Schooner Grace Bailey — Attraction in Rockland

As a recreational sailor, I expected to enjoy this trip. As a non-recreational sailor, I expected my wife to hate it. Fact is? We both LOVED our 6 night cruise aboard Victory Chimes! From the professionalism of Captain Sikema, and his crew, to the historical significance of the ship itself, to the stunning scenery of the Maine coast, the entire trip was first class.

We have never really done an "experiential vacation" like this before, but you can bet we will be doing this again. The ability to simply unplug, and be in the moment, is something I don't think most people have been able to do since the advent of the cell phone. And man, how nice it was!

The ship itself, is a historical landmark, and while over 122 years old, it's clearly lovingly maintained by the Captain and Crew. The staterooms are simple, yet very comfortable, with crisp, clean linens, and comfortable bedding. I've read some reviews saying it's like camping on the water-I suppose, but I have never camped like this before! The meals alone, cooked on board are worthy of the trip. How the Chef and her team made such amazing meals, including fresh baked pastry, breads, rolls, all on board, I don't know, but they do! And the crew, couldn't be better to work with, they know when to be available to talk, and answer my endless stupid questions (that they surely get each and every trip, from every guest-Yet they listen, and answer all, with a smile!) and they also know when you're in your moment, or in a book, and work hard to do what they need to do, without interrupting your thoughts. Always smiling. Always helpful. And you're never bored, there is always something to see, something to do, something to eat and drink-We both took several books. Neither of us managed to finish one, we kept getting distracted by the seals, porpoises, other ships, always something new to look at.

And seeing the other fleet ships going about their sailing, you could really almost step back in time, and imagine you are on a voyage of discovery from time past, or on the deck of a 18th century pirate ship-Wherever your mind wants to take you. The imagery just can't be described, it has to be experienced. So? Go experience it! Keep an open mind and an adventurous spirit, and book a trip, you...

I went on a 5 day cruise on the Victory Chimes in June of 2021. I cannot say enough about how delightful the experience was! From the time I made the reservation to the time we disembarked on the last day; the staff, crew, chef and galley crew, musicians and fellow passengers were ALL an absolute delight. The food and food service were MARVELOUS... every meal was delicious and plentiful with an emphasis on locally sourced foods, especially local seafood, mushrooms and buffalo cheese! The smoked salmon, which Chef Adam smoked on board and served warm with a multitude of sauces, jams and pickles was an absolute delight. The lobster, the mussels... the freshly made fishcakes... I could go on and on. Fresh fruits and delightful salads were served with every meal, along with home made and still warm, breads, scones, biscuits and deserts! The music was SUBLIME, haunting, mystical.... then the next moment rousing and loads of fun with singalongs! The crew was friendly, professional, hard working and EVER helpful. Captain Sam is knowledgeable both in sailing and the history of the area, kind, friendly and professional. I trusted him with my life, and would do so again in a minute! The quarters are as described, smallish of course, this is a ship, but very adequate and the beds were comfortable! The sailing was super smooth, with no seasickness on the part of anyone that I heard about! I'm prone to motion / sea sickness and had NO issues. This is a very steady sailing, with not much rocking and rolling to cause sea sickness. At top speed on a windy day you'll feel the movement a little more, but still quite steady! The fellow passengers were a surprise in that they were a fun, interesting, adventurous and accepting group. Great conversations! The cruise was an amazing value for the money with the meals alone being nearly worth the passage price! Finally... the Maine coast, the sea, the constantly changing and unbelievably beautiful scenery provided a gentle joy with the freshest air you'll ever breath and gentle sunshine with a delightful breeze. Book now! You'll NEVER regret it. What are you...

I concur 100% with all the positive Google and TA reviews. What stands out for me is that Captain Sam Sikkema, crew, and host Marc Evan Jackson are committed to an authentic windjamming experience on beautifully restored historic wooden vessel. Coming off the recently decommissioned 3-mast Victory Chimes, for decades the flagship of the Maine windjammer fleet, captain and crew remarked on numerous occasions what a racehorse the GB is in comparison. The GB does not have auxiliary power (engine) eliminating the vibration, smell, and noise of a motorized vessel, in my opinion a big advantage over some of the other windjammers. Captain Sam’s extensive experience on tall ships and the skilled first mate (Sherman) and crew really shine when sailing onto and off anchor without assistance from the yawl boat further giving the feel of the great age of sail. I was particularly impressed when one afternoon we sailed into a protected harbor to wait out a bit of stormy weather; when the weather cleared, and despite the afternoon hour, the Captain made a decision sailing off the anchor and treating us to an amazing reach to a relatively distant cove. We found out later all the other schooners had stayed in their protected coves for the rest of the day while we had a glorious sail - wind jamming at its finest! This captain, mate, crew and host are a sailer’s sailors. If you are a sailor, don’t hesitate to take a trip on the GB. If you think you’ve seen all you wanted to see of PenBay from shore, don’t hesitate to take a trip on the GB. If you think you know all about the maritime history of the area, don’t hesitate to get the real experience. If you want an informative, relaxing, fun, authentic excursion and the best food money can buy (thanks Katy and Lena) take a trip on the Schooner Grace Bailey! I’ll do it...