SSI Personalised Open Water Course

All training is done while onboard cutting out the need to travel to classroom and pool facilities. We believe that by completing all scuba training in the ocean, scuba divers have more confidence, comfort, and experience than courses where a large portion of time is spent in a swimming pool. Plus, there is more time to witness the wonderful wildlife when every part of your water training is conducted in the ocean! An SSI qualification you complete is recognised worldwide and can be used wherever you wish to scuba dive across the globe

Stateroom Dive Courses

The course is more personalised with a maximum of 4 students to one instructor. The result is qualified divers with more confidence, comfort, and experience than courses in a swimming pool. Plus, all dives are completed on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef with amazing marine life.

Top Deck Club Dive Courses

Firstly, you are guaranteed private tuition with one Scuba Instructor to your booking party. If you book a Top Deck Club dive course, the crew member assigned as your personal valet will also be your Dive Instructor. Therefore their whole job is to look after you! Not only will your training be tailored to your personal needs, but they do not need to schedule your classes around other guests requirements – you are their only priority. Working together with your personal Scuba Instructor on your dive course, you can choose which times of day you want to schedule your scuba dives and when you want to relax and enjoy being at the Great Barrier Reef.

SSI Open Water Couse:

Duration: 3-day intensive course (minimum) or 4 days for a more relaxed pace

Dive: 8 training dives minimum

Class Size: Stateroom – 4 Students to 1 Dive Instructor or Top Deck – Private Instructor to your booking party

SSI Advanced Course

SSI Advanced training in five different specialty areas is covered to complete your advanced adventure dive course.  The SSI advanced course includes deep diving, night diving, navigation, and two other specialty dive areas.

Depending on the length of your trip, additional dives you do will be fun dives on the Great Barrier Reef.  It is common for scuba divers to stay onboard longer and spread the advanced training dives out with fun dives in between.

Duration: Minimum 2 days

Certification: 30 meters

Dives: Minimum 5 dives

Nitrox:

The course entails theory-based learning to ensure that you understand the safety aspects involved in diving with nitrox. The theory component will be conducted before your arrival to Reef Encounter as a short online training course.

Once onboard, you’ll complete a practical theory session with your nitrox Instructor. This is where you’ll discuss the online theory and make sure you are happy with your knowledge. You’ll practice some of the finer, practical applications with your Instructor. These include testing and analysing the oxygen contents of your tank before every dive and calculating your maximum operating depth (MOD).

You will complete one dive on enriched air nitrox with your scuba Instructor – you are then a fully qualified Enriched Air Nitrox diver.

you will be using nitrox for the 24 hours that you are enrolled in the course. These dives on nitrox are included in your nitrox certification package. This is all dives from noon lunchtime on the day your course begins until noon lunchtime the following day. For the additional time you enjoy at the reef with us, you may choose to book additional nitrox cylinder refills, or may dive on standard air tanks.

Duration: 2 Days

Dives: 1 dive

SSI Stress and Rescue:

Learn how to prevent accidents and be prepared with knowledge and ability. The SSI Stress and Rescue course will teach you how to look after yourself and your buddy during scuba diving.

Upon successful completion, you will become a qualified Stress & Rescue Diver and receive a Dive Licence, which is an internationally recognised scuba diver rating that is valid across the globe!

In addition to your liveaboard rescue diver course, first aid and CPR is a pre-requisite for your rescue diver qualification and is at own expenses. Courses can be completed with Cairns First Aid Academy: https://www.firstaidacademy.com.au/locations/cairns/

Duration: 5 Days (1 day in Cairns & 4 days on the boat)

Dive: 14 dives

Class Size: Stateroom – 4 Students to 1 Dive Instructor or Top Deck – Private Instructor for your booking party

IMPORTANT INFORMATON FOR DIVERS: Dive medical (AS4005.1) are required only for those with an at-risk medical condition, or over 45 years of age, or those with a BMI (Body Mass Index) over 30 and a waist circumference greater than 102 cm for males and 88 cm for females.  

Cancellation & Refund Policy: 20% cancellation fee 30 days or more prior to departure. 50% cancellation fee if within 30 days prior to departure. 100% cancellation fee within 14 days prior to departure.