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KIMBERLEY-QUEST-CRUISE-FAQs-1-1

KIMBERLEY QUEST FAQs 

COVID-19 Policy and Awareness

This is an unprecedented time and as such Kimberley Quest have adapted our terms & conditions and risk management to resume operations.

All guests impacted by Government-imposed travel restrictions will be offered Future Holiday Credit

  • Credit is equal to the full amount paid for the booking
  • Credit is valid for travel on any cruise with Kimberley Quest up until the end of 2024
  • Credit can be transferred to another person, however it is not redeemable for cash
  • The original cruise price will be honoured for travel up to 2024

To resume operations Kimberley Quest has:

  • Implemented COVID-19 hygiene protocols and practices, including undertaking thorough cleaning, providing sanitizer products and physical distancing for staff and guests as much as possible.
  • Gained WA Health approval to cruise in WA waters.
  • Retained Tourism Council Western Australia Quality Tourism Accreditation.

All staff are certified in COVID-19 Hygiene training.

Kimberley Quest remain committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for all employees, guests and contractors.

Call 1300 799 758 for further advice. 

Pre- & post-cruise travel assistance

BlueSun Travel works with every hotel in the Kimberley, including Broome, Darwin and Kununurra. We have wholesale arrangements with many properties and we are a TAAP agent for Expedia. This means we have the best and least restrictive booking conditions, including cancellation policies. 

Please note, hotel accommodation is hard to secure. Do not leave this until the last minute.

Call 1300 799 758 for further advice. 

Since COVID-19, the airline world has changed a lot. However, there are good flight options from all major cities in Australia.

We largely advise our clients to check with Webjet for the best and most convenient times and dates to fly. This will give you all Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar options. 

As a final piece of advice, do not try to cut your flight times too close to your cruise times. If there is an aircraft delay, we cannot parachute you on and off the vessel! 

Yes. All transfers are provided between your accommodation and the Kimberley Quest II. Expeditions departing or arriving in Wyndham include transfers to and from Kununurra to the vessel. Selected cruises include a light aircraft transfer and a helicopter flight over the Mitchell Falls.

For other independent travel movements in Broome, note the following:

Broome does not have Uber, so you are best advised to arrange a taxi or bus transfer before you arrive. Some hotels do arrange bus transfers at an extra cost and bookings are required in advance.

Broome Private Taxis - 0412 768 468

Chinatown Taxis - 08 9192 3316

Mike Windle Luxury Taxis - 0419 966 783

Flights to Kununurra (KNX) are provided by Air North. There is normally one flight per day. 

  • Broome (BME) to Kununurra (KNX) takes 1 hour and 25 minutes.
  • Darwin (BME) to Kununurra (KNX) takes about 1 hour and 2 minutes.

It is advisable that you stay 1 night in Kununurra (either before or after your cruise) because of the flight schedules. We will provide the transfer for free between Wyndham and Kununurra, or the reverse.

Departure/Arrival Times

Please see our transfers page or click on the link here for a full list of departure and arrival times for our cruises.

Deposit & final payment requirements

A completed booking form, terms and conditions and a non refundable deposit of 20% is required within 14 days of booking to confirm your reservation.

Per the vessel's terms and conditions, all payments are non-refundable.

All guests impacted by Government-imposed travel restrictions will be offered Future Holiday Credit*

  • Credit is equal to the full amount paid for the booking
  • Credit is valid for travel on any cruise with Kimberley Quest up until the end of 2024
  • Credit can be transferred to another person, however it is not redeemable for cash
  • The original cruise price will be honoured for travel up to 2024

For more information, please call our office on 1300 799 758. 

Solo Travellers

Accommodation is based on twin share occupancy. Single passengers may reserve sole use of a cabin for 50% extra. Alternatively, if travelling alone you can also choose to share your cabin with a same sex room-mate and the single supplement fee will be waived. If we do not book another passenger into your cabin you will have sole use of the cabin at no additional cost (conditions apply).

Children & Kids

Our cruises are not generally suitable for children due to the nature of our expeditions and we don't recommend children under 14 years of age. Please contact our office for advice.

General cruise questions

Whilst the crystal blue waters may look tempting, we are in croc country, so diving and snorkelling is only offered on our Perth Charters, Albrohlos Islands and Rowley Shore Cruises. 

There will be many opportunities to explore the coastline and swim in a number of fresh water holes along the way.

A washing machine and dryer are located downstairs.  A laundry bag will be provided in each cabin should you wish to wash your clothing.  Please ask one of your crew members and they would be happy to assist.

Yes,we have hairdryers. 

Our cruises cater for all adult ages and all levels of fitness. Expeditions are tailor made to suit individual's needs. We also provide our guests with informative 'walk sheets' which details each excursion.

Excursions are operated throughout the day with some treks being more difficult than others. Our knowledgeable and friendly crew will advise you prior to the excursion on the difficulty of the treks and are always on hand for guidance and assistance.

You can do as much or as little as you like!

Our hostesses service your cabin daily.

What to wear and bring

We recommend guests to pack four to five changes of casual clothing which are comfortable into one soft luggage bag. We advise guests to bring a backpack for excursions during the day.

All linen, towels, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, sunscreen, Aerogard and hair dryers are supplied on-board but you may wish to bring your own with you.

You will need a pair of enclosed shoes that offer good ankle support for bushwalking. We also recommend you bring another pair of shoes that you do not mind getting wet as we regularly have wet landings. This includes; reef sandals, booties or equivalent. Shoes can be worn on board.

Any personal items, hygiene or medications must be bought with you.

We provide shampoo, conditioner and body wash however, if desired you can bring your own.

Sun protection and insect repellent is also available on-board, however you may also bring your own.

You can charge any of your appliances on board the vessel. You do not need an adaptor if you are an Australian traveller as it has a 240v set up. 

 

All linen is provided on-board your Kimberley Quest II cruise, including excursion and spa towels.

 

 

Food and drink

Kimberley Quest provides our guests with a drinks list which has a selection of white and red wines, champagne, beer and non-alcoholic mixers. If there is something in particular that you require that isn't on our drinks list we will endeavour to supply you with your request.

Orders should be returned to our office eight weeks prior to your departure date at the latest.

Yes. BYO is possible, however we do require notification at our office at your earliest convenience to arrange a timely delivery as some cruises require a flight transfer and weight restrictions are required.

Yes. We do have a limited variety of soft drinks, beer, spirits, wine and champagne on-board for guests to purchase. Please remember that if you pre-order your drinks you will have more selection.

All water on board is desalinated and safe to drink.

In line with our responsible and sustainable tourism practices, all guests are provided with a water bottle upon boarding the vessel which can be re-filled from the main water tap located in the kitchen.  We produce our own water on board the Kimberley Pearl, but as this is one of our most precious commodities, we ask all guests to be mindful of their water use.

Merchandise

Yes. Kimberley Quest offers a range of merchandise on board the Kimberley Quest II for purchase. Some items include: Long-sleeved and short sleeved sun protected shirts, shorts, slouch hats, caps, polos and stubby coolers.

Weather & Cyclones

If the departure of a cruise is delayed or if the cruise itinerary is shortened for any other reason, Kimberley Quest may refund part of the fare on a pro rata basis to allow for lost time. If the cruise is delayed for operational reasons, Kimberley Quest may refund the paid fare. The passenger accepts that Kimberley Quest has the right to change the itinerary, the vessel, or cancel the cruise as a result of some unexpected event or prevailing weather conditions and the passenger accepts that he or she may not be entitled to any compensation or refund of the fare paid should this occur. It should be noted that cruise departure/arrival times are approximate and can vary due to tides, weather etc. Please keep this in mind when booking any flights in or out.

The majority of our cruises operate in the "Dry Season", which occurs during the months of April through to September. Average daytime temperatures during this time are between 18-35 degrees Celsius. You can expect clear blue skies, light easterly winds and cooler evenings.

Our "Wet Season" begins in October, finishing at the end of March. The humidity is higher during the wet, with higher daytime temperatures and warm balmy evenings. This period encompasses spectacular thunderstorm activity, torrential waterfalls, lush green landscapes and magnificent sunsets.

Mosquitoes & sand flies

Mosquitoes and sand flies are found throughout the Kimberley due to our tropical climate. How prominent they are varies depending on the time of the year. Guests' susceptibility to these insects also varies. We believe prevention is the best option available and provide insect repellent on board. Long-sleeved clothing is also recommended during early morning and early evening.

Sea sickness

Only a short period of the cruise is in open sea therefore for the majority of the cruise you will find the conditions generally fine.

We do recommend that passengers who have a history of travel sickness or are concerned to bring their own sea sickness medication as a precaution. By law we are unable to distribute sea sickness medication therefore we can only offer ginger tea which is a useful remedy at keeping it at bay.

Weight restrictions

When packing for your Kimberley cruise we recommend that all passengers pack lightly and into one soft luggage bag.

Guests joining us on a cruise itinerary with a light aircraft transfer will be limited to a 10kg per person luggage allowance, as weight restrictions apply.

Please keep in mind that your bags will be weighed before departure. Any luggage which exceeds the 10kg per person allowance can be stored in our Broome office. For guests who require to take hand luggage with them please ensure the combined weight does not exceed 10kg.

All cruise itineraries not including a light aircraft transfer have a baggage allowance of 20kg per person.

 

Caravans & 4WD

If you are departing your cruise from Broome, Kimberley Quest is able to store your caravan and car at our Kimberley Quest yard. Please contact our office for more information and to secure your parking space.

If your cruise departs from Wyndham please contact the Kununurra Visitor Centre on: (08) 9168 1177.

Fishing

High quality Shimano rods and Calcutta TE250 reels as well as Shimano Bait Runners are used on-board the boat. A specifically selected range of lures are used to entice the fish.

The isolated waters of the Kimberley are teeming with fish and the crew on-board know the best spots to catch them!

All fishing is performed from our custom built excursion tenders and includes a variety of fishing options from pelagic fishing in the outer islands to casting for the ultimate saltwater barramundi in the estuarine creeks, inlets and numerous river systems.

High quality fishing equipment is available for all passengers to use. We ask that if you lose any fishing gear you replace it. For the keen fisher person there is the possibility of bringing your own fishing gear, if you would prefer this option please contact our office prior to your cruise.

Our policy is catch and release, only keeping enough for the dinner table.

From pelagic fishing you will have the opportunity to catch mackerel, giant trevally, queen fish as well as other small game species.

Fish that you are likely to catch in the river systems, creeks and estuaries include mangrove jack, finger mark bream, threadfin salmon and the prized barramundi.

Depending on what cruise you are booked on for, we recommend contacting the office at your earliest convenience to see if this is possible.

Selected cruises include a transfer by light aircraft which limits you to a 10kg limit therefore prior arrangement is compulsory.

If you lose or break our fishing equipment we ask that you replace it. If you have any queries please speak to a crew member.

Travel Insurance

Kimberley cruises are adventure cruises in remote parts of the Northwest of Australia. All passengers are required to take out comprehensive travel insurance prior to their journey. We particularly encourage you to be covered for 'cancellation' and 'medical evacuation' just in case. 

At BlueSun Travel we do have a few recommended insurance providers. If you have further questions, call our office on 1300 799 758.

Kimberley Quest requests that travellers are in general good health to participate in our cruises. Please inform us if you have any medical or physical conditions that we need to be aware of. The Kimberley Quest II carries an extensive RFDS medical kit on-board for your well-being. The Royal Flying Doctor service (RFDS) is fully supported via phone consultation and instruction by qualified medical practitioners in the event of a medical situation or emergency. The Kimberley Quest II also carries general first aid kits in all tenders and accompanies all walks.

Please bring your own medication on-board including any travel sickness medication and or paracetamol.

Please note that clients must bear the cost of any emergency medical or rescue services summoned at the discretion of the Master of the vessel in relation to any illness or injury.

Please ensure that you take out travel insurance adequate to the eventuality prior to boarding.

Communications

Even though you are slipping into holiday mode we understand that some guests may need to be in contact with their work. As you will be in the remote Kimberley you will not have mobile phone range, however we do have wifi and phone cards available for guests to purchase at an additional cost. Please speak to your captain if you wish to purchase any cards.

Alternatively, you may provide your work with our phone number/fax for our office and we will forward correspondence to the vessel for you.

Extra costs

Yes. Please be advised that the following items are not included in the cruise costs.

  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Use of satellite phone, facsimile and internet
  • Scenic helicopter flights
  • Traditional Owner Visitor Pass fees (see seperate section on Visitor Pass Fees)
  • Kimberley Quest II merchandise

Airfares and pre- / post- accommodation are not included in the cruise cost however, we are happy to assist you with your pre- and post- cruise arrangements

Payments made by an Australian credit card will incur a surcharge. All international credit cards will incur a 2.9% surcharge.

Visitor Pass Fees

 During your cruise you will visit many places of cultural significance. Regional Aboriginal Corporations and family groups are introducing visitor permits to access these sites. In addition to your cruise cost, Traditional Owner Visitor Pass fees will be charged.

Kimberley Quest is a registered Uunguu Tour Operator with Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation permitting us to operate within the Uunguu Coast locations. For further information please visit their website.

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