Spoilsport Liveaboard, Australia

Name: Fly Dive Cod Hole (Cairns - Cairns)
Start: 2026-12-21
End: 2026-12-24
Location: Australia

9.2 Superb

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

from $ 395 / 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

22 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,379

FULL

29 Oct

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 1,974

FULL

29 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,343

FULL

02 Nov

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,743

FULL

05 Nov

6 Days / 5 Nights

$ 2,388

FULL

12 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,676

FULL

19 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,676

FULL

26 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,676

FULL

03 Dec

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,676

FULL

10 Dec

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 1,974

FULL

10 Dec

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,343

FULL

14 Dec

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,743

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

10 Exceptional
Christopher P
United States

Fantastic Scuba Trip
Like I already wrote on the first survey on the last day, it was amazing at every level. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of detail that went into this organized scuba trip. Bravo to the staff and the chef especially….the food was awesome My diving guides were excellent, patient, SUPER nice. Abby, Rodrigo, etc…. It was costly, yes (I had a solo cabin) but well worth the experience. Where to next ? Belize ? Red Sea in Egypt ? Indonesia ?
Recommended for
The dive sites. The crew. The food.
28 Sep, 2026

10 Exceptional
Rowen T
Australia

World class diving
Excellent trip on Spoilsport - diving was amazing, crew was awesome and food was beautiful! Loved that there was an ecologist on board and BBQ night
Recommended for
Diving. Food. Crew.
23 May, 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

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

8.8 Fabulous
Andrea R
Switzerland

It was great, gladly again!
A great safari with beautiful dives. We really appreciated always knowing what was planned. The briefings were very good, and in general very good attention was paid to safety. The team was very helpful. It was nice to see that everyone everywhere pitched in and supported each other,
Recommended for
Dive sites. Security. Communication.
24 Aug, 2026

Translated from German

10 Exceptional
Chelsea
United States

Experience of a lifetime.
We loved the entire trip. The low flying plane was really fun and gave us a beautiful view of the reef. The boat was nice and the crew was fantastic! The food was really delicious. The diving was as good as it could have been given the bad weather but the crew did their best to give us the best!
Recommended for
Diving, Food, Service
23 May, 2019

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
Wade W
United States

Mike Ball Go to FOR PERFECTION
After 22 years of diving this was best trip of all. Safety. Signing. Great diving. Humor. Amazing food and drink
Recommended for
SKIPPER. Dwarf Whales. Mel keeping me hydrated.
12 Jul, 2024

10 Exceptional
Paige B
United States

had a super memorable trip with spoilsport!
seeing the whales was incredible. but all the marine life at each dive site was spectacular. also the dive crew was super hospitable and fun. will be returning in the future
Recommended for
crew, minke whales, food & comfort
12 Jul, 2024

9.2 Superb
Kathryn C
New Zealand

Swimming with 20+ minke whales, sharks, sea turtles & more!
Swimming with large groups of minke whales was incredible - they come so close to divers and snorkelers. The coral reefs are vibrant and full of sharks, fish, macro life and turtles. Incredible GBR outer-reef diving and the crew were so helpful and fun.
Recommended for
Minke whales, bull sharks, pygmy seahorses
16 Jul, 2019

231 reviews

9.2 Superb
231 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

10 Exceptional
Jasen A
Australia

Really well run dive operation. Seamless!
The diving, the staff, the food, the experience. Mike Ball Dive Expeditions are the best.
Recommended for
The organisation, the quality of dive sites, the quality of service.
31 Mar, 2021

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
Clarissa Y
United States

Amazing service and amazing diving
Swimming with sharks, observing a cuttlefish, seeing turtles and other fish. Learning to identify more corals and fish. Improving my buoyancy with the help of the crew so I can stay underwater longer.
Recommended for
The night shark dive, the beautiful corals and marine life, and the service and amenities on the dive boat.
25 Oct, 2018

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

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
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

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
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

10 Exceptional
David F
United Kingdom

Cod hole 3 nights
I honestly had a great time, the crew and fellow divers were really friendly and it was a really safe and fun environment to do the dives! All of the locations offered something different - I’d recommend it to anyone!
Recommended for
The diving, the crew and the food!
20 Oct, 2023

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

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
Kim E
United States

Fantastic!
Shark dive was amazing. Crew was wonderful, helpful and a lot of fun. June can cook up a storm even for someone that has dietary needs. I wish I was on a longer trip. I will be going back. A testament to the fact that over half of the divers had dove Mike Ball numerous times. They run a tight ship but very comfortable. Thank you all for making my first - but not last- Great Barrier reef trip absolutely amazing!!!
Recommended for
The crew, the dive sites and the food
16 May, 2023

10 Exceptional
Brooke B
United States

Amazing
I loved the crew! They were very friendly! The food we had on board was also great! The dives were always exciting and we always had a guide available if needed!
Recommended for
The dives, the living space, and the crew
16 May, 2024

8.8 Fabulous
Michele W
United States

Wonderful trip above and below the water!
The Shark encounter, friendly co-passengers, entertaining attentive crew!
Recommended for
Bobby’s cooking was outstanding!!, Destinations were wonderful!, Crew made me feel safe underwater and relaxed and happy above water.
17 Dec, 2019

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
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

10 Exceptional
Ben L
United Kingdom

Brilliant trip, great staff, awesome dives, superb boat
- Shark feed and dives on Osprey reef - Fantastic weather and diving conditions - Excellent boat, all cabins clean and tidy, beds comfortable, fresh towels whenever requested. - Great food, like eating in a restaurant for all meals - Brilliant staff, all exceedingly friendly and happy to help no matter the time of day or night. Very professional and made the diving feel really easy and extremely safe.
Recommended for
great staff, awesome dives, superb boat
24 Jan, 2017

10 Exceptional
Robert E
United States

Amazing
The dives were amazing and could not have had a better crew. They were informative and friendly as well as skilled in all aspects of diving. The shark dive was phenomenal, the flashlight fish completely remarkable and the wall dives beautiful. The reef was in great shape from our perspective, the colors, the variety and the condition all amounted to an absolutely memorable trip. Be happy to recommend Mike Ball to all who are curious. Although the seas were rough enough to disrupt your sleeping, that is living in the open seas. Learn to snuggle and hold each other together! Figured that out the last few hours of the last night.
Recommended for
Dives, Crew, Food
01 Nov, 2023

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
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