About

Experience pristine wilderness and up-close adventures on a luxury cruise with The Great Escape Charter Company.

For over 20 years our team at Great Escape have been dedicated to sharing our knowledge and passion of Australia’s North West. Our unique adventure cruises offer you the opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the world’s most epic wilderness landscapes. We cruise from Broome to Wyndham, the Rowley Shoals and beyond.

Stylish accommodation, gourmet cuisine and the warmest hospitality combine to ensure you have the holiday of a lifetime aboard our custom built 26m luxury catamaran. We specialise in small group luxury adventure cruising with only 14 guests, 3 expedition tenders, and a dedicated onboard helicopter.

Select from a range of exciting tour itineraries, book a room or the entire vessel, the choice is yours.

Why choose Great Escape

The Great Escape Charter Company are your local specialists in small group luxury adventure cruising. Our Skippers have unrivalled knowledge of the Kimberley Coast and Rowley Shoals with over 35 years experience navigating these waters.

Our vessel, MV Great Escape accommodates just 14 guests. Being one of the smallest luxury cruise vessels in the Kimberley, we offer true flexibility in itineraries. This means we can tailor to suit your personal needs and interests. A vessel of our size can explore deeper into the Kimberley and take in greater detail. We can really access those “hard to navigate” places.

With a dedicated onboard helicopter available as an optional extra, you can choose to explore the Kimberley via air for that really special aerial perspective. The helicopter provides you with access to remote waterfalls, ancient Indigenous art sites and “secret” landlocked fishing locations. There is no need to pre-book or pre-plan. You can decide once onboard if the helicopter is something you would like to experience.

Knowing, living and loving the Kimberley, our crew are really passionate about guiding and experiencing the sea excursions and onshore activities with you. Together with the crew, you will enjoy activities including fishing, mud crabbing, historic tours, beach walks, picnics, bush walks, bonfire nights, swimming in rock pools & waterfalls, exploring Indigenous art sites and so much more. We are local guides with local knowledge.

Our vessel is not licensed, so all alcohol is BYO. We have a really easy ordering system in place with the local providers or you can have your own alcohol order delivered to our office. This allows you to order the alcohol that you enjoy and there are no large bar bills at the end of your cruise.

We pride ourselves on the creation of a truly relaxed atmosphere onboard a stylish vessel. You’ll meet a genuinely friendly and entertaining 6 person crew who are committed to ensuring you feel special, welcome and comfortable.

Our focus is on ensuring that when your journey ends, you’ll be confident describing your Great Escape experience as “the holiday of a lifetime”.

The Crew

Every member of the Great Escape team is handpicked for their knowledge and experience of Australia’s North West. Most importantly we value their passion for this pristine wilderness and their desire to share that with you.

All of our crew are formally trained as Kimberley guides at the commencement of every season. This means they are able to share interesting and informative commentaries on Kimberley geology, culture, and history.

Our crew is always present and willing to assist you. They want you to feel safe at all times. Our crew will extend a warm friendship to all of our guests to ensure you get the most out of your epic adventure to the stunning Kimberley coast.

Casting out a net of a Great Escape Cruises boat

The Guest Lounge Broome

You can enjoy relaxing in our air-conditioned, comfortable guest lounge pre and post cruise in Broome.

Enjoy tea, coffee or a cool drink, free WIFI, a small library of great books and magazines, comfy couches and just a place to unwind or meet with friends in town.

Our Mission & Core Values

The Great Escape Charter Company strives to offer the best small group luxury cruise experience in Australia’s North West.

We provide a holiday experience where your needs and wants are anticipated. Your experience will be unique and memorable. You’ll find this an escape from the ordinary into a journey of spectacular sights and unforgettable wilderness.

As a company, the employees are recruited for their unique abilities and their friendly helpful character. Each crew member respects each other and the safe workplace in which they operate. This respect extends to the guests throughout onboard interactions and conversations.

The company has a deep level of respect and admiration for the ancient land on which we operate and the Indigenous culture and history. Our team appreciates that it is a privilege to show visitors the charms and special places in this pristine region.

Our Mission in Ecotourism

For over 25 years, our team has passionately dedicated itself to sustainable environmental practices aboard all our escapes, driven by a deep understanding of our shared responsibility to care for the beautiful country we explore. We believe that ecotourism is not just about experiencing nature but also about protecting it for future generations. Here are some of the keyways we demonstrate our commitment to sustainability:

Waste Management
We prioritize bulk purchasing of food products, using recyclable cardboard boxes to minimize single-use plastic waste. Our focus on rechargeable and multifunctional equipment further reduces our environmental footprint. All recyclable waste, including cans and glass bottles, is collected onboard and recycled once we return to port, with proceeds donated to local charities. To combat plastic pollution, we have implemented a voluntary ban on single-use water bottles, offering guests reusable bottles that can be refilled at taps throughout the vessel. Additionally, all our eco-friendly cleaning products are purchased in bulk to reduce packaging waste.

Care for Country
Our guides actively monitor and remove litter during walks and waterway excursions, helping to maintain the pristine beauty of the Kimberley Coast.

Wildlife & Biodiversity
We proudly collaborate with local authorities on research and monitoring initiatives to support our local environment and wildlife, fostering a deeper connection to the ecosystems we cherish.

Carbon Footprint Reduction
Utilizing cutting-edge technology in our vessel engines allows us to minimize our carbon footprint. We also coordinate carpooling for crew transport and offset all commercial flights to ensure our travel choices are environmentally responsible.

Water Conservation
Freshwater is generated onboard through a desalinator, allowing us to closely monitor water usage and promote conservation.

Community & Economy
We prioritize locally sourced produce for our charters, supporting local businesses while reducing our carbon footprint. Our philanthropic efforts focus on local charities, collaborating closely with organizations such as The Kyle Andrews Foundation and MANDALAH.

Through these initiatives, we strive to create unforgettable experiences that honour and protect our natural world, ensuring that our love for exploration is matched by our commitment to sustainability. Join us as we embark on journeys that celebrate the beauty of our environment while making a positive impact on the communities we visit.

The Vessel

Cruise the Kimberley coast in style aboard our custom-built 26-metre luxury catamaran, MV Great Escape.

The vessel accommodates 14 guests in 7 stylish staterooms complete with queen-size beds, ensuites, flat-screen TV’s and personal fridges. The fully air-conditioned vessel features indoor and outdoor dining areas, a spacious lounge area with real-time TV, a foredeck spa and a dedicated onboard helicopter.

MV Great Escape is also equipped with state-of-the-art satellite communications which includes satellite WIFI, satellite telephone in the case of emergencies and real-time television available onboard (very important for the footy finals.)