Fun, scenic 40-minute transit to and from Swans Island. HIGHLY recommend you pay the extra $8 and…read moremake reservations--especially during the summer tourist season. They pack the vehicles in like sardines. Don't know how they do it, but all you need to do is follow their instructions--even though it looks like you're going to hit the car in front of you. Cement trucks, lobster trucks, cars, people and pets ... they move it all. If you're really fortunate, you'll be able to see dolphins, seals and a few lobsterman working their craft.

We rode the ferry (without our car) just for the experience; it was a wonderful round trip …read more A great way to see the area, and experience some time on the ocean; at a very reasonable price ($25 for 2 round trips). The terminal staff were friendly and informative, and the male member of the team was a real hoot; both being great representatives for the system. The crew on the ferry were helpful, informative and friendly. A great experience, highly recommend.

You pay, you wait for the boat, you get on, you sleep on your way to the islands. Repeat as…read morenecessary.

The unexpected cancellation of the ferry from Bar Harbor to Nova Scotia has cost us over $1,000 in…read moreadditional expenses, as we had to hire a driver in the middle of the night to get to Saint John, New Brunswick. The company has offered no compensation or alternative solution to help us reach Nova Scotia, despite the fact that we have multiple Airbnbs booked, transportation arranged, and flights scheduled to depart from there. When I called to ask for assistance, the representative simply said, "Oh well, we run again on Thursday." Today is Monday--waiting three days is not an option for travelers on a tight schedule. If you're counting on this ferry for transportation, be warned: you could be left completely stranded without any support.

This is a very small boat, not what you would expect for a Ferry Ride. That being said, it is a…read morelovely ride over from Bar Harbor to Winter Harbor. You see a lot of islands and even a light house. The crew is amazing. For a small group, the boat is very well staffed! The crew is very knowledgeable and share history and stories. We had two family members with us that have some disabilities. The crew was so hopeful and in a very caring manner. The needed assistance getting on/off and even walking on the docks. The crew made sure they were safe! When you arrive at Winter Harbor, there is a bus waiting to take you on a tour. All included. We didn't take the tour as we were visiting family over in Scoodic. For the price - excellent VALUE! I would highly recommend fitting this into your schedule. Very happy we did take the trip. Convenient location - Bar Harbor Inn dock. Tips - Maine weather changes quickly so make sure you bring or pack layers especially if you plan to take a late boat back. There is no reservation, so you can take any boat over or back, first come, first serve. Very flexible if you find you want to spend more or less time over at Winter Harbor.

If you are looking for a mellow boat ride around the harbor, this is a nice cruise to take. It…read moresays that it's a 2 hour cruise but, in total, to include getting on and off the boat, we were only out for about an hour and a half. We went at sunset and it's amazingly beautiful. The staff is obviously a working staff and they get the passengers involved by having us help with lifting the sails (if you'd like to volunteer). That part was fun and it's a lot of arm work. Very safe journey. Do bring a jacket with you because it does get cold on the water.

Over all a great time, hour and a half sunset cruise. The Skipper and crew weee super nice and…read morefriendly. One caution, check the weather forecast before you go and dress in layers. On our trip it started to rain and we got wet, not soaked but just enough to make it uncomfortable. The temperature does drop about 10-15 degrees once you leave the dock. The standing temperature was 68 degrees when we left the dock, with the sun setting, rain and lower temperatures of the bay it got into the mid 50's on the water. So dress accordingly.

Loved the experience of riding the ferry! The workers were all fun & helpful with loading &…read moreunloading bags, bikes, and groceries.

lovely few hours cruising around the islands. watching strong young women carrying heavy mail and…read morepassenger cargo. (right on strong women!!) watched the gulls fish and sail and soar. gorgeous views and beautifully haunting fog.

For my birthday, we joined a whale watching tour in the Gulf of Maine.  We honestly weren't sure…read morewhat to expect but were blown away by getting to see 3 different types of whales (Humpback, Minke, Finback), with multiples of each type and also two blue sharks. The people that led our tour were knowledgeable and friendly and I also appreciated they had food and drinks onboard for sale (and single serve dramamine). We had a hot dog, their ocean gin drink, and a blueberry harbor ale and couldn't have had a better time. Make sure to get there early as the most in demand seats on top of the boat were full after they let the people waiting in line early on the boat. I'd say we got there 30 minutes earlier than needed and got some of the best seats but there weren't many left. There is a shop with good coffee close so you can have one person hold your spot in line while others do that. Dress warmer than you think you need: we ended up wearing long sleeve shirts and pants with jackets and beanies and it wasn't a rough or especially cold day at sea and closer to 70 degrees on land. .

Spent the July 4th weekend in Bar Harbor and we booked this company for the whale watching as well…read moreas for the fireworks on the water. I will start by saying that the staff is absolutely wonderful! Super attentive and polite and was constantly checking on all of the riders. The ride was long but we went to two locations before we finally got a glimpse of one humpback whale- Anthur. The captain did his best to get us as close to the whale as possible without disrupting it and also tried to make sure both sides of the boat got ample time to view. The narrator on the boat had a ton of information to provide which was really cool. It wasn't just about whales, we learned about other sea life and productivity and sustainability as well as about the harbor and Acadia park. It was an experience for sure. I do tend to get a little motion sickness which thankfully I was spared on this trip- but unfortunately it seemed like it was happening all around us where people were just losing it. The staff was quick to react and accommodate those riders with bags, drinks and food. Prepare for the cold because even though it was 80 degrees on land, it was extremely windy and freezing out of the water. They do provide hot chocolate and coffee and snacks on board for purchase, you can also bring food on board as well. We went back out again in the evening for the fireworks- they do a trip out towards the lighthouse and the porcupine islands and again provide lots of information about the islands, sea life, and about the earlier settlers. That part was great- the fireworks (out of their control) was eh. Everyone said Bar Harbor has some of the best fireworks and unfortunately they were super underwhelming. Would I do it again..... probably not, but it was an experience that we enjoyed and have stories to tell.

4.5 here....the ferry was really great. From the reservation to getting on, to the actual ride…read more.. There was live entertainment in the Forchu Lounge! There were movies - both a kid friendly and an adult(ish) movie. You could sit out back and watch the massive wake, you could sit inside. Seats were comfortable. The upper vehicle deck attendant was especially nice because I was traveling with animals and she checked on them and found me to tell me they were ok! I've never left them in a car for 3 1/2 hours by themselves on a vessel before... it was a new thing. They did great! (well, apparently, one gets sea sick, I learned , not too bad, but was fine once we landed in Nova Scotia) There was food, although not great and also could not pay with an American Express card. A very common internationally used credit card, also an American ferry/ship, and can't use AMEX?? I booked my ticket with AMEX but couldn't buy food on board with it. That's kinda weird. So I'm knocking off the 1/2 star for that. Although I'm giving a full 5 for the review because this was a convenient and quicker way to get to Nova Scotia. And I'd totally do it again.

The Cat Bay Ferry decided at the "last minute" to cancel the trip from Yarmouth NS to Bar Harbor…read morebecause of high winds. By "last minute", I mean 30 minutes before the only alternative ferry -- run by the same company- sailed from Digby NS. However, to travel from Yarmouth to Digby takes at least 4 hours. As a result, we had to travel an additional 10 hours to drive to our home in Maryland. In other words, their "customer service" stinks.

So great! A free bus around the entire island. Hard to beat. So glad we chose to use this…read moreinstead of paying for a private tour.

Easy, cheap, and convenient way to your your way through bar harbor village and the national park…read moreof Acadia. We picked up our first bus at the Village Green and road it up to the visitor center where we switched buses to Cadillac Mt, Sand Beach, Thunder Cove. The bus drivers were friendly and eager to assist. The maps provided were helpful as well. The timing of the buses though we were told we're never really on time, we found some to be on time, and others not so much. But we can't complain. Best of all it's free! But don't forget to tip to help keep it free.