Quicksilver Cruises

What Quicksilver Cruises is and where it operates

Quicksilver Cruises is a Great Barrier Reef cruise company based in Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia, that runs its own boats to its own reef platform. Its day cruise leaves from the Port Douglas Marina on Wharf Street for Agincourt Reef, which the site describes as a ribbon reef "at the very outer edge of the Barrier Reef", running parallel to the Continental Shelf next to the Coral Sea trench. Coach transfers bring guests from Port Douglas accommodation and from Cairns and the Northern Beaches. The fares page says "We own and operate all boats to our reef destinations".

The About page says Quicksilver was "founded in 1979 with one vessel, a catamaran, which took guests to the Low Isles", and that in 1983 it "pioneered Australia's first true Outer Barrier Reef cruise". Its timeline records the first reef platform at Agincourt Reef in 1983, the Reef Biosearch environmental division in 1986, the wavepiercing catamaran in 1988, and a larger activity platform in 1994. It calls itself "proudly Australia's most awarded Great Barrier Reef operator", lists induction into the Australian Tourism Hall of Fame in 2009, and says it entered Ecotourism Australia's Hall of Fame in 2020 "with 20 years of continuous Advanced Ecotourism certification". Quicksilver is part of a group that also includes Wavedancer Low Isles, Great Adventures, Silverseries, Ocean Spirit Cruises, Pro Dive Cairns, Green Island Resort and Poseidon Cruises.

The reef day and what it includes

The core product is the Outer Reef Cruise on the Wavepiercer, a full day at Agincourt Reef. The fare includes morning and afternoon teas, "Reef presentation by marine biologist", a "Hot and cold tropical smorgasbord lunch", all snorkeling equipment, stinger/Lycra suits and buoyancy aids, "Qualified lifeguard supervision", the underwater observatory, semi-submersible coral viewing and fish feeding by the crew.

The Your Day page sets out the timetable. Check-in at the reservations counter is at 9:15 am and boarding at 9:30 am, with guests required to be aboard 15 minutes before the 10am departure; hot drinks are not served once the boat is underway. A marine biology presentation plays about 30 minutes out, followed by a snorkeling demonstration, and divers get "a 30 minute briefing with the dive crew". The boat reaches the reef around 11:30 am. Guests swim and snorkel from the activity platform, the observatory opens, and "Semi-subs depart every fifteen minutes". Lunch runs from 12–1:30 pm, a buffet the site says includes fresh prawns, pastas, meats, salads and fruit, with a bar for drinks. The boat leaves the reef at 3.00 pm and reaches the marina at 4.30 pm, with the marine biologists, a reef video and the photographers' photos on the way home. The page adds that "Scheduled times may change".

For non-swimmers, the site points to the semi-submersible, "just one metre underwater", the underwater observatory and a scenic helicopter flight over the reef. It has separate pages for non-swimmers and families.

Fares and optional activities

The fares table is in Australian dollars and says "Listed fares in Australian dollars include Goods and Services Tax", valid from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. The cruise is $338.00 per adult, $179.00 per child and $864.00 for a family (at most 2 adults and 2 children of the same family). Children are 4-14 years, and children under 3 travel free. A fuel surcharge of $10 per adult and $5 per child, effective from 1 April 2026, is payable at booking, and a Government Environmental Management Charge of $8.50 per person over 4 is included in the fare.

Return coach transfers cost $26.00 per adult and $14.00 per child from Port Douglas, and $45.00 and $25.00 from Cairns and the Northern Beaches. Optional activities are the Introductory Guided Snorkel Tour ($89.00 adult, $50.00 child), the Advanced Guided Snorkel Tour ($110.00 and $58.00), an Oceanwalker Helmet Dive at $205.00, a certified dive with full gear at $162.00 for 1 dive or $248.00 for 2, an introductory dive with full gear at $205.00, and a 10-minute Scenic Heli Flight at $222.00, "Availability to be confirmed", with infants over 3 charged the full rate. The minimum age for Oceanwalker and scuba is 12, and children under 12 on guided snorkel tours must be with an adult. Christmas Day tours carry a $20 per passenger surcharge.

Booking and terms

Tours are booked online with "Live availability & Instant Confirmation". The fares page promises "Flexibility: If weather or some other unforeseen factor makes travelling on the day difficult, you can change it to a more suitable day for no extra cost." It also warns that a surcharge "may be applied due to unforeseen circumstances", collected on departure, and that a credit card surcharge may apply. Guests driving themselves can park free at the marina. The packing list covers towels and swimwear, a hat, sunscreen and a shirt for sun protection, cash for the bar and cards for shopping and optional tours. Underwater digital camera hire and a professional photo service are available on board, and a partner, Indepth Video & Photography, rents GoPros. Gift vouchers are sold online.

What the site leaves open, and who it suits

The site does not set out a cancellation window or refund rule, though the footer links to Terms and Conditions and Conditions of Carriage. The site does not say how many passengers the Wavepiercer carries or how many share the platform on a busy day, and the menu links to an Accessibility page whose details are not repeated on the tour pages.

Quicksilver suits visitors in Port Douglas or Cairns who want a full outer reef day with everything on one platform: snorkeling for confident swimmers, a semi-sub and observatory for non-swimmers, and diving or a helicopter flight for those who want more. The marine biologist talks and the Reef Biosearch team, which the site says holds "the longest logbook database of marine observations on the Great Barrier Reef", add a learning side to the day. The About page says that division is "led by the largest team of marine biologists outside of a government agency", and that the company hopes guests leave "as ambassadors for reef protection and preservation".