Eat, Drink, & Be Ferry Ferry service that charters passengers from Portland harbor to one of numerous inhabited islands just off the coast. We chartered a Ferry ride to Peak's Island on a crisp early Autumn day. The Good: *You can load your car on the Ferry *Nice boat with a top view *Staff was friendly enough *Fairly inexpensive at $14/adult & $7/child for round-trip ticket. *They also do scenic boat tours, as well as the Ferry service. Check their website for dates and times. The Meh: *Peak season pricing on autos that can go from Off-Peak Season price of $70-100 (depending on vehicle size) to $150-170 for Peak Season price. The Ugly: *Make sure to plan your day accordingly with the boat schedule. You don't want to get stuck on an island there without a reservation. Conclusion: Even if you just go out to the island and back, it's still worth the $14 of entertainment riding across the ocean. read more

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Granted I took the ferry to Peaks Island the wrong time of the year, however, I thought Casco Bay Lines offered a great service to the nearby islands. The website is very user friendly so I knew what time and the rate I was expecting to pay. The rate was very reasonable. The company was very easy to locate. The waiting area was very clean, vending machines along with washrooms. The announcements for the ferry was very clear. The company will first load the vehicles including trucks then passengers. I was amazed how many vehicles can fit on the ferry. It seems to have plenty of space available for passengers. On the return trip, same thing, first the vehicles and then passengers. Within 15 - 20 minutes, you are back to the dock. Great company to head to one of the islands. read more

Casco Bay Lines - Public Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine

Love the ferry!! Whether for transportation to an island or just to go for a ride, it's a lovely time. Easy in and out if you're Uber ing in, parking garage PN site, nice customer service, always clean. I would deduct a half star because there is no option to purchase online, only at ticket booth on site. However, you can use card or cash, so that's good. read more

Excellent passenger ferry experience. Clean waiting area. Plenty of bathrooms. Humans behind the counter to help you get your tickets. Convenient ferry. Unfortunately, the destination, Peaks Island, was a complete waste of time. BUT THE FERRY SERVICE CAN'T BE BEAT. read more

Casco offers many ferry options in Portland. We selected the Mail Run Ferry. They have passengers accompany the ferry deliver mail and other items to the islands. The fare is $21 and the ride is approximately 3 hours. When you purchase tickets they are not for a specific time and good for 60 days, so we were encouraged to stand in line immediately after purchasing. The ferry was crowded but we had no issue getting seats. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The ferry operator narrated and pointed out highlights along the way. We saw seals along the way, along with many boats. The trip was definitely worth it and provided an opportunity to enjoy the water and see the islands of Casco Bay . read more

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You can travel by ferry using this service. They offer a large parking garage for your car. Very clean wharf area with several shops and restaurants while you wait for a water taxi. read more

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There are many ferry options. We did the mail run which delivers all the mail to the local islands. The price was $21 and $17.50 for disabled ticket. We took the 10am ferry and got back at 12:30. We did see 2-3 lighthouses and a fort. It was a nice was to enjoy a boat ride on a sunny day. They had a regular bathroom (not a port hole) . There is no seating at the very top in the sun which would be the best because most of the seats are covered and cold. Dress warm (even on a nice day) read more

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Overall a fun ride to get to all the different islands. They have lots of different times and it's a smooth ride. It's decently priced to get to wherever you need to go as well. Boats are clean and have bathrooms on them! read more

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The mailboat run was a great time. You can catch a 10am, 12pm or 3pm ride on the ferry for $21 per Adult and $12.00 per Kid. The boat was loaded up with locals returning home and tourists like us. The boat made stops at Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Long, Cliff and Chebeague Islands. You can sit up top which is open air or down below. We found a great table seat below so we could enjoy the lunch we packed. The boat only had a couple of vending machines on board so plan accordingly (BYOB). You do get a longer stop at Cliff Island which allows you some time to stop at the Cliff Island Store & Cafe for snacks, a sandwich, pizza or ice cream. The seats below deck gave us a nice base to look out the windows or walk about the boat. The kids enjoyed watching the cargo being unloaded at each dock along the ride. The only con was the narration could only be heard up top, but luckily the locals we met gave us a lot of info on the area. I thought the various coves we docked at were neat and if we had more time we would have planned to stop at one of the islands to explore and pick up a later boat to travel back on. Unfortunately the weather wasn't perfect so visibility was not good at all, but the kids loved it anyway. They felt like they were on a spooky Scooby Doo mission. We had fun and saw a lot of the local islands beauty on our boat ride. I would recommend adding a mailboat run to your Portland trip! read more

The Casco Bay ferries offer a few different routes, but for my trip, I wanted to check out Peaks Island. I will say, it's a little confusing booking a ticket. The prices were very fair, but you can only buy them at the ticket window, no online. Also, the ticket is not for a specific time, so you have to be sure you are there early and get your spot in line. I think they could improve this process! However, I didn't have any issues getting on the ferry at the times I wanted. Once on the ferry, it's a short and smooth ride over to the island! The staff I encountered was friendly and there was plenty of seating inside if the upper deck gets full. There is a parking garage available but its expensive, I was able to find street parking nearby with a short walk down to the ferry terminal. read more

My buddy from away was in town and as I had never done the "Mailboat" route, we decided it would be the perfect thing to do on a sunny day, one day after a snowstorm. It was perfect! Was not very crowded in January, and all of the other passengers were locals and regulars who actually live out on the islands. You buy your tickets from the terminal at the Casco Bay docks. It's completely straightforward which way to go, as you can see. The waiting area is very clean and heated. The boat is a cute little guy. There are a fair amount of seats outside (which will obviously be cold during the winter) but there are a few benches with tables inside the boat as well (heated). We went back and forth a few times to recharge and check out the scenery. The snowfall produced beautiful blacks and whites. I imagine it gets quite crowded in the summer months, but I still recommend this as a good 2.5-ish hour tour. A 2.5-ish hour tour. read more

Casco Bay Lines - Public Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great ferry service to and from the islands. Everything ran on schedule and was easy to get on and off. Reasonably priced also. read more

Casco Bay Lines - Public Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine

If you're looking to island hop on footer in your car, this is a perfect way to get out and about. Do not expect to get on the boat in your vehicle right as the ferry is scheduled to leave. Get there early and beat the crowd because otherwise you'll be waiting for the next boat. If you are waiting, feel free to leave your car maybe go grab something to eat nearby and just be back in time for the next boat read more

Riding the Casco Bay Lines is a very affordable way to get around the various islands in Portland. We were able to quickly buy a ticket and head over to Peaks Island. The ferry itself is clean and rather large. You also get great views at the very top while riding it over. The ferry runs on its schedule on the dot. It was never late and always left on time, so keep in mind if you are even 1 minute late to catch it you will more than likely have to wait for the next ferry. Highly recommend this affordable option over the more expensive water taxis. read more

Always a good, professional crew leading all those that utilize the ferry whether it be the island folks or tourists. They have many cruises available that I love to take my own visitors on. Check the schedules for fun and interesting cruises. read more

We did the Diamond Pass Run and had a great time! First nice day of the season and it wasn't crowded at all. read more

Casco Bay Lines - Public Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine

I heard that it's definitely worth heading off peninsula and we picked Peaks Island in Casco Bay and to get there we found out we had to take a ferry. Casco Bay Lines is pretty reliable and cheap for a round trip ride to and from Peaks Island. It was very smooth and you get a great view of Portland and all of its surrounding islands! Definitely try it out if you wanted to head to other islands. read more

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Easy, affordable and fun in the summer. We love taking out of town guests out on the ocean and this is the perfect way to do it. They do a really good job maintaining their equipment doesn't make me nervous at all, when you see the care and upkeep. The staff members are really pleasant and patient (with the nonsense with some visitors). From the crew on the boats to the ticket agents, they are all very pleasant to deal with. The are many options to choose from, if you want to go direct to the island or take a roundabout way. One thing I appreciate is when we had to DJ an event on Peaks Island this past summer, they had a Ferry depart the island at 11:30, which gave us plenty of time to pack up our vehicle and wait without rushing too much. I recommend Casco Bay Lines. read more

Efficient, reliable, and scenic! Truly the backbone of the Bay (I mean, duh, since most of us islanders would be left to kayak or doggy paddle without the existence of CBL). Besides the seagulls that occasionally harass me at the terminal, can't complain. read more

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Roundtrip ticket to Peaks Island was $7.70 for an adult, which you can buy the same day at the window (credit cards only). It was a nice, 15-minute ride over. The ferry is big enough to allow proper social distancing. The cool thing is that residents from the Casco Bay Islands can bring their cars onto the ferry (not sure how much that cost), which is something I've never really seen before. I would just note that the ferry times are limited now due to Covid (which is understandable). So that's how we decided on Peaks Island - because it was the only one that fit with our schedule. Would I come back the next time I'm in Portland? Probably not but it's nice if you just want to take a ferry ride somewhere. Tip - you can see Portland Head Lighthouse in the distance! read more

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The ferry does well by us in getting us to our island home. They handle our freight with care and recently offered to cover some food so gulls wouldn't attack it. We like the rolling cart rental for luggage, booze, groceries, and anything we can't carry. It seems inexpensive but be warned, right now it's credit card only. We chose the county parking garage and the ferry terminal is only a very short walk away. Being older than dirt, we appreciate the inexpensive senior ferry ticket. If I'm required to post a negative item, the voice announcing landings has been weak and muffled lately. read more

Casco Bay Lines - Our ride arrives at Chandler's Wharf, Chebeague Island - Public Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine

ran on time and the people working the ferry were so nice! even offered to take photos for us without us even asking. on the way to peaks island we were absolutely slammed by kids on field trips. it was completely packed! but kinda fun that way on the way back there was literally 10 people. so that was also very nice to be able to walk around the boat and see the different views. kids are free so and it was cheap for just me, so it was well worth it. we didnt have time to get off and explore the island so we only did the there and back. it was fun enough for us! read more

Amazing way to get out on the water in Portland for cheap! Love to take the RT ferry to Peaks Island and back. You don't even have to get off the boat if you don't want to, we usually stay on and just enjoy the hour cruising around the bay. Pretty cheap (~$7/pp) compared to $60+ to go out on one of the chartered boats! Bring a layer, it gets chilly on the water. Can be absolutely packed during prime time on the weekends. I like to go around sunset as there's much smaller crowds and you get to see the sun set on the water! read more

Casco Bay Lines - Public Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine

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This is a well run ferry service to the islands of Casco Bay. We took a RT car ferry to peaks Island the ferry was fast, only about a 15 min trip, clean, punctual and very affordable! The trip cost us both about $17. Great views from the boat and you can bring bikes on with you for an extra fee. Their terminal was large modern had bathrooms, seats and buying tickets was very easy. You can find current timetables on their website - but in season the ferry runs often, pretty much every hour. read more

Casco Bay Lines - Views of downtown Portland - Public Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine

We took the ferry to peaks island. It's a pretty quick ride. Ferry is on time both way. They also have cars on the ferry. A very peaceful ride! read more

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Casco Bay Lines provides me with some of the best memories of each summer. The greatest thing about this ferry service is that the ride itself is often the best part of the entire thing. You can take the ferry out to a number of islands boasting restaurants and inns, or you can simply stay on the ferry and enjoy the amazing views of Portland. It's a win win no matter what. Fares vary depending on the distance of your journey; Peaks is cheapest, followed by Little Diamond and the Great Diamond stops. It's all worth it and extremely affordable for the trip. It's easy to purchase tickets at the terminal; there's an amazing map above the ticket booth too. Check it out! Love that dogs are allowed to hang on the ferries too. Adds to the fun. You can sit inside if you rather, or you can fully enjoy the experience by sitting or standing on the deck. It is magical and smells like Maine ocean and makes me cry just thinking about it. The staff on the boats is always helpful, and the last time I nearly missed the ferry, they put the ladder thing back down at the last second so I could hop on. The folks are so friendly. Sneak a wine or two in your purse and enjoy the most wonderful part of Portland (after DTL happy hour, of course). read more

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We were honored and earlier departure time, which was a great act in customer service. The boat wasn't fancy, but it held cars for transport and a whole lot of people. The ride to the island was quick. read more

We lucked out w gorgeous weather but this would be a fun trip anytime. Pleasant narration along the way and gorgeous views and fun to see the loading and unloading along the route. We were off season but would love to grab a coffee at the end of line if we did it in season. read more

I took the Ferry over to Peaks Island. $7.70 well spent. The ferries are punctual. They require and are serious about enforcing the mask mandate while on their property or on the ferry. The ferry wasn't overly crowded. Quick and inexpensive way to get out of the city and enjoy nature. read more

Casco Bay Lines - Public Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine

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What a great way to see the islands and the beautiful coastal water. The employees were really friendly and the boat is really clean. So glad we took the ferry today, so worth it! read more

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SO FUN! We were visiting from California and took the cruise that was only around 1.75 hours it went around Great Diamond and Little Diamond and Peaks, so beautiful and it was neat to see the different islands. Highly recommend! read more

Before I moved to Portland, I traveled here a lot with my husband when he was in the area for business. Like most people from away, I really liked Portland because of the amazing restaurants and beautiful architecture/scenery. I didn't fall IN LOVE with Portland until I took the Mailboat Run from Casco Bay Lines. After 3 hours out on the ocean surrounding this city, I understood another layer of what makes this city special. If you haven't done the mailboat run - at $16.50 - it is such a neat way to spend a half day exploring island life in Maine. Pro-tip: if you are taking the morning boat, grab a blueberry muffin from Standard Baking across the street. Since moving to Portland, I have learned that Casco Bay Lines has more to offer than just the Mailboat Run. One of my new favorite things to do is to take the 20-minute ferry out to Peaks Island for a little escape from Peninsula life. It is only $4.10 r/t during the off-season ($7.70 in the summer/fall) and the ferry itself is usually the best part of the day. Next on my agenda is the sunset cruise. I have been on one of the ferries during sunset and it is absolutely spectacular. I can only imagine the splendor of the 2.5-hour cruise at sunset! read more

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Completely unhelpful. Worst customer service I have ever encountered. I am staying at Great Diamond Island at The Inn At Diamond Cove. I was waiting at the wrong gate for my ferry. When the ferry came in I asked the man who was working the ferry "is this the ferry for Diamond Cove?" And he just said "no". With no other direction than that one word I guessed that I should wait for the next ferry and it would be good. So I waited. The next ferry came and I asked the same question. The guy said "that is the ferry to Diamond Cove" and pointed to a ferry that I missed that was just leaving. Why couldn't he have said that before?? Why couldn't they help me?? I ended up sleeping in my car even though I was two hours early for the ferry. Don't they understand that this is a resort town? Tourists who are not familiar with this area and their ferry system need guidance! Then the next morning when I tried to get on the first morning ferry to Diamond Cove the lady sent me to the wrong ferry to Great Diamond Island instead of the right one to Diamond Cove!!! read more

Don't be a minute late and recommend waiting at your gate.....because they didn't make an announcement when it was time to board. Wait at your gate or keep watch so you wont miss the boarding. We bought tix at port, with no issues. Ferry worked great for us! read more

I've taken this ferry many times to go to the other islands off Maine and they are reasonably priced, on time, and consistent. The ferry is in good shape and the view you get, just spectacular. There's a downstairs and upstairs version of the ferry so you can see a great panoramic view from upstairs. This last time, I took it back in October and they didn't fail me. I was at my island of choice in no time. read more

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Don't forget to bring your own booze and food!! We forgot and made that mistake... So we were on a 2 hour ferry ride seeing similar islands with similar history... sober. It was also cold and windy. So let's say it was a pretty sober boring commuter ferry ride... still great for the price and time though. We did the sunset cruise. Sunset was nice under the clear skies. We even took a small nap. The boat itself was old and dirty... don't be like us, bring your own booze and food. 2 hours is so long as it wasn't really a touristy cruise. More if commuter based. read more

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I was visiting my friend on Peaks Island Maine and the Casco Bay Lines ferry service is the best (only way) to the island. It was easy and simple unless you want to row boat your way over which would probably and 1-hour to paddle. The round trip fare was $7.70; cheap! If you are a senior citizen it is half price. The terminal restrooms are right behind the ticket booths and are large and clean. The best parking is next door in the large parking complex next block east but it filled up very quickly. We had to get parking at a lot across the street which charged $25 for the day. Most of the street parking is a 2-hour limit which does not give you enough time to enjoy the visit to the island. The ferry does takes on several vehicles which I thing is $80; I heard on Wednesday they discounted the vehicle price to allow residents to move on and off the island. Bicycles must stay in the center where the cars are. Make sure you secure your bikes; I saw a couple of bikes topple over during the ferry ride. The ferry had three decks for passengers. 1st and 2nd deck are indoors with bench seats on the left or right side of the ferry. The top outdoor deck is very popular because of the great view. The trip to Peaks Island is only about 15 min. and run hourly. Do check the ferry schedule because they sometime stop for two hours in the afternoon. read more

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The mail boat run is one of my favorite off-the-beaten-path things to do in Portland, and I always recommend people squeeze it into their weekend when visiting. For $16.50, you get a scenic guided ferry ride that lasts 3-4 hours and gives you great views of the islands in Casco Bay. They allow you to bring food, alcohol, and your dogs on board, making it a really casual, fun way to spend an afternoon. I've brought everything from simple sandwiches to a lavish three-cooler picnic spread for my bachelorette, and no one bats an eyelash. It's also not crowded at all. We bought tickets five minutes before it left on a Saturday afternoon, and there was still plenty of seats both outside on the deck and inside the boat in case of cold weather. It's a little hard to hear the guided tour over the loudspeakers outside, but there's nowhere else I'd rather be on a boat. It does stop at one of the islands so you have time to get off, walk around, and take some nice pictures of the coast. I love my little hidden secret booze cruise, and hopefully there's still room for us once word gets out. read more

After looking at some other reviews and overhearing conversations at the ferry terminal all summer long, I feel like we should have a quick tutorial on how ferry's work. #1: You want to get from Point A to Point B as efficiently as possible. If you had a car, you'd drive and you probably wouldn't take the longest route. If you didn't have a car, you might - if it was too far to walk - get a taxi; you probably wouldn't rent a limo. Dear "outta towners": the ferries of Casco Bay Lines get you from the mainland (Point A) to any number of quaint islands off the coast of Portland (Point B). You should not come into a FERRY ride thinking you'll be waited on. So heads up: nobody will be offering you champers and cav on your 15 minutes trek across the bay. Should you want to sneak on a boat beer and drink it while "on the high seas" go right ahead (I'm not entirely sure this is legal, but lots and lots of people do it anyway). #2. You. Are. On. A. Boat. You are on a boat IN MAINE. Maine is notorious for having crazy weather. So, YES, there's a good chance you might "get cold"/"get rained on"/"get snowed on"/"get fogged on" (wait, can one get fogged on?) while taking the ferry. Here are some solutions to these problems: a) don't sit outside; b) bring a jacket; c) realize you're blessed (money-wise, time-wise, etc.) enough to peruse the islands of Maine. I know I do. CBL has been a part of MY Portland for years and years. I'm definitely one of those locals that takes the ferry out to Peak's just to walk around. Why? Because I can. It's one of the perks of living here. And it's a very cool and inexpensive way to escape the city or have a staycation of sorts (besides, few things are as beautiful as the Portland skyline at night when you're approaching it from a boat on the bay). If you want a different take on "Portland", I highly encourage you spend an afternoon checking out the islands thanks to CBL. The boats are very punctual (maritime law says they have to be), and sometimes you can even see seals! And who doesn't love a good seal sighting, eh?! read more

Sunset boat tour - $16 a person. 2.5 hours. Stunning views. 3 stops at 3 different islands, and then back to Portland. You can get off to explore and dine. Bring a jacket and sunglasses. Suggestion to Casco to make sure you have water bottles in your vending machines and to maybe sell Maine-themed sweatshirts aboard. read more

Casco Bay Lines - Public Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine