About Sunlover Reef Cruises
An Australian family of about 100 people who have been taking visitors from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef since 1991.
Quick Answer
Sunlover Reef Cruises is Australian owned and operated, running tours from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef since 1991 — with our own pontoon at Moore Reef.
Australian owned, Cairns based, since 1991
Sunlover Reef Cruises has been running tours from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef since 1991. In that time we have shown the reef to visitors from every corner of the globe.
We have kept investing in the things that make a reef day work — the catamarans, the purpose-built pontoon at Moore Reef, and the range of ways you can actually get in and see it. Whether it is a day of leisure or a day of learning, for experienced divers or for someone who has never put their face in the water, there is a version of the reef here for them.
The crew are the reason a reef day works
About 100 local people, 3 boats, and 2 of the best days out on the Great Barrier Reef.
Lifeguards watch the swimming area all day. Marine biologists guide the snorkel tours. Someone is always fitting a mask for a nervous first-timer, sitting with a child on the platform, or spotting the whales on the horizon before anyone else does.
A lot of them have been doing it for a very long time. Dive Instructor Vance and Marine Biologist Ted both started almost 30 years ago, when Sunlover was still in its infancy. Cruise attendants Tonya, Nikki and Ying-Wah have been here nearly as long. It is more than a job to them, and on the boat you can tell.
A reef day that works for the whole group
Lifeguards watch the swimming area all day. Marine biologists guide the snorkel tours. For anyone who would rather stay dry, the glass bottom boat and the semi-submersible go out from the pontoon on a loop, and the underwater observatory sits below the deck.
Accessibility on the reef is genuinely complicated — tides move the gangways, and every vessel is built differently. We have set out exactly what each vessel can do, and what we need to know from you, on our Accessibility & Inclusion page.
Independently checked, not self-declared
Every one of these is awarded by an outside body and has to be re-earned.
Quality Tourism & Sustainable Tourism
Australian Tourism Industry Council. An independent check on how the business is run, and on how we manage our environmental and community impact.
Eco Certified Tourism operator
Awarded by Ecotourism Australia against criteria for environmental sustainability and culturally responsible tourism.
ECO Certification Hall of Fame
For more than 20 years of continuous certification. In 2025 we became 1 of only 11 tourism operators in Australia to reach it.
Green Travel Leader
Ecotourism Australia’s recognition for operators who have held certification without a break.
Champion member, TTNQ
Supporting the growth and sustainability of the region’s tourism industry, and campaigns that promote responsible travel.
Australian Tourism Export Council
ATEC member for 2025–26.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council
QTIC member for 2026–27.
Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre
A partner of the centre, which rehabilitates sick and injured sea turtles in Cairns.
Eye on the Reef
Participant in the Tourism Reef Protection Initiative, run by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
Sunlover Reef Cruises acknowledges the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji, Mandigalbay Yidinji, Yirrganydji & Gunggandji people, the traditional owners of the Sea Country on which our business operates. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to elders past, present and emerging.
Questions we get asked about us
Is Sunlover Reef Cruises Australian owned?
Yes. Sunlover Reef Cruises is Australian owned and operated, and has been running tours from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef since 1991.
How long has Sunlover been operating on the Great Barrier Reef?
35 years. The first Sunlover tours ran from Cairns in 1991, and we have operated on the reef continuously since.
Where do Sunlover tours depart from?
Every tour departs from the Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence Street, Cairns. Full directions, parking and check-in times are on our Getting Here page.
What environmental certifications does Sunlover hold?
Sunlover is an Eco Certified Tourism operator with Ecotourism Australia, a member of the ECO Certification Hall of Fame for more than 20 years of continuous certification, and an accredited Green Travel Leader. We are also a Quality Tourism Accredited Business and hold Sustainable Tourism Accreditation with the Australian Tourism Industry Council.
Can Sunlover look after guests who cannot swim?
Yes. Lifeguards supervise the swimming area all day, and the glass bottom boat, semi-submersible and underwater observatory all let you see the reef without getting in the water.