Casco Bay Lines | Scenic Cruises

Casco Bay. It's where the Maine coast really begins. Rocky shorelines and wooded islands. Graceful sailboats, work boats and pleasure craft. A world of summer cottages, wildflowers, hidden coves and secluded beaches. A place where time seems to stand still. And it's all just a few miles from downtown Portland.

There's just one thing. You can't get there by car. But you can get there the way people who live there do: by Casco Bay Lines ferry.

As you might suspect, Casco Bay Lines ferries aren't really a tourist service. They're the islands' lifeline, carrying groceries, lumber and mail, transporting residents and school children to and from the mainland. They're also the best way we know to see Casco Bay, as the oldest ferry service in America makes its regular daily runs through some of Maine's most beautiful natural scenery.

Casco Bay Lines offers a variety of scenic routes with different destinations, durations and departure times. Pack a lunch, bring your camera, binoculars and a sweater.

2008 Cruise Schedule

Bailey Island Cruise

Learn the history of Casco Bay as we cruise past lighthouses, forts and turn-of-the-century summer colonies. You'll see lobstermen tending to their traps, and marvel at Admiral Peary's home on Eagle Island as we approach the scenic waters off Harpswell and Bailey Island. Enjoy a leisurely layover for dining on Downeast cuisine, bring a picnic and stroll the inlet beach areas, or stay on board for the Noontime Cruise (below). The narrated round-trip cruise to Bailey Island is a perfect Maine memory for you and your family.

Bailey Island Noontime Cruise

The narrated Noontime Cruise departs Cook's Landing on Bailey Island at noon and cruises through Potts Harbor, past Eagle Island and Haskell Island with a peek at Mackerel Cove. (Note: Bailey Island can be reached by car from the Brunswick area. Take Rte. 24 south from Cook's Corner.)

Mailboat Run

An integral part of our island communities, the Mailboat Run carries passengers, freight and mail to the islands of Casco Bay. As the longest-operating service of its kind in America, this tour is a wonderful way to see the sights of the bay while the Mailboat tends to the business of providing supplies to the islands.

Diamond Pass Run

This scenic cruise follows an inner bay route past the lovely Victorian cottages along the shorelines of Little and Great Diamond Islands. Enjoy a close-up glimpse of island life as we travel to four different stops.

Sunrise on the Bay

Join our crew on a peaceful dawn departure as we thread through the awakening islands. Observe seabirds, seals and an occasional deer along the shoreline. Watch the lobstermen and the local fishing fleet as they get underway from their docks and moorings, bound for a good day's catch.

Sunset Run

Portland shimmers like a jewel in the distance as you relax in the twilight of a perfect Maine day. Enjoy the refreshing evening breezes as we wind our way through Casco Bay.

Moonlight Run

The harbor lights twinkle brightly from shore as our vessel makes its way through the dark, still waters of the night bay. What a romantic way to end your evening!

Scenic Cruises