Took this tour in October. Tauck includes a boat ride out to the platform anchored at the Great Barrier Reef. They offer a free ride off the platform on a boat that you get onto, walk down some steps, and are surrounded by glass walls. They then cruise that area of the reef for about 20 mintues and this is an easy and enjoyable way to feel like you are snorkeling They also offer a helmet dive, which is at an extra cost, where you put on a clear glass helmet, with an air line connected, and walk down to an unerwater platform with a photographer and scuba diver that spreads fish food around you. You are then in the middle of hundreds of fish. inches away from your protected face. My wife took this trip with a walker and could not snorkle, but was able to do this non threatening "helmet dive." I wouldnot spend extra money on the glass bottom boat, as Tauck give you many options to enjoy the reef as part of their tour. Suggestion from past travelers, which we followed, is take a bonine before the ride out, if you fear getting a little sea sick. Enjoy the trip and skip the glass bottom boat!
You can use your Go Pro from the Semi-submersible coral reef touring boat, but you are behind tinted glass, so the videos are not that great. If you snorkle, scuba, or do the helmet drive, the GoPro would be a good addition, so long as you have a waterproof model or the waterproof case. I would suggest the floating handle for the GoPro if you want to use it in the water as it makes it alot easier to use and it will float up if you drop it. We bought their video from the Helmet Dive we did as they have a better camera with underwater lighiting and include on the CD some reef pictures that you wont be able to get. All the extras on this trip are charged by Quicksilver directly and a Tauck discount is usually not applied. They are not cheap, but when you spend over $25 grand for this trip, and it will probalbly be your one and only time at the reef, go for the extra cost and enjoy yourself. You can google Quicksilver from Port Douglas and you will have a good idea what you have available. We even sprung for the hellicopeter add on, which was fun, but expensive for the short time in the air. You get a "free" helicopter ride back from the Jet Boat ride, which is a better ride, so I would skip the hellicopter option from Quicksilver. Tauck does not have exclusive use of this boat tour so you need to scramble to make reseverations for the extra activities you want to do off the platform. As I suggested on a previous post, you may want to take a Bonine before the ride on the Quicksilver boat to the platform, if you fear possible sea sickness. Enjoy.
Sandman - can you wait until day of to book the extras or do you need to book it before you leave for the trip? I will look at that website. Thank you.
You book on the boat ride over to the platform. Don't think you can pre-book. My only thought is to decide what want and book quickly once you board, so you can get the times you want. Was crowded, but not over-crowded on our boat ride over, but there was a small wait at every sign up location. They are set up to accomodate you and take your money, but it is all worthwhile. I don't think you will be sold out of anything you want, but dont wait to think about it. Enjoy.
Comments