Whitsundays

The Whitsundays are situated in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef on the north-east coast of Australia. They consist of 74 tropical islands scattered amid coral reefs and deep waters. The islands, discovered by Captain Cook in 1770, make up the largest offshore island chain on Australia's east coast.

The beautiful waters provide excellent cruising grounds as they are protected by the natural barrier created by the Great Barrier Reef.

There are facilities, known as Reefworld, on the Outer Reef, which provide easy access for passengers to experience this World Heritage area.

Reefworld is Australia's most sophisticated, permanently anchored offshore platform, where guests can see and experience some of the most beautiful coral formations and spectacular marine life on the Queensland coast.

Cruise ships in the Whitsundays have the choice of anchoring at a number of designated anchorages. These anchorages are serviced by high-speed catamarans. This allows passengers access to a range of activities.

From the anchorage at Cid Harbour, passengers can access Hamilton Island or undertake other tours by catamaran.

It is possible to access both Reef World and Cid Harbour in the one day by anchoring at Reefworld in the morning and then proceeding to Cid Harbour. The destination has serviced many cruise ships including the QEII, Vistafjord, Nieuw Amsterdam, Royal Viking Sun, Sky Princess, and Crystal Symphony.