Welcome to Maine Windjammer Cruises
The Original Windjammer Fleet
EXPLORE OUR OVERNIGHT CRUISE SCHEDULES & PLAN YOUR TRIP TODAY!
QUESTIONS? (800) 736-7981
The intimate 6-passenger Swift offers the joys of sailing and socializing in a smaller modern setting.
2024 Swift Schedule
Our online reservation system is ready for your use, but please feel free to call us if you need assistance.
We will offer three and six-night trips, boarding either on Sundays or Wednesdays. Our season begins June 2 and runs through early October.
Charters will be arranged on a case-by-case basis for any length of time.
Reservations are processed in the order they are received. Please be patient as we take care of all of our eager passengers. Bookings made over the weekend sometimes cause a little delay, but rest assured that you will receive confirmation via email and regular mail once your reservation is fully processed.
2024
Annual Calendar
Each year since the 1990s we have produced our annual calendar for those who have sailed with us or shown interest in our cruises. This year’s calendar features our new flagship.
DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS: click on the above link and download to your computer. Print on good quality 8 1/2 X 11 paper or card stock . We hope this brings you daydreams of summer and sailing on the bay!
If you are unable to download and print, please contact us and we get a copy to you.
Cruise Options
Weekly Trips Throughout the Season – We Have a Cruise That’s Right For You!
Our Windjammer vacations are all-inclusive.
A $300 per person deposit is due when you make your reservation; the trip balance is due in full 6 weeks prior to your trip. We understand that personal circumstances sometimes change, and you may find it necessary to cancel your trip. Seven Corners Insurance specializes in sailing vacation coverage.
Cancellations must be made in writing prior to 8 weeks ahead of your trip. A 10% per person handling fee of the total fare price will be retained and credited toward a future trip on a space available basis.
Cancellations made less than 8 weeks ahead of your trip can not be refunded unless we are able to rebook your cabin(s). We do have a wait list, or you are welcome to find someone to take your place. In the event we are able to re-book your berth, we will refund all but a 10% per person fare price handling fee.
PRE-SEASON
PRE-SEASON THREE or SIX DAY CRUISE ABOARD THE SWIFT
Off-season rates, coupled with long days and uncrowded anchorages mean you will see more for less.
In June, crew and passengers are anxious to get started on a new season, and the windjammers are often the only vessels on the bay. The sailing is great and enthusiasm is high.
THREE DAY CRUISE – PRE-SEASON
These cruises are an excellent introduction to the world of windjamming. You may choose from the first or second half of the week. This can be a grand change of pace or the highlight of a longer Maine vacation. A Lobster Feast is included in all three-day cruises.
FIRST HALF
Board Sunday evening at 5:30 PM and meet your new shipmates. You will be on your own for dinner in town, but will sleep aboard your vessel.
After a hearty breakfast Monday, we get underway for our short adventure exploring the islands of Maine. You will return to Camden Harbor between 10 a.m. and Noon Wednesday. Often, people who take the first half pre-season 3-day cruise have such a good time, they ask to stay on for the second half. IF SPACE ALLOWS, you can stay for the second half of the cruise, at an additional discounted fee.
SECOND HALF
The usual boarding time is 5:30 PM on Wednesday, but we may ask you to be in the area earlier and check in with us by phone. In either case, you will return by 10 am on Saturday.
SIX-DAY CRUISE
Offered exclusively in the Pre-Season, these trips have it all. They are the best value with long days to sail and explore, a shore-side lobster bake, and lots of time to relax and unwind. Board Sunday evening and return Saturday by 10 a.m.
SUMMER SAILING
Available on the Swift.
THREE-DAY CRUISE
This cruise is an excellent introduction to the world of windjamming. Board Sunday or Wednesday evening, meet your new shipmates and have dinner on your own in Camden. You will sleep aboard, and after a hearty breakfast the following morning, you’ll be underway for your adventure exploring the islands of Maine. This cruise can be a grand change of pace and certainly the highlight of a longer Maine vacation. A Lobster Feast is included in all three-day cruises. You will return to Camden Harbor by 10 a.m. Wednesday or Saturday.
FALL FOLIAGE CRUISES
This is a very special time of the year. Reduced fares make these trips the perfect time to vacation in Maine. The beauty of the fall colors adds a new dimension to already breathtaking scenery. Crisp, clear days with brisk winds offer the best sailing of the season. Trips board Sundays and Wednesdays.
Windjammer Events
Great Schooner Race, July 5, 2024
Hailed as “the largest annual gathering of traditional schooners in America,” this will be the 46th year of racing excitement and viewing.Annual Photo Cruise, July 24
Vermont photographer Robert Jenks returns to offer tutorials, tips and techniques to improve your camera skills. Phones and traditional cameras are welcome. Bob’s trips are usually sold out, and participants always enjoy sharing their work.Annual Music Cruise, August Date TBD
Denny Breau also returns to offer concerts, composition and performance tips, and of course, lead our jams.Bring your own small instruments and join in!
WINDJAMMER FESTIVAL, August 30 – September 2, 2024
Always on Labor Day weekend. Celebrate Camden’s rich maritime heritage as our schooners take part in the weekend festivities!
WOODEN BOAT SAIL IN: Mid-September. Windjammers converge on Brooklin, Maine home of Wooden Boat School & Magazine. Refreshments, live entertainment and tours of the grounds & school. Be sure to bring your cameras and be ready for a great time!
FOR THE STAR GAZERS
Skies out on the water are always beautiful. With little light pollution the stars pop and the full moon becomes a beacon sparkling across the water. The annual Perseid Meteor Showers provide a spectacular light show producing up to 30 shooting stars an hour. At its peak it can produce up to 100.
FULL MOON DATES: JUNE 21, JULY 21, AUGUST 19 and & SEPTEMBER 17
BEST STAR GAZING: NEW MOON DATES: JUNE 6, JULY 5, AUGUST 4 & SEPTEMBER 2
PERSEID METEOR SHOWER: AUGUST 12-13 peak
Charter
Special Occasion and Private Sailing Excursions
Let Us Help You Plan Your Event Aboard Our Schooners
WE’LL PUT THE WONDERS OF THE MAINE COAST AT YOUR FINGER TIPS! Our windjammers are available for weddings, reunions, family celebrations, team building and other activities.
“The lobster bake alone was worth the price of admission – but there was more – a friendly, competant crew, a marvelous sailing vessel, plenty of goodies to eat and holding it all together, the bay itself, a great place to sail.” – John Sinclair, Swarthmore College Alumni
WEDDINGS
Is your dream a windjammer wedding? Even if you reside out of state, it’s now simple to get a marriage license in Maine, and our captains can legally perform a wedding ceremony. Would you like to enjoy your wedding reception on Penobscot Bay or offer a trip on our schooners to out-of-town wedding guests?
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Nonprofit groups have used our boats for fundraising trips, and professional photographers regularly sail with us to take advantage of the special photo ops our cruises provide.
Sea Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Military Units, Summer Campers, foreign exchange students, and specialized travel groups have also enjoyed trips with us.
We work with college alumni and other nonprofit groups to create fundraisers and unique travel opportunities. Even if you don’t have enough people to fill a boat, discounts are available for groups of ten or more.
Day Charters are sometimes possible on turn-around dates Wednesday and Sunday. Most trips are from noon to 4 p.m. We can carryup to 12 guests on the Swift. Please call for availability and prices. 800-736-7981
MORE REASONS TO CHOOSE MWC
Brides and grooms and those renewing their vows aren’t the only ones who look to a New England sailing vacation for a special event. Loved ones will never forget a birthday, anniversary, family reunion, graduation, or surprise party celebrated on a Maine windjammer. Our cruises are also popular for college and high school alumni reunions and sorority, fraternity, and professional society gatherings.
We can also provide a trip appropriate for a funeral service or memorial gathering. We look forward to helping you or your organization plan your special event.
OUR MAINE FARE
Food for your charter can be provided from our standard menu that includes lobster, fish chowder, and other traditional Maine fare, but we are willing to work with you for some adjustments or special requests.
Testimonials
Click to view testimonials given to Maine Windjammer Cruises™ by passengers of some of our chartered cruises.
Contact us for suggestions to make your trip or charter a memorable experience!
RATES
Rates vary with the number of passengers, length of cruise, and time of year.
Please plan early to reserve your special date, even if the season is already underway.
TERMS
We require one-third of your payment at the time of your confirmed reservation, one-third between the reservation and balance date, and one-third 45 days before your departure date. Rates are all-inclusive. Other payment plans can be discussed.
Charters are nonrefundable, so we recommend trip insurance through a sailing insurance specialist such as Seven Corners.
Weddings
A MAINE WINDJAMMER WEDDING CRUISE
Is your dream a windjammer wedding?
ELABORATE OR SIMPLE – Whether a cruise with friends and family, a reception sail, a quiet sunrise/sunset ceremony as part of your cruise or trips for out of town guests, we are ready to assist in fulfilling your wedding dreams.
“Couldn’t have found a better wedding venue!!! ……Jan Marie
Contact Maine Windjammer Cruises by phone or email to let us help you plan your special day.