Spoilsport Review

Diving Squad Rating:

 9.9/10

9.9 / 10

The award winning Spoilsport is renowned for her wide selection of incredible diving safaris which have cool themes and visit some of the most off the beaten track dive sites of the Great Barrier Reef.

There’s a great social vibe onboard and cabins to suit every style and budget. In my opinion, Spoilsport is the very best great barrier reef liveaboard out there.

Great for: Unique Dive Trips, Underwater Photographers, Beginners, Experienced Divers, Social Vibes, Value for Money

Trip Lengths: 4 – 8 days

Max Guest Capacity: 28

Operates: All year

Review:

The first reason this is my favourite Great Barrier reef liveaboard is the insane variety of itineraries on offer, including shark photography trips, turtle safaris, macro shoot outs, and even Minke Whale themed trips.

For the “Fly Dive Cod Hole”, “Fly Dive Minke Whale” safaris and “Ultimate Minke Whale Expedition”, you only need your open water cert, which makes these options great for beginner divers.

Many routes explore the north and central Ribbon Reefs as well as Osprey Reef – these areas are very rarely visited and offer pristine coral reef, devoid of other divers. Indeed, the only other liveaboard to regularly venture to these areas, is Spirit of Freedom.

For the truly adventurous, check out the far northern trip or Yongala Expedition!

The next great standout feature of Spoilsport, is that she offers superb value for money. Whereas most liveaboards offer 3 dives a day, Spoilsport offers 4 or even 5 dives on most days!

Guests will enjoy frequent night dives (usually one a day), in addition to wreck, drift, deep, macro and wall dives whilst also partaking in exciting land excursions and snorkelling.

The highly experienced crew create a friendly, fun-loving and safe atmosphere. One is a naturalist guide and will give fantastic briefings of the marine life you encounter.

You especially get to see the crew shine at the Australian BBQ karaoke party! Do remember to bring your “loudest tropical shirt” ;).

Photographers will appreciate the camera station with charging stations and separate rinse for u/w cameras.

Nitrox is available to certified divers and you can also complete dive courses throughout the trip or even hire your own private dive guide at an additional fee.

For relaxation between dives, there’s a spacious lounge with an air conditioned bar and large plasma tv as well as an epic sundeck with sunbeds and panoramic views.

For those prone to sea sickness, a twin hull design increases stability whilst reducing onboard motion.

There’s 4 different cabin types to cater to every budget. All cabins have individually controlled air conditioning and standard and premium cabins have ocean view windows.

Spoilsport is one of the most spacious liveaboards to operate at the Great Barrier Reef, and offers the most variety in terms of dive trips.

She’s not the cheapest option (for this choose Ocean Quest or Rum Runner) but she does offer the absolute best bang for your buck when it comes to daily dives – plus, she explores the most distant and rarely visited regions of the Great Barrier Reef.

Guest Reviews:

"My first dive trip so the service from the staff was great! Very helpful and I learned so much. Everything was provided for us. We just relaxed and dove. Excellent discussion of coral reefs prior to one dive."

"I was at the great barrier reef in the late 1980s and it was amazing. A direct comparison between now and then difficult because we went to different sites but The Great Barrier Reef appears to be alive and healthy. The food was amazing and wonderful and the staff went to great lengths to provide whatever assistance you needed in diving or onboard."

"Saw Minke Whale 3 days in the 8D7N expedition. Some excellent diving sites e.g. lighthouse bommie. Rough sea due to strong wind but trip is comfortable because of excellent crew and food. Cabin is above average with adequate storage space for luggage and good air conditioner. Very detail dive briefing, making unguided dive not a problem. They also provide two complimentary guided dive per day for those that need them. Professional organisation on dive deck. Bonus information on marine life and minke whales from researcher on boat. Provide drop off service in Cairns area."

Daily housekeeping
Warm water showers
Non-smoking rooms
Outdoor dining
Snorkeler friendly
BBQ Area

Vicky H from the United States said:

“So many beautiful Nudis! Loved hunting for those. Enjoyed some picturesque diving at Steve’s Bommie, Pixie Pinnacle and Coral Gardens. Additionally, we were able to snorkel with curious Minke Whales (4x!) all while having access to a knowledgable Minke Whale Project researcher named Suzanne.

The crew went out of their way to accommodate the guests wants and needs and the food and beverages on board were fantastic and plentiful.

The chef, Joe, made some delicious breads and the best brownies I’ve ever eaten. Meals were creative and presented beautifully.

The program director, Kerrin, did a fabulous job keeping everything running smoothly and was a friendly, accomadating host. Nicole went out of her way to help out the guests in any way possible. She definitely appeared to be the hardest working crew member on board.

Captain was a great entertainer and overall hoot! Was neat to have Julia, the photographer, on board and she provided lots of guidance for the camera I rented as well as some interesting facts about marine life. Joe and Newie were helpful on the dive deck and Shakira was an absolute cheery delight to be around.

The only criticism I have is that the informational talks at night were a bit dry and there were a few times I needed help gearing up for dives and no one was available. Otherwise, I had a great time, some great dives and would highly recommend this livaboard to anyone wanting to have an unforgettable time on the Great Barrier Reef.