Frequently Asked Questions

Whether this is your first time aboard or you just need a refresher, we’re here to answer all of your questions! If you don’t see your question below, we are always available via phone or email to help you out.

Is this experience right for me?

  • No! If you’d like to learn, we are more than happy to teach you.

    You can do as much or as little as you like. We encourage everyone who’d like to participate to be part of the team. This includes raising and lowering the sails, hand cranking the anchor up each morning, or taking a turn at the wheel. Captain Schaefer can even teach you some navigation and answer your sailing questions.

    We also need plenty of help in the galley, and we encourage everyone to take a turn washing dishes or prepping a delicious meal. Just let Chef Jocelyn know if you’d like to help! You’ll learn as much in the galley as you do on deck.

    Just know that if you prefer to just kick back, watch the scenery go by, or get lost in a book or your knitting, that’s ok too.

  • Windjammers present a dynamic environment; however, we have guests of a wide variety of ages and abilities sail with us each season. As mobility reference points, you should be able to safely and confidently navigate a short ladder or stairwell. You should also be able to step into and out of the heads using a step slightly higher than the average stair riser. It’s also important to be comfortable walking on the deck under sail, when the boat may be traveling on a gentle angle. If you have any questions or doubts regarding your particular situation, please give us a call and we can answer your questions.

  • We recognize that traveling with a CPAP might cause some worry because, as much as you crave adventure, breathing comfortably through the night is important. Fret not. You are welcome to bring your CPAP along. Your best option is to bring a cord that plugs directly into your machine and into a 12-volt socket/auxiliary outlet. You may also check with your machine’s manufacturer about an appropriate adapter. Search online under “camping with a CPAP” and you will find some good tips, tricks, and suggestions from folks who have found alternative solutions for traveling with a CPAP. Have a question or concern? Please give us a call and we can help refer you to some resources.

  • We don’t see this very often as a problem, however, the only one who can really answer this is you.

    Fortunately, the bulk of your time will NOT be spent in your cabin. You will be outside in the fresh air and open space. Most people clean up, change their clothes and sleep in their cabins, but do not spend much time there. The cabins are definitely cozy, but each is equipped with a window to offer ventilation, and some even have hatches which can be left open to introduce further fresh air. We find that some guests enjoy sleeping on deck as well, enjoying starlight, and sea sounds. If this sounds like a good option for you, just bring a rolled up sleeping pad, a sleeping bag, and a small pillow for this purpose.

    If you are particularly prone to being claustrophobic, please let us know either by calling or putting it on your online reservation.

  • We believe solo travelers should not have to pay more for their adventure, for this reason, we offer our guests a shared accommodation and do not charge a single supplement. We will simply put you in a twin accommodation cabin with another guest travelling solo.

    If you would like to ensure a cabin to yourself, you must purchase for the empty berths in that cabin. This amounts to double the fare in a double cabin, three times for a triple cabin.

    On some cruises, if there are no other solo travelers, you may end up with the cabin to yourself. We only assign a cabin mate if the trip is too full for solo travelers to be spread out. We find that many times new friends are made this way!

  • Our age minimum on a typical trip is 12 years old, but we do make the occasional exception. If you think your child is a good candidate for an age exception, give us a call and we can talk it over. We do not make any exceptions on our Sip & Sail Cruises.

    We highly encourage you to first consider our Kids and Family cruise, where our age minimum is 6 years old! This cruise can provide an intergenerational experience that instills a love of sailing and adventure early in a child’s life sharing meals and experiences with other children from across the country.

    All children under the age of 8 will be asked to wear a life jacket when on deck. We ask for parents' support in enforcing this life-saving policy.

Questions about booking & cost

  • Every season has its advantages! In May and June, the days are long and the sailing is fabulous. Plus, we are just so excited to be back on the bay again! September and October bring fall colors, crisp, clean air, and the best star-gazing ever! During these shoulder seasons, the wind is a bit brisker, kids are back in school, foot and vehicle traffic in town is lighter, and the summer cruisers have either not arrived or returned to their home ports.

    The summer season is also a wonderful time to sail with us, when families with students (ages 12 and up) can travel together and the weather is at its warmest. Everything along the coast that’s seasonal is open in July and August which makes it a wonderful time to fold your cruise into a longer Maine vacation.

  • Other than a $20 fee if you are parking in the windjammer lot and a tip for the crew, no. Tax is even included in the listed price of your cruise. That’s not to say you shouldn’t bring spending money for anything you find you must have in the ship’s store or on one of our shore excursions! Each trip our Captains and crew will bring out the fun ship store merch, including apparel, glassware, and more so that you can take something special home.

  • Sailing on the J. & E. Riggin would not be possible if not for the dedication and efforts of our crew. A 10% gratuity (of the total cost of your trip) is customary and would be greatly appreciated. Each cabin has an envelope in it for this purpose.

Questions about what to bring

  • Yes! Generally speaking, please pack as lightly as possible, preferably using soft, malleable, luggage (think duffels, totes, backpacks) that can conform to small spaces.

    Sneakers, deck shoes or soft soled shoes (2 pairs)

    Wool socks (2 pairs – for June and September sailing)

    Slacks, jeans, or sweatpants (elastic waists are really comfortable)

    Rain jacket and pants, pants being as important as the jacket. No rain ponchos, as they can present a hazard.

    Shorts and shirts (both long- and short-sleeved)

    Long underwear (for June and September sailing)

    A heavy sweater or two

    Windbreaker

    Bathing suit and an extra towel for swimming

    Hat and sunglasses

    Sunscreen and bug repellant

    Flashlight or headlamp for the evenings (the sun sets early in the fall)

    Binoculars, camera (batteries and memory card), sketch pad, craft projects

    Ear plugs (for light sleepers)

    Reusable water bottle

    USB charging cords for your cell phone

    Wet wipes

    SPF lip balm

    If sleeping on deck (it’s an option!), bring a rolled sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and small pillow

  • Guest parking is in the windjammer parking lot on Captain Spear Drive, just steps away from where the J. & E. Riggin is docked. There is a $20 parking fee which will be collected by the Captain the morning of departure and the crew will give you a card to put on your dashboard to show that you belong in the lot. Don’t worry if it seems as though all of the cars don’t fit nicely in the allotted spaces. The crew assists on departure day in making sure every car is in its space for the duration of the cruise.

    If you have an RV that will not fit in the windjammer lot, get in touch with us well prior to sailing. We can make special arrangements and/or advise you on a place to securely park your vehicle.

  • Alcohol is only provided on Sip & Sail Cruises. There is no alcohol provided on other cruises at this time; however, you are welcome to bring your own. The same is true for soft drinks, fruit juice, or bottled water if that is your preference. All of these can be purchased in Rockland in the morning before we sail and can be stowed in our icebox. We provide coffee – both regular and decaf – tea, hot chocolate and water. We also serve juice with breakfast and iced tea or lemonade with lunch. Ice and an ice chest are available on deck for use by guests.

  • We are a completely smoke- and vape-free vessel for the duration of all trips while aboard. This includes tobacco, herbal products, and/or federally illegal substances. Federal law dictates that the use of any illegal substances is strictly prohibited. No matter what the state law says, we operate under federal law.

  • Every trip we have people, brave souls, who swim. We won’t sugar coat it, especially early in the season, it can be cold! But it feels great. As the summer goes on, the waters of Penobscot Bay warm up to a balmy 65 (or so) degrees. Bring your bathing suit so you have the option! You are also welcome to bring a fishing pole; we do not supply lures or bait.

Questions about the experience aboard

  • Yes, we anchor every night in a different location, and we always give you an opportunity to walk and explore ashore, either that evening or the next morning. Every harbor is lovely and individual in its own way. What you find ashore changes with each place we go. One time you might find an old historic fishing village or maybe a quiet country walk and a field of wildflowers. Another time might find you shopping in quaint artist shops or passing the time with a friendly, local Mainer. Other shore destinations may be uninhabited islands with beautiful hiking trails that rise to an ocean view.

  • We know that this ratio of guests to heads can be surprising, but it works! This is because life on a boat is a bit different than at home. The bathrooms are called “heads” and contain a toilet, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer. Hand washing, shaving, face washing, hair-doing, and teeth brushing all happen in your cabin. Each cabin has a sink with cold running, potable (drinkable) water, and a mirror. In your cabin you will also find two steel water glasses and a large pitcher should you like to have it filled with hot water from the galley for freshening up.

    Upon leaving the dock, we have all the water we will need for everyone to take one shower per day, using sensible water conservation measures that our Captains and crew will explain during Captains’ Call after boarding. Showers are taken at anchor, either after breakfast or after dinner when the wood stove, which heats the water for piping to the shower, has our on board hot water nice and ready for you.

  • The coast of Maine is home to a wealth of animals, birds, and aquatic life. The most recognizable being puffins, moose, whales, and lobster. While puffin sightings are rare, we do see harbor seals, porpoise, sharks, eagles, osprey, and a wide range of sea birds among the islands, bays, and inlets along the coast. Whales tend to be seen in the mid to late summer months, the most common in our area being the finback, minke, and pilot whales. It is wonderful to see the whale population making a comeback in Maine just as bald eagles did.

  • Sometimes! Some years the crew has musicians, and some years we don’t. If you want to be certain music will be part of your cruise, you should check out one of our music cruises. Of course, you are always welcome to bring your voice and/or instruments along and join in!

    Music & Dance w/ the Gawler Family Band >

    Swans Island Music Festival with Bennett Konesni & Friends >

    Music & Storytelling with Geoff Kauffman >

Questions addressing concerns

  • Seasickness is virtually unheard of on the J. & E. Riggin, even for those who have experienced it before on other vessels in different situations. The Riggin is very stable in the protected waters of Penobscot Bay, with no significant pitching or rolling. Because you spend most of your time on deck, you also have the benefit of fresh air and the visual reference point of the horizon.

    Our Captains do everything possible to avoid sailing situations that might induce seasickness. If you are still concerned, bringing a natural remedy such as tea, ginger, saltines, olives (yes, really), or an over-the-counter remedy is typically enough. Many of these things are available in the galley, as well! You are likely to find that you don’t need them, but they might provide you peace of mind.

  • One of the elements outside of our control is the weather. We generally sail rain or shine, but we will stay in port rather than endure rough seas. We provide you with a packing list, included in your confirmation. If you follow our recommendations on the list, you’ll be warm, dry, and comfortable no matter the weather. Observing Penobscot Bay and the Maine coast under a variety of weather conditions can be a treat, especially when you see a fog bank for the first time or experience a rainbow showing end to end on the water.

    Please understand that our weather policy is as follows: in the unlikely event that your trip is delayed or shortened due to prolonged severe weather we do not issue refunds for time spent in port.

  • In the event of an emergency in which someone needs to reach you while you are sailing, they can call 1-800-869-0604 and their message will be relayed to you by our shore office as soon as possible.

    Cell coverage has become generally very good on Penobscot Bay, but there are still spotty areas of low or no service, so providing your loved ones with our office number is a good idea.