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Casco Bay Lines

All aboard this working mailboat of Casco Bay Lines in Portland, ME. You and your furry friend will be able to see the islands of Casco Bay, including Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Long, Cliff, and Chebeague, as you ride onboard the dog-friendly boat bringing mail and freight to the islands. Just make sure Fido is leashed during this unique boat tour. Ticket fees vary for people and dogs. Visit Website

Or call (207) 774-7871 or email info@cascobaylines.com for more information.

Reviews

BringFido Guest Rating
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Casco Bay Lines has received a rating of 4.7 out of 5 bones by 10 canine critics on BringFido and 4.5 out of 5 by 687 guests on TripAdvisor.


Visitors highly recommend this pet-friendly boat tour, praising the welcoming staff, reasonable prices, and comfortable accommodations for dogs. Some travelers note that the boat noises may initially startle more nervous canine companions, but they generally adjust well during the scenic cruise.

AI-generated from the text of reviews

  • Katie
    Aug 22, 2023
    Great ride with the pup!

    highly recommend this. we loved sailing out on the ocean with our pup. everyone on board was so cute. they gave our pup her own ticket. She was $4 and each adult was $17. It was 3 hours but our pup loved it. The horn was not very loud or long. There was plenty of room to walk around and shaded areas too. Great ride. definitely would recommend!!

  • Haley
    Jul 4, 2023
    Very good boat tour for dogs!

    It was my puppies first time on a boat and she did great! The noise was not too much and even the fog horn didn’t effect her all that much. I would highly recommend! (Make sure you go on a less foggy day so you can see more.)

  • Caitlin
    Sep 8, 2021
    Wonderful way to start the day!

    My pup and I started the day with a (very early!) sunrise cruise around the bay on the mailboat. I honestly was not sure what to expect since he is typically easily stressed out and afraid of a lot of new things, but he was completely fine! The night before we went and had a delightful dinner outside on the Flatbread Company’s patio that overlooks the water and is next to the boats (also highly recommend - excellent service, food, and location!). Not sure if dining out helped, but he could see the boats and hear the horn when one departed. If you’re also unsure about boats with your furry friend I’d recommend the sunrise cruise. It’s a larger boat and since the sun isn’t up yet there’s not much wind, the water is calm, and you start out in darkness so there aren’t as many things to see and worry about. The ride is very slow and gentle and there aren’t many other types of watercraft out and about between 5-7:30 AM except the occasional fishing boat. When we got onboard there were maybe 2 people sitting downstairs and one other person with a dog on the main level so we pretty much had the the boat all to ourselves. On the return trip the boat started picking up passengers and it got a bit more crowded on the last stop, but we were almost back to the mainland by then. I’d recommend following a tip given to me by one of their employees — start out indoors when the boat departs because that’s when the horn blasts the loudest, but once you start moving you’ll probably be ok. His collapsible silicone water dish held up well and didn’t slide on the deck and the packable camping bed with nylon bottom turned out to be a very good idea because the deck surface was wet from early morning mist and/or sea spray and cold. He seemed to really enjoy sitting and laying on his bed during the ride, having a spot to relax and watch the water and birds go by. Go! You won’t regret it.

  • Allison
    Jan 16, 2021
    Fun outing for the adventurous dog

    The staff at the terminal were very friendly and welcoming. We planned to book a mailboat tour (2-3 hrs, dog friendly). Because it was my dog's first time on a ferry, they suggested we take the ferry to one of the islands and back - shorter for the dog with a break in the middle. Very fun. Clean and lots of space on board. There's some vibration on deck, which my dog didn't love on the way out, but it's a lot better inside.

  • Michael
    Sep 27, 2019
    Our Berners loved the ride!

    Casco Bay Lines offers several different cruises, all of which are dog-friendly. We chose the early morning mailrun. Our tickets were a little over $20 each and the dogs were a little over $4 each. Seating is available inside and outside. We started inside then moved up on deck later. Everyone on board loved the dogs. Most remembered to ask permission before petting or approaching. Ship noises did not bother our dogs. There was a lot of educational material shared by the staff. We stopped several times and were able to exit at the last stop for about 15 minutes. A resident of that island owned a Berner so we had a great time chatting. Will definitely take some of the other cruises when we return to Portland. Very professionally run operation!

  • Kirsten
    Sep 21, 2019
    Enjoyable excursion!

    Positives: dog friendly, alcohol friendly, scenic

    We had our dogs with us on vacation and we were looking for dog friendly activities. The Mailboat Cruise kept popping up in my searches and other reviews were generally positive, so we decided to give it a go. We packed up some beer and picked up some donuts from the Holy Donut along the way. The ticket prices were reasonable - $16 per person, $4 per dog - and the doggos received complimentary treats. The trip itself was wonderful. We got great views of the city and surrounding islands. The captain pointed out areas of interest with detailed educational information. He even brought our attention to some porpoises nearby, which was an added bonus. Definitely worth it on a nice day in the city.

  • Andrea
    Jul 8, 2019
    Great for dogs who are okay with loud sounds and rumbles

    We had a great time on this boat. My pup started off really nervous, though, once the boat started. The rumbling and the whistling definitely were a bit much for her. However, she did start to calm down once we were out of the docks and moving forward. Everyone was super friendly about her being on board, and loved that she was such a friendly and gentle dog.

  • Sue
    Mar 24, 2019
    Great time!!

    We were so happy to find the Mailboat ride on Bring Fido. It was a great thing to do with our dog. We will be back next time we are in the area.

  • Renee
    More than a year ago
    Nice Ride

    This was a great cruise of the bay and islands. They are very welcoming to dogs. The cost for a dog was $4.10 when we went and he got his own ticket and dog treat.

  • Lisa
    More than a year ago
    Well, Labs ARE water dogs!

    Great experience! Ticket for dog was less than $5. Ticket person even gave us a handful of biscuits! Outside and inside areas on ferry. Aisles are wide enough for people to get by when dog is laying down. Ferry whistle not too loud.

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Casco Bay Lines