Cruises to Bar Harbor, Maine Norwegian Cruise Line

Table Of Content

• Without a Guided Tour: Self-Guided Itinerary for Visiting Bar Harbor on a Cruise
• Take a Whale Watching Tour
• Where is located the Port of Bar Harbour Cruise Terminal
• Shore Excursions from Bar Harbor Cruise Port
• Destinations & Ports
• (NEW) Bar Harbor cruise terminal "Marine Atlantic"
• Havre St Pierre, Quebec
• Shopping Near the Bar Harbor Cruise Port

For those looking to explore beyond the town itself, Acadia National Park is just a short distance away. The park is known for its breathtaking views of the coastline and offers a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking. The town voted on June 13, 2017 (Article 12) to re-zone the old ferry terminal. Following the vote (945 to 658), the town purchased the state-owned Marine Atlantic property (former ferry terminal) from the Maine Department of Transportation. This facility served two Bay Ferries ships (The Cat, The Bluenose) connecting Bar Harbor with Nova Scotia Canada (Yarmouth). Bar Harbor ME is a tender cruise port, which means cruise liners anchor in Frenchman Bay and their passengers are transported to the pier via the ship's tender boats.

Without a Guided Tour: Self-Guided Itinerary for Visiting Bar Harbor on a Cruise

During this time, visitors can expect to see several cruise ships docked at the port each week. In 2021, over 150 cruise ships are expected to visit Bar Harbor, bringing in thousands of tourists to the area. In close proximity to downtown, Acadia NP offers numerous outdoor activities, such as hiking, trekking, biking, mountain climbing, bird watching. Acadia National Park is mostly located on Mount Desert Island and is home to the highest rocky headlands and mountain (Cadillac Mountain) along the east coast of the United States. Its sprawling beauty covers 47,000 acres and it is filled with towering trees and wildlife.

Take a Whale Watching Tour

Several local companies offer whale watching tours from May through October when humpback whales come to feed on krill and small fish along Maine’s coast. After exploring the town center, take a scenic drive along Acadia National Park’s famous Park Loop Road. This 27-mile road winds through forests, past rocky beaches, and up mountainsides with stunning views of the coastline and mountains.

Where is located the Port of Bar Harbour Cruise Terminal

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Although cultural attractions are limited on Mount Desert Island, a handful of museums and galleries in Bar Harbor highlight the natural history and Native American heritage of the region. However, Bar Harbor may be best-known for its proximity to Acadia National Park. Designated in 1916, Acadia National Park was the first national park east of the Mississippi and despite being one of the smallest, Acadia is consistently ranked as one of the most visited national parks in the country. The park encompasses nearly half of Mount Desert Island, as well as a collection of adjacent isles, and offers much in terms of hiking, cycling, rock climbing, and scenic vistas.

The port of Bar Harbor is located in Maine, on an island along the Atlantic coast. Nearby, Acadia National Park is one of the most popular attractions of the region. At low tide, Bar Island, located directly north of the Town Pier, is accessible by foot across a natural sand and gravel bar. The sandbar is typically open for three hours and once on the island, you can hike to the highest point for a spectacular panoramic view of the town of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island. Visitors also enjoy exploring the bar’s tide pool area for sea stars, barnacles, and crabs. You’ll want to keep your eye on the tide to avoid getting stranded on the island until the next low tide.

Destinations & Ports

As one of the first places to see the sun rise in the United States, Cadillac Mountain offers some of the most sublime morning views you'll ever experience. Make time to scale the mountain early, bundle up, and sit back to embrace this once-in-a-lifetime, prismatic view of the world. It's easy to see why this 35,000-acre national park, home to wildlife like white-tailed deer, black bears, and moose, is one of the most visited in the United States. From its majestic cliffs to its crashing waves and mountain views, the landscape offers no shortage of breathtaking landscapes. When you take a Bar Harbor cruise, you’ll have the opportunity to explore Acadia National Park, take a walking tour, and much more. The Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company offers a cruise that takes in the breathtaking scenery of New England.

(NEW) Bar Harbor cruise terminal "Marine Atlantic"

Opened seasonally from early May to late October, this family-owned store offers southwestern Native American jewelry. Sterling silver jewelry in Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi designs offers you very  unique and beautiful items. One of the most common questions about Bar Harbor Cruise Port is whether it is a tender port. Fortunately, visitors will be happy to know that they can dock directly at the town pier without needing to use tenders.

Havre St Pierre, Quebec

If you have limited time in Bar Harbor, focus on visiting some of the top attractions such as Cadillac Mountain or Jordan Pond House. For those who want to explore beyond Bar Harbor itself, consider taking a bus tour to see more of Acadia National Park or visit nearby towns like Northeast Harbor or Southwest Harbor. Holland America is one of the cruise lines that calls at Bar Harbor during the season. Tourists can plan ahead by checking the city council’s website for information on ship calls and itineraries.

Port Bar Harbor cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Bar Harbor, Maine. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Cruise Radio prioritizes well-balanced cruise news coverage and accurate reporting, paired with ship reviews and tips. Located on the northeast shore of Maine’s largest island Mount Desert Island, Bar Harbor is a popular port on New England/Canada cruise itineraries and is the gateway to Acadia National Park. There is, however, a free shuttle service called the Island Explorer that takes visitors around the island and into Acadia National Park. We work with reputable, local tour operators to offer you a wide variety of excursions to choose from, in every port you’ll visit.

Bar Harbor is located on the Gulf of Maine, which is home to a variety of whales. Depending on the time of year, you can see humpback, finback, and minke whales migrating through the waters of the Atlantic. A whale watching shore excursion will take you out to sea to search for the giant mammals and gets you up close to them so you can see the whales spout, breach, and more. On a whale watching shore excursion out of Bar Harbor, you also may see eagles, dolphins, porpoises, and possibly even puffins. For locally made crafts and goods, head to the shops and galleries clustered around the waterfront. Frequent arts and crafts markets are held at the Village Green, a small grassy park in the middle of town, and the Bar Harbor Farmers Market runs from 9 a.m.

This allows them to make the most of their time on the island, including a visit to Acadia National Park. For a taste of classic Maine cuisine and breathtaking scenery, make sure to stop at Jordan Pond House during your visit to Acadia National Park. This historic restaurant serves up delicious popovers (a type of light pastry) with butter and jam, as well as tea and other refreshments. The outdoor seating area offers stunning views of Jordan Pond and the surrounding mountains. A beautiful way to spend some time in the Bar Harbor, Maine cruise port is to walk along a half-mile trail called Shore Path.

No matter where you head in Bar Harbor, you'll be greeted by picturesque New England beauty. Stroll through its streets on a walking tour, past Victorian-era homes and the Tiffany stained-glass windows of historic St. Saviour's Church. Standing at 1,530 feet, Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the East Coast.

The trail has been there since 1880 and provides people ambling down it with picturesque views of the sea and Porcupine Islands. Shore Path begins at Agamond Park, which is its own popular attraction in Bar Harbor for its grassy slope that leads to a panoramic harbor view. This charming seaside town is bursting with fresh lobster from traditional lobster rolls and delicious lobster bisque to whole steamed lobster dinners and lobster ravioli. Fresh shrimp, scallops, oysters, crab, haddock, and other fish are also plentiful and the options for sea-to-table dining are nearly endless. If you’re not into seafood, no need to worry; you’ll also find Mexican, Italian, and Asian cuisine around town.

Before the cruise shipping industry's pause (since mid-March 2020), the port expected nearly 200 ship calls and 300,000+ passengers. By mid-November 2020, Bar Harbor ME had booked 150+ cruise ship dockings (scheduled port calls) for season 2021. Ships anchor in Frenchman Bay and tender passengers to the Town Pier, located just steps from the heart of downtown Bar Harbor. Visitors can easily set out on foot to explore this small, pedestrian-friendly town.