Product Name:
Mike Ball – Spoilsport: Cod Hole
FROM: $2,504.00
All Prices in Australian Dollars.
Fly from Cairns to Lizard Island and join Mike Ball’s Spoilsport for 3 nights of liveaboard diving on the Ribbon Reefs and famous Cod Hole. Enjoy up to 12 dives, chef-prepared meals and remote Great Barrier Reef sites north of Cooktown.
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$2,504.00
All Prices in Australian Dollars.
Book your exact date instantly — no waiting around.
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*FREE UNDERWATER CAMERA HIRE
Book your Cairns reef tour with us, you must spend over $550.00 AUD to receive our 1 x Free Cairns Underwater Camera Hire. Only when you book online thru our website. You must come into our Cairns Esplanade Shop to pick up the camera the day before departure day before 5:30 pm. You also need to supply your own SD Card. Reserve your camera today!
*Not valid for any tours visiting the islands. Fine white sand damages the seals on the cameras and makes them leak!
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Where do all Cairns Reef tours depart from? Check-in: Reef Fleet Terminal (map + instructions)
Product Name:
Mike Ball – Spoilsport: Cod Hole
Tour Type: 4 Day / 3 Night Liveaboard - Operates: Selected Mondays - Departs: Monday 7:00am - Returns: Thursday 8:00am - Transfers: Check-in at Mike Ball office; post-trip Cairns transfer included
Fly from Cairns to Lizard Island and join Mike Ball’s Spoilsport for 3 nights of liveaboard diving on the Ribbon Reefs and famous Cod Hole. Enjoy up to 12 dives, chef-prepared meals and remote Great Barrier Reef sites north of Cooktown.
| AVAILABLE ON THIS TOUR: | |
|---|---|
| Certified Scuba Diving: Yes, Open Water certification minimum. Suitable for novice to advanced certified divers. | Snorkelling: Yes, experienced snorkellers welcome. Snorkel gear, fins, mask and life jackets available. |
| Meals: Yes, chef-prepared meals and snacks included throughout the expedition. | Guided Dives: Most diving is unguided. Detailed dive briefings and crew support provided. |
| Cabins & Facilities: Air-conditioned cabins with daily cabin service. Most cabins have private ensuite bathrooms. Budget cabins use shared bathroom facilities. | Full Dive Gear Hire: Yes, available at extra cost. See current price list. |
| Underwater Photographer Friendly: Yes, camera area and rinse facilities available onboard. | Outer Reef: Yes, Ribbon Reefs and famous Cod Hole. |
2026 Departure dates: 17 August | 7, 21, 28 September | 5 October | 2 November | 14, 21 December
2027 Departure dates: 11, 18, 25 January | 1 February | 26 April | 16 August | 6, 20, 27 September | 4, 18 October | 1 November | 13, 20 December
Visit the Great Barrier Reef’s far northern Ribbon Reefs and the famous Cod Hole dive site with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions. This 3 night liveaboard trip takes you north of Cairns to one of the most remote and spectacular sections of the Great Barrier Reef.
The Ribbon Reefs are located north of Cooktown and are known for clear water, colourful coral gardens and excellent marine life. Divers may see giant potato cod, reef sharks, turtles, giant clams, moray eels, sea snakes, nudibranchs and large schools of tropical reef fish.
This expedition begins in Cairns with check-in at the Mike Ball office before guests transfer to Cairns Airport for a scenic low-level flight to Lizard Island. After boarding Spoilsport, the trip continues south along the Ribbon Reefs, with up to 12 dives across 3 nights before returning to Cairns on Thursday morning.
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions has been operating Great Barrier Reef liveaboard dive expeditions since 1969. Their twin-hull vessel, Spoilsport, is a purpose-built liveaboard dive boat designed for remote reef expeditions. Spoilsport is approximately 30 metres long and accommodates up to 28 guests in 14 cabins, with a range of cabin types to suit different budgets.
Cabin options include Budget, Club, Standard and Premium cabins. Budget cabins have twin bunk beds with shared bathroom facilities. Club cabins have twin bunk beds with a private ensuite. Standard cabins have low-level twin beds, ocean views and a private ensuite. Premium cabins have a queen or double bed, ocean views and a private ensuite.
Spoilsport has three levels of air-conditioned interior space, including a comfortable lounge and saloon on the top deck, which opens onto the sun deck. Guest accommodation is located on the middle deck, with easy access to the dive deck. Meals and snacks are prepared onboard by the vessel’s chef, and cabins are serviced daily.
The tour price includes three nights accommodation aboard Spoilsport, meals and snacks, tanks, air fills, weight belt, daily cabin service, reef ecology programme, dive computer workshop and the scenic flight from Cairns to Lizard Island. Diving equipment hire, Nitrox, dive courses, bar purchases and Environmental Management Fees are additional unless otherwise stated.
After the expedition, Spoilsport returns to Cairns overnight. Guests disembark on Thursday morning, with courtesy transfers available to Cairns inner-city hotels, Cairns Airport or the Mike Ball office.
Having trouble figuring out the room arrangements on Mike Ball? See below:
Premium Rooms:
Have a 1 x Queen Bed or 1 x Double Bed with private bathroom and Premium Ocean Views.
Standard Rooms:
Have low-level Twin Beds (2 x Single Beds) with private bathroom and Ocean Views.
Club Rooms:
Twin Bunk Beds, (2 x Single Beds) 1 bed on top and 1 bed below with private bathroom.
Budget Rooms:
Have Bunks Beds, (2 x Single Beds) 1 bed on top and 1 bed below with a shared bathroom outside the room in the hall.
Click here to Download the Mike Ball Room Layout and Vessel Specification Guide.
Mike Ball Fly Dive Cod Hole 3 Night Prices
Official Mike Ball expedition prices are listed below in Australian dollars. Prices are per person, twin share and subject to supplier change. Premium cabins are available by cabin booking only.
April 2026 – March 2027
April 2027 – March 2028
Please note: Prices are per person, twin share and subject to change by the supplier. Environmental Management Fee is $8.50 per day.
All prices are in Australian Dollars:
Prices are supplied by the tour operator and may change without notice. Additional fees, fuel surcharges or environmental charges may apply.
Mike Ball Cod Hole Price List
| CHOOSE OPTION | INCLUDES | TOTAL | TOTAL DIVES |
|---|---|---|---|
| PADI DIVE COURSES: | |||
| PADI Advanced Course | Dive Course | $310.00 | - |
| PADI Nitrox Course | Dive Course | $310.00 | - |
| EXTRAS: | |||
| Full Dive Gear Hire | Dive Gear | $50 per day | - |
| Nitrox Tank Fills | Nitrox Tank Fills | $30 per day | - |
All Prices in Australian Dollars.
Book your exact date instantly — no waiting around.
Still got questions? Call: + 61 7 4041 1638 or try our tour finder
1 x FREE Underwater Camera Hire!
Enjoy 1 x FREE Underwater Camera Hire: Only when you book your reef tour with us and spend over $550. Conditions Apply! Only available on reef tours.
Itinerary:
Detailed below is a sample itinerary for the Mike Ball Fly Dive Cod Hole 3 Night expedition. Please note the itinerary is subject to change based on weather, tides, reef conditions and operational requirements.
MONDAY – Scenic Flight to Lizard Island & First Ribbon Reef Dives
Highlights: Check-in at Mike Ball’s Cairns office, scenic low-level reef flight to Lizard Island, boarding Spoilsport and up to 2 dives plus a night dive.
Guests check in at the Mike Ball office, 3 Abbott Street, Cairns, between 6:30am and 7:00am. At approximately 7:15am, guests transfer to Cairns Airport before boarding a light aircraft at around 8:00am for a spectacular low-level scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef to Lizard Island. Flight time is approximately 1 hour.
Guests board Spoilsport mid-morning and are welcomed onboard with drinks and snacks while the Trip Director provides a welcome briefing. There is time to organise rental equipment, set up dive gear and become familiar with the dive deck before the first dive briefing.
The afternoon usually includes a dive briefing and dive at approximately 12:45pm, followed by lunch, a second afternoon dive, afternoon tea and an evening night dive. Dinner is served onboard after the night dive.
TUESDAY – Ribbon Reef Diving
Highlights: A full day exploring the Ribbon Reefs, with up to 4 dives plus a night dive.
Tuesday is a full day of diving on the far northern Great Barrier Reef. Exact dive times and reef sites may vary to suit the weather and conditions on the day.
A typical day begins with a wake-up call at around 6:30am, with a light breakfast available in the dining room. Diving usually commences from around 7:00am, followed by a full cooked breakfast. Spoilsport’s open dive deck style allows flexibility, with dive briefings and diving scheduled throughout the day.
Lunch is generally served around 2:00pm, followed by more afternoon diving, afternoon tea and a night dive where conditions allow. Dinner is served onboard after the evening dive.
WEDNESDAY – More Ribbon Reef Diving & BBQ Party Night
Highlights: More spectacular Ribbon Reef diving, up to 4 dives, final afternoon dive, sunset drinks and Spoilsport’s famous Aussie BBQ party night.
Wednesday follows a similar diving schedule, with more time to explore the Ribbon Reefs. Reef site selection is made by the crew based on the best conditions available, with the aim of showcasing a variety of coral gardens, bommies, walls and marine life.
The final dive is completed by late afternoon. As the sun sets, guests enjoy drinks, nibbles and a relaxed Aussie BBQ party night onboard. Guests are encouraged to wear a loud tropical shirt or dress and enjoy the final evening with the crew and fellow passengers.
Overnight, Spoilsport cruises back to Cairns.
THURSDAY – Return to Cairns
Highlights: Early morning docking in Cairns, light breakfast and disembarkation.
Spoilsport docks in Cairns early on Thursday morning. A light breakfast is served onboard at approximately 7:00am before guests disembark around 8:00am.
After disembarkation, courtesy transfers are available to Cairns inner-city hotels, Cairns Airport or the Mike Ball office. If you have a later flight, luggage may be stored at the Mike Ball office until 4:00pm.
Important Notes:
Mike Ball recommends allowing 24 hours between your last dive and any onward flight. Diving is finished by Wednesday afternoon.
A luggage allowance applies for the flight from Cairns to Lizard Island: 25kg / 55lb per person plus 3kg / 6.5lb carry-on. An additional 10kg / 22lb allowance is available for professional photo or video housed systems.Bottom of Form
Diving Info:
This trip is suitable for certified scuba divers, with Open Water certification as the minimum requirement. Divers should dive within the limits of their certification, training, recent experience and personal comfort level.
Certified divers can enjoy up to 12 dives on this 3 night expedition, including scheduled day dives and night dives where conditions allow. You do not have to complete every dive; guests can dive as much or as little as they like throughout the trip.
Most diving on Mike Ball’s Spoilsport is unguided. Before each dive, the crew provide detailed dive site briefings covering the reef layout, conditions, suggested dive plan, entry and exit points and important safety information. Solo travellers are generally paired with another diver of similar experience where possible.
Spoilsport operates with an open dive deck style, giving certified divers flexibility across the day’s dive schedule. Exact dive times, number of dives and dive sites may vary depending on weather, tides and reef conditions.
Diving equipment is not included in the tour price. Guests are welcome to bring their own dive gear or hire equipment through Mike Ball Dive Expeditions. Full dive gear hire is currently listed from $50 per day. Nitrox tank fills and selected dive courses, such as Advanced and Nitrox, are available at additional cost.
All divers are required to carry suitable safety equipment as directed by Mike Ball Dive Expeditions. Nautilus Lifeline GPS units are generally provided for divers onboard.
Dive safety is paramount. Divers must follow the crew’s instructions, remain within their certification limits and return to the vessel with the required air reserve. Comprehensive dive briefings are provided before each dive, and divers should only dive to depths and conditions suitable for their experience level.
Certified divers will be required to show proof of certification. Divers may also be asked to show logbook evidence of recent diving experience. All divers must complete the required dive paperwork, medical declaration and waiver documents before diving.
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions may allow solo diving only for suitably qualified divers who meet their solo diving requirements. If you wish to solo dive, please contact us before booking so we can confirm the current requirements directly with the operator.
Private dive guide services may be available on request at additional cost and must be confirmed with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions before travel.
Snorkeling Info:
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions are just that, dive trips. However, snorkelers and non-diving partners are more than welcome to join in. The Ribbon Reefs do offer some great snorkelling opportunities, which are suitable for experienced snorkelers. Please note that all sites are open water sites, which means they may be subject to currents and waves. Water depth and conditions will vary. Discounts apply for snorkelers: contact us for more information on prices.
Customer Reviews:
CUSTOMER TOUR REVIEWS & FEEDBACK
Customer reviews are written by our customers using our 1 x FREE Digital Underwater Camera Hire Service. Remember to collect our camera you do need to come into our shop the day before departure day before 5:30 pm to pick up the camera. You also need to supply your own SD camera card.
By: Richard Johnston
Staff Service - 5 out of 5
Reef Quality - 4 out of 5
Vaue For Money - 5 out of 5
Overall Rating - 5 out of 5
Travelled on: 04/03/2013
I had a great time diving with the Mike Ball Dive Expeditions on the Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs, the trip we did was great and no doubt the highlight was Steve’s Bommie.
By: Tommy Norgren
Staff Service - 5 out of 5
Reef Quality - 4 out of 5
Vaue For Money - 4 out of 5
Overall Rating - 4 out of 5
Travelled on: 09/05/2013
It was my first time down at the great barrier reef and I just loved it! The promised me Turtles, Rays, Sharks and much more and I saw it all. Unfortunately we could not head out to Osprey Reef which is where the majority of the sharks would have been due to bad weather (happens once or twice a year), but the backup plan was…
Full Reviews:
CAIRNS DIVE ADVENTURES TRIP REVIEWS:
Here you will find our dive trip reviews. Our staff have completed over 700 dives on the Great Barrier Reef. We love our scuba diving and we love to write reviews on what you can expect to see and do on a dive trip. See our full range of Cairns Dive Adventures trip reviews.
Mike Ball – Spoilsport – Cod Hole Review
By Julie |
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions offers fabulous liveaboard dive trips to the Ribbon Reefs (including Cod Hole) and Coral Sea. These trips are suited to all levels of divers, but experienced divers will really appreciate the option of diving solo, longer and deeper than other trips. Spoilsport has an excellent floor plan for divers and a...
All prices in Australian Dollars.
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To Try Any Form of Diving
To try any form of scuba diving, everyone must be medically fit, with no asthma and not taking any prescription medication that may affect their ability to dive. PADI recommends allowing up to 24 hours after diving before flying. Some tour operators have a no-refund policy for dives not completed for any reason.
Please note that freediving is not permitted on Cairns or Port Douglas day boats or liveaboard dive vessels. Due to the risk of shallow water blackout, operators do not allow freediving for safety reasons.
We highly recommend that all passengers take out comprehensive travel insurance for all tours and travel arrangements.
Do You Have Medical Issues?
If you have any medical issues, you will need to see your local GP before travelling and ask them to provide a signed and dated letter on practice letterhead stating that you are “fit to dive”.
If you have one of these letters, Cairns dive operators can usually accept you for diving, subject to their own safety procedures. Please note that these letters are generally valid for three months from the date of issue.
Learn to Dive Courses & Advanced Dive Training
For learn-to-dive courses and advanced dive education courses in Australia, dive medical requirements are strict. Dive medicals are only valid for 90 days from the date of issue.
Australia has very high safety standards for dive training and dive operators. If you have any medical history, current condition, or medication use that may affect your ability to dive, please arrange medical clearance before booking or travelling.
Satellite view of the tour location:
Special
FREE UNDERWATER CAMERA HIRE*
Spend over $550.00 AUD on your Great Barrier Reef tour with us and receive the latest Digital Underwater Camera Hire. Take amazing High-Resolution images and 1080 HD Video. Only when you book online thru our website.
Not available for any tours to the Islands as fine white sand damages the seals on the cameras and makes them leak!
You need to come into our shop located on the Cairns Esplanade the day before departure to pick up the camera before 5:30 pm. You also need to supply your own SD Camera Card and drop the camera off back at our shop before 5:30pm.
Please Remember there is no other way to collect our cameras! All passengers must come into our shop the day before departure day before 5:30 pm.
While you're in Cairns… explore the rainforest!
Most visitors combine a Great Barrier Reef trip with a rainforest adventure.
Billy Tea – Daintree Rainforest 4WD Tour
Tropic Wings Grand Kuranda Train & Skyrail Tour
Barron River White Water Rafting – Half-Day Cairns Tour
Kuranda Day Tour – Skyrail & Kuranda Scenic Railway
