Robyns23 Posted March 22, 2023 #1 Share Posted March 22, 2023 We are going on the Liberty in October with a stop in Bar Harbor. All the excursions but one are already booked and we really want to go to Acadia. All other options/tours seem booked as well. Anyone have any suggestions? Do you think Royal will add more excursions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Tree_skier Posted March 22, 2023 #2 Share Posted March 22, 2023 No I don't think anymore will be added. You are 7 months out from your cruise and I'd expect that all excursions have been advertised. Bar Harbor doesn't want cruise ships. As a result of that there will be a limited number available as tour companies start moving their infrastructure away from Bar Harbor and to more cruise tourist friendly areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles4515 Posted March 22, 2023 #3 Share Posted March 22, 2023 (edited) I booked on my own to Acadia. Oli's Trolley. Check for availability. There was also another company Acadia Tours. Very similar. No need to do it with Royal Caribbean. There is also a free shuttle but it may not run your date. https://olistrolley.com/tours/ https://www.acadiatours.com/acadia-national-park-tours-our-tour/ Edited March 22, 2023 by Charles4515 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommaBear55 Posted March 22, 2023 #4 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Olis Trolley has better access than some others, I recommend them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relaxatsea Posted March 22, 2023 #5 Share Posted March 22, 2023 A few years ago, we had a port stop in Bar Harbor. Right to the left of the dock is a beautiful walking path that goes alongside the water and eventually turns and goes into the town. It was in the Fall, and we enjoyed all of the sights and the beautiful Fall leaves. After our walk, we had some blueberry pie at one of the restaurants in town. It was a great day. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted March 22, 2023 #6 Share Posted March 22, 2023 We've booked with Acadia National Park on one of our port stops in Bar Harbor and their (bus) tour was just great !!!! Check their website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaniDanielle Posted March 22, 2023 #7 Share Posted March 22, 2023 We did Ollie’s also, excellent 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelblu Posted March 22, 2023 #8 Share Posted March 22, 2023 4 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said: We did Ollie’s also, excellent Ditto. If you can, book online as their early tours usually sell out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyinpa Posted March 22, 2023 #9 Share Posted March 22, 2023 it's fun to book an electric car and drive up the mountain..so i'm told. we missed port last year but i was really looking forward to it. the pics and vids online looked great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taglovestocruise Posted March 22, 2023 #10 Share Posted March 22, 2023 1 hour ago, Robyns23 said: We are going on the Liberty in October with a stop in Bar Harbor. All the excursions but one are already booked and we really want to go to Acadia. All other options/tours seem booked as well. Anyone have any suggestions? Do you think Royal will add more excursions? Close to a dozen tours on TripAdvisor, many more on Viator. cheaper and better than Royal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyns23 Posted March 22, 2023 Author #11 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Awesome guys thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fouremco Posted March 23, 2023 #12 Share Posted March 23, 2023 Another vote for Oli's. And here's a useful map should you decide to explore the town after your excursion:http://www.shipdetective.com/ports/ports_of_call/pdf/BHbyFOOT_09_web.pdf The Shore Path (#13) is a lovely walk. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spleenstomper Posted March 23, 2023 #13 Share Posted March 23, 2023 Is there a car rental close to port? I need to book something for bar harbor for May 5!!! It’s been busy around here and we are just getting around to figuring out what we want to do. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chengkp75 Posted March 23, 2023 #14 Share Posted March 23, 2023 1 hour ago, spleenstomper said: Is there a car rental close to port? I need to book something for bar harbor for May 5!!! It’s been busy around here and we are just getting around to figuring out what we want to do. Thanks. The closest is at the airport, a 20 minute drive away from the pier. There is no Enterprise there, they've closed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 1025cruise Posted March 23, 2023 #15 Share Posted March 23, 2023 Sorry, no car rental in Bar Harbor. The taxi to/from the airport will probably be more than the car. There are electric car rentals, not sure if they are running that early though. Season for Bar Harbor doesn't really start until after Memorial Day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spleenstomper Posted March 23, 2023 #16 Share Posted March 23, 2023 Thanks, we would like to go to Arcadia NP but not in a bus with everyone else. I’ll work on that this weekend. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaribbeanBound Posted March 24, 2023 #17 Share Posted March 24, 2023 With apologies (and thanks) to the cruiser who posted this tidbit that I found on one of the threads... "You don't need a rental car. Walk up Main St. to the Village Green. Check in at the visitors booth where you can buy the Park Entrance Pass. Or, if you are a senior and have one, bring a National Park Senior Pass. Take Island Explorer Bus #3 (leaves every half hour beginning at 9 am from the Village Green) to Thunder Hole. Hike the Ocean Path back to Sand Beach. From Sand Beach take Bus # 4 (leaves every 20 minutes beginning at 9:35 am) to Jordan Pond. Have lunch here by the lake. Very good chowder and popovers. Return to town on bus # 4 or 5 and check out the shops. The Island Explorer free bus website is at https://www.exploreacadia.com/index.html You can find maps and bus schedules there." There are several different tours to choose from that you can do on your own. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 1025cruise Posted March 24, 2023 #18 Share Posted March 24, 2023 20 minutes ago, CaribbeanBound said: With apologies (and thanks) to the cruiser who posted this tidbit that I found on one of the threads... "You don't need a rental car. Walk up Main St. to the Village Green. Check in at the visitors booth where you can buy the Park Entrance Pass. Or, if you are a senior and have one, bring a National Park Senior Pass. Take Island Explorer Bus #3 (leaves every half hour beginning at 9 am from the Village Green) to Thunder Hole. Hike the Ocean Path back to Sand Beach. From Sand Beach take Bus # 4 (leaves every 20 minutes beginning at 9:35 am) to Jordan Pond. Have lunch here by the lake. Very good chowder and popovers. Return to town on bus # 4 or 5 and check out the shops. The Island Explorer free bus website is at https://www.exploreacadia.com/index.html You can find maps and bus schedules there." There are several different tours to choose from that you can do on your own. The Island Explorer will probably not be running yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyinpa Posted March 24, 2023 #19 Share Posted March 24, 2023 3 hours ago, spleenstomper said: Thanks, we would like to go to Arcadia NP but not in a bus with everyone else. I’ll work on that this weekend. Thanks. have you read reviews, here or TA forum? i forget where i read it but they said there are so many vehicles going up the mountain that there are no places to pull over and park . maybe it was high season, unsure. but some reviews were saying how overrun it was. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mets123 Posted March 24, 2023 #20 Share Posted March 24, 2023 5 hours ago, luckyinpa said: have you read reviews, here or TA forum? i forget where i read it but they said there are so many vehicles going up the mountain that there are no places to pull over and park . maybe it was high season, unsure. but some reviews were saying how overrun it was. I've done the tours many times in summer and prime time fall . Never had an issue with parking, whether by ourselves or on a tour bus. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 1025cruise Posted March 24, 2023 #21 Share Posted March 24, 2023 You can no longer just drive up Cadillac Mountain. You need to have a permit to drive up. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles4515 Posted March 24, 2023 #22 Share Posted March 24, 2023 56 minutes ago, 1025cruise said: You can no longer just drive up Cadillac Mountain. You need to have a permit to drive up. A park pass is also required to drive into the park. The park pass is not required for the bus tours. Bar Harbor is a tender port. I don’t get going out of town to the airport renting a car and then returning the car to the airport and back to Bar Harbor. Seems like that would eat up a bunch of time. After the tour I had time for a lobster roll and blueberry pie and a bit of time looking in the shops. Since I took Oli’s Acadia tour on my first trip to Bar Harbor I appreciated the the tour because it was narrated by a local and we learned all kinds of stuff that I would not have if I had driven into the park on my own. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 1025cruise Posted March 24, 2023 #23 Share Posted March 24, 2023 I agree. I can't see fighting the traffic to/from the airport for a rental car in Bar Harbor. I've done Oli's three times now (twice on a land vacation, and once as a port stop). It's one of the best ways to see Acadia. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spleenstomper Posted March 24, 2023 #24 Share Posted March 24, 2023 Ok so Ollie’s and the Acadia bus tour both don’t start yet when I go (May 5) so I guess I have to go through the ship which I didn’t want to do (reviews aren’t great) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 1025cruise Posted March 24, 2023 #25 Share Posted March 24, 2023 Odds are if there is a ship in port, Ollie might have a trolley running. They did this last year when the Pearl made its first appearance. But yeah, you're a bit early.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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