Before you go
- Boarding is FREE, no tickets. Just walk up to any open gangway.
- The docks are open 10 AM to 10 PM, but that is NOT the ships' hours. Many close much earlier. USS Arlington shuts at noon Wednesday, HMS Gladan at 2 PM, Virginia at 3 PM. Each ship's Wednesday hours are listed below; ships without a time follow the dock's 10 to 10. All of it is at the captain's discretion.
- Boston Fish Pier opens later: 2 PM on Mon–Wed (so Gorch Fock, Sagres, and Sudarshini are afternoon-only).
- Military ships (USS Constitution, USS Arlington, Eagle, foreign navy) may want a photo ID + a security screen.
- The fleet departs Thursday morning, Jul 16, so Wed Jul 15 is your last full day. A few ships leave earlier; those are marked ⚓ Departed below.
- Tap any ship's name (↗) for its official page with specs, photos, and history.
- USS Constitution runs on Navy hours, not Sail Boston's — Wed–Sun 10 AM–6 PM, photo ID and a security screen required. She's berthed here permanently, so she isn't in their boarding table at all.
- Hours checked against the official page Wed Jul 15, 11 AM. Sail Boston edits that page through the day (they changed two ships this morning), so if something looks off, check the source.
Tips from people who've gone
- Bring cash. Several ships (especially the South American ones) sell souvenirs and most don't take cards.
- USS Constitution, USCGC Eagle and the National Park visitor center need photo ID + a security screen. The Constitution uses a different boarding system, so expect the longest wait of the day.
- Water + sun protection. The piers are open concrete with no shade. There's a water-refill station and restrooms in the visitor center by the Constitution.
- Charlestown Pier 11 (Guayas) is a ~15 min walk from Pier 4 (Dar Młodzieży, Mircea). It's a big yard, so budget the time.
- Pier 8's schooners are often out on chartered sails. People have walked down there to find empty berths. Don't make it a special trip.
- Expect lines. Boarding is at each captain's discretion, so a closed gangway just means try the next ship.
No ships match that.