Island Cruises
Island Cruises
5
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About
Escape busy Bar Harbor and take a boat ride with us. We operate June through mid-October, reservations available online. A family owned business for over 30 years. Operating out of Bass Harbor to the islands of Blue Hill Bay, we offer exclusive access to what many consider one of the most beautiful parts of the Maine coast, as well as its prettiest harbor. Being off the beaten path, our formula for success is offering the highest quality experience on Mount Desert Island, with your tour captained and narrated by the owner. On our Nature Cruises, you'll see seals, bald eagles, countless seabirds, pristine Islands, panoramic views and even haul a lobster trap or two. We cherish your business and our many return customers, and you'll find that it shows from start to finish. We have added three additional boats to offer private charters for sailing, fishing and sightseeing.
Bass Harbor, Maine
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
642 reviews
Excellent
619
Very good
14
Average
1
Poor
2
Terrible
6
David K
10 contributions
Aug 2020
We booked a 1/2 day fishing charter / sightseeing tour for 5 passengers (mom, dad, gramps, + 2 boys) on the Fifinella with Sarge as our captain. He was extremely knowledgeable of the area and, despite some very thick fog, took us out several miles and made us feel safe the entire time. We were even able to get close enough to see throngs of seals and cormorants on the rocks. Once we got to fishing, we were pulling up fish in no time at all. We caught pollock, mackerel and cod quite easily and with few gaps in between catches. No monster trophies, but constant action for a family of novice fishers. Due to our landlubber status, we had to go back in about an hour early due to seasickness, and still felt like we got our money's worth. Was a great trip and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to do some fishing while on MDI.
Written August 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mitchell50285
Dublin, OH27 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
My wife and teenage daughter decided somewhat last minute, to book the 12:30 Nature Cruise out of Bass Harbor last Friday, June 24th. My daughter and I had taken this tour once four years ago in not good weather so we were eager to see what our experience would be under ideal weather conditions. Our tour did not disappoint. Captain Eli and his first mate daughter Julia did an excellent job of gaining us close access to wildlife and the famous Bass Harbor Light House. Our favorite part of the tour was Captain Eli's comprehensive, conversational and relatable tour narration, focusing on local history and the lobster industry. Eli gave us keen insights into the dynamics of lobstering, even stopping to pull one of his own traps to demonstrate. We learned much about how lobsters breed, size restrictions and how successful lobstering has become in great part due to the restrictions lobstermen place on themselves to keep the lobster population growing. Our glimpses into island life, how island residents live and thrive in tough , isolated conditions was a real treat. We would recommend this tour to anyone who visits Mount Desert Island . The "Quiet Side" is less crowded than Bar Harbor and Island Cruises has plenty of room for passengers.
Written June 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dutch Brother
Boston, MA565 contributions
Aug 2021
No wonder this was awarded best cruise on the island by Yankee Magazine. Our two hour nature cruise was so much more than that. The captain/narrator also told us so much about local history, knew many of the families on the islands we sailed by, was very informative about the wildlife (seals, birds, etc.), and explained the ecology and economics of the lobster industry, life for people who lived year-round on the islands, and much more. He grew up in Bass Harbor and knows the area extremely well. He is an excellent speaker, communicating a huge amount of information clearly and in an interesting way. He drove the boat within 20-30 feet of some of the seals on the islands, Bass Harbor Lighthouse, and other islands. He drove us right up to a large, commercial salmon farming operation and explained it in detail. The scenery is beautiful and the two hours sped by. I wasn't the slightest bit bored and would have liked even more. The boat holds about 50 people, but didn't feel crowded. Each seat had a pad to make for softer seating, a good idea for a two hour cruise. The price of $50 was fair given the quality of the tour. This put other nature cruises to shame, but then they didn't go to such wonderful islands full of wildlife, both seals and seabirds. If you just want a boat ride, and not a narrated tour, then maybe you would want something else. But I loved learning about so many different aspects of this area, especially what it's like for those living on the island and/or life as a lobsterman. He even pulled up his own trap and showed us the lobsters and crabs caught in the trap, and explained the basics of lobstering. This is a very popular cruise, ours was sold out, so book ahead.
Written August 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Catherine T
Hatteras Island, NC87 contributions
Aug 2020
We booked a private charter with this outfit on a Wednesday in August. It was cancelled by text at short notice and we tried to get a hold of them by telephone but they weren't answering. So we booked the next day on a public tour which is all that was available. We got there and the seats were close together and the people near us were not wearing masks and the boat was rather enclosed. In other words it didn't feel safe in COVID times. We explained to the Captain we didn't feel safe and he said that though it was Maine guidelines for people to be wearing masks he wasn't going to enforce mask wearing as it is an individual's choice to not wear masks. Given this we asked to leave and for a refund. The captain was very unhappy. Anyway - I wanted to share this in case you are nervous about COVID so you know that this isn't the trip for you.
Written September 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Island Cruises has remained 100% compliant with all Maine CDC requirements throughout the covid crisis. The claim that we were not isn't factual. We also tried very hard in an extremely challenging environment to provide the best balance we could between safety and enjoyment. It was clear from the beginning that it was going to be impossible to please everyone, but we feel like a one star review from a group of 6 who received a $240 full refund and didn't take the tour during a year our small family business was down over 50% is a bit uncharitable.
Written March 17, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Linda S
9 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
I would highly recommend the Island Nature Cruise. There were 14 in our group, including parents, grandparents, and children ranging from 2 years to 16. Captain Eli and his “first mate” daughter were wonderful. I like that the Captain was born and raised in Bass Harbor and is very knowledgeable about its history, its inhabitants, and its sea life. The smaller boat made it possible to go closer to the coastline and islands for better viewing of the lighthouse, seals, bald eagles, and assorted seabirds. We especially appreciated how he took the time to steer the boat around so passengers on both sides had viewing opportunities. Bringing up the lobster trap was a highlight at the conclusion of our cruise. If you are looking for a special experience while visiting Mt. Desert Island, you will not be disappointed in selecting this Nature Cruise.
Written July 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bkhockey3
Norwood, MA99 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
Matt is the man! We went on a 6pm charter with Captain Matt. We were a group of 6 (ages 15-51)with a range of fishing experiences. Every person caught something and there was constant action on the boat with fish big and small coming on left and right. After fishing we swung by an island and checked out some awesome seals and enjoyed the ride back. Matt was super smart and super personable. We honestly could not have asked for a better experience. Every person in our group loved it. Thank you so much! This will be the first thing we book next time we are in the area.
Written August 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ted D
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Couples
My wife and I had a great time and loved all the animal sightings. We were worried about not being able to see much in the fog, but we got in close enough to all the sights so it wasn't even a problem.
Beyond that, we've been talking all week about all the island history and Maine fishing industry info we learned from the perspective of someone born and raised there. Another note for anyone worried about motion sickness, my wife often gets motion sick on boats, but didn't have any problem on this tour.
Beyond that, we've been talking all week about all the island history and Maine fishing industry info we learned from the perspective of someone born and raised there. Another note for anyone worried about motion sickness, my wife often gets motion sick on boats, but didn't have any problem on this tour.
Written July 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Voyager742529
3 contributions
Jul 2021
This trip is a must-do on your visit to Maine. The 2 hour Nature Cruise is terrific! Captain Eli and his daughter Julia pointed out harbor seals, grey seals, cormorants, bald eagles and much more. The highlight is pulling up the lobster trap and measuring to see if it is a "keeper." We have taken this trip with Eli (and his father before him) for many, many summers, and we enjoy it more each time!
Written July 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Island Cruise company/Bass Harbor, ME
Dayton, OH1 contribution
Aug 2022
Loved the nature tour! Captain Eli was so well informed about the history of the islands and surrounding area. We got views of many of the animals and heard all about their habitats and behavior. It was fun to see him allow the kids on the cruise to get up close and hands on with the lobsters and crabs as he showed us how he worked the trap. His daughter crewed for him the day we went and the two of them made this cruise one of the best we have done in our travels.
Written September 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carrie K
Swampscott, Massachusetts, United States4 contributions
Jul 2022
My husband and I were staying at a nearby campground looking for something to do on a foggy and cloudy day. We tried to get reservations for boat tours out of Bar Harbor but most were booked up. We saw an advertisement in the weekly Acadia paper for Nature and Lobster Tour out of Bass Harbor which was minutes from our campground. I highly recommend taking this tour!! It was very informative and we saw lots of sea and island habitat. The seals were the highlight of the trip. We are both avid kayakers and went out the next day to the area we toured and saw seals from our kayak!! The lobster fishing was very interesting. I would go on this tour again the next time we visit the "quiet side" of Mount Desert Island.
Written July 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What was the temperature when you went? I'm planning a visit the week of Sept 15th.
Written September 11, 2019
I read somewhere that boats in Maine which carry passengers (commercially) are required to have a restroom; the boat we were on had a restroom but it would have been a hassle to access it; but nice to know it was there in emergency if needed. Call ahead and check. I would not have known the boat I was on had a toilet unless I had asked; it definitely was not obvious
Written July 24, 2019
What is your cancelation policy? Can people cancel if the weather would make the trip uncomforable for them?
Written July 6, 2019
We went on the afternoon cruise during the last week of August. It was in the 70's and sunny. Even so the wind on the water was cool and we needed a windbreaker. I would suggest a windbreaker or sweatshirt, at a minimum, and long pants or jeans. Enjoy!
Written September 12, 2019
Can you give me the cost of a ticket please?
Written April 11, 2018
I went on something that was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. I think it was about 35 dollars. I felt it was well worth it. This was a sunset cruise and it was wonderful. I do not know if they do the Sunset Cruises any more. Call and ask them. They are very friendly.
Written April 11, 2018
captaineli
Mount Desert Island, Maine
Our boat is certified for 49, and is designed to still be comfortable for everyone at capacity, with great views wherever you sit!
Written June 2, 2017
Are pets allowed on this boat? Specifically, a 45-pound dog?
Written June 8, 2015
captaineli
Mount Desert Island, Maine
I'm sorry, we only allow service animals on the boat during tours.
Written June 8, 2015
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