Island Cruises — Local services in Tremont

Consummate Professional, Captain Eli Gives Thorough, Educational, Entertaining and Enlightening Tour

Captain Eli is a Captain's Captain, with complete control of his vessel throughout the entire cruise. He's personable and friendly and I get the impression he could give this tour in his sleep, it's just that well honed.

Thorough, educational, entertaining and enlightening, Captain Eli talks about a wide variety of interesting topics and gives insights that only an insider would have.

Lobster fishing: history, regulations, sustainability, market demands, costs, prices, competition, local control and more.

Surrounding islands: Settlement history, families, industry, decline in populations, conservancy, challenges of island living, etc.

Wildlife: Variety, migration, diet, predators, populations, etc.

Aquaculture: Environmentally responsible methods and practices, populations, predators and protection measures, costs, systems, controls, etc.

The harbor and surrounding islands are breathtaking and Captain Eli works his magic to make sure that everyone gets an up close look by maneuvering the craft to allow passengers on both sides of the RL Gott to get up close and personal with the sights we all hope to see.

Aside of all the wildlife we were witness to, we saw the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, Swans Island, Long Island and Frenchboro, Black Island, Marshall Island, Great Duck Island, Great Gott Island, Little Gott Island and many others, along with miles and miles of majestic rocky, tree-lined coasts.

At the end of the tour, when the weather took a slight turn, Captain Eli made sure of the comfort and safety of all his guests, by pulling down the port side curtains, to keep us all from getting soaked on the way back into the harbor.

Having enjoyed this cruise immensely, I decided to check out all the reviews, including the negative ones. I must say that (1) the few negative experiences were pretty much unavoidable and (2) in most cases the reviews are COMPLETELY unwarranted. It's also no surprise to me to see how Captain Eli has responded personally to each and every one of them, honestly and compassionately, in keeping with his complete and utter professionalism.

People leaving unwarranted negative reviews are not the only undesirable issue that Captain Eli and his crew have to deal with. On our cruise, there were a handful of passengers who thought that they were the only people on the boat and even though they literally had the front row seats, would stand up at every interesting sight or activity, which blocked all the other people from seeing any of it. These folks also raced back and forth all over the boat as if it was a playground. Captain Eli kept his cool and suggested that he'd continue as soon as everyone was seated so that all could get a view.

All I can say is this dude is a class act and he runs a tight ship. If we ever venture back to Maine, this is a stop we will make again and we will tell all of...

Island Cruise, falls short in multiple areas, making it a less than ideal choice for a memorable maritime adventure. Despite having prior experiences with other whale watching companies, this service stood out for all the wrong reasons.

Inconvenient Location

Island Cruise is situated in one of the most remote areas of the region. The location is far from both Bar Harbor and Bangor, which are the main hubs for tourists. The drive to reach the company’s departure point is lengthy and tedious, made worse by ongoing road construction that exacerbates traffic issues. It takes about an hour to drive from Bar Harbor, a journey that feels unnecessarily long given the number of other whale watching services available closer to the main tourist areas.

Traffic Woes

The road construction along the route not only extends the travel time but also adds to the frustration of reaching the destination. Given that all whale watching tours converge at the same general area in the ocean to spot whales, the location of the departure point becomes a critical factor in choosing a service. For the sake of convenience, it's advisable to opt for a company that is easier to access and saves valuable vacation time.

Lackluster Tour Experience

The captain appeared to be in a hurry to complete the tour, showing little regard for providing a thorough and satisfying experience for the tourists. Rather than making an effort to ensure that all passengers had ample opportunities to spot whales and enjoy the sights, the tour felt rushed. This is particularly disappointing for tourists who travel thousands of miles with the hope of having an unforgettable whale watching adventure.

Underwhelming Effort

One of the most significant disappointments was the apparent lack of effort from the crew. Whale watching is a unique and often once-in-a-lifetime experience for many tourists. However, the crew’s lackadaisical attitude and hurried approach left many feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied. A more dedicated and enthusiastic crew could have made a significant difference in the...

We were blown away by this cruise! With visitors from Mississippi, we wanted to show them the coastal area without concerns about traffic, parking and prices. This tour came up and we decided to give it a go. How fabulous was it - from driving straight down to the coast, parking availability was a breeze, the cleanest port-a-potty I have ever used, wonderful customer service personnel, friendly people who talked to us as we walked down the long dock (we arrived early) answering our questions, the boat was clean and small, the captain, Eli, and his son, were terrific in all aspects of the 2 hour tour. Eli gave us an incredible lecture (my term) on all aspects of the tour - the animals we saw, the birds, the islands and their histories, and the amazing pulling of lobster traps to educate us on what is in the trap, what they keep, what they don't, how to measure a lobster for keeping or returning to the ocean - and answering all the questions. No food or drink on the trip which we did not expect - bring your own! No mention of tipping the staff - I am so use to hearing this on tours (tip well deserved however) , - nothing smelled except the clean smells of the ocean! I want to thank the staff for one of the most interesting and relaxing tours I have taken. We learned so much interesting history, geography and oceanography! I also want to thank them for the reasonable price for their tours! No loan needed to buy tickets - thank you. Also, there is an incredible lobster restaurant down the road - Archie's! Food was fabulous and recommended! I would never spend this much time writing a review if the experience was not absolutely fabulous! We will be back with the next batch of visitors! ...