FAQ's

We give back to the communities by financially contributing to the governing village for every island visit that we make with our cruises and we also encourage the villagers to make local arts and crafts for our passengers to purchase at their village craft market. We also contract the villages we visit to perform a Meke (traditional dance) and Sevusevu (welcome ceremony). This not only provides a source of income but also ensures their culture lives on and it is wonderful to see the new classrooms and facilities that this income has provided over time.

In addition to this, donations of considerable amounts are given to schools and churches on every cruise by our passengers and our passengers regularly turn up with footballs, school books and stationery that are donated to the communities and schools on the islands. We ensure that they go to the village elders to ensure even distribution. We have a Crab Race aboard our cruises, which is 100% return betting, and this is usually donated to a special village project.

The majority of our staff and crew are from local communities and we employ 3 or 4 deck and engineering cadets on 6 monthly placements to help support the future of the Fijian Maritime Industry. Our Masters and officers enjoy nurturing the potential in these Fijians and ensure they have a great learning experience. These cadetships often turn into great opportunities for the cadets - one of them now holds an Australian Master Class One and has been relieving with us as First Officer and another is our full time First Officer.

Reef Endeavour visits a number of Schools on all cruises. There is normally a "no obligation" donation box at each school. Donations of sporting equipment, clothing, stationery or books are always well received but please don't bring lollies or candy.

All Reef Endeavour itineraries include at least one visit to a local school and village. We ask that you cover your knees and shoulders and remove your hat and sunglasses when entering the village in line with the local customs. The local way to cover your knees is with a sulu or “sarong??? for men and women.

We offer a complimentary choice of tours on the half day in Port Denarau during the 7 night Mamanuca & Yasawa Discovery Cruise. You may choose from Garden of the Sleeping Giant Orchid Farm tour, Mud baths experience, Rejuvenation spa or, for an additional charge, Zip Lining. The Tivua Island Day cruise is also offered on Tuesdays only. For this option you sail out and we collect you when Reef Endeavour arrives there.

We offer 3 & 4 night cruise options or combined 7 night itinerary to the Mamanuca and Yasawa island groups 3 weeks of most months.

We offer complimentary pick ups and drop offs from most Mamanuca resorts on Saturdays only.

On the first Tuesday of every month we voyage to Fiji’s Remote North (7 nights) or the Lau group (11 nights). It is possible to join the cruise or disembark in Vanua Levu or Taveuni on some of these itineraries. Please contact our office for further information.

Our crew love a special event and will do all they can to ensure your special day is amazing. We can arrange most things for you aboard from a sparkler in your desert, champagne to welcome you to your room or a wedding ceremony under an arch of fresh flowers on a remote beach. If you were thinking of chartering your own vessel privately, we can do that too.

We are fully licensed and are able to store any duty free liquor you may have for the duration of the cruise as it can’t be consumed aboard.

We prefer to prepare all food for you. Please let us know if you have any special needs or requests in advance.

Our chefs aboard Reef Endeavour can cater for most special diets and allergies with sufficient notice.

Please ensure you notify us in advance and consult with the Cruise Director aboard.

Water is treated aboard and safe to drink from the tap. We also provide filtered water for drinking at the 24 hour tea and coffee station in the Yasawa Lounge. If you prefer bottled water you can purchase it from our boutique or the bar.

Dining is a vital ingredient on your Fiji cruise. Whether it is an alfresco luncheon, gourmet barbecue or a-la-carte dinner, our food is prepared on board from fresh local and imported produce. Our cuisine is a contemporary fusion of international and Fijian flavours.
Breakfast 7.30am – 9.00am.
Lunch from 12.30pm.
Dinner reservations from 7pm to 8pm or as otherwise advised.

There is one sitting for meals. Table seating is assigned for most evening Dinners whilst Breakfast and Lunch are free seating. We cater for most special diets in our fully equipped Galley so please let us know your requirements in advance.

Generally, pack for a hot and sunny holiday with plenty of time in the water, but there are a few essential items to remember:

• Clothing to cover your shoulders and knees for visiting local villages. Fijians dress modestly and revealing clothing is not permitted in public places. A Bulu shirt and Sulu are ideal and you will also need to remove headwear and sunglasses when visiting Fijian villages
• Some shoes that you can wear in the water. Many of the places that we visit have wet landings and most beaches are not groomed.
• Sportswear and casual clothing for daytime wear.
• We ask that you do not wear uncovered bathing suits and beach attire in public rooms and lounges so a cover up is also a good idea
• Smart casual attire, including shoes, for dinner time. Footwear is requested in the lounges and mandatory in the Dining Saloon due to Fiji health regulations
• The opening night of the cruise is the Captain’s Welcome Dinner and your opportunity to dress up if you choose
• Sunscreen

We do have a small boutique on board the ship which carries most essentials.

Reef Endeavour: Captain Cook Cruises offers PADI 5 Star diving from Reef Endeavour for experienced and first time divers. Learn to dive courses are available on cruises of at least 4 nights. We recommend pre booking these and also logging on to the PADI website to register for elearning.
We also offer full spa services in our dedicated spa treatment room or massage on the beach for an additional fee. All spa services may be pre booked or a booking can be made aboard.

Reef Endeavour has a guest Laundry aboard with washers & dryers for a small fee and iron and ironing board. Our Tabua Suite guests have an iron and ironing board in their room. There is a line under most railings outside Staterooms & Suites for airing clothes.

All linen, beach and bath towels are supplied. The rooms are serviced daily and towels replaced if required.

Amenities by Pure Fiji Coconut are also supplied in all rooms and there is also a boutique aboard should you need to purchase anything.

The voltage is 240v

Power is 240v and the same plug as Australia and New Zealand. There are a couple of power-points in each cabin and a shaver point in the ensuite.

There is mobile phone access at most anchorages on the Yasawa and Remote North Discovery Cruises. There is very limited access on the Lau Discovery Cruise. Some providers offer better service in some areas.

Reef Endeavour offers free wifi at most anchorages on the Yasawa and Remote North Discovery Cruises in the Yasawa Lounge and the Tabua Suites. There is very limited access on the Lau Discovery Cruise. We depend on the mobile phone network which does not cover the remote areas of Fiji.

Reef Endeavour is a small ship with limited access for those with limited mobility due to marine regulations and the ship’s layout. We are not suitable for those in a wheelchair as the boat deck and access to the places we visit is only accessible via a flight of 12 stairs. We do have a hydraulic platform for access to the small boats but landings on the islands can be wet.

GETTING AROUND THE SHIP
Reef Endeavour has five decks. A lift operates between D Deck and the Sundeck and is available for those with limited mobility and for emergency use. Please note that it does not access the boat deck for transfers ashore to which there is one flight of stairs. Please note that at various times the lift is used for the ship's operational purposes.
* At each level, except D deck, the dining saloon, the lift lobby door has a 43cm (17-inch) sill to step over.
* These sills, on C Deck Starboard side only, can be swung open for access however there is still a small ridge on the floor. The sills are normally kept closed while the vessel is at sea.
* The three decks with cabins opening onto the outside deck also have 43cm sills below the entrance door. These cannot be opened.
* Should guests have trouble stepping over these sills we recommend booking a D deck cabin. These cabins are available in double bed or twin or four berth and open to the internal alleyway forward of the dining saloon.
* Access from D deck cabins to the dining saloon and, via the lift, to the main lounge (the Yasawa Lounge) to the pool deck, is easy, but with a maximum 100 mm (4in) sill.
* ALL cabin bathrooms have a sill (25 cm) to step over

WATER ACTIVITIES
Reef Endeavour carries a 'glass-bottom' boat for fish and reef viewing, two smaller boats for diving and snorkeling and transport to and from the shore and a 'rescue boat' to keep an eye on snorkelers. Access to the boarding deck is down 12 steps from the pool deck. There are strong rails on the steps. Guests need to be able to walk down or up these steps and wheelchair access is not possible. The carrying of persons up or down the stairs is not encouraged. If you require assistance it please bring a carer.
* The glass-bottom boat and smaller boats are all raised and lowered into the water by a platform on the stern of the ship. This means that guests get on and off the boats directly from the ship and without stepping across any water. Safe and dry.
* There is a small gangway across to the glass bottom boat but this is only 50cm (19.75in) wide, not wide enough for a wheelchair.
* There are also three steps down from the front of the glass-bottom boat, once you have boarded, to the seating area. There is always crew close by to help.
* There are three steps down into the smaller tenders from the boarding gate.

GETTING ASHORE
* Access to the beach from the smaller tenders is via a ramp at the front which opens onto the beach. The glass-bottom boat uses a narrow gangway which reaches down to the beach. If you have any doubt about your ability to walk down this gangway, please ask a crew member to help you however, again, the carrying of persons up or down the gangway is not encouraged.

The Reef Endeavour has a swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi on board, along with a mini gym, 24hr tea and coffee making facilities, guest laundry, pool bar, cocktail bar, dining saloon, conference room, gift shop and a library and DVDs.

WIFI is available in the Tabua Suites and Yasawa Lounge. Please note that this is intermittent on all of our cruises and limited to areas close to the main island where mobile phone reception is available.

Please see our limited mobility information below in the following question.

We are not star rated but if asked, our reply is that the Cabins and Staterooms are 3.5 star and the Tabua Suites and the experience and facilities are 4-4.5 star

The Reef Endeavour has 4 levels of accommodation, all of which have been recently refurbished;

• Porthole Cabins offering twin, queen, triple and quad configuration on D Deck.
• Ocean Staterooms on B & C Deck
• And Tabua Suites on A Deck.

All Staterooms and Tabua Suites open directly onto the outside deck.

Reef Endeavour is perfect for couples, singles and families - whether you are looking for a relaxing holiday or one with with lots of experiences and constant activities available. Our cruises are perfect for a couple where one is really active and the other would prefer to lie on a deck chair, cocktail in hand, and read a book. All our shore activities are included at least twice a day and often to a different island but it is optional for you to participate so there is plenty of relaxation time.

We definitely cater to families holiday venue but do not accept passengers under 5 years old and so appeal to families of school age children. Children must be supervised at all times on the cruise, we offer kids activities for much of the day to keep them occupied and we find that our passengers without children do not find their presence to negatively impact their holidays. If you would prefer to avoid this type of traveller we recommend that you don't cruise in Australian and New Zealand school holidays, particularly those that fall in the middle of the year.

Yes, we welcome children from 5-17 years aboard. All children must be under the supervision of an adult at all times and must be able to swim unaided. Unfortunately, we are unable to have children under the age of 5 years aboard

Our small ship cruises are ideal for families as most activities are suitable (and very enjoyable) for children and you’ll find that Fijians are the friendliest people on earth and love children - so they will be welcome wherever they go.

Our cruises also provide a wide range of activities - which are almost all included in the price - and provide a great cultural and underwater learning experience for your kids. We have a freshwater pool aboard the ship and family bunk cabins and interconnecting staterooms so your family can stay together. We also offer the Captains Kids Club for children aged from 5-9 years to make sure that you get to relax and enjoy some quiet time!

Captain’s Kids Club is available from

• 9.00am-12noon
• 2.00pm-4.00pm
• 6.30pm-9.30pm

You will not need cash on board The Reef Endeavour as we accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express to settle your onboard account.

We recommend that you bring Fiji Dollars for island purchases.

Limited currency exchange is available on board.

We will open a cabin account for you when you board. You can settle this account at the end of your cruise or at any time during the cruise at the Purser’s office with most credit cards (3% surcharge) or cash. We would recommend Fiji dollars but can exchange most major currencies for you.

Our cruise packages cover all of the essentials that you will need on your holiday with us.

We do offer some additional services at additional cost and these include:

• Spa treatments
• PADI Diving Courses
• Drinks from the bar.
• Some optional tours.
• Items from our shop.

You may also wish to make purchases during excursions, or donations to the local community during your trip.

Our cruises packages all include:

• All meals
• 24hr tea, coffee and filtered water
• Captain’s Kids Club for children aged 5-9yrs
• Daily island stopovers and water activities - kayaks, stand up paddle boards, snorkelling
• Guided island, traditional village and school tours
• Tropical island lovo feast & kava ceremony
• Use of swimming pool, gym and sauna
• Resident Marine biologist for cultural and Marine presentations

All of our crew speak English and Fijian.

We provide some written literature in German, Mandarin, Italian & Japanese

Our service and marine crew of 45-55 members are Fijian, many from the islands we visit. The Fijian people are some of the most friendly in the world and you will leave us feeling as though you are leaving family. Some of the management crew are from overseas. The Captain Cook Cruises Fiji family are looking forward to welcoming you aboard.’

We offer 3 & 4 night cruise options or combined 7 night itinerary to the Mamanuca and Yasawa island groups 3 weeks of most months. We offer complimentary pick ups and drop offs from most Mamanuca resorts on Saturdays only. On the first Tuesday of every month we voyage to Fiji’s Remote North (7 nights) or the Lau group (11 nights). It is possible to join the cruise or disembark in Vanua Levu or Taveuni on some of these itineraries. Please contact our office for further information.

Fiji’s weather is warm all year round and perfect for cruising and the daytime temperature is 25-33 degrees C during the day year round.

Very occasionally the Captain may decide to alter the itinerary to ensure optimum experience and enjoyment. It is highly unlikely that the weather would have a significant impact on your itinerary, but passenger safety is our primary concern and the Captain will take the appropriate steps to avoid compromising the safety of our passengers and crew. We do offer a refund in this case.

Reef Endeavour can accommodate up to 130 passengers but may be full with 100.

Please check in by Midday (Noon) at Port Denarau for your Reef Endeavour Cruise. We board at 1pm on Tuesdays and Midday on Saturdays. Our counter is open at 0830am for check in of bags.

Your journey with Captain Cook Cruises begins when you check in for your cruise at Port Denarau and unfortunately we cannot collect you from your hotel but you will be able to arrange transport through your hotel, or from the airport, to join us.

We offer complimentary transfers back to most Nadi hotels and Nadi airport after you cruise - please advise your hotel at the time of booking.

Tivua island is an amazing venue for any event, a coral atoll surrounded by 500 acres of coral reef and 100m jetty to the edge of the reef. If your group is at least 80 people we can offer Tivua island for your exclusive use. We can offer exclusive use of the island for less passengers at additional cost or select times for smaller numbers too.

Our maximum capacities are as follows:

• Tivua Island - 250 guests by day. Overnight accommodation is limited to 2 private bures for up to 3 adults in each.
• Reef Endeavour - up to 130 guests, with all facilities and overnight accommodation.
• Fiji One - 220 passengers by day or for cocktails, 200 passengers for a standing buffet and 166 passengers dining.
• Ra Marama - up to 100 passengers by day
• Spirit of the Pacific - 60 passengers by day with overnight accommodation for 26. Shoreside overnight accommodation can be arranged for bigger groups.

Captain Cook Cruises Fiji’s fleet includes a 130 passenger accommodated ship, Reef Endeavour, two tall ships and a sailing catamaran, all of which can be chartered for your special event alone or in conjunction with an experience on Tivua island.