45 Minute Ferry, Pick Your Option

Sunlover Reef Cruises handles the ferry crossing from Cairns to Fitzroy Island, with optional add-ons such as lunch and snorkel gear on some bookings. Trips run roughly six and a quarter to just under eight hours. Rated 4.2 from 83 reviews, from A$109 per person.

Overview

This is Sunlover Reef Cruises' Fitzroy Island day trip from Cairns, and the core of it is simple: a return ferry from Cairns Marlin Marina and roughly six hours on the island itself. The full day runs between 6 hours 15 minutes and 7 hours 45 minutes door to dock and back, depending on the option and schedule. You check in at the Sunlover counter inside the Reef Fleet Terminal on Spence Street, collect your tickets, and board from there. No hotel pickup is offered, so getting yourself to the terminal is on you.

What sets the options apart is the add-on you pick at booking. Depending on the option chosen, you get a picnic lunch box, snorkel equipment, or a glass bottom boat tour, bundled on top of the return ferry. Everything you buy on the island, from beach hire to food and drinks at the general store, costs extra.

It suits travellers who want a beach-and-reef day at their own pace rather than a guided schedule. Reviewers describe swimming, hiking to the lighthouse, the summit and Nudey Beach, and snorkeling straight from the shore. Several note the reef sits close to the beach, with water described as crystal clear. It is a big-boat operation, with up to 180 travellers on a sailing, so it is a shared group day rather than a private charter.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Check in at Reef Fleet TerminalArrive at the Sunlover counter on the bottom floor of the Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence St, Cairns. Tickets must be collected before boarding, and the listing warns that boarding is denied without them, with no refund for late check-in.
2. Ferry from Cairns MarinaBoard the Sunlover vessel for the crossing to Fitzroy Island. One reviewer described the trip out as comfortable and short, with a great crew.
3. Fitzroy Island (6 hours)Admission to the island is free and you get about six hours there. Spend it as you like: swimming, snorkeling from the shore, the walking tracks, or your chosen option of picnic lunch, snorkel gear or glass bottom boat tour.
4. Return ferry to CairnsThe activity ends back at the Reef Fleet Terminal meeting point. One reviewer noted the operator accommodated a request to return earlier than scheduled.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical things shape the day, from check-in timing to what the beach underfoot is actually like.

• Eat light before boarding. One reviewer recommends a light breakfast because the crossing can be pretty wavy. Motion-sensitive travellers should plan accordingly.
• Wear proper shoes. One reviewer who walked to Nudey Beach recommends proper hiking gear and studying the path ahead, since the route can be confusing.
• Pack food and water. Reviewers repeatedly mention that island food options are limited. The cafe reportedly does not serve food before 11.30 and some outlets close in the afternoon, so bringing your own food and non-alcoholic drinks is common practice.
• Snorkel from the shore. Multiple reviewers highlight that the reef is close enough to swim to from the beach. One reviewer described glimpsing a turtle and a stingray while snorkeling from the shore.
• Expect a group day. The tour carries a maximum of 180 travellers, so it is a shared sailing rather than a small-group outing. Reviewers generally describe the crew as friendly and the transfer itself as smooth.
• Check tickets carefully. Boarding is denied without collecting physical tickets from the Sunlover counter, and late check-in means missing the tour with no refund. Arrive with time to spare at the terminal.

Common issues. The schedule is not always fixed. Reviewers report delays leaving Cairns and, in one case, a start time pushed back by 60 or 90 minutes the day before with little explanation. The trip is not wheelchair accessible, requires good weather to run, and needs a minimum number of travellers, with a different date or a full refund offered if it is cancelled on those grounds.

Choosing A Trip