Private Sunset Charter: Vintage Maine Lobster Boat

Experience a private 2-hour sunset charter on a vintage Maine Lobster Boat. Explore Casco Bay’s historic sights and enjoy local beverages.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Casco Bay - With over 200 islands that are home to both tiny coastal fishing towns and Maine’s largest city, Casco Bay is vibrant, scenic, and a great way to experience Maine’s incredible beauty, world-class cuisine, and wonderful boating opportunities.
  • Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse - Get up close to Spring Point Light and nearby Fort Preble, a small gun emplacement built as a part of Portland’s Harbor Defenses. In the early years, the lighthouse was not connected to the mainland by the granite breakwater that exists today, and ships that went on the wrong side of the lighthouse went aground on shallow ledge.
  • Bug Light Park - This is the smallest and first of four lighthouses we will encounter on our cruise through Casco Bay. On windy days, keep an eye out for gatherings of expert kite flyers and their colorful kites. Sometimes there’s even a giant purple octopus floating lazily in the breeze!

Just around the corner from Bug Light is a statue of the bow of a Liberty Ship. Many ships were constructed here during WWII, including the S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien, which is a popular tourist attraction in San Francisco and one of the only surviving Liberty Ships.

  • Portland Head Light - See Portland Head Light, Maine’s oldest and most iconic lighthouse, from the water. Commissioned by George Washington and constructed starting in 1791, this lighthouse has been an important navigational beacon and local landmark for more than 2 centuries.

The lighthouse has withstood hurricanes and global conflicts. German U-boats sunk a US Navy ship just 15 miles off the Head Light in the waning days of WWII.

  • Fort Gorges - As the most conspicuous stone fortress protecting Portland Harbor, Fort Gorges is a landmark visible from much of Casco Bay, which is exactly why it was built on this rocky outcropping a short distance from Peaks and Little Diamond Islands and the mainland itself. The fort could fire more than a dozen cannons on attackers coming from any possible sea route, but was never used in active battle. Technological advancements in artillery during the Civil War rendered it too vulnerable to be useful. The fort did serve as a storage facility for the army during World War II, when underwater mines, electromagnetic sensing cables, and other systems were used to help protect Portland and Casco Bay from German attack.

Remember, Portland was home to a large shipyard during WWII and was the start of a pipeline that supplies oil to Montreal and eastern Canada, so the region was of high strategic importance even in more modern conflicts.

  • Peaks Island - See some of the most incredibleEnjoy fantastic views of the scenic cliffs on Cushing Island and the tree-lined streets and quaint cottages of Peaks Island.

Once home to several amusement parks that were served by direct steamer routes from New York, Peaks is now a quiet island neighborhood that is technically part of the City of Portland but has a small-town feel all its own.

By the time the fall colors are in full view, most seasonal residents have returned to their usual homes, and Peaks is home to just a couple hundred hearty year round souls who must take a ferry or water taxi to get to the mainland.

What's Included
  • Licensed Captain & Local Guide
  • Bottled water
  • Cooler, glassware, plates, utensils for guest use
  • Beer and wine available for purchase on board
  • All fees and/or taxes
  • Environmentally friendly composting toilet
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Leave the crowds and join us aboard a vintage Maine Lobster Boat for a private 2-hour sightseeing and lighthouse viewing charter capped by a stunning Maine sunset. We will wind our way through the islands of Casco Bay passing by Portland’s best coastal sights, including historic 19th century forts, lighthouses, and the scenic Maine Coast. This activities is perfect for families and small groups. Every charter is 100% private for you and your group! Local Portland, ME craft beer, hard seltzer, white wine, red wine, rose, and bubbly are available to purchase aboard.

Location
Portland Beer Hub
Fore Street
Meet inside of the retail store, Portland Beer Hub (320 Fore Street, Portland, ME 04101), in downtown Portland's Old Port. Arrive at the meeting location 20 minutes before the start time of your tour to ensure a timely tour start. Our Tour Ambassador will lead you to the dock and to your vessel!
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(34 Ratings)
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Suntanbarbie2014
Jun 19, 2024
Traveling - For some reason, I do not see my old review. Our boat trip was amazing. Our food was locally sourced and delicious. The day was perfect providing my husband and myself alone time. We enjoyed every minute cruising right by local shorelines. We were educated in some of the local landmarks, as well. Great thing to experience and get a real feel for local fisheries and fishing industry in the area. I highly recommend this excursion!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Csscruggs
Oct 15, 2023
Great both times - This was our 2nd trip aboard this boat, and we loved it just as much as the previous time. A comfortable, relaxing, and informative trip around Casco Bay, with wine and a beautiful charcuterie plate. The captain and first mate were excellent - was a highlight of our weekend trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Just4grinz
Aug 24, 2023
So exceeded out expectations / A Portland Must! - While we were concerned this would be “hokey,” any time on a boat has to be good. Were we delighted! Our Captain, Zach, was extremely professional and completed focused on safe travel and the perfect vantage point of each area we toured. First Mate Jason, a native like Zach, was a wealth of information and history of the area. Jason had a way of telling you enough, but then understanding proper hosting by allowing plenty of gaps in his stories to allow Hubs and I to chat alone. Chef Jody’s six-course meal was splendid. It was fine restaurant quality made with local-sourced ingredients, beautifully plated. We wished we’d had a lighter lunch, but take-out boxes assured nothing went to waste. We’d consider this a true Portland must!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christine23140
Jul 26, 2023
Perfect ending to our Maine vacation - Amazing time. My family and I stayed outside Portland for the second leg of our Maine vacation. We booked the private sunset cruise with private chef. This was a surprise for our mom. It was definitely a highlight on our trip. We had excellent weather. The captain did a great job of navigating us around the bay (no sea sickness) our hostess did a wonderful job of answering our questions and educating us on this beautiful area. Hands down though to our chef who did an amazing job in such a tiny space of preparing the most delicious food. If you are having any doubts about this cruise ( or I’d imagine any of their cruises) DON’T !!! Our family had an amazing time and if ever in the area wouldn’t hesitate to book again. It was our second to last night on vacation and the PERFECT ending to a memorable trip !!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Briangn8245wf
Oct 25, 2022
Awesome time - My wife and I celebrated our 25th anniversary aboard the Monhegan with Mike and Captain Zach. They could not have been more accommodating and informative about all of the landmarks (forts, lighthouses, etc.) that we saw. Just a beautiful experience that left us with an everlasting memory of our special day. These are professionals and will make sure you have a great and safe trip on the water.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
John
Oct 7, 2022
Great trip and beautiful scenery!!! - Perfect trip to see the Casco Bay islands and lighthouses. Scenery is great for the entire trip. Had food on the trip which was very good. Would certainly do this trip again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cccsch
Aug 11, 2022
Family memory made - good for adults (would be good for kids too). Highly recommend. - The boat (Moynihan is a beautiful, renovated 60-ish year old vessel. Lucas was our deck hand and he was fantastic! Knowledgeable about the area, professional, and fun. We were a family of four adults (2 are college guys). Three of us are 6’ - 6’4”. Seating is a quite comfortable well-cushioned round bench seat around a table at the “front” of the boat. We saw several lighthouses, forts, and all the beauty along the coast. A lot of laughs. Sunset was breathtaking. All four of us absolutely loved the experience. This truly will be a standout memory of our visit to Portland. Highly recommend. PS We pre-ordered plenty of food - charcuterie, lobster rolls, whoopie pies (must order in Maine!), soups and more, and it was all delicious. Even enjoyed some local beer and spritzers!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jessicatk2841df
Jun 20, 2022
Amazing trip - Went on this on Saturday night it was amazing awesome people and great food thanks for the great memories and amazing time Thank you Luke for taking us to see the seals 😊
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L1106ttlauram
Oct 30, 2021
Do not miss this unique opportunity! - Absolutely fabulous experience for our family. Crew attended to every detail. Clean vintage boat and copious cheese and charcuterie tray. I highly recommend the extras. We cruised on a beautiful Fall day and we had blankets (very nice touch).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chicagotraveler2016
Oct 15, 2021
Friends trip to Portland - We had so much fun on this tour! Zach and MC were amazing and even picked us up nearby after getting confused on the start location. There were 3 of us couples on a private tour and we played our tunes, drank wine and had a meat/cheese board while watching the sun go down on the water. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 6 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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