MV Reef Endeavour

The 1996-built MV Reef Endeavour cruise ship was constructed in Fiji and has been particularly popular with Australian travelers. For its first 15 years, the vessel operated in the Great Barrier Reef region (Coral Sea, Australia). In 2010, Reef Endeavour was redeployed to Fiji to replace the Captain Cook Cruises ship Reef Escape, which had been damaged during Cyclone Mick.

Reef Endeavour underwent a full drydock refurbishment in 2013 and has since operated itineraries to the Yasawa Islands, roundtrip from Port Denarau (Nadi, Fiji).

In May 2023, Captain Cook Cruises Fiji announced that beginning in November 2023, Reef Endeavour would be replaced by the 1991-built Caledonian Sky.

The vessel (IMO number 9012666) is Fiji-flagged (MMSI 520184000).

In 1996, the Australian travel company Captain Cook Cruises entered the Fiji day-cruising market, establishing “Captain Cook Cruises Fiji Islands,” jointly owned by the company’s founder, the late Captain Trevor Haworth, and Semi Koroilavesau (chairman of Fiji Ports Ltd). The first vessel to offer overnight accommodations on Fiji roundtrip cruises was Reef Escape. With the introduction of the larger Reef Endeavour, the company expanded its portfolio to include longer and more diverse itineraries.

In 2012, the Haworth family sold the Australian cruise operations but retained the Fiji division. A new itinerary for MS Reef Endeavour was introduced, and the company continues to offer an exclusive private-island experience at Tivua Island.

Shipboard facilities

The 2013 drydock work followed the impact of Cyclone Evan, which struck Fiji's west coast in December 2012. While anchored in Nadi Bay without passengers, the ship was battered by heavy waves that smashed windows, flooded cabins, and damaged the Sun Deck. The five-deck vessel was subsequently repaired and refurbished with new carpeting in all public areas and cabins, new mattresses in all staterooms, a new dining room, and new indoor and outdoor lounge furniture. All cabins were repainted. Additional upgrades included a new glass-bottom boat, a new tender boat, refreshed furnishings in the cocktail lounge, and brand-new bed linens for all passenger staterooms. A small fleet of yellow kayaks was also added.

Reef Endeavour itineraries emphasize snorkeling, swimming, and cultural experiences, giving passengers opportunities to meet Fijians in traditional villages, small towns, and local markets. Much of each cruise is spent on land and in the water.

Most staterooms are accessed via open-air promenade decks running along both sides of the three upper decks. As the ship has no cabin balconies, guests step directly onto these three-foot-wide promenades to enjoy unobstructed ocean and island views.