Casco Bay Lines

56 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101, USA

Address:	56 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101, USA
Phone:	+1 207-774-7871
Site:	cascobaylines.com
Rating:	4.3

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 11

Anna Vann

I booked a sunset cruise on August 21st and it was one of the WORST boat cruises I have ever done. First of all, the boat was OVERCROWDED with not enough seats for everyone. An entire top section of the boat was closed off to access, leaving only 2 levels with limited seating for the public. Now granted, people were getting on and off the boat, so at different times there was different levels of crowding, but this is an issue Ive never had with any other boat cruises Ive done. Dont oversell the boat, its not that hard. Next major issue, POOR/FALSE ADVERTISING!!! This cruise was advertised as a scenic guided tour through the Casco bay. I could agree that it was a scenic guided cruise for the first hour. After that, it became a glorified public transit service for the next hour and half! Would you ever go to a new place and then buy a ticket for a public bus and ride it for 2 hours until the end of the line? Of course not! So I have no idea why the Casco Bay Lines think that people are interested in sitting (or rather standing) on a boat for 2+ hours while they pick up and drop off passengers from the various islands!?! Even if I could get a refund for the money I spent on this terrible experience, it would never make up for the 2 hours of my time wasted on such a miserable experience. I dont know if the Sunset Cruise is the only boat cruise like this, BUT BE SURE TO AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS!!!!

Tyler Lund

Casco Bay offers several ferry lines as well as a great mail boat that takes you around several of the nearby islands. You can either get off at any of them or stay on for a 3-ish hour tour of the harbor and surrounding areas. This makes for a great orientation tour of the area when visiting. They are also very dog friendly, you just need to buy a $4 or so ticket for Fido. Hershey loved the fresh air and sights of the bay, bird life, and especially that they let you bring your own food and drink onboard. Stop at duckfat for a great sandwich and the craft beer cellar for some liquid refreshment while on board. The boat makes longer stops on a few islands as well so you can get off for a few minutes and stretch your legs. Boarding is a bit stressful as they dont control the lines well, but there are more seats than youd think and it clears off after Long Island where many people go to their island homes.

Kellie Vent

Wow, this was pretty cool. This is a mail run and freight carrier that runs to the islands twice daily. They, for a reasonable fee allow tourists onboard for a look at all the islands. If you get a good seat youll be able to hear over the intercom a narration of points of interest. There are multiple trips to other islands as well. Bring a sweater as the wind and cool sea air can get a little nippy even in 85 degree summer weather. They allow you to bring snacks and drinks, they have vending machines onboard and in the port. The second to last island has a little store and ice cream shop, you can stretch there for about 15 minutes. There is public parking all over the city but all of the close garages were full by the time we got there ( around 11 ). We just valet parked right across the street $25

Casey T

Hop on board! Youll be glad you did! What better way to see the beauty of coastal Maine than from the deck of a ship! The Casco Bay Line company offers a variety of cruise lengths and prices. We opted for the day long cruise to Baileys Island. For $26 dollars per person we spent a wonderful day listening to the captain describe the history of Casco Bay. We cruised pass lighthouses, forts, and 19th-century summer colonies, and saw some great wildlife. This trip included a two hour stop over at Baileys Island. This allowed us the opportunity to enjoy a really beautiful spot. With clear weather and lots of room to move around, what better way to see Maine. So hop on board, youll be glad you did!

Brett Jaffe

Ferry runs promptly, but car service can be sporadic. In peak months, you need to get to the ferry early to get in line and they wont tell you until after the cars in front board whether you will actually make it (and you wont have time to park first - you basically miss that ferry). Other policies are kind of a joke. I had a small foldable wagon I used to bring my kids on to Peaks with no issue. However, if I use that exact wagon to carry a cooler or other items, I have to check it as freight and pay the freight charge. I guess it is not much different than other island living - you have to deal with the small-minded stuff sometimes.

Eric Rondeau

I took my fiance here today 9/12/15 for our anniversary hoping for a nice relaxing sunset cruise,boy was I wrong. They started out well by pointing out sights and narrating but once we got to far out to swim back it was nothing short of a bus stop. 2 1/2 hours of stopping on the islands to drop people off and pick others up very dissapointed. Narration stopped and we got bored really fast as the sun started to settle,we were never so happy to get back on to land. The only upside to this place is that If you live on one of these islands you have a year round taxi service. Staff was friendly though, but I will never return.

Christian Overton

These guys are unbelievable. The workers are all extremely helpful. Ive never had trouble getting my stuff on the boat or losing anything. They are extremely efficient. You can even ride the ferry from island to island for free, you only need to pay for a ticket to get out there. Much cheaper than taking a water taxi and a truly enjoyable experience with an amazing view. The ferrys themselves look like they came strait from a story book, simply classic.

Susan Monteith

Took the Bailey Island Cruise. Nice trip, excellent historical commentary. On the return trip one of the passengers experienced a medical emergency. The young man piloting the boat handled the situation very competently. He diverted to a small marina to transfer the passenger to waiting EMS services. He deftly maneuvered the boat into a very tight docks no space. (I can’t even parallel park in the Old Port!). Highly recommend this tour.

Allison Allen

We chartered sunset cruise with a full bar for our wedding and it was PERFECT. Caity was very responsive and helpful throughout the process. They let us supply some of the beverages and offered to chill them for us ahead of time! We were able to request our own course and the captain timed the trip perfectly with sunset. The crew was friendly and all our guests LOVED it. It was a memorable hit!

Kasey Ahlquist

We go to Little Diamond Island every year on the Fourth of July and have never had a single issue using Casco Bay Lines. The staff is always very friendly and helpful, letting us know what gate to go to and getting us moving quickly. The terminal and ferry are always very clean. There are bending machines and public bathrooms at the terminal and the ferries are always very prompt.

Allen Chen

Ticket price is good for round trip Peaks Island (Going to the island then from the island), but I am not sure for the other places. They have a self kiosk so you can buy the tickets yourself, and they do accept major credit cards company. The ferry ride is very smooth, you wouldnt feel like its moving unless you actually look out the windows. Overall, its a pleasant experience.