Booking choice: The Great Barrier Reef cruise, from $229 per person. Check dates Tour details
For years the standard outer-reef day from Airlie Beach ended at Reefworld, Cruise Whitsundays' pontoon on Hardy Reef. That changed this winter. Reefworld now sleeps guests on the reef and nothing else, and the day cruise ties up at the Heart Pontoon instead.
Here is what moved, what stayed the same, and what you pay on top of the ticket.
The quick answer
From 20 July 2026 Reefworld is overnight-only, for Reefsleep and Reefsuite guests. Cruise Whitsundays' full-day reef trip now goes to the refurbished Heart Pontoon, also on Hardy Reef, with about 4 hours at the reef, snorkel gear, an underwater observatory and a semi-sub. Heart Reef itself is seen from the air only. The Reef charge is AUD 8.50 per full day in 2026 and AUD 9.00 from 1 April 2027.
What changed at Reefworld in July 2026?
Reefworld became an overnight-only pontoon on 20 July 2026. Day visitors were moved to the Heart Pontoon, which had just reopened after a refit.
Travel Weekly put it plainly: "Reefworld now operates only as an overnight pontoon, exclusively for Reefsleep and Reefsuite guests." Reefsleep means sleeping on deck in one of 16 four-poster reef beds. Reefsuites are underwater rooms. Overnight guests get the whole pontoon to themselves from sunrise to sunset, with no day crowd sharing it.
Day trippers lost nothing in reef terms. The Heart Pontoon reopened in July 2026 after a refit with more deck space, more shade, a bigger underwater observatory and new furniture. It sits on the same reef, about 39 nautical miles out from Airlie Beach.
| Before 20 July 2026 | From 20 July 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Reefworld | Day trips and overnight stays | Overnight only (Reefsleep, Reefsuites) |
| Heart Pontoon | Closed for refurbishment | Cruise Whitsundays day trips |
| Reef | Hardy Reef | Hardy Reef (unchanged) |
| Time at the reef | About 4 hours | About 4 hours |
| Departure | Port of Airlie, Hamilton Island | Port of Airlie, Hamilton Island |
What does a day on the Heart Pontoon look like now?
A long one: about 10 hours door to door from Airlie Beach, with roughly 3 hours on the boat each way and 4 hours at the reef.
You check in at the Cruise Whitsundays Maritime Terminal at the Port of Airlie, where the check-in feels like a small airport. The catamaran runs out through the islands, then across open water to Hardy Reef. Cruise Whitsundays says the run takes about 3 hours from Airlie, depending on the sea, and about 2 hours from Hamilton Island.
At the pontoon you get snorkel gear, a stinger suit or wetsuit, the underwater observatory and a guided semi-sub ride, plus morning tea, a buffet lunch and afternoon tea. Master Reef Guides run the talks. Guided snorkel safaris, scuba dives and helicopter flights cost extra and are paid on the day. The cruise does not stop at Whitehaven Beach. If you want sand and snorkelling in one day, the Ocean Rafting day is the better fit.
Our take: the Heart Pontoon day is for people who care about the outer reef more than anything else. Seasick-prone? Take a tablet before the open-water leg, not after.
| Part of the day | What happens | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
| Check-in | Maritime Terminal, Port of Airlie | Morning |
| Cruise out | Through the islands, then open water | About 3 h (2 h from Hamilton) |
| At Hardy Reef | Snorkel, observatory, semi-sub, lunch | About 4 h |
| Cruise back | Afternoon tea on board | About 3 h |
| Total | Port of Airlie and back | About 10 h |
A full day on Hardy Reef from the Port of Airlie: snorkel gear, stinger suit, semi-sub and observatory included. Free cancellation up to 2 days before.
Explore the Great Barrier Reef cruise Tour detailsCan you see Heart Reef from the Heart Pontoon?
No. Heart Reef cannot be visited by boat, snorkelled or dived. You see it from the air, on a scenic flight or a helicopter flight.
The name causes a lot of confusion. Heart Reef is a small heart-shaped coral formation within Hardy Reef, found by a local pilot in 1975, and it is protected. Tourism Whitsundays is clear that you cannot snorkel or dive there and that it is best seen from above.
On a pontoon day, the paid helicopter flight is the way up. From Airlie Beach, the Heart Reef scenic flight covers Heart Reef, Whitehaven and Hill Inlet in about an hour, with a window seat for everyone. It costs a little more than the reef cruise and takes a fraction of the day.
One hour over Heart Reef, Whitehaven and Hill Inlet, window seat guaranteed.
Check dates for the Heart Reef flightHow much is the Reef charge in 2026?
AUD 8.50 per person for a full day on the reef in 2026, and AUD 4.25 for a part day under 3 hours. It rises to AUD 9.00 and AUD 4.50 on 1 April 2027.
The Environmental Management Charge is set by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and collected by the tour operator. It pays for managing the Marine Park. Check your booking: some operators fold it into the price, others add it at check-in. Children under 4 are exempt, and you pay only once per day even if you join a second operator.
| Visit | Until 31 March 2027 | From 1 April 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Full day (3 h or more) | AUD 8.50 | AUD 9.00 |
| Part day (under 3 h) | AUD 4.25 | AUD 4.50 |
| Children under 4 | Free | Free |
Does the GetYourGuide listing still say Reefworld?
Yes, the listing text still describes Reefworld. The day cruise you book goes to the Heart Pontoon on Hardy Reef.
Listings lag behind operations. The Great Barrier Reef Adventure Cruise still mentions Reefworld, 39 nautical miles offshore, but since 20 July 2026 Cruise Whitsundays runs this day to the Heart Pontoon. Same company, same reef, same inclusions: snorkel gear, semi-sub, observatory and lunch.
One rule is stricter than on most Whitsundays trips. Cruise Whitsundays allows free cancellation up to 2 days before, not 24 hours. Plan around that if your dates might move.
What is the new Cruise Whitsundays catamaran for 2027?
A 36 m multi-deck catamaran joining the fleet in 2027, part of a AUD 40 million investment in the region that also paid for the pontoon refit.
According to Global Travel Media, the new boat and the Heart Pontoon refit both sit inside Cruise Whitsundays' AUD 40 million spend. Travel Weekly describes indoor and outdoor seating, an open upper deck with a viewing platform, and a reserved area for Reefworld overnight guests.
No exact start date has been announced. If you travel in 2026 or early 2027, expect the current fleet.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still do a day trip to Reefworld?
No. Since 20 July 2026 Reefworld is overnight-only, for Reefsleep and Reefsuite guests. Cruise Whitsundays day trips go to the Heart Pontoon on Hardy Reef.
Is the Heart Pontoon at Heart Reef?
It is on Hardy Reef, the reef system that contains Heart Reef, but you cannot reach Heart Reef by boat or snorkel there. You see it from a helicopter or a scenic flight.
How long do you get at the reef on the Heart Pontoon day?
About 4 hours, with roughly 3 hours of cruising each way from Airlie Beach, or about 2 hours from Hamilton Island.
Is the Reef charge included in the tour price?
It depends on the operator. The 2026 charge is AUD 8.50 per person for a full day, rising to AUD 9.00 on 1 April 2027. Check your booking for whether it is added at check-in.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation on every option, up to 24 hours or 2 days before depending on the operator. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Great Barrier Reef Adventure Cruise
A pontoon on Hardy Reef, 39 nautical miles out. No Whitehaven
Whitsunday Islands & Heart Reef Scenic Flight
The only way to see Heart Reef: from the air
Ocean Rafting: Snorkel, Hill Inlet & Whitehaven
- Guided national park walk to the Hill Inlet lookout (north option)
- Over an hour of snorkelling, gear and stinger suit
- Lunch on the beach, morning and afternoon tea
