Essentials of Reserving a Maine Windjammer Trip
It’s not too early to start planning for 2023! Most of our Windjammers have already begun accepting reservations for next year, so if you’re already dreaming of next summer, you’ll want to head to their websites as soon as you can!
Returning sailors know that booking early gives them the best choice of sail dates and cabins. As one seasoned guest said, “I book my Windjammer trip first and then let all my other plans fall in place around it.” And, for new guests, many boats offer early booking discounts.
We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions to help you reserve your trip.
HOW DO I BOOK MY WINDJAMMER CRUISE?
While you can find helpful information on the MWA website, cruises are booked directly with the vessel of your choice. All the boats have online inquiry forms to expedite the process.
WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?
Each Windjammer has its own cancellation policy but they are all fairly similar. Each captain recognizes that plans can change, so all of the Windjammers have generous and transparent cancellation policies. For all of the MWA vessels, if you cancel more than 8 weeks in advance of your trip you’ll receive a full refund, less a cancellation fee. The cancellation fees vary between boats but tend to be about 10% of your deposit.
The final payment is due between 6 and 8 weeks of the trip and if you do need to cancel after this point, your payments are refundable IF your cabin can be resold. Therefore, we do recommend that you purchase travel insurance to protect you in case of last-minute cancellation. Trip insurance policies vary but one good place to start researching insurance is www.insuremytrip.com.
HOW TO GET TO MIDCOAST MAINE?
You can get here from there! The MWA vessels are homeported in Rockland and Camden, Maine. If you’re going to drive up, rest assured that each boat has a parking area for your car and all can accommodate RV’s.
If you will be flying, most people fly into Boston’s Logan airport or Portland, Maine’s Jetport. Boston is about 3.5-4 hours from Rockland and Camden so you can either rent a car, take Concord Coach busline or transfer in Boston to Cape Air and fly into our local Knox County Regional airport in Owls Head/Rockland.
From Portland you can of course rent a car or take the Sterling Elite Shuttle Service up the coast. Portland is a little over a 90 minute drive from us.
CAN I CHARTER THE WHOLE BOAT FOR A PRIVATE EVENT OR REUNION?
You bet! We’ve hosted family reunions, weddings, corporate outings and friend gatherings for all sizes of groups. If you’re interested in chartering the whole boat for your group, this is the time to start planning! The ships are available for charter for any length of time, as long as no one else has already reserved a cabin during that week. Discounted rates are available. Visit our Private charters page for more details or contact each boat directly.
We hope you’ll join us for a Pure Sail adventure!
Category: Maine Windjammers
