MV Ocean Quest

Photos: Divers Den / LiveAboard.com.

The MV Ocean Quest is one of a series of vessels operating on the east coast of Australia and offering voyages to see the legendary Great Barrier Reef. Its particular appeal is flexibility: you can fit a reef overnight into a short Cairns visit, or settle in for several days without making the return crossing every afternoon.

OceanQuest is a 36-metre catamaran with a 13-metre beam and three decks. Built in 1988, it now offers 18 twin cabins and four doubles, accommodating up to 44 guests on that layout. Published refurbishment dates conflict, so a reliable date for the latest complete refit is not established. The current cabin choices matter more to planning your stay than the old descriptions of a quad-share option.

Twin beds or a double of your own?

The cabins also have TVs. Travelling solo means choosing between a shared berth and the extra cost of sole occupancy. Same-gender cabin sharing is not guaranteed, and the single-use supplement needs an individual quote.

Life between dives

Outside the cabins, there is room to relax, exchange stories and photos with your dive buddies, read a book or simply take a siesta. Open sun decks make the most of being out on the reef; the air-conditioned lounge and bar offer a cooler retreat. The generous dive deck and hot freshwater showers make the transition from a wet wetsuit to an evening aboard a little easier.

Meals are prepared by the onboard chef and served buffet-style, with Western dishes and vegetarian options. The day’s rhythm includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert, with drinking water, tea and coffee included. Soft drinks, alcohol and additional snacks cost extra. Dietary needs belong in the booking request so the kitchen can agree what it can provide before you travel.

Two very different OceanQuest trips

The regular outer-reef stay visits sites around Norman, Saxon and Hastings reefs. SeaQuest takes you out from Cairns, with diving or snorkelling before the afternoon transfer to OceanQuest. You return by transfer boat too: this is a reef-based stay, rather than a long expedition aboard one vessel from start to finish.

For certified divers, there can be up to four dives in a full day, including night diving when suitable. Equipment and air are included. Buddy diving is available; a guide costs AUD 20 per person per dive on the regular programme, and is required for your first night dive. Nitrox fills are AUD 20 per tank for suitably qualified divers.

The seasonal expedition starts on the outer reef before heading north to the Ribbon Reefs, with Steve’s Bommie and Lighthouse Bommie among the documented stops. Researchers join the programme for talks and citizen science. Whale encounters are wildlife experiences, never guaranteed appointments, and the schedule changes to make the most of suitable interactions.

Travelling with a non-diver?

OceanQuest welcomes snorkellers on its regular reef stays and minke expeditions. A regular 2-day / 1-night snorkelling package starts at AUD 730 per person sharing a twin or double cabin, valid to 31 March 2027. Equipment, tuition, meals, Cairns city accommodation transfers and mandatory fees are included. Extra drinks, snacks and optional introductory diving cost more. This is a reef and boat holiday, with no regular island-hopping programme advertised.

What your OceanQuest trip costs

Published starting fares per person in shared accommodation, checked 9 October 2026 and valid to 31 March 2027. These are reference fares, not live availability. GST and environmental management charges are included.

Regular packages include the relevant equipment, meals, drinking water, tea, coffee and Cairns city accommodation transfers. For a diver adding five guided dives, the 2-day fare becomes AUD 835 + (5 × AUD 20) = AUD 935, before any other extras. Flights, pre/post-trip hotels, insurance, sole occupancy, Nitrox, training, premium activities and personal spending are separate.

The 2027 four-night minke expedition has a different fare: AUD 3,350 per person in a twin cabin or AUD 3,550 in a double, with rates valid from 31 March to 31 July 2027. Meals, equipment, air, guides, Cairns city transfers and applicable fees are included; Nitrox and personal extras remain additional.

Getting aboard and planning the journey home

Cairns is the gateway. For a regular stay, the published pickup window from city accommodation is 7:30–8am, followed by check-in at 319 Draper Street and an 8:30am SeaQuest departure. Allow roughly 90 minutes to the reef. Your final transfer usually gets you back to your Cairns accommodation at about 5pm. Arriving in Cairns the previous day gives this early start breathing room.

Minke expeditions use different boarding arrangements and return after breakfast, at approximately 9am on the morning following the fourth night. Their final dive is normally the previous evening. Schedule flights and higher-altitude trips around your actual last dive, rather than the disembarkation time; Divers Den specifies a 24-hour interval after several consecutive days of multiple dives. The Atherton Tablelands count as altitude travel too.

What guests loved — and what could be better

Recent LiveAboard.com accounts repeatedly praise organisation, helpful crew and food. They also show why the number of dives and the number of different sites are separate decisions when choosing a reef stay.

OceanQuest booking questions

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Editorial details checked 9 October 2026. This is a source-based update, not a new firsthand inspection. Existing guest comments and ratings remain separate from the review summaries above.