I booked the July 4th USS Constitution viewing cruise. Every July 4th the Navy brings the 200 year old Old Ironsides war ship out from berth and cruises the harbor. This sightseeing tour was supposed to be a way to view the sailing ship. However, this cruise operator backed away from the Constitution at least a quarter to a half mile away at all times. We could barely see the USS Constitution the entire cruise. Other larger sightseeing boats were much closer than us...I wish I had booked one of them instead of this operator. read more

Massachusetts Bay Lines - Look how far away! - Boating Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Dog cruise was so much fun! The crew was friendly. Millie had so much fun meeting all the other adventurers dogs. read more

Massachusetts Bay Lines - Millie having a blast with her new friends, - Boating Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

Beatiful experiencia, good views of the city at sunset. It was on time and as expected.

It was supposed to be a sunset cruise And it was cloudy , so we couldn't see much sunset. You could buy drinks on the cruise. I'll get free water The cruise was nothing overly exciting, but mo regrets read more

It's a cool ride. Especially if you get the tickets on Groupon. It was nice to see Boston from the bay. They sell snacks and liquor on board. Not really much to say here. read more

Massachusetts Bay Lines - Devonte is an exceptional at his post. Def started the adventure off right. - Boating Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We had a wonderful time with Cookie and all of the dogs at the Pawty! Thank you so much for thinking about our fur babies.

My husband and I purchased two tickets for this past July through Groupon for the 7pm sunset sail. Weather was nice, and the breeze was very soothing, which was much need for us after all the commotion we went through for this attraction. We were running behind schedule for their 7pm sunset sail on a Friday evening. I called in to let the company know I was stuck in extremely terrible traffic due to multiple car accidents. And although I was probably going to be there maybe around 7:05pm, the woman over the phone said they would be sailing at 7pm on the dot because it was not packed with passengers. I was hoping they would try accommodate us by waiting 5min since the sail was NOT packed. Luckily, we arrived 5min before 7pm. We ran to get our wristbands (aka boarding passes) and boarded at gate C. Their customer service office for the boarding passes is located at the back side the Boston Harbor Hotel. Boat did leave on time!! The boat was out outdated on the second floor (bar level), but you get what you pay for and especially when it is a deal on Groupon. We were on the top deck level during most the sail and the view was worth all the trouble and stress we'd gone through. There are foldable chair for seating for around 40-50 passengers on the top deck. Bench seatings on the second floor can accommodate around 50 more passengers. And then there are plenty of standing space along the railings. I would like to say the tour had about 70 people on board for the Friday sunset cruise and many preferred standing for the view. The "tour" was a recording, and not very long, about 12 mins and interesting and educational info. Overall, customer service, and cleanliness was lacking. Otherwise it was a average tour, and only worth it because of the Groupon deal. I personally wouldn't pay full price. I think whale watching would had been more exciting. read more

See all

I took their sunset cruise. It was pretty basic but the price was very reasonable. If you are looking for a fun experience that won't break the bank this is the way to go. read more

See all

Loved this sunset cruise! Cruise was smooth. Loved the historic facts given while Cruising. Enjoyed all of my friends, co-workers and associates. Really nice. read more

See all

excellent tour and ride. bartenders friendly, Boston historic information excellent and unexpected, ship is old but gave us a great ride.

While browsing my e-mails I noticed Groupon offered me an awesome deal of $10 off a purchase of $25+. The original price of the Moonlight Cruise for 2 was $28, which is very good by itself! I also checked on the website and it looks like the regular retail price is $22 per person. I seized this steal deal and vowed I would NOT wait until the last minute again to use the voucher (with the end of August expiration looming). The process to book the reservation with the Groupon was very easy, I just called the number listed for Mass Bay Lines and told them the deal I had and for how many. I only called them about 4 days prior to the Friday I made the reservation. We checked in around 8:20PM with Mass Bay lines (they initially forgot to give us actual boarding passes) and they marked the Groupon as redeemed. Since we had some time to kill, my SO and I grabbed some food at the Starbucks outside of the Rowe's Wharf arch. The lines starting to form were a little confusing since there were also multiple party boats setting sail at the same time. Also we had to re-check-in to get the paper tickets. The Massachusetts boat was fairly large with 2 levels. There are plastic and wooden benches on both sides of the boat along with indoor seating a bar. When we went the cruise was not very crowded so we could switch sides and walk along the boat as we pleased on upper level. We caught the tail end of the summer sunset and saw the beautiful Boston skyline on our relaxing cruise. The entire cruise lasted for about 90 minutes and while we were farther out on the water we heard the blaring sound of a Hip-hop and Rock Party boat flanking ours from either side. Despite the brief interruption I had a very pleasant time on the cruise and I would definitely like to try the sunset cruise in the future! read more

See all

Awesome viewing and sunset catch, it would be nice to have lounge music between explanations, and to have the microphone volume higher for the people that is sitting on the back next to engine machinery, besides that enjoy your beer on deck at boston bay read more

See all

Notice there are not many or any pictures of the interior of the boats. Complete s*#% hole. I do not recommend, unless you are bringing a full little league team . read more

See all

What a great way to see Boston waterlines, including USS Constitution. Nice way to start the evening off. Great free sampling of beers before you committed to a whole can. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Wish chairs were available upstairs for the cruise but well worth the money. read more

Came out here to go on a Rock On! Concert Cruise (also known as a Booze Cruise for many... personally, I went for the band). WARNING: If you go to one of these, you better have a Massachusetts ID or your passport. Also be prepared for a light NSA-inspired pat down and purse/bag dig-through. The woman ever went through my wallet; apparently I look like a threat? The boat was in okay shape, the drinks were steep (as I expected they would be), the concert space made it feel like a house show and the people were quite loud. Yeah, I left there mix-feelingsy and I don't think I'll check one out again. read more

Massachusetts Bay Lines - Boating Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Horrible horrible customer service from Ivy. Very rude attitude when asked to confirm what selection we had for dinner. Response was, "well check your confirmation! Check your confirmation." This is the second round of cancellations we've had for bogus reasoning. (Lack of turnout & a multi year project) We rescheduled only because my fiancé wants to go so bad and it was a birthday present to him. I'll update my review if we have a good time and service on the cruise, but it's not looking too promising read more

This was perfect. The vessel was spacious enough that everyone got to view the scenery. The commentary from the captain was interesting and educational. For the price, I would definitely go again. Getting your ticket was easy and all the employees were very friendly and helpful. Highly recommend read more

See all

Haven't gotten on board yet and already unhappy about the chaotic boarding process. It's so bad that the Coast Guard is directing traffic to the boats when it's the job of the cruise line to do that. There are four lines with no signs stating which line is which. We talked with folks who were going on a commuter ferry, private party and an earlier cruise. How are people supposed to know where to go? read more

Massachusetts Bay Lines - Boating Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Friendly staff, great view of Boston. We went toward the end of the season, and the boat wasn't crowded. The experience is good for all ages, including kids. read more

Massachusetts Bay Lines - View of Boston from Mass Bay Lines - Boating Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The start of our trip on this cruise was great we all got half priced tickets however the cruise itself was very over crowded with little room as they overbooked the cruise. Planes were flying over our heads the whole time and my friends were sea sick to the point of throwing up . There wasn't much variety in the food section you could really only get Hot dogs and pretzels I believe we're over priced probably around $4.50 and my friend had to sit far away from us with strangers because someone took our seats. There were planes flying above us and we couldn't hear anything and we had an amazing view of a man on a booze cruise who mooned us. The only thing that was good was the free cup of ice water we could get. read more

Three stars for the A+++ views on the sunset cruise. As far as the actual boat, it's subpar to say the least. You'll be sitting on plastic seats that are pushed around randomly throughout the boat. Not the most comfortable or attractive. And be sure to bring cash if you want to have a drink throughout the trip. read more

My family and I went on the Sunset cruise. I got tickets on Groupon and then made a reservation. It was a very easy process and a very reasonable price. We got on the boat about 20 minutes early and already all of the seats on the top two decks were taken. We were still able to find some standing spots to get a good view. If you are going to buy drinks at the bar make sure to bring cash because they dint take credit cards. They have a variety of drinks from mixed drinks to beer to soda or juice. One complaint that I had is that they allow smoking on the cruise. Overall it was a good cruise. It went from 7pm to 8:30pm. read more

Massachusetts Bay Lines - View of the skyline from the Sunset cruise. - Boating Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Okay, this was my review for the Spirit of Boston until I realized that I wasn't on the SoB, I was on Some Other Boat (hm, still SOB). Katie H has informed me that I was in fact on the "New Boston," which is kind of chuckle-worthy in itself. Otherwise, the old review still stands: I guess because of the simple fact that this is a boat, dudes are expected to pee in a trough. Really. There are two restrooms labeled as unisex. I'm waiting in a rather long line when it occurs to me that I'm the only male in said line. Before long, however, I am informed that there's a separate room for the fellas. Luckily, I'm also informed that it's a communal trough, literally a bucket of ice on the floor that guys stand in a circle around. I decide to keep my place in line with the women. Every five seconds someone approaches me and angrily says, "Hey, the men's room is over there." Um, I definitely see pants on that stick figure next to the room I'm waiting for, but thank you for your concern. So here I am, pretending I'm far gayer than I really am and talking clumsily about handbags with my compatriots in the unisex line just to avoid being forcefully relegated to the scratch&sniff quarters, simply because I prefer peeing into something that has a handle and flushes. Having to use a rounded waterfall with a drain on the floor in a nightclub in Milan was traumatizing enough. I'd sooner go up to the deck and pee off the side of the boat. read more

The tour was relaxing and super nice seeing the city skyline. The boat was old and there were only lawn chairs to sit on, and I'm not sure I would recommend it to others unless they really wanted to chill for an hour and a half but still see some sites. The captain and crew were super nice and talked a bit about the history but only minimally. Drinks were expensive but at least they were available. read more

Massachusetts Bay Lines - The skyline from the boat! - Boating Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

Not happy before we even left for the sunset cruise. We arrived early to get good seating on the boat... After being there for about 15 minutes, we were told that the area was already reserved for a bachelorette party. Frankly, if they are going to have a private party situation, that group should charter the boat. We paid the same fare as everyone else. Not happy. There are other options when it comes to sunset cruises. My husband and I just got married ourselves a couple weeks ago, so this was supposed to be a nice romantic evening, and before it even began it was ruined. Would not recommend Mass Bay Lines. read more

The 90-minute sunset cruise is terrific. They time the departure so that passengers can see the sailors on the Constitution fire their cannon. It's a great way to see downtown Boston and the old Navy Yard in Charlestown. It's cool tour to do, even as a local. read more

See all

Went on the 4th of July fireworks cruise last week. We couldn't even see the fireworks going off on the Esplanade because we were in the outer harbor and the Boston skyline completely blocked the view. So, unless you really want to see the skyscrapers of the financial district silhouetted by explosions, I recommend finding another boat-- one that will go into the inner harbor and offer a view up the Charles River. It was still a nice night to cruise around the harbor, and the Queen Mary 2 was docked so that was cool to see, but sadly "a fireworks cruise" it was not. read more

I had a gift certificate for a sunset cruise that was expiring and got the chance to use it on the last day of the season. They even said I would be good with using it the following season which was nice. It was a cooler evening, but not bad for the tail end of summer. This isn't a fancy sunset cruise by any means, but you get a great view and it was overall very pleasant. The boat goes from the dock to over by Charlestown and the Constitution for the lowering of the flag (complete with firing of a cannon). Drinks - wine and beer - were pretty reasonably priced. I noticed they also had a few snacks - such as popcorn. Bring a jacket as it can get a bit chilly, especially once the sun goes down. read more

Boat is in bad condition, um, a dump really. They allow smoking, and many people are. One bartender for the entire boat. The snacks are chips, and the guy narrating...monotone. My expectations were low but they managed to not even meet those. Wah wah. Happy sailing! read more

I took the family to see Whale Watching. The crew were courteous and knowlegeable of whales we were watching. The ferry we took was extremely clean even the bathrooms, too! The ferry has an enclosed downstairs deck and an open air upper deck. I chose to stay downstairs where there was air conditioned and it had plenty of room to move about. In my opinion, we go the best view of the whales. It was at eye level and there is no sun glare. The cost of this cruise is about average, I paid approx $41 (includes 10% charge for reserving online) for adults. Senior and kids approx $37 (includes 10% charge for online reservations). On the ferry, they sold hotdogs, pizza, soda and alcohol. You can also bring food aboard (no alcohol). We chose whale watching because of our elderly parents who can't walk far and don't like the heat. It was a nice cruise to P-town hunting for whales. I would recommend this cruise if you're looking for something to do or entertaining an out of town guest. read more

Kind of cramped in terms of space (despite having 3 floors). Went here for an open house. The food was FANTASTIC. Especially the paella and mini empanadas. A close third was the grits with corn and I think shrimp. The service was excellent, and the view quite scenic. Would go again :) read more

I went on the harbor cruise last summer and it was nice. The boat itself is kinda run down and the chairs on the boat are plastic lawn chairs, but it was beautiful. The ride itself was smooth and the tour is narrated, which is nice. I had won tickets for this, but there are always deals for buy one get one free. This is definitely worth even paying full price, it's only 10 bucks or so. This was an excellent way for me to get a beter handle on how small the city is and where everything is in relationship to other landmarks. read more

See all

We got the Groupon for the sunset cruise so two tickets ended up being $20 and it was worth every penny. It's such a beautiful cruise! The captain gives information along the ride if you want to listen, but you definitely don't have to. There's seating if that's what you want, but you can stand the whole time as well. Beer wine and liquor on board! I'd highly recommend and we'd definitely go again! read more

See all

We went on a Sunset cruise aboard the Freedom. The Staff was friendly and I can't say enough about the Captain. We were very pleasantly surprised and highly recommend them. read more

This was quite the experience, I've lived in Boston my whole life but to get to see it from the boat was much nicer. We went on an hour and a half sunset cruise which was beautiful but it was a little crowded and there weren't any seats. I would do it again for the same price but any more than that groupon deal doesn't seem worth it. read more

I was very excited about this sunset cruise because of the great reviews and a great deal. I arrived with my partner 30 minutes before the departing time. After about 15 minutes, the boat started filling up rapidly with people. There was no room to adequately social distance, as we moved around the boat to three different spots trying to maintain 6 feet distance. It was impossible. Most passengers were not wearing their masks, and if they were they frequently took it off, or wore it incorrectly not covering their nose. The staff welcoming passengers on the boat were not covering their nose with their masks either. We tried to make the cruise work until a woman next to us consistently began coughing. She wasn't wearing her mask, and when she did put it on, it was incorrectly on. At this point, we decided to leave the boat as we did not feel the crew was maintaining proper COVID protocol and we felt extremely unsafe. We are so disappointed as we thought this could be a great, safe COVID activity, only to not even leave the dock. read more

We took the Mass Bay Lines "booze cruise" last Saturday for a friend's birthday and it was awesome! $22 for a 2 1/2 hour cruise around the harbor and Southie, complete with a DJ - call it a cover charge, whatever! It's a good deal. The cash bar is a little pricey ($5-6 for drinks, a little less for beer) but tolerable. But don't go for the DJ or the drinks, go for the amazing views as the sun sets on the harbor! read more

Mass Bay Lines has so much to offer! From the beer sampling to the burlesque to just a sunset cruise! read more

See all

Bought the sunset cruise via Groupon. When we got on the board ~30 min prior to departure, there were no more seats available in the two upper desk. By the way, only the plastic patio chairs were available. We had thought that there would be at least some benches or chairs for the majority of passengers. When we asked, the response was, "that's all we have." I would not recommend it. By the way, we did see other boats that have wooden benches along the side of the boat so that passengers and easily view the harbor and squeeze in if needed. It was my own fault for not checking the boat before booking. read more

We ordered tickets for a Family Fireworks Cruise for the 4th. To our collective shock, the boat did not go to the Pops fireworks but offered views way off in the distance from Boston Harbor. I asked for a refund and after a transfer and some stern words I was given it. I felt bad for a man and his two sons that came from Albany to see the Pops. Such deception - a scam. Check every detail as this company will not blatantly lied but show a photo of the Pops fireworks and then deny it said anything. read more