Cabins
A range of spacious and comfortably appointed air-conditioned cabins, each containing their own private bathrooms are available. All cabins are serviced daily. The cabins that have a TV/DVD with movie hard drive are perfect to share with a non-diving partner.
Ocean View Deluxe
Found on the top deck, this cabin features air-conditioning, a double bed and a 26” flatscreen TV/DVD with movie hard drive.
Ocean View Standard
Also located on the top deck, this cabin features air-conditioning, a double bed as well the previously mentioned 26” flatscreen TV/DVD with movie hard drive.
Stateroom
The Stateroom is situated on the lower deck and features a luxurious queen sized bed. It also offers air-conditioning, and a 26” flatscreen TV/DVD with movie hard drive.
Double/Twin Share
These 6 cabins are located on the lower deck and offer assorted bedding variations such as double and single or double only.
Quad Share
These two cabins are found on the lower deck and feature 4 single beds in bunk bed style.
Dining
The chefs aboard the Spirit of Freedom provide delicious meals and can cater to specific dietary requirements with a bit of advanced notice. Four meals are offered each day and they include continental breakfast followed by a cooked breakfast after the first dive of the day. In between dive snacks are offered as well. Tea, coffee and fountain water are always available for self service. Australian wines and soft drinks are served complimentary with the evening meal. Outside of this time we operate a ships bar with beer, mixed drinks, wine selection. Drinks can be placed on a tab for payment at the end of your trip.
Common Areas
The top deck is a great place to relax between dives, with undercover and open areas containing timber tables, chairs, comfortable lounge seating and sun-lounges. Here you can relax with a book, take a quick snooze, catch some sun rays, or share stories of the marine life you encountered on the last dive. The top deck is also a great place in the evening, where you can enjoy a quiet drink or get together with fellow divers. During your trip, at least one alfresco BBQ dinner on the top deck is always planned.
The dining saloon in the center of the vessel serves as a meal area, briefing area, theatre room and general meeting place. All guests can be comfortably seated in this room. The 42 inch wide screen TV is often the focus of attention for briefings, movies or documentaries, or the trip slide show. This is also an area that many people use to work on their laptops, and with wireless internet available (when in range), this is a great place to send emails home about your day’s diving adventures.
Another great place for chilling out and relaxing, the forward lounge has comfortable couch seating and beanbags. Here you will find a coffee machine, tea selection and hot water, library – including marine reference books, DVD library, Flat Screen TV & DVD.
The Dive Deck
The dive deck contains individual stations for 26 guests with dry storage above and a storage box under for every 2 divers. Air and Nitrox whips allow tanks to remain in their rack, supplying air and Nitrox at 32%. Aluminum tanks (12 litre/80 cubic feet) are supplied but they also have 10.5 litre (65 cubic ft) tanks for smaller guests. For photographers there is a separate camera wash tub, camera table and air gun on the back deck. There is also a work station provided in the forward lounge, with 240V and 110V outlets for charging, and laptop computers for downloading.
Fresh water showers are located aft of the dive deck, and deck towels are provided after each dive. Dive rental equipment is available for rent including 3mm and 5mm wetsuits. Most of the dives will be directly from the main boat, with the reef either below or a short swim away. Access to the water is via a short set of stairs to a water level transom at the stern of the vessel. On a drift dive you may dive from the dive tender and drift back to the main boat. Re-entry to the boat will be via dive ladder where a crewmember will assist you back on board.
Diving
As a guest on board the Spirit of Freedom you may with your buddy to your pace and interests with no set limits on time, depth or style of diving outside of normal sale diving practices. An orientation dive is offered on the first dive and a safety instructor will be in the water on most dives, should you prefer to dive with the crew.
The Ribbon Reefs surrounding the Great Barrier Reef support a huge range of biodiversity from the giant clam with its violet fluorescent interior, to the vividly red flame file shell and the elusive leafy scorpion fish. Reef formations include beds of huge plate corals, isolated pinnacles crowned in delicate corals and anemones, walls, channels, caves, canyons and shallow coral gardens. Warm, sheltered waters and usually little current, make the Ribbon Reefs a great dive destination for divers of any experience level, while the diversity of marine and macro life provides endless subject matter for photo enthusiasts.
Beyond the continental shelf that harbors the Great Barrier Reef, lies Australia’s Coral Sea which covers which over 1 million square kilometers. Pelagic fish populations abound here including grey whalers and white tip reef sharks, hammerheads, tuna, barracuda, big eye trevally, mackerel and manta rays. Rare sea creatures such as the Nautilus and Lacey Scorpionfish inhabit these waters, alongside an incredibly diverse range of corals, including massive soft corals and gorgonian fans far from land, with the sea floor far below, the Coral Sea is also known for its blue clear waters and underwater visibility, which ranges between 30 and 100 meters. In Far North Australia, during the months of June and July, divers may have the opportunity to interact with Dwarf Minke Whales in the warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
Night diving is available on every Spirit of Freedom dive tour, and is a great opportunity to observe different marine life and different behaviors. Depending on the length of your tour and the season, you will be offered between one and three night dives.
Solo diving is not allowed, except for guests who are certified solo divers. Clearance with Spirit of Freedom management must be arranged prior to your arrival and you must bring your own pony bottle.
Itineraries