- Most Popular!
- All Ages
Experience Mississippi’s best beaches! Swim, snorkel, explore, or just relax, and leave the transportation to us.
Ship Island Ferry Service is now Closed - Dolphin Watching & Moonlight Cruises now offered!
Ship Island Excursions and the Skrmetta Family are celebrating 98 years of transporting visitors to the Mississippi Islands.
Relaxation, recreation, and history-these are the gifts offered to you on Ship Island. Here in the Gulf of Mexico, about 11 miles off Mississippi’s Coast, are some of the last undeveloped barrier islands in America. Part of Gulf Islands National Seashore and protected by the U.S. Park Service, these exquisite sand islands offer visitors the first high-quality, natural beaches for swimming, birding and shelling east of New Orleans.
A cruise to Ship Island is an affordable, family-friendly adventure and one of the most popular outdoor attractions on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Passengers are sure to spot dolphins while crossing the Mississippi Sound on the 1-hour boat ride. You’ll discover what locals and visitors have enjoyed for generations, the Coast’s finest beaches. The passenger ferries depart from the Gulfport Yacht Harbor in Jones Park (intersection of Hwy. 90 and Hwy. 49). Boats operate typically mid-March through October.
The island is also home to Fort Massachusetts, a beautifully preserved, brick structure used during the Civil War. Seasonal fort tours are offered by the National Park Service. A section of beach with lifeguards is available in summer. Food service is offered on the boats and on the island. Umbrella and beach chair rentals are also available.
Experience Mississippi’s best beaches! Swim, snorkel, explore, or just relax, and leave the transportation to us.
Join us for a dolphin watching adventure, including a tour of the Gulfport Harbor.
Come join us for a (2) hour Moonlight Cocktail Cruise aboard the M/V Capt. Pete. Sounds by Tri Star DJ Services.
Entertain clients, friends, family, or colleagues on a private cruise along the beach between Gulfport and Biloxi!
Ship island is part of Gulf Island National Seashore and one of four Mississippi barrier islands. You’ll depart the Gulfport Yacht Harbor for a truly fun getaway. Our vessels provide two spacious open air decks, perfect for viewing marine life. In addition to the cruise, passengers will have access to Mississippi’s best beaches for swimming and shelling. Swim in emerald green waters, snorkel, hike, and explore. Visitors can relax under a beach umbrella or sit under one of two large picnic pavilions. Ship Island is a national park, protected and preserved for future generations to enjoy in their natural unspoiled state.
Book your cruise and experience the Coast’s favorite water-borne attraction: An excursion to Ship island and Fort Massachusetts. Family owned and operated by the Skrmetta family since 1926.
Leave the stress of the mainland behind. Board our ferry and cross the beautiful Mississippi Sound, approximately 11 miles out to where the offshore islands meet the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. As the ferry docks on the north shore of Ship Island, passengers will notice fish and other sea life in the clear water next to the boat. Visitors can tour a beautifully persevered Civil War fort, followed by an opportunity to explore miles of enchanting beach, perfect for swimming, shelling and birding. A snack bar, picnic pavilions, restrooms, and other visitor amenities are provided.