Spoilsport Liveaboard, Australia

Name: Coral Sea & Cod Hole Expedition (Cairns - Cairns)
Start: 2026-12-31
End: 2027-01-05
Location: Australia

9.2 Superb

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

from $ 398 / 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

05 Nov

6 Days / 5 Nights

$ 2,411

FULL

12 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,712

FULL

19 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,712

FULL

26 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,712

FULL

03 Dec

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,712

FULL

10 Dec

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 1,993

FULL

10 Dec

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,376

FULL

14 Dec

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,760

FULL

17 Dec

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 1,993

FULL

17 Dec

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,376

FULL

21 Dec

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,760

Select Cabin only 1 space left

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

8.8 Fabulous
Alexander W
United States

Excellent diving trip with mix of inner and outer barrier reef dive spots!
Very well-run and efficient crew! Exceptional dive sites, accommodating crew, and good food. Quarters were comfortable. They had the small extra features that make the trip better - water showers off the stern, and compressed air nozzles to dry camera gear after washing.
Recommended for
Quantity and ease of diving. Knowledgeable dive guides. No additional passenger pick-ups or drop offs - trip fully dedicated to diving.
06 Sep, 2026

10 Exceptional
Niccolo C
Switzerland

Can't wait to come back for another trip
Outstanding diving paired with a very friendly and cool crew. I very much enjoyed the diving as buddy pairs without guide. I would rate the diving on the outer reef sites slightly higher than on the ribbon reefs but both are very good. Another positive little detail is that dinner is served after the night dive so one can enjoy the outstanding food. The chef deserves an award for her cooking!
Recommended for
Food was outstanding. Friendly and very cool crew. Great diving on the outer reefs.
19 Nov, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Jörg A
Germany

The best liveaboard experience I've ever had.
The crew was very friendly und highly professional. The daily schedule on board, including the preperation and support during the dives, was perfectly organized. High safety standards, excellent food, and fantastic dive sites made this liveaboard an unforgettable experience.
Recommended for
Great Dive Sites. Perfect Organization. Crew Service and Food onboard.
24 Aug, 2026

10 Exceptional
Felix G
Switzerland

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

9.6 Exceptional
TAKASHI H
Japan

Diving paradise
The diving style followed the basic buddy system, and each dive lasted about an hour, which allowed me to take my time observing and photographing marine life. We did up to five dives a day, making it an ideal experience for anyone who can’t get enough of diving. During the surface intervals, I also flew my drone and captured the stunning scenery of the Great Barrier Reef. It truly was a perfect holiday.
Recommended for
Wonderful meal. Cheerful and friendly staff. The diving activities are carried out with a strong focus on ensuring safety..
27 Jan, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Christopher F
United Kingdom

Dive a portion of reef where you are the only visitors
The service was brilliant from start to end, and this includes the people in the office. A great experience to see a range of species normally scared away at other sites due to the volume of divers. Recommendation leave only bubbles and take only pictures.
Recommended for
Sharks, cuttlefish and the staff
24 Dec, 2019

9.2 Superb
BRIAN D
Australia

Excellent
Great crew who attended to every detail of comfort, safety and service with high professional standards.
Recommended for
Crew. Food. Experience.
21 Apr, 2025

9.6 Exceptional
Mei G
Australia

Most amazing trip ever!
I can’t put into words how amazing this experience was. It was my first liveaboard and it was so incredible! Everything about it. The crew were so fantastic. They were absolute pros and the focus on safety was second to none.
Recommended for
Amazing crew. Food. Great group.
23 Sep, 2025

9.6 Exceptional
Ngung Chia S
Singapore

Minke Minke every where
Saw Minke Whale 3 days in the 8D7N expedition. Some excellent diving sites e.g. lighthouse bommie. Rough sea due to strong wind but trip is comfortable because of excellent crew and food. Cabin is above average with adequate storage space for luggage and good air conditioner. Very detail dive briefing, making unguided dive not a problem. They also provide two complimentary guided dive per day for those that need them. Professional organisation on dive deck. Bonus information on marine life and minke whales from researcher on boat. Provide drop off service in Cairns area.
Recommended for
Minke Whale, Crew, Diving
22 Jul, 2019

10 Exceptional
SEULKY K
South Korea

Good to see minkies in season!
Playful Minkies! 🙂
Recommended for
diving, food, and Minkies!
12 Jul, 2023

232 reviews

9.2 Superb
232 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

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

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

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
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

10 Exceptional
Chien Hung Jackson H
Canada

Whole trip has been amazing!
Whole trip has been amazing!
Recommended for
Food. Staff. Diving.
09 Jun, 2025

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

9.6 Exceptional
Hei Man C
Hong Kong

You will never regret it! :)
Mike Ball Spoilsport really lives up to its name. Our minke whale expedition is superb! We have numerous whale encounters every day. We even swam with sea turtles! No matter you’re a diver or a snorkeler, you will surely be having tons of fun.
Recommended for
Whale encounters, friendly and professional staff, food
17 Jun, 2019

9.6 Exceptional
Joanne C
Australia

A great trip withb a wonderful crew
A great trip exploring new dive sites on Ashmore Reef. Lots of fish! A great crew, comfortable boat, and lots of wine with dinner!
Recommended for
Crew competence and friendliness.. Great itinerary. Smooth sailing in the catamaran hull.
28 Apr, 2025

9.6 Exceptional
Sherry W
United States

The minke whales made for an unforgettable trip.
The minke whales coming so close and spending so much time with us was absolutely the highlight. The crew was really good at spotting them and immediately altering plans/dropping the float lines. The crew was always helpful and friendly. It was a fun trip
Recommended for
Whale encounters, informative evening presentations, flying back to Cairns.
06 Jul, 2016

9.2 Superb
FATEN N
Jordan

Best trip ever
For me the reason I enjoyed so much and made everything else so good is Marita the dive trip director I can’t say anything bad about this trip because of her she is perfect The way she put things together and the way she explained everything was just too good , I never seen a leader that is so informative so knowledgeable and so loving and kind and so professional in what she does her diving skills her knowledge is just wow the way she describe the dive site is exactly what we get !! And the kindness that she has and her passion to diving is just too good and she influenced me big time the whole crew to tell u the truth are the reason for me enjoying , pablo , Rickardo , Blair , wow wow these people are so born to do this , Blair was just too kind and fun and awesome also the diving was wooooooooow best dive of my life but I can actually say Marita pablo rickardo and Blair made the dive better and Captin was so good and nice and understanding I had a situation as I can’t share the room with a man as am conservative Marita and Captin Peter were so understanding and tried to help so much , Captin sang for us and that was super wow and fun god bless all the team also I want to mention Annabel she was too kind and very professional and helpful
Recommended for
1 Marita 2. Diving 3 location
30 Dec, 2023

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
Daniel T
Australia

Amazing trip
Every moment was a highlight, I'll 100% be coming on another trip with this liveaboard
Recommended for
the diving, the crew and the food
14 Oct, 2022

8.8 Fabulous
Andreas M
Belgium

Awsome
Awsome crew, awsome meals, awsome service!
Recommended for
Crew, service, meals
28 May, 2019

9.6 Exceptional
Samantha H
Australia

This was my first liveaboard experience. It was one of the most amazing holidays I have ever been on. You could do as much or as little diving as you wanted and all your needs were catered for.
We saw a whale shark, the feeding of the sharks was amazing. I never would have been able to watch the sharks without the support of the crew and now my anxiety over sharks has reduced dramatically. We did our first self navigated dive, again not possible without the support of the amazing crew. The confidence I gained as a new diver through this trip was incredible. We saw amazing seascapes, a huge variety of fish and corals. The food was fresh and plentiful and delicious. Everything ran exceptionally well and while the crew were fun they had safety as a priority which was reassuring. Fantastic experience and would highly recommend Mike Ball diving to anyone, regardless of their level of diving experience.
Recommended for
1. Diving with sharks, I never thought I would do this in my life. 2. The friendliness and professional staff above & below the water. 3. The confidence I gained as a new diver
18 Nov, 2016

9.2 Superb
Michael L
Australia

Amazing experience!
I have experienced liveaboards before but the boat had a fabulous combination of great dive sites, great crew and great food (so much food I think I gained weight on the trip!). We had really good visibility, plenty of action on the night dives and even got to see a 4-5m hammerhead shark which was a personal highlight.
Recommended for
We got to see a hammerhead shark, the diving was fabulous and the crew were great.
29 Jun, 2024

10 Exceptional
Michael B
New Zealand

Fantastic trip that exceeded our expectations
Opportunity to have so many dives, using great equipment and smart, experienced, and friendly staff enabling us to get the very most out of the trip. Highlight was Coral Kingdom dive - simply stunning!
Recommended for
The diving was fantastic, despite so so conditions. The crew was friendly and very knowledgable and service was top notch. Food and accomodations were wonderful.
11 May, 2016

8.0 Very good
Emanuele P
Switzerland

Top
Very nice diving sites and marine life. Top crew
Recommended for
Crew courtesy and professionalism. Diving sites. amenities on board/ food.
03 Oct, 2025

10 Exceptional
Eli R
United States

Superb diving on a boat made for diving that allows you to dive to your heart's content.
Spoilsport is a boat made for divers. The open deck dive policy is one of the best I've seen where you can go and explore with your buddy on your own dive plans and dive durations. The crew goes out of there way to make the experience pleasant. All this on top of fantastic diving in well flourishing sparsely visited portions of the Great Barrier Reef.
Recommended for
Open deck self guided diving. Really great trip leader organization and super attention to detail. Exploratory sites, didn't know what to expect.
12 Dec, 2025

6.8 Review score
Marco C
Portugal

Interesting journey as a whole
Interesting dives but without having seen the Minkle whale and with previous liveaboards of great quality make it difficult to classify this trip as incredible. A curiosity... There are several dives that allow tourists to do unguided dives, that is, on their own!
Recommended for
Great Barrier Reef. Crew. Route boat trip.
18 Jul, 2026

Translated from Portuguese

10 Exceptional
Jane D
Australia

Exceeded my expectations
This trip was amazing. The team on Spoilsport were first class. The diving was amazing, the cabins were comfortable and kept very clean. I absolutely loved this liveaboard.
Recommended for
The crew. The dive sites. The company on board.
06 Oct, 2024