When I was planning a trip from Boston to Long Island, I saw on Google Maps there was a ferry option 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. read more

March 2026 John H boat, the largest ship in the fleet! 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! read more

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Excellent experience and fun activity. The 2 hour boat ride was just a 10 minute drive from Mystic Connecticut, was relaxing and informative. As an old history buff, I enjoyed seeing the century old 7 lighthouses, some still operational, which protected New London Harbor. The weather was good and the waters were calm, which really made for a relaxing trip. Our captain was very knowledgeable and informative about the time period and purpose of the lighthouses. This was my first experience and I enjoyed it. I definitely recommend it. read more

I use the ferry a lot with my motorcycle when I want to cut some of the city traffic out of my rides up north. They can usually squeeze you on without a reservation with a motorcycle. The cafe serves quick bites and you can wash it all down with a more than enough selection at the bar. The bartenders and staff are friendly. read more

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I've taken the Cross Island Ferry four times now, and each trip has been consistently excellent. Driving right onto the ferry makes long road trips so much less stressful; no traffic, no navigating, just relaxing while you're carried across the water. The onboard amenities are great too. There's food and alcohol available, which makes the ride even more enjoyable whether you're starting a trip or heading home. Every crossing has been smooth, efficient, and well-organized. Highly recommend the Cross Island Ferry for anyone looking to make their travel easier and more enjoyable! Reliable, Easy, and Perfect for Stress-Free Travel read more

Sailing away on the Cross Sound Ferry this beautiful morning! Despite very large summer crowds - the entire operation (staff directing traffic; ticketing, vehicle placement, seating, and let's not forget the snack area) - were great! Very smooth operation. We all (+ many adorable dogs!) boarded smoothly and pushed off on time/promptly. Nice stress free route to Long Island read more

Cross Sound Ferry - Ferries Near Me - New London, Connecticut

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The best way to get from Long to New England is to take the Cross Island Ferry from New London to Orient Point. It's a pleasant, leisurely journey. We did priority and quickly got on and off the ferry while driving our car. Definitely beats the traffic, without a doubt. The personnel was helpful and friendly. Be on time. read more

Cross Sound Ferry - ROSARIO S. CASSATA ON THE CROSS ISLAND FERRY NEW LONDON ORIENT PIONT. - Ferries Near Me - New London, Connecticut

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It's was my first time here ever! Came to pick up my son, who is on a business trip in the Hamptons, and the staff was super friendly, and helped me find a place to park as his ferry docked. It was later in the day (7:30pm) on a Sunday, Will be back in a couple of days to drop him off. read more

Zero stars today. We have used this ferry so many times. Today they cancelled our ferry and did NOT notify us despite being told that they "blasted emails, texts and phone calls" to customers. And yes I confirmed that all my contact info was accurate. Now they can't even put me in a guaranteed spot on another ferry. Stuck waiting on standby praying we didn't drive two hours out of our way for the ferry just to be turned away after sitting here for ages hoping to get on standby. CSF you did NOT do your job today. According to office this boat was cancelled this morning. we would have changed plans or booked a different ferry if we had been informed. Instead we had two antsy toddlers in the car, making this trip WAY longer than it should have been instead of being a good break in the middle of a long trip. I've been a rewards member for years but now I may never come back. Just received my helpful cancellation email at 4:15 for the scheduled 4:00 ferry!!!!! How is that appropriate customer communication. And you still won't guarantee me a spot or give any financial reimbursement for time spent sitting here??? read more

Cross Sound Ferry - My very UNhelpful cancellation email. 15 minutes AFTER scheduled trip and 45 minutes after I'm expected to arrive at the ferry terminal. - Ferries Near Me - New London, Connecticut

Significantly underestimates wait time for standby by 3 hours. Closed refreshment stand. Not even a waterfountain or a soda machine. Ridiculous price of over 120 for 2 people and a car. Horrible experience. read more

Bad service. Overbooked the ferry and gave my spot away. Worker was rude about it. Would have given 0/5 stars if I could have.

This was hands down the worst customer service experience I ever endured in my 49 years of living and I use to be a flight attendant. I'm a Native American from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and I was told by Andrew the sons OWNER you people do this every year. My family attends the Shinnecock Pow Wow yearly. The treatment we received from the owners son named ANDREW at Orient Heights was in human. This man was nothing but a racist and he had a belittling SCREAMING tactic. I paid for 3 people, 26 inch trailer and a truck prior. Well over $300.00 to travel on this Ferry. The boat was empty on a Tuesday after Labor Day and Andrew proceeded to say every year we go through this with YOU people... ... Who wants to pay for a trailer 26 inches long, a truck and three people again? I called the company and was put on hold for a substantial amount of time. This company is racist towards NATIVE AMERICANS and this is a known fact throughout Indian country. Leadership and tribal members from the Shinnecock Sovereign Nation rather drive around NY than to be belittled or robbed. No refund and white superiority at its finest! Good luck because if you're not a rich WHITE person you will be treated as if your less and spoken to as if you're incompetent. Key words YOU PEOPLE... read more

This is the first time taking the ferry to shorten our commute Newport, RI and I feel like such an idiot for not doing this sooner. Saved so much time and money! Actually able to enjoy the commute! No traffic! Also had breakfast on the ship and it was great! read more

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The service here is great! I love the view and I love how clean the toilets are. It's almost like sea sickness never existed. The floors are nicely kept and the food is amazing. Other than the loud yelping dogs, which I do love at times, Cross Sound Ferry is my favorite so far. read more

Cross Sound Ferry - Restaurant view. - Ferries Near Me - New London, Connecticut

The crew and staff really do a great job of getting us on and off the ferry, and it's a reliable service considering the weather challenges they must deal with. The prices have steadily increased over the years, (much like everything else). The one, minor, but ridiculous issue: they charge $3 for wifi. Does that break the bank? Of course not. But to charge for wifi, considering the extremely high cost of using the ferry, is frankly insulting. I hope they reconsider this policy. read more

Great French fries but... ... if you see these 2 Karens sitting in the pet section be aware they are sensitive to certain breeds and are not letting people with dogs into the dog section. Absurd. They have no dogs. People without pets should not occupy this section if your seat takes up the one no longer available to a person with a dog. Crew handled these 2 egotists professionally upon my call and I made them uncomfortable enough afterward to leave the section altogether. This is not a place for seniors neither, "to get some peace". What is wrong with people. Use your brain and start reading AND thinking. read more

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First time experiencing this. Understandably pricy. Driving as much behind the other car in front of me was nerve wracking and a fellow passenger of another already parked car (that kid didn't drive) was laughing at me and this didn't help. I purposely avoided this kid once we all went upstairs. Also, some people had their dogs and most were well behaved.. . .most, lol. It is what it is. You do save a little time and the stress of the ferry is less than NYC traffic overall. The workers worked very well with my last minute change on ferry time to an earlier time slot. read more

A fantastic shortcut to get between Connecticut to Long Island. Maybe a bit expensive for peak times but I was willing to do this on the cheap and wake up stupid early to get it done. I signed up for their frequent customer program and that gave me access to a discount and so I bought my ferry passage about two months back, saving 50%. I arrived early and showed my pass to the dude with the clipboard. Since I was more than 30 minutes early, and there was room, he asked if I wanted to go on the earlier ferry. Heck, yeah! Despite the cold and the rain, the ride was great. Big open interior area and several seats outside. Great views all around including the islands and the lighthouses plus we passed another ferry going in the opposite direction. They have a wifi but my Sprint signal still worked the whole time across the Long Island Sound. We arrived on time at Orient Point and the disembarkation process was quick. I would absolutely do this between just about anywhere on Long Island to Connecticut. Avoid the stupid on the Whitestone https://www.yelp.com/biz/bronx-whitestone-bridge-bronx-2 or the Throgs Neck Bridge https://www.yelp.com/biz/throgs-neck-bridge-bronx in the Bronx. [Round number review 15300 overall, 802 of 2021, number 48 in Connecticut.] read more

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Great experience, very friendly staff. Mihayla and Michael and the bartender were especially kind and went the extra mile to make our experience genuinely enjoyable. read more

Was never told my ferry was cancelled, and showed up after driving for 2 hours to be told it was cancelled. We were never notified of the cancellation. Was put on priority standby as a result, but not guaranteed a spot. People were not helpful and I was told I was being "rude" for stating my case. The women inside the office were particularly not sympathetic to any reasoning of making sure I can get on one of the next 2 ferries with my family. They are not equipped to handle any curveball and customer service shows this. read more

Everything was great! We have an accessible van and my husband uses a scooter. They had a perfect parking spot for us for the ramp to open and helped my hubby on the elevator. The staff is friendly and so helpful! Highly recommend. read more

Not very friendly or personal. Actually pretty cranky people ... I like to enjoy my experiences.

Went RT from New London to Orient Point. Pleasant ride, pleasant and helpful staff. It was very simple to get the ticket ahead of time on the phone. read more

I love the ferry but I gotta be honest: the staff are sullen and rude throughout. Try to smile once in a while guys!

Let's start w Cross Sound Ferry is great. Except, Jennifer C has really yucky food. Only get something prepackaged. We ordered toasted white bread bacon tom lettuce sandwiches . As basic as it can get. They were terrible. No tomato. Greasy not crispy bacon. Burnt toast. Really greasy bread. Even if you're super hungry, don't do it. Felt sick all day. We should have returned immediately but line was long and we were hoping they would be better than they were. read more

I was on the 4 pm ferry from Orient to New London yesterday. I had a very distressing Mercury retrograde experience which was that I could not start my car after we docked. And there were tons of people behind me on the ferry who could not move their cars either! The problem was that I did not have my electronic key in my handbag. It turns out that the only way I had been starting the car was that a key that I had lost almost 2 years ago was in a refrigerator pack that I had in the car. So there I was completely freaked out and panicking. The key that was in the refrigerator pack had stopped functioning because of all the ice in the pack and I didn't even know it was there! I tried to explain this complicated story to the crew barely able to believe what was happening! They were unbelievably calm and supportive. They helped to push my car off of the ferry and while we were standing there trying to figure out what else they could do to help me I found the old key. At first it didn't start the car but when it warmed up it did! I felt like hugging each and everyone of them. What a fantastic crew! They are five-star people in every way! read more

Cross Sound Ferry - Deck with my dog Buck - Ferries Near Me - New London, Connecticut

Enlightening Why have I been driving to the center of Long Island around CT and NYC? 60 bucks saves you an hour and half of driving and they have a cocktail lounge to drink while you sail through the sound. Can't believe I took 40 years to figure this out. I'm a dope. Thanks read more

Staff was very rude when we were notified that we had to pay double for parking a pick up truck because we "take up 2 spaces" (we're just as wide as anyone else. )You would think they would section off the bigger spots (which they do have) for the larger vehicles instead of putting a small Volkswagen in one of the larger spots. Here's a photo for reference of us quote on quote "sticking out" ( we are the white vehicle). read more

Cross Sound Ferry - Ferries Near Me - New London, Connecticut

VERY RUDE and arrogant guys directing traffic on and off the boat. I was so angry it ruined my trip.

Horrible company. Terrible customer service. Gave away our vehicle reservation after arriving 10mins early rather than 15. Was told by staff they would squeeze us on, next one said we were too late, then loaded people who arrived after us. Do not buy a ticket, they will give it away. Go standby because you will be treated better than the paying customers. Management: stop employing stoned teenagers, focus on communication between your team members and treat your customers with a baseline of respect. Do better. read more

I upgraded ticket to priority and as a result it excluded me from being able to go be considered for Stand by. Everyone else was a priority over me as a result, so bad!!! read more

This review is specifically about one experience ( having been a patron for 25+ years) that was truly disappointing. As a family with gluten sensitivity, we always travel by with gluten free bread. Over the course of the last 10 years, we have always been met with courteous service when this special request is made at the food galley. On this occasion however, a manager was there to enforce a "nothing from the outside can enter the kitchen" , a policy the ferry service never needed to post signs for, as far I know. After explaining to her that this accommodation has been made every time we have asked, she responded with "who did this for you?" I don't know about you, but I am not in the habit of asking for names of the people who work in the kitchen when I ride the ferry. In fact, the food is absolutely great, I've never been disappointed with anything that ever came out. The smug, defiant woman was having none of my pleas. And with that, I returned to my seat. I share this with you fellow GF folks, be aware , this service does not cater to you. Come prepared with everything you need to eat, and if someone is nice enough to accommodate a special request, make sure you get their name, in case you run into her. Update: Their website says nothing of any policy regarding this issue, or any other for that matter. read more

Nice ferry service that travels between long island and Connecticut. Perfect for weekend travel or daily commuters. My wife and I have taken the ferry a few times while traveling to the New England area. While the ferry might not really save us time its nice to just relax and take in the sights while traveling. The ferry also has a small deli and bar onboard which offers some nice options. The chicken and fries are great, no joke lol. Safe travels. read more

I have been taking the Cross Sound Ferry back and forth across Long Island Sound almost my whole life -- I first rode on the ferry with my parents when I was a kid and we would visit my older siblings at college in New England so that was the mid 1980's. Its great how the boats have improved over those years to be much more comfortable and offer more services like food and beverages (including a bar on some boats) as well as power outlets and internet services. However, today was the first time I ever paid for their internet as I needed to get some work done. The internet dropped after 20 minutes and there was no way to reconnect without paying again! I contacted the ferry company and they confirmed this was the case and offered to refund my payment. So just be warned -- their internet connection appears spotty and you can't sign back in once you've paid for it. So that's why the review is 4 stars instead of 5. read more

This service is great. It's easy to make reservations online. I had to change my reservation and the gentleman in the phone was pleasant. I got a refund and email confirmation before we even hung up. Crew always nice and loading/unloading is well executed. Definitely recommend. read more

The crew on this ship are on top of it. A group of boys were getting loud (annoying but boys will be boys) and one of the crew members came and shut that down. I like that you see them walking around watching over things. read more

I've been taking this ferry for many years. If you know some of the " inside info", it will help to make a reservation and your travel easier. If you plan on taking the ferry a number of times, be a rewards member. It gives you points for trips made and every once in awhile you can get free trips. Also, putting money on a Captains Card is a good way to save money. It's not a usable credit card, however it will provide you with a discount each time you use it. Just ask about both the Rewards Program and Captains Card when you call (If you plan on multiple trips in the future). All ferries have been renovated so each one is clean and has a much healthier environment for air-exchange, heat and ac. If you want to get on and off the ferry quickly, you can go priority for a relatively small fee. It use to be $15. It might have gone up during the pandemic. Some ferries have you going into the rafters. I'm not a fan of going up there because of the tightness of the cars and that people don't listen to the rules that you DONT start your car until docked!!! It drives me crazy when people do that!!!Therefore, it can get pretty hot and smelly up there. Not always. I just ask that I am put below. They will usually accommodate just prior to getting on. Happy sailing!!!! read more

We arrived at the ferry 1:50 for a 2:00. They put us on standby. The personnel are nasty and unprofessional. Asked them questions , they are short with you and nasty. Went in the wrong lane because I didn't hear them and they made us pull over to the side and punished us like children. 3 hours later finally on the ferry. They literally took people behind us. I would rather drive 6 hours longer than deal with these horrible people! Karmas a bitch and one day you will need to have someone be kind and I hope they are as nasty as you are!! Don't complain-because you deserve it! Miserable POS! I understand that whoever owns this company is making a ton of money but this was the worst experience ever!!!! read more

The Absolute worst customer service, there rude and confrontational they don't care about customer service since there the only game in town so they can treat you how every they like and it doesn't matter because people will still jump on the boat , but after riding for 40 years i would rather swim then ever get back on. They managers in the New London terminal treated myself and my family in such a disgusting manner and they way they speak to people is horrible. we had a reservation and after waiting for almost 2 hrs , the manager basically said if you keep asking we may never get you on a boat and ill have you removed from the line if you don't like it drive around don't care someone else will take your spot, and if you ask again i will have you banned from the ferry - so if you ride with them be warned , you'll have to deal what ever they throw out you and if you ask questions they'll pull there parking attended power card on you and punish you read more

This ferry company is fantastic. The staff is super helpful, they make many trips daily between Orient Point, NY and New London daily, ships are clean and look to be well maintained, food on board isn't insanely expensive. The staff has been a dream to work with, one time there was a misunderstanding with a ferry cancellation and they were able to fix the problem within minutes and with a cheerful attitude. Love these guys! The ships themselves have some history to them, one was a tank transporter during the D-Day invasion before being converted to a car ferry. This route is a great way to get between the Mid-Atlantic and New England. You can bypass the mess that is 95 in Connecticut (albeit via a smaller mess that is the highway system on Long Island), see some scenery on eastern Long Island and then take a break from driving for about an hour and a half. The ships sail by several lighthouses around Orient Point and New London. Check out the New London Ledge light, a mansion-like building sitting on a platform in the mouth of the harbour. Consider this option in your travels. Not sure if it saves a ton of time vs driving through NYC and Connecticut but I'll take sitting on a deck watching the ocean and islands passing by over sitting surrounded by trucks in a concrete canyon any day. read more

Cross Sound Ferry - Ferries Near Me - New London, Connecticut