Bald Head Island Transportation

Electronic Ticketing and Reservations Frequently Asked Questions

Bulk 40 Coupon Code Use Tracking?

Bulk 40 Coupon Code Use Tracking: Bulk 40 Coupon Code users may now track their round trip ticket usage at www.baldheadislandferry.com. Please follow these steps:
a. Retrieve the confirmation email for your Bulk 40 Coupon Code purchase or trade-in. The email includes an 8-digit Confirmation number that will be used to track your usage. If you cannot find the confirmation email or the number, please email the [email protected] email with the name, email, and/or the phone number provided at the time of the transaction and it will be sent to you.

b. Go to www.baldheadislandferry.com and select “Reservations” at the top of the page.
c. Select “Go To My Account” at the bottom of the page.
d. Enter the Confirmation number for the Bulk 40 Coupon Code purchase or trade-in and either your email or phone number.
e. Once the transaction is displayed, go to the “Passes” section and at the far right in that section you will see how many round trip tickets have been “purchased” using your Coupon Code. For clarification, the number is not how many round trips you have remaining, but how many have been used.
f. For those with a new Coupon Code purchase, your total allocation is 40 round trips. For those that traded in old tickets, your coupon code is good for the round trip equivalent of the amount of two-ticket sets you traded in. If you are not sure how many tickets you traded in, please send an email request to [email protected] with the name of the person who traded in the old tickets and the original trade-in/round trip amount will be sent to you. Please note, for those that traded in tickets, you will likely see a “used” amount greater than the number of round trips you have actually used. This is because the difference between your trade in and 40 round trips will be added to your used total to ensure an accurate count of remaining round trips on your Bulk 40 Coupon Code. For example, if you traded in 20 tickets or 10 round trips, your starting “used” number will be 30, indicating you have 10 round trips remaining out of the original Bulk 40 purchase.

Bulk 40 Coupon Code Reservation Process?

Bulk 40 Coupon Code ferry and tram reservation process: If you have traded in your “old” Bulk 40 tickets or purchased a new Bulk 40 in the COUPON CODE form, the following will walk you through the ferry and tram reservation process:

1. Enter the online system at baldheadislandferry.com
2. Select your originating travel date.
3. Choose your originating direction of travel (Departure from BHI or Departure from Deep Point-Southport)
4. Select your desired travel time for departure.
5. Select your date for your return trip (if you do not have firm plans, select a date close to your desired travel and you can change it later when your plans firm). The Bulk 40 ticket is a round trip ticket in accordance with the regulated tariff, which is why it requires a return date/time to be selected.
6. Select your time for your return trip
7. Select how many tickets you wish to “purchase” using your coupon code. The Bulk 40 coupon code only applies to General Fare tickets. Any additional tickets (e.g., Child) tickets you wish to purchase with this transaction will require a credit card to complete.
8. Select any enhancements you would like. This is where you select tram service if desired by clicking the “+” symbol next to tram round trip for the number of passengers.
9. If you selected tram service, input your drop-off/pickup address and answer the pets and bicycle questions. If you did not select tram service, please leave the address blank and answer “no” to the pets and bicycle service questions and hit “continue”
10. In the billing page, you enter your Bulk 40 Coupon Code in the box in the upper right corner. The coupon code is the series of letters and numbers that starts with “bulk40…” located in the section below the QR code in the confirmation email you received. Once entered you will receive a confirmation the code was accepted and your purchase total is zeroed out.
11. Complete the remainder of the checkout process (it will be a zero cost transaction unless you included child tickets in your reservation).
12. Once you have completed the checkout process you will receive an email and a text (if you included your phone number) confirming your ferry / tram reservation and the QR code for boarding the ferry. This QR code is used for both your departure and return for the number of tickets you “purchased” with your coupon code (e.g., if you selected 2 General Fare tickets, both riders will be boarded in both directions using the one QR code).
13. Repeat this process for each time you would like to travel.
We are working with the developer to try to implement an automatic tracking system, but in the meantime, we recommend saving your confirmation emails in a folder/file in your email
app/program to keep track of the number of round trip tickets used under your Bulk 40.

One-way Tram Reservations?

One-Way Tram Reservations – When booking your ferry and tram reservation, you may now select either a round-trip or one-way tram reservation. When selecting a one-way tram reservation you will need to enter the date for either your drop-off or your pickup.  Most travelers will select “Round Trip” for both a drop-off and a pick-up coinciding with their ferry reservation.

“0” or Negative numbers listed for Tram Reservations?

“0” Tram Available – A “0” or negative number listed in the reservation calendar for tram means there are no tram reservations available for that specific date and time.  Please select a different departure date and/or time showing tram space is available for your entire party.

Tickets not visible in my mobile app?

Tickets Not Visible in Mobile App  – The most common cause of a ticket not being visible in the app is the email used when making the reservation is not the same as the app’s login email.  Both the reservation and the app email must be the same for the system to display your ticket in the mobile app.  Please note, if you use your Apple ID to log on to the mobile app, please ensure you select “Share My Email” otherwise, the system will create a “masked email” and none of the tickets purchased under the real email will be visible. Those using their Google ID to log on to the mobile app will automatically share your real email.

Do I have to make a return reservation?

Do I have to make a return reservation when I book ferry tickets? – Yes. All round-trip tickets require a departure and return reservation. However, you may select any return time you wish to complete the transaction and either change the return date/time either on the website or in the mobile app when you know you are ready to travel, or arrive at the terminal at your desired time and board through the “General” boarding line. The person scanning will “override” your reservation time at the gate and you may board if room is available.

Do I have to purchase a ferry ticket to make a tram reservation?

Do I have to purchase a ferry ticket to make a tram reservation? – Yes. Tram reservations may be made only with the purchase of a tram-eligible ticket (General Fare w/ accompanying child, Bulk 40). Bulk 40 ticket holders with a COUPON CODE may make their tram reservation when they make their ferry reservation. PAPER Bulk 40 holders may call the ticket office to make a tram reservation, but will not be able to make a ferry reservation. Weddings and other chartered tram services will be not be reserved online but in person or on the phone as in the past.

Why is the ferry system transitioning to electronic ticketing and reservations?

Why did the Bald Head Island ferry transitioning to electronic ticketing and reservations? – Electronic ticketing and reservations allows passengers greater options and flexibility in how they purchase tickets and plan their travel. Providing passengers with the option to purchase reservation-eligible tickets and make reservations for their desired voyage will help even out passenger flows and reduce congestion and wait times at the ferry terminal, particularly during peak travel times. Ultimately, the goal of electronic ticketing and reservations is to provide a better rider experience for all passengers.

Do I have to trade in my Annual Pass, Bulk 80 card or employee iCard?

Do I have to trade in my Bulk 80, Annual Pass or Employee iCard? – No. Previously purchased and/or issued iCards will remain valid until available rides are used or the card expires. New purchases and renewals will be issued an electronic QR code which may be stored on your phone or printed out for scanning.

Am I required to make a reservation to ride the ferry?

Am I required to have a reservation to ride the ferry? – No. Whether you have a reservation for a different date or time or you want to walk up to the ticket window and purchase a ticket for the next available ferry, a reservation is not required. You will board as a stand-by passenger as long as space is available.

Can I add other ticket classes (e.g., Child) to my Bulk 40 reservation in a single transaction?

Can I add other ticket classes (e.g., Child) to my Bulk 40 reservation in a single transaction? – Yes. The Bulk 40 coupon code will subtract the “cost” of your Bulk 40 ticket, and any other tickets or add-ons you select may be purchased using a credit card at the end of the transaction.

Will One-Way and No Frills Tickets be allowed to make reservations?

Will One-Way and No-Frills Tickets be allowed to make reservations? – No. One-way and No Frills tickets will remain available for purchase at the Bald Head Island ticket window, but will not be eligible for ferry or tram reservations.

What happens if I miss my reservation date and/or time?

What happens if I miss my reservation date and/or time? – Your ticket remains valid and you will be able to board the next available ferry through the “General” boarding line as long as there is space available. You may also use the mobile application or the website to change your reservation to another available time. If you have tram associated with your ferry reservation, please ensure your transfer to a new date/time is completed at least two hours prior to your new travel date/time

What happens if the ferry is running late?

What happens if the ferry is running late? – Your reservation will be honored on the next available ferry and adjustments to subsequent reservations will be made until we are able to resume our normal schedule.

Can I receive a refund for my ticket if I cancel my travel plans?

Can I receive a refund for my ticket if I cancel my travel plans? – Yes. Refunds for unscanned tickets purchased through the mobile app or the website may be initiated by the purchaser using the confirmation code provided with their ticket purchase. Refunds may also be issued at the ticket window. Refunds are not available for partially used Bulk 40 or Bulk 80 tickets.

Will I still be able to coordinate special events (weddings, bands, etc.)?

Will I still be able to coordinate special events (weddings, bands, etc.)? – Yes. Special events, including chartered ferry, tram, and dolly services may be coordinated in person and over the phone.

I have an Employee or Contractor ticket. Will I be able to ride the passenger ferry when the contractor ferry is not available?

I have an Employee or Contractor ticket. Will I be able to ride the passenger ferry when the contractor ferry is not available? – Yes. Customers with Employee and Contractor tickets will be allowed (Contractor tickets are only allowed on the passenger ferry at specific times when the contractor ferry is not running) to board the ferry through the “General” boarding line once customers with reservations have boarded and space is available.

As an Employee riding the passenger ferry, it seems like I will always get “bumped” under the new system. Why do we have to board behind everyone else?

As an Employee riding the passenger ferry, it seems like I will always get “bumped” under the new system. Why do we have to board behind everyone else? – Since the inception of the Bald Head Island ferry system, those with employee and contractor tickets were required to stand aside to allow passengers with other ticket classes to board the ferry first. This policy has not been enforced in recent years for several reasons, including most recently the impacts of COVID-19. To minimize the impact to employees and contractors, the number of available reservations on each scheduled passenger ferry is limited, meaning there will always be stand-by spaces available on every ferry. As we experience the impact of reservations on passenger flows and trends, we may adjust the ratio of available reservations and stand-by spaces to balance ridership demands to available space on the ferry. As is the case today, there will always be potential for passengers to be “bumped” when the ferry meets its U.S. Coast Guard-regulated maximum capacity of 150 passengers.

Will you be adding more runs to the Contractor ferry?

Will you be adding more runs to the Contractor ferry? – No. We do not anticipate adding additional Contractor ferry runs at this time.

Will you still run an additional ferry during high ridership periods (e.g. 4th of July weekend) and will reservations be available on the additional ferry?

Will you still run an additional ferry during high ridership periods (e.g. 4th of July weekend) and will reservations be available on the additional ferry? – Yes. We will continue to schedule an additional ferry during peak ridership periods and reservations may be made on both the regularly scheduled ferry and the additional ferry. There may be times when an unscheduled passenger ferry is put in service. Unscheduled passenger ferries will be first-come, first-served and open to all passengers with or without reservations.

Will there be a change in the baggage rules for property owners?

Will there be a change in the baggage rules for property owners? – No. As a designated public transportation utility, the baggage limits and definitions ordered by the North Carolina Utilities Commission apply to all riders.