The three-level Aquarius II, acquired by Experience Co, includes an outdoor sun deck, with a shaded area, a bar, a large food service space with large cool storage facilities and a large hydraulic platform granting easy access to the water for snorkellers once the vessel is out on the reef.
“We have seen strong demand for our Great Barrier Reef experiences for some time now,” said Experience Co CEO, John O’Sullivan.
“This has been off the back of continued domestic patronage as well as the return of international travellers.
“We believe that the Great Barrier Reef will always be one of Australia’s leading tourism draw cards.
“The launch of Aquarius II reinforces our ongoing commitment to this region and our desire to offer authentic experiences with connections to people and nature.
“We are also excited by the growth of the cruise sector in Cairns which delivers important economic returns to the region. The introduction of this vessel to service ship to shore transfers as well as delivering additional shore excursion capacity will help to support this opportunity.”
Aquarius II will operate out of Cairns and Port Douglas and will also take groups to Reef Unlimited’s Reef Magic pontoon, the newest anchored pontoon on the Great Barrier Reef, with a capped capacity of 250 guests across the 1,000m2 pontoon.
