Salem High Speed Ferry to/from Boston
4.5
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About
Ensure that your journey from Boston to Salem is both swift and stress-free with a transfer by high-speed ferry. The picturesque journey is a touristic experience in itself, offering views of lighthouses, fishing boats, and other classic New England scenery. Refreshments are available for purchase inside the ferry. Simply depart the city when it suits your schedule, then enjoy the historic town at your leisure.
For Round Trip, you will need to purchase two separate one way tickets - one departing from Boston and one departing from Salem.
Lowest price guarantee
Ages 0-120, max of 149 per group
Duration: 50m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
- Explore Salem independently and at your own pace
- Save time with quick transfer by ferry
- Choose a departure time that works for you
- Boston to Salem aboard High-Speed Catamaran
- See the stunning views of the Boston Skyline during your sail
- Skip the summer and Halloween traffic with this leisurely sail to Salem, MA
- Explore historic Salem, from museums and shops to fine dining and culture, this historic port town has enough to beguile—and bewitch—the entire family.
What's not included- Gratuities
- Food & beverage (available for purchase on board)
- Transportation to/from ferry terminals
- Start:Multiple meeting point options.
- Option 1Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, USADeparture Point: Boston Long Wharf
- Option 210 Blaney St, Salem, MA 01970, USASalem Ferry Center, 10 Blaney St., Salem, MA Directions to Salem Ferry Center: Take Route 114 into Salem to Derby St. From there, follow the signs for the Salem Ferry. Blaney Street is a right off Derby. There is ample free parking at Salem Ferry Center.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
- Pushchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3283SALEM- The boat is wheelchair accessible, however the restrooms are not wheelchair accessible
- Most travellers can participate
- For Round Trip, you will need to purchase two separate one way tickets - one departing from Boston and one departing from Salem.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 149 travellers
- All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
- Should I make advance reservations for the Boston to Salem One-Way or Round-Trip High Speed Ferry?
- Advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially on weekends and holidays. Trips often sell out.Answered May 2021
- What is the actual departure location in Boston for the Boston to Salem One-Way or Round-Trip High Speed Ferry?
- The ferry departs from 1 Long Wharf, Boston.Answered May 2021
- Is parking available near the departure point for the Boston to Salem One-Way or Round-Trip High Speed Ferry?
- There are two parking garages: The Harbor Garage, 70 E. India Row, Boston; and Rowes Wharf Garage, 30 Rowes Wharf, Boston. Parking fees apply at both locations.Answered May 2021
- What is the actual departure location in Salem for the Boston to Salem One-Way or Round-Trip High Speed Ferry?
- The ferry departs from 10 Blaney St. Salem.Answered May 2021
The tour operator has provided the following answers to customers’ questions.- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3283SALEM
From
C$40.23
per adult
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Getaway639230528250 contributionsGood ExperienceExcellent cruise ship, me and my family have a really wonderful experience on this cruise ship, we viewed the historical moumument, learned the building procedures of the Boston City and have a wonderful instructor. The people and crew is really friendly, I recommend everyone that have a chance to try this cruise sightseeing activity!Written February 1, 2025
- Erin M0 contributionsMust do in BostonAmazing info, knowledgeable guide, a great tour with a fantastic narrator, definitely recommend! He was funny and knew a ton of interesting facts! plus- there were guests from China on our tour and he spoke Mandarin with them, so endearing!!Written January 31, 2025
- Rachael M0 contributionsWonderful tour and commentaryWonderful tour with a great commentary on all the sites we saw. The boat was spacious with many places to see the sites and the staff were lovely. Would highly recommend (even in winter).Written January 31, 2025
- himap20230 contributionsBad experience as we went lateWe booked tickets for boston historic sight seeing Cruise. Unfortunately because of traffic we were late by half hour and we missed the cruise . I asked the lady if she can transfer the ticket to the next available timing. She said if we had purchased at the counter she would certainly change but as it was booked by the third party vendor , we have to call them(trip advisor). Bad thing is we called them but as the pickup time already crossed, they have a rule not to cancel or refund or change the ticket to the next available timing . Good thing is the cost was little less than the original ticket when booked through trip advisor.Written January 27, 2025
- missyway0 contributionsGreat GuideOur guide literally knew everything there was to know about the North End. She was amazing! She was close to the people in the neighborhood.Written December 30, 2024
- Abhijit W0 contributionsQuite unprofessional in committing wrong to the customers. They could had been more transparent.It was one of the worst experiences in my complete US trip. We were cheated by either Boston Whale watching cruise or by Civitas. The event was called off due to medical emergency for one of the passengers, we just touched the whale watching spot and without having to see anything we had to return in order to get medical attention for the person in need. At the time of disembarking the cruise we were told we will be given 100% refund which has paid as 50% only. This was totally unprofessional.Written December 18, 2024
- V6703ILsusanr0 contributionsCold but FUNAwesome! Easy to book, Entertaining and funny guide. Comfortable ship. Beautiful day but a bit chilly after 3 pm. Interesting information.Written November 30, 2024
- 317timc0 contributionsPoor booking systemTheir booking system was down and their website wouldn’t accept non-US based viisitors. There was no way of paying at all so we couldn’t go and it ruined our morningWritten November 24, 2024
- W1795BJanthonyb0 contributionsAn Amazing adventure.We saw 25-30 humpback whales. It was an amazing adventure. They were all around us. Excellent experience and probably a once in a life time experience.Written November 18, 2024
- brianandsusanm20240 contributionsAwesomeIt was informative and David the narrator was entertaining, easy to listen too and seemed to love his job. I absolutely recommend this tourWritten November 18, 2024
- G7109XFjamess0 contributionsbeautiful day and super interestingrelaxed and interesting. was a beautiful day. David Covey (i think was his name) the narrator was excellent. My 15 year old daughter and her pal really enjoyed it to.Written November 18, 2024
- Zarg0 contributionsUnflexible to re-book my reservationI lost my trip in the morning and Viator Ltd. was unable to re-book me for later on, having the boat plenty of seats. All the cruise company employees were very kind and comprehensive.Written November 17, 2024
- leaanns7460 contributionsNovember blissBeautiful views to was a bit short and the narrative didn't point out all the sites advertised. The view from the top deck was the best.Written November 16, 2024
- Q9251PFallisone0 contributionsAmazing day on the water enjoying humpback whales!Was in town for a conference for my husband and booked this tour as one of three excursions. I wasn't sure what to expect given the early November timeframe but simply had the best time ever. It was about a little over an hour to get out to our spot (Jeffrey's Ledge) and once out there I ventured outside and our guide saw whales almost immediately. Throughout the course of our time there, we had 3 humpback whales with us nearly the entire time. We didn't get to see much of their tails but that meant that they didn't dive down super deep therefore we got to see a ton of them. At one point a harbor seal even swam by with the whales right behind him. I enjoyed a beverage on the way out, a small bite and beverage on the way back and had an absolutely lovely time throughout. The staff was super knowledgeable throughout, came around to ask if anyone had questions, etc. Would highly recommendWritten November 12, 2024
- G3751OEkimberlyd0 contributionsSuch a fun experienceThis tour was fantastic. Great opportunity for amazing photos. The staff/crew had great energy and were super friendly. Would definitely recommend!Written November 8, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
143 reviews
Excellent
110
Very good
16
Average
7
Poor
2
Terrible
8
Mackenna
Alberta, Canada56 contributions
Great way to cool off and spend three hours walking around Salem, they have a line on their sidewalks similar to the freedom trail in Boston, which makes it a real easy way to see the historical sites. The ferry was excellent and reasonably priced, left right on time and offers snacks and beverages and on the way to Salem they had ‘ in person ‘ narration, explaining some of the history of Salem and offered a free booklet on the Salem area, attractions, advertisements, etc. which was really handy. Wonderful way to spend the day.
Written August 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dyana D
3 contributions
I recently took a high-speed ferry from Boston to Salem, and it was an absolute delight. Booking through Trip Advisor was a breeze, and once aboard, the experience was both calming and relaxing. The journey treated me to stunningly beautiful scenery throughout. The reasonable price made it even better, and I was impressed by the professionalism of the captain and crew. As I sat on the deck, the ocean breeze whipping through my hair, I felt so relaxed that I could have easily spent the entire day on that ferry. Highly recommended for a serene and scenic trip!
Written August 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barbara R
20 contributions
If you have the time in a Boston vacation to go on a day trip, I’d definitely recommend doing an independent exploration of Salem via this ferry. Really easy and efficient. It was an incredibly hot day so I was also really glad to take the shuttle trolley into the centre rather than walk in the unforgiving sun! I’d highly recommend the guided trolley tour too - the guide, Jim, really knew his stuff and was very entertaining, and you get to see a wider view of the town, for example Winter Island. Great combination experience.
Written July 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
farahnabs
North Royalton, OH6 contributions
We Ubered to Salem but decided to take the ferry back to Boston for almost the same cost of Uber. Glad we did the service was good and the ocean and land views were spectacular specially with sunset, highly recommend!!!
Written June 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sydney L
7 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
If going to Salem take the ferry either there or on the way back. I recommend taking it there and then taking the train on the way back. You’ll get to see Boston from the harbor, and there’s a tour guide giving you facts about the harbor and the towns and islands you’ll pass along the way. Recommend getting there early so you can get a spot inside the ferry. We had to stand outside as there were no seats inside left, which was fine and we enjoyed it as we had unobstructed views but it was also a dreary day with a little sprinkle. If we wouldn’t have been bundled up it would have been a miserable ride.
Written October 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ElleEames
Saint Louis, MO18 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
The ferry was a beautiful ride. I got so many excellent photos. I was confused that they said to get there early for boarding, but told us to come back in 15 minutes. They texted us like 4 days before that our ferry wasn’t cancelled, but might be a rough ride because of the weather. They only offered rescheduling instead of a refund. The weather ended up being great, but the warning text annoyed me since it offered no way to check for an update on the weather or get a refund without calling them.
Written August 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA13 contributions
Oct 2024 • Couples
Day trip to Salem. Quickest and least stressful way to get to Salem especially during October (their busiest month) took the 1st ferry out and got to Salem around 10am. easy to walk around and great that we did not have to deal with traffic or trying to find parking. ride back to Boston was a breeze. beautiful view of the city on the way back. definitely recommend.
Written October 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin B
Atlanta, GA370 contributions
Oct 2022
Took the ferry from Salem to Boston. It is high speed and sitting outside got very cold, but luckily you could move inside as needed. The views of the coast and islands were awesome! The best was seeing Boston from the water. Very cool!
Written November 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ckroen
Yardley, PA37 contributions
This company has consistently over the years had employees that actually give a damn about their job which is sadly rare these days. Catherine at the ticket office in Salem went WAY above and beyond to help my father who was born and raised in Salem after the Salem trolley company totally screwed my entire family over and left an elderly stroke survivor with trouble walking literally on the curb (and proceeded to yell at me on the phone!). Book the ferry (excellent ride, boat crew were first class esp. senior deck hand Reggie). Skip the trolley. The trip is totally worth it ftom Boston.
Written October 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aly C
Jupiter, FL15 contributions
You’re packed in like sardines. If it’s cold you better get there really early because the wind and cold is unbearable and there is only enough room for half the people to pack inside. Couldn’t wait to get off. On a positive note, the staff was very nice.
Written October 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does it operate mid September? Also is it calm? I often get motion sickness.
Written June 7, 2022
Hi! My friend and I will be staying in Salem. Do travelers typically bring suitcases on the ferry? We will be coming from BOS airport.
Written September 6, 2021
Yes I saw several with small suitcases. We just went from Boston for the day so no suitcases.
Written September 7, 2021
Sherpa112437
Salem, New Hampshire
I made a reservation for Salem toi Boston ferry but it showed boston to Salem. I also made another from salem to Boston. I would just like to change the time on the boston to salem. How do i do that. For August 2.
Written July 9, 2021
Can we leave boston on a friday and return Saturday evening with round trip ticket ?
Written April 26, 2020
I'll be traveling with my mother (76, she's in great health & a good walker). How far is the walk from the dock to Salem attractions? TIA
Written September 13, 2019
I will be staying IN Salem. Is there a ferry to Boston harbor AND back to Salem SAME DAY??
Written August 9, 2019
Is the port in Salem also within walking distance to the Salem Witch Museum? I see that it’s within walking distance to the House of Seven Gables.
Written May 22, 2019
arfain2018
Eatonton, Georgia
is it possible to get off in Marblehead and then get back on the ferry to get back to Boston from Salem
Written June 23, 2018
No it’s not; there aren’t multiple stops on the ferry (the way trains work)
Written November 1, 2018
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