We had an amazing experience on our charter. We would recommend this trip to anyone wanting to learn about sailing while taking in beautiful views! read more

Great boat, especially after hearing it was built over 100yrs ago. Great sailing by a clearly experienced crew. What was a bit ironic for us was we generally wish those leading these types of experiences would talk a little less, but this crew didn't tell us anything about the boat (other than it was 100+ yrs old), they didn't point out anything on the sail, or offer anything, interesting or not (except their opinions of other boats and their crew). They did say to ask them whatever questions we had because they haven't learned to read minds yet, so I did and was met with a bit on a condescending tone by Captain Chris. Just unnecessary. Overall, it was fine but it was little more than a 2hr round trip experience: relaxing and beautiful, and one-and-done. read more

Schooner Surprise - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

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We had a fantastic time on the Anjacaa! It was a great 2 hour journey. Our captain and first mate were so friendly and knowledgeable. It was so cool watching them hoist the sails! It was a beautiful time on the water on the 6 passenger boat. I would highly recommend this for a more intimate cruise. They even gave the opportunity to take the wheel and try our hand at captaining the boat. We will be back and looking forward to our next sail! read more

Schooner Surprise - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

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Do not recommend! They cancel with no warning due to slight fog only. Checked all other schooners and they were all sailing with no issues but too late to get on another one! Very frustrating! Avoid the Surprise at all cost and go with others that do not cancel when the rest do not! read more

Schooner Surprise - The slight Fog. - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

We had an absolute BLAST on our trip! Staff were incredibly kind, charming, and welcoming. My daughter had an amazingly fun time driving the boat. The views were stunning. All around a great time and would definitely do again! read more

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Everything we expected and more! Making reservations was easy. Cordial reception. Capt. Taylor was the best made us feel like family. The sail smooth going and sunset sensational. Thanks Capt. Taylor for adding off our Bucket List. . read more

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Absolutely recommend this adventure, as it was surprisingly affordably priced and offered a great view of the harbor and a lovely and relaxing couple hours on the water. Captain Taylor and First Mate Audrey were friendly, down to earth and vey lovely to chat with during our sail. The boat was beautiful. Highly recommend! read more

Schooner Surprise - Harbor view in the fall - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

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We had such a lovely time on this beautiful, old Schooner. The skipper and the crew were so great. We did the 3:30-5:30p cruise and had light winds for a stress-free, enjoyable ride. It was great to see Camden from the perspective of the bay. It was chilly (we were there May 19th), but they had plenty of blankets onboard. There were only six guests and two crew, so that was very nice! There is public parking right in front of the boat. read more

Schooner Surprise - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

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I highly recommend sailing with this company. The couple who own it and take you sailing are very knowledgeable about the area, lighthouses, history of the Bay and its residents. They even ensured that we could see the lighthouses from different angles for the best photographs. They had several passengers including my husband raise the sails. It was smooth sailing with very comfortable seating. read more

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We had a great adventure boat ride on the Schooner Surprise last month in Camden Maine. The crew was great and it was easy to book. The weather was fantastic! The ride was almost two hours and it was really scenic. It's a definite must do if you are visiting the area l read more

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An absolutely magnificent cruise. We saw many beautiful boats, many stunning homes and a fair amount of marine life. Captain Will and mate Audry were excellent, talked with all of us guests, and got us talking together. The wind was moderate, temperatures great, and the serenity outstanding. It was also great to see a very large schooner, the Mary Day, without engines but with little push boats, maneuver into its berth. Great time! Brian, USCG Retired read more

We love this Schooner. Just had our third voyage. I love you can bring your own food and drinks. There is nothing more relaxing for me than spending a couple of golden hours on the ocean. The ride does not disappoint. It's relaxing, it's gorgeous and we love the sound of the wind in the sails. read more

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We had the best time on the Schooner Surprise! It was a big highlight of our trip to Camden!

I LOVED the day sail I went on today. Capt. Corey was wonderful, imparting lots of information about the boat, the landscape and Camden. He was great about answering all my questions, and made the trip very enjoyable. I learned so much! I would highly recommend the Schooner Surprise for a wonderful day sailing in Camden. read more

Schooner Surprise - Schooner Surprise awaiting passengers. - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

my partner and i loved our time on the schooner surprise! booked this very last minute... we knew we wanted to take sail in camden and after talking to 3 different booths on the dock we are so happy we chose the surprise! it's byob, and byo food! we brought a bottle of wine and picked up sandwiches and pasta salads from camden deli to enjoy on board. it was perfect!! the captain and mate were so chill and very friendly. read more

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The best sailing experience in Camden, Maine! I can't thank you enough for such an enjoyable day of sailing. We were able to witness seals sunbathing, a lighthouse, various islands. And the historical narrative about the Camden area made it even more special. read more

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We had a great time on our sunset sail! Having never sailed before- we were looking forward to this experience and thought that the sunset option would be the perfect NE experience. Our guides were friendly and informative. They took great care in ensuring that we had an enjoyable experience. Would definitely recommend this to our friends!! Some updates for Covid that we weren't aware of: they do not provide glassware for your beverages so come prepared. Also, they are no longer providing blankets. read more

Schooner Surprise - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

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The trip was scenic and smooth. The crew was very pleasant and informative. Very relaxing.

Wonderful experience. The captain and skipper were super chill. In fact, the whole experience was super chill. Great way to spend an afternoon. read more

The evening sail was perfect. The guys on the boat were both very friendly and personable. Made everyone at ease and the boat ride was so smooth. read more

Schooner Surprise - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

Awesome cruise experience all around. Friendly cruise, good value and a nice relaxing sunset trip. Don't leave Camden without this great experience. Recommended! read more

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This is a DISREPUTABLE COMPANY: do not book anything with them. I called to reserve a "BAR HARBOR" sunset cruise. I specifically said "Bar Harbor." I was told that the sunset cruise was done for the season but they were happy to book me on the 3:30 PM cruise. When I got to the dock at Bar Harbor at 3:00 PM, I was told that I had been booked in Camden. I immediately called them, and the woman on the phone told me she was the person who booked me, that the connection was bad and "I must have misheard you." I responded: "No harm, no foul, please just refund the amount." I was able to book tickets on Bar Harbor Cruises, but the woman at the counter warned me that Schooner Surprise has done this before, accepting reservations for Bar Harbor then refusing to refund the money. Indeed, the boss called me back and refused to refund the cruise we did not take. She was quite rude, despite the fact that her employee admitted she made a mistake. I now have to dispute the charge with my credit card company. THIS IS A DISREPUTABLE COMPANY - DO NOT BOOK WITH THEM! read more

Great cruise around Penobscot bay and the Camden area. Ian and Cory kept the conversation going and entertained the little boy on the cruise. You can help with the sails if you want to but it's not required. I'd definitely sail with them again! read more

Fantastic cruise. wind in the sails and salt in our hair. crew was fantastic! Shared history of the area and stories of local folks. read more

Schooner Surprise - Wonderful time! - Boating Near Me - Camden, Maine

Wonderful day on the water. Owners were knowledgeable and safety conscious. Great adventure for a family!

Ahoy! We LOVED our trip aboard the Schooner Surprise while visiting Camden, ME. We did the sunset tour with live music. Although there wasn't quite a sunset to enjoy, it was quite peaceful rocking with the waves and listening to the wonderful live acoustic music. Our trip to Maine would not have been complete without our voyage aboard the Schooner Surprise. Hope to return sometime soon! read more

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Amazing doesn't do our experience justice. We HAD A BLAST. This was a first time sailing experience for my husband and his sister who were visiting from Portland, Oregon. We all had a permanent grin the entire time. Ellie and the captain (forgot his name) were wonderful hosts. We really enjoyed the learning about the history of the boat. 10 stars! read more

It's a must if you're visiting Camden. Corey and the captain from Argentina were hilarious and easy going. I loved that they were both barefoot the entire time. It was peaceful and would have gladly paid more money for the two hours of peace I got with my daughter... I wish I could do another ride. Definitely check it out. It's well worth your while. read more

It is a shame that the only surprise for the company was their unethical business practices. We called to book a sunset cruise in Bar Harbor. Instead of explained Ng that this was out of Camden rather than bar Harbor, they cheerfully took our credit card and booked the cruise. When we checked it at Bar Harbor, we were told informed that we didn't have a reservation. We called Surprise Schooner to cancel, as we were no where near that habit. Three calls later, an acquisition that we no showed and a frustrating a call with a 'manager' we learned that customer service is not one of their core competencies. Buyer beware. read more

The boat is large and there is plenty of seating for everyone. We did a sunset tour. The crew is very knowledgeable about sailing and the town. Be sure to ask questions to have them fill you in on the area. The snacks provide was party mix and the drink is a rum punch. Any additional alcoholic drinks are $5. This trip would be best looking those looking for a quiet trip. read more

Best sailboat in the harbor and the oldest! The crew is great! Just the right size. Only holds 18. We took the 2 hr sail and had the best time! Being on the water was wonderful! I highly recommend Schooner Surprise!! read more

The captain and crew are really personable and easy to talk to. I really like how they care for the boat so well; it's something to be proud of. If you have motion sickness or get bored on boats, it's not for you. read more

An absolute favorite part of an alreaady excellent family visit to Camden! A view of the shores of Camden from on board this beautiful historic schooner with this friendly and informative crew was a family favorite. Parents, teens, and even the young kids in our group absolutely loved it. AND PORPOISES!! Captain Ramiro spotted porpoises jumping ahead of the boat as we were under sail in the harbor. This was a special treat on top of already getting to take in the view of the shores of Camden's bay and so many really cool boats along the way. A true Bon Voyage!! Thanks for such a great time! read more

Even though there was little wind today our morning sale was very pleasant. The captain was very pleasant and informative. We cruised by several lighthouses and many mansions. He told about some local history and pointed out sealed and discussed lobster industry. With wind it would have been a different trip but we still had fun. read more

Knowledgeable crew, serene ride rain or shine. We loved everything about our time on this boat. Even blankets if you forget a jacket.

Amazing 90 minute sailing trip out of the harbor and into Penobscot Bay. The captain and first mate were friendly and knowledgeable, and the boat sufficiently comfortable -- especially considering the vessel is over 100 years old! We learned a great deal about the boat, the area, the lighthouse, the bay, other vessels, and nature. Bring a jacket, as it's always cooler in the water. Highly recommended. read more

A not-to-be-missed experience! Noah and crew were fantastic! André's acoustic guitar added so much to the mesmerizing sunset cruise. Even on a grey, overcast evening, the serenity of the sail was well worth every penny. read more

We decided to take a private charter on the Surprise to celebrate our 20th Anniversary. It was perfect weather for sailing. Couldn't have been more wonderful. It will be an experience we will treasure forever. Captain Ramiro and his assistant Laird made the trip very memorable. Gave us the history of the area and pointed out sites along the way. Seeing all the Islands up close was spectacular. They were so warm and friendly. I cannot recommend them enough. We will definitely add this to our list of favorite experiences and will definitely take another trip with them next year! Thank you for making our 20th Anniversary one we will cherish. read more

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This was our 3rd time on this great old schooner. It has always been wonderful and easily worth the cost. The captain and first mate are exceptional! We will be back again! Terry L. Cooper read more

Down through the years, Schooner Surprise has always been our favorite day sail. This trip was no exception. The crew was fantastic -- including Nicole, the owner, and having the ornithologist Richard on the trip, reason enough to book that specific sail. Highly recommend as a family activity. read more