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Ferry Service to Ship Island

Ship Island ferry service offered March - October

Quick Details

Location: Our boat dock is located in the Harbor at Jones Park, Gulfport, MS (Intersection of Hwy. 49 and Hwy. 90) We are located next to the Lighthouse. Parking is Free!

  • Click HERE to view in Google Maps

Round-Trip Ferry Route:

  • Gulfport Harbor to Ship Island, Ft Massachusetts (10.7 miles) Approx. 1 Hour Cruise
  • NOTICE: Fort Massachusetts will be intermittently closed do to flooding in the Fort. Interpretative talks will be conducted at the Fort entrance 15 minutes after the boat arrives.

Ferry Operation Seasons:

  • Spring: March 18th  – May 12th
  • Summer: May 13th – August 13th
  • Fall: August 16th – October 29th

Ferry Departure Times: 

  • Spring: Depart Gulfport 9am – Depart Ship Island 2:30pm Wednesday – Friday / Depart Gulfport 9am and 12pm – Depart Ship Island 2:30pm or 5pm Saturday & Sunday
  • Summer: Depart Gulfport 9am and 12pm – Depart Ship Island 2:30pm or 5pm (7) Days a Week
  • Fall: Depart Gulfport 9am – Depart Ship Island 2:30pm Wednesday – Friday / Depart Gulfport 9am and 12pm – Depart Ship Island 2:30pm or 5pm Saturday & Sunday

2 Chairs and Umbrella: $25 (Reserve on Island Only) 

Walk-up Ticket Prices at Boat Dock: 

  • Adult: $44
  • Child (ages 3-12) $38
  • Senior (65 & older): $42
  • Military (Active with ID) $42
  • Infants: $0 (Caution –  Prepare for extreme heat – Not recommended for infants)

Online Ticket Prices:

(Strongly Recommend you Buy Online as we do sell out on Weekends)

  • Adult: $41
  • Child (ages 3-12) $35
  • Senior (65 & older): $39
  • Military (Active with ID) $39
  • Infants: $0 (Caution –  Prepare for extreme heat – Not recommended for infants)

(Minimum of 30 required to sail in the Spring & Fall Weekdays)

Ship Island  Family Package: (Weekdays in the Summer)

SAVE $5 ON AN ONLINE ADULT AND CHILD TICKET WITH THIS OFFER:

  • Family package requires you buy a minimum of 4 tickets up to a maximum of 10 tickets. Family Package prices are Adult $36 / Children (ages 3-12) $30. No Military or Senior rate available.
  • Family package is only available Online and is not available at the Ticket Office.
  • Family package includes (2) chairs and and (1) umbrella on Ship Island for the rental price of $25. This fee is added to you’re tickets automatically when you check out. You may purchase additional umbrella sets on the Island.
  • Family package is only available on Weekdays in the Summer. No Weekends or Holidays.
  • Family package subject to space available on the boats. We recommend you buy your tickets early.
  • Please remember to travel light. See Luggage Policy on the Website.

Turn Around Cruise (Saturday & Sunday) 3:15pm

  • We are now offering a Turn Around Cruise to Ship Island on Saturday & Sunday. You depart at 3:30pm from Gulfport to pick up passengers at Ship Island. No time on the island. You will arrive back in Gulfport at 6pm. Expect to see plenty of wildlife. Snack bar is available. No ice chest allowed.
  • Adults $27 / Children (ages 3-12) $19
  • Subject to availability….Call 228-864-1014 after 9am to make sure the trip is still available. Weather conditions may affect the ferry schedule.

Book Turn Around Cruise Now

 

 View our Online Ticket Policy Here

CARRY-ON POLICY

Passengers are allowed small carry-on items. Boat storage space is limited. Coolers (42 quart or less) and backpacks are permitted, but subject to search. No glass containers. Wagons and pop-up tents prohibited. See Carry On Policy below:

View our Carry On Policy Here

View NPS Service Dog Policy

View Snack Bar Menu Here

                                                     A message about Island Shade

Ship Island is approximately 7 miles long an offers beautiful, high quality natural beaches for hiking and swimming. The treeless island offers visitors minimal shade. Prepare for the sun, especially in summer. A Ship Island sunburn is legendary. The National Park Service provides a large covered picnic pavilion and restroom facility with drinking water on both the north and south side of the island. A snack bar, along with beach umbrella and chair rentals are available on the South Beach. Additional shade and protection from storms are also available inside Fort Massachusetts.

Printable Brochure

A Message about the Weather

Our staff constantly monitors the weather. Cruises are sometimes suspended due to unsafe weather and sea conditions. Check the marine forecast for conditions the day of your trip. WLOX.com

WXXV25.com

Adult
$41
Child (3-12)
$35
Senior (65+)
$39
Military (with ID)
$39
Infant (2 & under)
Free

An affordable, family-friendly adventure from the Gulfport Yacht Harbor  

Mississippi’s finest beaches are located on Ship Island. The island is one of four barrier islands approximately 11 miles south of Gulfport. The islands are accessible by boat only. Ship Island Excursions offers the only authorized public ferry service. The boats are located in the Gulfport Yacht Harbor at the intersection of Hwy. 90 and Hwy. 49. In addition to experiencing interesting sights along a route that crosses the Mississippi Sound, you are almost sure to spot Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins during the approximate 1-hour boat ride to the island.

Ship Island offers visitors history, relaxation, and the opportunity to explore miles of quiet, high quality, natural sand beaches for hiking and surf bathing. The unspoiled island is surrounded by deep, emerald green waters not found on the mainland beaches. If you are a beach person you will love Ship island. This protected national seashore island affords visitors the best beaches for swimming, shelling and birding found anywhere along the Northern Gulf Coast. In addition, Civil War era Fort Massachusetts (circa 1858) is part of an extensive history you’ll discover during your visit to Ship Island.

The island offers very little commercial development. However, a national park ranger station and visitor amenities are available near the ferry landing and Fort Massachusetts. A snack bar and covered picnic pavilion is located on the South side of the island. The National Park Service provides a boardwalk that begins in front of the fort and extends one third of a mile across the island to the popular south side. Lifeguards are generally available on the south beach in summer. The National Park Service provides restrooms, freshwater showers, drinking water and covered picnic areas. A snack bar is located at the end of the boardwalk on the Gulf Beach. Fort tours are also provided during the ferry operating season.

 

 

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