How To Choose A Whitsundays Boat Trip
As exciting as a holiday to the Whitsundays is, trying to pick the right boat trip around the islands can be a little bit overwhelming. There are so many tours to choose from, catering to all sorts of people, budgets, and time constraints, and to sort through them all can be tedious.
We want to make sure every aspect of your Whitsundays adventure is as fun and stress-free as possible, from the day you start planning to the day you leave. To assist, we have put together a list of some of the questions we ask to ensure you book onto the right tour.
How To Choose A Whitsundays Boat Trip
Do you have a budget in mind?
With such a large number of trips on offer from backpackers to families to couples, determining your budget limits will help narrow down your options. If money is no object, you can go as far as booking a superyacht charter. But if you're a young traveller on a strict budget, it's the backpacker tours you should be looking at.
Families or groups travelling with a modest to medium budget might consider day tours to Whitehaven Beach, overnight sailing tours, or overnight catamaran tours. But those with a little more cash to spend could have the budget for a private charter.
Do you want to socialise and party or enjoy a chill, relaxed trip?
The number of passengers onboard the trips varies from 8 guests to 53 guests and this can be an important factor to consider when booking a trip. Small group sailing boats generally have between 8-14 guests, while the remaining boats can have 16 plus guests. The biggest backpacker boats, like Atlantic Clipper can take up to 54 guests per trip. That's a lot of new friends!
Do you want to scuba dive or happy with lots of snorkelling?
All Whitsunday boat trips offer snorkelling around the islands' fringing reef. You can expect to visit around 4 different snorkel sites on a typical 2 day/ 2 night trip, and at least one snorkel site on a single day trip.
Only a small number of boats have onboard scuba diving facilities, from introductory dives for first time divers to certified dives for experienced divers. It's a great way to explore the Great Barrier Reef and its surrounding fringing reef. There's even an overnight boat tour that will let you get your scuba certification on board!
What dates are you looking to travel?
The dates in which you can depart will determine the trips you can choose from. Tours are scheduled on different days throughout the week and this information can be found on the product page online. To give you more trip options, it is best to have flexible departure dates.
Here are some of the most popular boat trips to Whitehaven Beach from Airlie Beach!
Do you want a private cabin (based on 2 people sharing) or shared/open plan accommodation?
There are typically 2 types of accommodation to choose from on most overnight trips: either shared or private. Share accommodation is generally in the saloon (open plan) area of the vessel and is often described as a 'dorm-style' arrangement. Private accommodation consists of a twin, double or queen sized bed in your own cabin.
This type of accommodation is only available on some vessels and is highly sought after by many guests wanting more privacy. Private cabins must be booked well in advance.
Are all guests travelling over the age of 18?
Most trips are only suitable for those aged 18 and over due to the nature of the tour. If you are travelling with children and hoping to do an overnight tour, take a look through these family trips, but be sure to check the minimum age allowance on each individual tour. Please let a member of our team know if there is anyone under 18 travelling with your group before booking.
