Spoilsport Liveaboard, Australia

Name: Coral Sea & Cod Hole Expedition (Cairns - Cairns)
Start: 2026-08-06
End: 2026-08-11
Location: Australia

9.3 Superb

Nitrox available
Naturalist Guide
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers

from $ 399 / day Check dates

“Great crew who attended to every detail of comfort, safety and service with high professional standards.”
BRIAN D, Australia

Highlights

Australia’s most awarded liveaboard dive boat
Twin hull design to increase stability and reduce motion onboard
Swim with dwarf minke whales in June & July

The MV Spoilsport liveaboard is an award winning vessel which was custom built to explore the uncrowded dive sites of the Coral Sea. The twin hull design of the boat increases stability making for smooth sailing year-round. On board there are 4 cabin standards to cater to differing budgets, from the budget cabins with twin bunk beds to the premium cabins with double beds and ocean views.

The on board dining experience includes chef prepared meals with freshly sourced produce from sustainable resources from both land and sea. A wide variety of dietary requirements can be catered to, including vegetarian and vegan, which are served at the indoor salon and dining room. There is a large sun deck on the upper deck with a partially shaded area and comfortable loungers.

Guests can enjoy world-class diving on the Great Barrier Reef and in the Coral Sea with the Spoilsport Australia. Itineraries include the 5-night Coral Sea & Cod Hole trip, the 6-night Yongala & Coral Sea trip for adventure diving the SS Yongala Wreck; Wheeler, Holmes & Flinders Reef, 3, 4 & 7 night fly dive expeditions as well as the limited minke whale trips.

Call us or book online today to start planning your Coral Sea dive liveaboard aboard the Spoilsport yacht.

Please note that the 3 and 4 night itineraries can be extended to 7 night trips.

Choose your departure date

Date

Itinerary

Price

Select

18 Jun

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,026

FULL

18 Jun

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,464

FULL

22 Jun

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,790

FULL

25 Jun

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,026

FULL

25 Jun

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,464

FULL

29 Jun

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,790

FULL

02 Jul

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,026

FULL

02 Jul

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,464

FULL

06 Jul

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,790

FULL

09 Jul

5 Days / 4 Nights

$ 2,026

FULL

09 Jul

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,464

FULL

13 Jul

4 Days / 3 Nights

$ 1,790

FULL

Included: VAT, Port Fees, Local Flights, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Wine with Dinner, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Land Excursions, Naturalist Guide, Cabin Towels.

Required Extras: Fuel Surcharge (20 AUD per night), National Park Fees (8 AUD per day).

Optional Extras: Dive Insurance, Travel Insurance, Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Nitrox (30 AUD per day), Nitrox Course (310 AUD per item), Private Dive Guide (350 AUD per activity), Rental Gear (44 AUD per day), Scuba Diving Courses (280-310 AUD per item), Snorkel Gear.

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

Best Price Guaranteed

Boat features

Naturalist Guide
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers
Air Conditioned saloon
Sun Deck
Camera Station
Seaview Cabins
Non-Smoking Rooms
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
Indoor Saloon
Outdoor Dining
Observation Deck
BBQ Area
Available for Charter
Local & International Crew
Separate Rinse for u/w Camera
Leisure Deck
Daily housekeeping
Naturalist Guide

Food & Drinks

Free Wine w/Dinner
Vegan Options
Vegetarian Options
Beer available
Wine Available
Full-board Option
Fine Wines Selection
Buffet style
Western Food
Local Food
Set Menu Dinner

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.

Diving

Nitrox available
Shaded Diving Area
DIN Adaptors
Tech diving
Rebreather Support
Rinse Hoses
Dive deck
Tenders for diving
Sidemount Diving

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English.

Gear Rental

Equipment is available for rent on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. If the rental gear is not included in the price, you will need to pay for it on board the boat. Show prices

Drawings & Vessel Layouts

Cabin Types

Boat Specifications

Year built: 1990

Year renovated: 2014

Length: 30 meters

Beam: 10.5 meters

Top speed: 15 knots

Cruising speed: 10 knots

Engines: 2 x 354 KW Detroit 60 series

Max guests: 28

Number of cabins: 14

Number of bathrooms: 14

Tenders: 2 inflatables

Water capacity: 8000 liters

Fuel capacity: 12'000 liters

Freshwater maker: 10'00 liters per day

Boat navigation and safety

Radar
GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
E.P.I.R.B. Distress System
Emergency Rafts
Life Vests
Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
Oxygen
First Aid Kits
Satellite & mobile phones
Bilge pump alarm
Search light
Crew trained in first aid
Emergency flares

Spoilsport Reviews

9.3 Superb

Vessel

8.9
Crew

9.3
Food

9.8
Diving

9.4
Value

8.9

10 Exceptional
Rowen T
Australia

World class diving
Excellent trip on Spoilsport - diving was amazing, crew was awesome and food was beautiful! Loved that there was an ecologist on board and BBQ night
Recommended for
Diving. Food. Crew.
23 May, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Stefan M
Germany

Great diving experience at Great Barrier Reef
We had an amazing trip! The boat was excellent and the crew was incredibly friendly. We have been on many liveaboards, but we’ve never seen such a high level of safety precautions and professional care—it was truly impressive. Also, the "open deck" diving mode is unique and made the whole experience effortless. Highly recommended.
Recommended for
Friendly & Professional Crew. Open Deck Diving. Safety First.
16 Apr, 2026

10 Exceptional
Trang N
United States

Outstanding crew
The most attentive and hardworking crew you could ever ask for.
Recommended for
Outstanding crew. Amazing food. Great dives.
10 Jan, 2026

10 Exceptional
Markus F
Germany

Can't get any better
Great dive sites with perfect care all around
Recommended for
Kindness. Comfort. Catering.
28 Sep, 2025

Translated from German

10 Exceptional
Brooke B
United States

Amazing
I loved the crew! They were very friendly! The food we had on board was also great! The dives were always exciting and we always had a guide available if needed!
Recommended for
The dives, the living space, and the crew
16 May, 2024

10 Exceptional
Eli R
United States

Open deck diving with an awesome crew that makes the diving.
Diving in the middle of nowhere with no crowds just us. Excellent hard coral everywhere, beautiful color and natural lighting. Liveaboard with a crew for detail and open deck diving. Epic distance covered.
Recommended for
Exploration to new sites. Excellent crew with attention to detail. Liveaboard built for diving first.
15 Dec, 2025

10 Exceptional
David F
United Kingdom

Cod hole 3 nights
I honestly had a great time, the crew and fellow divers were really friendly and it was a really safe and fun environment to do the dives! All of the locations offered something different - I’d recommend it to anyone!
Recommended for
The diving, the crew and the food!
20 Oct, 2023

10 Exceptional
Brian V
United States

These memories will last a lifetime and will always be at the top of the list!
My trip was full of amazing people and experiences! The scuba diving was safe and exciting. The boat (Spoilsport) was clean, well staffed with amazing food every meal. The crew were warm and friendly, extremely helpful and kept everyone very involved in the process.
Recommended for
The friends I made on the trip, the scuba diving and crew, the amazing food!
30 Oct, 2018

9.6 Exceptional
Dinin L
United States

Retired
Crew's genuine caring and enthusiasm throughout every aspect of trip. Food was excellent and varied. Everything geared towards enhancing your diving experience. Diving was amazing!
Recommended for
Crew friendliness and professionalism, excellent food, superior dive sites
05 Apr, 2017

10 Exceptional
Mark M
United States

Excellent!
The dives and the friendly, efficient crew. The captain was excellent!
Recommended for
Dive sites, food, service
15 Jun, 2022

222 reviews

9.3 Superb
222 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

9.6 Exceptional
TAKASHI H
Japan

Diving paradise
The diving style followed the basic buddy system, and each dive lasted about an hour, which allowed me to take my time observing and photographing marine life. We did up to five dives a day, making it an ideal experience for anyone who can’t get enough of diving. During the surface intervals, I also flew my drone and captured the stunning scenery of the Great Barrier Reef. It truly was a perfect holiday.
Recommended for
Wonderful meal. Cheerful and friendly staff. The diving activities are carried out with a strong focus on ensuring safety..
27 Jan, 2026

9.2 Superb
Russell H
United States

Spoilsport crew took great care of us!!!
The variety of each of the dive sites. The night dives were fantastic with lots of sharks and trevally coming out to feed. The vast diversity of the fish and coral species.
Recommended for
Helpfulness of the crew, amazing dive sites and the boat's amenities.
13 Dec, 2016

9.6 Exceptional
Mei G
Australia

Most amazing trip ever!
I can’t put into words how amazing this experience was. It was my first liveaboard and it was so incredible! Everything about it. The crew were so fantastic. They were absolute pros and the focus on safety was second to none.
Recommended for
Amazing crew. Food. Great group.
23 Sep, 2025

10 Exceptional
Roy H
United States

Best of the Best!
The small plane flight to Lizard Island was awesome! The top notch sites were thrilling. Spoil-Sport was designed for divers and was so easy to use. Night dives were amazing. All the Sharks, and other incredible fish. Bring your camera. Going back again.
Recommended for
STAFF! STAFF! STAFF! I received more scuba training from our guides than in certification classes. The hostesses and helpers would not let us lift a finger. Dive master always on helpful lookout.
17 Mar, 2018

10 Exceptional
Tobias R
Germany

Great Vessel, Crew, and Dive Sites
Mike Ball Diving Expeditions puts great focus on keeping everybody safe and happy. The briefings before every dive were excellent and eased navigation during unguided dives a lot. The Crew is both highly qualified (in their particular field of expertise) and entertaining. The food was exceptionally good, the cabins and the vessels in general are clean and spacious, and the dive sites were just amazing. Certainly recommended!
Recommended for
Food, Briefings, Dives
14 Jan, 2016

10 Exceptional
Bozena B
Poland

I was speechless in front of such amazing underwater life.
I was surprised that not every dive was guided, but it was nice to dive in my own speed and plan.
Recommended for
Selfnavigation undervthe water after exellent dive breefing. Food. Friendly atmosphere.
03 Oct, 2025

10 Exceptional
Dana C
United States

Fabulous Experience
We had so gorgeous dives and were so happy with our experience. The crew took every step to go above and beyond and really made the trip a spectacular one. We will absolutely book with Mike Ball in the future.
Recommended for
Crew, Quality of Diving, Food
19 Jun, 2017

9.6 Exceptional
Hector Alastair I
United Kingdom

Superb trip to Coral Sea and barrier reef.
We had an excellent trip onboard Spoilsport, Kieran and crew were all very helpfully and the food was the best we've had on a Liveaboard. Dive sites chosen were all great and the fact that we were the only dive boat on the sites made it even better.
Recommended for
Excellent food. Great Crew. Very good diving.
27 Aug, 2024

10 Exceptional
Gerald B
Canada

Fantastic in every way!
Staff were very professional. Very impressed with commitment to procedures and safety. Experience excellent in all respects. Highly recommended.
Recommended for
Professionalism, Great Staff, Great Hospitality
11 May, 2016

10 Exceptional
Wade W
United States

Mike Ball Go to FOR PERFECTION
After 22 years of diving this was best trip of all. Safety. Signing. Great diving. Humor. Amazing food and drink
Recommended for
SKIPPER. Dwarf Whales. Mel keeping me hydrated.
12 Jul, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Erin O
Canada

Perfect once in a lifetime Minke Whale trip
The Minke Whales were the highlight of course. But I also enjoyed the BBQ on the last night and how organized and smoothly everything ran.
Recommended for
Beautiful Diving. Amazing staff. Great food.
15 Jul, 2025

10 Exceptional
Ben L
United Kingdom

Brilliant trip, great staff, awesome dives, superb boat
- Shark feed and dives on Osprey reef - Fantastic weather and diving conditions - Excellent boat, all cabins clean and tidy, beds comfortable, fresh towels whenever requested. - Great food, like eating in a restaurant for all meals - Brilliant staff, all exceedingly friendly and happy to help no matter the time of day or night. Very professional and made the diving feel really easy and extremely safe.
Recommended for
great staff, awesome dives, superb boat
24 Jan, 2017

10 Exceptional
Sidney N
Australia

Awesome
All of It!
Recommended for
Service, dives, quality of everything (food, comfort, staff...)
12 Apr, 2016

8.4 Very good
Alan Y
Canada

Enjoyable gateaway
Enjoyed my 5 day liveaboard, although it was a bumpy ride on the first and last day of the trip. The boat is old although it is kept in a good shape and you can tell that it is properly maintained. There was always plenty of food and it was fairly tasty. We had 4-5 dives per day which is more than enough.
Recommended for
Reefs. Night dives. Dive Instructor.
21 May, 2026

9.2 Superb
Linda H
Australia

Thoroughly professional and enjoyable experience.
This was my first liveaboard experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The crew were so helpful and answered all my questions thoroughly. Nothing was too much trouble.
Recommended for
Safety and attention to detail.. Friendly and helpful crew. Great food.
03 Oct, 2025

9.2 Superb
Shawn A
United States

Amazing experience
Definitely spending time on the whale lines watching the minke whales. The shark feed dive was awesome and the wall dive that was next to the shark feed was equally good. Potato cod, sea turtles, sea snakes, and eagle rays were other highlights of the trip. The crew was also really great, they were fun and friendly and were just as excited as the guests were when spotting whales or talking about the dives. I would recommend this trip to any serious diver.
Recommended for
Whales, Shark Feed, the Crew
12 Sep, 2018

9.6 Exceptional
Ray S
United States

Amazing trip!
The crew of the Spoilsport ran a very professional, well-organized and diverse diving experience. The trip went above and beyond our expectations. The sites and dive masters catered to divers of all levels and put safety first. Guides were available to point out unusual sights/species during each dive. Professional photographer present to capture highlights of each dive. Friendly staff that fostered an environment of cooperation and commraderie among the guests. Experience of a lifetime and highly recommended to anyone interested in diving the Great Barrier Reef!
Recommended for
Great crew, super diving, delicious dining!
16 Apr, 2018

9.2 Superb
Ryder C
Australia

Great trip - this is as good as diving in coral gets
Really good trip with lots of variety between each dive site. Food on board was amazing and crew was awesome.
Recommended for
Food was great. Variety of fish and the potato cod. The crew.
10 Oct, 2025

9.2 Superb
Felipe G
Mexico

One of the best natural beauties is the great corral barrier
Know the GBR. Things to improve: 1. cretification with SSI 2.the cleanliness of the cabin
Recommended for
The dives, the great barrier reef, and the crew
07 Sep, 2023

9.2 Superb
Scott R
United States

Spoilsport Spoiled Us
What a trip. Always dreamed of a live board. This did not disappoint. 4 days on the Spoilsport was a dream. Flew out to Lizard Island to meet the boat. Went to the Cod Hole. Dove there and was met by a reef shark and some amazing coral and fishes. Surreal. The crew was amazing. Helpful. Always courteous. The food was always hot and tasty. Will go again if we make it back to Australia.
Recommended for
Great food. Great crew. Amazing dive sites.
24 Dec, 2024