our family of four had a great sunset cruise with the heron. There was plenty of space to relax and while the crew was there to help or answer questions, they also gave you space to enjoy the time with your group. I especially appreciated the blankets available for when it got chilly. Would definitely recommend! read more

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Be prepared to have alternative plans. We had a night fireworks cruise cancelled for "weather" 36hrs in advance. No signs of inclement weather on any of the weather apps. As predicted, it turned out to be a Beautiful and calm night. We ended up watching the fireworks from shore. They contract out their crews so it may have been that something fell apart on that side for the night trip. Just be prepared that they may cancel for any reason. A local captain we met during the fireworks show in Camden surmised that there was likely something else besides the weather in their decision. Others in our party were committed to getting in a harbor tour so we ended up getting a day sail earlier in the day. It was a Beautiful day. Competent and friendly captain and crew. They did an excellent job of hosting the harbor tour. Absolutely Beautiful boat. Great way to spend some time on the water. Be prepared for alternative plans. read more

What a fabulous fun experience sailing out of Rockport, ME on The Heron. It was the highlight of our trip. Bonnie did a great job telling us some of the history of the ship and area. Love when the sails are lifted!!! Motor turned off, quiet, smooth ride! So relaxing. It is a beautiful ship. Lots of shinny teak. Delightful with great crew and just a few guests on board. Free parking right by dock. Thank you, Bonnie and Twig for making my sail special. Highly recommend! read more

One of our favorite things to do when in Rockland is sailing aboard the Schooner Heron. We sailed 2x with them in 2020 and the first thing we did when we got back to Rockland this year was to look at the weather and book a trip with them. I picked an afternoon with an expected 14mph wind, so I knew we would sail smartly. I was surprised that Taylor was captaining the boat this trip instead of Twig, but his boat handling was conservative and flawless. Of coarse Bonnie was aboard to do her excellent narration regarding the history of Rockland's lime, timber, ice, shipbuilding and lobster industries and also tell us all about the lighthouse, islands, and seals we saw. Twig and Bonnie's personable adult daughter Rachel was also on board as crew. Bonnie and Rachel handled hoisting, trimming, reefing and tacking the sails as a well-oiled team. We started out conservatively with the fore mast and main mast sails both reefed, but were later able to shake out the reef on the fore mast sail for a little more speed without heeling the boat. We were able to sail near Robinson's Rock and saw that there were several seals sunning them selves there. We sailed midweek on a Thursday and there was lots of room for everybody on board. Taylor and Rachel cheerfully answered my many questions about the boat, the boat's offshore passages to and from the Caribbean each year and about local events. This was the first time sailing for the family seated across from us, but they had a good time. There was another group forward of us that pretty much kept to themselves so I didn't have a chance to chat with them, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves too. I did a bunch of small boat pleasure sailing and medium sized keelboat racing while I was at the University of Texas. I don't own a sailboat so the only sailing I have done since has been on Hobie Wave catamarans at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean. I really enjoy chances to sail on bigger boats like the Schooner Heron. The Schooner Heron sails three trips daily from Rockport Harbor: Private morning sail, an afternoon Educational Eco Tour, and a Happy Hour Sunset Sail. Custom charters are also available on request. There is free parking in the harbor lot. Whether you have sailed before or just want to try it on vacation, I highly recommend sailing on the Schooner Heron as a solo, couple or family activity. You will have fun and be entirely comfortable with the ship and crew. They will treat you right. We're back in Rockland in a couple of weeks and will surely sail with them at least once more before heading back to Texas. read more

Schooner Yacht Heron - 65′ John Alden design - Boat Charters Near Me - Rockport, Maine

My family loved the sunset cruise. Great trip and scenery. Skipper and crew were great at explaining the sights and history of the boat. Also had an excellent rum punch. The customer service was also great. We were originally scheduled for Friday with bad weather predicted. They reached out and asked if we could move to Saturday night, which we did. Highly recommend. read more

We had a beautiful afternoon of sailing! The crew were very helpful and informative about the history of the schooner. One thing I wished we could have had was drone footage of us in full sail. You just can't get the perspective of the schooner if you're on it. Having a video of my husband and myself as well as the other passengers on such a beautiful boat would have been awesome!!! read more

Nice Boat, great harbor Sunset cruise was nice, sail us raised for effect. Captian takes you to The entrance to Camden Harbor and that is it. No Narrative that is you have NO clue as to what you are seeing Save your money or for find another BoT read more

Super sunset cruise on this beauteous boat that was featured in the Rum Diaries (starring Johnny Depp and Amber Heard... you heard right). Beautiful sights, sounds, sea stories, and sailing with skipper and crew who couldn't be sweeter... and because it's in a much more secluded harbor than nearby touristy Camden, its a more intimate and serene ride than on a schooner there. We'll be back. read more

My boyfriend and I did the afternoon Eco cruise through a groupon. What a cool experience! We were so glad we took a chance and tried this! The schooner itself was beautiful and the crew were knowledgeable and friendly! Our cruise allowed us to bring wine and beer and snacks. We were glad we did, as soft drinks were a dollar each. Cookies, tea, and hot cocoa were complimentary. It was a gorgeous day and we had such a relaxing time! This is definitely worth the full price value and we plan on returning to do another cruise next summer! read more

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Fun, inexpensive, and a great way to experience Maine. This summer 2022 my fiance and I took two trips on Schooner Heron out of Rockport Harbor. There was a strong wind on the first trip and the Captain showed us a little of what the schooner can do. It was a thrilling ride and informative. On the second trip, we took two guests and there was less wind so the ride was smooth and relaxing. We caught a glimpse of a few dolphins. Captain Bonnie answered all our questions. I cannot recommend this excursion enough. Two really great days! read more

I made arrangements to go sailing aboard this schooner and was psyched when I got up to gray skies and some decent wind. I arrived at the appointed time only to be told they had canceled the trip 'because it was raining" and "because of the wind."---huh? Sailors? I think not. I was terribly disappointed and thought this was indeed odd for the hearty people of Maine. The skipper told me he was from the UK not Maine. It was the last day of my time in Maine and so I couldn't go the following day nor did I think I'd want to plan another day around people who had this attitude about the weather and wind. read more

Not sure what more one could want in a day on the water. Twig and Bonnie were easygoing hosts. They built the 52 foot sailboat from raw materials! Saw seals, enjoyed a gray, overcast, chilly day. Warm tea, blankets... just lovely. Trip Advisor showed high ratings, so we went with it and I was surprised to see the poor review on yelp. Took pics to show an updated experience. We're from FL and we're glad we paused for this relaxed afventure! read more

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We sailed on a beautiful day this past summer, nice breeze from SE, a little foggy to start but cleared off and the group of passengers were happy to be there. My husband and I have done two transatlantics, and our son is a former collegiate sailor now crewing on offshore boats in the pacific northwest. As we left the dock, my son gave the skipper a run-down of his experience and asked the skipper, quite politely, if he could assist while sailing. The captain said yes, by all means - 'lend a hand where you'd like, of course...we appreciate help" Three times my son stepped in to help the (solo) crew member on deck. Each time the captain yelled at my son to do things differently, the second time throwing up his arms in exasperation. The third time, the captain raced forward and grabbed the job sheets from his hands, and told him to "step back, that's not how we do it". Completely ruined what could have been a nice time for all, and cast a pall over the group on the third event. My son was very upset, and confused. If you don't want other people touching your (quite beautiful) schooner, then don't encourage them to help when they ask. Perhaps this Captain Twig is from a breadfruit? Do not recommend read more

Our family went on an Independence Day fireworks sail aboard the Heron. The skipper and his wife were very nice and had a lot of knowledge about the area and surrounding islands. We had an excellent view of the fireworks in the Camden Harbor and got there right on time after a leisurely sail around one of the islands. I was impressed that the crew was able to navigate in the Rockport Harbor so well in the dark. They served light appetizers and hot drinks as well. Great experience, would recommend. Apparently the Heron is only in Maine in the summer though, the rest of the year they sail down to the Carribbean. read more

My husband and I did the sunset dinner cruise and it was awesome! Wonderful couple to spend the evening with. Highly recommend!

Kay K., Did you even think that these wonderful people might have your safety and comfort in mind? They are taking you for a sail on their HOME! I just met them two weeks ago and had a sail with them and could not be more pleased. Are you an experienced sailor yourself? Or are you just talking OYA? read more

I couldn't image a better night on the water. Thank you to the best crew and wonderful service!