Canal Street/Algiers Ferry

It’s a boat. You pay $ 2 and you get to sit on the boat. You’re also allowed to stand. You get passed by fancier boats that cost more than $ 2. When you get off, you’re on the other side of the Mississippi. I don’t know how many more details I can give.
Yes, but the boat itself isn’t the nicest. But it’s functional, and I’m still alive, so no complaints.
And maybe it’s because I’m from New York and I’ve seen fare hikes throughout my lifetime like you wouldn’t believe, but a lot of people on this Unilocal page are super angry that this ferry costs $ 2. You get to ride a boat. For $ 2. Chill out, people.

We used to come to New Orleans, and enjoy taking the «free» ferry over to Algiers for a quiet, friendly interlude during our New Orleans vacation. Not anymore. Algiers is still a nice place to visit. They still have the quiet, Southern neighborhoods with all the history, and architecture of New Orleans, but I guess it got to where it cost too much to keep running back and forth across the Mississippi every 30 minutes. Still, it’s a fun, quick boat ride if you don’t want to spend all the time and money to ride either the Steamboat Natchez, or the Creole Queen. You can take this ferry, get out on the river, visit Algiers, and still be back in time to do a lot of other things, too. It doesn’t have to take up all of your day.
If you take this ferry, note that the cost is $ 2.00 each way, and they only accept exact payment in cash — no change. On both shores, there are vending machines located near the loading gates where they also have dollar bill changers that give change in dollar coins. Two of those dollar coins will get you to the other side, and, who knows? The machine may even kick our a 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar, too. I got one!

It’s $ 2 each way per person. The ride lasts maybe 5 minutes (if they go slow). It’s not a tourist thing to do, so much as a functional ferry that gets folks from one neighborhood to another. There’s no «tour». You get on and get off.
It’s obviously much cheaper if you want to save $ 30 on one of the bigger ferry rides and still say you rode across the Mighty Mississippi. A local family was there because their young son wanted to ride a boat on his birthday.
Not much to see on the Algiers side. Not many signs of life. A bar or two that locals congregate in. You’ll bore easily of the neighborhood so I wouldn’t budget more than an hour or two there. There’s a «jazz» walk on the top of the levy, but it’s kind of depressing in that it’s just a paved walkway without much to see.
Never had to wait more than a few minutes for the ferry. They arrive every 30 minutes or so. They don’t run on the half-​hour though i.e. it’s not 12:00pm, 12:30pm — rather the ferries take off 30 minutes after the last one. Covered waiting area in a janky terminal/​dock in a part of town that Katrina seemed to hit hard. Nothing glamorous here, folks, but it’s something to do.

This is very worth it if you are on a budget and do not want to spend $ 25 — $ 80 per person on the paddlewheel steamboats. They run every half hour and each way is a grand price of $ 2! They depart from the Riverwalk Pier at the end of Canal street across the river to Algiers. It reminded me of the cheap Star Ferry in Hong Kong which plys from Wanchai to Tsim Sha Shui. Great way to get good shots of the New Orleans skyline and the Mississippi river. Bicycle and even car friendly! Prepare to take great photos of the river and the New Orleans skyline!

Clean
Cheap
No Lines
Ride is was smooth.
Ferry arrives regularly and on time.

Fastest way to get across the river. Fare is $ 2. It’s a shame, a SHAME they don’t take vehicles anymore, they could really be generating income to keep the ferry going because $ 2 fares for a dozen people couldn’t possible secure the future of this mode of transportation. Ride it while you have the chance!

We came over to yonder Ferry for a little sight seeing over the mighty Mississippi… it was a very brief tour.
It’s $ 2 each way for adults with little squirts riding for free. I’m fine with that, however, the ride was quite literally 8 minutes with 2 – 3 of those minutes being the slow down and docking portion. The inside is air conditioned, but in a word the ferry is Janky.
The views of the shoreline are probably worth the $ 2 price of admission, but it just feels wrong to charge me money, make me physically exit the boat, only to round a corner and get back on for the low price of $ 2…again.
The quaintness of the Ferry is quickly eclipsed by the myriad of rust throughout, the chairs that may have been purchased at a church yard sale a few decades ago and the bug carcasses that are plentiful amongst the aforementioned rusty areas.
The upper deck is nice given the few minutes of breeze that are available and provide for a some good photo ops.

For tourists who are looking only to take this boat round trip just for the experience, I suggest skip this ferry. You pay $ 2 for a 5 minute ride across the Mississippi River. The boat itself is old and unclean. Exact change only. It would be better to book a boat tour.

Maybe because I was a tourist and was used to shelling out cash (yes, actual cash — why do so few businesses in NOLA take cards? sad face), paying in exact change wasn’t a big deal to me.
I was Bourbon Street’d out and thought it might be nice to take a short little boat ride. And it was. There wasn’t much to do on Algiers Point, but I did take a little walk around and bought some bottled water at a coffee shop. And I pet a couple stray cats.
Worth the fare if you’re looking for something touristy to view and want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

We have an almost two-​year old, so when we were in town and heard about this ferry, we thought «why not?».
We got on on the Canal side. We were so confused because there was signage leading us into this dilapidated old station with strange gates and no AC or airflow of any kind, but that couldn’t be where we get on, right? Oh no, it is.
The ferry pulls up and kicks everyone off on the left side, a guy locks that gate, and then unlocks the gate on the right for us to get on. We put our uncounted money in a hole and a lady pushes it down the chute. Get on the ferry, find a seat, next thing you know we’re on the other side. They kick everyone off, same song and dance on this side (we walked in to the station, turned around, and got back on), and we’re back on the boat. Short ride back and we’re off again.
It was worth the $ 9 (we had a $ 5 and four $ 1s — exact change only or you’re screwed) for our kid to ride a boat. The view was kind of nice and the ride was peaceful for a few minutes. But this place/​operation/​business model is so shady.

It pains me to have to update my review because riding the ferry is fun. And convenient (assuming you need to make the trip during the new operating hours.)
But, really… $ 2? Each way? For pedestrians? Not cool. I guess $ 4 is still a reasonable price for a nice, short (emphasis on short), scenic round trip. That is, if you weren’t aware of the fact that they just jacked the hell out of the prices (previously free unless you had a car, then $ 1 at most, depending on which way you were going) while decreasing service (shorter hours… and do they not allow cars anymore?)
If you’re looking for a cheap, scenic ride on public transportation, save yourself $ 1.50 and take a round trip on any of the street cars for $ 1.25 each way. Or, go ahead an spring for the $ 3 Jazzy Pass and get a full day and ride them all. Either way you get to see more and spend less than letting the ferry take you for a ride.
And I don’t even know what to say about the «no change» bullshit.
If I were a tourist, I’d probably still pay the $ 2 (or $ 4 for round trip) just for the experience. However, as a local who previously used the ferry as a legitimate means of transportation, not so much.

The Canal Street Ferry to Algiers Point, across the Mississippi River and still in New Orleans, is sort of what the Staten Island Ferry is to the boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island, though on a far, far smaller scale, both in terms of the ferries and the ridership.
I’ll do this with numbers:
1 star for being part of the New Orleans pubic transportation system
1 star for providing tourists with excellent views of the skyline of the CBD and the French Quarter
MISSING: 1 star for having gone from FREE to $ 2 in no time flat, so a round trip is now $ 4 and the crossing only takes 5 to 10 minutes.
MISSING: 1 star for not having their shit together — there is no ticket booth or machine, you hand the the money to someone who swings open a gate when ready to board, they are not able to make change, and they’re even sort of rude … and not in a funny way.
MISSING: 1 star for not having a place to go to the bathroom, yet the terminals on each side are fairly substantial, especially at the foot of Canal Street.
We had a whole bunch of people making change for each other at the Canal Street terminal upon learning they didn’t make change. Also, when you disembark at Algiers Point, you are treated to a bright green portable toilet sitting in an open expanse of parking lot, riverfront walkway, and berm such that «hide and pee» would be impossible.

If you have a bit of extra time in New Orleans, this ferry is worth checking out. The actual ferry port/​pick up location is a bit sketchy but once you are outside of it you are by the Riverwalk which is cute and much safer feeling.
The ferry is $ 2, each way, per person, NO CHANGE.. . even if you hand them a $ 20 bill.. . these workers are all business so don’t try it. Yes, they will also make you disembark and pay again even if you are just riding back (which is what we did). It gives you a cool view of the river and a look back on the city, as well as a much needed breeze to give you a break from the heat!

I’m embarrassed to have told so many people over the years how nice it was to take the ferry.
Now, instead of using any common sense, the new company is charging 2 bucks each way to go across.
You WILL be made to leave the boat on each side and you WILL pay to get back on.
Exact fare please.
No exceptions.
And no, you didn’t see that woman pocket that money; It’s the sun getting in your eyes, that’s all.
To all those I recommend this to over the years, I’m sorry.
Oh. And if you are on the CBD side, be careful how late you come over, the hours are shorter now. You may have to take a cab back. but hey, at least a cabbie will make change.

I’m very disappointed with the recent changes to the ferry. You now have to pay $ 2 to ride the ferry EACH way. They make you disembark and then get back if you just want to go for the scenery. And you MUST have exact change. They won’t make change for you even if they have a stack of bills in their hands. I don’t even know if all the cash that I hand over goes back to the ferry system because I saw the woman collecting the money put it in her pocket. And they’re using smaller ferries now, so no more cars. But lots of room for bikes. I saw the larger ferry that holds cars nearby, so it may be in service some of the time. Some one will have to verify that.
I’m not sure if I would be willing to pay $ 4 for a round trip again, but it is still a cheaper experience on the Mississippi River than the Creole Queen and the Natchez ships.

Who doesn’t like a free ride? It may only be a short distance on a sketchy little boat, but it’s a great way to see the NOLA skyline, get some great views of the bridge, and kill 45 minutes. Or actually get from one side of the river to the other.
Cruise in to the kinda-​sketchy Canal Street Ferry Terminal and hop aboard. Bring your camera and snap some shots of the city. Soak in the views.

This Cali girl has crossed the Mississippi River!!! Big fan of Twain and Faulkner, and my Dad spent a lot of his adult years near this river. Wonderful warm and perfect setting to go low-​key all the way enjoying the historicity of it all… met a lotta friendly locals and watched the coolest local school traveling band, raising money for school.
Free ferry runs only until 1800 today. Great way to see the only part of the original Orleans Parish on south side of the MS river.
Loved the neighborhood jaunt… trying to get back to full throttle after being floored by a bug.

It’s free, frequent (every half hour), and punctual. * thumbs up *
The terminal is a little bit shady, and a lot of other tourists like me were looking/​asking around to make sure we were in the right terminal. More people quickly show up closer to departure time. The ferry departs the New Orleans side on the hour and half hour, and returns on the :15 and :45.
There’s some cool murals and signage about New Orleans’ Mardi Gras history. There is also a shopping area that is currently under construction. I expect it to be a lot more happenin’ when it opens later on this year (2014).
The ferry is very fast, and is a very smooth ride. You can get great pictures with a view of the city and skyline. There’s plenty of seats, and the entire ferry is very clean.

I was here at the end of October and the ferry was still free. It comes every half hour. There was plenty of seating room. We were tourists and simply took the ferry from the Canal St terminal by the aquarium to the Algiers Ferry Terminal. There were some great views of the City and it is a short boat ride. For those who get sea sick, we had a clear day and I felt like we could barely feel the boat moving. We walked around Algiers Point for about an hour and then hopped back on the ferry to go back to the aquarium area.
This is a really nice thing to do even if you just have an hour or so to waste to get some nice photos.

After a long day of walking around the French Quarter and a visit to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, following a friend’s (you know who you are) advice, we took the ferry to give ourselves a brief rest before resuming our wanderings. And I am so grateful to have heeded my friend’s recommendation.
The view of my beloved New Orleans from the Canal Street/​Algiers Ferry is nothing short of wonderful. And it was free when we took it (although I have read somewhere that this may change soon). Being amongst locals ferrying from New Orleans and Algiers makes this ride even more interesting, as you can pretend that you are now part of the hustle and bustle of the citizens of one of the greatest cities in the world.
I highly recommend the Canal Street/​Algiers Ferry, if even just for a wonderful setting to take your NOLA pictures from.