Deer Island Ferry: Biloxi Boat Tours’ Coastal Escape

❌ No smoking or "smoking," no illegal substances, and no glass. No pets. No releasing human or pet remains per EPA Federal Law.

‼️ Tickets are non-refundable within 48 hours of departure except for unsafe weather/sea conditions.

⛔️ Each person counts as 1 passenger regardless of age per USCG rules. Only 6 passengers per boat per USCG license.

Get out of the city and kick off your shoes.

Deer Island is more than a piece of land on the ocean--it's sand dunes, pine trees, osprey nests, beach trails, and salty breeze. No roads, no buildings . . . just nature doing its thing.

It's freedom. It's right here.

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⚓️🌊 🛟 Enjoy a 15-minute pontoon ride each way along the Biloxi coastline.

☀️🤸‍♀️🏖️ Savor the experience with plenty of time to explore, swim, picnic, and play on the island!

🐬🦀🦋 Discover the diverse creatures that give life to the island.

🎒🪁📸 Fantastic excursion for all ages!

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What and where is Deer Island, Mississippi?

Deer Island is located ¼-½ mile south of East Biloxi and juts into Biloxi Bay southwest of Ocean Springs. Staying at Harrah's, Margaritaville, or Beau Rivage? Look south! That's Deer Island.

There are no amenities or facilities--just nature. If you're craving a super accessible getaway to disconnect, grab a seat to Deer Island.

What if there's bad weather?

Once you leave the dock, there are no refunds if you return early for any reason. If BILOXI BOAT TOURS or your party cancels due to unfavorable weather/sea conditions, a full refund or reschedule is available prior to leaving the dock.

Can you rescue us in bad weather??

Depends on the the conditions. If strong wind and waves prevent the boat from safely reaching the island, if rain reduces visibility drastically, or if lightning is severe, then you will have to wait out the storm on the island. It may or may not be fun.

See FAQs for more details.

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WHO

6 human passengers max each boat

• Every person counts regardless of age. USCG rules, no exceptions.
• All ages are welcome, but at least 1 person in your party must be 18 or older.
• Pets not permitted unless your party books all 6 seats making it a private excursion.

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BASIC RULES FOR FERRY (no exceptions)

• All ages are welcome, but at least 1 person in your party must be 18 or older.
• See note about ALCOHOL below.
• NOT PERMITTED: Illegal substances, pets, smoking/vaping, "smoking"
• Captain reserves the right to terminate excursion if passengers engage in unsafe, rude, or illegal behavior.
• Captain will ultimately determine nature of excursion based on weather, sea conditions, and passengers' comfort and safety.

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WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH ALCOHOL??

• You may bring alcohol aboard (21+) and enjoy your drink on the island.
• Glass is prohibited on Deer Island.
• Illegal substances are not allowed...and illegal.

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BASE RATE per passenger

Regular $28 Custom Excursion $36 Each person counts as 1 passenger regardless of age.

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WHEN

• Times vary with seasons.
• See Reservations for specific times.
• Daytime ferry is 2 hours (15min each way & 90min island time).
• No refunds or prorating for no-shows, late departures, or early returns.
• Arrive 10 minutes early for boarding & safety briefing.

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WHERE

• Check-in @ Point Cadet Marina, DOCK D #10
• Discover Deer Island & East Biloxi coastline!

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WHAT TO BRING

• Fishing gear is permitted for use on the island. Fishing from the boat is prohibited. This is not a fishing charter. Passengers are responsible for their own MS fishing licenses.

• There are no amenities or facilities on Deer Island. Whatever you bring must leave with you including trash.

• Small cooler

• Drinks & snacks

• Camera

• Towels

• Water toys, small floats, noodles

• Small umbrella

• Small grill

• Weather appropriate clothing & hat

• Pants, long sleeves, and bug repellant if hiking in woods

• Glass is prohibited on Deer Island.

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DOGS?

• Pets are not permitted unless your party books all 6 seats making it a private excursion. Dogs must be leashed and waste collected per MS regulations.

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WHAT BBT PROVIDES

• USCG Licensed Captain
• USCG approved life vests (all sizes) Passengers may bring their own USCG-approved life jackets if they wish.
• All required safety gear

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OTHER OPTIONS WITH CAPTAIN

PUBLIC Deer Island Ferry Deer Island Sunset Cruise Biloxi Boat Ride

PRIVATE Ocean Springs Bayou Tour Catch & Release Family Fishing & Island Adventure

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FAQs

Can we go to Ship or Horn Island? NOPE--these are small pontoon boats not built for traveling in a true, unpredictable gulf environment.

**So where can we go once on the island? ** Explore all over! You can make an approximately 3-mile trek if you loop via west end to the north dock through the trail to the south side and back to the west end. The north section of this route may not be easily walkable if the tide is high.

We will drop off at the west end beach of Deer Island across from the Hard Rock.   Is the water safe for swimming and fishing? Mississippi's coastal beaches are OPEN!

See MDEQ for more information. Beach advisories can be issued or rescinded any time. Bacteria levels along the beaches are frequently checked.

Can I do a sunset cruise? Book the latest Deer Island Sunset Cruise if you want to be on Deer Island for sunset.

That trip lasts 1.25 hours on the traditional pontoon. Biloxi Sunset Table

What does a ferry trip include? Prices include captain, boat, fuel, and safety equipment.   Do I need to make a reservation? BILOXI BOAT TOURS operates by appointment. We can accommodate walk-ups only if our staff happens to be on-site at the time and can coordinate a drop-off/pick-up with our other activities that day.

• Reservations require payment in advance.

• We do not hold boats/captains/seats without payment. Seats are not confirmed until paid.
• If you don't wish to pay until departure time, you do not have a confirmed reservation.

Where do I check in? Early arrival is encouraged! Missed departures are non-refundable and may not be transferrable to next excursion.

Check in @ Point Cadet Marina, Dock D #10

Expect 10 minutes for boarding & orientation.

Can you do drop-off/pick-up elsewhere? Per our insurance agreement, we can only operate from/to Point Cadet Marina.

Who can book a Deer Island trip? All ages are welcome, but at least 1 person in your party must be 18 or older.

What about booze, etc?

• You may bring alcohol aboard (21+) and enjoy a drink on the island.
• Glass is prohibited on Deer Island.
• Illegal substances are not allowed...and illegal.

What kind of boats do you have? You will be transported on a traditional style pontoon boat. You may be picked up in a different boat than when you arrived.

What can we NOT do?

• Fishing from boat is not permitted.

• Illegal substances (including "smoking") and underage drinking are prohibited.
• Bow-riding is extremely dangerous and illegal.
• Metal detecting is not allowed on the island.
• Release human or pet remains per EPA Federal Law

What can we do? Fun island activities include...

• Swimming
• Hiking
• Sunbathing
• Fly kites
• Bird watching, dolphin watching
• Monarch butterfly migration in spring and fall
• Trash collecting
• Photography, art
• Fitness activities
• Picnic, barbecue
• Fishing gear and license for island fishing

What do we need to bring with us? There are no amenities or facilities on Deer Island. Whatever you bring must leave with you including trash.

Who wears a life jacket? Anyone under 13 years old is required to wear a properly fitted life jacket any time the boat is moving--no exceptions. We have sizes ranging from infant to XXXL that you may borrow for your outing. Passengers are welcome to bring their own life jackets if they are marked as USCG Approved.

Fish, sharks, and other critters? No big, scary sharks here.   Spot soaring cranes, swooping pelicans, chatty gulls, osprey carrying fish, even migrating geese and monarch butterflies depending upon the time of year. Catch minnows dancing and mullet jumping.

Along the beaches you'll find many cool shells and bones, maybe even a horseshoe crab shell. Please don't take away the hermit crabs from their native environments! They will not survive.

During the summer, a variety of jellyfish are present in the water, and they also wash up onto the beach. Scan the water and sand for them. The bigger jellyfish with flowy tentacles have a very painful sting.

Look out for everyone's favorite. Please do not crowd or chase the dolphins! 

Everywhere you look there will be something interesting whether it's in the water, on the land, or in the sky!

Can we have a memorial service to scatter ashes on the water? Can we release balloons? ​ There are federal laws that govern memorials at sea. Releasing human or pet remains is not within our scope of operations. Please refer to EPA Regulations to plan your service legally and inquire with offshore fishing charter guides. ​ Balloons are prohibited on our boats. They are easily lost in the wind and are considered littering. Balloons do not stay in the air forever and come back down as trash. Sea turtles often confuse deflated balloons for jellyfish and become injured by eating them.

Read all FAQs here.

More Deer Island Coastal Preserve regulations here and here.