Portland Head Lighthouse

[StephsShoes]

Hi all, I'm brand new to this forum.  I will be on the NCL Escape in September and was wondering if any past cruisers recall when sailing into Portland if you can get good views (and photos) of the Portland Head Lighthouse while sailing into and/or out of Portland from the cruise ship?  I'd love a photo of the lighthouse and was wondering if the excursion to the lighthouse is necessary. 

 

Thanks so much!

 

[Alberta Quilter]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

See Post #16 is this thread:  

It sounds like there is no need to book an excursion if one is willing to get up a little early.

[chengkp75]

Sailing up from NYC, Portland Head will be on the port side.  From about 45-60 minutes prior to arrival time in Portland, you can get views/photos from forward, port side, and aft as the ship sails close by.  At the same time, you can get views of Ram Island  Ledge lighthouse on its lonely little rock in the bay.  As you get closer to the dock, look aft to see Spring Point lighthouse with House and Cushing Islands in the background, and off to port again will be Bug Light.  Also, astern will be Fort Gorges on its island.  I would also recommend going to the Portland Observatory, an old observation tower with great views of the "Calendar Islands" of Casco Bay.

[StephsShoes]

Thank you both so much, this is exactly what I was looking for!

[MEcruzr]

The Observatory is a great suggestion and you can walk from the cruise pier to it.

[Cyber Kat]

I got some of the most spectacular cruise photos I have ever taken sailing into Portland at dawn. I usually just take a couple of photos and go back to bed, but I just couldn’t stop. Not only the lighthouse, but the sun coming up over the hills and the sailboats anchored in the little coves.  It was just wonderful. Try to catch the light in your photo as it turns. It’s supposed to be good luck!

 

Enjoy your visit to Portland. I’m looking forward to a return visit next month. 

[Alberta Quilter]

Chengkp75, your instructions were perfect, thank you!  Here is my photo from this morning’s sail by:

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

4 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

Chengkp75, your instructions were perfect, thank you!  Here is my photo from this morning’s sail by:

 

 

Wow!! That is a great picture.  Thank you for posting.  It looks very close.  did you zoom this on or was the pass by close?

[Lbicklel]

Awesome pic! Are there any good lighthouse views sailing OUT of Portland heading north?

[Alberta Quilter]

3 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

 

Wow!! That is a great picture.  Thank you for posting.  It looks very close.  did you zoom this on or was the pass by close?

 

I zoomed!  Thanks for the compliment.  BTW, it was almost exactly an hour prior to arrival time that we passed Portland Head. (I nearly missed it.)

[Alberta Quilter]

2 hours ago, Lbicklel said:

Awesome pic! Are there any good lighthouse views sailing OUT of Portland heading north?

Sorry, I attended a lecture so didn't see anything of our sailaway.  Hopefully, chengkp75 will come along and answer that for you.

[mets123]

You'll see the same lighthouse sailing out. You just won't have the sunrise.

[chengkp75]

If you are sailing north from Portland, you'll pass a little further from Portland Head, but closer to Ram Island Ledge.  The channel is the same into and out of Portland, so the same lights and islands will be seen, just in reverse order.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

OK--then we will see the Portland Head light the best on our way OUT.  We are coming from Canada.  It will be a bummer to miss the sunrise in the picture.  [we leave too early for sunset.]  But, I will make sure I am in position a little before an hour after sailaway.

[chengkp75]

34 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

OK--then we will see the Portland Head light the best on our way OUT.  We are coming from Canada.  It will be a bummer to miss the sunrise in the picture.  [we leave too early for sunset.]  But, I will make sure I am in position a little before an hour after sailaway.

Well, when I say you'll be further from the light coming from the north, the channel between Portland Head and Ram Island Ledge is only a mile wide, so "further" is a little relative.  The difference may be a quarter mile.  Besides, the light will be to your south and west whether coming in or out, so a sunrise over the light, from the sea is impossible.  The best you can hope for is what Alberta got, which is the light with the dark morning western sky behind it.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Well, when I say you'll be further from the light coming from the north, the channel between Portland Head and Ram Island Ledge is only a mile wide, so "further" is a little relative.  The difference may be a quarter mile.  Besides, the light will be to your south and west whether coming in or out, so a sunrise over the light, from the sea is impossible.  The best you can hope for is what Alberta got, which is the light with the dark morning western sky behind it.

Thanks, I am taking the mail run too.  So, I hope to get lots of light house picture. 

[Turtles06]

I realize that the OP has already sailed, but I wanted to reply up to some of the questions above, for others who may be researching Portland and the lighthouses in the future. 

 

In September, we were also on a New England/Canada cruise, roundtrip out of Cape Liberty, NJ, and called at Portland on the northbound leg of the trip.  I did get up early as @chengkp75has advised, but it was too drizzly, grey and dim out for decent photos of the Portland Head Light.  Fortunately, we had booked a wonderful trolley tour with Portland Discovery Land and Sea Tours, which gave us a good introduction to the old part of Portland and also brought us out to Portland Head Light.   

 

 

When we sailed away late in the afternoon, we did get a good look at the Lighthouse again, but I was quite glad we'd also been able to see it from land. 

 

 

 

(photos by turtles06)

[NOLA Diver]

I sailed on NE/Canada cruise for the first time in September 2017. Several shots of the Portland Headlight, first from my balcony as we were sailing into the port at dawn. 

 

Fishing boat heading out to sea, also during the sail into port.

 

Land side views of the headlight taken while on tour.

 

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

On 10/25/2019 at 7:55 AM, NOLA Diver said:

I sailed on NE/Canada cruise for the first time in September 2017. Several shots of the Portland Headlight, first from my balcony as we were sailing into the port at dawn. 

 

Fishing boat heading out to sea, also during the sail into port.

 

Land side views of the headlight taken while on tour.

 

 

 

You got some incredible views.