Mike Ball vs Spirit of Freedom – which is best for you?

Mike Ball vs Spirit of Freedom – which is best for you?

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions and Spirit of Freedom are two well-known liveaboard dive operators in Australia, providing dive trips from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef Ribbon Reefs/Cod Hole and Coral Sea. 

As a scuba diving travel expert I regularly book trips with both these operators for my clients and am often asked about the differences between them.  Based on my own personal experiences travelling with these dive operators, here’s my view on the similarities and differences to help decide which operator’s trip is best suited to you.  

Fitting with your travel schedule

Mike Ball and Spirit of Freedom are the only two dive companies running trips to the Ribbon Reefs and Coral Sea. Both depart from Cairns and both run similar trip itineraries, but have varying departure dates to avoid a potential overlap of divers on the same dive sites at the Ribbon Reefs or the Coral Sea. 

If your scuba diving holiday is part of a bigger travel adventure and your dates are fixed, you’ll need to work your travel plans based on the trip departure dates and this will likely determine which operator you choose – I recommend you get your dive trip itinerary confirmed before booking flights!

Available itineraries

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions and Spirit of Freedom both have positive reputations for professional staff, safe diving practises, comfort and chef-prepared meals.  They both run these standard three, four and seven night trips:

Standard Ribbon Reef Trips – 3 Night – Cod Hole & Ribbon Reefs Expedition

Coral Sea Expeditions – 4 Night Coral Sea Trips

Combination Expedition Trips – 7 Nights Cod Hole, Ribbon Reefs and the Coral Sea

Luggage

It’s important to note the shorter 3 and 4-night dive trips above to the Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole or the Coral Sea Expeditions include a low-flying flight (under 300 metres) from Cairns to Lizard Island or from Lizard Island to Cairns. Due to having a flight included in the itineraries luggage restrictions apply.

Mike Ball’s luggage allowance on the 3-night and 4-night trip expeditions is a maximum of 25kg per person with either 3kg carry-on or 10kg for professional photo/video housed systems. On the longer 7-night trips, which don’t require a connecting flight, guests are allowed 25kg per bag. 

Spirit of Freedom luggage restrictions for guests on the 3-night and 4-night tours are limited to a total baggage allowance of 20kg per person, including carry-on luggage. 

The 7-night combination trips depart from and return to Cairns and so the luggage allowances can be more flexible. All excess luggage for any of the trips can be safely stored at the operator’s respective offices.

Mike Ball Expeditions does offer several additional liveaboard trip itineraries as highlighted below:

• 5 Night Coral Sea & Cod Hole
• Coral Sea Safari
• Yongala Shipwreck & Coral Sea
• Far Northern Reef Expeditions
• Turtle Spectacular
• Minke Whale Expeditions
• Rebreather Service
• Solo Diving 

Spirit of Freedom do operate yearly two Far Northern Reef trips departing from Cairns and concluding at Horn Island. The trip spends five days diving the oceanic wilderness of the Far Northern Reefs as well as one day diving selected sites on the world-famous Ribbon Reefs. You have the option to fly to Lizard Island to meet this trip and then jump onboard and travel back down south to Cairns, exploring and diving not only the far Northern Reefs but the spectacular Ribbon Reefs on your way to Cairns.

Personally Mikeball makes their trips more flexible to be able to give divers greater freedom based on certifications held and diving experience.  Get in touch for additional information on any of the above extended dive expeditions.

Scuba diving facilities and conditions

It’s important to remember that liveaboard dive trips can be influenced by factors like weather conditions, marine life sightings, vessel facilities, and the expertise of the dive crew. 

I’ve travelled twice on Spirit of Freedom and both trips have been on the Ribbon Reefs due to weather conditions being less than favourable, despite one trip being scheduled to the Coral Sea.  

This is one thing you need to keep in mind booking a Coral Sea expedition with either operator.  If the winds are too strong to cross the open ocean, then the skipper will more than likely stay in the Ribbon Reef area for safer ocean conditions and comfort of passengers. Things could be a lot worse than diving the Ribbon Reefs if the alternative is either heading back to Cairns and not diving at all!

Mike Ball has an ‘open dive deck’ and solo diving policy which means there are no restrictions on bottom time.  They are also more suited to technical diving and accommodating diving equipment like cameras and videos.  Even as an amateur underwater photographer, I loved the bench area allocated just for divers with cameras to clean and dry out all their gear. A nice touch and service provided!

Vessels and atmosphere

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions

Vessel “Spoilsport” accommodates up to 28 passengers.  It is a custom built twin hull design and very stable in the ocean. I’ve personally experienced two Coral Sea trips on Mike Ball, in varying sea and wind conditions, and found the trip always a comfortable ride. Crew to-guest ratio is high at 12 people including the dive team, Master, chef and host to 28 guests onboard.

Private and twin-share cabins are available all with the modern comforts you would expect. 

You won’t feel left out travelling on your own with Mike Ball. On the two trips I’ve done with Mike Ball travelling on my own I always felt welcomed by the crew and other guests.  There were evening sessions on various marine topics and plenty of fun socialising after the night dives with the crew and guests onboard.

Spirit of Freedom

Vessel accommodates up to 26 passengers. Spirit of Freedom provides space, comfort, and stability for cruising the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef.  She’s 37m (124ft) in length, with a steel hull and electronic stabilisers, providing the most comfortable ride possible in the conditions.

I enjoyed both trips out on Spirit of Freedom though I will say it would be ideal travelling with a partner. The vessel is sleek and very polished, giving that romantic feel for couples, with a great top deck area to relax and chill in the evening. 

Prices for trips with each operator only vary slightly depending on the duration, cabin type, and inclusions. 

Minke Whales

During the Dwarf Minke Whale season (June/July) both Mike Ball and Spirit of Freedom amend their Ribbon Reef 3-night trips to be more dedicated to experiencing in-water encounters with the whales.  Both companies still offer scuba diving as part of their trip itineraries, though as the interaction with the minke whales is snorkelling more non-divers book onto the trips.  Experiencing the Ribbon Reefs at any given time of the year is still very suited to non-divers. 

Only during the Dwarf Minke Whale season will you see two other operators OceanQuest and Argo Expeditions offering dedicated trips to experience this yearly breathtaking event on the Ribbon Reefs. 

Final review – 5 stars

Thumbs up to both vessels and operators. Each have their subtle differences, but overall do a fabulous job providing the once-in-a-lifetime dive holiday experiences we all dream of.

Experience Australia’s best Ribbon Reefs, Cod Hole and Coral Sea dive locations for your next scuba diving holiday.  Contact us today for more information and help planning the right trip to match your diving experience and travel plans.