Booked this company for a whale watching tour. We went out for almost three hours and ended up…read moreseeing the endangered Right whale. They were pretty far away so it was hard to see but I enjoyed being out on the boat. The cruise had about 13 people and the tour guides were informative. I wish they had given more of an actual tour and more information about the islands. They went around and spoke to people individually maybe they could have a speaker system. The tour cost about $50 and was well worth the money.

I recently took another whalewatching trip aboard the Mister Matthew boat with Mackie and Robert at…read morethe helm. It was late August and sadly, this year, there haven't been many finbacks in the Fundy waters, but we were game to go out and search for whatever we could find. It was a perfect "Campobello" day - mid 70s, sunny and a cool ocean breeze. The boat was packed to the gills - but even with the 20 or so patrons, everyone had a place to sit and a great view of the ocean. We managed to spot two minke whales, a ton (probably 50+) of porpoise, a bald eagle which we even saw dive and catch a fish out of the sea, plenty of seals and other marine birds. Robert was chipper as ever, talking about all the wildlife and animals surrounding the boat, and Mackie was intent on finding us some whales. We ended up going up the channel between Eastport, ME and Deer Island in order to find them which meant going through Old Sow (the largest tidal whirlpool in the western hemisphere) and finding two! I highly recommend going on a whale watch with Island Cruises. For 2.5 hours of pure enjoyment and ocean views, even if you aren't lucky enough to see a ton of whales there is so much to enjoy. Plus, Mackie and Robert are part of the Campobello Whale Rescue team - helping to save over 20 whales (and likely countless other marine mammals) entangled in fisherman nets or otherwise injured. Why not support a team who is so committed to helping preserve and protect their surrounding waters?

A friend mailed me a flyer for Captain Riddle's Whale Watch Cruises, and as it was a girls weekend…read moreto take pictures at first light (Lubec, ME is the Eastern most point on the continental US) we decided to pack our passports, and add a Canadian fishing/whale watching trip to the agenda (Campobello Island is just over the bridge from Lubec. Seriously, you need a passport to drive five minutes away). I don't think that we had ever been on a commercial Whale Watch, and Holly wanted to fish, so it was win/win. My sister Holly (shh... don't tell her I'm adopted) and I grew up on Maine's amazing Penobscot Bay - we take the sea and all of it's beauty for granted sometimes. Our trip with Brandon on the Captain Riddle's Whale Watch Cruise was amazing. All we could talk about on the drive home was planning to bring the whole family for a cruise. We could imagine them on the boat, laughing, watching the porpoises surface and dive, the eagles (both Bald and Brown) literally soaring overhead, the seals sunning themselves on the rocks, with the light houses in the distance bearing witness. I can't help but gush, it really was THAT amazing. Did I mention that we were on the sunset cruise? It was a small intimate trip, we had six adults and four children with us. This was the trip of a lifetime for the kids. They were so excited that all they could do was grab and point whenever they saw some new sea creature. Did I mention that the trip was even more delightful because excitement is infectious. We were so close to a minke whale that all one woman could do was squeal and say, "I am so excited I think I am going to pee myself" (don't worry, she didn't have an accident. there is a head (bathroom) right there on the boat - she made it in time!), She was so excited that she forgot to push start when she was trying to video the whale. As the sun set, and the lights of Eastport, Maine twinkled on the horizon, Brandon piloted the boat to the perfect spot, and we dropped our fishing lines in the water. Within 10 minutes, one of the boys caught 3 mackerel. What a thrill for an 11 year old boy from Alberta, Canada who, before that afternoon, had never even seen the ocean. (this is the stuff of childhood memories) Holly caught a mackerel and three herring. I caught a herring, and immediately called to Brandon in typical girly girl fashion and asked him to take it off the hook and throw it back in the water. (Holly was horrified, and I will catch grief about this for years to come) It seems that I have no problem gutting and cooking fish, but catching them is a bit much for me. Captain Brandon was my knight in shining armor, and saved the day. (he even filleted the fish at the end of the trip for the people who were going to take their catch home). We are already planning our trip back. Next time, we'll bring the whole extended family (siblings, kids, spouses, grandmother) and I'll take more pictures to scrapbook memories of an amazing 2 1/2 hours so we can reminisce and fondly remember it for the rest of our lives. I've added some of my pictures, so you can see what I am writing about. Let the pictures justify my flowery prose. I promise, my next Yelp review will be written as a cynical NYC Girl - but thanks to Captain Riddle, this cynical NYC girl who takes notes from Dorothy Parker took a vacation and found her inner Judith McNaught.

We spent an excellent morning out on the bay. It ended up being just our family on the boat for the…read more10 AM departure. The close dock meant we didnt have to travel far to see the wildlife. The captain was friendly and informative. We were able to see seals, porpoises, eagles, cormorants and a minke whale.

I'm from Maine. I recreate in the outdoors all year round. I have seen and experienced a lot of the…read morebest of Maine and this is at the top of the best. Holy smokes. We had a perfect day, went ashore on the island, birds EVERYWHERE. The crew was great especially Abby. She was knowledgeable, knew all the bird species, knew the local history. Just great info source. She and the crew were pleasant, friendly, and safety conscious. Is it pricey? Yup. But it's a 5 hour excursion to a wild place jammed with amazing wildlife. Just get up there and do it. But sells out fast so plan ahead!

Great tour. They are very versed in the area. Captain Ralph makes sure you see everything there is…read moreto offer in the bay.

This a great tour. The captain has a wonderful wit. Got to see whales, dolphins, seals, and eagles.read more

Today started at 6:00 am to catch a 7:45 am boat departure with plan to see whales, seals,…read moredolphins, Bald Eagles, the lighthouse area we walked yesterday-the walking area to get to it is submerged in water at high tide today; ride through it and experience The Old Sows Pen (huge whirlpools where ingoing and outgoing tides intersect. Amazing 2 hour trip aboard The Lorna Dione Small boat with 6 passengers and our Captain Ralph. Man did Captain Ralph deliver !!! We saw 3 species of whales up close, heard their blow and got great pictures. Riding through the cut at lighthouse (we walked yesterday) was amazing and the whirlpools were thrilling. Captain Ralph made sure we got the whirlpool experience, including turning off motors and us going around 180 degrees .

I booked a Friday morning whale watching tour with Full Tide. As it turns out, when I turned up I…read morewas the only person booked for the tour. I was given the option of going out or waiting until the 2pm slot. I was leaving that afternoon so I asked if I could go on out. Captain Brandon and his Mate George took a single person out on a whale watching trip of a lifetime. It took a little while to find the whales due to fog rolling in, but we finally saw several Minke whales, lots of seals, porpoises investigating the boat, and all sorts of other wildlife. Perhaps even more interesting than that, Brandon took the time to show me how the technology on the boat works, and we discussed the impacts of modern tech on the maritime industries in the area. I had plenty of opportunity to nerd out on learning about historic and current fishing practices, including weirs and salmon farming, lobster fishing, and the history of the area. George was a gem, sharing all he knew about the area pointing out areas of interest, and making sure we all had an eye out for the most interesting animals and sites. These two men spent 2 hours taking a single person on a tour that probably wound up costing THEM money, and couldn't have been more kind or enthusiastic about it. St Andrews has been the hub for whale watching in the area, but I strongly urge folks to consider Full Tide on Dear Island. The drive to Deer Island and the ferry ride over are not too far, it is ridiculously pretty, and the location gets you to the whale grounds more quickly, so you spend more time looking and less time traveling. I will be traveling back to Deer Island, and when I do, Full Tide will be the first place I go. I hope you'll do the same.

From the owner: Full Tide Ocean Safaris is a locally owned and operated family business. Located in the heart of…read morethe West Isles in the community of Stuart Town on picturesque Deer Island, we are just a 20-minute FREE ferry ride from L’etete NB. Our ideal location puts our departure point 30 minutes closer to the whale feeding ground than other operators, increasing whale sighting opportunities. Our lifelong ties to this area and passion for preserving this way of life are reflected in our tours and the respect we show to the nature around us. Come joint us aboard an authentic 42 foot lobster boat. Our 12 passenger capacity ensures a more relaxed, personalized experience.

We had the BEST time with Captain Kinny! He was extremely accommodating and hospitable. His…read morecommunication was top notch too. If you are ever in Eastport, don't miss going out on the bay with Eastport Charter.

From the owner: 6 passenger boat trips from the Eastport City Breakwater north dock. See the Maine and Canadian…read morecoast from the water. Whale Watching to Bird Watching and everything in between is possible. See West or East Quoddy Head, the Old Sow, Lubec, Eastport, Campobello, Deer Island, Pleasant Point. Custom Boat Trips in the Bay of Fundy, Cobscook Bay and the Downeast Maine Coast. View whales, lighthouses, birds, Old Sow, Reversing Falls, seals, property, pickups available in Eastport, Lubec and Pembroke.

My kids first time on a boat. We all loved it. Up to 6 can fit. What a once in a lifetime…read moreexperience. My son even helped with buoy hunting.. The seals were a real treat too. The captain surprised us with homemade raspberry crisps too. So yummy!! I highly recommend taking the long drive to get here.

First, they sell too many tickets. You might be very annoyed at how long you have to wait to get on…read moreeven at the port. You may also be annoyed with how long you have to wait to catch another bus at an attraction. Also, the attractions, such as they are, are really bad here. The reversing River Vista point was opposite an ugly paper mill and there was tons of scum floating on the water. And this "attraction" is one of the high points. Our guide certainly tried to make this place seem interesting. Convict labor built the park lakes! Oh boy. There are certainly a lot of souvenir shops and they'll try hard to take your money but unless you are forced to go to this city give it and the pink bus a miss. Literally everywhere else on our cruise was miles better. If you're stuck in this town save your money on the bus and find a bar or restaurant in the Downtown.

The Big Pink Bus Sightseeing tour is part of the Gray Line Tours company, but is powered by…read moreAmbassatours in Saint John, NB, Canada. This tour is only available on days that cruise ships are in the port. A portion of all proceeds for this tour go to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation; this tour was founded in 2010. My visit here was on October 3, 2019 as I came here via the Disney Magic cruise ship. The meet up point for this tour was at the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal. We were at the other end at the Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal. There is a little market near the area of the tour start as well. We got there around 10:15 or so. The line was extremely long. It would take over an hour of waiting until we were able to board a bus. I found out during the wait that they only have nine buses for this. I don't think they were prepared for three cruise ships to be in port that day. They probably should have gotten other buses to use in the interim until the crowds subsided. Finally after an hour or so, we were finally able to board a bus. This is a hop on hop off bus, so you can get off at different stops along the way and pick back up right where you left off. Of course the bus would be full getting on at this initial stop. Including this initial stop, there are a total of 14 stops along the tour (map included in photos). During the tour, we got to learn quite a bit about Saint John, the Reversing Rapids and Falls, and the Great Fire of 1877. We also heard the story of Benedict Arnold, whom was not very welcome here due to his shady business practices. During this tour, there were two locations that we ended up stopping at. On the first loop around, since it was around lunch time, we stopped at Skywalk Saint John and Reversing Falls (stop # 10). We would stay here for a while, as we had lunch at the Reversing Falls Restaurant and then went up to the Skywalk. The Skywalk did have some great views, even if the waters weren't raging along at the time. After finishing the first loop around, we switched to another bus that was going to be leaving shortly. We wanted to go back to a stop that we didn't stop at in the first loop, which was Fallsview Park (stop # 9). Fallsview Park was a great place to stop and see the rapids. At this time of day, the waters were moving in the reverse direction, going up river into the St. John River and eventually the Bay of Fundy. The views were spectacular here as well. Just ignore the industrial buildings and focus on the river. Overall, this was a great way to view Saint John and hit the highlights. My main reason for doing this one was to be able to see different views of the Saint John River and the beauty it shows. Since we got on and off quite a bit, we had several different guides, but all of the guides we had were great when it came to explaining the history and culture of Saint John, including that this would be the first incorporated city in Canada. If you happen to be visiting Saint John via cruise ship, or happen to be there on a day a cruise ship is in port, this is a great tour to get the history and feel of Saint John.

So I'll start by saying if you come at the wrong time, this attraction is probably 2 or 3 stars. If…read moreyou come at the right time, it's a solid 4 stars (maybe 5 if you add in the marine life). We took a cruise excursion that took us here first thing off the boat, unfortunately nothing was reversing so it was like ok a big body of water and a paper mill. We went about our tour and on the way back to the ship, I guess we had some extra time, so we went back by the falls. This time, it was reversing!! Definitely a very unique thing to see. Keep your eyes open for cute little sea animals (seals, otters, etc).

This is a place you want to visit twice on the same day. We went in the morning to see the tide…read moregoing out, then came back 6 hours later to watch the tide coming in. The pulp mill in the pictures has been set up to be green. It emits almost no smell and cleans the water before it goes back into the harbor. Depending on the number of tour buses, this can be one of your busiest stops. I suggest taking a video each visit so you can really see the difference between the tides.