Ships ahoy.

The Tall Ships, a clutch of massive sailing vessels from around the world, have taken anchor in Boston. The globe-trotting convoy is back for the first time in nine years as part of Sail250, a months-long celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday. More than 50 ships are expected to appear, including Boston’s own USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world.

The ships are in dock for the next week, and took part in a Parade of Sail Saturday morning. If you missed the parade, you can still see the ships at different piers across the waterfront. Check out our guide for more on how to see the spectacle.

The Boston call to port is the last stop in the Sail250 tour, which saw the ships arrive in New Orleans in late May before slowly working their way up the coast. They spent the Fourth of July in New York City before arriving here.

In all, officials expect upwards of 4 million people to come check out the ships while they’re here. That’s in line with crowd estimates from the 2017 visit. And it comes on the heel of a raucous month of World Cup events, making this one of the region’s busiest tourist seasons in years.

Here are photos from the Parade of Sail and the rest of the tall ships celebration:

The Chilean barquentine Esmeralda enters Boston Harbor during Sail Boston 2026. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The Chilean barquentine Esmeralda enters Boston Harbor during Sail Boston 2026. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Tall ships, including the Mayflower II, fill Boston's outer harbor during the 2026 Parade of Sail. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Tall ships, including the Mayflower II, fill Boston’s outer harbor during the 2026 Parade of Sail. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Greeted by the USS Constitution the United States Coast Guard Eagle enters Boston harbor during the 2026 Parade of Sail. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Greeted by the USS Constitution the United States Coast Guard Eagle enters Boston harbor during the 2026 Parade of Sail. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The crew of the United States Coast Guard Eagle stand in rigging of the vessel as it enters Boston Harbor. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The crew of the United States Coast Guard Eagle stand in rigging of the vessel as it enters Boston Harbor. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Two Navy F-18s fly over the 2026 Parade of Sail in Boston Harbor. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Two Navy F-18s fly over the 2026 Parade of Sail in Boston Harbor. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The USS Constitution makes its way across Boston Harbor. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The USS Constitution makes its way across Boston Harbor. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Crowds gather to watch the ships. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)Crowds gather to watch the ships. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The pinnace Virginia makes its way across Boston Harbor during the 2026 Parade of Sail. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The pinnace Virginia makes its way across Boston Harbor during the 2026 Parade of Sail. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The schooner Adventure makes its way into Boston Harbor during the 2026 Parade of Sail. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The schooner Adventure makes its way into Boston Harbor during the 2026 Parade of Sail. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The USS Constitution fires a salute in Boston Harbor. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)The USS Constitution fires a salute in Boston Harbor. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)