Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.
Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.
Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.
4.5
Boat Tours • Dolphin & Whale Watching • Nature & Wildlife Tours
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8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Full view

About
The Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company offers a variety of boat cruises for all ages that show different sights and wildlife in the area around Mount Desert Island, Maine. The cruises that we offer include a whale watching, puffin and lighthouse cruise, nature cruise, lobster fishing and seal watching, and a unique National Park cruise to Baker Island. We also have a gift shop in our ticket office, where you can purchase souvenirs during your time in town. We hope to see you on one (or more!) of our boat cruises so we can show you why Bar Harbor, Maine is such a special place! Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company is a certified Whale SENSE company and follows regional whale watching guidelines. To learn more, visit whalesense.org.
Puffin + Lighthouse Cruise, Nature Cruises, and Lobster Fishing & Seal Watching Cruises begin May 11th, 2023!
Whale Watching will begin May 26th, 2023!
Bar Harbor, Maine
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Awards
Travelers' Choice
2022
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Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.
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(187 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,105 reviews
Excellent
1,307
Very good
422
Average
160
Poor
84
Terrible
132
Bobbie G
New Hampshire Lakes Region, NH285 contributions
Sep 2022
We took the Lighthouse and Somes Sound trip, which was about 4 hours from the pier in the heart of Bar Harbor. The tour was very well narrated on a good PA system and there were a number of big screen TVs in the lower deck, which were used to show the exact position of the boat at all times.
If you want to be on the open upper deck, be sure to wear extra clothes in layers, as when underway, it can be quite windy and chilly on the upper deck.
This was a shore excursion from our cruise ship and since Bar Harbor is a tender port for most cruise ships, it was only a short walk from where the tender drops you off to the Bar Harbor Whale Watch pier. Just weave around a few buildings to your left as you exit and keep to the shore and you'll see the gray building for Bar Harbor Whale Watch. We bought tickets online direct through their website and saved about $20 pp over what the cruise line charged for the same thing.
Highly recommended day trip!
If you want to be on the open upper deck, be sure to wear extra clothes in layers, as when underway, it can be quite windy and chilly on the upper deck.
This was a shore excursion from our cruise ship and since Bar Harbor is a tender port for most cruise ships, it was only a short walk from where the tender drops you off to the Bar Harbor Whale Watch pier. Just weave around a few buildings to your left as you exit and keep to the shore and you'll see the gray building for Bar Harbor Whale Watch. We bought tickets online direct through their website and saved about $20 pp over what the cruise line charged for the same thing.
Highly recommended day trip!
Written September 21, 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.
Thank you very much for your review of the Somes Sound and Lighthouse Cruise! We are so pleased you enjoyed the cruise and included it as part of our visit to Bar Harbor! Hope you will return again and join us for another cruise!
Written November 17, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
LovesPhotoOps
Hoover, AL1,043 contributions
Jun 2022
I bought our tickets online six weeks in advance, $59 plus fees averaged out to $64 each for the four tickets. We arrived at the dock early and had no problem getting a parking spot. All four of us thoroughly enjoyed our three-hour puffin/lighthouse cruise on the Friendship V. We saw the Egg Rock, Petit Manan, and Winter Harbor lighthouses up close and the boat stayed at each one for a while and turned slowly so all passengers could get a good view. We saw lots of seals at Egg Rock, lots of puffins at Petit Manan, and a bald eagle coming back into the harbor. The narrator was great, and at Petit Manan she radioed with one of the puffin researchers on the island so we could hear them talk about their work. We sat up top on the outside deck and loved it even though we had to bundle up in jackets, gloves, and hats for warmth. Definitely bring binoculars and/or camera with zoom lens. There are restrooms on the main deck with sliding doors.
They took a photo of each traveling party at boarding time (ours turned out great) and a print was available for $20 as we left the boat, with instructions for emailing them for a digital copy. I emailed and a few days later they sent me a digital copy of our group photo.
They took a photo of each traveling party at boarding time (ours turned out great) and a print was available for $20 as we left the boat, with instructions for emailing them for a digital copy. I emailed and a few days later they sent me a digital copy of our group photo.
Written July 2, 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.
Thank you very much for your very kind review! We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the Puffin and Lighthouse Cruise! We appreciate all the information you shared about your experience on this cruise! We hope you join us again in the near future!
Written November 17, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tony B
Greeneville, TN7 contributions
Jun 2022
Our trip was amazing. It was a cool day and got much colder on the ride out to find whales. But it was well worth it! The crew was very friendly, safety-focused, and extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. We started to get worried we weren't going to find any whales (there is no guarantee), but after about 3 hours of the captain and crew trying to locate some, we were rewarded with a mother and calf swimming, diving, and breeching!!
I highly recommend Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. to anyone who has a chance to visit Bar Harbor. Their Nature Tours are also well worth the cost and time.
I highly recommend Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. to anyone who has a chance to visit Bar Harbor. Their Nature Tours are also well worth the cost and time.
Written June 27, 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.
We are so pleased to hear you had an amazing whale watch! Thank you very much for your kind review and recommendation! We greatly appreciate you joining us on multiple cruises and hope you will future to join us again in the future!
Written November 17, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gina Z
3 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Originally booked a whale watch for my family of 7 but due to a storm it was rescheduled. My family decided that they wanted to try the Sunset Cruise instead and rebooking was super simple and no hassle at all. Customer service was impeccable and accommodating.
The Sunset cruise was both informative and spectacular! The coastline was absolutely breathtaking and receiving the history by the knowledgeable guide was a huge plus. My young adults loved the “happy hour” from the local Atlantic brewery so that and the beautiful sunset just hit it out of the park! If you are on the fence about booking this company DO IT TODAY! You will not regret it!
The Sunset cruise was both informative and spectacular! The coastline was absolutely breathtaking and receiving the history by the knowledgeable guide was a huge plus. My young adults loved the “happy hour” from the local Atlantic brewery so that and the beautiful sunset just hit it out of the park! If you are on the fence about booking this company DO IT TODAY! You will not regret it!
Written July 5, 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.
Thank you very much for your kind review of the sunset nature cruise! We greatly appreciate your positive feedback and remarks on the different highlights of the trip! We hope you will join us again in the near future!
Written July 8, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Elizabeth W
Chicago, IL2 contributions
Oct 2022
I should have done more due diligence before the trip because it ruined our day. The captain told us it would be 3-5 hours long, and the ride was 5.5 hours. It was entirely too long and almost the entire boat was miserable and sick. My family has never been seasick before and we all were really miserable with half of the people holding puke bags. This is a very intense whale watching tour - I recommend thinking twice before booking this.
Written October 11, 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.
Hello JonesHN! We are so sorry to hear that you had a difficult time on the whale watch. This can be the most adventurous of all our trips due to the nature of the offshore waters. If you return to Bar Harbor, we would highly recommend our nature cruise or lobster fishing cruise, which tends to stay closer to shore and are shorter trips.
Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback about your experience.
Written November 16, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Brooke B
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Family
We had a great experience on our whale watching tour! The staff was very informative and friendly and answered questions. Recommend sitting inside because of the wind, we went when it was 72 degrees and sunny and when the boat was moving it was very cold and windy out on the decks. You can see both sides while inside and still have great views. Windows open so you can get good pictures as well. Once stopped, you can move about to get better views on the decks but definitely sit on the inside, especially if you have kids! We were able to see multiple humpback whales and they stayed around our ship for a long time, it was well worth the money!
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.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time! Thank you for your review and feedback! We appreciate you sharing your experience as well as providing information and advice for future passengers.
Written August 2, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Roberta K
Trenton, NJ1 contribution
Aug 2022
We recently went on the Happy Hour Sunset Nature Cruise and found it to be just OK. The cruise itself was nice. The views were beautiful, and we did get to see a few Harbor seals playing and sunning. However, the person giving the narration was not very good and really did not add much to the cruise. You could also here him talking to the people near him but couldn't hear their questions. This was the first hour. The second hour was just playing Yacht Rock over the system while you watched the sunset. Maybe I missed something or was expecting too much?
Written August 7, 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.
Hello! Thank you for your feedback and for joining us on the sunset nature cruise.
If you would like to provide specific feedback about the narration, you can reach out to our lead naturalist at leadnaturalist@barharborwhales.com. Our guides are always working on interpretation techniques and the material they cover, so additional information and more specific feedback would be helpful.
All of our cruises are described in detail on our website if folks are looking for more information about each cruise.
We are glad to hear you enjoyed the views and wildlife, specifically the seals!
Written August 11, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Joseph R
Salisbury, MD3 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
The trip was great! Even though we didn’t see the big whales the crew made the trip worthwhile by showing us Minky whales and stopping by an island lighthouse the was teaming with seals! The crew was excellent and friendly even though there was sea sickness to deal with. We were offered a voucher to return so we can get another opportunity to see some whales at a later date.
I wholeheartedly recommend this company and suggest that you seek them out when looking for a whale watch adventure.
I wholeheartedly recommend this company and suggest that you seek them out when looking for a whale watch adventure.
Written August 11, 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.
Thank you so much for your kind review and recommendation! We are so pleased to hear you enjoyed the experience! We look forward to seeing you again in the near future!
Written August 11, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Erin W
Solon, OH22 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
Absolutely DO NOT recommend this whale watching puke fest. This is an open ocean whale watching expedition. The snack bar/ bar tender person kept telling my husband this was a top 10 weather and calm sea kind of day. At least half the boat literally vomited. When you boarded, there were puke bags sitting out EVERYWHERE. I should’ve known then that this was a bad sign. I have been on hundreds of boat rides, cruises, etc. on everything from lakes to open ocean and I am not prone to sea sickness and even I threw up AFTER taking preventative seasickness medicine at the dock. They made an announcement that gave a two minute window to get off the boat once we boarded. They made it sound like the seas continued to be rough because Hurricane Elsa had blown through two days before and that this was a rare occurrence. After the bar guy went on and on with my husband, and I read ALL of the reviews on here, it seems sea sickness is quite common on this boat all the time. Again, as someone who is NOT prone to being seasick, and has now checked life’s box on actually vomiting on this boat twice, I would not recommend this to anyone. I would go choose one of their tours that stays in the bay and go whale watching in another city where it’s not in the open ocean.
The rest of the crew were fine, nothing outstanding, and we did see a few basking sharks, minky whales, and fin whales. That being said, they offered us a voucher to rebook at some point in the next three years but since all of their other tours are full for the rest of our stay in Bar Harbor and we have no plans to return to town, this is useless to us.
I would absolutely NOT recommend this to anyone.
The rest of the crew were fine, nothing outstanding, and we did see a few basking sharks, minky whales, and fin whales. That being said, they offered us a voucher to rebook at some point in the next three years but since all of their other tours are full for the rest of our stay in Bar Harbor and we have no plans to return to town, this is useless to us.
I would absolutely NOT recommend this to anyone.
Written July 12, 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.
Hello! Sorry to hear that your experience was unsatisfactory, but we appreciate the feedback you provided.
As mentioned, we do try to explain the potential ocean conditions so those that are prone to seasickness are able to disembark before the boat heads out, but we understand that the boat ride can impact people differently. Battling sea sickness can be challenging, especially when it is a long boat ride out to locations that are a far distance offshore. But our crew do their best to make sure folks are taken care of and prepared in case they should start to feel queezy.
If folks are unable to rebook with their vouchers for the whale watch, you are able to use the vouchers toward other trips we offer. As also mentioned, we offer other boat cruises that stay closer to shore and are shorter trips if people would rather not go on the whale watch another time. We are experiencing higher-than-normal visitation this year and are trying to accommodate everyone the best we can with rebooks. We are sorry that you were unable to do this. We do hope you are able to use your rebooks in the near future.
Written July 16, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PATravelingGal89
Mechanicsburg, PA160 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
We self-booked this tour for our port day while on a cruise. The tour narrator was wonderful & we saw eagles, seals, and water birds. Our 11 year old granddaughter absolutely loved it. We were free to move around the boat, and they were great at showing down & pointing out wildlife in the distance, such as the balls eagles. We learned so much about the area and would highly recommend this to anyone whether single or families with children.
Written August 21, 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.
Thank you very much for your kind review and sharing your experience with us! We greatly appreciate the recommendation and mentioning the highlights of the cruise-including the guide and the wildlife! We hope you will join us again in the near future!
Written November 17, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi, we are doing the whale tour the first week of July. Will we need heavy jackets?
Adam K
Santa Rosa, CA49 contributions
you should definitely bring layers, it gets chilly on the water.
Suzanne76
Indianapolis, IN41 contributions
We will be visiting the last week in July and our midwestern boys are excited to see whales. I see that there are three different cruises on the day we are planning. Is there a time that wildlife is more active? Morning, mid day, or afternoon? Help us decide.
Are the tours wheelchair accessible?
Adam K
Santa Rosa, CA49 contributions
yes, there is a ramp and there is a spot for wheelchairs.
Timeaway5
Springfield, KY14 contributions
How many people go out per cruise on the whale watching 11AM trip?
Karen L
3 contributions
It’s a large ship with indoor and outdoor seating. Masked are required indoors and while boarding.
Numbers vary based on who signs up. We went in a Friday and the boat had a good number but wasn’t packed.
Lori M
16 contributions
We are coming to the area & would like to book a tour on October 9 in hopes of seeing some whales. Is this too late in the season for them, and if so, what tour do you suggest?
Hello! There is still a chance of seeing whales in October, but it is toward the end of the whale watching season and sometimes the sightings can be a bit more "hit or miss". But we go out and give it our best try (just as we do every trip) and if for some reason you don't see whales you get a 3 year voucher so you can come back and try again or use for another boat cruise we offer!
Travread
Baltimore, MD154 contributions
We will be in Maine next week and would like to see some seals, porpoises, etc. What would be the best cruise for this and also do people often get motion sick? Do you see any wildlife on the sunset cruise?
Hello there! The nature cruise, lobster fishing cruise or lighthouse cruise would be a good option. We've seen porpoise and seals on the sunset nature cruise on previous trips, so there is a chance of seeing wildlife on that cruise!
hopalongrving
Mississippi999 contributions
This will be our first attempt to see whales; anyone have any input as to weather the morning 830 am or the afternoon 130pm show would be ideal?
Info: It will be mid August, 3 adult travelers and no history of seasickness in years of combined boating in the south East.
Teacher
1 contribution
In 2017 we went on afternoon tour and saw no whales. In 2021 we went on morning tour and saw whales and dolphin although it was very chilly. Depending on where you are staying, it may be easier to find parking in the morning.
emarie22
Danville, PA11 contributions
Can anyone tell me what the difference will be in the wildlife that we see between the Nature Cruise and the Puffin Tour? The FAQs mentions puffins on the nature cruise, and otherwise many of the same animals are mentioned.
Hi Erin!
We don't typically see puffins on the nature cruise. The puffin and lighthouse cruise is the trip to take if you want to see puffins. The nature cruise visits many scenic parts of Frenchman Bay and often sees seals, bald eagles, and seabirds!
I am trying to decide between and nature tour ( 2 hours) and the puffin and lighthouse tour (2.5 hours).
We will be there in July and this is our first time to the NE and of course Maine. Does anyone have any suggestions on which to do? Would love a combined tour since I would love to see lighthouses, puffins and the shoreline of Acadia and the "multi million dollar houses" but that does not exist.
Thank you for your input!
The Puffin and Lighthouse trip is wonderful! There is so much to see on this trip and has become one of our most popular boat cruises. July is a great time to see puffins as they are in the middle of their breeding season!