Spirit of Freedom, Australia

Excellent food and drinks

“Coral reefs were amazing. Probably the best I've ever seen. ”

Gail D, United States United States
Read 236 more reviews

Highlights

  • Voted Best Australian Liveaboard
  • Diving cruises to Great Barrier Reef

M/V Spirit of Freedom is a 37m, state-of-the-art liveaboard, voted Best Australian Liveaboard by readers of Australasia Dive Log in 2015 & 2017. Spirit of Freedom offers year-round, 3, 4, and 7-day diving cruises to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the Coral Sea reefs, and special Far Northern expeditions to dive into the truly pristine and remote reefs. Diving amenities onboard MV Spirit of Freedom include a spacious dive deck, individual dry storage, Nitrox, rinse tanks, a small camera table, and freshwater showers. A camera workstation with power boards and converters for 110 volts is also onboard.

Topside, the Spirit of Freedom offers guests 11 cabins with a style and budget for everyone. All cabins have a private bathroom, wardrobe, ample storage, air conditioning, and housekeeping services. Guests will enjoy relaxing on the top deck between dives or in the evening, where it is a great place to unwind with a drink at the end of a day of fantastic diving. The forward lounge is perfect for chilling out and relaxing and has comfortable seating and beanbags. The dining salon has ample seating for all guests and is where a variety of quality healthy meals are available. Dinner is a set menu, and soft drinks, wine, and beer are included with dinner. The Spirit of Freedom must be notified of any special dietary requirements at least 30 days before travel.

The minimum age to travel on the Spirit of Freedom is 16, as the type of dives practiced requires experience. Snorkelers are welcome aboard the Minke Whale Trip (June and July) and the 3-Day Cod Hole trip. Please note that snorkeling can be restricted due to weather, tides, currents, and other environmental conditions, and snorkeling is only permitted on sites deemed safe. Passengers over 65 are required to supply a doctor’s medical statement confirming they are fit to dive.

Book online to reserve your Spirit of Freedom Australia liveaboard diving holiday.

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Included: VAT, National Park Fees, Hotel Transfer, Local Flights, Alcoholic Drinks at Dinner, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Wine with Dinner, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Snorkel Gear, Cabin Towels, Complimentary Toiletries, WiFi internet.

Required Extras: Environment Tax.

Optional Extras: Gratuities, Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Soft Drinks at Meal Times, Nitrox (75-180 AUD per trip), Nitrox Course (280 AUD), Private Dive Guide, Rental Gear (135-315 AUD), Scuba Diving Courses (285 AUD).

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

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Boat features

  • Camera Station
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Audio & video entertainment
  • Library
  • Air Conditioned saloon
  • Aircon Cabins
  • Sun Deck
  • Indoor Saloon
  • Warm Water Showers
  • Outdoor Dining
  • Camera room with table and charging point
  • Custom built for diving
  • Charging stations
  • En-Suite bathrooms
  • Free Internet
  • Non-Smoking Rooms
  • Outside Showers
  • Seaview Cabins
  • Snorkeling Equipment
  • Separate Rinse for u/w Camera
  • Dedicated Local & International Crew
  • Leisure Deck
  • Observation Deck
  • Bar
  • BBQ Area
  • Available for Charter

Food & Drinks

  • Western Food
  • Local Food
  • Vegetarian Options
  • Buffet style
  • Beer available
  • Free Wine w/Dinner
  • Vegan Options
  • Fine Wines Selection
  • Free Soft Drinks
  • Full-board Option
  • Al Fresco Dining

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.


Diving

  • DIN Adaptors
  • Nitrox available
  • Rinse Hoses
  • Dive deck
  • Tenders for diving
  • Sidemount Diving
  • Shaded Diving Area

The crew speaks English.


Gear Rental

There is diving gear available on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. See below for further details on inclusions and pricing. Show prices.


Drawings & Vessel Layouts

#deckplan floorplan

Boat Specifications

  • Year built 1992
  • Year renovated Annually
  • Length 37 Metres
  • Deck area Expansive
  • Beam 7.1 Metres
  • Top speed 12 Knots
  • Cruising speed 8 Knots
  • Engines 2 x Rolls Royce C8M 410 249.8kw diesel
  • Max guests 24
  • Number of cabins 11
  • Number of bathrooms 11 + 2 toilets on the dive deck
  • Tenders 2 x Naiad RIB tender boats
  • Water capacity 22000 Litres
  • Fuel capacity 30000 Litres
  • Freshwater maker 9000 litres per day

Boat Navigation and Safety

  • Radar
  • Depth Sounder
  • GPS
  • Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
  • E.P.I.R.B. Distress System
  • Emergency Rafts
  • Life Vests
  • Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
  • Oxygen
  • First Aid Kits
  • Fishfinder
  • Satellite & mobile phones
  • Bilge pump alarm
  • Search light
  • Crew trained in first aid
  • Emergency flares

Spirit of Freedom Reviews

  • 9.3 Superb
  1. Vessel
    8.9
  2. Crew
    9.6
  3. Food
    9.7
  4. Diving
    9.4
  5. Value
    9.0
  • 9.2 Superb
  • Gail D
  • United States United States
Diving was incredible, food was delicious, and crew was wonderful.

Coral reefs were amazing. Probably the best I've ever seen.

Recommended for
Diving, Food, Crew
  • 8.4 Very good
  • Matthew H
  • United States United States
Positive Experience

Night dive with sharks, plane ride back to mainland, learning about the coral and macro life.

Recommended for
Always on time, great positive atmosphere, and experienced passengers.
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Carsten A
  • United States United States
First Liveaboard experience was great!

We enjoyed the SOF in every way, from the knowledgeable and friendly staff, talented cook and amazing dive sites. We were a bit nervous about the lack of dive guides, i.e., no specific dive guide to follow, but the dive briefings, dive site "management", DMs in the water and overall their concern for our safety was reassuring and positive.

Recommended for
Staff, Food, Dive sites
  • 10 Exceptional
  • Jessica B
  • United States United States
An incredible experience in all measurable ways!

The service is incredible from the minute you are picked up on the bus to head to the boat/airport until the minute you are dropped off. I have never been with a more fun, competent, and professional crew! They had us laughing, totally and completely taken care of, great divers, and overall, they understand how to make sure you have an incredible "experience." So impressed! It's also tough not to go on and on about the food and how often they fed us! First breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner. Incredible timing with all the dives, and the chef is amazing. What that man could create in such a small galley is beyond me! If you are booking or considering the trip, it's because the diving will be incredible, and you know it. I was not disappointed; I was just astounded. If you like sharks, every. Single. Dive!

Recommended for
Diving, Crew, Food
  • 10 Exceptional
  • Henrik S
  • Denmark Denmark
High quality and excellent servvice

it was one long highligt from welcome to leaving. All the elements on the way was excelllent - and the safety focus gave a great comfort feeling.

Recommended for
Dive sites - Crew - accomendation
  • 10 Exceptional
  • Sarah C
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom
Completed Awesome from start to finish x

Shark feeding, night dives, endless coral reefs, shoals of fish everywhere. Great company and fantastic crew. Thank you for such a brilliant trip.

Recommended for
FOOD! Crew. Trifecta 💙
  • 10 Exceptional
  • Jacqueline C
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom
Fantastic

Diving Osprey and Bourgonville reefs. Everything was excellent, well organised, good fun, good kit. Would definitely recommend to anyone!

Recommended for
Exceptional service from all the crew. Wonderful food. Lots of space on board.
  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Helena C
  • Australia Australia
Absolutely spectacular dive holiday... how I wish I had booked a longer trip !!

The dive locations in the Coral Sea were phenomenal. Certainly some of the best marine life I have seen in thirty years of exploring the oceans. A hammerhead shark cruising past me will certainly never be forgotten. Nor the other sharks species, turtles, cuttlefish, gorgonian fans along with corals and fish of so many varieties. The underwater topography is also spectacular and varied, with wall dives and swim thru's the highlight for me. However it was really the staff that made the trip so memorable, welcoming us from the moment we boarded MV Spirit of Freedom. Diving operations were professionally and smoothly conducted, with our every need met. Freshly prepared meals, great company, fun entertainment and a clean comfortable vessel and cabin will see me returning again soon ..!!

Recommended for
Excellent dive sites, well trained terrific crew that ensured a safe enjoyable trip, and delicious meals and service.
  • 8.0 Very good
  • MASANORI Y
  • Japan Japan
Wonderful trip with SOF

It was nice to see beautiful Great Barrier Reef Coral Sea protected area.

Recommended for
Complimentary drink at dinner. Free satellite wifi service. Delicious food.
  • 10 Exceptional
  • wen ting C
  • Taiwan Taiwan
Great

We saw sharks and manta.

Recommended for
Tasty food, professional crews, nice people