FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

New England EcoAdventures reserves the right to cancel a tour due to unsafe sea or weather conditions, minimum passenger requirements not met, or maintenance needs that do not allow the boat to operate properly. In such a case, New England Eco Adventures will try to reschedule the tour if possible. If it isn’t possible, passengers will receive a full refund.

All cancellations must be made at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled departure date. If canceled less than 48 hours or if a no-show occurs, the customer will be responsible for the full amount of the excursion.

As we have minimum space on our boats, when a customer reserves a specific date and time, that booking is held exclusively for that customer and no longer available to other customers, which is why we need a minimum of at least 48 hours to potentially fill the canceled seats prior to the trip.

The tour runs in light rain and other moderate weather conditions, but New England EcoAdventures may cancel the activity up to the start time in the event of severe or unsafe weather conditions. If we cancel the event, ticket holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability), convert their tickets to gift certificates for use in the future, or receive a full refund. We make every decision with the customer in mind, so we try and give the customer plenty of notice when canceling a trip.

We ask that everyone show up for their tour 20 minutes prior to departure time.

Our Kennebunk ticket booth is located at 8 Western Ave. Kennebunk, ME 04043. We are located inside Coastal Maine Kayak and Bike.

Our Hampton Beach ticket booth is located at 1 Ocean Blvd. Hampton Beach, NH 03842.

We offer complimentary spring water, and there is beer available to purchase from Kennebunkport Brewing Company (Kennebunk location) before your adventure. Food is not included with your trip, but we have a cooler on board that can accommodate light snacks. There are restaurants nearby. We do not recommend bringing full carry-out meals or picnics on board.

We encourage passengers to bring their own reusable water bottles, but we do offer complimentary water.

Unless it’s a private charter, the minimum age is 6 years old with an adult. We do not recommend these tours for passengers with a history of  back injuries or those with medical conditions that might be adversely affected by boating operations. We recommend that children 11 and under wear life jackets assigned by the captain at all times and follow the captain’s instructions.

SMALL — only 14 passengers, no crowds
FAST — more time with the wildlife & scenery
OPEN — enjoy fresh air, bird sounds, and no diesel fumes
PERSONAL — each trip is tailored to those on board
STABLE — much less likelihood of seasickness
QUIET — our engines are much quieter than most

The other tours are a fine option, but if you want something more in-depth, more personalized, and more engaging, our adventure tour offers all of that and more. New England EcoAdventures is a very personalized experience with only 14 or 20 passengers per tour, delving into the history and culture of Southern Maine and Coastal New Hampshire. You will experience fascinating areas of Maine and New Hampshire that most visitors don’t even know are there.

Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively undisturbed natural areas, intended as a low-impact and often small-scale alternative to standard commercial mass tourism.

Our boats greatly reduce the chance of seasickness as our low profile does not rock aggressively compared to the traditional tour boats. There will be constant motion depending on the sea conditions. Be sure to eat at least a light meal. Consider taking precautions if you know you are sensitive.

• Book a trip in the morning rather than the afternoon for smoother seas.
• Take over-the-counter medication (non-drowsy Dramamine) the night before the trip.
• Choose the rear seats, as the front goes up and down more.
• Tell your captain that you’re sensitive at the start of the trip, and give updates if you start to feel queasy. Usually, he or she can adjust the motion of the boat to help you feel better.

Our captain may give you a taste of the boat’s maneuverability and speed at their discretion, but our primary focus is the experience of closeness to nature. We always operate within safe parameters for the sea’s changing conditions and with the utmost respect for marine life. Oh, the boat is very fast too.

We follow the federal whale watching guidelines that apply to all boats, including kayaks: stopping the boat at least 300 feet (91 meters) away from the whales, not pursuing or blocking them, and driving slowly when we are near them. We allow whales or porpoises to approach us if they choose.

RIB boats are some of the safest and driest boats made. With that said, there is a possibility of getting wet when it’s windy and choppy.  The captain will endeavor to keep you as dry as possible, but in some conditions, ocean spray is inevitable.

We recommend you show up to the boat with extra layers of clothing; you can always peel some off. Depending on the day, the ocean can 15 or more degrees cooler than on land, and temperatures may change throughout your excursion.

We also recommend sunglasses and sunscreen (even on overcast days).

Fine leather that could be damaged by salt, high-heeled shoes or loose sandals, skirts, full meals, crumbly or messy snacks, fragile glassware.

We are permitted for up to 20 passengers in Kennebunk and 14 passengers in Hampton Beach.  New England EcoAdventures is never crowded.

No, due to demand, we’ve started offering an whale watch that operates during the day. Please check the calendar for availability. If we don’t offer a whale watch the day you’d like to go, First Chance Whale Watch is right next door to our Kennebunk location.

We see humpback whales, fin whales, minke whales, northern right whale, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, and the harbor porpoise. We are also lucky enough to occasionally see sei whales, blue whales, sperm whales and the long-finned pilot whale. These whales pass right by us offshore!

We do not offer a lobster cruise, but we have friends who do. We highly recommend Rugosa Lobster Tours and First Chance Whale Watch.

1. You’re more than welcome to call us, but for the fastest response, you should email us at [email protected] or text us through our website. We usually respond to emails within an hour and texts immediately.

Kennebunk: (207) 502-8040

Hampton Beach: (603) 502-6084

Kennebunk –  Our ticket booth is located inside Coastal Maine Kayak & Bike at 8 Western Ave. Kennebunk, ME 04043.

Portland, Maine – Our ticket booth is located at 1 Marina Way in Portland, Maine 04101

Kennebunk Location – We have 4 Parking options for you.

(1) Our personal favorite – courtesy valet. Courtesy valet is located at our ticket booth at 8 Western Ave. Kennebunk, Maine. In order for the service to be free, you need to purchase something from Federal Jack’s Brew Pub – which is a must if you’re in the area anyway. *The valet isn’t always operating when our tours are.

(2) All-day parking located at the same lot we are, 8 Western Ave. Kennebunk, Maine. This is a great option if you plan to spend the day in Kennebunkport and would like a central parking spot. The cost is $20 for the day and paid at the parking kiosk.

(3) There is a pay lot located at 169 Port Rd. This is about a 6-minute walk to the boat, but there are usually spots available. The rates are $5 an hour.

(4) There is FREE street parking along the street, but it’s in high demand and can be tough to find.

Please arrive at the ticket booth no later than 20 minutes before your scheduled tour. Your Captain will meet you at the ticket booth and escort you to the boat 10 minutes before your scheduled tour. Please give yourself plenty of time for travel. Traffic can be terrible during the summer months.

Standard tipping for boat charters is 18-20% of the price of the tour. Tipping is always greatly appreciated! Our captains are very knowledgeable and passionate about what they do, and a generous tip is the best way to say ‘Thank you!”

We encourage you to bring a camera or video equipment on board to capture some of the wildlife and beautiful scenery you will see on your excursion. The RIB is a very dry boat, but there are occasional wind and sea conditions that can cause water to spray, which is why we recommend having the ability to cover your equipment while underway.

A zoom lens is best, such as 70-200, 70-300, or 100-400. Next best would be a fixed 200 or 300. A 1.4x telextender will add flexibility if you own one and if your camera body will auto-focus with it attached. It’s great to have a wide-angle too when the action is close to the boat.