Jason took us on a fantastic tour of area lighthouses. He was flexible to choose the ones that we…read morewere hoping to see and, even though the fog was thick at times, we saw everything we wanted. It was also very interesting to hear so much about what being an 8th generation Swan's Island resident means. We hope to go again to visit other lighthouses. Highly recommended!

Swan's Island Charters is a must do! Our family spent the day with Captain Jason. So much history…read moreand knowledge of the area. The lobster boat was the end to a perfect tour.

Definitely want to make reservations in advance if you are going on the Sunset Cruise, as it will…read morelikely sell out. The Margaret Todd is impressive: 151' long and weighs 150 tons. Its four red sails make it easily identifiable from Agamont Park/West Street, and also from the top of Cadillac Mountain in Bar Harbor. Depending on where you sit onboard, you may need to be mindful of the crew's hoisting and lowering of the sails. The many buoys and markers identify locations of the lobster traps. There were seals and a few porpoises on the water also. Bags are screened before boarding for alcoholic beverages, which are not allowed to be brought on, but soft drinks and beer & wine are available for purchase. There are many boat tours & excursions to do in Bar Harbor and this one is recommended. The ride was gentle and the views across Frenchman Bay were gorgeous.

Beautiful day for a trip around the harbor, no you don't stay out for the whole 2 hours, but it was…read moreenough for me. Great crew. I do wish they gave you more info about the other mega yachts anchored there, but you can google it and find out. It's a touristy thing, but really, how often do you get to go out on a 4 masted schooner?

Amazing service to the unbridged communities of northern Maine. The Cranberry Isles is so fortunate…read moreto enjoy the commitment of our island ferry services.

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

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.

One may want to inquire about reserved spots or calling ahead to get a line spot. The ferries to…read moreNorth Haven and Vinylhaven have limited spots for vehicles (15-17 cars). Great bathrooms in the terminal.

Stopped here this morning for reservations. The staff here are very nice. The lobby was super…read moreclean as usual especially in the morning first thing. Big windows highlight the staff working. They are always there on time and ready to go to work and assist the customers that file in . I had the pleasure this morning at 630 of being tended to by a extremely nice staff member ! Thank you !

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.

I really appreciated that this company has a guarantee.And they stand behind it.If you do not see a…read moresignificant number of whales on your watch, they give you a voucher that is good for another whale watch or another excursion , and you have three years to use it. The staff is very, very helpful and friendly and kind.And they work hard to make you comfortable. There are multiple warnings about seasickness,And if you decide when you get to the boat that you are feeling sick or you hear the announcement that the seas are rough , they will give you a refund or a voucher , your choice. The naturalist on board gives significant information and points of interest for all the different wildlife that you see , birds , porpoises , whales , seals , anything that comes up , they know a good amount of information and they relay it over a loudspeaker system. The pap a system could be louder and upgraded , but it is manageable. The cabin of the boat is very comfortable with large, comfortable chairs and tables.There is a deck with a galley where they serve drinks and snacks. They also sell hats and gloves if you're cold and drammine , if you feel sick. The admonition to dress really warm is for real , for real. It was about seventy degrees at the dock , but it was about forty degrees out in the middle of the ocean. We really did need winter gear to be comfortable outside on the deck. We found that as we get cold , we would add another layer and that worked really well. The deck has seating all around and safe rails.So you can stand against the rails , the boat speeds along , so you can get to a whale quickly , and then it slows down to a stop when there is a sighting of any kind of significant wildlife. When I felt sick after a good hour of a bumpy rough sea, which we were warned about , they immediately brought me ginger ale and a seasick bag. Unfortunately , on this trip , we only saw the back of a humpback whale , and then we saw a deceased whale. They took many photos and alerted researchers to come and find it so that it could be determined or studied how it might have passed away. They are very responsible and responsive to the safety and health of the sea life. Upon arriving back at the dock we were immediately emailed vouchers that we can take three years to use. That in and of itself is a guarantee to me that they care about their customers and want their patrons to have a lovely, well watching excursion.

Here are a few tips to get you started. 1. Get there early…read morefor parking (in yellow) pic incl. Pay at the meter for 5 hours which is about the length of the Whale watch trip and back, costs $20 bucks. There are other parking areas available. 2. Clothing, Long pants, with long sleeves shirt windbreaker jacket maybe even a hat, Sunglasses. Pack shorts to change into upon return temperatures will be warmer. *Trip out to sea is windy and chilly. Point here is to feel comfortable. 3. You can pack your own lunch and bring a backpack. There is a Galley on board the ship for food purchases. 4. Bring a camera (i brought my Insta 360 5X camera and a 3 foot selfie stick) and Cellphone and be ready to take pictures. *I have Boost Mobile and I did get cell service out there. *All in all be expected to pay a little over $100.00 per person for slightly over 5 hours ride. Two boats can go out at the same time depending on the crowds. Lines will be long and they will take your picture before you board, (A novelty idea by them to get you to buy a photo of yourselves after debarking). We opted out politely. *Note: We went to the top floor which was all seats. Expect to be chilly. Standing by the rails on top minimal room. Downstairs more room but more crowded, an enclosed area, 3 co-ed bathrooms and Galley. *Final thoughts: Having a physical crew member narrative at top on the microphone was actually a good way to pass the time and learn a few things about what we would encounter. We have a whales "Tale" to speak of when we get back home. The Review Guru* Long Island NY

We took the Cat Ferry from Bar Harbor, Maine to Nova Scotia. We preordered tickets months in…read moreadvanced. This is a high-speed car ferry. We were greeted by a wonderful man who checked us in, scanned our passports into the system and helped us place our vehicle in the boarding line. Driving the car onto the ferry was a little scary because you are on an incline that causes your vehicle to roll backwards, plus you cannot see the vehicle in front of you. They loaded 2 floors of vehicles into the back of this ferry. I was amazed. We found a front row table in the Forchu Lounge where we each ordered an adult beverage and just enjoyed the3.5-hour ride to Canada. Walking around the ferry was difficult because we did not have our sea legs. We also got to sit outside at the back of the ferry and watch the waves and feel the wind.

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.