Rum Runner Liveaboard, Australia
8.6 Fabulous
- Family Cabins
- Aircon Cabins
- Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
“Everything was well organised, the crew knew what they were doing and were super friendly to boot. ”
Highlights
The S.V. Rum Runner Australia is a fantastic, budget-friendly way to dive into the Great Barrier Reef. There are 2 tours available: an itinerary away from the crowds at the Outer Great Barrier Reef or an expedition to dive with sharks at the even more remote Holmes Reef. The classic 1-night tour is perfect for divers, snorkelers, or people who want to try diving in this amazing area. 6 dives are available, including a night dive, meaning you will get the most out of your 2 days on the Great Barrier Reef. The Coral Sea shark-diving trip is a must for the more adventurous diver. Holmes Reef lies 90 miles outside of the Great Barrier Reef, so due to its isolation is home to abundant sharks, large pelagic fish life, and incredible visibility - up to 50m.
The S/V Rum Runner can accommodate up to 16 guests in twin and 4-share single bunk-style berths. Cabins are not spacious or private - more like a multi-share hostel on water, but ideal for resting after diving or snorkeling. Common areas include an open salon, galley, and covered and open deck areas. There are also charging areas for cameras and phones and separate male and female shared bathrooms with hot water showers. All meals are included, but the boat operates a Bring Your Own Alcohol policy - no glass allowed.
Operating dive tours in the Great Barrier Reef since 2005, the Rum Runner liveaboard is perfect for the adventurous diver wanting to explore Australia's Barrier Reef and beyond. Book online today to reserve your space.
Choose your departure date
Included: VAT, National Park Fees, Port Fees, Visas and Fees, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package.
Required Extras: Environment Tax (40 AUD per trip).
Optional Extras: Gratuities, Soft drinks (2 AUD per item), Rental Gear (140 AUD per trip), Scuba Diving Courses (220 AUD), Beach Towels, Cabin Towels, Deck Towels.
Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.
* Extra fees are shown per person.
Pay by bank transfer or online with
Drawings & Vessel Layouts
Cabin Types
Rum Runner Reviews
- 8.6 Fabulous
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Vessel
7.1
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Crew
8.8
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Food
9.2
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Diving
8.9
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Value
9.1
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- 8.8 Fabulous
- Travon C
-
United States
First time fun
Great trip. Friendly staff. Small but comfortable boat. All the dives were very well organized. Overall organization of the trip was excellent.
- Recommended for
- Crew. Guides. Location.
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- 8.4 Very good
- eleanor F
-
United States
Great diving at a low cost
Rum Runner is exactly what it says it is: A very affordable live aboard. No frills here. Good solid food and great diving. Great for someone on a budget who loves to dive.
- Recommended for
- small number of divers. great dive sites. affordable.
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- 7.6 Good
- Morgan W
-
United States
The trip was fun with lots or amazing memories
The experience was well organized and tons of fun. The highlights were for sure the horseshoe dive, the night dive, and the sunset on the water.
- Recommended for
- Small amount of people. Great Barrier Reef. Seeing the stars at night.
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- 8.8 Fabulous
- Taylor Q
-
United States
The most authentic way to see the Great Barrier Reef
I booked this trip looking for a more authentic and communal experience on the Great Barrier Reef and the Rum Runner exceeded my expectations, would 100% recommend to anyone. Because of the size, the passengers and crew quickly became like family. You get to go to a few different dive spots without seeing crowds of other boats or tourists, and seeing the stars at night is so worth the overnight experience. The crew is absolutely fantastic - they make you feel right at home with added benefits of full cooked meals, education and entertainment. They even made each dive feel catered to your skillset. Keep in mind you probably won't sleep very much since the bunks aren't air conditioned (they are comfortable though) and the rules are 3 second showers so be prepared to be a little salty and sweaty, all part of the experience though! Perfect mix of snorkeling and diving which is great for any skill level, and solo or group travelers. This will be one of my favorite experiences in Australia.
- Recommended for
- Amazing crew, opportunity to bond with other passengers, secluded days on the reef!
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- 9.2 Superb
- Amber H
-
United States
Wonderful intimate experience with the GBR
Absolutely the best bang for your buck. This is my second trip to the GBR and I would prefer this experience over the more fancy boats anytime. You loose the Disneyland factor and gain an authentic experience with real people, great instructors and a great adventure. At the end of the day it’s about the diving, and I can’t tell you it was absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to come back and dive with the sharks. I’ll be back!
- Recommended for
- The dive sites, the instructors and the small groups
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- 6.0 Review score
- Mark S
-
United States
Good hosts and food. Very professional. Boat and some equipment need updating
Ask for “The Labyrinth” dice.
- Recommended for
- Good Day 2 selection of dives. Crew worked well together, made us feel at home and kept us on time.
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- 8.4 Very good
- Ananda S
-
United States
A fun adventure!
Music onboard, hot shower after the dive, the rocky boat sleeping experience, the gorgeous fish, coral, and caverns on the reef.
- Recommended for
- 1) Captain PJ with his reef talk and guitar playing, 2) Kate and her excellent breifings, friendliness, and professionalism, and 3) the amazing underwater beauty.
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- 8.8 Fabulous
- Eric D
-
United States
Felt as though we had a real diving experience without unnecessary comforts and distractions.
Improved diving skills, beautiful reefs, interesting conversations with people from around the world.
- Recommended for
- Professional dives, good company, escape from the internet.
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- 9.2 Superb
- robert G
-
United States
Small group experience w family run business
Getting to know Captain Jase, authentic,skilled,and generous. From one green man to annother
- Recommended for
- Hanna,Paige,George
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- 5.2 Review score
- Jan B
-
Germany
If you are a good & independent diver, this would work for you ...
I booked the cheapest available liveaboard. So what do you expect? Obviously it was not a brand new boat - which is finde. Despite being old and run-down, you can still keep things in order. Ropes flying everywhere, things not properly stowed etc. can develop to serious risk, especially during windy and wavy conditions as we had. The crew were friendly and helpful, when asked for help. They did not see problems arising themselves, so were not neccessarily accomodating. The main reason I only gacve 4/5 stars for crew service. However, the boats captain started drinking whiskey/coke mixers from the time, we departed from the harbour (starting ~9 am in the morning). He kept drinking the entire day. He did not seem to be super drunk, yet I witnessed him opening at least 6 drinks (i.e., a can of whiskey/cola); possibly there were even more. On our journey to the reef, we got a some-what ok-ish breefing for how you dive and where equipment was. No repetition of standard hand-signals ("ok", "trouble", "out of air", "form a buddy team" etc.) - only to show how much air is left. At the dive sites, there was literally no briefing. "We anchored here, there is a reef. Enjoy!". In the water, it was even more chaotic. The dive guide did not watch the guests. Individual people went missing and he kept on his dive. Individual people went on solo-dives and no one was concerned or worried. To be fair, I (dive instructor >500 logged dives) did seperate from the group with my buddy, too. However, I think this is unprofessional to not worry about individuals missing at all ... Next, during dives when guests had issues, the dive guide would seldom react or help. For example, one guest had too much air in their BCD and could decend anymore. Standard situation, which is solveable very easily. You can show from a distance how to properly empty the BCD ... The dive guide did not spare a second to worry. The guest kept snorkeling and following us from the durface for >15 min. Last, there was zero service or supervision when entering or leaving the water. We would jump from the 1 - 1.5 m high wall of the ship into the water. No one checked, whether everything went ok. Entering the boat via a ladder was partly challenging (due to weather conditions). No one spared a hand to quickly grab the fins and/or support the guests. Overall experience: If you are an experienced diver and know what you are doing, enjoy the freedom you get. You get to do whatever dive you want. If you are less experienced (I am talking less than 50 or better 100 dives probably), I would not recommend this liveaboard at all !!
- Recommended for
- Freedom to go diving where/when wanted. nothing. nothing.
