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Bar Harbor is a port of call on many Canada/New England cruises. It is often on the itinerary with ports such as Halifax, Saint. John (New Brunswick), Boston, Portland and Newport.
The cruise season in Bar Harbor runs from May through October. A hundred or more cruise ships call there. While there are cruise ship calls during the Spring and summer, the frequency of the calls increases in September and October when the ships do their Fall Foliage cruises. Bar Harbor is a tender port - - the cruise ships do not dock; rather they anchor out among the smaller islands in Frenchman Bay and ferry passengers ashore using the ship‘s boats or a ferry chartered for this purpose. The boats arrive at the Town Pier in downtown Bar Harbor. It is usually not a long tender ride but the length of the ride depends upon where the ship anchors. The Town Pier is at the base of Main Street and the town's shops and restaurants are a short walk away. So too is the beginning of the Shore Path. Shore excursion buses meet their guests in the parking area in front of the Pier. For those striking out on their own, the number of taxis is somewhat limited. However, there are companies that operate bus tours of the town and the island. Another alternative is the Island Explorer. This is a free shuttle bus that links Bar Harbor to Acadia National Park and to other communities on the island. The buses are powered by propane and the objective behind the program is to reduce automobile pollution and congestion on the island. Island Explorer buses run on eight routes from June to October. They stop by the Village Green, which is up Main Street a few blocks from the tender pier. |
Above: Cunard tenders assembling to begin taking passengers from Queen Mary 2 into Bar Harbor.
Below: Silver Whisper with tenders. 
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Cruise destination travel guide - - Bar Harbor - - Maine, USA - - Cruise Port