Green Island Reef Cruise - Half-day Trip From Cairns

I highly recommend the semi submersible versus the glass bottom boat.

This was an epic experience. We use to snorkel but are getting older and this sounded like the activity for us. Our driver and guide were wonderful. The experience was just what we hoped…wonderful. We learned and saw a lot.

Sensational company... Awesome trip to Green Island and a glass bottom boat.. We live locally and will definitely be back for more trips... Awesome staff ... 10/10

If you want to snorkel as well as go on the submarine tour, make sure you book a full day on the island because we booked a half day and we only had time to snorkel for 15 minutes which was deceiving. Also, once we got to the island, we did not really know where to go and where to change. It was a bit disorganized.

The boat cruise over was enjoyable as was the walk about Green Island which is a typical Island resort with nice beaches and walkways. But, the glass bottom boat ride was disappointing. Little to see. No bright coloured corals or fish. Pretty bland. We would not return.

The catamaran out and back was great, fast and comfortable. The glass bottom boat was excellent too. The staff on both were great. The island itself is small and you really needed a stinger suit to be able to venture out into the ocean. We enjoyed walking around, but a half-day was more than enough time.

In time, excellent approach, clean, unbelievable view of the reef, fish. Weather was also very nice.

Heaps of fun snorkelling. Good value for money. Should have stayed all day and not half day.

We did the advertised half day trip to Green Island, an eco marine study island in the barrier reef. There was an issue with our ship so we were transferred to a bigger but much slower trip. Instead of a 45 minute trip, the bigger ship took nearly 2 hours. That limited our time on Green Island to about 1 hour instead of 2, so we had to forfeit the glass bottom boat (disappointing) and did some snorkelling and swimming instead. Water was very nice and clear but a lack of sea life meant that the snorkelling was also a let down. One of the life savers told me that seeing fish in the area is a bit hit and miss. If you're lucky you can see lots including turtles and reef sharks. We were not so lucky. Soft white sand under the feet. No reef shoes required. On arrival, we saw a reef shark and some turtles near the jetty. I couldn't quite capture them on the phone. Needless to say they were nowhere to be seen during the snorkelling session. The trip was a little disappointing overall.

Suitable for all ages - choice of activities depending on own interests. Snorkelling near the shoreline is an added benefit! Glass bottom boat experience is a ‘must!’.

Changing facilities and plenty of hire gear. Absolutely stunning we saw so much and snorkelled around the little bay.

Everything was perfect the weather was awesome

Excellent half day trip. Great as a start to journey or when you need a more relaxing day.

Great experience for a family with young kids. The half day was perfect. Staff were very friendly and helpful

Good experience but half day not enough to swimming with sea turtles.nice crew lovely people.Amazing View on the island.

From the beginning of the trip to the island up to the glass boat everything was perfect.Even though I got motion sickness it was still worth it.Crew members very friendly and very informative. Highly recommend.

No comms for were communicated from the tour company, also, I booked in the semi-submersible and I luckily got one by the off-chance at the last minute, after missing my own time due to the chaos and lack of info around where to go etc.

We were well looked after. Very informative about reef life. The weather could have been kinder, lots of silt but we still saw corals and fish. Thank you.

Great experience just a pity the weather wasn’t perfect

My day trip out to Normanby Island (4th September) with Franklin Island Cruises was superb. I fell asleep on the beach, that's how relaxed I was (a rare thing for me). The crew, communication, organisation, blue-sky day, turquoise rich waters and the fact that we were so well looked after, all while having flexibility and safety assured, couldn't have been better. How often in life can we just 'be?' Franklin Island Cruises gave us this gift (my son and I), on my birthday. Thanks, a billion guys.

Absolutely incredible day trip experience, we went with Great Adventures in September and the staff were plentiful and friendly (shout out to Maddie). We had perfect weather, snorkelling was outstanding and we saw turtles, shark, sting rays, tropical fish. My wife loved the glass bottom boat. This was our first tropical island experience and we loved it, thanks to all staff who made our day special.

Lovely day glass bottom boat tour was amazing

A great half experience that met our particular needs. For a more relaxed experience I’d recommend the full day trip.

All good. Everything went simply, well and no issues. Relaxing time.

We did the half-day tour to Green Island and the glass bottom boat ride. It was a fun way to spend the afternoon in the sunshine and we learnt about the various corals and fish species, saw a shark and spotted several turtles. We then walked around the island, had a quick peek at the hotel accommodation and then boarded our cat for a fun ride back to the Cairns Marina. All-in-all we thoroughly recommend this tour and thank Big Cat for a great afternoon on Green Island. Cheers, Bill & Prerna

Booked trip on-line night before. Boat arrived at scheduled time and took 45 minutes to get to Green Island and same time back. Glass bottom boat trip was highlight, closely followed by fish feeding from the rear of the big boat. Get there early for a place downstairs for the best view. Saw turtles as well as a reef shark. Time to walk across the island and avoiding the tourist centre. Be aware evev a catermaran cn be bouncy if the sea is choppy. Recommend this as good value for money

Good trip. Alas poor weather conditions for our trip. Windy & cool so we didn't snorkel at all which was a disappointment but nobody's fault. Staff polite & boat clean.

Great value half day trip to Green Island. Onboard staff were helpful and friendly. Green island is a tropical resort but you can use the public facilities while you are there (toilets, showers and pool.) We opted for the snorkelling (hire gear included in the price) which meant we didn't have enough time to walk around the island before heading back on board (maybe book a full day if you really want to do that.) Snorkelling was great fun and we did see a range of fish and a turtle.

Excellent half day visit to Green island. Boat is fast (45 minute trip to and from Cairns marina) and unlike our other trip to outer reef, no seasickness was experienced. Green island is great for beach time in sunny weather. Snorkelling was ok from beach, but water was rather shallow (low tide) which made it a bit challenging. However we saw a number of fish including in schools, which was interesting. Coral is ok, but not comparable to the outer reef. Snorkelling adjacent to the jetty area of Green Island is apparently better, but it was extremely windy/ exposed there on the day we visited. Snorkelling gear provided by tour /boat operator was adequate. Green island has a great small walk around it, and some shops for food and basics only. The 2 hours on the island goes quick, so be organised in doing things. Was great way to fill in half day. Departed 9am, back to Cairns by 1pm.

I read up on green island a lot before booking as we wanted to expire the Great Barrier Reef in a safe environment as we are not overly confident swimmers. All the reviews were very positive but I found the trip only ok. The water was very choppy and the boat rocked a lot both ways which made us feel a bit sick. We got the snorkels on board and swam out twice in two different directions. The water was murky, cold, and very little visibility. Considering it’s meant to be part of the reef we saw barely any fish and had little time to explore the island. It can also be quite pricey would not recommend.

The boat and submarine lack air conditioning. I've literally never sweated so much in my life. The submarine tour is only 30 minutes, which they of course dont tell you when you book. The snorkeling is an absolute joke, its like 3 ft depth in rock off the shore. The island smells like straight urine. (Not Victor's fault but heads up) Apparently the boat had better AC but they didn't turn it on until the last 10 minutes?

We did the Green Island half-day cruise from Cairns with perfect weather — clear, calm water and sunny skies the whole time. The 45-minute ride out was comfortable, and the crew were friendly, well-organised, and clearly knew their stuff. Being short-sighted, I skipped snorkelling and opted for the glass-bottom boat tour instead, which turned out to be a great choice — saw plenty of coral and marine life without needing to worry about my vision underwater. We also had time for a swim in the patrolled area before heading back. Facilities on the island (changing rooms, toilets, showers) are basic but functional, and water was easily accessible throughout. Timing of activities and departures was punctual throughout, and while the four hours were fully used, it never felt rushed. A great, easy trip to coordinate as a couple — would recommend for anyone wanting a relaxed, well-run reef experience without a full-day commitment.

I opted for half day tour with Big Cat Green Island cruise on a Friday. The crew were all wonderful, professional and kept us informed about the cruise there and back. I really enjoyed it.

We did the Semi submersed activity and snorkelling on Green island. We thoroughly enjoyed the semi submersed activity and would recommend it for sure. The snorkeling I wouldn’t bother it’s extremely rocky, very shallow where your snorkeling limits were and extremely hard to walk to get anywhere I wouldn’t recommend doing this activity it was better on Fitzroy Island. The crew and cruise itself on board the GREEN ISLAND cruiser was good, but we couldn’t hear what the crew were saying on the microphone far too many people talking whilst this was happening instead of listening to instructions. Overall was good

The half day trip with Big Cat lasted about 4 hours including return cruise by Reef Rocket, the smaller boat and glass bottom boat trip. The itinerary was quite flexible, depending on a choice of a half day or a full day trip that cost the same. The full day trip allowed you to stay on the island longer. If you engage in water sports, the full day option may be more suitable. Green Island has nothing to excite. On the small island, it houses a small-scale commercial kiosk network, for food and diving gear rental, on top of a small resort. The beach around the island is quite small too. There was also not much to hike, given the size of board walk. Water was clear but reef was not clear through the glass bottom. What the visitors should be aware of is the chopping wave that could give you a nightmare on the small boat. The larger boat for full day trip could be better if you are prone to sea sickness easily. Check the wind speed that should be below 10 Km/h for a more pleasant ride into the rough sea. It may upset your mood for the whole trip.

Loved the boat trip and atmosphere there. Appreciated the swimming pool as the rocky corals made swimming in the sea very challenging. Relaxing day

The weather plays a major role in the activities of this excursion. The glass bottom boat is an amazing way to see the wildlife and stay dry.

We booked snorkeling + semi- submarine. It was a little rush since we only booked for half day. My kids are 9 and 11. They still enjoyed snorkeling a lot. It would be more clear if the description mentioned that it is self snorkeling. You have to manage your own time. Semi submarine was definitely worth the value. The marine biology lady was fantastic. She was super friendly and introduced lots of marine creatures to us. Overall, it was a great experience.

Professionally operated service that adhered to schedule. The island itself had lots to do including two beaches a nature trail swimming pool etc. the glass bottom boat excursion over the reef was amazing with a multitude of different fish and aquatic animals including a glimpse of a turtle

Rough seas, most of the people were sick

Unfortunately the weather was very rough on the crossings and rain inhibited total enjoyment. However, the staff were very attentive, looking after those who were sick, and making sure we were all ok. Sadly the water was murky but the fish still came out to say hello on the semi submerged boat. One suggestion the snorkel and flipper set would have been more enjoyable if it came in a string bag, we kept dropping them as we walked around. Thank you for a memorable experience especially the American hippy pirate who kept me laughing when I wanted to cry on the way over.

Such a great family experience for school holidays! I had two adults and one 10 year old and one 5 year old that absolutely loved it. The best experience and can tick it off the bucket list. Would do again!

Amazing day snorkelling with Turtles, schools of fish and the odd reef shark, life changing

We booked a half day Snorkel on Green Island. Once we arrived at the Island we were told they didnt have our snorkeling equipment and we would have to wait until the next boat arrived an hour later to get our equipment or we could take a glass bottom boat instead. The only issue is when you book a half day tour you really only get 2 two hours on the island due to transit time so half of our time was lost due to their error. We ended up just taking the glass bottom boat because once we received our equipment and getting back to the beach we would have not had any time to actually Snorkel before we would have to meet to head back. Extremely disappointed in our experience.

Not much assistance was given on where to meet for specific activities; every other person we asked provided a different answer. Fewer activities were offered for this time of year. The resort area was very tourist-y and it made me want to leave the island immediately.

Came when it was raining and there is barely any cover when you’re waiting for your glass bottom boat tour. We all got soaked The island itself is small, limited shops and food options. Nice beach area.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had an amazing experience on the half-day tour! From the moment we boarded, the staff were friendly, professional, and incredibly attentive. I was especially impressed with how they cared for passengers who were feeling seasick, checking on them and offering support throughout the trip. The glass-bottom boat tour was a definite highlight. The commentary was informative and engaging, and everyone on board shared in the excitement when we spotted turtles. It was such a special experience to see the reef and marine life up close. The half-day tour was the perfect length for our three-year-old and for us as a family. We never felt rushed, but it also wasn’t too long for little ones. Everything was well organised, enjoyable, and family-friendly.

Beautiful day. Good facilities on the island.

We booked the half-day Green Island excursion because all we really wanted was the transportation to/from the island; while there, we wanted to do our own thing. That’s exactly what this was. Notably: due to a mutual miscommunication that was really no one’s fault outright, we figured we would try to be compensated to some degree. We spoke to the representative and explained the situation. She handled it very professionally, she asked a few questions, gently explained her side of things, we spoke like human beings should speak to each other. Without significant delay they decided to make things right. We were very pleased with the way the situation was handled.