Frequently Asked Questions
Your Whitsunday Adventure Starts here
A sense of fun and adventure!
BYO drinks on non-licensed vessels (no glass bottles please)
Beach towel, bathing suit and sunhat
Practical clothing, footwear & sunscreen (min. 30+)
Camera and film
* Please put all items in a small soft bag!
All fantastic meals prepared on board
Fresh linen
Free use of snorkelling equipment
* Please note that not all vessels supply towels so please check when making your booking.
Children’s age limit varies from 4-14 yrs, some vessels do not take children at all or are not suitable, please contact our office with age of children and our reservations staff will be able to assist you in choosing the best sailing experience for you and your family.
Coral Sea Marina (previously Abell Point Marina) has two departure areas which will be shown on your boarding pass after you complete your online check in.
- Taxi is approx. $10.
- Buses do go to the Southern end of the marina but limited service.
- By foot! Bicentennial walk follows the foreshore from Airlie Beach Lagoon – To the Northern end of the marina is approx. 15 min walk and to the Southern end approx. 20min.
There is a council car park at the South end of the Marina where you can leave your vehicle for the duration of your stay at a daily charge. Whitsundays Sailing Adventures are not affiliated with this car park.
Vessel | Meeting Time | Departure Time | Return time |
Meeting Location | Coral Sea Marina North End (Meeting point B) | ||
Kiana | 7:45 am | 8:00 am | 4:00 pm |
Summertime | 8:00 am | 8:30 am | 4:00 pm |
Blizzard | 8:45 am | 9:00 am | 4:00 pm |
Eureka* | 1:30 pm | 2:00 pm | 4:00 pm |
PowerPlay | 2:30 pm | 3:00 pm | 12:00 pm |
Whitsunday Adventurer | 2:30 pm | 3:00 pm | 12:00 pm |
Meeting Location | Coral Sea Marina South End (Meeting point C) | ||
Whitsunday Bullet | 8:30 am | 9:00 am | 4:50 pm |
British Defender* | 8:30 am | 9:00 am | 4:00 pm |
Apollo* | 8:30 am | 9:00 am | 4:00 pm |
Atlantic Clipper* | 2:15 pm | 2:30 pm | 12:00 pm |
New Horizon | 1:45 pm | 2:00 pm | 12:00 pm |
Whitsunday Blue | 2:30 pm | 3:00 pm | 12:00 pm |
Entice | 3:45 pm | 4:00 pm | 2:00 pm |
O-Nice | 3:45 pm | 4:00 pm | 2:00 pm |
There is a council car park at the South end of the Marina where you can leave your vehicle for the duration of your stay at a daily charge. Whitsundays Sailing Adventures are not affiliated with this car park.
All alcohol must be purchased at one of the bottle shops in Airlie Beach. BWS and the Airlie Beach Hotel Bottle Shops are located in the centre of town close to Woolworths Grocery store. There are no shops down at the Coral Sea Marina, or the meeting points that provide Alcohol.
Most vessels within Whitsunday Sailing Adventures are BYO with the exception of Kiana. Some vessels have a restriction on how much alcohol you are allowed to bring on. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding your allowance.
Check-in is done online. A few days before your departure, you will receive a “check-in reminder” email with a “clickable” link that will guide you through the check-in process.
Once you have completed your check in, you will receive your boarding pass for the boat with instructions on how to get to marina, as well as meeting time and location.
Check in must be done at least the day before departure. If you have not received your check in email, please first check your spam folder and if it is not there either, please contact our reservations staff.
Your extra luggage can be stored at ‘The Travel Shop’ located at 344 Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach. It is $10 per person, for the entire time you will be out exploring the Whitsundays.
An email is sent to you at the time of booking. This email will contain a link that will direct you to our online confirmation page. Please take the time to read everything carefully and follow the instructions. Once that is completed your booking will be confirmed.
Similar to your confirmation email, you will receive a second email to do the check-in for your booking. This will contain a link that will direct you to our online check-in. Once this has been completed your boarding pass will be sent to your email address.
Any cancellations made within our cancellation period will unfortunately result in the complete forfeiture of the ticket price. There is a 14-day cancellation period for all overnight boats (excluding the 5day/4night Dive expedition on Kiana which is 30 days)
There is a 24-hour cancellation period for all day trips and a 21-day cancellation period for all private charters. Cancellations made outside these time frames will be refunded in full, minus any credit card/administration fees.
Please note – This is the cancellation policy of Whitsundays Sailing Adventures. If you have booked through a travel agent, you will be bound by their terms and some agents will have longer cancellation periods.
If you have been approved to move your date of travel, and you are within our cancellation period, a $50 per person transfer fee may be applicable.
You are welcome to contact our friendly reservations team by phone call or email.
Phone: +61 4940 2000
Email: res@whitsailing.com
In order to meet our minimum safety standards, passengers must be able to exit the vessel unassisted in an emergency. For example, they must be able to use a 1.5 metre ladder unassisted, either into the tender vessel or into the saloon area depending on the chosen vessel. Unfortunately, none of our vessels are wheelchair accessible. If you have concerns about any of the above, please ensure you speak to our Reservations staff before booking to avoid disappointment.
We have a great menu for you, however we do need to be informed at check-in if you have special dietary requirements. If you have any medical conditions/food allergies please advise at booking and again at check-in.
Some dietary requirements have a surcharge that is required to be paid at check-in. This includes, but not limited to, Gluten free or Celiac, Lactose free or dairy free, vegan, etc.
Vessels that have a generator on board will be equipped with the facilities to operate a sleep apnoea machine. These vessels include: Summertime, Kiana, Atlantic Clipper, New Horizon, Powerplay, Eureka, and Whitsunday Blue
Scuba diving is available on the following vessels:
- Kiana
- Atlantic Clipper
- New Horizon
These vessels provide the opportunity to scuba dive, both certified and introductory. Restrictions may apply, please contact our reservations department if you have any questions.
All of our vessels carry Sting Suits / Wetsuits for our guests. They come in a variety of sizes and should fit everyone. These full length suits cover from your ankles, wrists and to your neck.
If you are unsure you will fit into one of our suits, please reach out to us and we will be more than happy to help.
All the vessels carry a mask, snorkel, and wetsuit/stinger suit for you to snorkel/dive in. Limited vessels carry fins or flippers for your feet.
Snorkelling in the Whitsundays does not require fins as this is fringing reef, and the coral is close to the surface of the water. If you wish to bring on fins of your own, please contact the reservations team for approval.
At certain times of year ‘dangerous’ jellyfish inhabit these waters and passengers should take care for their own safety.
‘Stinger Season’ in the Whitsundays runs every year generally from October through to May. During this period, jellyfish can be found in the waters around the mainland, islands and have occasionally been found out on the reef.
Passengers entering the water do so at their own risk and the owners or operators of the vessel will not be liable for any personal injury, illness, death or any other consequences whatsoever of passengers being stung by jellyfish. To minimise this risk you will be provided with a full length protective ‘Stinger Suit’ to wear whilst swimming and snorkelling during the cruise.
We highly recommend these be worn all year round, some vessels make it compulsory for the safety of the guests. Not only are they for safety but they keep you warm in the water, act as sun protection and are a great aid for buoyancy while snorkelling.
Yes, we highly recommend that everyone obtain travel insurance. If you book directly with Whitsunday Sailing Adventures, travel insurance is available as an option during the booking process.
We strongly advise all passengers to avoid excessive drinking. Impaired judgment and balance can be extremely dangerous, particularly on the water.
Please consider this when deciding how much alcohol to bring. We recommend a maximum of 20 beers or 25 standard drinks.