Harbor Lights and Sights Cruise
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Portland, USA
+4
- 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Half maritime adventure, half sightseeing exploration, the best way to catch Portland’s history is from the water. Gliding along Diamond Pass, you’ll catch views of Civil War–era forts, historic lighthouses, and likely some lobster boats bobbing in the breeze. Perfect for all ages, you’ll get to know the city and its maritime heritage, all while taking in its most scenic side.
- Bar, snacks, and comfortable restrooms onboard your vessel
- Explore Portland Harbor, learning about its history from your knowledgeable crew
- Witness Maine's oldest lighthouse, commissioned by George Washington
- Nab views of the Casco Bay Islands, Fort Gorges, and more
What's Included
- Restroom on board
- Bar and snackbar
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 170 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101, USA
The middle window in a blue and white ticket booth marked Long Wharf.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Portland Head Light (Pass By)
Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse (Pass By)
Portland Breakwater Lighthouse (Pass By)
Fort Gorges (Pass By)
Ram Island Ledge Light (Pass By)
Casco Bay Islands (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
- 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 844 reviews
Review summary
Last 12 months
71 reviews
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Travelers appreciate the scenic waterfront and coastline views from the boat, particularly from the top deck, which enhance the overall experience. Guides receive consistent praise for their knowledgeable and engaging storytelling about Portland's history, adding educational value. The captain is noted for friendly interactions, skilled navigation, and effective hosting, contributing to a welcoming and enjoyable cruise atmosphere.
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This was a fantastic tour. They covered a lot of water including the harbor and several islands. Not only did we see several lighthouses and beautiful homes on the shores but lots of historic fortifications from the war. The narrator was fantastic - describing what we were seeing along with backstories and history throughout the tour. We sat on the top deck and was a little chilly but well worth it. At the end we went downstairs which is enclosed where it was warmer. They had a bar and snacks and two bathrooms on board.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
We’re so glad you had a fantastic time exploring Casco Bay, Scott! There’s so much to see along the shoreline, and we’re happy you enjoyed the history and views along the way. Thanks for joining us aboard and taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review!
Nice tour around the islands. Our guide, Mark, was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Very smooth ride.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thanks, Shelly! We’re so glad you enjoyed exploring the islands and had a smooth ride. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Mark!
Good overview of the area for first-time visitors. I never knew what an important and active role Portland held in shipbuilding for WWIi.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thanks, Susan! We’re glad you enjoyed getting to know Portland and learning more about its rich shipbuilding history. We love sharing these pieces of the city’s past with our guests!
The guide and crew were very knowledgeable about the area and the boat was comfortable. Nice to have a cafe and restrooms and we were free to wander around. A great short excursion!
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for joining us! We’re glad you enjoyed the cruise and found it to be a relaxing way to explore the area. We appreciate you sharing your experience!
Very knowledgeable tour guide. Very friendly staff and a clean safe ship. Even though the weather threw us a curveball, they hit it out of the park. Would highly recommend
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thanks for joining us, David! We’re glad our crew could make it a great experience despite the weather. We appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you aboard again!
❤️ loved this cruise. Not one boring minute! We didn't think there would be so many things to see! Our narrator, LT, was so knowledgeable and funny to boot!
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for joining us, Patricia! We’re so glad you enjoyed the cruise! We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to the crew!
The Harbor Lights and Sights Cruise was a wonderful experience, with beautiful waterfront scenery and fascinating views of historic lighthouses.
Our guide and captain were outstanding, making the cruise both enjoyable and informative!
It was very informative and well managed. an interesting trip. Staff were friendly easy to book on line.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for joining us, Paul! We’re glad you enjoyed the trip and had a smooth experience from booking to boarding!
We loved seeing the lighthouses and residential islands surrounding Portland. It was great to learn a bit about the history of this area
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for joining us! We’re so glad you enjoyed seeing the lighthouses and islands from the water and learning a little more about Portland’s history!
The captain was great at getting the boat to great views, and very friendly with all passengers. Tour guide was excellent, lots of knowledge and easy to understand. The lower deck speakers could use some work. Boat was clean with two rest rooms.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for joining us James! We’re glad you enjoyed the cruise and appreciated the crew’s knowledge and hospitality. We also appreciate the feedback about the lower deck speakers and will share it with our team.
Very enjoyable! A bit windy on upper deck, but I moved down to cabin area and still had great views and could hear the tour guide's narration.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for joining us, Rosalie! We’re glad you found a comfortable spot to enjoy the views and narration. We appreciate you coming aboard!
Excellent tour. I arrived on a cruise ship and the tour dock was very easy to find. It’s about a 10-15 minute walk from the terminal. The tour started right on time and we were back in exactly 1 hour and 45 mins. The crew were friendly and welcoming when we boarded. The captain did the introductions and safety stuff and we were in our way. Amazing views of the lighthouses and diamond islands, casco bridge etc the narration was excellent. Really intelligent guy that definitely knew his stuff. I’ve been to Portland a few times via car but never went out on the water. I learned more about Portland in this under 2 hour journey than every prior trip combined. Highly recommend this tour. Captain Kelton was the captain and Islander was the vessel.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for the incredibly thoughtful review, Brian! We’re so glad you enjoyed seeing Portland from the water and that our team helped make the experience so memorable. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to the crew!
Great tour!! Our captain and guide were both awesome, knowledgeable, and so friendly! Highly recommend this experience
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the great review Jamie! We’re so glad you enjoyed the tour and had such a wonderful experience with our captain and guide. We really appreciate the recommendation and hope to see you again!
Had a great time on the cruise, but it can get cold. Guide Mark was extremely knowledgeable, bartender Larry was very generous and captain did an outstanding job.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for joining us! We’re so glad you had a great time on the water and that Mark, Larry, and the captain helped make it such a memorable experience. And yes, those coastal breezes can definitely make things chilly! We hope to have you aboard again!
I would highly recommend this tour! Our boat the Islander was not overcrowded so we were all able to experience the exceptional views. Two clean restrooms were available on the boat, along with drinks and snacks for purchase. The crew was very welcoming and engaging -- Capt, Howard invited those who were interested to join him in the boathouse,while our tour guide Mark entertained us with his knowledge of history in the area and his personal stories. Would go again in a heartbeat.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for joining us Pamela and for the wonderful recommendation! We’re so glad you had such an enjoyable time aboard the Islander and that our crew helped make the experience memorable. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Captain Howard and Mark, and we’d love to have you back aboard anytime!
Beautiful with lots of character ship, plenty of room for sitting on top deck or below. Clean windows for clear visibility if you decide to sit inside. The views, Lighthouses did not disappoint.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for joining us! We’re so glad you had a wonderful time aboard and enjoyed taking in the coastal views. We hope to have you back on the water with us again!
We had a great experience on the lighthouse tour! The weather was beautiful and the captain and tour guide were both great and so nice. We would definitely recommend this trip! Marie
It was fabulous. Easy to find from port. Captain, guide and other staff were nice. We learned so much and got to see so much only accessible by boat. Plenty of seating. Definitely plan to dress appropriately.
Very informative about the history of Casco Bay and Portland. The crew were very friendly and willing to answer questions. The boat was good size and very clean.
well managed, friendly, very good information, everyone knew what they were doing, comfortable, very scenic.
We really enjoyed this narrated cruise. The guide was very informative and well spoken. The staff were super friendly and helpful, particularly Jack who went out of his way to make our experience exceptional. 👏👏
The cruise was beautiful and the captain was great.
It would have been a five star experience except for the guide. His personal biases and ongoing insults of folks from other places (which he thought were funny) are totally inappropriate. This is the first time I have been disappointed in a guide for a tour through Viator. I hope the tour company will realize they should not have such a person representing their beautiful city.
Maines coast line is just beautiful. Well worth the ride. Being in the water is so soothing and if you are lucky you can see some wildlife.
Beautiful views and very informative! I highly recommend seeing Portland and the lighthouses from the water.
It was a great opportunity to learn the history of Portland and to see all the beautiful houses, islands, and lighthouses. The view was great and the staff very very knowledgeable and fun.
Every time we have visitors “from away” we take this trip. This year was with our three grandchildren (age 8 ,9, and 13), who totally enjoyed every facet of the trip; stories, history, seals, osprey, ...
Great crew. Staff was very knowledgeable about the area and history.Seating and views were fantastic!!
Great tour of the harbor and outlying islands. It was great to see Portland from the sea. Our tour guide provided a lot of information about the history of the area
Dave was the best. With all of his knowledge, I think he might own the company. Captain Kelton did a great job navigating the boat, and my friends saw him on Exchange Street when they were day drinking At Papis late afternoon yesterday. Our experience was exceptional, thank you.
We may have just been super unlucky, but 90% of the cruise was made up of teenagers on some sort of friend trip. They had no interest in the cruise and spent their time running around the ship, listening to things on their phones at high volume, and talking. It completely ruined the trip.
Member Pricing
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$57.95
per personWas $61.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Harbor Lights and Sights Cruise
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1 hour 45 minutes
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