OVERVIEW

A Vagabond cruise on the Great Barrier Reef will be one of the highlights of your time in North Queensland. The crew ensure a relaxing and informal atmosphere providing personalised service with a maximum of 11 guests per trip.

Both certified and introductory divers can be catered for. Dive prices include all equipment.

We can also conduct accedited PADI courses.

For a relaxing Great Barrier Reef sailing trip with scuba diving and snorkelling, you can't go past the charter yacht Vagabond. All you need to bring with you is sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a beach towel, a small overnight bag and a sweatshirt for the evening - we look after the rest! Larger bags and backpacks can be stowed.

 

- all meals (including morning and afternoon tea)
- hands on sailing
- hot showers
- fresh linen
- all snorkelling equipment
- filtered wtaer
- GST

What to bring:
- sunscreen
- a hat
- sunglasses
- a beach towel
- a small overnight bag
- a sweatshirt for the evening
- we look after the rest! Larger bags and backpacks can be stowed.

We depart each Saturday, Monday and Wednesday for our 2 day trip. As we have no fixed timetable or route, there is none of the hustle, bustle and time pressures encountered on larger dive boats. Our diving timetables are tailored to suit individual requirements. You won't feel like a tourist on Vagabond... you will feel like you are at home.

Our roving permit enables us to visit many of the outer reefs and clays.

All reef visits are subject to westher conditions.

Vagabond is a 65' luxury world cruising yacht set up for comfortable diving, sailing and entertaining for a maximum of 11 guests with a large aftdeck for scuba divers to set up their equipment.

For those more interested in relaxing and enjoying the sun, the forward deck provides ample space. All cabins are double or twin bunk for privacy, along with fresh linen and hot showers.

Vagabond Dive 'N Sail is owned and operated by Paul & Peta Bradshaw.

Vagabond specialises in 2 day diving trips leaving Cairns every Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. Our trips take a maximum of 11 passengers with 3 crew members allowing for the pace of the trip to be more relaxed. The crew on board Vagabond pride themselves on ensuring that you have a personal experience on The Great Barrier Reef.

Vagabond is also available for overnight charters from Cairns providing relaxing and informal small group charters for any duration. Personalised charter itineraries give you the flexibility to visit specific destinations and to enjoy your personal interests - diving, snorkelling, photography or fishing.

Moore Reef is our base however our roving permit allows us to visit other reefs off Cairns including Elford, Thetford and Briggs reefs, as well as Michaelmas and Upolu cays. Green Island, Fitzroy Island and all reef visits are subject to weather conditions.

Extended charters offer fully crewed yacht charters cruising Port Douglas, Cape Tribulation, Cooktown, the Ribbon Reefs, Lizard Island and the Whitsundays.

For Cairns yacht charter and relaxing Great Barrier Reef sailing trips with scuba diving and snorkelling, you can't go past the charter yacht Vagabond.

Guest Comments
Here's what past vagabond guests had to say.....

"Thanks for a fantastic voyage... very relaxing atmosphere... A nice change from crowded dive boats. Great food, friendly crew, beautiful diving and snorkelling plus a comfortable boat." - Paul Charles, Cairns

"What a vacation! Nice boat, nice people, perfect weather and so much to see... The reef, fish, turtles, etc... good food too." - Sami & Taina Jankar, Finland

"One of the best experiences I have had in Australia. Amazing time, thanks for the amazing food, company, and for taking us to such beautiful places." - Mark Pearson, South Africa
Thank you for everything. We enjoyed very much the trip on your boat & the crew is very sympathetic. - Sonia & Philippe, France

"Thanks to the crew for a brilliant trip to the Outer Reef. I had a fantastic time. Thanks for taking care of us so well." - Clare Chay, Singapore

We had two wonderful days with you I will never forget. I didn't feel like a tourist, I felt at home. The snorkeling trips were really great & the atmosphere on the boat made it one of the highlights of my trip through Australia. - Silke Kuhn, Germany

Perfect weather, perfect crew, & perfect companions for my first snorkeling experience in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Thanks for everything! - Sukey Barnum, USA

We had a great time on Vagabond! The snorkeling was incredible, the crew friendly & fun, & the vegetarian food was first rate! We loved it all & will cherish the memories. - Sarah & Andrew Booker, USA

"I wanted to thank all of you, Mark & crew for the great time I had on the 2 day trip last week with my parents & sister... Excellent crew, dives, snorkelling, food ;-) ... Everything you could do was awesome, .... Anyway, if I have some time and money to go back to Cairns, I will manage to meet you for another trip... Merci et a bientot :-)" Nathalie Gohee, France

"Can't put down in words how much I loved this experience. I'm hooked for life on diving. Thanks so much." Daniel Verlemo, Sweden

"A huge thank you, the crew of Vagabond, for 2 fantastic days. Everything was really great. I will always carry these memories with me." Sarah Salem, Sweden

"Thank you for a wonderful 2 days. Excellent crew, delicous food and the reef was just amazing, especially the dolphins." Stephanie McFarlane-Watts, UK

"I was beginning of December on your dive and sail trip ...it was really a special trip and I often think about it ...on the way back we have seen a lot of dolphins and I have sent you some fotos."

"The trip was fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better crew or experience. The food, diving and sailing were all first rate. My best memory of Australia. Thanks." Eric Drabiuk, USA

"Did we really have to go back so soon?" Hearda Lindenburgh, Netherlands

"Great food, nice dives, wonderful company... We were lucky to find you!" Gabriel & Alex, Spain

"Thank you for this wonderful trip! This was my first night on a boat and the first dive experience and it was excellent. See you next

year!!" Sabine Pfoser, Germany

Boarding is at 7:45am for an 8:00am departure from D Finger 16 Marlin Jetty every Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.

Please Note: An environmental management charge of $10.00 per day is levied for all adults and children 4 years and over entering the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area. This charge is to be collected at the conclusion of the trip.

Cancellation Policy
The initial deposit paid is non-refundable. In addition to forfeiting your deposit, the following charges also apply:
All monies forfeited unless we are notified 5 days prior to departure. For passengers voluntarily leaving the vessel there will be no refund. On very rare occasions all cruise services or a single dive can be subject to the effect of weather or unforeseen circumstances. All dives are weather permitting Captains discretion. No refund for uncompleted dives. Should a cruise not operate for any such reason passengers will be offered an alternate day or refund for the days lost. The operator reserves the right in extreme circumstances to alter or cancel any trip or use substitute vessels.

Are pets allowed on your boats?
No

Is smoking acceptable in the cabins, and if so, do Valet fees apply?
No

Terms of booking on this website

Information disclaimer
The rates on this website are often heavily discounted. This is due to our negotiated rates and bulk buying power. On very rare occasions, a rate may be displayed incorrectly due to our, or a supplier's error. In such a case, if you book with us at a quoted rate that is incorrect, we will notify you of any price change and give you the option to proceed or cancel. We make every effort to keep information on our site up to date, but we cannot guarantee this website is free of errors or omissions and retain the right to update or change the information published at any time.

Liability
To the extent permitted by law we/the owners of this website will not be liable to you or to any third party (whether in contract, tort, or otherwise) for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage (including but not limited to any accident, injury, delay or loss of enjoyment) arising out of your reliance upon information contained on this website, including but not limited to your use (or inability to use) any products or services described or procured through this website.

On departure day, before you commence your trip, you may be required to sign a rental agreement (in the case of boat charters) with the supplier of the vessel. Your rental and use of the vessel will be governed by the terms of the rental agreement and any other documentation or information provided to you by the supplier at the time you pick up your vessel. The rental agreement is between you and the supplier and we will not be liable to you or to any third party in relation to the terms of the supplier rental agreement or any other documentation provided to you by the supplier at the time of pick up.

While we will make reasonable efforts to ensure we are representing only reputable suppliers, we make no warranty about the fitness or suitability of any third party (supplier) product or service and will not accept responsibility for the quality or fitness of any vessel. We welcome feedback from our customers on their experience with our suppliers. We may, at our discretion, provide you with reasonable assistance in resolving any dispute you may have with a supplier.

Our total liability to you in relation to your use of this website and the information contained on this website will not exceed the dollar amount of the deposit we have received from you in relation to your booking/rental. Refunds will not be made for bookings cancelled due to inclement weather. Again, we strongly recommend that you take out travel insurance. Your use of this website is governed by the laws of New Zealand and the jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts.

Booking information
To make a booking, you must complete our no-obligations reservations enquiry form which is easy to follow and secured with the latest encryption technology. Once we receive your enquiry, we will contact you via phone or email, to advise of availability and confirm the final price is correct - and discuss payment options. A booking is confirmed when you have been emailed a confirmation notice and at this stage the deposit is processed on your credit card and becomes non-refundable and any cancellation fees stated in the terms apply. Upon receipt of your confirmation, please check your details carefully and notify us immediately if there are any incorrect details, as it may not be possible to make changes at a later date.

Please note we accept Visa and Mastercard and the credit card fees are: 
1) 1.75% for the deposit amount.
2) 1.75% for the balance of payment.

If you are booking via phone, please first make sure you have read the terms and conditions of your selected sailing adventure. Our reservations consultant will ask you if you have read the terms and agree to them before proceeding. The onus is always on the renter to ensure they make themselves fully aware of the terms displayed on our website.

Information disclosure
In booking on this website you acknowledge that we disclose your information to your selected Supplier in order to provide the requested rental, trip or charter services.

Amendments
Please check the terms of each vessel to see whether amendment fees apply. Please also note that for some vessels an amendment is treated as a new booking and the rate current at the time the amendment is made to recalculate the entire booking amount (not just the days changed). In the case of boat rental/yacht charter, if the hire or number of days is increased, an additional deposit may be required, while reduction in rental periods or price may reduce the total, but the deposit amount will remain unchanged.

Vessel Capacity and fitness to charter (for Bareboats only)
Under no circumstances are you permitted to carry more passengers than the vessel you charter is legally registered to carry, and if you do your insurance may be invalidated. The number of passengers allowed is indicated next to each vessel on this website. It is your responsibility to choose a journey that is within your capabilities. A boat or trip supplier can refuse to hire a vessel to any person who is in their opinion unfit to skipper or does not meet eligibility requirements. In such circumstances we will have no further liability to you.