Fantastic experience with the ferry ride back from Winter Harbor. We brought our bikes with us, the crew was super kind and helpful. We sat up front and had a beautiful ride back to Bar Harbor. The captain pointed out some sights along the way and Mother Nature gave us some dramatic skies for photos.

Went on a private sail with my wife and three children. Even though it was raining when we embarked we had an amazing trip. Captain Nick made it enjoyable. His ability and knowledge on the boat were evident. We will certainly do it again next time we are in the area. Thanks Captain Nick!

We had a great sunset 2 hour sail in Bar Harbor. It was my wife and I and Captain Zack (who was just fantastic in everyway). We took the second smallest sailboat they had and it was just perfect and worth every penny! I highly suggest this sail!!!! See the picture below I took of their larger ship in the sunset. Oh yeah and we saw a seal and dolphins!!

Make sure you have the right expectations. I took my wife on the evening romantic cruise and looking back its obvious that I should have expected what we got. There was nothing wrong necessarily, its just that it was a large metal sail boat with bench seats. It felt more like being on a floating bus. Yes they had a drink station where you can purchase drinks and yes they had a gentleman who went around from bench to bench singing romantic songs on his guitar (he was great, but he can only spend so much time around you so most of the time there was no music). But There were probably 60-70 people on the boat. The crew were nice and interactive if you talk to them. But they did have a job to do and they had to go to their jobs, so it wasnt like a special event for/with them.I guess what Im trying to say is that if youre looking for a sanitized/touristy situation, you wont find that here. Everything was very practical and no nonsense.So if youre just wanting to get out over the water and you dont care about how special the environment is, then this is a GREAT affordable solution. But if youre wanting a romantic cruise or something that will make you feel whisked away, then keep looking.Im not saying they need to change anything. They do what they do and they fill a need that people have and people seem to like it. Like I said, just know what to expect.

Really a must-do for Bar Harbor. You have to see the coast front when sea and these 2.5 hour cruises are perfect. I will go as local on a righteously gorgeous day, and bring all out-of-towners. Staff is courteous and helpful, and the BYO sunset cruise is v romantic.

The cruise was so peaceful. It was foggy the day we went, but could see some of the islands. The crew was very helpful, and the Captain gave us the safety speech. He also explained what we were seeing. Ive been on this cruise before. This was my second time. I would definitely go again.

We booked the Chrissy Lobster Sloop private charter at sunset for our group of six while on vacation. We had such a great time with our captain, Zack!! It was very foggy but he managed to get us some good views of the islands. He was so funny and really made the trip entertaining with his knowledge of the area. We saw a seal, bald eagle, porpoise and more!! Highly recommend this trip and if you can get Zack youre lucky!!!

We had an excellent private sail with Zach on Chrissy, a friendship/lobster sloop with wonderful patina. We are experienced sailors and appreciated the mix of relaxing with local brews and taking the helm for a two hour cruise into the bay through the many lobster pots. Definitely recommend.

We had a fantastic 2 hour sunset cruise with Zach on the Schooner Delight! He was extremely knowledgable, personable, and safe. We had the boat just for the 2 of us plus him which provided us with a memorable sail. I would highly recommend this experience for anyone visiting Bar Harbor and we will be back again!

I went on the schooner cruise 2 hr day cruise and it was mediocre. Now when I say mediocre, I DO NOT mean it was bad. In my opinion it just wasnt good.Let me start with the positives. The crew was very friendly. I helped raise sail which was fun, and the crew was very charismatic. Being out on the ocean in the beautiful Bar Harbor area is also AMAZING. The Captain brought us near some pretty areas which was awesome.Now onto the negatives. Seeing the pretty views of the ocean and the island was nice... but thats all we really did. The captain narrated some interesting facts and history and he was doing a great job, but he seemed to run out of things to say in the first 30 minutes. The microphone that he spoke into made him barely intelligible, and later into the trip he reminded me of a student giving a presentation that he just put together the night before. If you look over here at this island I think theres an eagles nest... Yes definitely... Hard to see but its there... Also theres probably some seals and porpoises in the water. If you just stare at the water long enough youll probably see something eventually. The second hour just got boring.The first hour was nice but then everyone got very bored and restless, especially on the crowded ship with metal benches. At one point they decided to turn off the engines of the boat and just use the sails, but we were dead in the water for about 20 minutes before they finally decided to turn on the engine again. Not really sure why they did that? At that point every one just wanted to get off the ship.In summary, this was definitely my least favorite activity that we did in Bar Harbor. It wasnt bad by any stretch of the imagination! It just wasnt worth $45 per person plus tax.

Great crew, amazing views and the sunset trip is the best we had a great time doing this. Its a must do excursion

We took a private sailboat cruise in the harbor the boat Chrissy! The captain was super good and the scenery was perfect. I would much rather have my private tour than be on a larger boat with a big crowd!

We took the 2pm cruise on the Margaret Todd. We had so much fun! Loved the boat and the captain was very informative about the boat and surrounding areas. The crew was kind and friendly but also professional. Was a very relaxing and fun way to spend a few hours. So glad we got to do it!

If there was an option to give a rating of 0 stars than thats what I would choose. My family and I booked a sunset cruise for 6:30 pm. At arrival it was so foggy you could barely see the boat from the parking lot. I understand the weather is unpredictable but the boat had no business what so ever leaving the dock. I questioned the person working at the ticket booth as I had purchased our tickets 2 days in advance and she told me the boat was going to sail. We didnt see any sunset, let alone even see the land or anything else around us for that matter. We were never offered a refund, never apologized to or anything. We drifted around the bay for around an hour and a half, the entire crowd on the boat was miserable and felt ripped off, just as we did. The next day we took a cruise on the bar harbor whale watching cruise for a 9:30am puffin and light house tour, the visibility conditions were just slightly better than the previous day. We got to our first stop and everything was good. Some fog rolled in as we set off to our next destination where visibility became limited. The entire boat was offered a refund ( which we received ) and they still continued along with the tour. As we entered back into the harbor for our 3rd stop things got a little better yet we STILL received a REFUND FOR POOR VISIBILITY. Windjammer never offered us anything, just took our money and ran.

Greg took us out on the Chrissy today and it was the highlight of our Bar Harbor trip! He was full of facts, down to earth, and good company. We loved everything about our time on the water, and would come back to do it again. Thanks Greg— hopefully we’ll see you again, but only after you eat some real lobstahh🦞

Was the best time and value we had a must do.

We went on a fishing charter. It was so much fun. Loss of action catching mackerels! Highly recommend, perfect activity for kids of all ages.

The crew was great. Captain Steve was condescending and disrespectful to our children without provocation. No warning or explanation prior to aggressively reprimanding the children and adults with them. This cruise is not family friendly. Disappointed, considering we had a great experience last year.

We took the sunset cruise. The ship was PACKED full of people sitting on the “green benches”. We could barely see anything unless we stood up but then everybody else stood as well. It’s a beautiful boat though. If you are wanting a tour of the bay and islands I’d recommend a smaller ferry boat.

Our favorite sunset cruise weve ever done! We were so surprised when we called to make reservations and they invited our two dogs. AND we were allowed to bring our own bottle of wine! The entire cruise was wonderful. We made friends, our dogs got TONS of attention, we got to help raise the sails, and the sunset was absolutely breathtaking. There was live music as well. Just a perfect evening for our whole family! We will definitely be booking another cruise with Downeast Windjammer Cruise Lines in the future. Cant recommend it enough!

Great time , great crew

Packed like sardines. It was like standing in a bar parking lot. People got on drunk, brought drinks onboard, then got more drinks. Rude language among the patrons. I realize this is a money maker and should have know better than to go on this wanting to relax. Really sad it was my friends first experience onboard a sail boat. Probably her last. No Covid precautions at all, no mask and people right on top of each other. Talk about Covid spreading events every time this sunset sail goes out !!!!

We had a great time during the sunset cruise in Bar Harbor. I highly recommend the Downeast Windjammer Cruises!

Wonderful boat, crew and cruise! Just watched as the crew unloaded a wheelchair bound passenger with the utmost grace and dignity! Wonderful guys!

So boring Im writing this to stay awake. Truly seeing nothing, hearing nothing, because there is virtually no commentary. Im surprised people arent jumping in the water.$90 waste. The one star is for watching the sails rise.

This is a joke. Find something else. Crew is rude, and information provided on phone is in complete contradiction to what the crew stated.

Sunset cruise is nice

We were delighted to find that the Margaret Todd allowed dogs and took our 2 Poms, Remi and Jiro, on their first sailboat cruise in Bar Harbor, ME! They also had an Acadia National Park Ranger talk about the area and its history. Remi and Jiro did very well, and lots of people loved on them.

We did the sunset cruise, got back right at 2 hours. Crew was very friendly, talking to the guests about the ship and the rigging. Views were amazing, weather was perfect as well.

Great atmosphere while sailing. I highly recommend.

Fun cruise with live music and drinks. Very friendly staff. Highly recommend but don’t forget to bring plenty of warm cloths.

Highly recommend the Chrissy for small groups/couples. Greg captained the boat and my wife and I had an unbelievable time drinking champagne while taking in the views. Greg was a great captain and conversationalist and we learned a lot of fun facts about the island. Highlight of our trip to Bar Harbor.

The SUNSET WAS UNREAL - BEST BOAT IN BAR HARBOR!

Had a fun hour and a half cruise around the harbor in late September with my wife. We both really enjoyed learning about the ship and the area as well as seeing some sea life.

We had an awesome time on the sunset cruise. The live music (but not too loud) and beer made for a nice evening.

Fun, beautiful and relaxing

Took a private charter with Nick and had a great time! He was great company and very knowledgeable.

This was an awesome outing during the 2020 RonaSummer. We opted for the exclusive ride aboard the Chrissy. Our Captain Nick was nothing but professional and will gladly sail with him again.

If you are looking for a boat to take you out on the water and see a sunset while a guy with a guitar roams the boat and plays a few songs this is it. If you are looking for a little history and perhaps entertaining or fun facts about the boat or the area forget it. Not one word about any of this. I think the skipper and crew are missing a great opportunity to share stories and facts about a beautiful boat and the local area.

Great couple hours out on the harbor! Worth it.

Very rude captain! We we’re 6 of us on the boat. All happy and excited just laughing while talking. Then suddenly the captain came to us, basically telling us to “keep quiet or he will disembarked us and he means it”! Saying it right in front of other people. We didn’t even know he was talking. All he could do is tell us nicely to lower or voice down or be silent. He don’t have to threaten us. Kind of ruins the mood and spirit.

Nice ship and staff but we just went put in the bay and did three circles. Not much of an excursion.

We took the morning trip. The crew was nice, but it wasnt a very engaging or fun trip. We literally went out into the water, floated in a big circle, and came back. The highlight was being able to help the crew with the sails. If you are looking for something quiet, peaceful, and relaxing, this would be a good trip for you. If you want something more engaging and interesting, I would skip this one and do a different one.

We had a wonderful time. Weather was great. Took our Labrador with us. He was liked by almost everyone. Music was great! Bar Harbor is a wonderful place to vacation!

My wife and I and 4 friends just completed a sunset cruise on the Margaret Todd. I have never been so insulted and embarrassed as I was by the captain of this boat. Prior to departing, the 6 of us were having a normal happy conversation. Apparently, the captain was about to give his safety briefing and was very disturbed by 6 of his paying customers enjoying themselves.He walked over to us and asked if we had ever heard the safety briefing previously to which we answered no. He then sternly scolded us that we need to be quiet and that if we don’t then we will be forced to disembark! Not only were we unaware of his desire to start his safety briefing, but also shocked by his rude unprofessional demeanor. If he simply asked if he could have our attention we would have gladly complied without the need for his threats.All 6 of us are professionals and we were all horribly embarrassed by this rude unhappy man. This was done in front of other passengers. We stayed for the cruise but could not enjoy it at all after this experience. I would highly recommend avoiding this company who would hire such a horrible employee.

My 80th birthday present. The wind in my hair...oops, Im bald.....and the totally fresh air were indeed worth the time spent. A crew with a top-drawer attitude and a sense of humor certainly made the trip a memory

We took a 2 pm cruise and it was wonderful. For those reviews citing how boring it was, it is peaceful, beautiful, and relaxing. You are, after all, on a boat. We took our dog who enjoyed the trip. We had a Park Ranger aboard who provided information about the area, and the Captain provided information as well. For all of those negative reviewers, I guess it all gets down to expectations, and having been on boats growing up I knew what to expect, and riveting fast paced entertainment, it is not.

We did the sunset cruise and it was our favorite experience of the trip. Beautiful views, great crew, even some unexpected wildlife sightings. I was pleasantly surprised at how little motion sickness I got, if thats a concern. Very comfortable even in chilly May weather.

I liked it. The captain was very knowledgeable and accommodating. Passengers were permitted to hoist the sails. We saw an eagle, a seal, and several porpoises. But we basically did a big circle not very far from land. So if youre expecting an extended stay, its only about 1.5 to 2 hours. Still its relaxing and pleasurable.

Enjoyed sailing, listening to the narrative and helping pull up the mast. It was a fun trip

The trip was smooth sailing. Gorgeous weather and beautiful sunset (neither of which you can plan). Staff was friendly and there was live music on board. Calm and serene. A great way to see some sights, relax and unwind m

Had a great sail with Nick as our captain :)

Great fun on a sailing ship even if we didnt go far. Fun to take family and friends out on the deep blue seas for a few hours of real sailing

Morning sail was a slow (sometimes barely moving) puttering ride around the bay. Crew was skilled, but tour info on the surroundings was sparse. If you’re looking for an exciting, informative tour of the area, this isn’t it. I was disappointed.

We went on the sunset cruise, and it was a great experience. The crew was very nice, they asked for volunteers to help put the sails up which was cool. The views were amazing! And the guitarist who walked around the deck playing and singing was great.

Excellent cruise in Bar Harbor. Dress for temp change. Beer and wine! Staff and Captain are wonderful!

This was the last day of their season and the crew seemed fresh and interested. We had a great time. If you are in Bar Harbor during the season, be sure to sail with them.

Afternoon tour stated more livelier, more exhilarating tour, this was anything but. Ship was barely moving and we just went out little ways and made a circle back to the dock. Save your time and money and take a different tour.

Our family took the Bar Harbor Ferry to Schoodic/Winter Harbor yesterday and we all had the time of our lives! Captain Dan and Mr. Galen have our children the best experience, allowing them to help pull in the bumpers and patiently explaining the logistics of driving the boat! We got to ride up front and even got to feel the frigid sea spray of the crashing waves! We will definitely be back!

Great way to spend a few hours and see the sights

👎🏼! I would not recommend this company. My girlfriend and I, were booked for a sunset cruise. Our hotel advised us to call as the time varies. We called ahead of time THAT day, and were told that the boat would be departing at 6:30 pm, they allow people to start boarding at 6pm. She asked for my name and confirmed the reservation. We arrived at 6:15, and were told that the gate was closed! When we asked why this was?!.. We were told that the captain likes to take off early if the majority of people have arrived. The boat then sat there until about 6:30, while preparations for departure were carried out. We were given many excuses about the mixup, Im most confident she was the woman we spoke to on the phone and she herself said they tell people to arrive at 5:45. Not the case for us. In conclusion, in my opinion the boat was over booked, and this was a lame excuse. Cant review on the ride itself, but if the sea employees were as incapable as the land employees, I cant imagine it to be a pleasant experience.

This was a lot of fun, even on a cloudy day! We got to see porpoises in the harbor, and the staff on board were friendly, fun and knowledgeable. Bring a bottle of wine and a sweater or jacket.

Fun time with a great crew!

We went on the morning schooner ride. Was really nice and pet friendly. Chatted with crew member Greg who is extremely educated about sailing and was nice to our dogs :)

Had a 10am cruise. Someone from the staff called at 9:38am to tell me the cruise was cancelled because of unforeseen circumstances which they told me was because a boat was missing. The woman at the desk told me I would get my refund sometime. Terrible service, make a backup plan if you plan on coming here.

Polite crew, but overall just not a great experience. We spent 2hrs with 148 strangers sailing in a tight circle just off Bar Harbor. We packed the camera up after 30min because we literally stared at the same patch of water for the entire trip.I felt particularly bad for the couples that expected a romantic cruise and brought champagne or wine. The ship holds 150 people packed pretty close together on benches - not exactly a memorable experience.This cruise was part of a vacation package we bought through our hotel. There were several other cruise options including a nature tour - I would highly recommend those over the sunset cruise.

Not a bad little cruise around the harbour. I thought it would have been more of a sailing trip and not a motorboat. I really dont know why they even bothered with the sails.

We had a wonderful time, with an excellent crew, lovely weather. Would definitely do this again! :D

The ride on the 4-masted schooner Margaret Todd was lovely, very able and friendly crew!

Nice smooth ride with beautiful views and beer!

Would highly recommend this tour on the Margaret Todd. A beautiful evening on the water.

Avoid this company, we get there 5 mins before boarding time, but they dont let us to boarding and not giving refund, how nice is this company. they offer another trip for us, but i told them we have to get back to NY in the same day, but they just dont care.

Best way to see the harbor. 2 hour tour in a classic schooner

Fun time and beautiful. Dog friendly!

The only one to get is the sunset cruise. Its just a nice tour around the harbor area. Slightly overpriced, but nice none the less.

Beautiful views and live music on board. Food and drink are allowed.

Great experience, just dont use the head.

Winter Harbor/ Bar Harbor Ferry: Excellent service by an inspired crew. New in 2016 is routing closer to the in between islands so you get to see more.

Great experience. A true sail around the Harbour.

Beautiful relaxing cruise on Frenchmans bay

The entertainer needs a sound system to improve the volume of his performance.

Awesome.

Take a picture of the ship and call it a day. The crew had no enthusiasm, they will NOT show you nature, and they act like you are an inconvenience!

Awful cruise, expensive, barely an hour in length, no information on area at all and very overcrowed!

Wonderful

Awesome experience

Super sunset on the water with a nice little lunch we had brought, brie chorizo ​​and bread added to the small wine sold on the boat. Very nice moment relax in love.