Included
Xplorer landings
The Xplorer takes all 72 guests ashore in one go, on to beaches with no jetty and no other ship in sight.
The Reef the Big Ships Cannot Reach
Coral Discoverer · departs Cairns, 2 November 2026 · back 6 November
Four nights on a 72 guest expedition ship, into the part of the Great Barrier Reef the day boats and the big ships never get to. Everything is included: every landing, every meal, drinks with lunch and dinner, and the tips.
All 4 cabin types still open · prices below are per person, twin share
Departure date
Mon 2 Nov 2026
Starting from:
A$4,490 AUD /person*
A$8,980 Total/Room
*Taxes & fees included
This is the reef without the crowd. Coral Discoverer carries 72 guests and lands all of them at once off the Xplorer, a tender that lowers hydraulically off the side of the ship and puts you on beaches with no jetty and nothing else moored off them. Hinchinbrook Island gives you a full day of rainforest, mangrove and empty sand, with dugong and turtles in the channel. Geranium Passage is the day the snorkellers come back grinning: leopard coral grouper, emperor red snapper, manta rays and the occasional reef shark, on reef that almost nobody visits. Dunk Island and Mission Beach finish it, with the tender running back and forth all day so you can walk to Mt Koolatoo or do nothing at all on Coconut Beach. Four nights, three days ashore, and a marine biologist to ask.
On board Coral Discoverer
- 72 guests, so every landing goes ashore at once rather than in shifts
- The Xplorer tender lowers off the side and lands the whole ship together
- Zodiacs, kayaks and paddleboards carried on board
- Single seating dining, no dress code, Australian crew, no tipping
- Guest lecturers and an expedition team on every voyage
- Open bridge, a reference library and a 24 hour coffee station
- Starlink wi-fi, included
Itinerary
| Day | Date | Port | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon 2 Nov | Cairns, Queensland | Boards noon, departs 1:00 pm |
| 2 | Tue 3 Nov | Hinchinbrook Island (Munamudanamy) | Full day ashore |
| 3 | Wed 4 Nov | Geranium Passage Reefs (Yamacutta) | Full day on the reef |
| 4 | Thu 5 Nov | Dunk Island (Coonanglebah) and Mission Beach | Xplorer running all day |
| 5 | Fri 6 Nov | Cairns, Queensland | Ashore after breakfast, 8:00 am |
Coral run this as an expedition: the plan flexes with weather, tides and what the wildlife is doing, and the ship goes where the conditions are best on the day. Lead-in fare is per person, twin share, with cruise taxes, fees and port expenses included, at the time of publishing.
Ship highlights
Everything below is on board Coral Discoverer. Anything marked Included carries no extra cost.
Life on board and ashore
Included
Snorkelling and water activities
Snorkel gear, kayaks and paddleboards are carried on board and go in the water wherever the conditions suit.
Included
Wildlife encounters
Turtles, manta rays, reef sharks and, around Hinchinbrook, dolphins and the occasional dugong.
Included
Lectures and briefings
Marine biologists and guest lecturers sail with you, with a talk most days and a briefing before every landing.
Included
Sunset on the Sky Deck
Tapas and a drink on the top deck as the ship sails, then stargazing once it is properly dark.
Extra Charge
Bridge Deck balcony stateroom
The only balcony cabins on the ship, added in the 2025 refurbishment. Worth the upgrade if you want your own bit of outside.
What’s included in your fare
Coral Expeditions price this as a true all inclusive fare. Once you are on board, the only things you pay for are the ones listed on the right.
Bridge Deck balcony staterooms are the only cabins with their own outside space, and there are very few of them.
- Every shore excursion, with the expedition team
- Use of the Xplorer tender, Zodiacs, kayaks and snorkelling gear
- All meals, prepared on board from local produce
- Selected Australian wines, beers and house spirits with lunch and dinner
- Tips and gratuities, which are not expected on an Australian ship
- Daily lectures and briefings from the guest lecturers
- 24 hour barista style coffee and tea
- National park entry, port and traditional owner fees
- Starlink wi-fi for messaging and keeping in touch
- Captain’s welcome and farewell, and open bridge access
Available at an additional cost
- Scuba diving, which is run at an additional cost
- Premium internet beyond messaging
- Drinks outside lunch and dinner service, and premium bottles
- Laundry, available on board
- Travel insurance, flights, transfers and hotels either end
Everything on the left is in the fare. This is the whole list of what is not.
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Enquiring about: 4 Night Coastal Adventures of the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns, Coral Discoverer, departs 2 November 2026
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