We choose Coral Expeditions because it is an Australian company and therefore had a depth of local knowledge and experience. The added bonus was they were launching a new boat, the Coral Adventurer in time for us to join the Broome to Darwin journey. Our total experience was beyond expectation. The boat was luxurious and spacious. There were plenty of places to relax, eat and drink on the outside decks as well as a comfortable lounge large enough to hold us all for group briefings or presentations. The cabin was spacious and had a king size bed. Cabins were serviced at least twice a day and linen and toiletries were top end. Meals were excellent and maintained their standard of high quality, freshness and variety throughout the entire trip despite being in a remote area. The crew, from the Captain down. were incredibly friendly, fun and helpful yet always maintained a professional approach . They all multitasked. including the Captain, which was great to see as there was a real team feeling about the adventure. Expedition staff were well organised with nothing left to chance. Communication about activities and events was clear and consistent. We knew exactly what to expect about every excursion. Expedition staff went out of their way to help everyone on board achieve as much as they wanted in terms of participation in activities and it was all done with a smile and encouragement. Having the 'walk on' tender also was a great help in assisting everyone to take part but the crew was also very helpful in assisting passengers who wanted to take part in the zodiac excursions. Both guest lecturers were excellent and provided interesting insight and further information about the various excursions. The added bonus from the trip as if it wasn't excellent enough was the ability to download trip notes, photos and a video, making it really easy to relieve our brilliant experience. We enjoyed the relaxed feel of the ship; not having to dress for dinner was appreciated. Thank you Coral Expeditions for making this trip so memorable. Read Less

This small ship expedition cruise was absolutely amazing. From embarkation to disembarkation the whole hard working crew could not have been more cheerful and helpful. The new ship has obviously been purposefully designed and it showed. With plenty of well laid out public spaces for the 120 guests it was hard to believe there were so many on board. Our balcony cabin was a good size and immaculate. The food was fantastic and I'd love to get hold of some of those soup recipes. The two 'Explorer' vessels and the ribs meant we all got to visit so many wonderful places in the Kimberley. There was always something available that catered for all abilities with the whole experience enhanced by the wealth of knowledge provided by the expedition leaders & lecturers. The open bridge made us feel even more at home. Thank you so much to all on board who made these first time cruisers feel so welcome and keen to do more of this type of cruising. Read Less

Coral Adventurer was specially build for cruising the rugged Kimberley coast, could go to all the places the smaller boats can go at half the cost and much more comfort. The two explorers were very comfortable,a breeze to get onto,protection from the sun and toilet on board- that was a bonus! Lots of activities and you could do as many or as little as you pleased. The crew were so friendly and helpful, smiles on all their faces, the food was fantastic, great lecturers and loved having an open bridge where you could sit and chat to the Captain. Some of the crew also joined guests for dinner, so interesting to chat to them about there travels. Our cabin was very comfortable, boarding and exiting the ship was a breeze. Nice to have crew line the port to say goodbye. I would like to do another cruise on Coral Adventurer. Read Less

We chose this cruise as they use proper tenders plus zodiacs. They have shade, proper seats and even a loo. The guides were first class and we learnt so much about the land, aboriginal rock art and how the Aborigines lived. The ship took us to the Horizontal Falls which were amazing, we went through in zodiacs. Then the Montgomery Reef which is huge at about 40 kms long. When the tide changes, water pours off as in waterfalls and hundreds of turtles are waiting to catch fish. We saw crocodiles and nurse sharks. Whirlpools were amazing and also the BOAB tree with HMS Mermaid 1820 carved on it near Careening Bay. The lectures were excellent but the cruise was let down by the disorganised hotel side. No breakfast marmalade and it took days before I obtained low fat milk. The staff looked at me as if I had asked for the moon! We were called to dinner long before they were ready for us and food grew cold without proper heating especially stone cold porridge. Surely they could organise hot plates underneath. The food was fairly good and desserts the best part. We have cruised often and feel they have a lot to learn. The carpet in our cabin wasn’t vacuumed often. The dining room was under-staffed and the kitchen too small to cope with so many diners at once. The staff were inclined to chat rather than be efficient. The lecturers, tours etc were first class. No fridge and no TV. Definitely need a fridge. When we were due to embark, we asked if we would get breakfast on board as it was so early. We were told yes. Of course that did not happen. There is no excuse for that. Read Less

This expedition cruise company are first class regarding the education that passengers receive about the plant and animal life we encounter. The pristine beauty of the fish and coral life on the Great Barrier Reef was the highlight of this cruise. The ship is very comfortable and well appointed and due to her smaller size she can access remote places of beauty in marine parks that large ships never could. The dining is 1st class and the crew are very accessible, knowledgeable and professional. I was impressed with the service and the size of our cabin. The shore excursions involved walks to some amazing lookout points on Dunk Island, Fitzroy Island and Lizard Island. Plus of course the drinks and canapes on the beach to watch the sunset. If you have an adventurous spirit and wish to travel with a smaller number of like minded people who are interested in wildlife, conservation, education, fresh air, plenty of activity at any age and wish to do it in comfort, this is the cruise for you. Read Less

In February we enjoyed a fabulous 7-night Tasmanian cruise out of Hobart. It was our third cruise on the Coral Discoverer and it was great to see that the crew keep her in tip top condition. There were quite a few familiar faces in the crew, and all are friendly and welcoming. The cruise documentation states that the itinerary is flexible and will vary according to weather and sea conditions. We saw that flexibility on the first day when we were not able to visit the Huon Valley due to bushfires. The compensation was that we were encouraged to rise early on the first morning and we were treated to a stunning sunrise as we transited Port Davey. Every day was filled with shore excursions meticulously planned by Expedition Leader, Mark. Guest Lecturers, Catherine and Steve, both Tasmanians, gave very interesting short presentations on a wide range of topics. As well as their presentations, Mark, Catherine and Steve were with us on every excursion, sharing their knowledge at every opportunity. Steve lead most of the longer more challenging walks and was great at planning the walks, assessing everyone’s capabilities and limits and supporting and encouraging everyone during the walks. There were some hills to climb, but it was always very satisfying to get to the top and enjoy the stunning views. There were always less strenuous options available such as shorter walks, or a scenic cruise. There is no additional charge for any of the excursions. Some of the highlights of the cruise were the sighting of a pair of endangered orange bellied parrots, frequent dolphin sightings and seeing the amazing fur seal colony on Illes des Phoques at such close quarters. Then there were the cute wombats. Not only did we see lots of them, we discovered that the poo is cube shaped (and why it is cube shaped) and that they can outrun Usain Bolt over 100 metres. We were enthralled with stories of the early explorers and settlers. It was good to listen and pay attention as there was a quiz on the last day. All meals were served in the dining room with breakfast and lunch being hot and cold buffet style. Always plenty of variety. Dinner was 3 course a la carte. There is only a limited selection of dishes on the menu, but the chefs are always willing to be flexible with dishes, you just have to ask. The 2 chefs freshly prepare all meals for the, up to, 72 passengers, using local ingredients wherever possible. Passengers were often popping their heads into the kitchen on the way out of the dinning room to thank the chefs for their meals - how often do you have the opportunity to do that? Evening entertainment was usually DVDs relating to the area that we were travelling through. Most times though, it was early to bed to rest up for the next day's exploration. Much of the area that we visited is wild, remote and inaccessible except by sea. With the Coral Discoverer’s professional crew, we experienced it all in safety and comfort and it will leave lasting memories. We have our next cruised booked already. :) Read Less

We have always wanted to visit Tiwi Islands, Arnhem Land, Torres Strait Islands and the tip of Australia. This trip covered all these places and more. Everyday was an adventure and gave us a greater understanding of Indigenous Australians, the environment and WWII history in this area. We were privileged to have guides onboard who have extensive knowledge of these areas and wonderful connections with the people as well. We visited remote communities, deserted islands and swam and snorkelled in pristine areas of the Great Barrier Reef. This was an exploration cruise, no pool, no shows, no bingo so not suitable for people who cruise for these services. There were 40 odd guests and everyone made an effort to sit with different people at mealtime. Cocktails/drinks watching the stunning sunsets were an afternoon ritual, nothing was too much trouble for the staff and the food was fantastic. By the end of the cruise staff and guests were like one big family with shared experiences. I have never experienced that on a cruise before. I could go on and on about our wonderful experiences but there were so many. We loved it so much we have put in an expression of interest for their Kimberley Cruises in 2020. We do need to save as they are not a cheap cruise but worth every cent. We could not have gained access to many of the places we visited otherwise. Read Less

We thoroughly enjoyed Coral Discoverer and the trip from Darwin to Broome. The whole team were very professional and as we said to the Captain on our departure in Broome the culture of the ship was exemplary – nothing was too much trouble and all went out of their way to make our trip memorable. The itinerary was ‘adjusted’ to take account of tides and weather and while we did not see some of the sites quoted in the brochures we saw others that more than made up for this. We cruised up huge rivers, experienced amazing indigenous art sites, saw ancient sandstone cliffs and walls, went by zodiac through the Horizontal Falls, and had informative explanatory commentary from the knowledgeable expedition leader and from the visiting naturalist. Some of the shipboard lectures were very informative and most evenings there was a relevant movie about the Kimberley, but it was not 'entertainment' a la cruise ship!! Not that we wanted or expected that mind you. Just explaining the rating. We are most satisfied with our decision to go with Coral Discoverer having now reviewed some of the other offerings available with this great experience behind us – the use of the large aluminium tender Xplorer for initial runs off the ship, and then transfers as required to zodiacs was a great way to experience the highlights – of which there were many.A great finish on the last day heading for Broome and almost on cue was a spectacular display by a pod of about twelve whales - the most sustained and beautiful we have ever experienced - serendipitous but very welcome! Not a cheap cruise/expedition by any means but very good value for money for this amazing experience. Read Less

I am a semi retired Master mariner with over 45 years of experience in a a variety of passenger vessels worldwide. I enjoy travelling as a passenger with my wife recently on boutique type cruise vessels. I have no connection with any shipping company,shipping agency or travel agency and write this review purely as an independent tourist accompanied by my wife. We booked a 4 night cruise from Cairns to Cooktown ,Lizard Island and various reefs along the Great Barrier Reef.I have transited the Barrier Reef pilotage many times previously in my seagoing career but wanted a closer look at the reef without the rush of a day trip from Cairns.Coral Expedition 2 appeared to be our only option to achieve this. The vessel is very old and outdated and not suited to cruising in open waters. A catamaran cannot be stabilized as on a mono hull and is far from comfortable in the regular southeasterly conditions that can be encountered on the East coast. the cabins are clean with reasonable size bathrooms.However the dinning room resembles a compact crew mess and is far to small for the number of passengers on this vessel.The buffet style dining for most meals entails squeezing along a line to make your selection.Less memorable were the two evening meals of the table d'hote style.We had to order our meals at lunch time (just like a hospital or boarding school).One meal consisted of two tiny pieces of pork and 4 florets of broccoli and an equally small panna cotta dessert, minuscule and hardly a proper meal and not value for money. The visit to Cooktown was a token 2 hours and hardly long enough to look around.. The reef visits were okay but there is an archaic "safety manifest" for all guests to sign on departure from each stop whether you have left the vessel or not.I was resting in my cabin with the "do not disturb ' notice on the door when i was harassed to sign this silly piece of paper.I realise the vessel doesn't want to leave anyone behind but on the modern ships i have worked there are far less intrusive methods for checking crew and passenger numbers. Having done a similarly priced boutique cruise in the Pacific last year we were totally underwhelmed with our experience.At no stage were we made to feel welcome by the Australian crew and more like a mild inconvenience to them. In conclusion i would not recommend this cruise to anyone as it is not value for money. Read Less

We chose to cruise the Kimberley coast because it is the only way to see this beautiful and unique part of the world. We wanted a small ship that would allow us access to the best areas and a crew that included people with expertise in all aspects of the region. We were looking for lots of onshore activities and pertinent lectures rather than other forms of entertainment. The cruise fitted our expectations in every way. The cruise director and guest lecturers were excellent and the rest of the crew were friendly, helpful and efficient. The chef was a standout - too much excellent food. Although we are seniors, we were able to take part in all activities except one that involved climbing to a swimming area over large rocks with the aid of a rope. However, there was an alternative cruise through the mangroves so nobody missed out. The only possible disadvantage of a small ship is that the crossing of the Bonaparte Gulf can be rocky, although we weren't seasick. We would highly recommend Coral Expeditions I if you are a likeminded traveller. Read Less

Outstanding in every way. Food amazing and much variety. Cree and staff so friendly and helpful. Guest lecturers/guides very knowledgeable and great sense of adventure and fun. Cabin was large and had surprisingly good storage. The activities planned every day were fascinating and varied, and there was still something to do on board for those who was nted a rest. The scenery and other aspects (Aboriginal art, geology, animals and plants) were explained well. Take the helicopter flight and walk to Mitchell Falls if you can. It’s well worth it! The zodiacs were lots of fun and allowed us to get in close or land to see things. This was my first extended cruise and I enjoyed every minute. If you’re prone to seasickness, get meds from your doctor before going. I did and was affected only once at the end on the run through open waters to Darwin. Broome to Darwin direction was s good choice because it’s calm until the end. We went in late June. Read Less

We spent 4 nights sailing around the Great Barrier Reef. Most of the excursions are snorkelling the reef which was absolutely amazing.The ship was very comfortable with good size cabins and nice common areas. The food was very good, well presented and more then enough to eat. The staff were wonderful, very friendly and went out of their way to help. My mother is a weak swimmer and the trip director pull her around with life ring every time we went snorkelling. The staff was very careful to keep an eye on everyone in the water and ready to help you with your equipment. There was glass bottom boat rides as well as snorkelling at each reef. Getting on and off the boat was very easy. This has been my favourite thing we have done on our trip to Australia. I would come back just to do this cruise again. Everything went very smoothly. Highly recommend. Read Less

We chose this cruise to explore the Cape and Arnhem Land. Unfortunately Cyclone Nora decided to have the owners and captain make the decision to cancel the cruise at Horn Island. They are to be congratulated in the way this was done and the way in which they got everyone safely back to Cairns. If we had continued we would have been right in the path of Cyclone Nora and who knows what would have happened. We were offered half the cost of our cruise back or could choose a free cruise from 5 options. We love Expeditions 1 and will be boarding her again in Darwin in October to do our cruise in reverse hence seeing Arnhem Land plus have the opportunity to again explore the coastline and islands from the tip of Australia back to Cairns. Captain and Crew were all excellent and we look forward to cruising with them again. Read Less

This company has cruising to a fine art. If you want to see the Great Barrier Reef, go snorkelling or diving then the staff will do everything to help you fulfill your dream. They have your safety as a priority. You visit a no. of Coral Sea Islands, learn about the fish and coral on the reef. The food is great with buffet lunch and breakfast with a choice for dinner, including a BBQ and seafood night. Morning and afternoon tea are also available. The ship enables you to get to know other passengers. Open dining allow this. The expedition boat accessible from the back deck means no tenders are needed just walk straight on to the expedition boat. It has covering to protect from the sun. As the days are quite active, including hiking on one of the islands, snorkelling, walking and visiting a turtle rehab. centre entertainment apart from movies are not needed, but the lovely lounge is a great place to get together. The top deck provides an excellent area to view the beautiful scenery. Read Less

Having sailed on the Coral Discoverer (previously Oceanic Discoverer) from Darwin to Broome in 2015 our party of six decided to "do it again" ie. enjoy a nice cabin along with great service, friendly staff, great food and drink offerings whilst we sail and view magnificent scenery, visit historic places, walk in wilderness areas, enjoy enlightening talks and films and have a lot of fun in the process. We were not disappointed, Coral Discoveries provided just what we expected plus some, another great holiday. The weather was kind to us as it has been known to worse down south, but that can be the case anywhere on any holiday. This ship has room for 72 people and carries landing craft where you can board and go ashore without getting your feet wet most of the time, The Explorer carries all 72 people on excursions, as well there are a few kayaks available and the larger inflatables for excursions when required. We are looking forward to our next adventure with Coral Discoveries, where? who knows as they go lots of different places.. Read Less

We had long desired to travel to PNG but had a few trepidations. This cruise out of Madang offered an opportunity to engage with traditional village cultures on one of the great rivers of the world. It exceeded all expectations. We stayed at the highly recommended Madang Resort Hotel/Kalibobo Village complex and departed from its private wharf for an overnight voyage west along the coast to the mouth of the Sepik. Twelve varied and fascinating villages were visited on our 300kms voyage upriver and each entranced us with welcoming sing-sings with the villagers performing wonderful and, at times, mesmerising dances. Many billum bags and carvings were for sale at very low prices. There were opportunities to engage with the villagers and many spoke English as it is taught in the schools. School visits, sago production, local cooking, facepainting, garamut drums and sacred flutes enhanced the trip. On board ship to further explain local customs were an anthropologist, a much-revered ex-politician and a Sepik man who also eased our visits to the villages. Our guides and crew were all experienced and highly professional. Our cabin was spacious & very comfortable with its own en-suite. An excellent chef carefully prepared food which was varied, plentiful and tasty. Boarding the tender for our numerous shore visits was simple and safe. The villagers are very welcoming & rich in traditions and culture but cash poor. Take gifts of cotton clothing, balls (tennis, soccer volleyballs), school resources (pencils, exercise books, picture books). Engage with the locals and enjoy a safe, comfortable and fascinating experience which will amaze and delight long after you return home. Read Less

On the strength of a seven day cruise on this small ship (70 passengers max) around the southern coast of New Zealand, we booked for the seven day voyage around the east, south and west coast of Tasmania. It was flawless. the captain, Gary Wilson, and his amazing crew provided us with an extremely comfortable and luxurious haven from which to experience the extraordinary Tasmanian coastline. We had wonderful weather that allowed us a near-perfect sail around to the exquisite Port Davey in Tassie's South West National Park for two nights in this World Heritage wilderness; a pristine and sheltered environment that hopefully will still be here for generations to come. Congratulations to all of those environmentalists over the years who have resisted government and industry attempts to debase such magical places with unnecessary development. Access is strictly controlled and it became clear when we climbed several local hills for panoramic views of the labyrinthine waterways, extending out to the Arthur Range on the blue horizon. For me, this was a highlight of the trip because of the difficulty in even reaching Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour in bad weather. A serene sail across a mirror-smooth Southern Ocean took us up the east coast to Freycinet where regardless of some light rain, we again were able to walk up to another lookout over Wineglass Bay. Then it was onto Maria Island for a dramatic (weatherwise) stroll to the fossil cliffs before an unforgettable sail down the east coast past the highest dolerite cliffs in the world on Cape Pillar -- 300 metres! It was right there that the finale arrived in the form of a 40 knot gale, making scenes of those foreboding cliffs even more dramatic. Another highlight for all of and extremely well handled by our ship, the Coral Discoverer, which again proved her stability in rough seas. We had previously been in nine metre seas on the south coast of New Zealand in this ship and knew of her capabilities. An alternative tour of Port Arthur with an amazing guide who, we suspect, is a Shakespearean actor (or should be) before our departure in Hobart on a fine, clear morning. Overall, a wonderful trip to an unforgettable and unique destination. Highly recommended! Read Less

Great small ship experience sailing the Tasmanian coast. Extremely well organised. Food and guest cabins were above average. Quality of lectures, included excursions and hikes, professionalism of crew were exceptional. Crew were Australian. The captain was a historian. Ship was kept spic and span. Icing on the cake were fellow guests - well traveled, sophisticated but not show-offs, great conversations over meals -- and yes wine and beer included :) We had a cabin on C deck (second least expensive category). Cabin was not luxurious but reasonably spacious. Serviced twice a day. Daily linen change and very good quality linen (I am a stickler). Toiletries were an Australian brand. Good moisturiser (need it for the dry climate). A very different cruise experience - more like a large yacht. Tasmania is beautiful. Straight out a fairy tale. We saw seals, dolphins, wallabies, kangaroos, many different types of birds. Soaring cliffs and white sand beaches. Temperature ranged from cool to chilly. Read Less

We booked this 12 night cruise from Cairns to Papua New Guinea some 18 months before departure. Previously we had used the same company for a cruise from Broome to Darwin. Both cruises are quite expensive. We felt value for money wise and adventure wise that the trip from Broome to Darwin was far superior. On the PNG islands trip "The place time forgot" we felt that it was too much of the same. There was no adventure. I guess we should have given the trip a lot more consideration before going on it. Of course their brochure is a great selling point. All in all, the staff were excellent, the food was excellent but I would not do the trip again as it was not value for money. For example, at over $1000.00 per day for each guest one had to pay $3.00 for a bottle of water. Although there are desalinators on board there is nothing like a bottle of water. I couldn't believe we had to pay this per bottle of water. Quite miserly. We met some great people who also share the same opinion. If one doesn't make these comments future guests are really in the dark. So my advice is to really do your research before committing to this PNG experience. Read Less

Friends had indicated a cruise down the Kimberley coast was one of their best holidays yet. This trip was booked as a round trip from Broome to Darwin by coach and back to Broome by boat through APT/Travelmarvel. Previous experience with this company had proven to provide first class guides, accommodation and travel by boat, coach and train without having to double check each component of my journey. The harsh reality of my experience on Coral Expeditions was a continuous feeling of sleep deprivation and discomfort as a result of the unlivable cabin I had been allocated. (see critique of cabin). At no time had the cruise been described as an Ecological Study Tour . Though the guides were excellent there was no escape from the bombardment of information on fauna, flora, topography, geology and indigenous art and history as day tours were complimented by evening lectures or documentaries on the same. As a result, there was no other form of entertainment or distraction if you chose to stay onboard. I also suffered a fall down a cliff face after a swim in an elevated lagoon. Coral Expedition personnel were responsible for safety however were distracted at the time of my fall even though they were standing on the same ledge I was descending to. As a result I spent 36 hours on my back without any follow-up on my condition. Read Less

We are so pleased we chose to explore this amazing region on the Coral Discoverer, from Darwin to Broome over 10 nights. This is a small expedition ship which had recently been refurbished and it was extremely comfortable both in-cabin and all around the ship. One of the reasons we chose this cruise company was the way they conduct excursions into smaller areas using their ‘X-plorer’ craft - a nifty vessel that can take all passengers into remote, otherwise inaccessible areas in comfort, with shade cover and on-board toilet. ( it can get very hot and you do need to drink a lot of water - so this was very helpful!) Passengers can board the X-plorer craft directly from the ship deck (perfect for mobility impaired travellers) and it is gently lowered into the water and then cleverly lifted back up on return to ship. Other operators seemed to only have zodiacs to do off-ship exploring and we didn’t fancy hours in zodiacs with no shade etc. So luckily we had the best of both worlds - the comfortable X-plorer, and several zodiacs available for even more close-up experiences {like the Horizontal Falls, the Montgomery Reef and Lacepede Islands) The Expedition Leaders and crew were exceptionally good with well planned excursions and information sessions. We enjoyed a great variety of meals, and were very pleased with the attention to special dietary requirements if needed. Special mentions to Expedition Leaders Steve, Tim and Sandy; Udo the Purser and overseer of all dining and on-board experiences; Captain Gary and the expedition crew. The Kimberley region is spectacular and this cruise enabled us to visit areas that would be totally unreachable by any other means - so extremely remote we did not see a single person on land anywhere, other than the people we were travelling with …but lots of crocs, whales, turtles, waterfalls, aboriginal cave art and stunning rock formations and colours. Not to mention spectacular sunrises and sunsets. The Lacepedes with thousands of birds and the sheer serenity and other-worldliness of Montgomery Reef (looks like the moon rising out of the sea as the reef is exposed at low tide) were standouts for us, but the whole region is simply awe-inspiring This cruise went way beyond our expectations and is a very special memory for us. We had cruised quite a bit before - Norwegian Fjords, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Baltic, Adriatic and New England Coast - and this has been our favourite... not sure why we left cruising our own country till so late, but so glad we finally did it! Read Less

Very hard to find with Google. I only found big ships; Coral Expedition (CE) with small boat was the only choice with key words such as "cruise the Great Reef Barrier”. Tougher to find Coral Expedition II (CE) in the Great Reef Barrier on Trip Ad search engine. This may be one reason why so few reviews are published and awardly mixed with Kimberley & Asia cruises comments. Besides, passengers are in majority from old to very old and probably not tech oriented. I must do justice to the exeptional team on my 7 days trip in August 2017. The reservation team: In spite of being a last minute reservation 2 weeks before departure, every inquiry on email were handled immediately by the reservation team as compared to other cruise lines competitors who did not answer to my inquiries. Dawn and Benjamin dealt with my contraints and changing schedules, found 4 + 3 days trip in an upper deck cabin without single supplement, 1st big pleasant surprise. CE kept my luggage at their office and brought it to the terminal at boarding time, which freed an extra day visiting Cairns. 2nd pleasant surprise. Even more exceptional is their after trip care: they wrote to me about forgotten items on my cabin asking for directives on what to do with them ! 3rd surprise. The weather challenge: - Many got sea sick, but it's a trade off for an intimate, small boat with limited number of passengers. It was not an obstacle for my fun. CE is so generous as to depart even when very few people registered. - Dry suits and all gears provided at no charge; I kept them on everytime I got to the ocean so I could last longer. The passengers : - Cons: average age of passengers in my trip was above their 70ies, oldest was 91 yo. In spite of clear warnings from the crew that some activities required a very good physical fitness, some elderlies overestimated their capacity, could not follow and might be limiting factors. I would have preferred a younger, more dynamic and sport crowd to team up with. - Pros: luckily, they were lively, happy, fun, well travelled with experienced to share. The very few young adults were more tensed, avoided eye contacts, nearly hostile or simply shy, but gradually relaxed towards the end of their trip. Packages were either 4 days length (North leg, my favourite) or 3 (South leg), new passengers joined in between; making up your group and bonding was facilitated compared to other formula with passengers joining any day for different trip lengths. The crew: Wonder how CE select their staff with such interpersonal social skills, personality, attitude. Those qualities could not be trained. Maybe all Aussies are as nice, kind and generous ?!? Coral Exp, please keep them happy so they could contaminate us with their strong spirit. 13 staff members multi-talented, with multiple professional expertise and skills, switching tasks and responsibility seamlessly, from captainship to skippers to general maintenance to restaurant assistance and back. Everyone does everything, yet tasks seemed well defined, nothing got overlooked. They knew our names, even though we don't wear our name tag all the time and passengers rotation is every 3 to 4 days. Maintenance team were so efficient and discreet that we don’t get to see them; the rooms were always made up regardless of how many times we used the room and the bathroom, unlike in major hotel chains, 4th surprise. Thanks to Jay, Samy, and Aaron (?). Charlie with a heart of gold provided first aid for an elderly who travelled alone and broke his wrist; they took him to the hospital and back to the boat. Everyone helped him up and down the stairs, in rough sea or for glass bottom boat trips. Carole the purser from France, looked after us. Dany the marine biologist presented the ocean inhabitants like romanced stories or a cartoon characters, each personalized with their funny peculiarity, temperament, specific job in the food chain & in keeping the reefs. Ford, the engineer, is one of the lesser known crew member. He worked round the clock and fixed plumbing, engine, everything maintenance, you name it. Ford has worked for so many years on cruise boats and will tell you about diving in the area and in New Zealand. In the kitchen, Karina and the other chef (forgot his name and lost a point on the trivial pursuit !) did magic with the unreal sea food buffet. I am impressed with the prawn avocado salad; steamed red snaper; Morton Oysters; impossible roquette salad with parmesan, pine nut and pear; prawns marinated in coconut, lemon grass; or seared, Asian style salad, coconut & lemon grass fried scampi, chow mein; lamb racks. I ate so much and wished that one of the meals would be less appealing so my stomach could rest ! I would have loved more Australian fruits on my next trip with you, promised ? Here come the activities: I was not aware of all the land activities, I won't list them all here to leave room for surprises. That makes my 5th surprises. Land activities do not seem to be included in other live board cruises. Bring your sport walking shoes. Picnic, wonderful snorking and kayaking on Lizard Island beach till sun set; the next day mooring there, we went for a 3 hours walk up to the top of Lizard island only for the fittest ones; getting down the same steeped path seemed scary but actually much easier. Stunning views that compensate for the wake up call at 5:00 am. Check the wild orchids; the yellow flower shrubs (similar to the yellow flowers that bloom at the Vietnamese New Year and turn black and red after they ripen) contrasting with the deep blue back ground; the piles of rocks and stone that each visitor is supposed to bring up to the peak of the island. Fish feeding sessions night and day: we were in the water and saw a huge humphead Maori wrasse all blue and green, bigger than me, staring at me. I was scared for nothing as Maori humphead are only kind and curious. Very interesting visit to the very expensive Cooktown sea front; museum entrance fee on your own. Not as many dives as in other liveboard bc of land expeditions. 2 bottom glass trips at each site, for those who don't want to get wet or unfit to swim. Very skilled, precised skippers holding the boat still above interesting spots, positioned aside so to let the sun light gets through; parked the boat of 15 passengers with only one trial on top of the boat lift. Even though I dove and snorkelled, I went on all bottom glass trips to listen to Dany’s explanations, to have a sample of what to expect, then decide if I wanted to snorkle there. We love you Dany ! We were unlucky with the mangrove expedition at high tide. No fauna, birds, crocs visible. Turtle farm very instructive but nothing to see there. My baptism to diving with Ricardo: Con: no dive site layout. I suggest that we have a printed itinerary on the daily new bulletin. Pros: the 1st test dive of my manipulation of the equipment took 30 mn; 2nd dive 11,50 m (= 37”) at Ribbon Reef #3 spectacular, 33 mn; 3rd dive 11.90m, the max allowed 12 m for beginners, 36 mn fabulous. Wordless. In 1st dive, I was alone w Ricci. 2nd, Sami and David got along but followed us autonomously. Saw a cleaning station w neon blue damsels, Nemo the clown fish in ocre and blue collar in and out of anemone. Big yellow fish with brown polka dots under the corals. Huge califlowers bolders, jack fruit, bamboo, clayfish antennae, butterfly fish, no angel fish, yellow trumpet fish with green lines, square black flat fish with yellows stripes, dark blue box with yellow spots. Big bénitiers no colour, probably victims of bleaching. I dreamt, years ago, of swimming with a school of fish friends, no one else, in the deep blue. Dream came true ! We were given feed-backs after every dive. Everybody looked after you so that you set your equipment adequately for your comfort and fun. Colours are dissapointing in the South leg, even under the sun. Without the sun, even the North leg could be blah. Out of my 4 dives, only 2 really did wonders, the 1st being a test dive. You could see as many with snorkling alone, although you will miss out on the tall walls, the deep blue above you, shoals of fishes. Snorkling in Polynesia was much better years ago. While passengers were loading on and off in between the 2 legs of my trip, a visit were organized to Thapukai place, at the foot of Kuranda rain forest. We had to wait for unecessary period of time and missed out on visiting the wonderful facility. We snorkled and dove at Dunk and Lizard Island, Nathan reef, Watson's Bay on Cooks Island ?, Ribbon Reefs 3 and 9 and Escape Island No tip policy in Australia, so I managed to offer small gifts to express my gratitude, which the crew really appreciated. Dropped me off to my after cruise hotel. I did not keep track of all the beautiful details daily and must have missed quite a bunch, so please amplify the pleasure. Thanks to all the team of Coral Expeditions. Go with them ! (same comments posted in Trip Advisor) Read Less

Arguably one of the best holidays we have been on. Starting at the embarkation in Darwin which was like a well oiled machine, greeted with a smile and a "are you excited", it just all fell into place. The ship itself, having just been refurbished was in pristine condition but it was the people, nothing was too much trouble for the crew, daily servicing of the cabin with a turn down at night and it all seemed to happen without us even knowing. Food was a buffet for breakfast with all the usual items, mentioned one morning it would be nice to have poached eggs and next minute there they were. Lunch again was buffet and was probably the least enticing meal of the day but was still more than enough. Dinner on most nights was exceptional, barbecue on the deck was excellent with a huge choice of meats and salads. Just on two nights the meat for dinner was on the tough side but there was more than enough of other items so you did not end up hungry. The shore excursions along this wonderful Kimberley coastline was the highlight though, led by Jamie, Brian and Dave. Safety was the first priority in fact all aspects of shipboard and land adventures were prefixed by safety so cannot speak highly enough of their attention to this. Ian Morris, our guest lecturer, what a man, not only a pleasure to listen too with his knowledge of this area but his involvement with indigenous education and issues added so much to the trip. Negatives, to be honest I would have to be very picky, we had a crew member down so service on some nights waiting to get a drink was a bit slow, but when you have the scenery around you to look at and amiable company to converse with this was only a minor issue. This trip was recommended to us by our neighbours and we would have no hesitation in recommending it to others. Worth every penny. Read Less

One of the most remote and beautiful places in the world The KImberley in Australia's northwestern corner is spectacular The Coral Discoverer is an Australian built ship, flying an Australian flag and carrying an all Australian crew. Friendly, clean and professional they made the cruise a true "bucket list" adventure. It is a long way to get there but worth it The ship goes where there are no roads. 30 toot tides, reefs, sea life from crocodiles to whales. Amazing gorges, waterfalls and landscapes.. Places like King George falls and Montgomery reef, Price Regent and King George rivers will take your breath away. An open bridge policy lets you sit with captain as you navigate amazing waters. Cabins are bigger then average, and comfortable. No TV on this cruise, but you don't need it. Great daily lectures from a knowledgeable staff. Make the effort to do this cruise. You will be happy you did. Read Less

The Kimberley sounded an interesting place to visit and to do it by ship seemed a great idea. As we read the details, the trip sounded more and more interesting. We were lucky enough to get a last minute cancellation, and how lucky for us we did! Our few days in Darwin before the cruise put us into holiday mode. Our first time in Darwin had us wanting to go back again to see more. The half day city tour is fascinating, and well worth the time. We could have spent far more time here, so it's on our list for a revisit at some time. Arriving at the ship was exciting and bustling. We were greeted by friendly faces, had the much needed coffee and started to meet fellow passengers. The ship looked welcoming for our next 10 days. Everything looked, and was, "ship shape"! Our cabin was spacious and much bigger than I expected. We were quickly able to unpack and get into the swing of things. Food on the ship was excellent and plentiful. The service was first class. There was a great programme of activities that had been put together for us and we enjoyed them all! I loved the fact that if you didn't want to go, you didn't have to. Getting onto the tender and off again was a breeze thanks to the brilliant mechanism that made it accessible for everyone. Excursions, lectures and documentaries - there was so much to learn, see and do and we had plenty of fun, too! From getting wet under the waterfall at King George River to watching a blue ringed octopus chase crabs around the rock pool among the corals. I can't think of a bad thing to say about our trip. We tell everyone about it, encouraging them to go. Thanks to everyone on Coral Discoverer - we had a ball and we'll be back. Read Less