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    Schooner Surprise

    4.7 (64 reviews)
    Open 8:15 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

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    Harbor view in the fall
    Moon L.

    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!

    Schooner Surprise.
    Chris H.

    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

    Amy D.

    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.

    Two adult seals and a young seal sunbathing.
    Melissa L.

    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.

    Raising the sails
    Leslie L.

    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.

    Schooner Surprise awaiting passengers.

    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.

    Hailee B.

    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.

    Nancy S.

    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.

    Anushri D.

    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.

    Karen R.

    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.

    Mike G.

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

    Wonderful time!

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

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    11 months ago

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

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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

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    3 years ago

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

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Schooner Surprise

    Review Highlights - Schooner Surprise

    Nicole and Ramiro (the new owners of Schooner Surprise) are wonderful, welcoming hosts aboard the Schooner Surprise.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Maine Windjammer Cruises - Schooner Grace Bailey

    Maine Windjammer Cruises

    (6 reviews)

    Dear Ray & Ann Williamson - Windjammer "Swift" Owner,…read more Thank you, thank you, for giving us the respite so desperately needed!! Your amazing & beautiful boat and perfectly crafted cruise shifted us entirely away from the habitual stressors of our lives. The beauty of the Maine coastline and being taken care of by your amazing crew (our Captain Hans, Deck-hand Miles, and Chef Levin), who were all hardworking, talented and a pleasure to spend time with. They Worked hard all day long, clearly knew what they were doing, shared the load, while enjoying every moment. As we watched their skills in action keeping your fabulous Windjammer upwind from our comfortable deck chairs, we delighted in the fresh sea breezes, and enjoyed the delicious and creative menu, which was unexpectedly luxurious. Thank you again for the gift of our time on Windjammer Swift! Chris & family sailed Camden Maine 7/2/25 - 7/5/25

    My wife chose this trip because it was our 10 year wedding anniversary. I was not going to let…read moremyself get excited; because I have always loved the idea of sailing and yet have never been and did not want to get my hopes up. My only trepidation was having to put up with other people who had no sense of humor. So, Sunday we arrived just an hour before check-in and upon arrival the nice lady at the front desk was probably far more cheerful than I would be at that hour. But I loved it! We brought our small amount of gear on board and was shown our rooms after a brief lesson by the Captain. Our room and beds were small and by no means should you expect one of these rooms to be of cruise like quality, because you should not want to spend your days in your cabin and that is the point! We slept pretty well that first night before we set sail and all of our stuff fit neatly in our cabin with room to stand and change. The ship was probably around 140 years old and was maybe 100 feet in length, with large wood masts heavy sails and you can hear the very slight creaking in the wood all around the boat as it rocked with the ocean. I was totally in love with her already. That night I met a few of the crew and passengers on deck while we kind of introduced ourselves in a non formal fashion which made me more at ease and since I clicked with everyone that I had met, I knew that I was going to have a great time. The next morning they served some Mexican omelette type thing which was cooked on a wood stove down in the galley, which I thought was cool as hell. Now, this omelette set the tone for how the rest of the meals were going to be MOST EXCELLENT! We were invited to help raise sails once we were pushed off out of port and like a kid in a toy store, I did. There was a small complement of crew and passengers, 14 maybe in total, so it was a lot less crowded than it could be. During that time I met the rest of the passengers and crew I did not meet the night before. I went down into the galley to thank the cook that made that fantastic breakfast and ended up chopping garlic. We sailed what seemed like forever and not long enough. Our first stop was Stoningham where we dropped anchor and ate a wonderful dinner, lunch was good too, and also it had garlic. Now when my wife had mentioned that it was a working boat, I thought to myself, GREAT IT WORKS, who knew? LOL, well I ended up doing all kinds of work, not because I was forced or it was mandatory, but because it was something you wanted to do. Once we got back, we hauled anchor again and set sail for another island, which had no one on it and we went ashore and walked it beautiful sandy beaches. I think that night we had lobster cooked over a fire. The next day we raised anchor and set sail to Rockport where after another wonderful dinner we sat and listened to one of the Captains poems that he wrote and was published, he read other things that he liked and we all sat there and listened as we drank our beers and relaxed the night away. The next day we sailed back to Camden and after playing a few jokes on Captain Ray, it was time to go home. I think that I speak for pretty much everyone on board when I say we wanted to stay and everything we had seen and done all over again. I just want to say thank you to Captain Christopher, Dillon, Dawson, Sara, and Collin. I will remember this to be the best anniversary trip ever. Even better than that cruise ship we took for our honeymoon. Oh and speaking of cruise ships, I found out from other ships crews that the Chamber of Commerce has been catering to the large cruise ships which is taking away business to this unique to Maine Schooner sailing. I questioned the crew I was on board with but they just shook their heads without a response. It is too bad if it's true because it was such an amazing experience that I feel that everyone should have a chance to enjoy. Thank you for the most beautiful and memorable experience, Douglass and Dorothy

    Windjammer Angelique

    Windjammer Angelique

    (16 reviews)

    If you are looking for a unique experience, where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Maine…read morecoast, the excitement of sailing, the fun of meeting new people, and some delicious cuisine; then the Angelique is the place for you. She is a gorgeous Windjammer with an amazing crew and captain! My family just recently got the pleasure of sailing with Captain Dennis and his crew and we were not disappointed! Not only did we enjoy our time together, but had an opportunity to meet some wonderful people, made new friends, and reconnected, which brought us back to a time when we all sailed together as a family when we were young! Whether you are a seasoned sailor or new to sailing altogether, the Angelique Windjammer Cruise will bring you into a new world! I would recommend this experience to everyone!!

    I have sailed with the Camden/Rockland Schooner fleet on and off for 20+ years and looked forward…read moreto my cruise on the Angelique. Unfortunately, it could have been better. I sailed 6 days in July 2022. The Good - Schooner Angelique has a wonderful reputation, and mystique all her own. Fully rigged with topsails, and a relatively newer construction (1980) she is known as a 'fast sail', and with her distinctive sail color she is easily recognizable from a distance. Captain Dennis is knowledgeable and personable, and it's obvious he enjoys what he does. The sailing did not disappoint, we had a great week exploring Penobscot Bay and its many islands, and coves. It is a family business, and the owners seem to truly care. Marty was excellent as a fill in deck hand! The Bad - Seating on deck - even though she was constructed in 1980 as a passenger vessel 'for comfort' there is a noticeable lack of seating on deck for 22 passengers. To be exact, there are only 2 benches (with cushions) for 4 moderately sized adults specifically designed as seating. Otherwise, there are lifejacket boxes to sit on strategically placed to guarantee you will be in the crew's way regardless. Envision a group of 20+ senior citizens precariously perched or standing around on a pitching deck for 6 days, all waiting to scavenge any available seating any time someone moves. The food was mediocre at best, or just undercooked. The worst offences were ... a diluted, tepid 'fish stew' (served on the first day - leftovers?) with no fish just a layer of congealed fat coating the surface, a half-baked tomato pie - runny tomatoes with a raw bottom crust, raw tuna for tacos left out in the sun, and the infamous breakfast casserole topped with raw uncooked eggs glistening in the morning sun. The coffee served daily at breakfast was dishwater weak. When I brought this up to the captain, he was defensive. However, on day three I discovered there was another thermos of coffee in the galley reserved for the crew members - strong dark and aromatic, go figure. The Infamous Dish Pan - Passengers were told repeatedly, "to make it easier for the crew, passengers were expected to scrub their dirty dishes before putting them in a dish pan". This was located on the floor of the deck, with a small container of water. After a few uses, the scrub water was a slurry of food. Besides the 'yuck' factor, this was a serious safety risk. Having a group of senior citizens bending over or kneeling on a wet pitching deck 3 x day is a safety hazard. Fortunately, there were no broken hips during the cruise, this time. The Ugly - There is a serious culture problem with the crew. They clearly do not like passengers. At best, the crew were indifferent; otherwise, they were openly rude. With the exception of boarding, and disembarking (after a reminder about expected gratuities) not one crew member offered an unsolicited "good morning", "good afternoon", or "good night", nor did a crew member ask, "do you need anything?", or "how is the cruise?" - instead passengers were admonished to wash their dishes, make and strip their bed linen, and get out of the way. "You're in my way", "You can't sit there", "Do you HAVE to sit HERE?". There are two crew members who stand out for their hatefulness: Bradley the cook takes the cake - he openly hates his job, hates cooking, and hates passengers. First day boarding - while exploring the schooner I met Bradley stretched out in the lower main cabin, nose in phone. I introduced myself, and he responded, "I don't talk to passengers until Monday morning", it was downhill from there. Several other passengers had the same arrival experience. In an attempt to compensate, the crew instructed passengers, "Don't talk to Bradley!" Three times a day he would ring the meal bell and then proceed to lecture guests about washing their dishes and staying out of the galley. Heidi the deck hand - infamous for never changing her clothes and her snarls at passengers. When I introduced myself, she responded "I have 28 names to remember! I'll call you what I want, you need to work with ME." For the rest of the cruise, she went out of her way to be openly rude and confrontational in front of passengers and crew, thereby demonstrating this was acceptable behavior. She bragged about having RBF and living up to the reputation, and late evenings she could be heard openly disparaging the passengers. Like it or not, a sailing cruise is part of the hospitality business. Unfortunately, the 'hospitality' was sorely missing from the cruise. In Addition, the crew did not work well together; during the cruise they tore two sails (including a new one), often misunderstood commands or made random decisions on their own. Understandably, the captain repeatedly lost his temper and stormed about it for hours after. As a small business, Angelique faces many external challenges without being sabotaged by its own crew. Overall, Angelique could do better, much better.

    Schooner Yacht Heron

    Schooner Yacht Heron

    (14 reviews)

    What a fabulous fun experience sailing out of Rockport, ME on The Heron. It was the highlight of…read moreour trip. Bonnie did a great job telling us some of the history of the ship and area. Love when the sails are lifted!!! Motor turned off, quiet, smooth ride! So relaxing. It is a beautiful ship. Lots of shinny teak. Delightful with great crew and just a few guests on board. Free parking right by dock. Thank you, Bonnie and Twig for making my sail special. Highly recommend!

    One of our favorite things to do when in Rockland is sailing aboard the Schooner Heron. We sailed…read more2x with them in 2020 and the first thing we did when we got back to Rockland this year was to look at the weather and book a trip with them. I picked an afternoon with an expected 14mph wind, so I knew we would sail smartly. I was surprised that Taylor was captaining the boat this trip instead of Twig, but his boat handling was conservative and flawless. Of coarse Bonnie was aboard to do her excellent narration regarding the history of Rockland's lime, timber, ice, shipbuilding and lobster industries and also tell us all about the lighthouse, islands, and seals we saw. Twig and Bonnie's personable adult daughter Rachel was also on board as crew. Bonnie and Rachel handled hoisting, trimming, reefing and tacking the sails as a well-oiled team. We started out conservatively with the fore mast and main mast sails both reefed, but were later able to shake out the reef on the fore mast sail for a little more speed without heeling the boat. We were able to sail near Robinson's Rock and saw that there were several seals sunning them selves there. We sailed midweek on a Thursday and there was lots of room for everybody on board. Taylor and Rachel cheerfully answered my many questions about the boat, the boat's offshore passages to and from the Caribbean each year and about local events. This was the first time sailing for the family seated across from us, but they had a good time. There was another group forward of us that pretty much kept to themselves so I didn't have a chance to chat with them, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves too. I did a bunch of small boat pleasure sailing and medium sized keelboat racing while I was at the University of Texas. I don't own a sailboat so the only sailing I have done since has been on Hobie Wave catamarans at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean. I really enjoy chances to sail on bigger boats like the Schooner Heron. The Schooner Heron sails three trips daily from Rockport Harbor: Private morning sail, an afternoon Educational Eco Tour, and a Happy Hour Sunset Sail. Custom charters are also available on request. There is free parking in the harbor lot. Whether you have sailed before or just want to try it on vacation, I highly recommend sailing on the Schooner Heron as a solo, couple or family activity. You will have fun and be entirely comfortable with the ship and crew. They will treat you right. We're back in Rockland in a couple of weeks and will surely sail with them at least once more before heading back to Texas.

    Schooner Surprise - boating - Updated May 2026

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