Mike Ball Dive Expeditions

Fantastic experience: Diving the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef on a Mike Ball Liveaboard was an amazing experience. We couldn't have asked for a better boat, crew, food, dive knowledge. Highly recommend it.

Fantastic experience: We have just gotten off the boat on the 16/09/24. I don't understand how can anyone say anything bad about the company. We booked the Fly and Dive Coral Sea 4 nights trip. Although we did not make it out to Osprey and Bougainville reefs due to heavy wind, we did have a very good trip. The weather is changeable and it's nobody's fault. The staff is extremely knowledgeable, we were treated like kings and queens, the food was 5 stars, me as a vegan was cooked separate meal at every sitting and was looked after very well. Every person on the boat was very well suited for their role, we simply can not fault the entire experience. The dive sites were chosen according to what was available at the time due to the weather conditions and they were amazing. The cabins are perfect, the boat is big, the staff are very knowledgeable and always friendly. We will be definitely back again.

Fantastic experience: This was our first live aboard experience and won’t be our last!! Especially with MBDE!! The vessel had everything you needed. All members of the Crew and Skipper Pirate Pete very friendly and accommodating, food was amazing thanks to their super chef!! Most importantly reef dives were amazing! Super grateful to visit Osprey reef and swim with the sharks New friends, new experiences, new adventures.. thank you.

Negative experience: For anyone thinking of volunteering with them: If you haven’t dived the Great Barrier Reef before/if you’ve never worked on a dive boat before, then this experience might be valuable to you. If, like me, you work on a GBR dive boat, don’t waste your time here. I volunteered because I wanted to dive Osprey, but we couldn’t go as it was over 25 knots. Speaking with the crew, some said we were unlucky and the boat does get to go out there, others said they only go to Osprey maybe 6 times a year because of the unlikely weather. Without Osprey the trip is not worth your time, neither is the diving. Compared with the standard outer reef dive sites, there were a couple of good bommie dives, but the rest were average to below average. The crew go through new volunteers every week, so you get treated as a disposable nobody while working 6am - 9:30pm with little breaks. On the last day during a crew meeting, the skipper Peter said blatantly in front of us, “I don’t see why we have to be nice to the volunteers”. Tip for those going through with the volunteering: it says you have to wear boat shoes/navy crocs - I bought brand new crocs and only wore them for 15 mins to board passengers. The other volunteer wore sneakers and nothing was said to her. So don’t bother buying shoes for the trip, just wear your own.

Fantastic experience: Fabulous from start to finish. Everything was thought through and perfectly carried out. Will be back.

Fantastic experience: Super great adventure with " Spoilsport" and Captain Pete pirate. Loved the time with my family due to beatifull dives and great crew. Thanx Marita and team.

Fantastic experience: Wow, what an amazing experience being able to swim with the Minke whales. The dive sites were amazing, the food was great, and, the staff were very welcoming and helpful.

Fantastic experience: 7 Day Minke Whale Expedition. Very comfortable boat, Excellent Crew who do their best to maximize your time with the whales both in the water and observing from the surface. Great diving where you are given a very generous amount of time underwater. Food was plentiful and tea and coffee available 24/7. I would definitely book again. Very professionally run and the crew make the trip, they are all great at their job.

Fantastic experience: Did a coral sea liveaboard trip over the easter break and it was a trip to be remembered. Due to the recent cyclone activities, there was a change in our itinerary. Instead of heading along the ribbon reefs, we headed to Holmes reef and Bougainville reef, which were on the outer reef. The diving was fantastic and the crew very professional. The highlights will have to be the shark feed dive (where you get up close with countless sharks) and the low altitude flight back were we got to see from up above where we had been diving. This dive trip will be one of your most memorable trip. - It is for me!

Fantastic experience: A Live Aboard Pay a group of scuba diving experts and a massive yacht crew to take you on week long tour of the most amazing coral reefs in the world and see if that'll change you perspective on life. I never knew this existed until talking to scuba junkies on a trip before this. Live on a yacht for a week and dive all day as they cruise around the Coral Sea in the the Great Barrier Reef. Everything from night dives, drift dives, deep dives, wreck dives, shark feeding dives, and wall diving, all in one day sometimes. You can dive up to 5 times a day or not dive at all if you want to just live aboard and enjoy wine and food cooked for you as you float thru the most amazing waters of the Great Barrier Reef. The yacht is fully equipped to accommodate about 20 guests (not including crew) to dive, sleep, drink, and eat for a week. Meet the most amazing and interesting people from all over the world on this boat. Make sure to bring your wallet, it'll cost you about a cool $2k for a 4 night trip on this baby. Shark Week For Reals. The best dive was the shark feed. Enter an underwater natural amphitheater where divers can sit along rock side formations just like tiered seating in a stadium. Set in the middle is even a rock formation of a stage. A large trash can filled with frozen fish heads opens up for hundreds of sharks in the area to come feed. Watch your heads, it's about to go down. Make sure you take that Dramamine if you get motion sickness.

Fantastic experience: Great diving experience. Professional.

Fantastic experience: Highly recommended if u want to do a proper GBR liveaboard, well organized safe diving, very friendly and reputable services. Most important of all they listened and acted according to our concerns.

Fantastic experience: Excellent in every way!

Fantastic experience: Had a great four-day trip with them on the Great Barrier Reef in June 2016, watching whales. The staff are extremely friendly and professional, the food is brilliant, and the boat is very well set up for diving. Also, we saw six whales.

Fantastic experience: Great trip, great hosts, a very professional and we'll run live-aboard.

Fantastic experience: Second diving trip with Mike Ball Expeditions. As best as ever : great dives, great staff, great food, great boat! Pro & Fun, what else?

Fantastic experience: If we could give 10 stars, we would. This dive operation is a gem. Look no further. Dive sites: 4 dives a day (one is a night dive)...very cool, many sharks and cuttlefish. Some of the best in the world -- they take your ability into consideration and give you due freedom upon proving your own experience and ability. We went on the Minke Whale Project on the GBR and we had incredible sightings and interactions with these gorgeous, enormous, friendly whales. The dive sites are varied and they take experience and currents into consideration when determining the sites. Varied life, all incredibly beautiful. Staff: THE most professional, friendly, helpful and safety-conscious staff I've ever seen and worked with. Your day begins with a 6am good morning call, "Diiiiiiiiive briefing...," which allowed us to know what to look for at the dive sites (what wildlife, coral, currents, etc.) to expect. From taking off your fins, filling your tanks, double, triple checking your gear, to having a lookout to keep track of divers and snorkelers and sending out rafts to fetch those who strayed far.. they are safety first but it doesn't get in the way of your good time. Each staff member is genuinely enthusiastic about their job, they are there to help you out, and were so eager to get in the water with us to show us the best of the best of the sites. Finishing your night dive off with a crew who likes to joke around and family style dining. It's adult camp for those who are life enthusiasts, and the staff are just that -- life enthusiasts. It's contagious and makes for great energy the whole way through. Food & Accommodations: Breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, tea and snack, and family style dinner. IT'S ALL DELICIOUS!!! We were known as "The Honeymooners" as it was our honeymoon and we decided to go to Australia. They did everything in their power to make it such a uniquely joyful experience from champagne in our cabin to underwater photography professionally done to Capt. Pete singing us a few songs dedicated to love and our happy future. We want to go back for our 10 year anniversary, our 25 year anniversary, and then some in between, because even 7 months later, we're still dreaming of the whales, the night dives, the jokes on board, the delicious dinners with Australian wine and joyful memories on the Great Barrier Reef.

Fantastic experience: Amazing diving expedition run by stellar, professional crew. Excellent food, well-run courses, gear in great condition, awesome reef ecology education, safety procedures excellent without inhibiting enjoyment of our diving. I couldn’t imagine a better trip. We’ll certainly be back!

Fantastic experience: Great trip. As a new diver I felt totally supported and nurtured. Cheers

Fantastic experience: This is the second time I've dived and sailed with them. The first time was only 15 years ago. This time I dove with my wife and my children (14 and 16 years old). The same quality, professionalism, friendliness, and dedication as 15 years ago. It's very difficult to maintain such a high level. Congratulations on the continuous effort of the entire crew.

Fantastic experience: From the moment I checked in at the office to the moment I departed Spoilsport, everything was top notch! The staff is great, the boat is built for liveaboard diving and the whole Coral Sea and Cod Hole experience was exactly the SCUBA escape I was looking for. Everyone was professional, friendly and they know their stuff. The boat is very comfortable and became my home away from home for the week. You are given the freedom to dive at your own pace, whether with your buddy or with a guide, anything you need is just an ask away and you will definitely not suffer from lack of food. Such a great place to get away from it all with no contact with the outside world and no one else in sight. Exactly how I wanted to spend my New Years. The only bad part of the trip was leaving after it was all over. I miss the boat! Thank you so much Trevor, Russel, Kristy, Kerrin, June, Annabelle, Marita, Rodrigo, Carly, Guido, Jack, Jamie and Maddy!

Fantastic experience: We just did a 4 day expedition with this company. Captain Peter and cruise director Marita were wonderful. We had a bit of a problem when a plane crash landed at Lizard Island and we were blocked from flying out. They kept us informed and drove us by boat 5 hours away to Cooktown and had planes meet us there. They did a great job making sure everyone got their flights sorted out. The dive trip was great for a younger crowd. We usually do luxury 10-12 passengers trip’s versus the 24 passengers on this. The meals were good and plentiful. The crew were all professional and helpful. The dives are not guided but were fairly easy to manage. We made new friends and had a great time

Fantastic experience: I've dived with Mike Ball twice now, once to see Minke whales, and the second time for the green turtle mating season. Both times were amazing, they took us to the most beautiful spots, and the staff is incredible, competent and always friendly

Fantastic experience: Absolutely wonderful to be diving again after two years. Dive sites were superb, food, service ... amazing. We will be back!

Fantastic experience: On my most recent trip with Mike Ball, we had a truly amazing experience snorkelling with Minke Whales. The boat and crew are amazing and the food unbelievably good. I would recommend this trip to anyone. The dive trips are equally good.

Fantastic experience: I had an excellent liveaboard expedition on the Spoilsport, travelling out to the Coral Sea. The staff were very friendly, and knowledgeable. They managed the risks of diving on coral reefs very well. I dived 13 dives over 3 days and at no time did I feel that I was being put at risk or that there were any problems. Very professional organization, good communications. Excellent food on board the Spoilsport as well. I was very pleased to be on this trip, and would definitely consider Mike Ball Dive Expeditions for a future liveaboard dive trip.

Fantastic experience: Cannot recommend these guys enough! I did a 7-Day trip diving through the GBR and I will 100% be coming back to do it again with the Mike Ball team

Fantastic experience: Awesome staff amazing food and the dive sites were incredible. Thank you for everything Mike ball and staff for an awesome week on the coral sea!

Fantastic experience: Just got back from a five day Coral Sea and Cod Hole dive trip. It is hard to rate the trip and company together as the dive trip itself was only ok—we had bad weather and did not get out to Osprey reef so rather than a trip we thought might be the best of our lives it was only average. However, the people at Mike Ball are excellent. Service was outstanding, they are very proactive in everything and the food was amazing!!! I would definitely go with them again.

Fantastic experience: An experience of a lifetime. The hospitality, the food (yes, the food) and the dive spots were world class. Highly recommend!!

Fantastic experience: In a word superb dive trip operators. We did the 4 night Minke Trip which was stunning. The whole operation on every level is simply hard to fault. We will be back, and will wholeheartedly recommend Mike Ball to anyone who asks.

Fantastic experience: Cant express enough how much fun it was on Spoilsport. Such an incredible staff mixed with some spectacular diving. Its the only liveaboard experience I've done, but cant imagine a way to improve it.

Fantastic experience: We went for the 4night coral sea expedition and it was absolutely beyond our expectation! Vessel: this tween-hulled vessel is extremely well-maintained. We stayed in the premium queen cabin which was clean and spacious. The view from windows was so beautiful. There are plenty of space for guests to hang around - both AC indoors and warm outdoor area! Diving: we were lucky enough to follow the proposed itinerary and sailed all the way to osprey reef. We had 70+ meters visibility at Admiralty Anchor which was UNREAL!!! The water was so pristine and full of marine life!! The shark feed at North horn was also very exciting and worth a life-time memory. We did 12 dives in total. Food: three meals a day plus continental breakfast (before cooked brekkie) and afternoon tea were all carefully prepared and offered a range of variety. We were so grateful for such good food on the ocean. There is even a coffee machine which you can help yourself for free! Dive/safety briefing: Kristy was super precessional and made sure instructions were accurate and clear. Love the drawing on the whiteboard before each dive! Other highlights: the complimentary photos and videos were of extremely high quality (we can’t believe this is the standard of free stuff). Ship shop offered lots of souvenirs to choose from. The boat party during the last night on board was super fun!! Overall: the whole trip was highly organized thanks to a wonderful crew. Will definitely come back for other trips with Mike Ball.

Fantastic experience: Truly amazing liveaboard experience! Had the time of my life! Beautiful diving, wonderful crew, and delicious food!

Fantastic experience: Absolutely excellent trip! The Mike Ball team are all fabulous - they make the trip both laid back and enjoyable, but are also top notch when it comes to safety and technical stuff. Kerren the trip director in particular was terrific. He ran great briefings every day on each dive and the general 'goings on' of the trip. The food was really great - (well done Nat). Thanks to Camille for my Nitrox course - great instructor. I'll be back soon!!

Fantastic experience: An awesome experience that is hard to match! We have been on two expeditions with Mike Ball and have made it out to Holmes, Bougainville and Osprey reefs offshore in the Coral sea as well as the ribbon reefs and cod hole. The diving is second to none and caters primarily for experienced divers. The crew are highly trained and the entire boat is usually full of interesting people! The food is also to die for and they cater excellently for dietary requirements.

Fantastic experience: The cruise to dive in the reefs of the Great Barrier and with Minke whales is spectacular, ending at Lizard Island and returning by seaplane. Wonderful, they are top-notch professionals. Highly recommended.

Negative experience: Want everyone to know that I was charged illegally on my credit card here in the United States fraudulently.

Fantastic experience: Went on the 5 night/ 4 day outer reef & cod hole Great Barrier Reef dive. Went on 18 amazing dives & had a great time. Saw beautiful sea life and coral. The crew were fantastic and top notch! And so was the food! Look forward to diving again with Spoilsport!

Fantastic experience: Spectacular live aboard diving experience all around. First time doing a live aboard and first time diving at the Great Barrier Reef, and all expectations far surpassed! I was particularly impressed with the friendliness and helpfulness of the crew (they took care of everything with a smile) and especially the food, which was really good. The long dive trip also gets to go out to some of the further spots that you won't do on a day trip. Highly recommend the professionalism and customer care of Mike Ball!

Fantastic experience: Not much can improve a Great Barrier Reef experience... But the Mike Ball crew will show you how. Amazing, lovely, friendly helpful down to earth staff that have amazing attention to detail. We were always supported, safe, and made to feel incredibly comfortable. Brilliant food, professional dive staff, such a well manned boat and visible proof that Mike Ball cares about it's environment and it's staff. 11/10 experience. Dying to go back :D Thank you to all the crew! You were all excellent! I miss my morning wake ups...

Fantastic experience: Everything you read is true. If you can get a spot on this boat, take it!

Fantastic experience: Thank you for this amazing experience. Couldn’t have wished for a better one. Besides the fact that the underwater life is out of this world, the professionalism of the crew on board is making the experience unforgettable. Will be back for sure!

Fantastic experience: My first experience of a live aboard and I chose the Coral Sea/Cod Hole trip. WOW sums it up best. I loved it so much that I am now looking for my next trip. Warm water, great viz, great crew and a good mix of fellow divers topped off with a menu from Katie the wiz that kept the appetite satisfied.

Fantastic experience: Exceptionally well run 5 night Coral Sea and Cod Hole dive trip. Boat is well setup and photographers well catered for both onboard and time in the water. Staff were attentive, friendly and the food great with good variety and dietary needs catered for. Diving was amazing - Osprey 40+m vis, lots of colour, and shark feeding was a buzz. Ribbon reef's had quite diverse corals and fish. Whale shark even turned up. Steve's bombie and Crackerjack amazing. Cod at the Cod Hole was huge and very friendly. We will be back.

Fantastic experience: Great company with a fantastic crew! Special shout out to our wonderful instructor/guide Jordan who went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure we had everything we needed. She was pretty good at spotting a Cuttlefish too! Thank you Jordan, we'll be back. Pat Cooper

Fantastic experience: Just did the 5 night trip - was fantastic super friendly crew, great food, and 4 or 5 dives per day depending on location. Already planning on coming back next year.

Negative experience: I wouldn't rely on them to pick me up after a dive. I rang them and left my details, and what I was enquiring about. No-one ever got back to me. It was about one of their longest dive trips. Usually I think this type of negative response can be symptomatic of company wide issues. By way of an addendum to the above, I received a message about 5 or 6 days after my enquiry. They said they'd get back to me that afternoon. Never did. Can I rely on a group with such poor upfront service to pick me up after a dive? Don't want to take that risk.

Fantastic experience: We did the Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs 4 nights expedition. We had a great time! Very professional staff. The equipment and the food on the boat are good. They are one of two companies that go to the remote places of the Great Barrier Reef

Fantastic experience: There is one reason this company rates 5 stars out of 175 reviews - because they are 5 star! This is one slick operation. From their office procedures to disembarkation it it impressive. We are just back from our second trip and all but 2 divers were repeats. They over deliver at each turn.. a fantastic experience. You will not do better than giving these guys your business. Well done.. again

Fantastic experience: What can I say. Having heard of the reputation of Mike Ball's diving expeditions over the years we decided to book our trip with them, and now having experienced it, I was really impressed. Excellent service to all on board, seamless dive planning and execution, professional in every way, fun, organised, and great quality. 5 days of the best diving I've done in this country. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: What an amazing trip. Thankyou to the captain and crew. Professional, safe, warm, friendly and just the best possible diving experience. Great food and comfy room. Highly recommended. I will be back in 2022!

Fantastic experience: Top quality services and best crew members I've met. Highly recommonded!

Fantastic experience: Loved this 7 day live a board trip, food wad delicious, dive masters and guides were very helpful. GREAT Barrier Reef Corals are beautiful.

Fantastic experience: We did the 3-day liveaboard to find the Minke whales--and we did!! They swam so close to us, around 5-6 whales at a time. What an amazing experience to hear them communicating under water. This was a great scuba adventure as well. Breathtaking coral reefs and lots of marine life, from turtles, sea snakes, stingrays and reef sharks to the colorful nudibranch. The boat is well maintained, food was excellent, and the staff was friendly and accommodating. Safety was number one at all times. It made the whole trip much more relaxing knowing that the staff members have your back!

Fantastic experience: Minke Whale is the best choice for a boat stay (better than OceanQuest). If you love gourmet food and diving trips, this journey is highly recommended. The service was incredibly impressive and friendly!

Fantastic experience: Absolutely Sensational! This was my 3rd and longest trip on Spoilsport and it doesn't get any better. From the skipper(Pete), dive coordinator(Kerrin), instructors( John, Chantal & Kristy), chef(Katy), host(Kira) and everyone that made it run smooth. A big thank you. What a great week with friendly staff and an opportunity to dive the remote reefs that are very rarely visited by divers. Every dive was thoroughly briefed with a lot of safety in mind to experience each dive to the full whether guided or not. Apart from the diving the food was plentiful and delicious. I would highly recommend Mike Ball Dive Expeditions to anyone wishing to experience diving in the the Coral Sea and the Barrier Reef

Fantastic experience: This long winded review is long over due. After reviewing several companies (online) offering Great Barrier Reef Diving experiences I took a chance with Mike Ball's 'Fly Dive Coral Sea' expedition. Sometimes a guy just gets really lucky. Starting with the folks in the office who showed extraordinary patience, with this yank. Answering phone call, after phone call, email, after email. What's the weather like? What should I bring? Where should I stay? ad infinitum. Their suggestion of the Pullman Cairns Int. 5 doors from the office was BRILLIANT by the way. We boarded the the Spoilsport around 6 pm on December the 6th. She's a beauty. Captain Trevor, and his crew are BLOODY AMAZING. Unbeknownst to us we were catching the tail of Cyclone Owen. Because of 12' to 14. seas and 40 knot winds on the far side of the reef, we couldn't visit many of the spots that they would normally hit. So each day on top of their regular duties, they would scour charts, and weather reports, to 1st keep us safe, and also to make sure that we still got in AMAZING dives. They know the reef so well. I am an enthusiastic though somewhat novice diver. My hand was held when needed, I was supported, and encouraged not just by the crew, but my fellow travelers. Please don't think this sounds too easy. They went out their for me. I heard fellow travelers, whose experience ranged from close to mine, to rescue & wreckage divers who all raved about the sites. Claire, and the magicians in the galley, provided wonderful food. Making sure individual needs were met, and that we were always full (big ol smile). Captain, Trevor, and his guitar were such a lovely unexpected treat on the last night on the boat for those of us that flew back from Lizard island. The low level flight back was breath taking, and gave a great appreciation for how vast the reef is..Mind Blown. Needless to say I can not recommend Mike Ball'S Diving Expeditions enough. If you want an Amazing time, go with Mike. Jump in the water is FINE. Peace/Love/Tommy G

Fantastic experience: Great boat, great crew, great food. Very well organized and professional. New and experienced divers are equally welcome. The trip photos and video are a real treat.

Fantastic experience: I went on the 4 night Minke Whale trip & it was an incredible experience! The crew of the Spoil Sport were phenomenal, hilarious, welcoming, genuine & went above & beyond to meet every need & expectation. Their enthusiasm & love of the reef was infectious & i am so grateful to them for an experience that i will never forget! “The Pool Is Open! Lets Make SCUBA yaah!”

Fantastic experience: we joined the 3 days cod hole expedition and we enjoyed every second The flight over the great barrier reef was amazing ,the crew was profesional very helpful and very nice to all of us The ship was comfortable clean excellent cabins and suitable for diving The diving sites were beautiful and the guides knew were to take us The food was great, a lot of variety, every day a new menu The last night when we had the BBQ which was fabulous , drinks great food great music and even a multi talent captain that sings and play on the guitar Thank you all we had a great time Galit Israel

Fantastic experience: Did a 8 day exploratory trip in 2004, it was a fantastic trip. Very professional would recommend these guys in Australia.

Fantastic experience: An absolutely incredible experience (3 night cod hole). Check-in at 7 at the office was simple; we dropped off our scuba gear and clothing bags, waited for everyone else to arrive and then headed to the airport. At the airport, we were weighed with our carry on luggage (don't need any, it goes in the plane wing) and given a map of the route and dive sites. We were given a general dive/safety briefing and headed to the 2 planes. Trip to lizard island was ~1hour. It was loud, but bearable. It is a low level reef flight so you see many reefs (great pictures!). When we arrived, we were transported on 2 small dinghy boats to the Spoilsport. Once on board, we met the the crew and the 7-night members. We were given a briefing about the boat and what the trip would be like. Diving: Spectacular. Favourite spot was Steve's Bommie. At various the dive sites, you will likely see all sorts of creatures and coral, including clown fish, reef sharks, octopi, turtles, sea snakes, lion fish, etc. Although the coral was damaged and dead in some areas, this is not the fault of MBDE (and to be expected... go watch Chasing Coral). The dive briefs were great, no doubt due to our wonderful trip director Kerrin. He explained (and drew out) the site and all crucial information, common locations animals, and currents. Kerrin also made sure everyone had a buddy, and if they didn't he helped find them one. He also stated when he and the other instructors would be diving and ask if anyone wanted to join a guided dive. Jelle, Olly, and Callum were all wonderful dive instructors and very entertaining. They were fun in and out of the water. They made the trip awesome and memorable! We brought our own gear, so cannot comment on the rented gear. I did buy dive socks for $20 onboard which made a HUGE difference in foot warmth, and ease of putting on my wetsuit and boots. Isobel, the host, was great in this regard, as she helped me try multiple pairs on, gave her recommendations and advice. She also did the same when my boyfriend and another passenger wanted to buy a pair for themselves. Food: The food was absolutely outstanding. You can see the menu on the website, but it does not do the food justice. There are delicious baked goods for afternoon snacks and the desserts (especially rose ice cream) were to die for. The chefs Thomas and Celia did an absolutely outstanding job, and I am a picky eater! If you don't like certain things, there will always be many options so you won't go hungry. Also, the coffee/cappuccino machine has over 10 hot drink options available at any time - it was great! Although the dinners were sometimes late (around 8pm), this is to accommodate the night divers which I understand. The Boat: The boat was lovely and huge. We went with the club room to have our own bathroom, which was a good idea. If I were to do the trip again, I would upgrade to the room without bunkbeds but that's a personal preference. Although we did not see Russel (Captain), Brendon (Trainee) or Richard (Engineer) too much, they were all friendly and approachable and helped when an outlet wasn't working. Extras: Trent (1st mate) and Tom & Alek (volunteers) were all great. Tom was especially helpful when I felt sea sick the first day (he brought me water, crackers, and was friendly/supportive). They also all added humour to the trip. Gary, the cameraman, was also great. I think he should explain at the start of the trip how the picture/video pricing works ($80 for all the pictures on a USB) because we would have dove near him more to be in more than 1 picture. We still bought the pics/video because they were outstanding and a great souvenir. He was also very friendly and his reef talk was very informative/interesting! Kerrin's wake up call and dive brief songs were AWESOME. He was seriously one of the best/my favourite parts of the whole trip. So so so fun and friendly and wonderful!! ALL IN ALL AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING EXPERIENCE. I'd do it again if I wasn't 15,000 km away!!!

Negative experience: Unforgettable but disappointing The trip in overall was really good, is just frustrating when you have a dream about diving in the Great Barrier Reef, save your money to finally take your liveaboard dreams, but in the end they actually don't take you to the Great Barrier Reef. I'm aware that weather conditions can change the route and the dive spots that we've been outside of the Great Barrier were very good and I wouldn't be impressed if they are better than the GBR itself, but to say the liveaboard takes you there and them not to even try, I dont think its ethic. Another thing I wasn't expecting was the way the sharks are treated. Teasing sharks with tuna heads locked in cages or into chains is not nice. The sharks seemed stressed, fighting against each other, getting hurt (I saw and recorded a shark getting completely tangled and unable to move with the chain they put the tuna head in, sharks loose their teeth for biting the chains and cages, which can be taken and used as souvenirs like the crew suggests ). I also don't think treating and using the sharks for human entertainment like this is ethic. By the way the sharks are treated I wouldn't expect an accident evolving a human and a shark to happen. They already make you sign a document before going to the water removing any responsibilities form their part if an accident happens. If you don't sign you won't be allowed to this specific dive.

Negative experience: It's disturbing that this owner so strongly adheres to his profit structures. I took a 3 day dive in late September. Due to my error I had to alter an initial 4 day dive booking. Apparently within the guidelines, I was administered a 30% cancellation penalty (of the initial booking fee). My total extra costs, for a lesser dive, was aprox. $800.00 Cdn. On appeal that I did not 'cancel' but had a booking adjustment and continued as a client and that a lesser 'service charge' would be more appropriate, I was strongly denied. An odd way to welcome the international tourist.