Sunlover's ferry-only departures as printed on its own page, read 16 October 2026; it says daily and prints no end date. Fitzroy Island Adventures' tour times are listed separately below · Representative services only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~45 min
Operator
Sunlover Reef Cruises (ferry-only transfers); Fitzroy Island Adventures (tours including the crossing)
Map – Fitzroy Island Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Sunlover ferry-only, adult, one way | $56.50 |
| Sunlover ferry-only, adult, return | $109.00 |
| Sunlover ferry-only, child (4-15), one way | $32.50 |
| Sunlover ferry-only, child (4-15), return | $63.00 |
| Sunlover ferry-only, family (2 adults + 2 children), return | $281.00 |
| Fitzroy Island Adventures full or half day tour with return crossing, adult (16+) | $108.00 |
| Fitzroy Island Adventures full or half day tour with return crossing, child (4-15) | $62.00 |
| Fitzroy Island Adventures full or half day tour with return crossing, family (2 adults + 2 children) | $278.00 |
Sunlover's ferry-only prices are per person and, in its words, full price with no fuel surcharge: return adult $109, child $63, family (2 adults and 2 children) $281; one way adult $56.50, child $32.50. Children are 4 to 15 and infants aged 0 to 3 travel free if included in the booking. Fitzroy Island Adventures sells tours that include the return crossing, adult (16 and over) $108, child (4 to 15) $62, family (2 adults and 2 children under 16) $278, valid to 31 March 2027, with a $5 per person levy for island facilities licence fees and charges already included and no fuel levy applied. Those tour prices are shown as non-headline because they are tour products rather than a ferry-only ticket. All fares in Australian dollars (AUD).
Two Cairns businesses publish their own timetables for the boat to Fitzroy Island, and they sell different things. Sunlover Reef Cruises sells the plain transfer: a return or one-way seat on a fast catamaran from the Reef Fleet Terminal at 1 Spence Street to the island. Fitzroy Island Adventures sells full-day and half-day tours that include the return crossing.
Sunlover's departures page lists an early sailing at 8:45 am and a standard one at 10:15 am, arriving at 9:30 am and 11:00 am, with a single return from the island at 3:30 pm that reaches the Cairns Marina at 4:30 pm. Fitzroy Island Adventures prints departures from Cairns at 8:30 am or 10:45 am, home at 4:00 pm on the full-day tour and 2:00 pm on the half-day tour. Both describe the crossing as 45 minutes.
The money works out like this. Sunlover's transfer is $109 for an adult return, $63 for a child and $281 for a family of two adults and two children, or $56.50 and $32.50 one way, and it says no fuel surcharge applies. Fitzroy Island Adventures asks $108 adult, $62 child and $278 family for either tour, valid to 31 March 2027, with a $5 per person levy for island facilities already inside that price and no fuel levy added. Snorkel hire is extra on a ferry-only ticket; Sunlover says ferry-only guests can hire gear on the island.
Both operators expect advance booking. Sunlover's desk is inside the terminal, with check-in closing at 8:30 am for the early boat and 9:45 am for the standard one. Fitzroy Island Adventures says changes made less than 24 hours before travel cost 100 per cent, and its FAQ asks for check-in at the Reef Fleet Terminal no later than 20 minutes before departure while also describing check-in at the vessel on Finger A of Marlin Wharf, so follow the instructions in your confirmation message.
On the island, Sunlover lists four national park walks, from the 700 metre Secret Garden to the 4.2 kilometre Summit Circuit. Fitzroy Island Adventures notes that marine stingers are present in tropical waters from November to May and that a stinger suit comes with snorkel gear hired through it.
- Arrive at the terminal a few minutes before departure; vehicle boarding usually closes earlier.
- Check the operator's service alerts before travelling — weather, tides and river levels affect services.
- Confirm accepted payment methods and whether a booking is required for vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
Both operators describe the crossing as 45 minutes. Sunlover prints 8:45 am departing and 9:30 am arriving for its early boat, and 10:15 am departing and 11:00 am arriving for the standard one. Its return leaves at 3:30 pm and is printed as reaching Cairns at 4:30 pm.
The Reef Fleet Terminal at 1 Spence Street, Cairns. Sunlover's check-in desk is inside the terminal. Fitzroy Island Adventures' FAQ says guests can check in at the vessel on Finger A, Marlin Wharf, and also says to check in at the terminal no later than 20 minutes before departure, so follow the message in your booking confirmation.
Sunlover charges $109 for an adult return, $63 for a child and $281 for a family of two adults and two children; one way is $56.50 adult and $32.50 child. It states that no fuel surcharge applies. Infants aged 0 to 3 travel free but must be included in the booking.
$108 adult (16 and over), $62 child (4 to 15) and $278 for a family, for a full-day or half-day tour with the return crossing included. Prices are stated valid to 31 March 2027, include a $5 per person levy for island facilities, and carry no fuel levy.
Sunlover's ferry-only transfer returns at 3:30 pm. Fitzroy Island Adventures' tours return at 4:00 pm on the full-day tour and 2:00 pm on the half-day tour, depending on the tour booked rather than the boat taken out.
Both operators sell through advance booking. Sunlover offers free date changes up to 24 hours before travel when booked direct. Fitzroy Island Adventures charges 100 per cent for changes or cancellations within 24 hours and for a no-show, and offers a full refund or another day if a tour does not operate for any reason.
Not on a ferry-only ticket. Sunlover says ferry-only guests can hire snorkel gear on the island, while its packages include hire or a glass bottom boat tour. Fitzroy Island Adventures sells snorkel hire as an extra, and a stinger suit is provided when you hire gear through it.
Neither operator adds one on the fares read for this page. Sunlover says no fuel surcharge applies to its Fitzroy Island ferry and packages, and Fitzroy Island Adventures says it is absorbing fuel costs with no fuel levy on bookings.