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Ferry & cruise booking software: tickets & manifests

Ferries & cruises: every passenger on the manifest. Lines off, nobody left on the wharf.

Tickets get sold through a window at the wharf, the manifest lives on a clipboard, the vehicle deck is booked over the phone and charter enquiries sit in somebody's inbox. We build ferry and cruise systems that sell every seat online, board passengers in seconds and have an accurate manifest ready before the lines come off. Then we host them and look after them.

Tell us what's slowing you down →Try the live demo →Or call0423 011 252

Looking for ferry or cruise booking software that handles capacity, manifests and the weather?

A ferry or cruise operation is a few businesses sharing one hull. There's a timetabled transport service, a tourism product sold through agents and booking sites, a vehicle and freight carrier and a private charter business. Every sailing has a hard passenger limit and a manifest that has to be right. Then the forecast turns and the whole day gets rewritten. Most operators hold it together with a booking platform, a phone, a clipboard and a deckhand counting heads at the gangway.

Wollopit builds custom ferry and cruise software around how your vessels actually run. Seats and vehicle space are shared across every channel so nothing gets overbooked. Tickets scan at the gangway and the manifest builds itself. When a sailing is cancelled, every affected passenger hears about it at once with a rebook link. We connect the platforms you already like, replace the ones holding you back and look after the lot on our own servers.

01The problems

What we hear from ferry and cruise operators

Does your ferry and cruise operator have these problems? Here's how we'd fix them.

Most operators we talk to know their waters and their vessels inside out. The trouble starts at the ticket window, the manifest and the moment the wind picks up.

  • The problemQueues at the ticket windowHalf the passengers buy at the wharf five minutes before departure and the boat leaves late every time.
    How we fix itOnline tickets by sailing with a QR code in their phone wallet. Walk-ups get a quick kiosk or deckhand sale on a tablet.
  • The problemManifests on a clipboardNames scrawled on paper, a headcount at the gangway and a manifest nobody could read in an emergency.
    How we fix itManifests built automatically from bookings and boarding scans, with the final count locked in at departure and stored for your records.
  • The problemOverbooked across channelsSeats sold on your website, Rezdy, Viator and by the resort desk all at once. Somebody gets told the boat's full on the wharf.
    How we fix itOne capacity pool per sailing shared by every channel, with holds for agents and walk-ups so you never sell past the limit.
  • The problemThe vehicle deck booked by phoneCars, caravans, trailers and utes booked on a notepad with lengths guessed. The last ute doesn't fit.
    How we fix itVehicle bookings by type and length with deck space tracked per sailing so you know exactly what's coming on.
  • The problemWeather cancellations by phoneThe wind swings, the afternoon run is off and someone spends two hours ringing passengers one at a time.
    How we fix itCancel a sailing once and every passenger gets an SMS and email with a rebook link or refund. Agents get told too.
  • The problemCommuter passes on punch cardsTen-trip cards hole-punched by hand, lost every week and impossible to check against what was actually paid.
    How we fix itDigital multi-trip passes and resident fares in a phone wallet, scanned at boarding with trips counted down automatically.
  • The problemTimetables out of date everywhereSchool holiday timetable on a PDF, the old one still on Google and a laminated sign that's wrong by Easter.
    How we fix itOne timetable that feeds the website, booking page, Google and wharf screens. Seasonal schedules switch over on their own.
  • The problemAgents and resorts booking by emailIsland resorts, hotels and travel agents email passenger lists, then someone reconciles commissions in a spreadsheet.
    How we fix itAn agent portal with their own rates and allocations, live availability and commission statements ready at month end.
  • The problemCharters lost in the inboxWeddings, work trips and private hires come in by email and take three days of back and forth to confirm.
    How we fix itCharter enquiry forms with vessel, date and duration, instant quotes, deposits and run sheets for the crew.
  • The problemFreight and parcels on paperIsland deliveries, building supplies and parcels logged on a clipboard and nobody can tell the customer where it is.
    How we fix itFreight bookings with consignment labels, a load list per sailing and pickup notifications when it lands.
  • The problemAdd-ons never get soldLunch packages, snorkel gear and transfers sold onboard if anyone remembers to ask.
    How we fix itAdd-ons offered at checkout and in the pre-trip email, with onboard kiosk sales on the same system.
  • The problemVessel checks in a logbookPre-departure checks, engine hours and defects written in a book that lives on the boat.
    How we fix itPrestart checklists on a crew phone, engine hours and defect reports logged per vessel with service reminders.
02What we build

Solutions

What we build for ferry and cruise operators. Usually all talking to each other.

Pick the one that's hurting most or join the whole lot up. Everything is built around how your team works, not the other way round.

01

Sailings & timetables

Routes, departures, seasonal timetables and public holiday runs managed in one place and shown everywhere.

02

Online ticketing

Adult, child, concession, family and resident fares by sailing, with return trips and QR tickets in the phone wallet.

03

Capacity management

Passenger and deck limits per vessel and sailing, shared across your website, agents and booking sites.

04

Gangway boarding scans

QR scanning on any phone or tablet, works without reception and syncs when the boat's back in range.

05

Passenger manifests

Built from bookings and scans, with names, counts, special needs and a final manifest stored per departure.

06

Vehicle & deck bookings

Cars, caravans, trailers and trucks booked by length, with a deck plan per sailing.

07

Weather & disruption alerts

Cancel or delay a sailing once and every passenger and agent gets an SMS and email with rebook or refund options.

08

Commuter passes

Multi-trip passes, monthly passes and resident cards that count down at the gangway.

09

Charter bookings

Private hire enquiries, quotes, deposits, catering and run sheets for weddings, functions and fishing groups.

10

Agent & resort portal

Trade logins with their own rates, allocations, passenger lists and commission statements.

11

Freight & parcels

Consignment bookings, labels, load lists per sailing and SMS when it's ready to collect.

12

Add-ons & onboard sales

Lunches, drinks packages, gear hire and transfers sold online and onboard.

13

Crew rosters & vessel checks

Crew rosters, prestart checklists, engine hours, defect logs and service reminders.

14

Wharf screens

Next departures, boarding status and delay notices on a screen at the terminal.

15

A website that sails

Quick on mobile with live timetables and seats left, built to rank for 'ferry to the island' searches.

03The systems

The big ones

Your whole fleet, on one system.

These are the systems ferry and cruise operators ask us about most. Each one works on its own. They get properly clever when they're joined up.

Ticketing & capacity

Every seat sold once. Never twice.

One live capacity pool per sailing, shared by your website, booking platforms, agents and the wharf. Passengers book in a minute on their phone and the seats left update everywhere the moment they pay.

  • Fares by passenger type and route
  • Return and open-return tickets
  • Seats left shown live on the website
  • Holds for agents and walk-ups
  • Synced with Rezdy or FareHarbor
  • Add-ons at checkout
  • QR tickets in Apple and Google Wallet
  • Promo codes and group pricing
  • Payments through Stripe or Square
  • Takings per sailing into Xero

Boarding & manifests

Scan them on. The manifest writes itself.

Deckhands scan tickets at the gangway on any phone, even out of reception. The manifest fills in as people board and the final count is locked and stored the minute you depart.

  • QR scans on any phone or tablet
  • Works offline at the wharf
  • Live headcount against capacity
  • No-shows flagged before departure
  • Special needs and mobility notes
  • Final manifest locked at departure
  • Manifests stored per sailing
  • Printable copy for the wheelhouse
  • Crew on board listed too
  • Search any past sailing in seconds

Vehicles & freight

Know what's on the deck before it rolls up.

Vehicles booked by type and length so the deck plan is right before loading starts. Freight and parcels get consignment labels and a load list per sailing, with customers told when it's landed.

  • Vehicle types and lengths
  • Caravans, trailers and trucks
  • Deck space tracked per sailing
  • Loading list for the deckhands
  • Resident vehicle fares
  • Freight consignment bookings
  • Labels and load lists
  • Dangerous goods flagged
  • Collect-ready SMS
  • Freight invoices to Xero

Weather & disruption

Cancel once. Everybody knows.

When the forecast turns, cancel or delay a sailing in one tap. Every passenger, agent and charter group gets an SMS and email with a rebook link or refund and the website and wharf screens update straight away.

  • One-tap cancel or delay
  • SMS and email to every passenger
  • Self-serve rebook links
  • Automatic refunds or credits
  • Agents and resorts notified
  • Website banner and wharf screens
  • Google Business Profile hours updated
  • Message templates ready to go
  • Who's rebooked and who hasn't
  • Disruption history per route

Passes & commuters

Locals who just tap and board.

Residents, workers and school kids get digital passes in their phone wallet instead of punch cards. Trips count down at the gangway and passes top up online.

  • Ten-trip and monthly passes
  • Resident and concession fares
  • School and worker passes
  • Passes in the phone wallet
  • Trips counted at the gangway
  • Online top-ups
  • Auto-renewing monthly passes
  • Low-balance reminders
  • Lost passes reissued in seconds
  • Pass usage reports

Charters & agents

Private hires and trade bookings, sorted.

Charter enquiries become quotes with deposits and crew run sheets. Resorts, hotels and travel agents get their own portal with rates, allocations and commission statements that reconcile themselves.

  • Charter enquiry forms
  • Quotes by vessel and duration
  • Deposits and balance reminders
  • Catering and bar add-ons
  • Crew run sheets
  • Agent logins with their own rates
  • Allocations per sailing
  • Passenger lists uploaded by agents
  • Commission statements monthly
  • Invoices into Xero or MYOB
04How it changes

Before and after

A blown-out afternoon run, wolloped.

Here's how a weather cancellation could change. Every operation is different, so we map yours first.

Before

  1. The wind swings and the 3pm run is off
  2. Print the booking list and start ringing
  3. Voicemail after voicemail for two hours
  4. Email the resorts and agents one by one
  5. Passengers still turn up at the wharf
  6. Refunds processed by hand the next day

After

  1. Tap cancel on the 3pm sailing
  2. Every passenger gets an SMS and email
  3. Most rebook themselves onto the 5:30
  4. Resorts and agents are told automatically
  5. Website and wharf screens show the change
  6. Refunds go back on their own
05Services

Everything under one roof

Software, websites and systems for ferry and cruise operators.

Whether you're starting fresh or upgrading what you've got, it's one team from the first sketch to the support call.

Custom software for ferry and cruise operators

Built around how your ferry and cruise operator actually runs: sailings & timetables, online ticketing and the admin in between, in one system you own.

Websites for ferry and cruise operators

Fast, hand-built websites that rank for the searches your customers make and turn visits into enquiries, bookings or orders.

Ferry and cruise operator system upgrades

Running on spreadsheets, old software or a platform you've outgrown? We move your data across and upgrade in stages so the business never stops.

Apps and portals for ferry and cruise operators

Capacity management and gangway boarding scans: customer and staff portals that work on any phone without an app store.

Integrations and automation

We connect Rezdy, FareHarbor and Bookeasy so information moves on its own and nobody retypes it.

Hosting, support and care

Managed hosting, updates, backups and security for your ferry and cruise operator, looked after by the people who built it.

06Integrations

Connections

Plays nicely with what you already use.

We connect to the tools you rely on, work alongside booking platforms you're happy with or replace the ones holding you back.

  • Rezdy
  • FareHarbor
  • Bookeasy
  • Checkfront
  • Viator
  • GetYourGuide
  • Klook
  • TripAdvisor
  • Stripe
  • Square
  • Xero
  • MYOB
  • Google Business Profile
  • Google Maps
  • Apple Wallet
  • Google Wallet
  • Mailchimp
  • Twilio SMS
  • Deputy
  • Bureau of Meteorology
07How we work

The process

Some people dip their toe in. We turn up in a rebreather.

We get properly below the surface of your ferry and cruise operator: the systems, the busy days and the jobs everyone hates. Then we fix the bits that matter most first.

  1. 01

    Think

    We stand at the wharf, ride a few sailings and sit in the office, then work out where the queues, phone calls and paperwork are really coming from.

  2. 02

    Archi-tech

    We plan it before writing code: your routes, fares, capacity, vehicles, manifests, passes, agents, hosting and cost.

  3. 03

    Build

    Real engineering, shown to you early and often. Usually the most painful bit first, so you get a win before the next school holidays.

  4. 04

    Look after

    We host it, maintain it and keep improving it. When something breaks you call the people who built it.

08Questions

FAQ

Things ferry and cruise operators ask us.

Something else on your mind? Ring 0423 011 252 and ask the people who'd build it.

Can it stop us overbooking when we sell through Viator, agents and our own website?

Yes. Every channel draws from one capacity pool per sailing, with holds for agents and walk-ups. Once a sailing is full it's full everywhere.

Does boarding work at a wharf with no reception?

Yes. Scanning works offline on the deckhand's phone and syncs back the moment it finds signal, so the manifest is complete either way.

Can it produce our passenger manifests?

Yes. Manifests build from bookings and boarding scans, then get locked and stored per departure. We set them up to match what your safety management system needs.

Can it handle commuter and resident passes?

Yes. Multi-trip, monthly and resident passes can be sold online, kept in a phone wallet and scanned at boarding with trips counted down automatically.

How do weather cancellations work?

You cancel or delay the sailing once. Every passenger and agent gets an SMS and email with a rebook link or refund and your website and wharf screens update straight away.

We already use Rezdy or FareHarbor. Do we have to switch?

No. If your booking platform is doing its job we build around it: manifests, boarding, vehicles, passes and weather messaging on top. If it's holding you back we'll show you what replacing it would involve before anything changes.

How much does a ferry or cruise system cost?

It depends on what you need, so we quote up front once we understand it. No surprise invoices, no lock-in and you own what we build.

How long does it take?

Smaller jobs like QR boarding or weather messaging can be quick. Bigger systems are planned in stages so you get the first win early instead of waiting for everything at once.

Who looks after it once it's built?

We do. We host it on our own managed servers and keep it updated and secure. When you need something you ring the people who built it.

We already have systems. Can you upgrade them instead of starting again?

Usually, yes. Most ferry and cruise operators we work with keep what's working and upgrade the rest in stages. We move your data across, connect the old and new while we switch and retire the old system only when the new one is proven.

Contact

Got a ferry and cruise operator problem? Consider it wolloped.

Tell us what's slow, broken, manual or missing. You don't need a spec, just describe what's going on.

Call0423 011 252 Emailprojects@wollopit.com.au
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