Excellent

Twin Peaks dive site

Recommended for: Crew, food and organisation

9.6 Exceptional
Dale T
United States

Item on bucket lists checked off but would do again.

Slight hiccup in dive authorization that crew handled and managed better than hoped for. Several dive locations with knowledgeable guides. Sharks, Ray's, turtles, lots of fish and coral.

Recommended for: Crew, crew, crew.

9.2 Superb
Jake A
United States

Worth travelling across the world for!

We have been diving in Fiji, Mexico, and the British Virgin Islands. Some places have good coral, some have wildlife, some have colors. But the Great Barrier Reef has ALL these elements. Seeing the reef even at 10 to 15 meters is amazing and nothing else we have seen compares to it! We saw scorpion fish, lion fish, octopus, giant traveli, turtles, trumpet fish, sharks, titan trigger fish, and too many others to list. The crew provides a shark encounter experience option for those who opt out of the night dives. The Divers Den staff made us feel safe at all times. We never had to wait for any of our dives, and all of the dive sites were briefed before each session. Captain Paul knew we were on the ship for an extended stay (6 days), so he took us to a few unique sites to provide variety. We only saw a few sites twice, and still always saw new things each dive as we explored sites at morning, day, and night. The fluoro diving was a unique experience as well. We wanted to give a shout out to Emily from the Divers Den Volunteer crew. Emily has a great personality and communicated well with us in terms of explaining logistics and guiding us through the experience. Thanks also to all the Divers Den staff, to our dive instructors, Paulo and Ashley, and to Captain Paul for running an efficient and well organized program.

Recommended for: Safety, Organization, Diving. The crew was focused on keeping everyone safe at all times. The dives were well planned and the equipment was always ready and functional. Diving was superb!

8.0 Very good
theodora A
Netherlands

Great diving experience

Awesome marine life. Good cabin, bed and meals. Friendly staff. Was lucky with my buddies. Equipment was okay. They limet the diving time because they run a schedule during the day.

Recommended for: Diving locations, my buddies, good wheater

9.2 Superb
James G
New Zealand

4 days in paradise :)

The Chef was incredible - great food! Dive masters were very knowledgeable of dive sites & gave great advice during dive planning. Great to be able to dive 5 times a day - was very doable, and well within safe dive limits. Sharks in the dark was really cool!

Recommended for: Fantastic dive spots w/ swim throughs, Phytoplankton, The Chef

9.2 Superb
Samantha F
United Kingdom

Fabulous dive trip

Seeing a hammerhead shark My experience on ocean quest was excellent. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was excellent and plentiful. The amount of diving was great and the comfy bed a delight to fall into after a long day diving. Special thanks to Paulo & dive team.

Recommended for: Diving, bed, hot shower

10 Exceptional
Dan M
United States

Excellent experience, crew was very organized for a safe trip

Beauty of Great Barrier Reef

Recommended for: Crew, equipment, meals

9.6 Exceptional
Art S
United States

Fantastic Experience

We took the open water advanced dive course. Our dive instructor, Phil was great and every dive was more interesting than the previous.

Recommended for: 1. Ocean Quest is a well run highly organized operation that maximizes dive time. The crew is super fantastic.

9.2 Superb
Anna H
United Kingdom

Ran like a well oiled machine. Awesome

Everything. The way it was organised and ran so smoothly was amazing. The whole crew just did brilliantly. Despite the fast turns arounds and the amount of people doing different courses, different dives, different levels, they catered for everyone as an individual. I felt super safe despite being quite an unconfident diver when I started. I certainly wasn’t by the end. Night dive and dawn dive were just spectacular. We will both be back. Thanks for everything.

Recommended for: Organisation, the crew, the diving

9.2 Superb
Luk V
Belgium

Perfect organisation with fantastic crew who are constanly in a goodnmood and make your life really easy. Absolutely worthwhile

Turtles, sharks, nightdives

Recommended for: Organisation, crew, 12 dives in 3 days

10 Exceptional
Alicia W
United States

Fun, Professional & Friendly!

The Ocean Quest was wonderful! Great dives, friendly & knowledgable staff, delicious food, and just an overall friendly vibe. We would absolutely recommend this liveaboard for folks that want to enjoy some serious diving!

Recommended for: Diving, food, staff

8.8 Fabulous
Karen N
United States

Saw lots of fish & enjoyed a hot shower after every snorkel.

Seeing so many fish.

Recommended for: Lots of chances to get in the water. Snorkeler friendly. We stayed 3 nights with not much overlap in dive sights.

10 Exceptional
Bertrand G
France

Perfect dive Cruise, friendly, safe, and beautiful

Many different dive sites, comfortable and safe dives

Recommended for: Crew, Food, dive!

9.6 Exceptional
Ayu D
Indonesia

Recommended diving company in cairns

I had a pleasant stay for 4 days. All the crews looked after us from the start they picked us up, diving guides until they dropped off at our hotels. They even remember our names, that makes it personal. Excellent service! I would recommend Divers Den for sure. Good value for money too :)

Recommended for: Service, people, diving

10 Exceptional
Ingunn R
United States

Wonderful Experience with Ocean Quest on GBR

Liveaboard provides a much more relaxed and enjoyable dive experience than day trip boats - well worth the extra cost. We got to experience the GBR with great guides and then share our experiences with the other guests over a meal or a beer in the bar. The diversity at GBR is just awesome and getting to experience sea turtles, cuttlefish, sharks, unicorn fish and all the other colorful and unique species we encountered.

Recommended for: Warm showers when you wanted/needed, a bed to rest on .. and the crew

9.6 Exceptional
Thomas K
United States

Great staff with the opporutunity to do up to 5 dives per day, excellent value especially considering the price.

We really enjoyed the Dive Supervisor, Levi, and his announcements. Being able to go at our own pace and diving without being required to go in a large group allowed us to have freedom to explore the dive sites the way we wanted to. AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!!

Recommended for: The fluora night dive, crew on board, ability to dive without a guide

10 Exceptional
Daniel L
United States

Underwater adventure

Seeing the great barrier reef and all the diverse life forms. Getting to dive pretty much non-stop at all hours of the day. Getting to experience transitional dives and a night dive for the first time.

Recommended for: Food!, Organization, friendly and knowledgeable staff

7.6 Good
Steven L
United States

Had a great time

Loved the tempo of the diving aboard the overnight boat. The transit boat was way over crowded! Diving worked out fine but it was not comfortable. Dive instructors were great.

Recommended for: Number and type of dives. Dive instructor #831848, Ms. Kasumi was fantastic! Efficiency of dive operations.

8.8 Fabulous
Jean-Luc H
France

la barrière de corail est toujours là !

Lorsque l'océan se reposait !

Recommended for: confort du bateau, service à bord et de belles plongées

9.6 Exceptional
ricky W
Ireland

What more could you want on a dive trip?

I stayed on Ocean Quest for 4 days/3 nights and really couldn't ask for more. The staff were excellent and really worked their socks off. The diving was amazeballs- everything you could hope to see on the Great Barrier Reef. The dive equipment and boat were great. Food was lovely and plenty of it (5 dives a day made me quite hungry!). I really couldn't have asked for more and will definitely book with them again.

Recommended for: Great diving, great boat, great staff

9.6 Exceptional
James H
United Kingdom

Once in a lifetime trip!

Experiencing multiple dive sites, seeing sharks, rays, turtles and so much more!

Recommended for: Diving, food, friendly staff!

9.6 Exceptional
Kevin A
United States

Tons of diving-without the need for a guide.

The night dive was incredible.

Recommended for: 1) room 2) food 3) diving

7.6 Good
Geoffrey E
Australia

Best Dive guide...Anthony . Professional attitude , intelligent ,knowledgeable and genuinely friendly.

Night dive

Recommended for: 1 Efficient friendly staff 2 good organisation of the dives 3 good equipment

10 Exceptional
Joel H
United States

Awesome trip minus the weather

Rapid fire diving of some of the best reef in the world. We enjoyed interacting with our guides Nicola, Jin, Jesse, Kris, and Sara. They were all great. The crew went over and beyond every time and we still joke about Tom’s announcement style. The food was great, it’s amazing what Tino can whip up in a marine kitchen. With all that said, my wife got terribly sea sick, although that was not the fault of the ship or crew. A++++

Recommended for: Diving, people, diving

10 Exceptional
Nelida U
United States

Best crew ever

The chef, the instructors and their service to take us to the best places in the Coral reef even in harsh weather.

Recommended for: Service

9.2 Superb
Elisabeth L
United States

Great experience with wonderful crew and diving sites.

Seeing the incredible reef fish life and last coral before any large die off. Already the bleaching has taken quite a toll on the reef. Great ambiance and divers/snorkelers from all over the world. We had a great time and it's truly the trip of a lifetime.

Recommended for: Great attentive crew, number of dives, nice breakfast and lunch

10 Exceptional
Vicky H
United States

Fantastic, safety-minded crew. Highly recommend!

Had a great second trip out on Ocean Quest. The dives were fun and easy to navigate. Lots of beautiful coral and plentiful marine life to see on the Great Barrier Reef. Accommodation was spacious with a private bathroom. It gets a bit chilly in the rooms at night, so dress/pack accordingly. I've been on three different livaboards in Cairns and you really cannot find a better value for your money. This livaboard is all about the diving and the crew really shines when it comes to the safety of the divers and all of thier equipment. If you prefer guided dives, they are $15 aud per dive, which is a small price to pay considering the budget price paid for the trip. Otherwise, it's easy to find a good partner to help you navigate the different dive sites. If your looking to get lots of great dives on the Great Barrier Reef with a professional, safety-conscious crew, I highly recommend that you book Ocean Quest.

Recommended for: Value, safety and great diving!

Ocean Quest Liveaboard, Australia

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Ocean Quest Reviews