Exploring the Great Barrier Reef in Depth on Cruise
One of the must-see destinations in Australia is the Great Barrier Reef, sometimes called the eighth natural wonder of the world. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, the marine park stretches about 1,250 nautical miles, from neighboring Papua New Guinea down the eastern shores of Australia to Lady Elliott Island off Bundaberg, about halfway down the coast of the state of Queensland. In area, the park is about half the size of Texas.
Queensland ports such as Port Douglas, Cairns, Townsville, Airlie Beach and Bundaberg are home to many companies offering day cruises that explore the reef. Snorkeling and scuba diving are popular ways to get in the water and explore, but not touch, the fragile coral and its marine inhabitants.
Other possibilities include staying a few days on a resort island. Options range from the super-luxurious and exclusive, such as Lizard Island, Bedarra, Orpheus and Hayman, to more family-oriented islands such as Green, Dunk, Hamilton, Heron and Brampton or even Lindeman, which hosts a Club Med.
One very relaxing way to get a better appreciation of the scale and variety of the Great Barrier Reef is to join a longer cruise. I recently sailed an eight-day itinerary aboard Coral Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess II that consisted of two segments: a four-night leg from Cairns up to Lizard Island and back and a three-night trip from Cairns down to Townsville. Travelers with limited time can book either segment separately.
The Coral Princess II is a 115-foot, catamaran-hulled craft with 23 cabins for 46 passengers on two decks plus a large upper deck consisting of lounge/bar and a sun/viewing deck. Cabins are spacious; most have twin beds, but some doubles are available. All units have outside windows.
Rates, from about $1,670 to $3,100 per person, include three meals per day plus morning and afternoon snacks and 24-hour tea and coffee. The food was excellent throughout the cruise, especially the huge seafood buffet offered on the first night of each segment.
