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I've wanted to see a whale in the ocean since childhood, and this was absolutely the place to do it! Not only did we see plenty of whales in the whale watch tour, we were also so fortunate as to see one on the Puffins and Lighthouses tour! Saw humpbacks and fin whales, harbor and gray seals, harbor porpoise, puffins, and various other sea birds. Each tour has a naturalist who narrates what you see and educates on conservation practices, and each tour helps further research at the local stations. You can adopt a whale, too! In the ship is a cash only bar with snacks and beverages, even alcoholic ones, and a limited supply of rentable binoculars. Dress warm, it's cold on the water. I had a heated vest and Uggs, and still felt the chill, in July! I won't post too many pictures, save a fluke, the experience is better spent experiencing than trying to set up the perfect shot.
I really appreciated that this company has a guarantee.And they stand behind it.If you do not see a significant number of whales on your watch, they give you a voucher that is good for another whale watch or another excursion , and you have three years to use it. The staff is very, very helpful and friendly and kind.And they work hard to make you comfortable. There are multiple warnings about seasickness,And if you decide when you get to the boat that you are feeling sick or you hear the announcement that the seas are rough , they will give you a refund or a voucher , your choice. The naturalist on board gives significant information and points of interest for all the different wildlife that you see , birds , porpoises , whales , seals , anything that comes up , they know a good amount of information and they relay it over a loudspeaker system. The pap a system could be louder and upgraded , but it is manageable. The cabin of the boat is very comfortable with large, comfortable chairs and tables.There is a deck with a galley where they serve drinks and snacks. They also sell hats and gloves if you're cold and drammine , if you feel sick. The admonition to dress really warm is for real , for real. It was about seventy degrees at the dock , but it was about forty degrees out in the middle of the ocean. We really did need winter gear to be comfortable outside on the deck. We found that as we get cold , we would add another layer and that worked really well. The deck has seating all around and safe rails.So you can stand against the rails , the boat speeds along , so you can get to a whale quickly , and then it slows down to a stop when there is a sighting of any kind of significant wildlife. When I felt sick after a good hour of a bumpy rough sea, which we were warned about , they immediately brought me ginger ale and a seasick bag. Unfortunately , on this trip , we only saw the back of a humpback whale , and then we saw a deceased whale. They took many photos and alerted researchers to come and find it so that it could be determined or studied how it might have passed away. They are very responsible and responsive to the safety and health of the sea life. Upon arriving back at the dock we were immediately emailed vouchers that we can take three years to use. That in and of itself is a guarantee to me that they care about their customers and want their patrons to have a lovely, well watching excursion.
For my birthday, we joined a whale watching tour in the Gulf of Maine. We honestly weren't sure what to expect but were blown away by getting to see 3 different types of whales (Humpback, Minke, Finback), with multiples of each type and also two blue sharks. The people that led our tour were knowledgeable and friendly and I also appreciated they had food and drinks onboard for sale (and single serve dramamine). We had a hot dog, their ocean gin drink, and a blueberry harbor ale and couldn't have had a better time. Make sure to get there early as the most in demand seats on top of the boat were full after they let the people waiting in line early on the boat. I'd say we got there 30 minutes earlier than needed and got some of the best seats but there weren't many left. There is a shop with good coffee close so you can have one person hold your spot in line while others do that. Dress warmer than you think you need: we ended up wearing long sleeve shirts and pants with jackets and beanies and it wasn't a rough or especially cold day at sea and closer to 70 degrees on land. .
Here are a few tips to get you started. 1. Get there early for parking (in yellow) pic incl. Pay at the meter for 5 hours which is about the length of the Whale watch trip and back, costs $20 bucks. There are other parking areas available. 2. Clothing, Long pants, with long sleeves shirt windbreaker jacket maybe even a hat, Sunglasses. Pack shorts to change into upon return temperatures will be warmer. *Trip out to sea is windy and chilly. Point here is to feel comfortable. 3. You can pack your own lunch and bring a backpack. There is a Galley on board the ship for food purchases. 4. Bring a camera (i brought my Insta 360 5X camera and a 3 foot selfie stick) and Cellphone and be ready to take pictures. *I have Boost Mobile and I did get cell service out there. *All in all be expected to pay a little over $100.00 per person for slightly over 5 hours ride. Two boats can go out at the same time depending on the crowds. Lines will be long and they will take your picture before you board, (A novelty idea by them to get you to buy a photo of yourselves after debarking). We opted out politely. *Note: We went to the top floor which was all seats. Expect to be chilly. Standing by the rails on top minimal room. Downstairs more room but more crowded, an enclosed area, 3 co-ed bathrooms and Galley. *Final thoughts: Having a physical crew member narrative at top on the microphone was actually a good way to pass the time and learn a few things about what we would encounter. We have a whales "Tale" to speak of when we get back home. The Review Guru* Long Island NY
Spent the July 4th weekend in Bar Harbor and we booked this company for the whale watching as well as for the fireworks on the water. I will start by saying that the staff is absolutely wonderful! Super attentive and polite and was constantly checking on all of the riders. The ride was long but we went to two locations before we finally got a glimpse of one humpback whale- Anthur. The captain did his best to get us as close to the whale as possible without disrupting it and also tried to make sure both sides of the boat got ample time to view. The narrator on the boat had a ton of information to provide which was really cool. It wasn't just about whales, we learned about other sea life and productivity and sustainability as well as about the harbor and Acadia park. It was an experience for sure. I do tend to get a little motion sickness which thankfully I was spared on this trip- but unfortunately it seemed like it was happening all around us where people were just losing it. The staff was quick to react and accommodate those riders with bags, drinks and food. Prepare for the cold because even though it was 80 degrees on land, it was extremely windy and freezing out of the water. They do provide hot chocolate and coffee and snacks on board for purchase, you can also bring food on board as well. We went back out again in the evening for the fireworks- they do a trip out towards the lighthouse and the porcupine islands and again provide lots of information about the islands, sea life, and about the earlier settlers. That part was great- the fireworks (out of their control) was eh. Everyone said Bar Harbor has some of the best fireworks and unfortunately they were super underwhelming. Would I do it again..... probably not, but it was an experience that we enjoyed and have stories to tell.
This was a wonderful boat and enthusiastic Naturalist guide~ Courtney. If you get there before 8am, (it won't let you reserve at the kiosk before 8am) just scan/ download the parking kiosk to get the app. Know your license number and the Kiosk number. Check-in was quick and efficient. From a former whale watch trip, I recommend no greasy breakfasts or anything with dairy before the trip. You may bring your own food/snacks. If you are prone to motion sickness~ take the Dramamine 1 hr before you set sail. Take along Ginger candy or ginger ale for any upset tummies. If you sit anywhere in the exterior, bundle up in layers. It's very windy heading out to the spot and coming back in to port. We were able to secure an inside Main Deck booth and headed around the boat when there was a sighting. Everyone was kind in sharing photo ops. The top is great as our guide sat upstairs (bundle up and wear layers) with the view of the bow or starboard sighting of the whales. We were fortunate to see humpback and fin whales, dolphins, porpoises and variety of birds. The galley is cash only. They also provide emesis bags. Please use them if you feel like vomiting. I was unfortunate to be below a deck from the top and a fluid with blueberry chunks came dripping below. Otherwise, it was a memorable excursion with great sightings. Make sure to have a quick shutter camera with lens to get a great shot of the blowhole, back and tail of the whales.
I took my two kids on the whale watching tour out of Bar Harbor. We signed up for the 8:330 morning tour, and I was a little worried because it was still pretty foggy and the seas were still pretty rough leaving that early. It might've been a little bit smoother of a ride if we would have waited for the afternoon tour. We got there about 45 minutes early and had pre-booked everything online ahead of time. There was already a pretty good line of people. waiting to get on the boat. We had our QR codes on our phone so we didn't need to check in or do anything ahead of time. We are also able to find paid parking in the parking lot right outside the office. It did cost about $25 for the day but that is pretty typical in Bar Harbor to park. Once we boarded the boat, we were able to find some of the last spots outside on the front of the boat. There was plenty of sitting inside, but lots of people were trying to get the outside seats. They also made an announcement that the seas were gonna be pretty rough and if anyone wanted to get off, they would fully refund your ticket which I thought was pretty nice that they made that offer. We decided to stick it out. It was definitely super rough on the way out and we ended up having to go about 50 miles out to try to find some whales. . They also had warned us that it may be a long ride out. My daughter did end up getting seasick along with many other people on the boat. The people working were on top of it and made sure everyone had barf bags and moved all the people who were sick to the back of the boat and kept things very, very clean. I was impressed with how attentive they were. But after searching for quite a bit, we found three humpback whales and we're able to sit and watch them for a good 30 minutes. They made sure to get us as close as possible without being too close to the whales. The fog had cleared up and it ended up being a beautiful day and the ride back was very smooth. Overall, I was very happy with the experience and they delivered on everything That they had promised.
I was nervous to book, but I'm so glad that I did! We were able to see so many whales! I was surprised! We took some nice photos of their flukes and the narrator even told us many facts about the whales. We were so excited to see pods of common dolphins! Schedule Overall, we started standing in line at 10:15am and I recommend doing that so you can get a nice spot at the top front of the boat. That's where you'll get to spot the most whales since they face directly towards the whales as they look for them. At 11:05am we set off and saw some eagles flying in the sky. At about 1pm, we started to see whales and dolphins. At about 2:30pm we started to head back. I recommend going downstairs to stay warm on the way back. We reached Bar Harbor around 4:45pm. Definitely bring warm layers, beanies, and gloves, it's very windy and cold. We had a sunny day with clear skies in mid-October, but it was still very cold!
14 days ago
I would not want to be on this boat if it was 100% full. I think we went on a day that was at 40% capacity and that was enough people. Crazy people crowded the top deck and spent hours out in the cold...I wouldn't do that. The second deck is kind of stuffy and you have to watch mostly from inside. The first deck is where it's at. If you sit at the windows of the forward section on the Friendship V, there are not benches outside the windows as there are with the back half of the deck. So you get a nice clear view unless someone stands along the rail. Most of your time will be spent cruising. We were out for 3 1/2 hours. We probably spent 45 minutes actually watching whales and other animals. On the way to the boat we grabbed breakfast next door at the Sunrise Cafe to take on the ship and while the reviews were very good, the food and price weren't worth it and they are definitely charging tourist extortion prices. Either get up earlier and go somewhere else or eat at your hotel before hand. If you plan to ride on the top deck you will need to bring all kinds of warm weather clothing. Sitting inside while underway is the way to do it. I was in a t-shirt most of the day and would throw on a light zip up hoodie to go outside when they found a whale or something interesting. But the people who stayed outside had to bundle up quite a bit. It was 75 in Bar Harbor but 55 on the water and even colder when the ship was moving close to 30mph. It covered almost 80 miles during our voyage. By the end most of the people that ran, yes, they literally ran to the top to sit shoulder to shoulder with strangers...they all came inside. I don't think that would have been possible on a more crowded ship. The first thing they spotted was a pod of dolphins. Then the saddest thing happened. We came upon an injured juvenile humpback whale. He couldn't dive and had a huge injury and was practically dying before our eyes. All my life I have been waiting to see a humpback whale and when I finally did it was super sad. They found some fin whales later that kept diving and coming up in groups and that was cool to see. Definitely bring binoculars or rent them. They are $20 to rent and you must leave your ID with them so they know you'll return them at the end. We also got to see some remote lighthouses which had a bald eagle and some seals or walrus hanging out in the water...can't remember which species. You could barely see their shape since they were far away and their color was close to the rocks. I included a picture of the on board menu for snacks and drinks. They are quite reasonable. The bathrooms start off nice and clean and get progressively festival porta-potty like as the voyage progresses....I guess it's hard to not make a mess when the boat was rocking and rock it does! We didn't even have high seas or bad seas and it moves a ton. Bring dramamine or take it before you leave if you think you might need it. Lots of people throwing up on our trip and you can't escape the sound. You're welcome to bring snacks and drinks and I recommend it since you don't know how long you're going to be out. All in all it was a great trip and each one is like drawing cards. The trips after ours saw way better wildlife but you just never know what you're going to see so just take the chance and go. Completely worth it and very reasonably priced at around $90/adult. read more
Acadia by sea nature cruise was exactly what my friends and I were looking for! It ended up being a beautiful day so we decided to buy these tickets the day of. We all wanted to watch a natgeo special or just get some Acadia facts/history and this tour satisfied that need! Our guide, Hugo, did an amazing job. The tour was very informative and important to the history of Acadia. Travel tip: It was super cool to have walked ocean path in the morning, then get an alternate view from the boat soon after! read more
I've wanted to see a whale in the ocean since childhood, and this was absolutely the place to do it! Not only did we see plenty of whales in the whale watch tour, we were also so fortunate as to see one on the Puffins and Lighthouses tour! Saw humpbacks and fin whales, harbor and gray seals, harbor porpoise, puffins, and various other sea birds. Each tour has a naturalist who narrates what you see and educates on conservation practices, and each tour helps further research at the local stations. You can adopt a whale, too! In the ship is a cash only bar with snacks and beverages, even alcoholic ones, and a limited supply of rentable binoculars. Dress warm, it's cold on the water. I had a heated vest and Uggs, and still felt the chill, in July! I won't post too many pictures, save a fluke, the experience is better spent experiencing than trying to set up the perfect shot. read more
I really appreciated that this company has a guarantee.And they stand behind it.If you do not see a significant number of whales on your watch, they give you a voucher that is good for another whale watch or another excursion , and you have three years to use it. The staff is very, very helpful and friendly and kind.And they work hard to make you comfortable. There are multiple warnings about seasickness,And if you decide when you get to the boat that you are feeling sick or you hear the announcement that the seas are rough , they will give you a refund or a voucher , your choice. The naturalist on board gives significant information and points of interest for all the different wildlife that you see , birds , porpoises , whales , seals , anything that comes up , they know a good amount of information and they relay it over a loudspeaker system. The pap a system could be louder and upgraded , but it is manageable. The cabin of the boat is very comfortable with large, comfortable chairs and tables.There is a deck with a galley where they serve drinks and snacks. They also sell hats and gloves if you're cold and drammine , if you feel sick. The admonition to dress really warm is for real , for real. It was about seventy degrees at the dock , but it was about forty degrees out in the middle of the ocean. We really did need winter gear to be comfortable outside on the deck. We found that as we get cold , we would add another layer and that worked really well. The deck has seating all around and safe rails.So you can stand against the rails , the boat speeds along , so you can get to a whale quickly , and then it slows down to a stop when there is a sighting of any kind of significant wildlife. When I felt sick after a good hour of a bumpy rough sea, which we were warned about , they immediately brought me ginger ale and a seasick bag. Unfortunately , on this trip , we only saw the back of a humpback whale , and then we saw a deceased whale. They took many photos and alerted researchers to come and find it so that it could be determined or studied how it might have passed away. They are very responsible and responsive to the safety and health of the sea life. Upon arriving back at the dock we were immediately emailed vouchers that we can take three years to use. That in and of itself is a guarantee to me that they care about their customers and want their patrons to have a lovely, well watching excursion. read more
2 months ago
For my birthday, we joined a whale watching tour in the Gulf of Maine. We honestly weren't sure what to expect but were blown away by getting to see 3 different types of whales (Humpback, Minke, Finback), with multiples of each type and also two blue sharks. The people that led our tour were knowledgeable and friendly and I also appreciated they had food and drinks onboard for sale (and single serve dramamine). We had a hot dog, their ocean gin drink, and a blueberry harbor ale and couldn't have had a better time. Make sure to get there early as the most in demand seats on top of the boat were full after they let the people waiting in line early on the boat. I'd say we got there 30 minutes earlier than needed and got some of the best seats but there weren't many left. There is a shop with good coffee close so you can have one person hold your spot in line while others do that. Dress warmer than you think you need: we ended up wearing long sleeve shirts and pants with jackets and beanies and it wasn't a rough or especially cold day at sea and closer to 70 degrees on land. . read more
3 months ago
Here are a few tips to get you started. 1. Get there early for parking (in yellow) pic incl. Pay at the meter for 5 hours which is about the length of the Whale watch trip and back, costs $20 bucks. There are other parking areas available. 2. Clothing, Long pants, with long sleeves shirt windbreaker jacket maybe even a hat, Sunglasses. Pack shorts to change into upon return temperatures will be warmer. *Trip out to sea is windy and chilly. Point here is to feel comfortable. 3. You can pack your own lunch and bring a backpack. There is a Galley on board the ship for food purchases. 4. Bring a camera (i brought my Insta 360 5X camera and a 3 foot selfie stick) and Cellphone and be ready to take pictures. *I have Boost Mobile and I did get cell service out there. *All in all be expected to pay a little over $100.00 per person for slightly over 5 hours ride. Two boats can go out at the same time depending on the crowds. Lines will be long and they will take your picture before you board, (A novelty idea by them to get you to buy a photo of yourselves after debarking). We opted out politely. *Note: We went to the top floor which was all seats. Expect to be chilly. Standing by the rails on top minimal room. Downstairs more room but more crowded, an enclosed area, 3 co-ed bathrooms and Galley. *Final thoughts: Having a physical crew member narrative at top on the microphone was actually a good way to pass the time and learn a few things about what we would encounter. We have a whales "Tale" to speak of when we get back home. The Review Guru* Long Island NY read more
Spent the July 4th weekend in Bar Harbor and we booked this company for the whale watching as well as for the fireworks on the water. I will start by saying that the staff is absolutely wonderful! Super attentive and polite and was constantly checking on all of the riders. The ride was long but we went to two locations before we finally got a glimpse of one humpback whale- Anthur. The captain did his best to get us as close to the whale as possible without disrupting it and also tried to make sure both sides of the boat got ample time to view. The narrator on the boat had a ton of information to provide which was really cool. It wasn't just about whales, we learned about other sea life and productivity and sustainability as well as about the harbor and Acadia park. It was an experience for sure. I do tend to get a little motion sickness which thankfully I was spared on this trip- but unfortunately it seemed like it was happening all around us where people were just losing it. The staff was quick to react and accommodate those riders with bags, drinks and food. Prepare for the cold because even though it was 80 degrees on land, it was extremely windy and freezing out of the water. They do provide hot chocolate and coffee and snacks on board for purchase, you can also bring food on board as well. We went back out again in the evening for the fireworks- they do a trip out towards the lighthouse and the porcupine islands and again provide lots of information about the islands, sea life, and about the earlier settlers. That part was great- the fireworks (out of their control) was eh. Everyone said Bar Harbor has some of the best fireworks and unfortunately they were super underwhelming. Would I do it again..... probably not, but it was an experience that we enjoyed and have stories to tell. read more
18 days ago
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1 year ago
This was a wonderful boat and enthusiastic Naturalist guide~ Courtney. If you get there before 8am, (it won't let you reserve at the kiosk before 8am) just scan/ download the parking kiosk to get the app. Know your license number and the Kiosk number. Check-in was quick and efficient. From a former whale watch trip, I recommend no greasy breakfasts or anything with dairy before the trip. You may bring your own food/snacks. If you are prone to motion sickness~ take the Dramamine 1 hr before you set sail. Take along Ginger candy or ginger ale for any upset tummies. If you sit anywhere in the exterior, bundle up in layers. It's very windy heading out to the spot and coming back in to port. We were able to secure an inside Main Deck booth and headed around the boat when there was a sighting. Everyone was kind in sharing photo ops. The top is great as our guide sat upstairs (bundle up and wear layers) with the view of the bow or starboard sighting of the whales. We were fortunate to see humpback and fin whales, dolphins, porpoises and variety of birds. The galley is cash only. They also provide emesis bags. Please use them if you feel like vomiting. I was unfortunate to be below a deck from the top and a fluid with blueberry chunks came dripping below. Otherwise, it was a memorable excursion with great sightings. Make sure to have a quick shutter camera with lens to get a great shot of the blowhole, back and tail of the whales. read more
1 month ago
I took my two kids on the whale watching tour out of Bar Harbor. We signed up for the 8:330 morning tour, and I was a little worried because it was still pretty foggy and the seas were still pretty rough leaving that early. It might've been a little bit smoother of a ride if we would have waited for the afternoon tour. We got there about 45 minutes early and had pre-booked everything online ahead of time. There was already a pretty good line of people. waiting to get on the boat. We had our QR codes on our phone so we didn't need to check in or do anything ahead of time. We are also able to find paid parking in the parking lot right outside the office. It did cost about $25 for the day but that is pretty typical in Bar Harbor to park. Once we boarded the boat, we were able to find some of the last spots outside on the front of the boat. There was plenty of sitting inside, but lots of people were trying to get the outside seats. They also made an announcement that the seas were gonna be pretty rough and if anyone wanted to get off, they would fully refund your ticket which I thought was pretty nice that they made that offer. We decided to stick it out. It was definitely super rough on the way out and we ended up having to go about 50 miles out to try to find some whales. . They also had warned us that it may be a long ride out. My daughter did end up getting seasick along with many other people on the boat. The people working were on top of it and made sure everyone had barf bags and moved all the people who were sick to the back of the boat and kept things very, very clean. I was impressed with how attentive they were. But after searching for quite a bit, we found three humpback whales and we're able to sit and watch them for a good 30 minutes. They made sure to get us as close as possible without being too close to the whales. The fog had cleared up and it ended up being a beautiful day and the ride back was very smooth. Overall, I was very happy with the experience and they delivered on everything That they had promised. read more
4 months ago
1 year ago
3 months ago
I was nervous to book, but I'm so glad that I did! We were able to see so many whales! I was surprised! We took some nice photos of their flukes and the narrator even told us many facts about the whales. We were so excited to see pods of common dolphins! Schedule Overall, we started standing in line at 10:15am and I recommend doing that so you can get a nice spot at the top front of the boat. That's where you'll get to spot the most whales since they face directly towards the whales as they look for them. At 11:05am we set off and saw some eagles flying in the sky. At about 1pm, we started to see whales and dolphins. At about 2:30pm we started to head back. I recommend going downstairs to stay warm on the way back. We reached Bar Harbor around 4:45pm. Definitely bring warm layers, beanies, and gloves, it's very windy and cold. We had a sunny day with clear skies in mid-October, but it was still very cold! read more
3 months ago
4 months ago
Yesterday was a foggy/rainy day, but they continued with the tour. The check in process was quick and easy. We arrived an hour early which put us first in line and allowed us to pick out our seat. The boat seats were a little dated, but everything was clean. Plenty of emesis bags were available. They had some issues with the microphone, but made sure that everyone was educated on what to expect. Julie the expert was super knowledgeable about the ocean sea life and what to expect. She walked around answering questions. It took an hour to get out to our location. Some on the boat experience sea sickness. Our family cracked the window open and this seemed to help. We were fortunate enough to see Spoon the whale on several occasions without binoculars ( even up close when she popped up out of the water near the boat) . It was an experience of a lifetime for our family!!! We also saw a porpoise, seals, sea birds, and the light house. The trip back was smooth. They do offer a return trip voucher if you are unable to see a whale. We had a great first time whale watching experience. read more
1 year ago
Went whale watching twice here...1st time here we didn't see any whales except a dead right whale...so we got to come back again within 3 years as part of the guarantee (if no whales were seen on the tour). Also, the guarantee covers inclimate weather as well. We had sunny days both times. We heard whales do come out more during the rain...but rather not be soaked going whale watching. Purchase tickets in advance and show up ahead of boarding time. Make sure to dress warm as it does get very windy and cold out in the sea. They have barf bags for anyone who feels sick. Get ready for the 3 hour tour... j/k :) One can choose to sit upstairs or on the lower level inside (especially if too cold). Restrooms on the lower level. Good educational tour while heading out to sea and back. Saw some seals and puffins along with 2 whales - Daffodil and Gunslinger on our second time. The tour guides stop and give both sides of the boat ample opportunity to take pictures once whales are spotting. They also ask for participation if anyone spots a whale - especially if you see the spout of water... One small boat was very lucky to have both whales come so close to them. Good tour if one has never gone before... read more
1 year ago
5 years ago
A wonderful 2 hour trip out on the water and back. We saw seals, an eagle, other birds, landmarks fishing vessels ect. The staff was wonderful. Ruth did an amazing job speaking. She is certainly a wealth of knowledge. The boat was large and very clean. The bathrooms were immaculate... locked myself in though. Ha! Decently priced as well. I recommend! Tips: Arrive early! Park early! Sit in the cafe area, especially if you are a photographer. You can get from one side of the boat to another to take photos, even go up front. Sitting up high got us no where fast. Bring a sweater or something to keep you warm, weather changes quick out there. Charge those batteries and place your phone on airplane mode to preserve the battery. Bring peppermint oil if yoI get a little sour stomach. I wore my mask the entire time and dabbed a few drops in the inside... game changer! read more
1 year ago
Went for the afternoon whale watching cruise and we saw several appearances of the same 6 whales! I didn't know what to expect with whale watching, I guess I thought they were going to roll over and jump out of water? Lol. Instead we saw a lot of blowing, backs, and a few tail flips. What it's like: The ride out there was really long, almost 2 hours each way. Part of that is narrated. Bring something to do if you get bored easily. You can sit either outside or inside. If inside you are mandated to wear a mask (as of July 2021). You can open the window though. We sat inside and glad that we did because the views were still great. The ride out there had 2 foot waves which we rode most of the way. It wasn't too bumpy but you could definitely feel them. The way home was completely smooth, no waves at all. The naturalist on board was very informative and interesting to listen to. She provided some information on other animals too. On the way out and back, we didn't see too much other than sun fish, gulls, another type of bird, and there was one puffin and one seal visible from the other side of the boat. What to bring: It's a lot colder on the water than on land, so bring a jacket either way. If sitting outside, bring gloves and a warm hat too (even in summer). You can bring your own food and drink onboard, but there's also drinks and light snacks for sale. There are also bathrooms onboard. Bring binoculars if you want to see animals other than whales, or else you can rent them onboard. I didn't use them at all since the whales were close enough to the boat to see very easily. Overall: Unique opportunity to see whales in their natural environment and learn all about them from people who truly care. read more
3 years ago
What a wonderful experience! Captain Matt found a pair male humpback whales pretty quickly. We were able to spend an hour and a half watching these majestic animals. Our Naturalist, Julie, was great and very knowledgeable Side note: there is always a possibility that the cruise could be canceled due to weather/ water conditions. I would suggest using the ap to pay for 1 hour of parking and then extend the time when you are certain your trip is a go. We had been scheduled to go a different day, and it was canceled and had already put in $24 for parking and there doesn't seem to be a way to get a refund. read more
2 years ago
Even though we had a very foggy day, this trip was amazing. This company is top notch; thorough; keeps you updated through email; and provides you with all the information you need to make your trip successful. The employees were awesome; one person was nicer than the next. The snacks onboard were fairly priced and fresh. Since it definitely was a foggy day, the captain of the ship stuck with it until we got to see a few whales. Everyone on the boat was thrilled, but because we didn't get to see more whales the company gave the entire boat additional tickets to come again (that were in our email by the time we got back to our hotel). Can you believe it!?! read more
2 years ago
Highlight of our day in bar harbor! We did the nature cruise and it was great. We saw so much wildlife, beautiful views and the naturalist was so insightful and knowledgeable. Really organized, accommodating to disabled people, and even had a beer or two to choose from. Will be back! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
This place is legit. They took us on a LONG tour and we saw so many different whales and sea life. It was honestly incredible. The ship was clean, the staff were very knowledgeable. The only downside is that there were not seats for everyone and the seats on the outside of the ship were a tad small. (Looking at all of my plus size folks, they did have metal armrests that couldn't move.) BUT the seats inside the boat were bigger and padded! I suggest going early and grabbing a few of those seats. And don't forget your sweatshirt! It got chilly. read more
1 year ago
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More info about Bar Harbor Whale Watch
1 West St
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
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(207) 288-2386
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https://www.barharborwhales.com
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Ask the Community - Bar Harbor Whale Watch
If you did an afternoon cruise, did you still see a lot of whales? Trying to decide between booking at 2:30 on a Thursday or 8:30 AM on a Saturday.
Allison, 8:30am by far is best time to go Whale Watching! I had researched and early am is best!…
Where's parking near bar Harbor Whale Watch?
Parking nearby is very tough. Many lots fill up fast. Your best option is to arrive at least a half hour before boarding so you can find a spot and plan to walk.
Review Highlights - Bar Harbor Whale Watch
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
8 reviews that are not currently recommended
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