General Information

Air Conditioning

MV Great Escape is fully air-conditioned throughout. Each stateroom has individual climate controls.

Alcohol

The Great Escape Charter Company have a BYO arrangement for our adventure cruises. We are very happy to arrange this for you through our local Liquorland store in Broome, or our local supplier in Wyndham. This means you pay retail prices for all alcoholic beverages and you can choose exactly what you wish to drink. Simply complete the alcohol order form and return it to us by post, fax or email and we will ensure that all your purchases are labelled with your name and chilled onboard prior to departure. You are also welcome to make your own arrangements and send any wine, beer or spirits to the office in advance of your cruise. Payment for orders placed through the office must be received prior to departure. All soft drinks, including dry-ginger ale, tonic water, mineral water, and soda water, as well as fresh water, and tea and espresso coffee are supplied onboard and included in your cruise package.

Bridge

There is an open bridge policy onboard. You are welcome on the bridge at any time unless otherwise advised by the crew. This will usually be the case when we have completed an overnight steam and the crew who have taken the night watches are catching up on some much needed rest.

Children

We do not carry children under the age of 16 unless the vessel is booked on an exclusive basis or where we have arranged a special ‘family’ cruise for children and their parents.

Communications

Please be aware that you will not receive mobile network coverage whilst on the Kimberley Coast or at the Rowley Shoals. MV Great Escape is equipped with state-of-the-art satellite communication, phone, fax and email systems. There is also an onboard laptop and Apple iPAD onboard for guests to use at their leisure.

Internet and Phone cards are available for purchase onboard either with cash, credit card, or to be charged back to your account.

If you are expecting calls from loved ones or associates please advise them that due to the remote location, satellite communication can be unreliable at times. It is best to call around meal times, as you will most likely be onboard at this time.

All guests are welcome to bring personal satellite phones if they feel they need to stay in touch with the outside world.

There is also live TV coverage so you can get that all important sport score!

Cuisine

Be warned – do not think about starting a diet on this cruise! We have an award-winning onboard chef whose culinary skills are consistently praised by all. All meals are five star quality and only fresh produce is used.
You will enjoy delicious, freshly prepared salads and vegetables. Start every day with a freshly brewed cappuccino, a spread of your favourite cereals, yoghurt and juice with a large, freshly prepared fruit platter of seasonal favourites, most often followed by a full cooked breakfast, unless there is an extended morning activity in which case a hearty morning tea will follow when you arrive back onboard mid-morning.

Lunch is typically a generous selection of freshly caught fish and a selection of meats or chicken and accompanied by a variety of unique and enticing fresh salads. Other days tuck into an Asian banquet or a gourmet pasta dish with fragrant vegetable side dishes and crusty bread.

The evening meal begins with sunset nibbles on the back-deck or from the pure sands of a deserted island beach, and progresses to a tantalising entrée, a freshly prepared main meal, and is always completed with an artfully arranged and decadent dessert. Tea and plunger coffee are available after dinner as well.

Our chef and crew are always happy to arrange a special event onboard if you are celebrating a special occasion so please be sure to let us know in advance.

Dietary Needs

Special dietary requirements are given extra attention provided prior notice is given. Please ensure you complete the Dietary Requirements section on the Passenger Detail Form and return it to the office 60 days prior to departure. Please feel free to call to discuss any special requirements or requests with our office team before departure.

Daily Program

As with any eco-adventure holiday, we are at the mercy of Mother Nature. Your captain will discuss the following day’s activities and adventures most evenings. All itineraries are subject to change without notice depending on tides, weather etc.

Diving

All divers must show relevant evidence of dive certification prior to departure. Under no circumstances will passengers be permitted to dive without proof of certification.

Electricity

Voltage onboard is 240 and 24 volts. A converter and a slanted three-pin adaptor plug will be required if you plan to bring American standard 110-volt equipment. A slanted two-pin adaptor plug will work while onboard, however, with the third pin missing the item will not be grounded.

Excursion Tenders

Three custom designed 5 metre aluminium dinghies will be available for extensive exploration into remote rivers, tributaries, waterholes and walking tracks. They are ideal for fishing, crabbing and all exploration activities and are driven by 60hp 4 stroke Yamaha outboards.

Fishing Equipment

A full range of premium fishing equipment (rods, reels, lures, hooks etc) is provided onboard for guests to use. Guests are most welcome to bring along their own equipment aswell while bearing in mind the strict 10kg luggage allowance on the 4 night and 7 night adventure cruises.

Helicopter

MV Great Escape is accompanied by a dedicated Bell Jet-Ranger helicopter for optional scenic flights along the Kimberley Coast as well as to and from on-shore excursions. Prices start from $250.00pp per half hour (based on 4 people travelling). More information will be available onboard and we ask all accounts be settled prior to disembarking. Credit cards are welcome and no fees apply.

Unfortunately due to government regulation, the helicopter is not available for the Rowley Shoals dive charters.

Laundry

A washing machine and dryer are located onboard and your stewardess will attend to your laundry as soon as their is a full load to run. Wash and wear clothing is recommended as you will not have time to iron (!) though there is an iron onboard if required. Please see your stewardess onboard for any laundry matters.

Level of Fitness

Please note that good health and a fair degree of mobility are required to fully enjoy a Great Escape. All cruises are designed so that you can do as much or as little as you choose. All Escapes involve boarding tenders, bushwalking, swimming and some climbing. Failure to notify The Great Escape Charter Company of any disabilities prior to departure may result in guests being unable to participate in some activities.

Library/Audio Visual

State-of-the-art audio-visual equipment including video, CD and DVD player and a book library are available for guests. Although we have an extensive DVD collection and a range of music for all moods, we do invite you to bring some of your favourite music and/or movies along aswell to fully enjoy the cruise and your quiet time.

Medical Insurance

Due to the adventurous nature of our cruises and the remote location we venture to, we strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive personal travel insurance that includes evacuation by air from a remote location (MEDIVAC), as most of the time we are a long way from immediate medical help. There is no doctor onboard however our crew are trained in Senior First-Aid. A company many of our guests choose is Suresave.

We carry a Royal Flying Doctors First-Aid kit onboard and we have essential emergency medication and carry emergency oxygen. Severe medical problems will require evacuation at your expense. Please bring a sufficient supply of any prescription or other medicine you are taking, as we do not carry these onboard.

You will be well-briefed on safety practices aboard the vessel and throughout the Kimberley by your captain and crew at the beginning of the cruise and and throughout the duration of your cruise. We place a heavy emphasis on following our safety guidelines and we adhere to strict safe adventuring practices.

Smoking

There is a designated smoking area on the upper back deck only. There is a no-smoking policy throughout the interior of the vessel. We also ask that all cigarette butts remain onboard and consideration be given to other passengers.

Spa

An eight-person spa is located on the foredeck of the vessel. It can be filled with either fresh or salt water depending on our water supplies at the time. Please notify a crew-member if you would like to use the spa and they will fill it for you. It takes 30 minutes to fill. It has a heating element and please advise crew if you would like this turned on.

Towels

Both bath and beach towels are provided onboard.

Water

All water onboard is desalinated and safe to drink, please remember to keep your fluids up in the warm weather. Our crew will carry drinking water on all excursions but it is advised that passengers also carry a small refillable water bottle for personal use. You will have access to an ice-machine at all times onboard.

What’s included?

Our prices include tranfers between your accommodation or local airport to the vessel. All breakfasts, lunches and dinners including soft drinks, tea and coffee for the entire period of the Escape. All accommodation, sightseeing activities, guided excursions and entry fees. Linen and towels, daily room servicing, and laundry service. Services of our experienced and professional crew.
For our dive charters all tanks, air tanks, refills and weight belts are provided.

What’s not included?

Items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, internet, alcohol, and travel insurance. Airfares to and from home, additional helicopter flights or any additional indigenous tour independent of The Great Escape Charter Company. Diving and snorkeling equipment are not provided unless specified. Hire forms will be sent out with final invoice.