Downeast Rover Sailing Cruises

The Sunset Cruise was a great experience! Captain and First Mate were amicable, friendly and knowledgable. I would book this cruise again on a return visit.

Very nice day cruise, friendly staff and a beautiful boat. They will allow you to hoist the sails and steer the boat which is a great experience to have. Unfortunately for me I was unable to experience the boat too much after opening the sails. Because it was so windy they had to motor the boat out which was fine but once those sails came out it was over for me. I spent the rest of the trip below deck. I will not let that experience effect my rating as that was a personal problem. But it was a learning experience for sure.

My newlywed wife and I took a cooler on a sunset cruise on the Downeast Rover. We were the last in and sat on the bench in the bow (I think we got the best seats). The mate was helpful with moving my cooler on the boat and offered corkscrews, cups, ice, and even their bathroom. He was conversational about local history and sailing and made us feel right at home, even offering my cold-​natured wife a blanket to stay warm. Very relaxing and beautiful, even on a very windy evening.

Lovely! We went last night with a cooler of wine and beer. It was a lovely boat and we had such a quiet and relaxing time. The guys were very helpful– brought our cooler to us, offered cups and even a blanket for when the sun went down. Highly recommend for an adult evening!

The sunset sailing cruise was a lovely and relaxing experience on a well-​maintained sailboat. The captain and first mate were knowledgeable and friendly as well as committed to a ensuring an enjoyable experience for their passengers. The boat was comfortable and sight of the sun setting over the water was unforgettable. Highly recommended.

Very nice sunset cruise. The captain and first mate were both very nice and knowledgable, and there was enough space on the boat for each group to have their own space without feeling crowded. We brought our own meal and drinks, and they have a cooler and a corkscrew/​cups for you to use.
If you’re looking for an intense sailing experience this probably isn’t the sail for you, but it was the perfect activity for a beautiful, relaxing evening.

We had a good time aboard the Downeast Rover.
We wanted a private cruise for the 10 of us and booked for Monday night. Captain Eric called on Monday and said the wind was a bit too high and we would likely enjoy it more another day. We moved the tour to Tuesday. We were to arrive at the dock at 5:15 and at 4:50 I received a phone call that the boat was broken and we could not sail that day. We were annoyed but the owner called and said she wanted to make it right with a free sail the next night. In addition to that, since we were already in the area, she bought us all a drink at a neighboring bar. That was a very nice gesture. Wednesday went off without a hitch. Our group went aboard with two other couples (not a private cruise) on Wednesday.
I enjoyed the sail but the first 45 minutes were insanely slow as you sail into the channel. Being from the midwest and having been on numerous speed boats and loving the wind in my hair, this was a bit boring. Even when we finally had the sails up, it felt very slow to me. The views are gorgeous and I enjoyed the trip but you do need to expect to just relax, socialize and enjoy the view for two hours. This is what we were prepared for and why we enjoyed it. We brought our own wine and snacks and had a good time.
Bottom line — the owner is super-​reasonable and accommodating, the boat is nice, and the cruise is slow. Just relax and enjoy it!

The Downeast Rover is a nice boat. Ship. Whatever. When you view it from the dock, it is impressive, especially if you happen to catch a glimpse of the pirate jalopy that scoots around the harbor with gaggles of kids on board. Even compared to the «ship» docked at the park across the way, it looks impressive.
Unfortunately, both of those others seem to have a whole lot more fun.
It is not that the Downeast Rover is bad, exactly, but it is a sailboat. You get on board, you sit down, and you sail around. You might grab a snack or a drink (adult beverages are available as well). If you are lucky, you could catch a glimpse of a bird’s nest on a post, or perhaps a dolphin.
The crew might bring you some pictures of them with Andy Griffith on Matlock, or you can sit back and… sail. There just is not much to do, in part because of the size of the boat. This is not to say that it is a bad experience, or that the crew is bad at what they do. Just that you are limited in your options.
But if you want to do something, such as run around the deck, shoot water cannons and generally act like a pirate, this is probably not the best option for you.

My husband and I could not have had a nicer evening. There were three couples, including us, on the sunset tour on a Saturday evening. All were smart and incredibly kind; the Captain and his crew were equally nice and enjoyable to be around. The sunset was beautiful, the ride was smooth, and they even let you bring your own drinks and meal on board.