Short answer: Our ferry bookings are operated by Zan Fast Ferries, which sells five classes: Silver, Gold, Platinum, VIP and Sun-Deck. Its published non-resident adult fares Dar es Salaam–Zanzibar are USD 35 Silver, USD 50 Gold, USD 70 Platinum and USD 350 VIP (checked 29 Oct 2026). Booked through us: Silver USD 45, Gold USD 60, Platinum USD 80, each including our USD 10 service charge per ticket; VIP on request.
What Zan Fast Ferries publishes for each class
Non-resident fares for Dar es Salaam ↔ Zanzibar, as shown on the operator's fleet classes page (checked 29 Oct 2026). Resident fares are listed separately in Tanzanian shillings.
| Class | Non-resident adult | Non-resident child |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | USD 35 | USD 30 |
| Gold | USD 50 | USD 50 |
| Platinum | USD 70 | USD 70 |
| VIP | USD 350 | USD 350 |
| Sun-Deck | no fare shown | no fare shown |
Children aged 5–11 pay the child fare and passengers aged 12+ pay the adult fare; children under 5 travel free, but no ticket or seat is issued automatically – please confirm arrangements with us on WhatsApp before travel. The operator does not publish a luggage allowance or a check-in time on these pages, so we confirm both with your booking.
What each class is like on board
- Silver: affordable indoor seating with basic comfort; air-conditioning and seats with charging ports on certain vessels.
- Gold: comfortable indoor seating with some extra amenities compared with Silver.
- Platinum: upper-class seating with extra comfort, reclining seats and charging ports, sometimes lounge access or snacks.
- VIP: private cabin or top-tier seating, priority boarding, reclining seats with charging ports.
- Sun-Deck: outdoor upper-deck seating with sea views, depending on the vessel and the weather.
The operator says amenities vary by vessel and sailing, with snacks and soft drinks mainly in Gold, Platinum and VIP. Its fleet listed on the home page: Zanzibar 1 and Zanzibar 2 (475 seats each), Zanzibar 3 (615 seats) and Sea Star 1 (1,300 seats). Zan Fast Ferries says it sails four times a day between Dar and Zanzibar; it does not list the times on these pages.
Our prices when you book with us
Every price below already includes our USD 10 service charge per ticket. Worked examples are in our Dar to Zanzibar ferry prices guide.
| Our class | Adult, one way | Child 5–11, one way (12+ adult fare; under 5 free – please confirm arrangements on WhatsApp before travel) |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | USD 45 | USD 40 |
| Gold | USD 60 | same as adult |
| Platinum | USD 80 | same as adult |
| VIP | on request | on request |
If the operator 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.
Two sets of rules: the operator's and ours
Zan Fast Ferries' own conditions (from its website): cancelling or rescheduling is allowed up to two hours before the scheduled departure; nothing is accepted after departure; carry valid ID; late arrival can mean denied boarding without refund; schedules and fares can change without notice.
Our agency terms for tickets we issue: once issued, ferry tickets are non-refundable, and a date or time change costs USD 15 per ticket, subject to availability. Our USD 10 service charge per ticket is included in the prices above. Full details: our Cancellation & Refund page.
Which class should you choose?
- Short trip, fine with a busy cabin: Silver.
- You want a calmer seat with more amenities: Gold or Platinum.
- You want the top cabin: ask us for VIP on your date.
- You want open air and views: ask about Sun-Deck; it depends on the vessel and weather.
- Timing matters most: pick the sailing first, then the cheapest open class. See our timetable guide.
The return from Stone Town to Dar uses the same classes and prices: see the Zanzibar to Dar return guide.
Quick checklist
- Passport names match the ticket names.
- You know whether you need a Dar hotel pickup (USD 30 one way).
- You have asked us to confirm luggage and reporting time for your sailing.
- You are happy with our change rule (USD 15 per ticket) if plans move after tickets are issued.