Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
5
Scuba & SnorkellingShark DivingBoat ToursDolphin & Whale WatchingNature & Wildlife Tours
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
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About
Leading the way in the Australian dive industry since 1969. Mike Ball Dive Expeditions operates exciting liveaboard scuba diving expeditions departing from Cairns to some of the best dive sites on the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Enjoy spectacular biodiversity on the northern Great Barrier Reef including the world famous Cod Hole, or venture out into the remote Coral Sea for exciting big fish action, shark encounters and excellent visibility. Spoilsport is Australia’s most awarded dive liveaboard, custom built for diving and with a twin-hull design that maximises space, stability, and comfort. Plus our procedures allow greater freedom for divers with an ‘open dive deck’ policy resulting in no restrictions on bottom time. Great diving, just as you like it.
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
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Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
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(47 reviews)
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
537 reviews
Excellent
498
Very good
28
Average
4
Poor
5
Terrible
2
Cathie
7 contributions
Jan 2024 • Solo
I would like to share how good these trips are on Mike Ball. Im a returning customer, because of the outstanding service from the staff. The professionalism, friendliness and outstanding dive sites this vessel visit will truly give you a terrific experience of this GREAT Barrier Reef.
Written 29 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Music Guy
5 contributions
Dec 2023 • Solo
From the moment I checked in at the office to the moment I departed Spoilsport, everything was top notch! The staff is great, the boat is built for liveaboard diving and the whole Coral Sea and Cod Hole experience was exactly the SCUBA escape I was looking for. Everyone was professional, friendly and they know their stuff. The boat is very comfortable and became my home away from home for the week. You are given the freedom to dive at your own pace, whether with your buddy or with a guide, anything you need is just an ask away and you will definitely not suffer from lack of food. Such a great place to get away from it all with no contact with the outside world and no one else in sight. Exactly how I wanted to spend my New Years. The only bad part of the trip was leaving after it was all over. I miss the boat!
Thank you so much Trevor, Russel, Kristy, Kerrin, June, Annabelle, Marita, Rodrigo, Carly, Guido, Jack, Jamie and Maddy!
Thank you so much Trevor, Russel, Kristy, Kerrin, June, Annabelle, Marita, Rodrigo, Carly, Guido, Jack, Jamie and Maddy!
Written 9 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
noh
2 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
My daughter and I had a fabulous trip on Spoilsport (five night liveaboard to the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef). The boat facilities were perfect, the staff were all friendly & professional and it was great that they have an onboard marine biologist/photographer - Check out the videos and photos on their web site. The other divers were also very friendly and whether it was fortune or typical, there was a great range of ages and skills, so there were other teen divers my daughter could chat to. All round, highly recommended. (I've started saving)
Written 6 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andreas B
Sydney, Australia1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Solo
Absolutely amazing great vessel great crew great food and great diving amazing service and experience highly recommended 😀 👌 👍
Written 27 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kierantakesphotos
Australia31 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
I absolutely loved my Liveaboard experience with Mike Ball on Spoilsport. I did the 4 day/3 night cod hole and ribbon reefs fly/dive experience. The diving was fantastic, the crew was super friendly and excellent, the accommodation was comfortable and the food was amazing. I was solo and I had a great time. Highly recommended. I will definitely dive with them again.
Written 21 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claire P
Biel, Switzerland125 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Amazing week on the coral sea and barrer reef!! The crew is fantastic, very dedicated! A lot of fun, incredible dives with reef shark at every dive and all in a safe manner. Great evening under the stars in the middle of the sea. And a very good cook which is super important when you dive 4 to 5 time a day !!
Written 18 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael S
1 contribution
Sept 2023 • Friends
Although we didn't go to Osprey (weather conditions) it was an extraordinary trip! Best combination of safety, organisation and fun. Super catering!
Many thanks to the crew for all the service, we enjoyed every minute!
Many thanks to the crew for all the service, we enjoyed every minute!
Written 2 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melinda
6 contributions
Aug 2023
So many unforgettable moments packed into three days & nights---gorgeous corals, massive bumphead parrotfish, a curious minke whale, rainbow runners, turtles, giant clams, and scores of gorgeous reef fish! Every dive site was different. And what a terrific team! So friendly, helpful, and well organized (cheers Kirsty)! Great food (thanks June)! Wonderful marine ecology talk from Pablo and amazing his photographs and videography---gifted to us by Mike Ball Expeditions so we never forget this fantastic trip. Captain Pete insured excellent safety procedures, smooth sailing, and well placed anchorages. We were snorkelers in a sea of scuba divers, but every dive site was well suited for both. Amazing experience, impeccable operation, superb team!
Written 27 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Juliane S
Faringdon, UK20 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Good organisation in preparation for a 7 day expedition to the Coral Sea and Osprey Reef. Our premium cabin was lovely and the staff were quick to fix the air conditioning. Food was great and organisation on the boat was very efficient. We were unlucky to hit a weather pattern of continuous 25 knot winds and quite rainy for the entire 7 days which meant we could not get to Osprey. - and we had some fairly ‘bumpy’ nights, although I think the captain did a great job minimising these 👍. Alternative dive sites were selected - some better than others (Pixie Pinnacle was not great) We had a super time getting to know the staff and other guests on the boat and evening meals were very sociable.
Written 21 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Giant_Stride_SCUBA
Sykesville, MD206 contributions
Jul 2023
I returned for a 3rd Time to Mike Ball (that tells you something) with my lovely bride for the 7-day Coral Sea Exploration. The entire operation, top to bottom values safety first and the enjoyment of the divers second. This is an operation finely tuned to maximize the SCUBA experience. They know how to do it and do it well. That’s why I went back for a 3rd time. Quoting another review, because this remains true: The food again was very good. Fresh, tasty, plenty and tailored to our dietary needs “They do this well, others don’t. Meals are fun to share stories, it’s not like a high school cafeteria. The staff are genuinely nice people who understand how to run a boat. They work all day and night and are the heroes that bring it together. Pirate Pete is a lovely guy, you see the crew enjoy working together, they love the reef.” We had an exception final night BBQ including plenty of fun sing along and the highlight of us all signing Bohemian Rhapsody together. A fun night that capstoned a great week. They understand SCUBA and in particular diving on ‘their’ reef. They offer guided tours, self-reliant diving, and let you et your max depth (not digging allowed) and bottom time. The offer nitrox which was always between 30 and 33%. All 80tf2 tanks were topped off after each time to 3000 psi (or more). Plenty of space to wash, rinse and hang gear. The rooms are perfectly for a SCUBA live aboard. We opted for the largest cabin, which had the right amount of space. Sadly, the weather wasn’t the greatest, including some high winds which made for rougher seas, but that didn’t hinder the diving or their operations. We did take Dramamine a few nights to help and they offer it. Take it before you need to take it. My wife took her OWA course and the staff was great! It was a remarkable place to learn some new skills, take lots of photographs and just relax and enjoy the expedition! Well done to the entire Mike Ball team. Also, their pre-adventure communication was exceptional.
Written 15 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter_Bomberg
Ottawa, Canada1 016 contributions
Decisions, we are looking at either Mike Ball or Spirit of Freedom (7day expedition) both seem great has anyone done both so you can compare? Specifically food and comfort, I expect the staff is great on both and the diving spectacular.
We are looking at early Jan so want to know what the weather is like?
We are a couple with very mixed one with 2-400+ the other with 30ish dives so we are looking for a mix of relaxing and diving.
Julie and Pescatarian SO
Cupertino, CA7 contributions
I highly recommend Mike Ball. They have a high level of service (food, diving, cleanliness, friendliness), to help new divers and well as let those with a high number of dives. Anyone had the choice to dive on their own with a buddy, or go with a dive guide.
salta-kiana
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic13 contributions
I am travelling with my boyfriend, who is just OW certified with 4 dives. Can he join the Fly Dive Coral Sea expedition?
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
Cairns, Australia
Hello Salta-kia, Thank you so much in your interest in Mike Ball Dive Expeditions. For our 4 Night Fly Dive Coral Sea Expedition we do specify that passengers have a minimum of 15 Ocean Dives, with 5 in the last year. The reason being is that the Coral Sea dive sites are typically more challenging. For divers with less experience than that, we suggest the 3 Night Fly Dive Cod Hole. Please be sure to check out our website for more information. We have an extensive archive of videos which you can search for the time of year to see what critters are around at that time. If you decide to go ahead you are able to book directly with us online.
Cindy B
Hong Kong, China
Hello! My husband and I are looking for places to dive as trained divers. As we want to see what is less common, what program would you recommend us to join? Thx
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
Cairns, Australia
Hello, thanks so much in your interest in Mike Ball Dive Expeditions. We offer 3, 4 and 7 night Expeditions to the Ribbon Reefs which are more remote and not dived as much as other dive sites in the Cairns region. The 4 and 7 night Expeditions venture to the Coral Sea which is dived even less. Here you have to opportunity to see sharks, schools of pelagics and walls of beautiful untouched soft corals. The Ribbon reefs is a marine lovers paradise with a huge amount of bio diversity. Please visit our website for more info and perhaps check out our reef reports (goto Diving, Reef Reports), select the month to see photos and videos for that time last year.
Please email us at for bookings and enquiries, or book online.
Are there trips for snorkelers or is this boat only for scuba?
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
Cairns, Australia
Hi Angelo,
Although there are opportunities for snorkeling at a lot of our sites, our expeditions are catered around diving. If you were to join for snorkeling, the Fly Dive Cod Hole expedition is the most applicable choice. Snorkelers do receive a 10% discount off their expedition price.
TSR32
Melbourne 80 contributions
Hi, I have Padi AOW and 45 dives but not very confident doing any unsupervised dives as have only dived on holiday in a group with a divemaster. Can I clarify what are the options for going with a DM for dives during this trip? Thank you
Elinore G
Gold Coast, Australia2 contributions
When I dived with Mike Ball I had AOW but only 18 logged dives at the time and felt uneasy about not having a guide. There is always the option to pay a bit extra and go with a DM but the dive sites were easy to navigate and the briefings were really detailed and clear! Have fun and explore but if you feel uncomfortable, just ask. They are so accommodating. They also equip everyone with GPS for emergencies although highly unlikely. You will have a blast! Best experience ever.
Billy SR
10 contributions
When you book the 3 nights fly dive cod hole trip do you dive on the first day after you get to Lizard Island?
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
Cairns, Australia
Hi Billy, after flying in on Lizard Island you will board Spoilsport in the late morning. After the vessel briefing, your first dive will be usually before lunch. There will be an afternoon dive as well as an exciting night dive on your first day. Its a total of 12 dives over 3 nights.
Our sample itineraries are available on our website under 'expeditions'. Please contact our lovely Reservations Manager Bre who will be happy to assist you with your enquiry.
Kind regards,
Stella
sbrentthomas
Ames, IA11 contributions
I saw your review of live-aboard diving out of Cairns. How rough are the seas? I've been seasick before in rough seas. I'm thinking of going in early October
Shari L
Williamstown, Victoria, Australia72 contributions
They were fairly rough when we travelled on my trib but they said that was unusual. The boat moves fairly fast overnight so that can make it seem a bit choppy. I had no problems with sea sickness and don’t believe anyone else did either.
gisel f
51 contributions
Hola!Necesitaría saber los costos para 3 personas, si tienen guía en español y días de salida. Muchas Gracias
beatricez700
77 contributions
Look The Internet-Site from Mike Ball.
Clivey2558
Stratford-upon-Avon, UK5 contributions
Hi Guys,
We are on holiday in Australia coming over in March 2017.
Can you let me have details of a dive package please!
I'm PADI Rescue Diver with 200+ dives and my wife is PADI Advanced with 100+ dives!
We have our own wetsuits/BCDs/Regs/masks & fins !
We'd like to do 4 days with 2 dives per day on Nitrox if possible ?
Regards
Clive & Linda Yarwood
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions
Cairns, Australia
Hi Clive & Linda,
If you email reservations on resv(put the ampersand sign here as we can't use it on trip advisor)mikeball. com can send you a reply with details about the expeditions we offer.
Kind Regards,
Louise