Martha’s Vineyard Summer Bookings Hold Steady, Nantucket Route Sees 7% Drop

General summer reservations have opened for the Steamship Authority's (SSA) Martha's Vineyard route. As of Monday, Feb. 9, reservations received that day remained “virtually the same” from last year, with 23,014 transactions, which the SSA describes as “either a one-way or a round-trip automobile reservation.” 

According to a Martha's Vineyard Times report, in 2025, the SSA generated nearly $7.3 million in revenue. Last year, the ferry line recorded 23,069 transactions on the general opening day.

On the Nantucket route, the SSA experienced a 7% drop from last year's sales. The general summer reservations for the Nantucket route opened on Jan. 27. On that date, the ferry carrier processed 6,747 transactions, resulting in more than $4.1 million in revenue. The SSA processed 7,247 transactions for the Nantucket route on the opening day last year.

“The recent reservation openings show a continued, strong demand for summer travel to both Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard,” said SSA General Manager Alex Kryska in a news release shared with the Martha's Vineyard Times. “Following these successful opening days, we look forward to a similarly successful season of serving the travel needs of residents and visitors alike.”

The SSA stated that while many of the summer weekends with the highest demand are reaching or nearing capacity, the ferry line is asking customers to use its waitlist feature to book times that aren't currently available. Additionally, Island residents in the SSA Preferred or Excursion programs can book spaces reserved each day for last-minute travel requests.

Customers can make summer reservations by phone by contacting the SSA reservation office at 508-477-8600 and in person at the terminals starting at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10.