There are travel experiences that entertain you, and then there are travel experiences that change the way you see the world. Sailing aboard the historic Schooner J. & E. Riggin out of Rockland, Maine is firmly in the second category. Extraordinary leadership, a crew that genuinely cares, and a ship that rewards the curious and the bold are all reasons to join one of their trips. The quarters are tight, but you don't feel confined and there is no scarcity. No rationing, no anxiety about whether there will be enough. The table is always full: Hot tea and coffee are always available as is cold drinking water. You will not go hungry. You will, in fact, go home having eaten some of the best meals of your life produced in a tiny galley on a nearly century-old wooden ship, which makes it all the more extraordinary. Do it. read more

2025 update: Justin and Jocelyn are still killing it! As mentioned before, this trip isn't for everyone, but if you're not the target audience, you're probably not reading this. Jocelyn's food is amazing, and she takes good care of me an my food allergies. The crew is amazing and friendly, and you can't beat the sea air. We just competed our third trip in 2 years and will be back aboard again in a month! ---- The cabins are what you would expect on a 100+ year old sailing vessel, but if you're reading this, you're already someone who will likely appreciate the authenticity of the experience over the luxury of the big "floating hotel" cruise ships. Captains Justin and Jocelyn couldn't be nicer, Jocelyn and her kitchen helpers put on some amazing meals given that they're all cooked on a wood stove and with minimal room to move around! Honestly, if you are the sort of person to whom this sort of adventure appeals, this is the ship for you. It's obviously not for everyone, and that's okay. But 5/5 stars for whose of us to whom it appeals! read more

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Such a fantastic trip, our hosts Justin and Jocelyn are amazing and the crew was also great. They are excellent communicators, whether talking about boat safety or details of the meals. We couldn't get over how incredible the food was, our favorites were the salmon, halibut, clam chowder, whiskey pork chops and of course the lobster bake! The steak that accompanied the lobster was just as good, if not better. Breakfasts of eggs Benedict, crab Benedict, and homemade cinnamon rolls, biscuits, shortbread, and bagels were amazing. Can't even begin to understand how difficult it must be to cook this level of quality food, for almost 30 people, on an antique wood burning stove. Hoping Jocelyn will publish a cookbook, even if it doesn't have the temperature and cook time info, I'm happy to play around with that on my own. We were blessed with great weather and really enjoyed the scenery, stars, and meteor shower. We saw seals, eagles, lobster boats, and were able to use the paddle board and rowboat. The water was cold but refreshing. My husband really enjoyed being able to help out with raising the anchor and sails, and we learned so much on our voyage. Between the crew and the guests, we met so many wonderful people from various backgrounds/demographics, and enjoyed all of our conversations. In regards to the other reviews about the cabins, bathrooms, dishes, I'm guessing those folks didn't read or research before signing up, keep in mind that this is an almost 100 year old schooner, and for the most part you're going to feel like you've stepped back in time, which is kind of the whole point. For us, it was nice to be able to disconnect from technology and all the modern-day conveniences that were so used to. Bring a book, game, journal, or craft to occupy your time. It was nice to not have to dry and style my hair or to worry about makeup. The cabins are small but we slept incredibly well. Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper, my husband used breathe-right strips to help with snoring. We used extra large body wipes in lieu of the shower, and hats are a must. We brought bar soap -it was great to use in the sink in our cabin to wash hands, since hand sanitizer only goes so far, especially when you're applying sunscreen. They now have flush toilets that work really well, and we never had to wait in line to use them. As for the dishes, our travel companions did a good job of wiping everything off with their napkins first, and we had no issues with the warm soapy water. We had a great time and hope to be able to go again soon! read more

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This is a total rip off. I am not joking when I say that I am genuinely traumatized by this experience. There are multiple issues that made this trip very unenjoyable for me. First off, the dish washing system. This was probably the worst part of this entire trip and I am not exaggerating. It is genuinely disgusting to the point where I have nightmares about it every single night. I am appalled by how disgusting and unsanitary it was. On this boat you as a paying customer are expected to do your own dishes. If this were a free or cheap trip this would only be mildly annoying given the circumstances, but for the price of this trip, it is really unacceptable. The way that you are expected to wash the dishes on this boat is really gross and unsanitary, especially in a global pandemic. I personally am not a germaphobe or overly concerned about covid, but this was risky business. As a sensory challenged individual I personally cannot handle sticking my hands into cold chunky water with soup, milk, chunks of food, along with silverware covered in strangers' saliva. The water was not changed often enough leaving it very dirty and chunky. Bowls of soup or cereal, and plates with sauce on them were rinsed in a communal bucket, which meant that you were sticking your hands in some sort of water-soup-vegetables-milk-dessert mixture. There was not enough soap, proven by the fact that there were no suds most of the time. The water was cold rather than warm or hot which is also very unsanitary. There was a dirty sponge that everyone used over and over, leaving it greasy and falling apart. The rinse water was never changed, and the drying rag was a soggy dirty towel which everybody used. Oftentimes when getting your food, you would grab a plate that was supposedly washed but it was greasy and still had food residue on it. This was caused by the crew expecting everybody including little kids to thoroughly wash their own dishes. It was so bad that one of the passengers organized a plate protest and urged people to use paper napkins instead. If you are a germaphobe or concerned about covid, beware of this boat. Second of all, the bathroom situation. There are 25+ people on this boat, and only two pump toilets that barely flush. There were only like 2 times on this entire trip that I used the bathroom and there were not poop stains, smudges, particles, or full blown turds in the toilet. It is the stuff of nightmares. You may also have to ask the captain to help you flush the toilet, which is embarrassing and invasive. Women especially are in need of privacy and have hygiene needs, especially at certain times of the month, and this boat cannot meet these needs. There is no shower, even though it was stated that there was one. This is false advertising because the "shower" is not a shower. It is a sink sprayer in a pump toilet. You have to ask the captain to turn on the water. I cannot make this up. The reality is that you are not showering on this boat during the duration of the trip. again, unsanitary. I'd be willing to skip a shower for a day or two but not showering for 4 days plus is disgusting. This also causes the all of the passengers and crew to be stinky and spread germs. Speaking of spreading germs, there is nowhere on deck to wash your hands after going to the bathroom or doing dishes. There is only hand sanitizer which doesn't do a good enough job. This is a huge issue in general but it especially bad during covid. Thirdly, it was very boring on the ship. They only let us leave the boat for about an hour per day, and made us go to bed very early. There are no activities on this boat besides cleaning, working, or eating. There are no tables or chairs on the deck for eating or sitting. The only place with tables to sit at on this boat is the galley, which the staff sleep and cook in. So you are not welcome there. The cabins are so small and claustrophobic that you can't even change in them. They are the only place to get a few minutes of privacy but you can't even talk to your family in there because everyone can hear you through the thin walls. You can also hear other people's conversations, and people snoring which gets annoying and loud at night. The rooms are too small which often leads to people bumping their heads or hurting themselves in other ways. The boat leaks a lot of water which ends up on the floor so make sure your clothes and belongings aren't on the floor or they will get wet. They also run a loud bilge pump at night which makes it hard to sleep. There were pet pee pads nailed onto the wall to absorb leaks. Some of the lights in the cabin do not work which means there isn't enough light. In conclusion, this trip is not fun. Unfortunately these issues outweighed the good parts of this trip. Keep all of these issues in mind before booking your trip. read more

Schooner J & E Riggin - Travel Services Near Me - Rockland, Maine

Incredible 4 day sail thanks to Capt Justin and Joselyn and Crew. Great food, relaxation, it is a working schooner so assistance in hoisting sails, cranking anchor is appreciated. Works up the appetite for amazing meals including Lobster bake on island. Will definitely be back again! read more

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The trip of a lifetime. ~ The food. The scenery. The crew. The memories. Amazing. The cabins are nice, clean, and cute. If you are expecting a hotel room, this would not be it. They are small beds, but a comfy mattress. A big step up from camping in a tent. Cheff Annie is incredible, every meal I had was better then ever in my life. And don't even get me started on the amazing dessert. The crew was friendly, we played games and laughed and had so much fun. We had down time, so it was a relaxing vacation. Given the opportunity, I would do this trip 1000 times again!!! read more

Schooner J & E Riggin - Travel Services Near Me - Rockland, Maine

Very uneventful trip. If you like boring and being unable to shower then this is for you. Heavily advertised local chef was not on board and though food was okay was not at all as advertised. Coming from a huge foodie this was quite a disappointment (and no there was no family emergency). Captain Jon was nice but not very informative. Crew did their jobs well but again standoffish at best. (Jessie was the exception). My cabin smelled like the head (bathroom) and we could hear everything from the other cabins. Snoring, coughing, talking, and such. Was woken up at 5 AM with the crew stomping above. Earplugs didn't help. Saw some pretty scenery and met some great people on board. Had the best time driving the coast and seeing the sights. Maine is beautiful! read more

One of the BEST experiences of my life; cannot wait to sail again. Chef Annie is AMAZZING; all the meals were scrumptious and don't even get me talking about her desserts. Annie made only homemade bread, rolls, even english muffins; and her pecan coffee cake was divine. Cap'n Jon, Annie, their two daughters Chloe and Ella sang and played songs for us. The crew worked hard every day all day. I loved "working" on windjammer; hoisting the sails and the anchor. I'm planning on marketing another voyage with them summer of 2019 read more

I booked a 4 day lobster and light house trip on the Schooner J & E Riggin to coincide with a family wedding this past August. I was traveling by myself for this adventure. I have to tell you it was one of the best trips I have taken. If you like the sea air and want to experience a true sailing vessel as well as great food then this is the trip for you. Meals were cooked on wood stove in the galley and the food was the best I have eaten and I have eaten as some very good restaurants over the years, with my Dad who was a food critic with the Sun times for 27 years, and Annie food was incredible. While the sleeping arrangements were small and the Bathrooms) were not what we are use to it was still the greatest trip. Do not let the lack of large cruise ship amenities stop you from experiencing this type of vacation away from all the technology and rate race, I truly relaxed and had the best time of my life and met some wonderful people. Trish Bruno Chicago IL read more

An authentic sailing experience aboard an historic vessel with amazing views, spectacular food, and terrific company. Even though quarters are small, don't expect to spend much time there, except for sleeping. Socializing and enjoying the scenery take place on deck. The Captains and crew couldn't have been more gracious hosts... I'm already planning my next sailing adventure! read more

Incredible scenery! Great food! Interesting companions! We loved it! But remember this is not a Disney World ride--this is a real schooner. Bunks and cabins are small. Everyone uses the same two marine heads. Showers are possible but not easy. Cell phone towers are thin on Penobscot Bay. If the authenticity appeals to you like it did to us, the Riggin cannot be beaten. read more

The best schooner vacation you can experience. Chef Annie is at the height of her talent in the galley using local ingredients, many grown in her own garden. The food is terrific, full and healthy, the time on the water with Captain Jon and crew, mesmerizing. You come away healthy in heart, mind and body. read more

Captains John and Annie offer cruises that are peaceful, relaxing, and well-run! I returned from a week's cruise so relaxed and happy that I'm ready to go again, even though this was my first ever sailing cruise. Annie is a fantastic cook with fresh ingredients and caters to food limitations without a blink. Captain John explains sailing happily, though he's obviously told people the same information for years. The crew members are helpful and always ready to make a person's trip the best experience ever. read more

One of the best sailing experiences you can have! Highly recommended. Real sailing aboard an authentic schooner. Haul lines, eat amazing food prepared by a chef, use a capstan to raise the anchor and visit stunning harbors. The crew is charming,great at their jobs and competent. Enough cannot be said about their captain also. The BEST way to see the coast of Maine! read more