Port City Lights Cruise
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Portland, USA
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Experience Portland's rich history from its most impressive vantage point: the water. Adventuring along Diamond Pass, you'll glimpse a Civil War–era fort, old-school lobster boats, and all the lighthouses Portland is so famous for, including Portland Head Light, Maine’s oldest. Suitable for all ages, this excursion is both a dive into Portland's past and a sightseeing adventure, a two-fer that’s leisurely, scenic, and fun.
- Snacks, drinks, and restrooms available onboard
- Witness all four of Portland's scenic lighthouses, plus Fort Gorges
- Learn about Portland's maritime heritage and Civil War history
- Catch views of wildlife, from seals to seabirds and more
What's Included
- Bar & snack bar available
- Restroom on board
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 170 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101, USA
The middle window at the blue and white kiosk building, marked Long Wharf on top.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse (Pass By)
Portland Breakwater Lighthouse (Pass By)
Portland Head Light (Pass By)
Fort Gorges (Pass By)
Ram Island Ledge Light (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Most travelers can participate
- Rubber soled shoes recommended, high heels not recommended
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 80 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 273 reviews
Douglas_W, Jun 2026
Sit back and take in the scenery and a great speaker.
You cannot imagine how beautiful the Maine coast is until you go for the ride.
Erin_C, Jun 2026
Very informative! Beautiful sights and a nice relaxing activity to do on vacation! Amy was great thank you!
diane_h, Jun 2026
Trip was great. Very informative. It was a little breezy. Would definitely bring a sweater. Saw all the light houses that would have taken longer to view if driving. Did get a chance to see a dolphin. All in all it was a nice time. Would definitely recommend this when in the area.
Kay_K, Jun 2026
This is an hour long tour, which is perfect if you just want to see a few of the highlights of the area. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining! The weather was perfect!
Lara_T, Jun 2026
Nice little boat tour of Portland Harbour and lighthouses. I personally would have enjoyed a longer tour but this 1 hour was the perfect length for my 8yo’s attention span. Friendly crew.
Kurt_B, Jun 2026
Informative tour guide made it fun. There was a lot to see in 1 hour. The ride was smooth and easy to enjoy.
PAUL_D, Jun 2026
If it is a blue sky day, take a light sweater. We liked sitting on the upper deck.
Mark, our guide, is a Portland native and let us know “lobster” is incorrect whereas “lobstah” is proper pronunciation! He was a wonderful guide - fun and amazingly informative with the history and current stories. The sound system was great.
Hector_P, Jun 2026
This Ferry is very smooth and informative...we love the scenery and the view was really great...we loved it!
Nancy_D, Jun 2026
The boat sailed between islands, along the shore and past various lighthouses. The scenery was beautiful. One of the ship members narrated the tour and was interesting and informative. It made the tour for me. She did have difficulty with the speakers which was a distraction.
Caitlin_M, Jun 2026
Great little cruise around Casco Bay. Saw four (five?) lighthouses and enjoyed the sunny day, the breeze, and the crew commentary. Basically had the whole lower deck to ourselves and did the titanic on the bow. 10/10. Definitely go to the Portland Head Light up close if you have time, but if not this is a good glimpse of the most photographed light house in the US.
Hannah_P, May 2026
This was a great, budget-friendly way to get out on the water in Portland. The booking process was super easy, the tour on time, and the guides very knowledgeable.
Kimberly_B, Oct 2025
Honestly I bet it would have been a great experience. I drove up from RI and got there about a minute late. Coming from out of town I wasn’t sure about parking and then found the parking lot. Then I had to try figuring out which ship was the one I was supposed to be on. By the time all was figured out the ship was leaving and it was only a couple of minutes past 11. I asked to switch my time or for a refund and it was made abundantly clear that I could not get a refund since it was my fault for not showing up on time and I could only switch the cruise time if I was willing to spend more money which I did not have. I understand I was late but it wasn’t that long and I wish there would have been just a small grace period for those of us who have never been to the area.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear that you missed your departure and were left feeling frustrated after traveling all the way from Rhode Island.
We understand navigating a new city, finding parking, and locating the correct vessel can be stressful. This is why we strongly recommend all customers arrive 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure.
We must adhere to the 11:00 AM departure time to ensure the experience is not interrupted for other guests. While we are non-refundable for missed departures, we always offer the opportunity to switch to another tour time if there is availability. We apologize if this was not communicated properly at that time.
Cindy_C, Oct 2025
Wear a jacket! Great views, historical information about the Cape was interesting! Will definitely be back next year!!!!
Bri_R, Oct 2025
If you're looking for a shorter option to still get out on the water and learn fun facts - this is the tour for you!!! Most of the tour options I was looking at were 2 hours+ so I was very grateful to find this one being on a tight schedule!
Debra_R, Oct 2025
Great value, fun to see all the Lighthouses, homes and scenery from the boat. Josh did a great job giving us lots of history and information!
Lynn_A, Oct 2025
The tour is a wonderful way to learn things about the harbor/bay in Portland. Nice crew. Good value for your money
Joyce_B, Oct 2025
We had a great cruise and our guide was very knowledgeable about the lighthouses, forts, city sights, and beaches in the area. She made it enjoyable with a little humor thrown in with the history and our Captain was great as well—highly recommend this cruise!!
Alissa_J, Oct 2025
Both my partner and I agreed this was our favorite thing we did while visiting Portland! The crew was the best
Juliana_H, Oct 2025
We booked this last minute due to cruise port itinerary change and we were glad we did. Nate drove the ship safely and smoothly considering the rocky waves and got the best views of the lighthouses, forts, and Maine shorelines. Steve gave great history and facts to give a great tour of this charming port.
Jenny_K, Sept 2025
This tour was excellent. It started on time, the boat had a wonderful staff, and the info told while we saw the sights was historical and interesting.
Tammy_S, Sept 2025
This boat cruise was wonderful! The captain and crew were great! The information was concise and super interesting about Portland Harbor, the lighthouses, the forts, and the coast wildlife. We only had a full day in Portland and this cruise, along with the city trolley tour covered a lot of territory in a short amount of time. We would highly recommend!
Yolanda_E, Sept 2025
Wonderful tour of the gorgeous coastland and lighthouses of Portland Bay! It was amazing and so happy we did it!
Joyce_T, Sept 2025
We have not been on it yet. I have had trouble with reservations. I am not sure which trip this is reference to.
Cathy_B, Sept 2025
This was very informative. The narrator was knowledgeable and answered questions. Loved the descriptive on the Sunfish we saw. Great way to celebrate our 42 years together.
Amanda_G, Sept 2025
Sit on the right side of the boat, the left side doesn’t get as many good views or is far away from the views. Nice breezes & good history.
Jessica_L, Aug 2025
My mother and I enjoyed it thoroughly. A beautiful and educational experience. We went on the 12:30pm cruise and had lunch at DiMillo’s afterwards.
Jessica_M, Aug 2025
Victor needs to refund my money! My tour was canceled due to the hurricane and the operator stated that they would refund the money on their end as soon as Viator refunded the $
Response from Host, Nov 2025
We sincerely apologize that your tour was canceled due to the hurricane. We want to assure that we always process and accept refunds when we cancel a tour. However, since the booking was made through Viator, they are the company that processed the payment and holds your details. Viator is responsible for issuing the final refund to your original form of payment. Please make sure to contact their customer service to ensure you are fully refunded.
Ursula_R, Aug 2025
Great tour. Everyone was very friendly. The guide was funny and had a lot of historical information. Very interesting and informative.
Anonymous, Aug 2025
The captain and crew were knowledgeable and friendly. The ship is very nice and the ride was lovely.
Sara_B, Aug 2025
This was a great experience for the whole family including my 4 year old. It was also great way to see a couple of lighthouses and a few other interests in a short time.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
We're so glad the whole family, including your four-year-old, enjoyed the experience. It's wonderful that you were able to see the lighthouses and other sights. We look forward to seeing you all again soon!
From $39.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Port City Lights Cruise
272
1 hour
Free Cancellation
From
$39.00
