Rugosa Lobster Tours

We had a delightful time. The crew were very responsive to our interests and queries. Left tour very knowledgeable about lobsters and the industry. The ride out in the bay and then up the river gave us a feel for Kennebunkport including Walker point. Highly recommend. Gary and Linda from Michigan

We had such a great time! I have been around lobsters most of my life growing up with my grandparents at Crowley's Lobster Pound in Biddeford Pool, ME. I thought I knew a lot about lobster. Was I wrong! We learned so much about lobsters on this tour. Much too much to mention here. We highly recommend this tour for anyone! I will do it again when back in the area.

This is a specific catch and release educational boat. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the time with Rugosa! It was a relaxing morning and very informative. We learned a great deal about the lobster industry and lobster biology as well! Even though, as with any hunting and fishing activity, there are limits to size and quantity that can be harvested this industry is also somewhat self policing to protect harvesting territories and the largest best reproducers in order to sustain the industry. Once again, these guys did a fantastic job!

This was a terrific tour! it was a great way to learn about lobstering and have family time and relax. My husband and I took our grandchildren and they loved it! So did we. You also get a good view of the main coast and beaches and the Walker Bush family compound. I would recommend it to anyone you don’t have to love fishing to enjoy it. It is a great tour for anyone.!

We had a great tour! The water was a little rough. Captain Mike and Jim went out of the way make sure we were comfortable. They were both remarkable with their depth of knowledge and were exceptional in their presentation. Our group was thoroughly entertained and left the tour with a greater understanding and appreciation the lobster-men of Maine!

We had a great time on the Rugosa Lobster tour! It was definitely one of everyone’s favorite things we did on our family Vacation. It was very educational, entertaining, and we loved how much they included the kiddos! Matt and Mark did an excellent job and we have a much bigger appreciation of lobstering. Getting to see Walker’s point was a nice bonus!

What an amazing surprise! Loved the tour and learned sooo much! Matt and Lauren really know their stuff. The timing was perfect and really flew by! Highly recommend!!

Rugosa did an awesome job. Jim was fantastic. We learned so much about the lobster industry and the local area. The guys were professional and kind. They included each and every guest. It was a very hands on experience. We would highly recommended this tour!!

My wife and I loved the tour. The weather was less than ideal but the crew was great and provided blankets and ponchos. We learned a lot about lobstering and Kennebunkport

A Perfect Storm's a Swindling. It looked pretty fun, wouldn't know though ;) read on to find out why. Was vacationing in Maine, and I booked this tour for a Thursday on a Sunday. I received a confirmation email for my tour. I even noticed the policy that cancellations can happen due to weather or other incidents. Things happen and I can understand this policy as any rational person would. Even the day before I get a preparation email for the tour. What to bring, how to dress, what time to show up and what to expect. The tour I booked was supposed to embark at 12:30pm. My wife and I decided to visit a bakery in the Portland area where we were staying before we drove down to the tour. Kennebunkport is about 45 -50 minutes from where we were. And so we headed on our way. My phone rang while I was driving and like most safe drivers, I don't answer phone calls while driving. Especially calls where there is no caller id. I usually get 3 spam calls a day and they all leave messages. This call I received while driving was marked as spam so I thought nothing of it. My wife and I show up to the dock where the tour is supposed to start and we're informed by two young men that the tour was cancelled. And that in fact the boat has been in repair for weeks. Imagine my surprise. They also informed me that I should have received an email about it. I checked my email again, and sure enough there it was, but it didn't specify that the boat had needed repair for weeks. I also decided to listen to the voice mail. It was the tour person telling me they had engine issues. Again I can understand that issues come up when boats are involved. But what is disappointing to me is that this business willing accepted my booking when they knew their boat was broken. It feels like we were swindled a bit. Obviously it's not the most atrocious thing ever, but when there are other lobster tours available, why choose one that only cares about their bottom line. Sadly this is our last day in Maine. There are plenty of boats in the sea, I'm sure there are much better ones. Edit: in response to the owners comment; I'm surprised that you don't understand the fault here. You knew for days that you were having engine issues. You could have sent an email then, so that I could book another tour. That at the very least would have been the best thing to do. But because you decided to not bring forth this information, allowing me not to book another tour, ending in my wife and I not even getting the experience. In an email response to me the owner said that "they cannot stop accepting bookings just because the engine isn't working." I reviewed your business, not the actual tour, and what I believe to be bad practices. So instead of keeping potential customers happy, you would rather keep your bottom dollar. That is what I find unethical. You ruined a potential experience. It's sad that I have to explain that.

Loved this tour! The two guides were absolutely fantastic. Kind, patient, knowledgeable and caring. We learned lots of things we did not know. Got to see the process of bringing up lobsters and understand this fascinating industry. All our questions got answered and the experience on the water was wonderful!

This was an excellent time for our whole family! Educational, interactive & fun! We highly recommend Rugosa for your lobstering adventures!! Thank you for the experience!!!

Fantastic guides who are super knowledgeable and accommodating. The lobster fisherman guides weave interesting facts about lobsters that are incredibly fascinating and share info regarding the Kennebunkport area and landmarks. If you are prone to sea sickness they have acupuncture wrist bands but I believe they should also have Dramamine meds and ginger chews. We had one passenger who got sick and we all felt so badly for the person. Just a fyi.

It was a beautiful afternoon on the water to learn about lobsters. Our hosts were excellent taking turns at teaching and steering the boat. Our group ranged from 11-78. All had fun! I would definitely encourage others to take the Rugosa Lobsters Tour! The boat held twenty and so we really got special attention!

Great tour! On time departing and returning. So educational and fun! Would highly recommend ordering the lobster rolls for lunch afterwards!

Very educational and fun. Capt and first mate knowledgeable and interactive. Highly recommend.

Great experience! Just the right amount of time! Excellent educational tour with interactive learning between guides and guests! Great sense of humor! Good for all ages! Definitely recommend!

My family and I took this tour when they visited and it was a great experience. The weather on the day of our tour was pretty bad, so they reached out that morning to offer to reschedule us or give us a refund. We were able to get rebooked on a tour the next day. Captain Bob and Jim were great guides, and we learned so much about the lobster industry. The kids (6 and 9) had an absolute blast and got to practice banding claws and throwing the catch back. Highly recommend for anyone visiting the area or even just learning more about where they live!

I had the best time on this tour. Super friendly and educational. The interactive experience was very enjoyable. Highly recommend

My daughter and I had a great time on this trip. The crew did an excellent job teaching us the ins and outs of lobster fishing and took their time educating us on the anatomy of a lobster. A must do trip!!!

Uber interesting & fun tour!! The captain & the professor really know how to make this trip interesting, educational and interactive. We learned a ton & had a great time. I'd recommend this smaller boat to everyone & it's perfect for families.

Wonderful experience! We had a great time and would highly recommend! We learned a lot and the interaction was great. My kids, my young grandkids, and my wife and I truly enjoyed ourselves. Even the merch was good!

Had a wonderful trip with the family and learned comprehensive and amazing facts about lobsters from our extremely competent guide. Couldn't go out too far for the ocean part of the trip but they were classy enough to refund part of our fare! Unexpected and truly appreciated. Truly classy operation!

We absolutely LOVED our tour with our lobster expert Philip! It's really pretty grounds, so go 1/2 hour early to take pictures! They welcome you onboard, and they make EVERYONE feel welcome. They left right on time...gave us a brief history/tour of the Kennebunk/Kennebunkport area along the river and then went into the ocean. We learned SO MUCH about the life of a lobster, visited several traps to pull them up along the way, and even got to hold a live lobster. It wasn't one of those tours where you get tired of listening because they talk the whole time and feel overwhelmed. They gave plenty of information and let us ask questions. I would definitely recommend this tour, whether it be a for a family, a group of friends, or a couple. The ONLY recommendation I would give them is to put a Venmo account name so people who don't have cash can easily send a tip. Thank you for a great tour!

I've taken this tour three times and is always very enjoyable. I've ever been disappointed, you'll learn everything you ever wanted to to know about Lobsters. The crew is very knowledgeable.

Great tour, very informative and just the right length at about 90 mins. Captains Jim, Bob & Abe were all the best. We learned a lot about the lobster industry in Maine as well as those tasty lobstahs!! Well worth the money to go one, and the crew definitely has passion about what they do. Great time!!

We had such a great time cruising down the Kennebunk River and out into the Gulf of Maine to learn all about lobsters! Our captains were welcoming and fun, and extremely knowledgeable about these incredible creatures, the local lobstering industry, and conservation efforts. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for an immersive, truly Maine experience!

Excellent guides, great information, reasonable cost, highly recommend theses guys! Great experience !

We loved this- we had a group with kids and adults and everyone was engaged the whole time. Bob and Mark were pleasant, fun, and informative. Booking the private charter was easy. Perfect length of time on the boat. The staff called us the day of to move us up so we wouldn't run in to bad weather. Overall great memories were made and we all learned a lot. Definitely recommend these guys!

We did the tour on 8/3 and we had a blast. The crew was great and really made sure that everybody had a good experience. We would highly recommend this tour.

We loved our tour! Would highly recommend to anyone in the area. Excellent hospitality, education, hands on experience! We got to hold the lobsters, ask questions, and learn so much from the guides!

We had a great time on the boat. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and invited tour participants to hold the lobsters, band the claws, and toss lobsters back to the water. It was a warm summer day in a Kennebunk and we were worried about being cold on the water but were very comfortable in shorts and short sleeves. Arrive 15-20 minutes early to pick your seat (shade or sun).

Captain Bob and "Lobster Professor" John were just awesome. Remarkable knowledge and professionalism mixed with an abundance of humor and really cool stories. An amazing experience that we can't wait to do again !

Wonderful experience. Exceptional value! We learned so much!! I would encourage you to arrive early, as we were the last to arrive, and we were practically sitting on each others laps, but hands down one of the most educational experiences you'll find in Maine.

It was an amazing tour. The captain and first mate were very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about lobster's. I would highly recommend going on this tour!!

Best hour I've spent in a long time. Fun, educational and hands on if you want.

MUST DO!!! Had the most fantastic experience today with Captain Bob and Phil. Learned SO much information in a really fun way surrounded by the most beautiful scenery i have ever seen. Had ages 8-mid 70's with our group; great fun for all!

Absolutely loved the tour we went on this past weekend. The staff were friendly and provided lots of information to us about lobsters and lobstering. My friends and I enjoyed getting to hold the lobsters as well. A good adventure nearby during Covid times as well!!

Fantastic Way to learn about Lobsters and the Lobster Industry in Main. 1.5 hours is the perfect amount of time to get out into the harbour, check a few nets, catch some Lobsters, hear about their biology, how they mate and the Lobster Industry in general. Was really interesting and Captain Bob and Nate knew their stuff. Really enjoyable way to see a different side of Maine. Loved it.

We really enjoyed our lobster tour, and the Minke whale was a super added touch. Delightful.

The Rugosa Lobster Tour was really great and informative! It was about 90 minutes long and you were entertained by Captain Bob and his Lobster Professor (Can't Remember his name at the moment) but that shouldn't take anything away from him! Make sure to bring a light jacket and take something for motion sickness. They had motion sick bands on the boat for everyone but if you are prone to motion sickness I would take something to take the edge off. Other than that it was a great experience! Do it!

My husband and I had a great time on this lobster boat a few weeks ago. We weren't sure what to expect, but we enjoyed learning about lobsters, the lobstering business, and just some other information about Maine and Kennebunkport in general. We bought tickets ahead of time online for an afternoon tour. There are some adults only tours which are BYOB but you can bring food or drink (including alcohol) on any of the tours. The location of the boat is behind the Nonantum Resort and there is free parking in the resort lot. Captain Bob and Dave were fun and extremely knowledgeable. They gave us the scoop on all things lobster! They showed us multiple lobsters, including a pregnant one and they threw them all back in the water so no harm was done. They let everyone hold the lobsters and some got to band the claws, which the kids on the boat tour loved! They took us out near the Bush compound which was cool to see from the water. It was definitely something different to do and was a fun experience. Would highly recommend this company and tour when in Maine!

What an enjoyable tour! Beautiful setting and educational too. The guides were knowledgeable, entertaining, and courteous. Great interactive family activity.

These guys were amazing. Informative, personable, funny! So glad we choose them. Small boat with hands on experiences. Ask me anything about a lobster and I can probably give you the correct answer! LOVED this tour

We were looking for something different to do...I found this tour and thought it would be fun. We weren't disappointed. Nate and Phil were fantastic! Very friendly, knowledgeable and made the trip fun. It's an educational tour about lobsters and the industry...and guests are encouraged to ask questions. You can handle the lobsters and take pictures. As an added bonus...they took us to Walker Point for us to take photos and provided some interesting facts about the Bush compound. The boat isn't big, which keeps the guest list short which I liked. It allows everyone an opportunity to ask questions, hear the experts speak and handle the lobsters. Definitely recommend this for locals and out of staters - it's a fun time for everyone.

Captain Bob and First Mate Nate were amazing! Being from Maine, I didn't think I'd learn a lot about the insects of the sea, but boy did I! It was so nice to kick back and do something fun with the family. Highly recommend!!

This tour was so wonderful from the beginning to the end! We felt welcome and our comfort was so important to the skipper and mate. The information given was amazing as erre the demo's and our participation in them. Thenk you so much for this great experience! I highly recommend them!

Great experience and educated. Would highly recommended it to anyone visiting the area

As a teacher and Doctor of Science in Environmental Education, I appreciate your wonderful lobster educational boat tour. This was my third cruise on Rugosa and learned new information each time.

We had a great trip! Mark and Abe did a great job of explaining the lobster situation in the area. Awesome trip for kids with lots of interaction with live lobsters. We highly recommend this trip for fun, educational or scenic purposes.

The experience could not have been better. The Captain made the ride as smooth as possible in choppy conditions and the marine biologist was both personable and knowledgeable and spent extra time engaging the children on board. I would highly recommend this tour. As an added bonus you get to see President Bush's compound from the water.

Instructors were knowledgeable and great. They pass lobsters around for you to hold and examine. Ride gets a bit choppy after awhile would be my only complaint.

Booked this trip as a birthday gift for my fiances 31st birthday! We did this on September 2, 2018 at 1pm. This was our first time in Maine. We had learned a little bit of Lobsters, lobster men and their general information from a Foodie tour. These two men gave deeper detail in all of those subjects. They have bracelets to people who ha e sea sickness issues. Our waters for our trip were rough but the guys were awesome. We highly recommend this lobster tour to anyone who visits the area and wants an information tours on Lobsters. These two are great educational entertainment.

Captain Bob and Phil were great. We learned so much about lobsters and got to handle them. The kids loved it. The scenery from The Nonantum out into the ocean is incredible. Despite having one child who struggles in the car, he managed the boat just fine.

Other than being a bit challenging to find behind the resort they depart from, this tour was outstanding. The tour guide team was extremely knowledgeable and ready for any and all questions about the lobster's biology, behavior, and mating habits. They described the legal and current economic issues that are important in the lobster industry. The proximity to Walker's Point the Bush compound was of interest to everyone and the tour makes a special effort to sale close enough to the site for pictures and a description of the close relationship between the Bush family and Kennebunkport. Well worth the time and expense... Guys you need some better signage.

The Rugosa Lobster Tours was very informative, interesting. The Captain and lobster professor were wonderful, extremely knowledgeable. Outstanding job. Highly recommended.

Very educational, hands on catching lobster I highly recommend this tour! Captain Bob made the tour with his humor! This experience was the highlight of our trip to kennebunk port!