Maine Windjammer Cruises
Multi-day Maine windjammer cruises from Camden and Rockland: the nine schooners, trip lengths, what the fare covers, the 2027 schedule and how to book with each ship.
A Maine windjammer cruise is a holiday aboard a traditional schooner: three nights to a week sailing Penobscot Bay from Camden or Rockland, sleeping in a small cabin, eating every meal from the ship’s galley, and anchoring in a different harbor or cove each night. Nine ships sail together as the Maine Windjammer Association, each owned and run by its own licensed captain. Fares start at $875 a person and cover the sailing, all meals and your cabin, with shore trips such as an island lobster bake included. None of these trips is sold on GetYourGuide or Viator: you book directly with the ship. The 2027 schedule is published, with trips from 27 May to 16 October.
The fleet
| Ship | Home port |
|---|---|
| American Eagle | Rockland |
| Grace Bailey | Rockland |
| Heritage | Rockland |
| J. & E. Riggin | Rockland |
| Ladona | Rockland |
| Stephen Taber | Rockland |
| Angelique | Camden |
| Lewis R. French | Camden |
| Mary Day | Camden |
Ships and home ports from the Maine Windjammer Association’s fleet page, checked October 2026.
How a windjammer cruise works
The ships sail every day, rain or shine, and anchor in a harbor each night. They sail in the protected waters of the bay, and seasickness is rarely a problem. They are small ships: the association gives the range as 16 to 31 guests on one page and 16 to 40 on another.
- What the fare covers: the sailing, all home-cooked meals, hors d’oeuvres and desserts, your private cabin, and the shore excursions, including the island lobster bake.
- Drinks: the ships provide ice chests for drinks you bring, and ask that alcohol be taken in moderation.
- Trip lengths: from three nights to a week; the 2027 list also has a few one-night and longer trips.
- Pack: soft luggage, warm layers, rubber-soled shoes and a raincoat. July and August are the warmest months; September is crisp and clear.
The 2027 schedule and prices
The Maine Windjammer Association’s trip list for 2027 has 215 sailings, the first on 27 May and the last ending on 16 October. A few of them, as listed:
| Ship | Dates | Nights | Fare per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis R. French | 28 to 31 May 2027 | 3 | $930 |
| Stephen Taber | 27 to 31 May 2027 | 4 | $1,148 |
| American Eagle | 27 to 31 May 2027 | 4 | $1,395 |
| Lewis R. French | 3 to 9 October 2027 | 6 | $1,550 |
| Stephen Taber | 12 to 15 October 2027 | 3 | $1,028 |
| Ladona | 13 to 16 October 2027 | 3 | $1,498 |
Dates and fares from the Maine Windjammer Association’s 2027 trip list, checked October 2026. The fares seen ranged from $930 to $1,998; each ship sets its own.
How to book
Reservations are made directly with the windjammer you choose; the association does not hold cabin availability. Start on the Maine Windjammer Association’s site, which lists every 2027 trip with a link to each ship’s own schedule, or call the association on 1-800-807-9463.
Watch them sail for free
- Windjammer Gam, 14 June 2027: the fleet rafts up together, the largest raft-up of traditional tall ships on the East Coast.
- Great Schooner Race, 9 July 2027: watch from the Rockland Breakwater; the boats cross the start line just off it around 10 am and finish there around 2 pm.
- Camden Windjammer Festival, 4 September 2027: the fleet gathers in Camden Harbor on Labor Day weekend.
The Camden Windjammer Festival guide covers these events and Boothbay Harbor’s Windjammer Days.
Only have an afternoon
If you have two hours rather than a week, a day sail on a schooner gives you the same rig and the same bay: Appledore II and Surprise sail from Camden, and the Maine schooner cruise guide covers every harbor.