Spirit of Freedom

Embark on an unparalleled diving adventure aboard the 5-star Spirit of Freedom, a luxurious 37-meter liveaboard operating out of Cairns, Australia. Designed for long-range cruising and comfort, this steel-hulled vessel takes divers to the remote and pristine dive sites of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea, far beyond the reach of day boats.

Accommodation & Onboard Comfort

The Spirit of Freedom boasts 11 air-conditioned cabins, accommodating up to 26 guests, all featuring private en-suite bathrooms and serviced daily. Guests can choose from a variety of cabin styles to suit their preferences, including Ocean View Deluxe, Ocean View Standard, Stateroom, Standard Double/Twin Share, and Quad Share options. Cabins are designed for comfort, with amenities like wardrobes, bedside tables, and in some cases, flat-screen TVs.

Beyond the cabins, the liveaboard offers three decks of living space. The spacious dining saloon serves as a central hub for meals and dive briefings, while the forward lounge provides comfortable couches, marine reference books, and a dedicated camera workstation. The top deck is ideal for relaxation between dives, featuring undercover and open areas with timber tables, lounge seating, and sunloungers, perfect for enjoying the views or an alfresco BBQ dinner. Complimentary tea, coffee, and water are always available, with a selection of Australian and New Zealand wines, beers, and spirits available for purchase from the ship's bar.

Diving Services & Expertise

The Spirit of Freedom is equipped with a comprehensive dive deck featuring individual stations for all 24 guests, complete with dry storage and personal storage boxes. Divers benefit from air and Nitrox whips, delivering 32% Nitrox directly to tanks in their racks (Nitrox available for an additional charge, certification required or can be completed onboard). Photographers will appreciate the dedicated camera wash tub, worktable, and air gun. Freshwater showers and deck towels are available after each dive.

While most diving is unguided, allowing buddy teams the freedom to plan their own dives, experienced instructors and divemasters are always in the water as safety divers and provide support, including critter spotting and photography assistance. The vessel provides tanks, weights, weight belts, mask, snorkel, boots, and fins, along with essential safety equipment like surface marker buoys and Nautilus LifeLine Marine GPS. PADI courses such as Advanced Open Water Diver and Nitrox certification are available onboard.

The Spirit of Freedom is an Advanced Ecotourism Operator, committed to reef conservation and sustainable tourism practices.

Itineraries & Dive Sites

Operating from Cairns, Spirit of Freedom offers a variety of itineraries to explore the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea:

• 3-Night Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs Trip: Departing Thursdays, this trip focuses on the northern Ribbon Reefs, including the iconic Cod Hole, famous for its giant potato cod encounters. Divers can expect up to 11 dives, exploring vibrant coral gardens teeming with diverse marine life, turtles, and olive sea snakes. This trip is suitable for Open Water certified divers with at least 10 ocean dives.
• 4-Night Coral Sea & Osprey Reef Trip: Beginning with a scenic flight from Cairns to Lizard Island, this itinerary ventures 200km offshore to the remote Coral Sea. It offers up to 15 dives at sites like Osprey Reef, renowned for its crystal-clear waters (visibility often 30-100 meters), dramatic sheer walls plunging thousands of meters, massive soft corals, and thrilling shark action at North Horn. This trip is recommended for more experienced divers, ideally with Advanced certification.
• 7-Night Ultimate Great Barrier Reef Dive Trip: Combining the 3-night and 4-night itineraries, this comprehensive expedition departs Thursdays and offers up to 26 dives, providing an immersive experience of both the Ribbon Reefs and the Coral Sea.
• Seasonal Dwarf Minke Whale Swim Trips: Each June and July, Spirit of Freedom runs special expeditions for the chance to interact with dwarf minke whales in the Ribbon Reefs. These unique encounters, often on snorkel, allow guests to observe these inquisitive creatures up close.

Water temperatures in the region generally range from 22°C to 29°C, with the winter months (May to August) offering cooler water and excellent visibility.