Top Deck Club Liveaboard – Great Barrier Reef floating hotel
Top Deck Club is the best way to see the Great Barrier Reef.
Reef Encounter is Australia’s only floating luxury boutique hotel that offers guests the opportunity to enjoy the ultimate reef experience!
This accommodation is the ultimate way to celebrate a special occasion and explore the GBR.
Top Deck Club because everyone deserves to be spoilt.
Upon arrival, guests are greeted by the friendly crew and invited to share delicious local fruit platters.
The modern staterooms have a private ensuite that is spacious and air-conditioned. The Top Deck Club staterooms also have large windows overlooking the reef.
Great Barrier Reef accommodation
The staterooms also offer luxurious touches such as crisp Australian bed linen, silk doona, cotton sheets and feather down pillow. There are soft fluffy robes, bath sheets, and Australian beauty products in your Top Deck Club stateroom.
Discovering the Great Barrier Reef
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven natural wonders, and it truly is the most magnificent destination.
Our company is passionate about showing our visitors this spectacular location.
Our company is so passionate that we will swim for you if you can’t swim or are not confident in the water.
Quick Great Barrier Reef Facts.
- The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the World
- Over 2,900 individual reefs make up the Great Barrier Reef
- The Great Barrier Reef is so large you can see it from the moon.
- With over 900 individual islands
- Over 1500 species of beautiful fish and 400 types of coral
- There is also 200 types of birdlife.
The magic begins each day when the reef awakens. Start your day with an early morning dive or a revitalising swim.
When the day draws to a close, majestic sunsets fill the sky with a stunning golden glaze allowing a breathtaking backdrop for the end of the day.
Next, enjoy a delicious and romantic dinner under the stars.
Our chef provides exciting and unique culinary delights with local Australian and exotic ingredients.
Reef Encounter has a licensed bar that includes fine Australian wines and beers.
Reef Encounter offers all the luxury facilities of a reef resort while floating on the pristine waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Making it one of the most unique holiday escapes in Australia.
This vessel is a 35-metre luxury catamaran designed for the utmost stability and comfort at sea and air-conditioned throughout.
Reef Encounter features spacious decks as well as roomy dining and recreation areas.
Getting to Reef Encounter
Transfers to Reef Encounter are available by a 90-minute boat ride from Cairns or a stunning helicopter trip over the Great Barrier Reef.
All Top Deck Club liveaboard guests enjoy a late checkout
Free luggage storage is available at our office in Cairns City.
Facilities Onboard
- A fully air-conditioned 35-metre catamaran hotel, designed for the utmost stability and comfort at sea
- Large dining saloon
- TV and lounge area
- Outdoor, freshwater hot-tub
- Spacious sundeck with sun loungers
- Fully licenced bar
- Barista Coffee
- Large, easy access dive and snorkel platforms
- Helicopter pad on the roof for low-flying scenic helicopter tours over the coral reef.
- Spacious staterooms with spectacular ocean views
- Towels and toiletries provided (soap, shampoo and conditioner)
- All staterooms have Australian power outlets.
- Double and twin-single bed staterooms.
Great Barrier Reef Itinerary
Please note, this itinerary is based on a 3-day /2-night stay with Reef Encounter
First Day
Arrive
Unlimited in water sessions
7:30am
Board the transfer vessel 'Reef Experience' at Cairns Marlin Marina for breakfast, check-in and your journey to Reef Encounter
9:30am
Arrive onboard Reef Encounter for your 'Welcome & Safety Talk' before being shown to your room to settle in and relax
10:30am
Water Session: Time to snorkel for all guests before lunch
12:00
Lunch is served in the dining saloon
13.00
Water Briefings: Certified Diver Briefings / Try Scuba Diving Briefings / Snorkel Adventure Briefings
13.30
Water Session: Scuba dive or snorkel time
15:00
Reef Encounter moves to another spectacular outer barrier reef location
15:30
Water Session: Scuba dive or snorkel time. Glass bottom boat tour available upon request
Summer
18:00
Dinner is served in the dining saloon
18:45
Night Dive Briefings
19:00
Night dive commences for all those scuba diving
Winter
17:30
Night Dive Briefings
18:00
Night dive commences for all those scuba diving
19:15
Dinner is served in the dining saloon
20:00
Dessert is served in the dining saloon
Full Day
On the Reef
Unlimited in water sessions
6:00am
Wake-up call for the early morning dive and snorkel session
6:30am
Water Session: Sunrise scuba dive or snorkel time. Glass bottom boat tour available upon request
7:30am
Breakfast is served in the dining saloon
8:00am
Reef Encounter moves to another spectacular outer barrier reef location
8:30am
Water Session: Scuba Dive or Snorkel Time
10:30am
Water Session: Scuba Dive or Snorkel Time
12:00
Lunch is served in the dining saloon
13:30
Water Session: Scuba Dive or Snorkel Time
15:00
Reef Encounter moves to another spectacular outer barrier reef location
15:30
Water Session: Scuba dive or snorkel time. Glass bottom boat tour available upon request
Summer
18:00
Dinner is served in the dining saloon
18:45
Night Dive Briefings
19:00
Night dive commences for all those scuba diving
Winter
17:30
Night Dive Briefings
18:00
Night dive commences for all those scuba diving
19:15
Dinner is served in the dining saloon
20:00
Dessert is served in the dining saloon
Last Day
Return
Unlimited in water sessions
6:00am
Wake-up call for the early morning dive and snorkel session
6:30am
Water Session: Sunrise scuba dive or snorkel time. Glass bottom boat tour available upon request
7:30am
Breakfast is served in the dining saloon
8:00am
Room Checkout
Reef Encounter moves to another spectacular outer barrier reef location
8:30am
Water Session: Scuba Dive or Snorkel Time
10:30am
Water Session: Scuba Dive or Snorkel Time
12:00
Lunch is served in the dining saloon
13:30
Water Session: Snorkel only session available to passengers before departure
14:45
Departing passengers board the transfer vessel 'Reef Experience' for the journey back to Cairns. Complimentary wine, cheese and biscuits served on the return journey
15:00
Reef Encounter moves to another spectacular outer barrier reef location
16:30
Approximate arrival time to the Cairns Marlin Marina
*Please note, this itinerary does not apply to 'Great Barrier Reef Deal' bookings.
*Stateroom Check-In time is 10.00am with Check-Out time 8.00am on the morning of departure (access to a shared transfer/baggage room with bathroom is available along with all other boat facilities)
*Top Deck Club Check-in time is 10.00am with Check-Out time 2.00pm on the day of departure>
*This itinerary may vary due to weather conditions or other circumstances.Add a Daintree Rainforest tour to this package.
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Highlights
- Discover the World’s largest living thing.
- Great Barrier Reef Stay
- Interact with thousands of brightly coloured fish and coral
- Delicious meals
- Scuba dive at night
Included
Top Deck Club Liveaboard Packages Include
- Top Deck Club accommodation including ensuite
- Delicious chef-prepared meals
- Personal valet
- Dinner under the stars
- Breakfast in bed
- Sunset cocktails
- Late checkout
- Evening turndown service
- Snorkel and scuba diving equipment
- Sleep on the Great Barrier Reef with Reef Encounter
- A valet reef guide
- Late checkout times.
- Private guided in-water tours
- Top Deck Club Great Barrier Reef Accommodation
- Dinner under the stars
- A variety of spectacular outer Great Barrier Reef locations during your stay
- Glass bottom boat tour
- Marine Biology presentation
- A free luggage storage facility in Cairns City
- Daily transfers via Reef Experience to Reef Encounter
Optional Extras
- Introductory dive
- Professional photographs
- Scuba lessons
- Barista coffee
- Drinks and snacks
- Merchandise
- Helicopter transfers
What to bring
- Reef Encounter is a barefoot product.
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Light jacket
- Camera
- Socks
- Casual resort wear
- Scuba divers need to bring their certification card and logbook
How to get there
How to get to Reef Encounter?
Two Choices to get to Reef Encounter
The first option is via our transfer vessel Reef Experience that departs Cairns daily at 8 am.
The second option is via a spectacular scenic helicopter flight over the Great Barrier and landing directly onboard Reef Encounter’s exclusive helipad.
Important Information
Important information for scuba divers
This information is for all guests participating in scuba diving.
Australia has the strictest scuba diving rules globally and the safest diving record. Please make sure you understand the scuba diving laws in Queensland, Australia.
We are regulated by the Queensland Government Code of Practice and comply with all rules, including the requirements for a dive medical, where applicable, as required by law.
We recommend that all passengers complete our dive medical questionnaire. Some medical conditions, age, and medications may prevent you from scuba diving.
Our mission is always to provide our passengers with the very best Great Barrier Reef tour.
We are delighted to help you with any questions you may have. Please contact our office on +61 7 4037 2700 or email our helpful team today.
Alternatively, you may like to consult your Doctor for a Queensland Dive Medical using the Australian QLD Standard Form AS.4005.1
Flying after Scuba Diving
You should not fly or go to altitude for at least 18 hours after a scuba dive for a single no decompression scuba dive.
You should not fly for 24 hours after your last dive for multiple dives.
If Skydiving or Hot Air Ballooning, you must wait 24 hours after your dive. We recommend waiting a minimum of 24 hours whenever possible.