Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises — Attraction in Cairns City

Cheaper than the others but you get what you pay for, disappointing in many aspects.

We were looking for a snorkelling tour operator to the Great Barrier Reef for our three days family holiday in Cairns. After comparing several different options, we went with the half day snorkelling tour offered by Big Cat Green Island.

We initially booked for the standard family package which costs $235, but later decided to change to the semi-sub family package which costs $285. As it is only one day away, we thought we would just change/upgrade it on the spot when we checked in. When we tried to do this during check-in, the lady said that the cost would be different because we do it on the day, and wanted to charge us a total of $90 by adding the semi-sub add-ons instead of just upgrading the package which costs $50. This is the first disappointment as it immediately put us down. It clearly makes us feel that their main concern running the business is just to make money, instead of providing great services and value to their customers who are on holiday to have a good time.

The next disappointment was that we chose the half day option as their website clearly says "Our half day option is ideal for small children" and we have two children with us. We ended up only going in the water for about 20 minutes instead of the planned 2 hours, as the semi sub tour and waiting time for people to get on/off boards, walk to the locker in the island, change to wetsuits and change back etc. takes a good one and a half hour. All of us were disappointed because of the short time that we had in the water. Their half day tour costs the same as the full day tour, so if you still decide to go with them after reading all the reviews, you might as well get the full day tour.

The semi-sub was the best part of the tour and that is why we give a 2-star review (otherwise it would be a 1-star). It allows us to view the beautiful fishes and corals from underneath the water near Green Island. The snorkelling really does not do anything at all, you can only see the small fishes and the sand as you will need to go deeper into the sea to be able to see more. There is literally no guidance in the snorkelling other than the very short video onboard the vessel, so you will need to figure out everything else by yourself when you arrive at the island.

To complete the disappointment of the day, when we got back to the boat my son and I arrived first and he was carrying all the wetsuits and snorkelling gear as I was carrying the other bags. The rude man collecting the return ticket pass would not allow him in until my wife arrived with the tickets although I have ensured him that we had the tickets and my wife was just talking to someone else. The rude man replied "Do you need a ticket when you go the airport? No ticket no entrance", likening the entrance to the cruise boat as the airtight security requirement of the airport. My son had to lift all the wetsuit and gear at the entrance of the boat for another two minutes just to wait until my wife arrived with the return tickets. Just another small incident that completed our disappointment for the day, which clearly shows that they have no care for the well-being of their customers, and just doing their work...

We bought the ticket from Klook for the full day tour to green island yesterday. The counter for big cat was very difficult to find (around the corner) and the email saying to go to terminal 1 and no clear instruction where to meet up We ended up wasting our time finding the place to check in (there is no one available to ask for information) Ended up calling to the number on our email and advised to go to gate 3 or 4 Then, We were queueing in a line didn't realize mixing up in tour group as other ppl from tour queueing behind us. At the check in before getting on the boat, there is an old looking staff called Peter checking ticket (didn't have good experience with this person) initially asked us to stand aside as we are mixed up in a tour group Then when we showed our email from klook with the voucher, saying that this is not a ticket and that we couldn't get on the cruise. (Ok there is him and another staff completely ignoring us not even saying what to do and keep checking other people in) We were getting lost what to do and We were like running late as most of the people are already on the boat and checking in time is finished soon. We decided to run back to the counter to ask about the ticket We only Received the email with voucher from klook There is no clear instruction on the email nor website that we need to get a ticket from the counter and we thought the voucher was the ticket until we were trying to check in to get on the cruise. Luckily we managed to get on the cruise after getting the ticket from the counter. I have been traveling around and several times buying from klook but every other company has details information about where to meet up, whether if we need to exchange ticket etc and moreover helpful staffs. But this is not a service that I was expecting to get with this big cat company. Otherwise, the other staffs on the cruise were polite and helpful and we had good time for the latter part of the tour. I only wish you should have proper useful information about check in and ticket details for people like us who bought ticket from those websites and better helpful staffs for the customer PS. I saw some other people reviews here about staffs being racist and unhelpful here I hope the company should really improve the training and service of the staffs if they wish to compete with other...

Wow, reading the negative reviews have me shocked. Especially those complaining about rude crew and racial discrimination.

I, myself as an Ethnic Australian experienced nothing but polite, friendly and professional staff aboard Big Cat. It was actually the opposite, it was other tourists who were rude, loud and inconsiderate.

Talking among themselves so loudly that safety instructions on board could not be heard and other passengers had to shoosh them, not following basic instructions, blatant pushing in and inability to wait in line and wait their turn, large groups incapable of comprehending that there are other people on the same tour and yelling on top of each other.

So, if anything, I'd have a whinge about them, not the company.

For those giving out 1-star reviews for their own incompetence (complaining about not having someone babysit them on the reef and not being shown how to use basic snorkeling equipment) SHAME ON YOU!

If you read up on what you were actually paying for you would not have been so disappointed and instead paid another Tour company to hold your hand in waist deep water and teach you how to use snorkeling equipment even small children can figure out, embarrassing.

Also, another big fat SHAME ON YOU goes to those throwing out 1-star reviews for MURKY WATER??

Might as well give that bad review to Mother Nature because that's who your complaints need to be directed to, it's her ocean and if she decides you're not seeing her beautiful reef today then so be it.

The water during my glass bottom tour was not as clear as it could have been, but it was still absolutely stunning.

It amazes me how uneducated some people are, and combined with arrogance and entitlement I actually feel terrible for what the crew and staff have to endure.

Anyway, rant aside, I highly recommend Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises, would go with them again, prompt pick up and drop offs, professional staff and value for money. 10/10

*Side note, even if you don't get motion sickness pop a Travacalm around 30 mins before you set sail, makes all...