Spirit of Freedom, Australia

Name: Coral Sea & Ribbon Reef Trip (Cairns - Cairns)
Start: 2026-12-06
End: 2026-12-10
Location: Australia

9.3 Superb

Nitrox available
Free Internet
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Warm Water Showers

from $ 375 / day Check dates

“Amazing experience, the Reef was mind blowing and the team always made us feel safe and secure.”
Ashley M, United States

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.

Choose your departure date

Date

Itinerary

Price

Select

25 Oct

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,245

FULL

29 Oct

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,754

FULL

29 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,333

FULL

01 Nov

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,245

FULL

05 Nov

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,754

FULL

05 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,333

FULL

08 Nov

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,245

FULL

12 Nov

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,754

FULL

12 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,333

FULL

15 Nov

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,245

FULL

19 Nov

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,754

Select Cabin only 2 spaces left

19 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,333

FULL

Included: VAT, Environment Tax, 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: Fuel Surcharge (AUD10 / day).

Optional Extras: Gratuities, Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Nitrox (AUD120-289), Nitrox Course (AUD295-325), Private Dive Guide (AUD650-750), Rental Gear (AUD135-345), Scuba Diving Courses (AUD375-405).

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.

Pay by bank transfer or online with

Best Price Guaranteed

Boat features

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

Food & Drinks

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

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

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

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English.

Gear Rental

Equipment is available for rent on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. If the rental gear is not included in the price, you will need to pay for it on board the boat. Show prices

Drawings & Vessel Layouts

Cabin Types

Boat Specifications

Year built: 1992

Year renovated: 2023

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

Vessel

8.8
Crew

9.5
Food

9.7
Diving

9.3
Value

9.0

9.2 Superb
Sandra R
Germany

Fantastic dive sites and great crew
Amazing trip, amazing dives, learned a lot, amazing crew, great guests and unforgettable days
Recommended for
Learned a lot from Jamie and his presentations. Great dive guides, do explaining and guiding. Amazing dive sites like Steve's Bommie.
28 Sep, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Bernard S
Singapore

Minke Whales, Great Reefs, and Top-Notch Service
Had a wonderful trip aboard the Spirit of Freedom. The boat was top-notch, and the crew was both professional and friendly. The dive team was highly experienced and focused on safety. It’s worth noting that dives are mostly unguided, though a dive master will gladly jump in with you if you don't have a buddy. The diving was great—the reefs were surprisingly healthy and far exceeded expectations. While it was a shame weather kept us from reaching Osprey Reef, getting to swim with minke whales was an unforgettable highlight! Top it off with fantastic food, and I would definitely love to come back for another trip.
Recommended for
Critters especially the Minke Whales. Great Barrier Reef. Wonderful Dive Guides.
19 Aug, 2026

8.0 Very good
Alessio M
Italy

Amazing week
The week on board of the spirit of freedom has been absolutely fantastic! The service and food were definitely spot on and I have really enjoyed this experience. I'm looking forward to join this liveaboard again in the future. Thank you!
Recommended for
Reef. Dive sites. Food.
19 Aug, 2026

10 Exceptional
Marisa F
United States

Great adventure and dives!
amazing time out on the reef. very comfortable boat with friendly and helpful staff
Recommended for
the sites. everyone was very helpfu. never hungry.
01 Jul, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Thomas S
Belgium

Best Great Barrier Reef experience - highly recommended
Plenty of sharks, solid diving guidance, great food, fun spirit, amazing team on the boat and in the water. Can’t wait to go back.
Recommended for
The energy of Maddie and the team. The diving expertise of the safety divers. The diving locations.
04 May, 2026

10 Exceptional
hong xuan J
China

I will definitely come back with my friends！
This liveaboard experience was absolutely amazing. The crew demonstrated exceptional professionalism and service, and the entire diving and living experience was absolutely perfect.
Recommended for
The Safety Procedure is perfect！. The briefing for each dive is perfect！. The food of each meal is perfect！.
29 Jun, 2026

10 Exceptional
Faith R
United States

Amazing Diving Experience!
The diving was absolutely amazing. Every crew member went out of their way to make sure it was a great experience.
Recommended for
The Crew, atmosphere, diving.
08 Feb, 2017

10 Exceptional
Henrik S
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
11 Mar, 2024

10 Exceptional
Christian B
Belgium

Unique. Witnessed great teamwork from the young crew.
Seeing a fantastic crew at work with drive, professionalism and customer care.
Recommended for
Pace, Food & quality of vessel
01 Apr, 2018

10 Exceptional
Jenny L
United States

Excellent experience and wonderful staff
We really enjoyed the beautiful reefs and the wonderful staff who helped provided us with a lovely experience.
Recommended for
Food, staff and dive sites.
31 Oct, 2022

333 reviews

9.3 Superb
333 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

10 Exceptional
Kevin C
United States

Great trip!
The trip was fantastic; well worth the money, and we had 11 amazing dives in our brief trip.
Recommended for
Dive sites. Boat staff. Food and drink.
12 Oct, 2024

9.2 Superb
Stephen B
United Kingdom

Trip exceeded my expectations, absolutely fantastic
Fantastic diving, exceeded my expectations in terms of number of species seen, quality and beauty of coral etc. Staff onboard were very hard working and attentive to passengers needs and food onboard was excellent, plentiful and very tasty.
Recommended for
Underwater life and visibility underwater. Food. Overall ambience onboard.
07 Oct, 2025

10 Exceptional
Brigitta L
Hungary

Best diving trip ever
Our 3 day trip on the spirit of freedom was amazing. The crew was awesome, helping with everything, entertaining us, cooking delicious food. Best memories! I really recommend the scenic flight back to Cairns to everyone! Big thanks specially to Leo and Ryan. Cannot wait to come back for another trip!
Recommended for
Crew. Sites. Food.
12 Oct, 2024

10 Exceptional
Emilia M
Poland

The best way to experience
Spirit of Freedom was my first liveaboard, and I was travelling solo. It was an absolutely fantastic experience. I chose this boat because somebody recommended it to me, and I definitely would recommend it as well. It was absolutely fantastic. Everything was as it should be. The boat had all the amenities you can wish for. The food was really delicious and plentiful, and they were accommodating all kinds of dietary needs. The dives were spectacular. The crew and the dive team were all top-notch. It was really, really amazing. We had a little bit of bad weather, and the captain really managed the boat in such a way that we didn't have many issues and didn't have to lose any dives. The crew was doing emergency drills daily, and they had a lot of attention to safety on board. Also, I got a little ear infection, and the crew was able to help me in a very effective way. I lost only one dive because of the infection. Everything was really great, and I would recommend it from the bottom of my heart. It was really amazing diving holidays.
Recommended for
And the crew was incredible, and their attention to safety was really first-class.. First-class cuisine, delicious food. Dives. We went north to the Coral Sea, and the dives were spectacular..
23 Sep, 2026

9.2 Superb
Alex C
United Kingdom

Doing GBR in style
It was a great trip - I felt that all the staff were genuinely helpful and friendly
Recommended for
The crew were so friendly and very well organised. The diving was great. The food was decent.
19 Sep, 2025

10 Exceptional
Elizabeth P
United States

Fantastic time!
Our group had a great time on Spirit of Freedom. You start diving the day you get on the boat, which you don't do on every liveaboard. The crew was great and the food was amazing.
Recommended for
Diving, crew, and food
09 Jun, 2023

10 Exceptional
Newton Celso B
Brazil

It was a dream come true, it exceeded my expectations.
Attention of the team, the language was not an obstacle to perform the diving tasks.Precision in the accomplishment of tasks, the entire team involved in their well-being.Food, cleanliness, organization in my evaluation were perfect.I would return with the greatest pleasure and I recommend it to everyone who wants to participate in this experience .
Recommended for
Team spirit, if surpassed attentive, cleanliness, programming, complete the excellence of the service provided
25 Apr, 2017

Translated from Portuguese

9.6 Exceptional
Helena C
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.
23 Feb, 2024

10 Exceptional
Barry P
Canada

Outstanding experience during rough seas, dive team showed 1st class leadership, we will book again!!
The dive team showed us the best experiences possible and the atmosphere and on board food was 1st class / amazing We had rough seas but the best of dive experiences.... looking forward to next time.
Recommended for
Despite very challenging conditions every dive was wonderful
27 May, 2019

10 Exceptional
Beth G
United States

First Liveaboard Experience
The highlights from our trip were Spike the Cod fish, the Shark Dive, the night dive and seeing the diversity of various nudibrachs, scorpion fish, rock fish and sharks. It truly felt like vacation with the relaxed nature of the dives and having the crew check your gear and place your fins before each dive.
Recommended for
We enjoyed the helpful and kind staff, quality of the dive sites and Michelle our amazing divemaster.
13 Aug, 2023

10 Exceptional
Theresa D
United States

Exceptional crew and boat
The crew and boat are exceptional! Friendly, professional, and safety focused. I liked the ability to explore independently with my buddy, while the crew safety divers were available for those that wanted a guide. The boat itself was comfortable and clean, and the food was excellent.
Recommended for
Exceptional crew - friendly, professional, safe. Very comfortable cabins, including a good shower and bed. Good food, personalized based on dietary requirements.
12 Oct, 2026

10 Exceptional
william B
Australia

Unforgettable Four Day Coral Sea Liveaboard
We just returned to Cairns after an incredible four day/four night excursion to the Coral Sea and Osprey Reef with Spirit of Freedom. These four days were the highlight of our entire month in Australia. We completed 15 dives over the course of four days and saw a variety of sea life ranging from hoards of sharks down to the tiniest nudibranchs and everything in between. Visibility was easily over 30meters in most spots. The captain and crew of the Spirit of Freedom were the best! They made everyone feel right at home and delivered top notch service throughout the trip. All of the rental dive gear was in tip top shape and the accommodations were very comfortable, to say the least. Last but not least, the food! The food and beverage throughout the trip were amazing! You will certainly not go hungry on this trip! Highly recommend and can't wait to get back to visit again!
Recommended for
The Amazing Diving! The Outstanding Crew! The Delicious Food!
16 Apr, 2018

9.2 Superb
Steven M
United States

Awesome live aboard dive trip
Dive, eat, dive, eat, and dive again. Outstanding service from the entire crew.
Recommended for
Diving team, dive sites, food
20 Apr, 2017

9.2 Superb
Gabriel R
Argentina

Great Liveaboard
Great liveaboard !!! Incredible dive sites, lots of fishes, caves and more. Visibility was great in the sites of the 4 night trip. Shark feeding dive was amazing !!! The food on the boat was really good too.
Recommended for
Dive sites, crew, food
30 Nov, 2022

10 Exceptional
Jun G
China

Amazing 3days Great Barrier Reef diving trip aboard the Spirit of Freedom
My highlights revolve around the amazing underwater sceneries, fauna and flora encountered during our dives. Specifically: spotting a Minky whale, seeing several sharks, sea snakes, etc.
Recommended for
1/ Super friendly team, 2/ Comfortable boat and 3/ Amazing dive sites
01 Aug, 2017

9.2 Superb
Peter M
Australia

Brilliant all round experience, and I have experienced 10 different boats.
Working backwards - The real highlight of the trip were the 4 dives on the last diving day at Bougainville reef with clear water, amazing drift dives, and big schools of palegics and reef sharks. Osprey reef with the shark feed at North Horn and soft coral dives came in second followed closely with the 2 night dives where the small fish fed on plankton and the giant trevally, reef sharks etc feasted on the small fish. Amazing action. We were very lucky to have calm seas for the 8 days and a brilliant crew.
Recommended for
Food, all diving services, outstanding crew
08 Apr, 2019

10 Exceptional
Kareem S
Canada

Only thing better than the food was the diving!
The staff on board took care of absolutely every last detail, whether a cable for charging a phone up to making sure we got everything we could out of every dive we took. The boat itself was super clean and very well prepared. Finally, and most incredible, the food was absolutely amazing. I've eaten in many restaurants on land that couldn't hold a candle to what Chef prepared for us every meal. Definitely recommended!
Recommended for
Amazing dives, excellent food, fantastic staff!
26 Feb, 2020

9.6 Exceptional
Michelle G
United States

Excellent food, staff and dive crew.food, staff,
Beautiful dive locations in the Great Barrier Reef.
Recommended for
The staff, dive masters, food
21 Aug, 2016

10 Exceptional
Sarah S
United States

An amazing trip on the great barrier reef!
Spirit of Freedom is an amazing great barrier reef diving experience!! Diving was amazing, gear was all super well maintained, the crew was phenomenal, and the food was all so good. It was such a cool experience to be diving with so many amazing divers. The crew allows every buddy team to dive alone and self navigate which gives everyone the opportunity to make it their own experience! The chef was amazing and provided spreads at every meal so there's always something for everybody. Highly highly highly recommend this trip if you're looking for a northern great barrier reef live aboard!
Recommended for
Diving, gear and food!
28 Oct, 2022

10 Exceptional
Zachary J
United States

Fantastic trip that truly maximized our time on the GBR
Diving at the Cod Hole- not only to see the friendly potato Cod but for the incredible corals! The night dive was also the best I’ve done. The whole trip was a highlight, we wished we could stay for more days.
Recommended for
The Cod Hole dive site, the excellent service and assistance from the crew, and the food!
21 Mar, 2023