Thimble Islands Cruises Aboard Sea Mist

The Thimble Island Cruise was a very nice way to spend a hot summer day. The houses were very unusual and cool to look at and it was nice to feel the breeze while getting driven around the waters off the shoreline. We didn’t get in line early enough to get on the upper deck, so we picked a spot in the back of the boat. Needless to say, due to motor noise and a chatty family sitting near us, we were pretty much unable to hear anything that the captain was saying about the islands, which was a shame due to the fact that some of the facts may have been pretty interesting to know! I think the sound system needs to be improved (add more speakers in the back of the boat? increase the volume?) so that all can hear what is going on? I still enjoyed the cruise, but I think I missed out a little bit as well.

This was a nice tour. I did not think it would be a tour of people’s private homes but that is what the Thimble Islands are and I did not know that. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and spoke about every island that we passed. He seemed to know something about every home there. If you want to be on the top deck, get in line early it fills up fast. The downsides are finding this place is vague. You have to park in the street and then ask around. It is located at the far end of the dock. Also, we just missed the 2:15 pm tour and the next tour was 4:15 pm. The area has literally nothing else to do except for a few benches to sit and wait by the water. I would highly recommend planning to arrive in time for your tour but bring something to entertain yourself if you do miss your tour.

Beautiful cruise, nice and smooth. Captain was knowledgeable. Would love to go again.

My BF has taken me on this lovely cruise twice now. We love it! Next time we would like to try another boat, but we’ve rode the Sea Mist twice. The Captain’s narration is always entertaining and the sights are amazing! This boat ride is very smooth sailing and has an upper, completely open deck. The lower deck is partially open with a full bar. First mate Eric, was very polite and prompt with drink service. For just $ 12 per adult this 45 minute cruise is an inexpensive and relaxing way to spend a little time with that special someone or even with your family and kids. The only reason for not giving 5 stars is it was pretty hot on board. I would have liked it better if they had opened all the windows and tie downs on the inside deck.

Rude. We got to the dock at 410. They were supposed to leave at 415 but were already casting off. Young skipper started to hold the boat and called up to the Captain. Captain Rude asked if we had anyone on board because I can only assume that If we did he would have waited and let us board. When we told him we didn’t have anyone on board he replied that the boat was «full» and powered out. Young skipper felt bad and said sorry. I was looking at open seats. Not very kind. Go with Captain Dave on his smaller and cooler boat.

I’m tempted to give 4 stars because it rained on my tour, but hey, no one controls the weather! If it were clear and sunny, it would have been the perfect day for a tour. Even though it was overcast and starting the rain, the crew remained friendly and accommodating.
The captain and tour guide was very knowledgable about the island and its history. To my delight, he even made punny tour jokes, my favorite! It’s well worth the $ 12 admission for adults. They even have merchandise like shirts, pirate eye patches/​hats, and DVDs on the islands available. They also have a bar, so if you want to drink, the cost was $ 5-​$ 7.
Make sure to leave adequate time for parking, bring your cash and your boat shoes, and have a great time!

My husband and I took a ride on the Sea Mist today. I am from Branford and am proud to show others what Branford has to offer. My husband had heard me talk about the Thimbles, but had never seen them. It was a perfect day for a ride.
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect and in September the summer crowds weren’t around. We sat on the lower deck because the upper deck was full, but it was still a great ride. The captain was a wonderful guide telling us stories of the islands and pointing out vegetation and animal life along the way. It is a 45 minute cruise and an excellent introduction to the islands or just a great refresher to those of us who haven’t been home for a while.
My husband loved the ride and the historic aspect of the trip as well. We highly recommend this for all.

We wanted to celebrate our two year anniversary by doing a few local activities since we have quite a bit of traveling to do for weddings and other planned trips during the summer. Since my boyfriend is a shoreline native, has lots of local pride and is into history, I thought this would be a fun activity. We took the 4:15 cruise so that we could go to an early dinner afterwards since it is only 45 minutes long.
He dropped me off at the dock to ensure that we got seats. It was only 4:00 and already the boat was pretty full. The top, where I initially wanted to be, was completely full, while the bottom had some space left. My boyfriend parked all the way out beyond Stony Creek Market as there were no other spaces available. The bottom part of the boat turned out to be great. People were seated very closely up top but it was definitely roomier on the bottom, even though a few more people piled in last minute. And bonus… the bar is down there! There were wines available for $ 7, beers for $ 5 (Stony Creek 203 IPA, Heineken, Bud Light), and rum punch for $ 7. My guy got the 203 and I had a rum punch. While it was delicious, I am fairly certain they forgot to put the rum in my rum punch. Did not taste it, did not feel it one bit.
The cruise itself was relaxing, informative, and beautiful. The captain did a fantastic job of giving us a tour of the islands, providing stories, facts, and bits of historical information in a way that was entertaining and easy to digest. In addition to being very knowledgable about the islands, he was also very informed about the several types of large birds and trees we saw while on the cruise. At times it was hard to hear him with other cruise-​goers chatting away. The length of the cruise was perfect — not too short or long. The $ 12 ticket price per adult was well worth it.

Captain Bob’s tour on the Volgasang was great. Really enjoyed it. I’m sure any boat would be nice because the islands themselves are beautiful and fascinating, but Bob Milne’s tour was awesome.

I guess the quality of your Thimble Island tour will depend on several factors: one being good weather, and another being on the right boat. Different sized boats pull up every 15– 30 minutes or so to one dock, so there is no guarantee you’ll end up riding the boat of your preference; Unless of course, you are willing to wait longer on your line and let other passengers pass you by until your choice boat arrives.
I went with a coupon for Captain Bob’s ride, but ended up riding the Sea Mist instead. I did pay a couple of more bucks per person, but I liked my tour anyway because Sea Mist seemed slightly larger than the other boats, thus less chance for a sea sickness. It also had an upper observation deck which was a plus.
Somewhat geriatrics in nature (since the ride is pretty quiet even with a guide) but it can be enjoyable nevertheless, if you like people watching. As you tour the 25 inhabited islands, the true fun is seeing the people who actually own these islands frolicking in the sun.
The price of the tour will be $ 8 w/​a coupon on Bob’s Cruise, and $ 10 on Sea Mist. There are discounts for seniors and children. This tour is worth a trip on a nice summer’s day, but don’t bother coming out if the weather looks glum.