These cruises leave the Great Harbor in Northeast and travel past several Bear Island, Sutton Island, and Great Cranberry (Big Island to the locals). Tours feature narration by a park ranger as part of Acadia National Park's Naturalist program and pass by Bear Island Lighthouse. Along the way, you're likely to see harbor seals, cormorants, gulls, and even a rare porpoise or two. The Boat docks at the Islesford Dock Restaurant pier on Islesford (Little Cranberry) for 50 minutes and you're welcome to stroll this 200-year-old fishing village. The island is home to a thriving artist community of painters, potters, and abstract artists as well as a few authors, including famed children's author Ashley Bryant. Many of the artists' works can be purchased at either the pottery shop or Winter's Work (a gift store) situated right on the pier or viewed at the Island Artist Gallery just a short walk up the main street.
Also close to the dock is a a working fisherman's co-op and the Islesford Historical Museum which offers a unique look back in time through the eyes of island culture. The Island is roughly two miles long and a mile wide so you won't be able to see it all in 50 minutes but you can take a lot in. For more on Islesford, visit the town's website listed in the reference section. Once the boat departs Islesford, it travels up the natural fjord known locally as Somes Sound. The fjord is a remnant of the last ice age when glaciers carved the steeply sloping granite walls from the bedrock below.
The tour concludes back at the town pier at the center of Northeast Harbor, a quaint seasonal village featuring several artists' shops, restaurants, and recreational activities.
This cruise departs in the late afternoon, taking advantage of the waning sunlight to accentuate the natural beauty of Somes Sound, one of the few natural glacial fjords on the east coast of the United States. You'll enjoy the local flora and fauna including the white pine, indigenous gulls, cormorants, harbor seals, and may even spot a white-tail deer on the shore as they are plentiful on Mount Desert Island. After reaching the end of the sound, the Sea Princess then makes her way back to Northeast Harbor, passing the working harbors of Manset and Southwest (both full of fishing vessels and colorful recreational craft) and docks in time for an early dinner at one of the local restaurants or some leisurely shopping at the artist galleries and retail shops of downtown Northeast.
Please note, the price of this cruise is for boat fare only and does not include a meal. Any food you order at the Islesford Restaurant is separate and must be purchased at the restaurant. This cruise departs Northeast Harbor and passes Bear Island and its famous lighthouse on the way to Islesford, a quaint little fishing village located on Little Cranberry island. The Sea Princess docks at the end of the Islesford Restaurant Dock and you're free to purchase dinner at the island's only restaurant. The Islesford Dock Restaurant is run by Dan and Cynthia Lief and features classic Maine dishes, local seafood, lobster, and a few seasonal dishes with ethnic flair such as Korean Pork Ssam and Linguine Vongole.
This cruise is essentially the same as the Sunset Dinner cruise, but the Seas Princess does not stop on Islesford, it simply passes by. The beauty of the Maine coast is accentuated in the twilight and the sparkling lights from the many houses and businesses that dot the coast create a truly lovely effect. Seas Princess Cruises recommends having an early dinner at one of the many restaurants in Northeast Harbor before the cruise as many of the local businesses close early and the Sea Princess doesn't return until 8:30 p.m.
