When I was planning a trip from Boston to Long Island, I saw on Google Maps there was a ferry…read moreoption that would cut my driving time almost exactly in half. Having lived in NYC for almost a decade, I had no idea the Cross Sound Ferry existed; I thought I'd just put up with the atrocious weekend traffic in and out of Long Island. Pros: (+) The car loading process was very organized. The workers were friendly and efficient. Both my outbound and return trips left very nearly on time, which I appreciated. (+) I lucked out with beautiful weather and calm waters both times. Sitting on the top deck, basking in the sunlight, watching the coastline come into view definitely beat sitting in a bad traffic jam. If I ever go to Long Island, this is the way to travel. (I also get pretty bad seasickness and worried for days over the forecast for nothing; the ships were so smooth, I didn't feel a thing.) (+) Depending on the vessel, you can also get a history lesson. I took the MV Cape Henlopen back, which participated in D-Day. There's a commemorative plaque and everything. (+) Dog friendly! (+) Lots of seats, both indoor and outdoor. Pro tip: bring a beach towel with you so you don't burn your booty. Cons: (-) Not really a con exactly but a warning that they pack the cars in like sardines. I felt bad for the one car that had to park on a steep incline. (-) My round-trip ferry cost about $160, which is ... not exactly cheap. To me, it was worth the time saved and maybe the tolls of coming through the city and LI (though I didn't do the math) but yeah, I can see why the cost might put people off. Tips: 1. Book in advance on the website early. 2. Get to the ferry terminal early. They have a 30-minute rule for larger cars and a 15-minute rule for all other cars, otherwise you're bumped to standby and there might not be a spot. 3. From a navigation perspective, I found getting to/from New London, CT and Orient Point, NY a breeze. There are some very cute farm stands along the road to Orient Point, where you can stop and get fresh strawberries, eggs, lavender, and honey.

March 2026 John H boat, the largest ship in the fleet!…read more 100 vehicles and 1000 passengers. The vessel features a dual-level auto deck, lounge, food service, and satellite televisions. For those passengers requiring assistance, there is an elevator between the vehicle deck and main passenger cabin (note: cannot do priority boarding if using elevator access due to the location). - lots of booths, all with electrical outlets - outside bench seating - special dog friendly area - 2 upper seating decks - fryers didn't come on until 11 Get the fries! They're fresh, hot, and crispy!

Cash only! Easy and Fast service! Beautiful views of the bay. Easy trip to and from. Lines firm…read moreearly! Plan ahead!

Attendants are moody at best. I guess when you have a monopoly on a service , customer service…read moreisn't a priority .

The North ferry attendant named Rachel (blonde and heavy set) was extremely rude to my family while…read morewe were leaving our amazing vacation on Shelter Island. She screamed at my family multiple times when we were entering the boat, then her male coworker loudly encouraged her in front of us. We were very nice while pulling up and did not provoke her in any way. It was extremely disheartening and upsetting. Fire her.

Very professional staff makes getting on and off this boat a snap. With rides every 15 minutes or…read moreso, you wont have to wait too long. I'm sure that during the summer season this may change but the turn around times for loading and off loading are very quick and efficient. And the price isn't too overwhelming considering that swimming through the water with luggage would be much more difficult. Consider very strongly on getting a round-trip ticket if you're returning to the south fork after visiting Shelter Island.

Always on time and friendly! The cocktails are fun and love a ferry drink!…read more I also love the yearly BI Ferry cup! Cheers!

Very smooth sailing to and from Block Island. And the cost was inexpensive. Boat was fairly clean…read more And they had plenty food and drink options as well. I hope to experience this again in the future!

Excellent trip from Montauk to Block Island for 3 day getaway. Parking across the street was…read moreconvenient and safe. Easy to book online. check in staff friendly and boat was clean and allows for inside and top deck seating. Love Montauk and Block Island.

The captain worked very hard to find fish, constantly moving and putting us on productive spots…read more The crew was also helpful and worked hard handling the gear and fish. My main concern was safety during the return trip. Because of an approaching storm, we returned a day early and traveled about 12 hours, roughly 140 miles offshore, in winds of 30-35 mph and high seas. The boat was rocking heavily, and people were being thrown from their bunks. I caught the person next to me when he was thrown into the air, fortunately preventing a serious injury. There was also heavy drinking and marijuana use among passengers. My concern is not about people having a good time--it's about safety when you're that far offshore in rough seas at night. There was no safety briefing explaining what to do in an emergency, how to secure the bunk guards, or where life jackets were located. I had to figure out the bunk guards myself and help other passengers. The life jackets were on the upper deck, which could be difficult to reach during a blackout or emergency. I've been around boats most of my life, but not everyone has that experience. The fishing and crew were good, but safety and communication need to be improved. When you're 140 miles offshore, safety must come first.

Its a once a year thing that we like to do. A day trip to Port Jefferson…read moreThe trip its very relaxing and I can say the CT side port is cleaner more up to date and taken care of than the Port Jefferson side. There is plenty of room for a lot of people and the lower deck fits a lot of cars. The prices however are not that great, they used to charge the vehicles only but now each passengers have to pay additional. There was only one incident that took place, when arriving back at Bridgeport, KEN P was shouting at people to move/leave from the upper deck when the boat wasn't even open for passengers to leave. Very rude

I love everything about this mode of transportation and/or travel. I've been fortunate to travel…read morethis way for many years and I needed a break from everything and decided to go to Port Jeff for the week.

What a great day great ride and beautiful weather. A bit expensive but it beat sitting in traffic…read more Nice little bar and the crew were attentive and friendly

We left Bridgeport yesterday 4/11/2026 before noon and arrived in Port Jefferson at 1:00 pm. We…read moresat in the front bar area which offered high top tables to enjoy the view. The bartender was very pleasant and professional. The outside area is very nice as well but it was a bit chilly so only toured it. The ferry has basic food available at reasonable prices but we didn't try it. The bathrooms are clean but most surprising is the comfortable seating. Idk why the negative reviews

We took this Chester-Hadlyme Ferry this summer, as it's a direct shortcut to Gillette Castle in…read moreChester, Connecticut. This ferry is a "cash only" and the ferry operates seasonal from April through November. The staff was very friendly and professional. The ferry crosses the Connecticut River, and gives you excellent views of the castle. Excellent service and we highly recommend the adventure!

We decided to use the ferry on our way home after visiting nearby Gillette Castle State Park. The…read moreshort ride across the Connecticut River to Chester was enjoyable and a relative bargain at $6 per vehicle including all passengers. For a better view that includes the castle, I suggest taking the ferry in the opposite direction (e.g. Chester to Hadlyme).

Service to fire island from sayville was a breeze. Ferry service was a breeze with lots of seating…read morein inside and outside decks. There is lots of parking across the street from ferry boarding. Cost was $18 round trip for adults and $10 for children. Weekend and holiday parking is $24.

I really wish there were other reasonable options for travel…read more Cherry grove staff are always so rude. This is my third time using the service here and they are super rude, rolling eyes YELLING at us. We were waiting on our friend who has mobility issues but in site. It was exactly 6:30 so they saw our friend. As I turn to walk onto the ferry, they shut the door in my face. Rolled their eyes to our friends in the other side and ignored us. Normally I'd read these comments and think maybe people were rude or didn't understand that time is time but this was a complete lack of empathy and understanding over 20 seconds. They split our party and then ignored us after and push past us. Is crazzzy! We dont mind the wait but refused to let our friend off or anything. (It's their first time)

It was Rush Hour. I was in South Glastonbury retrieving our CSA box from a local farm market. I…read moreneeded to pick up my dog in Rocky Hill. Is there a better time to use the Rocky Hill - Glastonbury Ferry? What's that you say? Medical emergency? Yeah, I guess that would be a better time. You're in South Glastonbury and you realize you forgot your purse at a picnic table at the Ferry Park Grill? Hmm. That's better too. Can we just agree that the CSA/Dog thing is in the top quartile of best times? Thanks. It was a lovely $5 trip that probably saved me a good 20 minutes. Service was historical, prompt, friendly and nautical. Five Stars

9/19/21 Being the oldest continuously operating ferry in the country makes me wonder how I've never…read moreused this historic treasure before now. It's actually a barge, guided by a very small tug boat, making it a quaint and interesting mode of crossing the Connecticut River. It holds a mere 3 cars (and in my case, 3 cars plus my motorcycle). Crossing takes about 5 minutes, and affords a scenic view of the river and environs. Six bucks for passage on a weekend is a bargain in my book, considering how enjoyable riding a piece of floating history it is. It also is invaluable to some commuters and bicyclists that have no real other way to get across the river, without going eleven miles to the next closest bridge crossing. It's great as no more than a tourist attraction in my case! Loved the ride. You will too! From "the Rocky Hill Ferry CT.gov" website. ***** History***** "The nation's oldest continuously operating ferry service crosses the Connecticut River between Rocky Hill and Glastonbury. The original ferry, which dates back to 1655, was a small raft pushed across the river using long poles. Under State charter, the ferry service was operated by local families throughout most of its existence. The ferry service was such a vital transportation link within the region that crossing would cease only during the most adverse conditions."