Spoilsport Liveaboard, Australia

Name: Far North Coral Sea Exploratory (Cairns - Cairns)
Start: 2026-10-22
End: 2026-10-29
Location: Australia

9.2 Superb

Nitrox available
Naturalist Guide
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers

from $ 406 / day Check dates

“Great crew who attended to every detail of comfort, safety and service with high professional standards.”
BRIAN D, Australia

Highlights

Australia’s most awarded liveaboard dive boat
Twin hull design to increase stability and reduce motion onboard
Swim with dwarf minke whales in June & July

The MV Spoilsport liveaboard is an award winning vessel which was custom built to explore the uncrowded dive sites of the Coral Sea. The twin hull design of the boat increases stability making for smooth sailing year-round. On board there are 4 cabin standards to cater to differing budgets, from the budget cabins with twin bunk beds to the premium cabins with double beds and ocean views.

The on board dining experience includes chef prepared meals with freshly sourced produce from sustainable resources from both land and sea. A wide variety of dietary requirements can be catered to, including vegetarian and vegan, which are served at the indoor salon and dining room. There is a large sun deck on the upper deck with a partially shaded area and comfortable loungers.

Guests can enjoy world-class diving on the Great Barrier Reef and in the Coral Sea with the Spoilsport Australia. Itineraries include the 5-night Coral Sea & Cod Hole trip, the 6-night Yongala & Coral Sea trip for adventure diving the SS Yongala Wreck; Wheeler, Holmes & Flinders Reef, 3, 4 & 7 night fly dive expeditions as well as the limited minke whale trips.

Call us or book online today to start planning your Coral Sea dive liveaboard aboard the Spoilsport yacht.

Please note that the 3 and 4 night itineraries can be extended to 7 night trips.

Choose your departure date

Date

Itinerary

Price

Select

27 Aug

6 Days / 5 Nights

$ 2,459

Select Cabin only 1 space left

03 Sep

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,033

FULL

03 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,443

FULL

07 Sep

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,795

FULL

10 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,443

FULL

17 Sep

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,033

FULL

17 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,443

FULL

21 Sep

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,795

FULL

24 Sep

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,033

FULL

24 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,443

FULL

28 Sep

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,795

FULL

01 Oct

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,033

FULL

Included: VAT, Port Fees, Local Flights, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Wine with Dinner, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Land Excursions, Naturalist Guide, Cabin Towels.

Required Extras: Fuel Surcharge (AUD20 / night), National Park Fees (AUD8 / day).

Optional Extras: Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Nitrox (AUD30 / day), Nitrox Course (AUD310 / item), Private Dive Guide (AUD350 / activity), Rental Gear (AUD44 / day), Scuba Diving Courses (AUD280-310 / item), Snorkel Gear.

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

Naturalist Guide
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers
Air Conditioned saloon
Sun Deck
Camera Station
Seaview Cabins
Non-Smoking Rooms
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
Indoor Saloon
Outdoor Dining
Observation Deck
BBQ Area
Available for Charter
Local & International Crew
Separate Rinse for u/w Camera
Leisure Deck
Daily housekeeping
Naturalist Guide

Food & Drinks

Free Wine w/Dinner
Vegan Options
Vegetarian Options
Beer available
Wine Available
Full-board Option
Fine Wines Selection
Buffet style
Western Food
Local Food
Set Menu Dinner

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
Tech diving
Rebreather Support
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: 1990

Year renovated: 2014

Length: 30 meters

Beam: 10.5 meters

Top speed: 15 knots

Cruising speed: 10 knots

Engines: 2 x 354 KW Detroit 60 series

Max guests: 28

Number of cabins: 14

Number of bathrooms: 14

Tenders: 2 inflatables

Water capacity: 8000 liters

Fuel capacity: 12'000 liters

Freshwater maker: 10'00 liters per day

Boat navigation and safety

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

Spoilsport Reviews

9.2 Superb

Vessel

8.9
Crew

9.3
Food

9.8
Diving

9.4
Value

8.8

9.6 Exceptional
Stefan M
Germany

Great diving experience at Great Barrier Reef
We had an amazing trip! The boat was excellent and the crew was incredibly friendly. We have been on many liveaboards, but we’ve never seen such a high level of safety precautions and professional care—it was truly impressive. Also, the "open deck" diving mode is unique and made the whole experience effortless. Highly recommended.
Recommended for
Friendly & Professional Crew. Open Deck Diving. Safety First.
16 Apr, 2026

10 Exceptional
Marco D
Italy

Outstanding dive trip that I highly recommend
We enjoyed very much the week we spent on board the Spoilsport. We particularly praise all members of the crew in all their roles who were very efficient and very friendly and with whom we interacted constantly. They made the trip not only fantastic from the diving perspective but also a very pleasant holiday on board.
Recommended for
Extremely efficient and very friendly crew in all their multiple roles.. Good selection of dive sites and imaginative dive organisation including the open deck solution.. Good company of the other participants..
03 Oct, 2025

9.6 Exceptional
Mary S
Greece

Exceeded our expectations
We had a wonderful adventure on the Spoilsport thanks to the attentive staff and all the comforts of home. The diving was spectacular, great sites and timing, including two fantastic night dives. We were relaxed and enjoyed ourselves immensely!!
Recommended for
Staff, diving, other passengers
17 Mar, 2018

9.2 Superb
Russell H
United States

Spoilsport crew took great care of us!!!
The variety of each of the dive sites. The night dives were fantastic with lots of sharks and trevally coming out to feed. The vast diversity of the fish and coral species.
Recommended for
Helpfulness of the crew, amazing dive sites and the boat's amenities.
13 Dec, 2016

10 Exceptional
Walt B
United States

Mike Ball Liveaboard is the BEST!
The room was spacious and comfortable, the service was excellent, the food superb, and the diving was great. The Mike a Ball Staff worked tirelessly to ensure we had a memorable trip. They are the best!
Recommended for
Supreme Service from a Friendly and Knowledgeable Staff! Great diving! Great Food!
11 Sep, 2015

9.2 Superb
Wolfram S
Germany

Very well organized
Super efficient, highly organized, very friendly and helpful crew.e
Recommended for
Crew. Diving. Food.
23 Oct, 2025

9.6 Exceptional
Eglys V
Canada

Come dive with Spoilsport
Overal great experience. Very lovely boat
Recommended for
The diving sports. The equipment. The food.
24 Dec, 2025

8.8 Fabulous
Thomas
United States

It was a great dive trip
It was a great trip. The crew did everything they could. The reefs are amazing there all the fish and the coral great time.
Recommended for
diving was amazing. Crew did an excellent job. Dining room was really loud. Boat is old..
11 Dec, 2025

10 Exceptional
Dana C
United States

Fabulous Experience
We had so gorgeous dives and were so happy with our experience. The crew took every step to go above and beyond and really made the trip a spectacular one. We will absolutely book with Mike Ball in the future.
Recommended for
Crew, Quality of Diving, Food
19 Jun, 2017

8.8 Fabulous
John P
United Kingdom

Great experience
Overall excellent. One surprise was no on deck toilet and shower which is normally seen on all the live-aboards i have been on. This would have made things a little more convenient. Other than that the trip was superb.
Recommended for
Great food. Shark Dive. Low level flight back to Cairns.
30 Sep, 2025

225 reviews

9.2 Superb
225 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

10 Exceptional
Albert T
United States

Outstanding Adventure
The plane ride over the reefs was cool, but the fun began once on the boat. Although scuba diving was our main focus, the crew, particularly Ollie, Jeanna, Nicole and Capt. Peter made you feel at home and well informed about every aspect of the trip, safety and the boat's functions.They also did a great job of taking 28 strangers, and in less than a day, made them all friend. Hats off to Mike Ball and his crew on the SPOILSPORT.....
Recommended for
Diving, meeting new friends and ......Diving
28 Sep, 2016

10 Exceptional
Harry S
United States

Five stars all the way.
- The flight up to Lizard Island is beautiful (sit on the left for the best views). - Talking with Captain Peter about pirates off the coast of New Guinea. - My partner's a bit new to diving, and an instructor was available to accompany her on every dive. - All the great diving! We saw cuttlefish, turtles eating jellyfish, eels, sharks, nudis, you name it. Lots of different locations, all terrific. - Oh, man, the food!
Recommended for
The diving (of course), the terrific crew, and the food!
03 Sep, 2019

10 Exceptional
Brian V
United States

These memories will last a lifetime and will always be at the top of the list!
My trip was full of amazing people and experiences! The scuba diving was safe and exciting. The boat (Spoilsport) was clean, well staffed with amazing food every meal. The crew were warm and friendly, extremely helpful and kept everyone very involved in the process.
Recommended for
The friends I made on the trip, the scuba diving and crew, the amazing food!
30 Oct, 2018

10 Exceptional
Roy H
United States

Best of the Best!
The small plane flight to Lizard Island was awesome! The top notch sites were thrilling. Spoil-Sport was designed for divers and was so easy to use. Night dives were amazing. All the Sharks, and other incredible fish. Bring your camera. Going back again.
Recommended for
STAFF! STAFF! STAFF! I received more scuba training from our guides than in certification classes. The hostesses and helpers would not let us lift a finger. Dive master always on helpful lookout.
17 Mar, 2018

8.8 Fabulous
FRANCESCO G
Australia

Awesome diving and great crew
Night Dives were awesome. Most day dives were excellent. Food was unbelievable and the crew were friendly, knowledgeable and extremely helpful and considerate.
Recommended for
Food Night Dives Crew
12 Jul, 2021

10 Exceptional
Desmond M
Canada

Expensive but worth every penny; I will remember this forever.
superb
Recommended for
sites, staff, food
13 Jan, 2016

10 Exceptional
Tim K
United States

It was great. The shark feeding dive was the best part for me personally.
The previously mentioned Shark Feeding, sea snake and schools of fish under water were the best parts of the diving experience.
Recommended for
The Shark Feeding, Seeing the sea snake and schools of fish.
30 Dec, 2019

9.6 Exceptional
James S
Canada

he boat has plenty of space and nice accommodations and the crew was excellent and met all of our requests.
The diving was great and the crew went above and beyond to make sure everyone had a great time and was comfortable in the water.
Recommended for
Excellent dive sites, great crew, awesome food.
21 Nov, 2019

10 Exceptional
Eli R
United States

Open deck diving with an awesome crew that makes the diving.
Diving in the middle of nowhere with no crowds just us. Excellent hard coral everywhere, beautiful color and natural lighting. Liveaboard with a crew for detail and open deck diving. Epic distance covered.
Recommended for
Exploration to new sites. Excellent crew with attention to detail. Liveaboard built for diving first.
15 Dec, 2025

9.2 Superb
Pauline G
Australia

Underwater adventure
We did a lot of exploratory diving, they offered night dives or transition dives which is uncommon from my experience. It gave me the opportunity to build more confidence doing night dives. On the last night we had a bbq, champange and live music, perfect way to end the trip. The crew were also friendly, professional and helpful.
Recommended for
Dive sites at Osprey, the shark feed, and crew.
30 Dec, 2023

10 Exceptional
Vicky H
United States

Lovely crew, great food and good fun!
So many beautiful Nudis! Loved hunting for those. Enjoyed some picturesque diving at Steve's Bommie, Pixie Pinnacle and Coral Gardens. Additionally, we were able to snorkel with curious Minke Whales (4x!) all while having access to a knowledgable Minke Whale Project researcher named Suzanne. The crew went out of their way to accommodate the guests wants and needs and the food and beverages on board were fantastic and plentiful. The chef, Joe, made some delicious breads and the best brownies I've ever eaten. Meals were creative and presented beautifully. The program director, Kerrin, did a fabulous job keeping everything running smoothly and was a friendly, accomadating host. Nicole went out of her way to help out the guests in any way possible. She definitely appeared to be the hardest working crew member on board. Captain was a great entertainer and overall hoot! Was neat to have Julia, the photographer, on board and she provided lots of guidance for the camera I rented as well as some interesting facts about marine life. Joe and Newie were helpful on the dive deck and Shakira was an absolute cheery delight to be around. The only criticism I have is that the informational talks at night were a bit dry and there were a few times I needed help gearing up for dives and no one was available. Otherwise, I had a great time, some great dives and would highly recommend this livaboard to anyone wanting to have an unforgettable time on the Great Barrier Reef.
Recommended for
Beautiful coral gardens, plentiful marine life and delicious brownies.
12 Jun, 2019

9.2 Superb
Felipe G
Mexico

One of the best natural beauties is the great corral barrier
Know the GBR. Things to improve: 1. cretification with SSI 2.the cleanliness of the cabin
Recommended for
The dives, the great barrier reef, and the crew
07 Sep, 2023

10 Exceptional
Henricus R
Australia

Exceptional live aboard trip
The relatively small number of divers meant that everyone got to know everyone else. Dive guides we available when needed, but not all dives were lead by a dive guide. I loved this: you and your buddy get to do your own thing at your own pace. Visibility was exceptional 30-50m on all dives, the water temp 29° and the sea life prolific.
Recommended for
1) The enthusiasm and professionalism of the staff. 2) The diving - they don't call it the GREAT barrier Reef for nothing. 3) The food; great variety and delicious throughout
31 Mar, 2022

9.6 Exceptional
Steven C
United Kingdom

An extremely professional and safety conscious liveaboard
I loved how all the staff worked together as a team. They were constantly on the go making sure all our needs were catered for. Constantly double checking everyone is accounted for and catered for with the dives (guided or self-guided).
Recommended for
Extremely professional and safety conscious. Excellent food. Self-guided diving.
11 Sep, 2025

10 Exceptional
Terence K
United Kingdom

Doesn't get much better......
The diving was organised to a very professional standard. Nitrox was available (though an extra charge) and 15 litre tanks also available (again extra). Every dive was preceeded by a detailed briefing and a guide was available, though you could dive with a buddy if preferred. 4 or 5 dives a day were offered. Luckily we were blessed with great weather and easy dives. Probably the best dive was a shark feed - 40/50 reef sharks + giant cod all in a feeding frenzy. The food on board was excellent - all tastes and diets catered for. The cabins were very comfy - good bunks, adequate storage and functional bathroom. On the last night we had a party - some guests were professional musicians so we had a good show....& all the crew got everyone up dancing. I was a liveaboard virgin but now a total convert.
Recommended for
Organisation of diving, the crew, comfort of boat
26 Jan, 2017

10 Exceptional
Anne D
United States

Amazing first time liveaboard experience!
We loved the advanced course with Joe. Our diving greatly improved! Will was a great trip director - made it all fun, safe and easy. Bobbie is an amazing chef - the food variety was hard to believe. Julie’s photography and fish lectures were fantastic bonuses! We hope to return!
Recommended for
Dive sites, crew and food
07 Dec, 2019

10 Exceptional
Felix G
Switzerland

Best Dive trip ever
Best Dive trip ever
Recommended for
Crew, Food, Professionalism
05 Dec, 2015

10 Exceptional
Colin Z
United States

Excellent Trip in Maldives with Scubaspa
the small crew and passengers on the boat which made it great to make new friendships. the diving team was great and thorough with their itineraries. saw amazing aquatic life and sceneries there. highly recommended!
Recommended for
friendly crew, best dive team, and great food!
06 Dec, 2017

9.2 Superb
Linda H
Australia

Thoroughly professional and enjoyable experience.
This was my first liveaboard experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The crew were so helpful and answered all my questions thoroughly. Nothing was too much trouble.
Recommended for
Safety and attention to detail.. Friendly and helpful crew. Great food.
03 Oct, 2025

10 Exceptional
Christy R
New Zealand

Amazing
Would definitely recommend this to anyone to do. The Ribbon Reefs are a must see and Mike Ball expeditions and Spoilsport are the best way to experience it!
Recommended for
The diving, the crew, the reef
05 Sep, 2017