Been taking this cruise with our houseguests for 25 years. Hands down the best cruise on MDI by far!!

The process to book the trip was easy online. Check In was just as simple. They offer on site parking which was helpful. The dock is a long walk so just a heads up if you have mobility issues. But you can get there. Plenty of seating in board, but it will be full so you might be seating next to a new friend. Does not matter which side to sit because the captain will spin the boat around for both sides to see each site. The entire trip was educational and picturesque. The captain has lots of stories and knowledge of the area. Very engaging. The back speaker was a bit crackling so missed a few tidbits plus the motor in back can be challenging. So prepare ahead to where you should sit. There is shade and sun. Great views of island life, birds, seals and even jellyfish. Saw a couple eagles and porpoises. So cool. They also pull a lobster trap and share the rules and regulations on lobstering. Great for kids. It's a solid two hour excursion and no on board facilities so prepare. Sure it's a bit touristy but I learned a lot about the lobster industry and salmon farming as well as island life. I would do it again and bring friends. read more

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Hands down this was the highlight of our week vacation in MDI. The nature and lobstering tour was fantastic!! We learned so much and got to see so many animals! We would recommend this tour to anyone and everyone! Some things that helped us enjoy our adventure: Definitely arrive 30 minutes before your tour starts to get a shady spot. And don't forget your raincoat or sweatshirt, it gets cold, windy out further in the bay and splashy on the sides , I wish I had brought a beanie along as well. Super glad I brought polarized sunglasses. Thank you! Can't wait to come back! read more

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What a fantastic cruise. Captain Eli was a great guide. Saw seals, many sea birds, and even salmon aquaculture pens. Great explanation of lobster industry and we even brought up three legal to keep. Was a fun afternoon and we had a beautiful day. read more

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What a fantastic sail on "the quiet side!" Much more affordable and a private cruise was just more personal. The boat was comfortable for the 5 of us and a cooler with ice was awaiting any items we would have brought. Will definitely go again next year! read more

Island Cruises - Boating Near Me - Bass Harbor, Maine

Great trip worth it ! Lots of info great to take a small child age 4 ! Thank you to the team

The whole trip, from start to finish, was 5-star. Eli was the perfect captain, and he shared a wealth of information about birds and seals and lobstering! I would say a must-do if I the area! read more

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super fun! captain Matt was excellent and made sure we caught fish. a total of 131 fish caught by 4 fishermen. plus a nice visit to see grey seals up close and the salmon farm. we will make this part of our annual family vacation in Maine. highest recommendation for a great memory. Thank you Capt Matt! read more

A great trip! Captain/ guide was really knowledgeable and informative. Great sights and learned a lot.

Our tour was great! We got to see a lot of wildlife (seals, porpoises, bald eagles and more). Eli was a great guide with good stories and kept us safe in the boat. It was fun to see him pull a lobster trap. read more

Island Cruises - Showing off the lobster he just pulled up in the trap - Boating Near Me - Bass Harbor, Maine

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We had the most enjoyable two hours with Captain Eli on the R.L. Gott. We learned so much about Bar Harbor, the Gott family and how their boat name came to be, the inhabitants of the local islands, conservation and sustainability efforts of the land and wildlife, North Atlantic farm raised salmon, and best of all, the ins and outs of the lobster fishing industry. A good guide can make or break a tour like this and Captain Eli was a great storyteller with a wealth of information. In addition, we saw harbor seals, porpoises, cormorants and bald eagles. Appreciated that they allowed both sides of the boat to get good views of the wildlife. It does get chilly on the boat so bring a jacket. Highly recommend this tour. read more

Puffins. Seals. Lighthouses. Fish. Plus a great captain in Sarge. Definitely recommend!

We did a 4 hour deep sea fishing charter with Sarg and had the best time! He made it super fun for both the kids and adults and knew where all of the good spots were. We caught over 70 fish! We wore scopolamine patches to avoid getting sea sick and they worked well considering it gets a little choppy out there! read more

Island Cruises - Our 10 year old and one of the big cod he caught - Boating Near Me - Bass Harbor, Maine

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We were looking to get out on the water during our week in Acadia. The six of us chartering a sailboat was a great option. We had a great time and enjoyed the beautiful views. Hutch, a local, provided us with great insight and information. read more

Fantastic trip. We had a wonderful and very educational trip with our Captain Sarge! Took a 2-hour nature tour and saw so much wildlife on a few mini islands (Puffins, Guillemots, Eagles, Cormorants, and two different types of seals: Harbor and Grey). The 5 of us and our 2 dogs had a fabulous adventure! read more

Ten if I could! Captain Eli takes you out on the open water, while filling in details about local history, geography and wildlife. You'll see seals, cormorants and maybe a bald eagle. He'll pull up his lobster trap and explain what can be kept and what must be thrown back. I have gone several times and enjoyed it each time. read more

Island Cruises is a top notch family business. We started going on the nature cruise many years ago when Captain Eli's dad was running the cruises. Always a treat for us! The wildlife sightings, informative narration and natural beauty is amazing. The boat is clean and comfortable. The cruises are on time and staff are very friendly. I highly recommend this cruise. read more

Our 2 hour nature cruise was Awesome! Our guide Eli was very knowledgeable about the area and history of the harbor. We saw bald eagles, porpoises, seals and a nesting colony of cormorants. We would highly recommend this cruise for families or nature lovers! read more

I went on a week-long vacation to Maine with my in-laws, and this tour was one of the highlights! It was so cool learning about the history of the state and understanding the ecosystem out on the water. From the evolution of salmon traps to the feeding habits of the seals, I nerded out over all the little details shared with us. The only challenge that was potentially avoidable was the fact that this boat ride happened during the pandemic, but there was zero mention of masks, and the vessel was packed with people. We already took a risk traveling and did well with social distancing up until that point... but it was a few hours of anxiety around people who seemed to care less. It's a family-friendly experience, and their website makes it easy to book any of their tour options. I pondered becoming a lobster fisher-person until I found out I'm too old. Anyways, I didn't take many pictures because they don't do justice to the views. I will say to bring sunscreen... and a jacket for the cold parts of the ride! read more

What a great cruise! Eli and Robin (husband and wife) grew up here and know their stuff. So many details about the area and wild life. We saw two sets of bald eagles, seals, porpoises, and sea birds. And I didn't get seasick! That was a bonus. I highly recommend this boat adventure. read more

Friendly, knowledgeable, and a truly enjoyable experience. They made sure every individual on board was able to see the points of interest and take any pictures desired, even to the point of circling the boat. Take a cruise with them if you want to get a better history of the people who truly lived here. read more

This was by far the best experience we've had on a boat cruise. The tour was personal, I formative, comfortable, and interactive. We could hear everything, the boat was comfortable, and each stop was really interesting. read more

We've been on this boat tour several times and it never fails to live up to its excellent reputation. If you're undecided all I can say is BOOK IT! It remains the highlight of our visits to Acadia. Informative tour, accomplished and knowledgeable captain, and a gorgeous well-kept boat. The seats are comfortable and the sound system for the narrative is excellent. You will learn about nearby islands and early settlers, get a better understanding of the fishing industry and enjoy a really pleasant boat ride. Eli and his wife will point out local landmarks, bald eagles, seals, and sea birds. You will see how fish are farmed and watch as a lobster trap is pulled onboard. Each time we go on this tour we learn something new. The transition of the business from Kim (the Dad) to Eli: flawless! Thank you Island Tours for providing years of great excursions for our family. read more

We have been visiting Mount Desert Island for 10 years and this is the first time we took a "touristy" boat cruise.... and we loved it! The tour started in the picturesque Bass Harbor among the lobster boats, and we were greeted by the knowledgeable tour captain. He gave us a unique local perspective of the Maine coast, the fishing industry, and Mount Desert Island history. We learned about the off coast Salmon farm, how lobsters are caught, and the colonization of the various islands. In addition to getting a fun boat ride, we all learned new things about Mount Desert Island. We highly recommend this boat tour. Definitely 2 hours well spent. read more

Very informative and enjoyable. It is a local family owned business. I would highly recommend it.

Highly recommend, especially for families. We saw Harbor Seals & Dolphins, lobster & learned about lobstering. Great history of the area, too, from a local's perspective. Well worth the two hours! read more

Best family fishing trip ever! Sarge was kind, knowledgeable, patient and generally amazing. my 13- and 11-year-old already want to go again, which never happens. Perfect way to get off the island for a few hours. Definite 5/5. read more

12/10 recommend this. Eli and his son do an amazing job. Very knowledgeable and great at tell the history of Bass Harbor and area islands. Lots of wildlife to see. At the end they pull a lobster trap and explain everything about the fishery. I cannot stress enough that if you are even remotely thinking on doing this short 2hr cruise, just do it! You won't be disappointed!!! read more

Went out again on the 11am launch with seven friends, and even with a different Captain, it was still an outstanding way to spend the day! This time we ordered lunch to be served in Frenchboro and the lobster rolls and chicken sandwiches were great' The stories shared were new, but equally interesting. A great day on the ocean! read more

Island Cruises - After the lobster trap was pulled we learned a great deal - Boating Near Me - Bass Harbor, Maine

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The highlight of our trip to Maine was the nature tour of the islands led by the very knowledgeable, Captain Eli. I loved how personable and intimate the tour was. Eli comes from a generation of lobster fishermen. We learned so much about that trade, the wildlife and ocean creatures that inhabit the island. Eli loves to share his love of lobster fishing in a way that is personal and mesmerizing. We, as a family, highly recommend this memorable outing while in Bar Harbor. It's money and time well spent. (Candice, Nana and the twins) read more

Highly recommend this cruise! We went in early September 2021. It was the 2-hour Nature cruise. We arrived 40 minutes early to get a good seat on the boat. On the tour, we saw bald eagles, seagulls, harbor seals, grey seals, and harbor porpoises. The tour guide was very charismatic and knowledgeable about the history and fishing industry of the islands around Bass Harbor and Acadia National Park. He is also a lobster fisherman and pulled up some of his lobster traps on the tour and had caught 4 lobsters. This tour was the unexpected highlight of our weekend trip to Acadia National Park. read more

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Best Nature cruise yet! Seals ,porpoise, Eagles, and more, unique tales of local history. Can't recommend enough!

2-hr nature cruise with Captain Eli was the BEST part of our weekend adventure. Informative, fun, beautiful, & worth every penny! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! read more

Island Cruises - Captain Eli pulls lobster trap & shows us a female with eggs - Boating Near Me - Bass Harbor, Maine

Absolutely a must. This couple rocks! Attention to make sure everyone has a great experience. The best guided tour we've taken. Absolutely no cons with these two. Thanks for an inside look at the lobster industry, the beautiful Maine coast, & the history that made it all. read more

Our family enjoyed this tour a lot. We loved that our captain/guide was a local who shared facts and stories from personal experience growing up in the area and on the water. They were very thoughtful and considerate in how they ran the boat making effort to avoid spray from hitting passengers while traveling and in turning the boat in front of points of interest so that people sitting on each side of the boat could see easily. It was the perfect length to accommodate kids and we loved the interactive part of when they pulled a lobster trap up on the boat went through the process of checking the lobsters. Overall we saw seals, lots of birds, lobster, and a really cool fishery. Definitely wear a sweatshirt as it was cold and windy out on the water. Would highly recommend! read more

Absolutely amazing tour! We saw seals, and eagles, porpoises salmon and saw him lift a lobster trap. Extremely knowledgeable and super friendly. Would recommend this tour to everyone! And there is free parking! No matter where you sit on the boat you see it all! The captain turns the boat so everyone can see. 5 stars! Expert handling of the boat was reassuring! read more

Eli and his daughter, Julia, were amazing guides full of information, and we saw all kinds of wildlife.

fantastic cruise. Captain Eli was very knowledgeable and shared from his wealth of knowledge of the area he grew up in. highly recommended trip read more

Excellent boat ride with a very informative captain who is a great story teller. We saw some beautiful islands, seals, bald eagles and learned quite a bit about the Bass Harbor area and the lobster industry. My kids - aged 13 and 11 -- loved it as well -- particularly when the captain pulled up a lobster trap! A great time and a good break from hiking at Acadia. read more

I've gone on Kim Strauss's cruises 3 times over the last 19 years and they're a great way to see the islands off the coast of Mount Desert and Acadia National Park. He and his son do 2 cruises a day, one a nature cruise that takes you out to Black, Placentia and Gott Islands, where you may see harbor seals, osprey, cormerants and eagles (maybe even a porpoise or two). His other cruise takes you out to the village of Frenchboro, 8 miles out from the coast. He's incredibly knowledgeable about the islands and the lobstering and fishing industries. The number of people on the cruises are kept low and the opportunity to ask questions or get a bird-eye view are numerable. read more

Island Cruises - Boating Near Me - Bass Harbor, Maine

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