Stakeholders from Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Hubbard’s Marina, the Tampa Bay Ferry’s operator, joined Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority leadership on Monday to outline the new service’s benefits. Photo: PSTA.
A revamped, year-round ferry service connecting downtown Tampa and St. Petersburg will feature two vessels, $10 fares, and traverse the bay seven days a week.
Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) leadership unveiled a much-anticipated vision for the new Tampa Bay Ferry at a press conference on Monday. The service, expected to launch by the end of the year, represents a significant upgrade over its privately-owned predecessor, the Cross Bay Ferry, which shuttered in May 2025.
Stakeholders from Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Hubbard’s Marina, the Tampa Bay Ferry’s operator, joined PSTA on Monday to outline the new service’s benefits. The agency’s board will vote on a plan to purchase and renovate two vessels using a $4.8 million federal grant on Wednesday.
“The ferry service will most definitely strengthen the connection between the City of St. Petersburg, Tampa, and the broader Tampa Bay region,” said PSTA Board Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders. “We’ve been mindful that we wanted to not only make it accessible, but we also wanted to make it affordable.”
From left: St. Petersburg City Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders, chair of PSTA’s governing board; Vice Chair Tom Reid; and CEO Brad Miller at the Tampa Convention Center dock site on Monday. Photo: Facebook.
Operated by Boston-based HMS Ferries, the Cross Bay began offering seasonal waterborne transportation between downtown Tampa and St. Petersburg in 2016. In March 2025, the embattled company announced plans to replace its catamaran-style vessel with one that cruises at about half the speed.
Hillsborough County terminated its operating agreement with HMS Ferries the following month. The Cross Bay subsequently ended before the long-awaited start of year-round service, and PSTA is now leading the development of a new service.
In December 2025, PSTA’s board unanimously selected Hubbard’s Marina, acting as Tampa Bay Sea Taxi, to operate a new and improved ferry service. The family-owned company’s name has been synonymous with local waterborne activities for nearly a century.
PSTA now believes it can acquire and refurbish two suitable vessels, once an uncertainty, with the federal grant. That will ensure more frequent trips than the Cross Bay, which relied on one boat.
“This is historic, because up until now, the vessels that we have been using for the Cross Bay Ferry service were from out of town,” said CEO Brad Miller. “They were from Boston, and they were on loan here only during the winter season.”
PSTA’s board has already approved the purchase of a 250-person vessel, dubbed the Bay Breeze, from the San Francisco Ferry service. The total cost to acquire and refurbish the ship, which holds 101 more passengers than the Cross Bay, is $2.5 million.
The previously approved Bay Breeze, which can cruise at 28 knots (32.2 mph). Photo: PSTA.
Hubbard’s Marina and PSTA staff have also identified the Seattle-based San Juan Clipper ($2 million) and the Candy Stripe ($2.3 million), docked in Morgan City, Louisiana, as potential additions to the Tampa Bay Ferry’s fleet. Stakeholders will rename the selected vessel at a formal ceremony.
PSTA is targeting a $10 one-way ticket price, $2 cheaper than the Cross Bay’s fares. Seniors will receive a 50% discount.
Both vessels will feature a bar with snacks, kid-friendly drinks, and adult beverages. The boats will dock at the east end of the Tampa Convention Center, the site of Monday’s press conference.
The Tampa Bay Ferry will utilize a temporary dock along the Vinoy Yacht Basin in downtown St. Petersburg. A permanent home for multiple vessels at the St. Peter Pier is currently in the design and engineering phase.
“When you look around, we’re surrounded by water,” said Tampa City Council Chair Alan Clendenin. “It is a no-brainer that we should be using these waterways as transit options. To have two vessels being able to go between our downtown business cores – it is going to be an amazing step forward in how we move people.”
Figgs-Sanders said the more reliable service will also enhance workforce mobility by offering residents a convenient commuting option to job centers across the bay. Tampa Councilmember Lynn Hurtak said the region is at its best when the Cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg work together to achieve a common goal.
The two anchor cities will each contribute $350,000 annually to the Tampa Bay Ferry service. “Long-term, this entire region needs more transportation options,” Hurtak said.
“We’re working hard on rail; we’re working hard on getting things going,” she added. “But this will happen immediately, and that is really critical and crucial.”
PSTA CEO Brad Miller said he preferred the San Juan Clipper, which can hold up to 149 people and requires less retrofitting than the Candy Stripe.
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