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    Schooner Surprise

    4.7 (67 reviews)
    Closed 8:15 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Services - Schooner Surprise

    Boat charters

    Schooner Surprise Photos

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    Reviews With Photos - Schooner Surprise

    Schooner Surprise heading out!
    MZ D.

    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. .

    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.

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    1 year ago

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

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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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    2 years ago

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

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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

    Schooner Appledore

    Schooner Appledore

    (67 reviews)

    Honestly, this was a really relaxing and beautiful experience. The boat felt safe, the rigging was…read morewell maintained, and the seating was surprisingly comfortable considering you're sitting on a wooden sailboat. A cute seal even popped up to say hello!! Being from Las Vegas, I'll admit I had certain expectations about Maine. Blame the media and me not paying enough attention in history class, but I was expecting to see a few more lighthouses. That's definitely not their fault this is why expectations aren't healthy. a little part of me thought it was going to be two awkward hours of me feeling like I was talking too loud Instead, the crew was fantastic, the other passengers were friendly, and for a couple of hours it felt like we had all traveled back in time. It ended up being one of the most enjoyable experiences of our trip. The crew allows passengers to help handle the lines and raise the sails, which was a really cool touch. If that's something you want to do, be quick and be ready because those opportunities go fast! Just an FYI, if you have mobility issues, I would recommend using the restroom before setting sail. The boat's head (restroom) is located below deck and requires navigating stairs.The crew had a sense of humor and professional. kind of bummed they didn't dress like old sailors with pipes:) perfect weather, the scenery. Romantic or family either way a beautiful memory.

    We had a beautiful day for a sail on the open waters. It was so interesting to watch the Captain…read moreand his team hoist the sails and get our ship moving. It was really nice they even asked guests if they wanted to help with the sails. There is a small bar on board as well as a restroom. There is plenty of seating, and not a bad seat on the ship. We didn't see any wildlife, which they said was normal, but the sailing part and the scenery was fun. Captain Nick was informative and interesting.

    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 Surprise - boating - Updated July 2026

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