Short answer: the ferry company’s published non-resident adult fares are USD 35 Economy, USD 40 Business, USD 60 VIP and USD 100 Royal (checked 14 Oct 2026). Through Zanzibar Ferry you book our own class names (Silver / Silver Plus from USD 45, Gold USD 60, Platinum USD 80, VIP on request), each already including our USD 10 service charge per ticket. For a crossing of roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours, most visitors are fine in the standard class.
The Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar fast ferry sells seats in named classes. Those names appear on the operator’s rate card and booking screens. When you book with us, you see a shorter list (Silver through Platinum, plus VIP on request). This guide explains both sides so you know what you are paying for.
Zanzibar Ferry is a booking service run by Horizon Hospitality Group. We do not operate the boats. We reserve your seats, send e-tickets, can add a Dar hotel-to-terminal transfer, and stay on WhatsApp if plans change.
What the operator charges for each class
These are the non-resident fares published on the ferry company’s rates page (checked 14 Oct 2026). Resident fares are listed separately in Tanzanian shillings on the same page.
| Class | Non-resident adult | Non-resident child |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | USD 35 | USD 30 |
| Business | USD 40 | USD 40 |
| VIP | USD 60 | USD 60 |
| Royal | USD 100 | USD 100 |
On that rate card, children are ages 5 to 11, and adults are 12 and above. The operator's own rate card doesn't sell tickets for under-5s, but when you book with us they travel free; just add them in the notes. Permitted luggage is 25 kg per person; extra bags are chargeable. Online bookings are not confirmed until payment is made. Missed travel dates or times are not refunded; cancellations must be raised with the company at least two hours before departure.
Those are the operator’s rules. Our cancellation and change rules for tickets we issue are different: once issued, ferry tickets are non-refundable, and a date or time change costs USD 15 per ticket. Tours we sell separately can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before the start time. Full details stay on our Cancellation & Refund page.
What each class is like on board
Exact layouts vary by vessel, and the ferry company says the boat on a scheduled sailing can change at the last minute. Its fleet page gives the seat counts by class for its newer boats, which show how the classes compare:
| Vessel (fleet page) | Royal | VIP | Business | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilimanjaro VII | 18 seats | 72 seats | none listed | 430 seats |
| Kilimanjaro VI | 16 seats | 48 seats | 94 seats | 342 seats |
What that tells you:
- Economy is by far the biggest section, so it is the one most likely to still have seats on a busy day. It is also the busiest and noisiest part of the boat.
- Business is not on every vessel. On a boat without it, a Business ticket is not something you can choose.
- VIP is a much smaller cabin, a few dozen seats, so it fills faster in high season.
- Royal is the smallest section on the boat, fewer than 20 seats, and the most expensive.
For a crossing of roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours, the upgrade mainly buys a calmer, less crowded cabin. It does not change the route or the sailing time: every class is on the same boat.
How our tickets map when you book with us
We sell tickets under our own class labels. Every price below already includes our USD 10 service charge per ticket. Full tables and worked examples are in our Dar to Zanzibar ferry prices guide.
| Our class | Adult, one way | Child 5–11, one way (under 5: free) |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | USD 45 | USD 40 |
| Silver Plus | USD 45 | USD 40 |
| Gold | USD 60 | same as adult |
| Platinum | USD 80 | same as adult |
| VIP | on request | on request |
Our class names are our own, so they don't line up one-to-one with the operator's four names. Silver and Silver Plus are our standard seats: the operator's non-resident Economy fare (USD 35) plus our USD 10 service charge gives the USD 45 you see. For Gold, Platinum and VIP, we confirm which cabin you're seated in for your boat and date when we book, before you pay. Our VIP is limited and quoted on WhatsApp, because those seats depend on the sailing.
Travelling with a child under 5? Under-5s travel free when you book with us: no ticket needed, just add them in the notes when you book.
If the ferry company changes a fare, we tell you the new total before we charge anything. A driver from any Dar hotel to the terminal is USD 30 per one-way transfer. Zanzibar-side transfers are on request.
Is the upgrade worth it?
Use this as a practical rule of thumb:
- Solo or couple on a short trip, fine with a busy cabin: Silver or Silver Plus.
- Travelling with older relatives, or you want a calmer cabin: ask us for Gold or Platinum on that date.
- You want the smallest, most exclusive section: message us for VIP availability. Those cabins have very few seats, so don't assume one is open on every boat.
- You only care about getting to Stone Town on time: book the sailing time first, then pick the cheapest open class. Our timetable guide explains how departures usually run.
Going back from Stone Town to Dar uses the same classes and the same through-us prices. See the Zanzibar to Dar return guide if that leg sits next to a flight.
Quick checklist before you choose
- Passport details match the ticket names.
- You know whether you need a Dar hotel pickup (USD 30 one way).
- You have left buffer after arrival in Stone Town or back in Dar for port exit and traffic.
- You are happy with our change rule (USD 15 per ticket) if plans move after tickets are issued.