Wheelchair Accessible Whitsunday Boats & Tours
The Whitsundays is home to an array of boats and cruise vessels, however, the majority of these trips are not wheelchair accessible. Most boats, particularly older sailing boats, require guests to board via steps or a short ladder and maintain that all guests must be able to disembark the vessel in the event of an emergency.
Despite a lack of overall choice for accessible boats, there are a handful of quality island and reef experiences that are accessible, or semi-accessible, by wheelchair including a Whitehaven Beach cruise and some scenic flights.
Wheelchair-accessible boats in the Whitsundays
Whitehaven Beach Half-Day Cruise
Beach wheelchair
CW’s Whitehaven Beach Half-Day Cruise is the most accessible experience out to the Whitsunday Islands. Your crew will provide you with a beach wheelchair with larger wheels built for sand, and assist with the loading and unloading of the chair. With this beach wheelchair, you gain access to the white sandy shores of Whitehaven Beach, where you can dip your toes in the dazzling turquoise waters in paradise!
Please note that you need to coordinate the use of the beach wheelchair upon booking, so don’t hesitate to chat with our friendly agents if it is required!
CW Whitehaven Beach Half-day Cruise departures
This cruise departs from Airlie Beach, Daydream Island or Hamilton Island, with morning and afternoon departure options!
Learn more about each experience through these links:
- Whitehaven Beach Half-Day Morning Cruise from Airlie Beach
- Whitehaven Beach Half-Day Afternoon Cruise from Airlie Beach
- Whitehaven Beach Half-Day Morning Cruise from Daydream Island
- Whitehaven Beach Half-Day Afternoon Cruise from Daydream Island
- Whitehaven Beach Half-Day Morning Cruise from Hamilton Island
- Whitehaven Beach Half-Day Afternoon Cruise from Hamilton Island
Bathroom accessibility
There are accessible bathrooms both onboard the CW Half Day Whitehaven Beach Cruise, as well as on Whitehaven Beach. The Whitehaven Beach bathroom features a ramp.
Accessibility limitations on Whitehaven Beach Half-day Cruise
While boarding the catamaran is made easy with a ramp, disembarking the catamaran to the beach tender is only semi-accessible. Travellers will need to make their way down four steps to access the tender. The tender boat can fit a wheelchair, however, it must be carried over off the tender boat, so travellers will also have to be able to make their own way down the small gangway ramp onto Whitehaven Beach.
In the past, many travellers with disabilities have been able to carry out this short transfer with the assistance of a carer or family member, however, don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions regarding the suitability of this tour for you and any recent changes to accessibility!
The walk up to Hill Inlet Lookout is unfortunately not accessible by wheelchair as there are stairs.
Accessible Sunset Tours
Sundowner Sunset Cruise
Sundowner is the most accessible tour of the Iconic fleet, and welcomes wheelchairs, scooters, prams and other mobility aides! Blessed with a level surface and wide walkways all around the vessel, Sundowner also happens to be the most accessible of all of the sunset cruises that depart from Airlie Beach!
Sundowner offers assisted priority boarding for all passengers with mobility issues, which can help with the small step up required to board the vessel. In addition to this, there is space on board for a limited number of prams and wheelchairs to park up.
Although the bathroom onboard Sundowner was not designed as an accessible bathroom, it is manageable for some, and there are also wheelchair accessible bathrooms at the marina, very close to where the tour departs from.
Accessible Whitsunday Helicopter Tours
Some helicopter tours are semi-accessible. That is, if a person with disability can be transferred from a car to a helicopter seat, the experience is accessible. Explore Whitehaven Beach with a beach picnic, soar over the Great Barrier Reef and make memories to last a lifetime in the vibrant Whitsundays.
Browse our individual helicopter tours, just remember to enquire about each tour regarding accessibility policies as they are often updated and vary.
Is Hamilton Island accessible by wheelchair?
Hamilton Island Air has a disabled toilet facility at the airstrip, and the Reef View Hotel also offers accessibility-friendly room options. However, there is just one accessible room in the whole establishment, so booking ahead is required.
