We took Balmy Day Cruises out of Boothbay to Monhegan Island, and it was an absolutely lovely experience. We ordered both our outbound and return tickets online ($23 per person per leg of the trip, so for two people - after fees - it was close to $100), showed up to collect them at about 9:15, and got in the queue (I'd strongly recommend showing up even earlier than we did: the best seats are on the top of the boat, and they fill up very quickly). The whole process was super easy! The boat is for passengers only, departing Pier 8 at 9:30am and arriving back around 4:15/4:30pm. The boat ride is about 1 1/2 hours each way. At 2pm they offer a trip around Monhegan Island (it's $5 per person, cash only) that offers spectacular views of the entire circumference of the island; it's narrated with local history and nature facts (actually most of the boat ride to and from is), and when we went the captain also brought us over to Duck Rocks to see dozens and dozens of seals sunbathing. We also saw harbor porpoises on the ride back to the mainland! There are beverages available for sale (including adult options); there are bathrooms on board, as well. The staff is friendly, incredibly safety focused, and very quick to help when there's a sick passenger (after all, you're in the open ocean of the Gulf of Maine). I didn't know what to expect, but was impressed and satisfied with the entire experience. We're already looking forward to our next trip to Monhegan which we'll do through Balmy Day (who also offer harbor tours, private charters, sailing trips, mackerel fishing, and Burnt Island Lighthouse tours... something we're also interested in now too!). What an incredible way to explore coastal Maine from the convenience of Boothbay! read more

Great Captain honest day. The cocaptain was training a new hire. They were very emphatic on making sure we were back well in time not to miss the trip. The water was safe safe and smooth. Entertaining dialogue from the captain throughout the cruise. It was a absolutely fun and rewarding day on the island. read more

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Took the afternoon one hour tour to Squirrel Island. Great views of the harbor and narrated as to the views around us. Rutter, the co-captain was a great host. Very much loves the "hind end scratch"... and I accommodated. LOL. Trip around the bay gave us a good view of Booth Bay. read more

Took Balmy Day cruise ship to Monhegan Island from Booth Bay Harbor and return trip 2 days later. Everything was so smooth from safe trip to handling of luggage. Captain was wonderful describing sites along the way. Everything was on schedule Highly recommend . read more

we took the "mailboat cruise" around Boothbay Harbor. The fellow who drove the boat did a fine job of driving the boat BUT his narrative sounded as if he was doing it in his sleep. which put me to sleep. read more

Beautiful scenery. And worth the ride to Monhegan for the most part. However my group found the boat to be very crowded and uncomfortable. It was also a great value. read more

I took the Balmy Day cruise to and from Monhegan Island for a day trip from the mainland. Ordering tickets was easy from the web site, and they made it very clear that you need to buy both outbound and return trips; it was easy to add both to the cart for purchase. The pier is easily accessible from the heart of Boothbay Harbor and there's plenty of parking nearby (mostly for a fee). The cruise was very smooth and they did a nice job of explaining various sights along the way. Limited drinks and snacks are available on the ferry though as you'd expect they are on the pricey side. For those with dogs, they are allowed for a $5/trip add-on fee. While it's possible to stay overnight on the island, the day trip of arriving at 11a and departing at 2:45p is enough to take in the key sights. It's definitely a neat experience to visit the island and Balmy Day does a nice job of getting you there and back. read more

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Absolutely one of the best businesses around. I had a trip booked over to Mohegan Island and back and I had a family emergency, they are so generous to extend your ticket to another time and day. I can't say enough great things about this company, also the woman that has been working for them for at least 25+ years has the most amazing voice for a tour! I would give this company 10 stars read more

Balmy Day Cruises - Boating Near Me - Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Nice people and lovely cruise on a beautiful day. Another map is needed about this bay as 'Squirrel Island' does not show up on one distributed with advertising. read more

Great trip as usual to Mohegan Island for our 25th year of Mothers daughter week on the island. Great captain and her assistant. Thank you for helping with luggage and supplies we take over to Monhegan! Always a smooth trip. Love it and the Balmy Days!! See you May 2026!!!! Grace and Adrienne NH read more

We did the day trip to Monhegan with Captain Terry and her crew. Her narrative of what we were passing aided the journey. We saw porpoises, and many seabirds, including puffins. On the way back, we spotted a shark. Professional, pleasant, and thoughtful. One of the other passengers was in an electric wheelchair, traveling with three family members. He was able to ride down the gangplank and be helped aboard without any extra fuss but lots of good care. The head (bathroom) is clean and the beverage service is fine. It's a good idea to bring a water bottle for each person and to wear very comfortable shoes-- Monhegan is all up hill and rough gravel roads even if you don't do the nature trails. read more

We had a fabulous trip the Monhegan Island with Balmy Days Cruises. The crew was friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming! Highly recommend! read more

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Terrific trip out to Squirrel Island! This is a stop on the harbor tour cruise; you can get off on Squirrel Island and get on a later boat to return to Boothbay Harbor. The man in the ticket booth on Pier 8 in Boothbay Harbor was very helpful explaining when the return boats pick up at Squirrel Island. We had plenty of time to explore the island, have lunch at the Tea Room cafe, and spend time on a deserted beach. We were there during Windjammer Days and especially appreciated that the woman doing the narration for this trip provided information and details about the windjammers we passed, the cruise ship in the harbor, and even the boat in the drydock we passed. Highly recommend the harbor tour and if you have time, definitely get off for some time on Squirrel Island. read more

Great experience taking the trip to Monhegan Island from Boothbay Harbor! Great service, reasonable rates, and we even saw lots of sea life (seals, porpoises, etc) while also learning interesting facts about local lighthouses, history, etc. 10/10 would recommend! read more

Windjammers! What a great way to see the fleet come into harbor. My granddaughter and I have done this excursion 3 times and Balmy Day Cruises, and they deliver fun, informative, and friendly every year! I have taken other trips with Balmy Days Cruises to Burnt Island and Monhegan Island. After the cruise, a visit to Kalers for lunch makes for a great day. Balmy Day Cruises is a must do when you are in Boothbay Harbor! read more

My 88 year old Mom and I sailed on the Bay Lady Sunday, 22 June '25. We had an absolutely wonderful sail! Captain Kevin and crew Grace were excellent hosts. Sailing Boothbay Harbor in great little boat was such a treat. Highly recommend! read more

All went well. The presentation was very interesting and informative. A delightful time.

absolutely a great way to spend 2 hours, we caught many many mackerel, thank you for a great time

Had a great time on the bay lady. Couldn't have asked for better weather! The crew was great. Very kind and answered everyone's questions. It was fun to learn about sailing and even got to see a seal and porpoise. Wish I had time for a whale watching trip but if you want a relaxing boat ride around Boothbay this is the one to Go on. It fits about 10 people and you can bring on food And drinks if you want. read more

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Took a day trip out to Monhegan island on one of their ferries and had a great time. Most patrons are able to sit masked on the roof seating. 90 min trip to the island. They offer an hour tour around the island for $5. Comparatively priced to the other 2-3 local companies. Will come back and ride with them again next year! read more

Balmy Day Cruises - Pulling into Monhegan - Boating Near Me - Boothbay Harbor, Maine

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Friendly, nice boats, easy-going and professional crew, and the trip to Monhegan Island is wonderful.

We had a successful fishing trip, father and 11-year old son. There are three trips per day. We went out at 10 am for a two-hour mackerel fishing trip with captain and mate as the only passengers. We saw a grey seal as we cruised out to the first fishing spot. No luck after a few minutes, so we went to spot two where the fishing action was on. Caught 10ish fish each ranging 8-12 inches and had a blast. On the way back, saw a lighthouse, porpoises, and learned about lobster fishing from the mate. read more

Balmy Day Cruises - Lighthouse seen from boat - Boating Near Me - Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Great sailing trip on the Bay Lady with Kevin and Grace! The wind picked up a little, which made it a perfect sailing day! Will definitely recommend to friends and will be back! Thank you read more

Took the boat to Monhegan Island. Great time. 1 1/2 hrs each way. The CPT offered a 30 minute Cruse around the island at 2:00. We saw dolphin and seal. Fortunately, we had extra cash with us because they failed to mention it cost an extra $5.00. I would recommend the trip. read more

Had a great time going to Monhegan Island with Balmy Day Cruises. The crew was friendly and informative. Thank you! read more

The best way to get to Monhegan Island. The crew was friendly and so helpful. We just dopped out baggage at the dock and they loaded and unloaded it. Thanks so much!! read more

Wonderful boat ride with great information about what you are seeing as you go. Very professional Captain and crew. Clean bathrooms and nice snacks. On time. Smooth ride you won't get seasick! We took the Monhegan trip and the harbor ride to Squirrel Island. read more

This is a great operation. The boats are well kept and the crew could not any friendlier or helpful. We've taken 2 cruises with them and loved both. The first was a simple Cruise around the harbor and our ldd add test was out to Monhegan Island in the Gulf of Maine read more

Balmy Day Cruises - MV Balmy Days pulling into Monhegan harbor. - Boating Near Me - Boothbay Harbor, Maine

This would be a fantastic sunrise lighthouse cruise if more of an effort was made to line up at least one lighthouse with the rising sun. It could be done. The very first lighthouse visit could be Ram Island. No stopping first at Burnt Island, no pausing for ten minutes at no specific location just to watch the sun rise. I did appreciate the change in itinerary of visiting Pemaquid in lieu of Hendrick's Head lighthouse though. It was a nice change read more

We took a day trip to Monhegan island. The crew and the captain were all great. Friendly, helpful, informative. As others have mentioned, the captain took time to provide history and context to the sites on our cruise. My problem is with the company management. After our ship departed the docks in the morning, we were called back in to port for a couple who had missed the boat. Much more egregious was our departure from the island. While all aboard the ship were give departure times and stern warnings about missing the boat, not all were at the dock on time. Our boat left dock and was 10-15 minutes into our return trip when we were directed to turn around to recover the stragglers. Because of that, the boatful of people who were on time were delayed 50 minutes in our return to the mainland. Speaking with some of the passengers nearby, we were not the only people on board who had plans later in the afternoon and evening ruined by this decision. We had a lovely day in a beautiful spot end on a very sour note due to a bad decision by the owners read more

Hospitable vee and we'll run. My sixth trip on balmy days and has been delightful each time.

What a great experience for my son. Reasonably priced. Captain and mate very friendly, engaged and knowledgeable. My son and I caught around six fish each. Just the perfect outing. Highly recommend if not looking to go out for more than two hours. Adam - NJ. read more

The Captain and Mate were very personable and clearly knew the water and best fishing spots. They made it an enjoyable trip.

Boat ride to Monhegan was calm. Crew was great and boat clean. Not enough seating so had to stand for the entire 1.5 hours. Online info could include parking instructions for those unfamiliar with area. read more

Captain Kevin Colby is an absolute pro! He has a first hand knowledge of the area and put us all at ease on a very windy day. We had a tour of the area and learned a great deal about lobster boating and the history of the Bay Lady. An excursion not to be missed if you are in Boothbay! read more

Balmy Day Cruises - Captain Colby at the helm! - Boating Near Me - Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Pretty standard trip to local island, but a nice way to spend an hour seeing the Casco Bay from the water for those of us without a boat of our own. Ship was clean and seems well maintained. Captain pointed out local points of interest. Crew were friendly and offered blankets for those of us who chose to sit up on deck. read more

Balmy Day Cruises - Novelty at pier - Boating Near Me - Boothbay Harbor, Maine

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The captain and mate were very knowledgeable and friendly. We enjoyed our time with them. Their patience with people and love for the water and fishing showed. I was glad to be in a smaller, less crowded boat for this adventure. It allowed for personal time with them. And it made it feel not rushed when someone had questions or difficulties. read more

Balmy Day Cruises - Captain and the mate were very patient and made sure we enjoyed our 2 hour mackerel fishing trip. - Boating Near Me - Boothbay Harbor, Maine

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We took a Balmy Day cruise to Monhegan Island. They were very well organized, the boat was immaculate and they followed a strong Covid protocol. The Captain (Bill?) was awesome!! He shared the history of the islands nearby, told stories about the area and spotted lots of sea life. It was a holiday weekend so we were prepared to feel unsafe and be disappointed with the whole thing. We couldn't have been more wrong!! It was definitely the highlight of our trip. read more

This cruise operation is smaller than the other boat offering trips to Monhegan Island, but as far as customer service goes they cannot be beat. We encountered a very pleasant man and woman at the ticket counter who assisted us twice. Our family of six pre-purchased our round trip tix in advance as part of a week-long vacation but as luck would have it, the one rainy day looked like our Monhegan trip. Balmy Day made it simple to switch our tickets to another day. The process took about 2 minutes and I simply showed my phone confirmation. When we showed up, I thought I misplaced the tix she gave us for the new date (they were in my pocket). She simply gave me new ones and said if you find the others just rip them up. On the ferry trip both ways, it was a smooth ride with a narrated tour. Great experience, highly recommend. read more

Balmy Day Cruises and crew and captain are the bomb. Taking safety precautions and being informative about the rides out to Monhegan and other locations. Ride their ferry. You will be happy you did. read more